I was so excited to get this book because I love Picoult!

However, this one was not my favorite. It seemed to drag a bit in parts and it had such long chapters, and it isn't even a large book.

I really liked the premise though and it is interesting reading about covid in books now.

She has done it again! I am a HUGE Jodi fan. I find her books captivating and also informative. Indeed this one will be one of my favorites. It is such a relatable and interesting read.

I think I've read all of Picoult's books and always look forward to picking up a new one. But sometimes they don't resonate with me or I will feel some resentment for what she's capitalizing on. This new book of hers is one that I just found to be off-putting. Though it is well written and very descriptive, I just didn't like what she did with the pandemic. Maybe too soon, or maybe too exploitive. I will look forward to the next book of hers instead.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well paced and the characters were fully formed. I would enjoy reading other work by this author in the future.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult was a FOUR star read for me. Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy. It's March 2020. Diana and her doctor boyfriend are about to leave on the trip of a lifetime to the Galapagos Islands. Things are perfect for them and there just might be a ring hidden in a sock drawer. But then NYC is on the verge of a shutdown due to Covid. The boyfriend suggests that Diana still go as the trip is non-refundable. I highly suggest that you read it to see how the journey goes! This was the first book I have read that was set in a Covid world. It was handled very well. FOUR STARS!

3.75⭐️

The Covid pandemic affected so many people in so many different ways….Diana O’Toole is no different.

Diana has her life figured out. Dream job at Sotheby’s, dream boyfriend at home and now they are going on a dream vacation to the Galapagos where she hopes Finn will propose. But just like so many, Covid caused their plans to go awry. Finn has to stay to work at the hospital. Diana goes without him and once she arrives in the Galapagos the island is shut down. She makes friends, she has life changing experiences and starts to question whether her life was as perfect as she thought.

This was a great story as to be expected from Jodi Picoult. Characters you liked. Great description of things in the city and Galapagos. Not as hard hitting as some of her other books, which I missed, but a sweet story with some heartache thrown in for good measure.

I received this book from NetGalley exchange for my honest opinion.

Many moons ago, Jodi Picoult’s books helped me transition from reading children’s and young adult literature to reading novels written for adults. If you’re familiar with her work, you know that Picoult takes a current event or hot button topic and spins a compelling tale around it. As a young adult, her books pulled me in and grabbed at my heart and mind in a way no other novels had ever done before. I eagerly read everything by Jodi that I could get my hands on and couldn’t wait for her to publish her next book (luckily, in my early 20s, I had her entire backlist to explore.) While I have since moved on to other authors that I can’t get enough of, I am always sure to check out Jodi’s latest novels when I want to read something thought-provoking, yet entertaining at the same time.

Which brings us to Picoult’s newest novel, Wish You Were Here, which is about, you guessed it, the COVID-19 pandemic (because what else?!) I know that some readers are burnt out on the pandemic and don’t want traces of it popping up in their entertainment. However, I also know that there are readers like myself who are interested in a fictional take on this life-altering virus. I personally will read any fictionalized account of real events because, 1) it helps me learn more about the factual side of things, 2) it allows me connect with and relate to characters who may be experiencing something similar, or completely different from myself, and 3) I find real life made fake to be highly entertaining. What type of reader you are will determine whether or not you should read Jodi’s latest novel. If you are one of those who loves books based on current events, then keep reading!

Wish You Were Here follows Sotheby’s associate Diana O’Toole as she travels to the Galapagos as the COVID-19 situation becomes dire back at home. What was supposed to be a romantic getaway for herself and her surgeon boyfriend Finn has turned into a solo trip because Finn has to stay behind at the hospital to help with the pandemic. Little does Diana know that the Galapagos are about to shut down on quarantine, like much of the rest of the world, and she is going to find herself stuck on this beautiful, yet mysterious island almost entirely alone except for a few locals. In the quiet weeks that follow, Diana will learn much about herself amidst the peace and solitude that the Galapagos provides. Will this “new normal” that Diana creates for herself gel with her life back home or will she be forever changed?

As Picoult states in her Author’s Note at the end of this story, everyone knows where they were when the world shut down in 2020. What would you do if the place you were was a remote island with little to no contact with the outside world? Because all of us have lived through this pandemic and we have a shared experience, everyone can relate to Wish You Were Here in some form or another. While you read this story, you will remember where you were when COVID overtook our lives, and you will consider Diana’s situation - how would things have been different for you if you were traveling when quarantine went into place? Picoult has written a timely, thought-provoking, and resounding tale that will stick with readers through the pandemic and hopefully beyond.

COVID-19 aside, another aspect of Jodi’s books that I really enjoy is how she exposes readers to a variety of jobs, lifestyles, and places in her novels. I always learn something new when I read her works. In the case of Wish You Were Here, I discovered the world of Sotheby’s and art auctions. I thoroughly enjoyed the passages of this novel where Diana describes her work at Sotheby’s and I feel like I have a much firmer grasp on this industry after reading this story. It’s always a plus in my book when I find myself Googling information that I find in a novel - with Wish You Were Here, that would be not only art pieces mentioned, but places and faces of the Galapagos as well. Picoult’s books are truly as educational as they are entertaining.

Now for the bad - there were some parts of the book that moved rather slowly with lots of dialogue and little plot development. I found my attention waning during these sections of the novel, but once you have read the entirety of the book, you will understand why they are there. When I was in the midst of it, however, I couldn’t see the forest for the trees and had to push myself through until the pace picked up. It is helpful to know, before reading, that there will be slow parts, but that they do serve a purpose.

Wish You Were Here is a book for today, a book for tomorrow. It is one of a billion stories to be told about the virus that changed life as we knew it. If you have ever felt like a stranger in a strange land during this time of COVID, you may quite enjoy the intriguing story at the hear of Wish You Were Here.

Jodi Picoult never fails to disappoint and this book is no exception. It's both relevant and timeless in its story line. I found myself drawn to the characters in this book and rooting for the undeniable love story. There are enough twists to keep the reader captivated but who doesn't just love a well written love story anyway? One of the best reads I've had the honor of reading for quite some time.

Thanks to Random House for the ARC In exchange for a fair and honest review.

Jodi Picoult's unusual latest, "Wish You Were Here" is a difficult book to review. I haven't read a novel that changes gears so swiftly since "Gone Girl."

Diana is an ambitious art historian at New York's celebrated auction house Sotheby's. She is about to take a much needed vacation with her internist boyfriend, Finn, to the Galapagos Islands. Finn's last minute change of plans sends Diana flying solo to the islands. Covid 19 breaks out soon after she reaches the islands. She's stranded there with few means, but finds shelter on behalf of a kind elderly woman who's a resident on the island. Diana finds herself living with the same woman's family, her son Gabriel and his daughter Beatriz. Much to her surprise she forms a strong connection with both Gabriel and Beatriz. She also finds a newly found confidence and independence that makes her rethink her future with Finn.

Picoult is equally good at describing the serenity of the Galapagos Islands and the disruption that the initial covid breakout caused. She also does an excellent job at developing Diana's survival skills. The second half of Diana's story is great display of Picoult's storytelling talents. She spot on captures both the emotional and physical effects covid had on New York City. Most admirable is how Picoult stays away from the politics of covid and focused on the story.

"Wish You Were Here" is an unusual novel. The first half focuses on one woman finds a new sense of self in an unfamiliar world. The second half is how she tries to bring her new self into her familiar world. "Wish" is yet another example of how Picoult has her finger on her readers pulses. Her timely story comes along as we as a society are still adjusting to a changed world.

Any book by Jodi Picoult is famous for a fictional story centered around some controversial issue or something popular in the media. Of course the topic of her latest book would be Covid and the pandemic.
This book was powerful. Real…because while this was a fictional story, the life of the characters could not have been more real and truly eye opening to the pandemic.
It’s March 13, 2020. Finn is a surgical resident in a NYC hospital. The world is falling apart around him and now he must break the news to his girlfriend that he can’t go on their planned trip to the Galapagos. Finn encourages Diana to go by herself...getting away from the havoc that is wrecking the city, and in 2 weeks when she returns, it will all be over. Reluctantly, Diana goes on the trip alone, only to find herself stranded in a foreign country when the borders shut down.
Scared and alone, Diana finds her way through the town and gets to know some of the people around her, despite a language and culture barrier. She barely has cell phone reception or any means to United States news coverage, or even knowing what’s going on with her loved ones back home. She’s finally starting to settle in when a series of events changes everything. And with one turn of a page, the book you thought you were reading shifts...completely changing the story!
This book was amazing! And while I loved the fictional story surrounding it, I was fascinated to see the pandemic through the eyes of a doctor who was on the front line.
This book comes out on November 30 and it would be the perfect gift for someone on your list or a treat for yourself!
I highly recommend this one!!!

Thank you to Penguin Random House for an early copy of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult! I am a big fan of Picoult's books, and was eager to dive in.

Diana is turning 30 soon and is ready for the trip of a lifetime to the Galapagos with her boyfriend Finn. Everything in her life is going according to plan, with Diana on her way to a promotion as an art specialist at Sotheby's, and an engagement in her near future. On the eve of their departure, surgical resident Finn is needed at the hospital to manage patients suffering from a new virus: COVID-19. Finn urges Diana to take the nonrefundable trip on her own, and there she faces a wave of bad luck that has her second guessing everything she thought she wanted.

What a book! I have been hesitant to read pandemic-focused novels (haven't we lived through enough?!), but couldn't resist the new Jodi Picoult book. Picoult has a gift for personifying the human experience, and this novel is no exception. The descriptions of the beauty of the Galapagos made me want to fly there immediately, albeit under different circumstances than Diana faced. The emails from Finn were heartbreaking, but perfectly depicted what I expect hospital workers have faced over the last 18+ months. The twist in Part 2 definitely took me by surprise and had me hooked until the end. I highly recommend picking up this book when it is released on November 30! You won't be disappointed!

• Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing this Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is November 30, 2021.

Diana is an associate specialist at Sotheby’s and her boyfriend, Finn, is a surgical resident in a NYC hospital. They are excited about their upcoming vacation to the Galápagos Islands where Diana is sure that Finn is going to propose. But it’s early 2020 and COVID-19 is just about to explode. Finn has to cancel his plans because the hospital is on “all hands on deck” mode. Finn convinces Diana to go on the non-refundable vacation solo. After all, this virus may only last a week or so. By the time Diana gets to Isabela Island everything is shut down and she is stranded with no luggage, no cell service, no anything. Or is she?

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this story, about a woman who gets trapped on an island as travel is shut down during the beginning of the pandemic. At least the first part, with the vivid descriptions of The Galápagos Islands and Diana’s interactions with the locals. I didn’t love all the detailed descriptions of Covid & the deaths and fear and distress—though I appreciate all the meticulous research that must have gone into it—and I didn’t love the second part of the book. It was an interesting study on how people change and how people react to a near death experience. It reminded me a *lot* of With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt, which was about how a young woman woke up from a coma and how it changed her & made her reassess her relationships. I might have liked this one better if I hadn’t so recently read that one.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The first book I’ve read that tackles COVID. It was interesting. Parts were enjoyable. Parts were hard to read (especially if you lost a loved one due to COVID). Parts moved quickly. Parts dragged (learned more about art than I was anticipating). Definitely have to be in the right mindset, but overall a decent read.

Probably give this 3.5 and rounding up to 4.

Classic Jodi Picoult w/ spins and twists. Set during the early days of the Covid 19 pandemic. Reading this novel takes you back to the early days of the pandemic. Read at you own risk. Four stars.

I wanted to love this one. But it was really heavy and I love books that are heavy. Maybe it was just a little too soon? The writing is beautiful in true Jodi Picoult fashion. If the polarization of Covid has you feeling weary, I would skip this one. :( Also when the twist happened (I LOVE a good twist), it had me begging for it to twist back. Thank you netgalley for this copy!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult's books, and many of them receive 5 stars from me. This book was great and very thought-provoking, but it takes place during the early days of the pandemic in NYC. That itself might not be terrible, but Picoult intersperses emails from Finn, Diana's boyfriend and resident at a hospital, that detail the harrowing experience front line workers faced (and are still facing). The discussions of COVID illness and depth were hard to read, and may be triggering for people who experienced illness or death of a loved one. That said, I really loved the premise and the information Picoult imparted about the Galapagos, Darwinism, and experienced reality.

This book is definitely thought provoking. With a huge twist halfway through, it’s enthralling but perhaps too soon for many. Focusing on the early days of the pandemic in NYC, The reader returns to that time period and viscerally relives the anxiety and horror, confusion and chaos. I appreciated the book, but I also didn’t want to relive it all, even fictionally, so soon.

Thank you to the publisher for this egalley - I really appreciate the opportunity to read and review it early.

I love Jodi Picoult as an author - she does her research well but also knows how to tug on the heart strings a bit. Wish You Were Here was no exception. I loved the descriptions of the Galapagos; as a scientist, I know about the Darwin piece but never really considered that there are locals there protecting nature. The other side of the novel, the Covid piece, was much harder for me. This isn't the first Covid/pandemic novel I've read but this was the most intense on the hospital end. I'm not one for trigger warnings but I would give one for this book. If you've lost a loved one to Covid, this might be hard for you. I recently lost my adult nephew in September and the hospital descriptions were a little too close to home (but good research). I did finish the book and ended up skimming the hospital description parts so it is possible.

Despite the trigger warning, this was a 4 star read for me. It moves fast and I read it in 2 sittings.

Jodi Picoult does it again! It took a couple of attempts to engage because my own reading habits declined during the pandemic. The story takes place during the pandemic so I was a little unsure. Once I started, I could not put it down! At one point, I thought I knew exactly where the story was going. Jodi is a master at throwing those twists in her stories and this story is no exception! I absolutely loved it and could relate to so many parts of each of the characters. So real and relatable on so many levels. She captured moments of time during the pandemic and creatively crafted stories much like some of us actually experienced. I am not sure about the ending though...I was not disappointed but I feel as if the ending could lead to another story she might be able to tell! I am hoping that will be coming in the future!

Thank you to the publisher for sharing an advance digital copy on NetGalley as part of a ticketed author event I attended during the summer.