Wish You Were Here is one of those books I could not put down. Knowing that the book dealt with Covid and life during the Pandemic, I was eager to see where Jodi Picoult was going to take this story. All of her books contain such thorough research and this one is no exception. I have never before considered a trip to the Galapagos Islands, but her beautifully detailed depiction of life on the island made me want to book a vacation there. I was fully immersed in to this story and was completely shocked at the twist mid-way through the book. At that point I felt my own little reading world bubble turn upside down and for a moment didn't know if I was going to enjoy where the story was headed next. But I sure did. This book is intense, both heartbreaking and beautiful. Our lives have all been affected in some way by Covid-19 and Jodi captures perfectly all of the different life changing events and emotions people all over the world have faced during the pandemic.

This book left my mind spinning! The end of the first part shocked me (in a good way!). As with any time I read a Jodi Picoult book, it made me think of things differently and look deeper. It was harder to read this book since we are still in the midst of the pandemic and it is still very fresh.

Jodi Picoult is the queen of human drama fiction and I was excited to receive this chance to read an early copy of her newest book. Set in early March 2020, we meet Diana who is on the fast track to getting everything she wants, a gorgeous New York apartment, a very possible promotion with Sotheby’s, and her upcoming vacation to the Galapagos where she believes her boyfriend, Finn, a resident surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, will propose. When patients begin to come into the hospital with symptoms of the deadly Coronavirus, Finn is unable to go on the vacation, however, Diana decides to go anyway. Once she arrives, she finds herself stranded on the island as the whole world goes into a quarantine.

Picoult takes the reader for a very emotional and intense ride. Just when you think you know where Diana’s story is going, Picoult then pulls the rug out from under the reader and take you into a whole new direction. The twists and turns are typical of Picoult, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy reading her books. Diana is a fantasticating character. Full of resentment and remorse for her absentee mother, she has rejected her own talent rather than be compared to her famous mother. However, her character evolves into a more caring and forgiving person and embraces her artistic talents. Picoult also gives us a great cast of characters who help define this newly COVID world. The plot is evenly paced with a lot of emotional drive and I loved the ending.

I adore Jodi Picolt's novels, so it's no surprise that I loved this one. What is a surprise, however, is the twist that I didn't see coming from a million miles away. So good, and the characters were just captivating. Learning about COVID experiences was intriguing and important.

I don't always get "mainstream" authors to review, but I was THRILLED to get this book. I've only read one other book by Jodi Picoult, but absolutely loved it, and I jumped at the chance to read the new one. 

This book centers on Diana. She is an assistant researcher/buyer at Sotheby's, and has worked her whole career to move up the chain at the auction house. She has a plan for her life, and everything she does is moving her toward those goals. Move up in her career, get engaged to her surgeon boyfriend, Finn, and eventually have kids and dogs. The perfect life that she had planned. Finn and Diana also have plans to travel, and check some destinations off of their bucket list. They were able to get tickets and airfare to the Galapagos Islands, and were thrilled to leave. They were supposed to go JUST as the shut downs were starting for the COVID 19 epidemic. Finn urges Diana to go anyway - he was all hands on deck at the hospital and couldn't get away - and she decided to go for it. Even as she arrived in the Galapagos, others were fleeing. She was swimming upstream, and even though she knew there was only one LAST ferry back to the mainland, she impulsively stays, not knowing that the two week shut down would turn into much, much more. She meets a family on the Galapagos, who takes pity on her and takes her in (since the island is shut down, she does not have lodging or food) and shows her the REAL Galapagos Islands. 

So…. that is all I'm willing to say at this point. About halfway through the book there is a HUGE shocker/twist that I will not give away for those who want to read it. It is huge, and I literally had to read the pages three times to attempt to understand! Definitely worth it!

In the end, I LOVED this story. Being set in the time of the COVID 19 crisis, there were so many things that I could relate to. The isolation, the fear, the heartache. This is one of the first books that I have read that really was written in the time, and now will be published, so just knowing and being able to relate to the characters was huge. I could feel, viscerally, what the characters were going through. 

I also loved the writing style - what endeared me to the other Jodi Picoult book that I read are the same qualities that I loved about this book. Ease of reading, huge twists you are not expecting and down to Earth characters are just some of the reasons that this book will be a standout. I absolutely loved it, and devoured it in about 2 days. 

I gave this book 5 of 5 stars, and would highly recommend to really anyone to read. It's a contemporary topic, that I think we will be seeing more and more of as "COVID books" get published. This one will be one of the best, though. This hits store shelves on November 30, 2021!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Fantastic book! The premise of this book is relevant and timely. I never saw the twist coming! Another great read by one of my favorite authors.

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I was extremely excited to get my hands on an early copy of her newest book. This book set in the time of Covid-19 and is highly thought out with a lot of science but has a strong story of woman trying to navigate her world, trying to get promoted in her role and finally get engaged to the man she loves when this pandemic hits.

When the book opens, Diana is at work, trying to save a deal on a famous painting, as the owner is changing her mind as the pandemic is just about to hit. She is headed to the Galápagos Islands with Finn who she suspects is going to propose. When Finn comes home that evening, he says he will need to cancel this trip due to what is coming to NY City, but suggests she goes. It will be safer for her out of the city, and this should be over by the time she is set to return.

Reluctantly she leaves and as soon as she gets there, the island shuts down and she cannot leave, has no hotel and her luggage was lost. A woman who works at the hotel, offers her a room in her apartment to stay until she figure out next steps. She comes across a man, and they have a very precarious start to their relationship. As the weeks move on, she becomes friend with this man, and his daughter. The only problem there is no wi-fi and cell service and has trouble reaching Finn and has no idea what is happening on the other side of the world.

I will stop there, because the second half of this book takes a 180, that you should read for yourself. But I can tell you this turn of events is shocking, and turned this book around for me. My first impression was, this is not much of a story, but the twist almost made this 5 stars for me. I loved watching Diana grow and navigate this turn of events, realizing that the life she always imagined she would have, might not be what she was meant for.

As always, Picoult’s writing is gorgeous and she takes great care of writing her characters. If you are already a fan of hers this will not disappoint. For new readers looking for early pandemic stories, this one just might scratch that itch.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few of Jodi Picoult's books and was excited to receive an ARC of "Wish You Were Here."

I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to read a book that took place during COVID (and I lived somewhere that was never hit like NYC). But, I found it fascinating to already be looking back through literature at an event that impacted so many people throughout the world.

Diana was in the Galapagos when COVID hit, and over the next two months while locked down on the island, she created a new life for herself. But, that life slipped through her fingers when she woke up in a COVID ward in NYC.

If you are ready for a book about the pandemic, pick this up, but maybe give it some time if it still feels to fresh.

Jodi Picoult is the undisputed queen of research-based fiction, and once again she is in her element by doing exactly what she does best--researching and writing. As difficult as it probably was, Ms. Picoult's latest novel takes the reader deep inside the world of Covid-19. Living with the illness, working to curtail the disease, quarantining, fear, anxiety...it is all here, and it is all very, very real. I felt as though one of my family members was fighting Covid on the front line, while another loved one was desperately ill with it. Every page is spot-on, as well as terrifying, since we as a nation and world have not yet beaten this demon nor healed from its wrath. I feel it necessary to warn readers, that even though this is Jodi Picoult at her finest, if your memories of Covid-19 are still too fresh and your wounds have yet to heal, you may want to hold off on reading this book. The surprises, twists and turns in the story are both compelling and mind-blowing, thus making this an important tale that needs to be told and discussed by those who are ready to relive the last 18 months. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan but this was not one of my favorite books. I guess it stems from that fact that reading has been my escape from this virus craziness so reading about it was not something I wanted to do. But as usual, the characters are great. Diana O’Toole is an associate specialist at Sotheby’s , but she is working on a huge promotion if she can close a deal with a high-profile client. She knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is going to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos. Everything seems to be coming together for her. But then Covid appears, and Finn has to stay but encourages Diana to go. She does but nothing is right. Her luggage is lost, the Wi-Fi is nearly nonexistent, and the hotel they’d booked is shut down due to the pandemic. In fact, the whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until it reopens. Diana develops a connection with a local family when a teenager opens up to her. Diana, through her journey, examines herself, her life and her relationships, as many did during the pandemic.

I really enjoyed this book though it was surreal and disconcerting to read about COVID. Like with all of Picoult’s novels I found myself conflicted about characters and how I show feel about them, who to root for, etc. it overall I would say it was a satisfying and engaging read!

I've read many books by Picoult, so I was excited for this one. It's one of the only books I've seen address the pandemic which started and impacted the world in 2020. It's still too soon for me to read something about the pandemic. I struggled to engage with the characters, and some parts of the storyline just didn't come together as I've come to expect from books by this author. I found this book to be a bit triggering for me, and it may be for other readers, as well. I'll continue to read future books from Picoult, but this wasn't a favorite for me.

Such a good read! I thought that it would be difficult to read about COVID so soon but I really enjoyed it. The dream was very interesting and the ending was great!

Diana’s life is going along exactly as planned. She’s certain that her boyfriend, a surgical resident, will propose to her on their trip to the Galapagos islands. Then, a strange virus hits the world. Initially, in the confusion, it seems like people are taking the virus extremely seriously when, in New York City where they live, only a few cases have been diagnosed. But when Finn tells her every doctor, nurse, and resident has to be on hand, she decides to go on the trip herself. The tickets are nonrefundable, and she can prove herself to be a risk taker.

But when she gets there, what should be a paradise is something of a dystopian nightmare. It’s one thing to be on a tropical island with someone you love and access to food and ATMs and WiFi—instead she’s essentially stranded and has to rely on the good will of the residents who initially don’t like this tourist imposing herself on them.

When she does manage to get internet access and receives the text/emails from Finn, it’s a fascinating perspective. When she considers that 1,300 people have died of COVID, what I literally thought was, “Oh how cute when we used to think 1,300 people TOTAL was a terrible number.”

I really thought I knew a lot about COVID, but I managed to learn some things and really enjoyed this novel. Despite the depressing subject matter, it’s ultimately uplifting.

Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES NOVEMBER 30, 2021.

Leave it up to Jodi to bring a tale intwined with Covid and leave us wanting more. This was a great read due to our current climate, without it taking over the whole story (not Covid heavy until the end of the book).

Picoult always does a great job of addressing social problems and situations that are sticky!

Diana O’Toole has everything put together! A perfect job working for an art gallery and soon to be engaged to her boyfriend—Hopefully on their getaway to the Galapagos Islands. But, this is March of 2020—Her fiancé needs to stay and work in the hospital but suggests she go on vacation on her own to getaway and not lose out on the non-refundable trip. So she does.

We all know what happens next…the covid world and shutdowns, masks, quarantine, closures etc. This book is about relationships, careers, family, and realizing what matters most in life—much of which we have all been feeling the last year.

I loved “traveling” to Galapagos with Diana, I could almost smell the ocean air. I loved learning about the islands and animals! This book also had a super cool twist in the middle that gave the book a completely different direction that I wasn’t planning for, which I loved.

I personally had a hard time with the book because of the topic. This book is all about the covid world, which I’m still living, and it’s a little too fresh for me to enjoy reading a fictional take on it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the ARC copy in return for my personal review.

Will share review on IG in advance of pub day.

Jodi Picoult has a magical talent for writing novels that address social issues and concerns while, at the same time, offering readers an involving story with plot, character and a bit of education.

This time the background (and foreground) issue is the Covid epidemic. For some readers, it might still feel too close and they might want to skip reading this title. I would argue against that. In addition to re-experiencing some of the trauma, I was also reminded of how far life has come (at least for those who have been vaccinated). This., of corse, does not mitigate the deep losses that so many experienced in the real world.

The protagonist of this novel is Diana. When the story opens, she is working for Sotheby’s and is in a relationship with a surgical resident at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Diana is working with a client who seems to be based upon Yoko Ono. Due to Diana’s work, readers are treated to some interesting art and music history. I enjoyably learned a lot about Toulouse Lautrec.

Diana and Finn are planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Finn cannot/chooses not to go because of the emerging pandemic and his need to be at work. He encourages Diana to go on the trip and she does. Finn’s emails to Diana offer all of the horror of Covid, especially the early impotence that medical professionals felt in the wake of this tsunami of an epidemic.

Diana makes it to the Galapagos but is stranded there because travel is cut off. She manages to get settled, leading her to meet with a troubled adolescent, her father and her grandmother. They open Diana up to a new world. It is most likely no coincidence that our main character is living where theories of evolution were formed as she may be adapting and changing too.

The Galapagos are beautifully described and form a contrast to life in New York. Which place is right for Diana? Which relationship? What plot twists will Ms. Picoult bring to this, her latest novel? Read the book to find out. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely love this author. This book was no exception. Not one to be passed up. Strong storyline and strong characters. It's very good.

I want to thank Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I have been saying for a while that I was disappointed that books written in 2021, and set in 2020, did not mention the pandemic. Well, be careful what you wish for, as this book does tackle the subject. I am thinking that , for me at least, it is too soon. The book is well written, but I just could not get into it. The main characters were unlikable. I just could not engage with them at all. I read several glowing reviews and I really wanted to like this book but just could not. The main premise, that the main character had her life all planned out, and then it wasn't what she had wanted, just was jarring to me. It just didn't fit with the storyline. I will say the pandemic portion, particularly with the descriptions of the medical crisis and the rehab therapy required was well done , and well written. Sorry, this book was not my cup of tea.

A well-researched look at a couple's different views of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of whom is a doctor in NYC, and another who gets stranded on the Galapagos Islands. Picoult always gives us a twist and does not disappoint here. I wasn't sure I was ready to read about the pandemic yet and I was fine, but if I had been a medical professional or been truly sick with COVID, I may have found this book triggering.