Jodi Picoult does it again! In this engaging read she tells the story of Diana finding her true self in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Along the way the readers learn about the Galapagos islands as well as witnessing the trauma and heartbreak felt by health care workers as they served throughout the pandemic. Always it's Diana's story as she traverses career goals, parental issues, and her primary relationship with Finn. With Picoult you'll always learn something and feel for the lead character as they work their way through complex choices. Definitely a good read for me!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am an avid Picoult fan because her books always seem so real and alive to me. This is certainly no exception, as I not only felt I could relate to everything happening in the story but it was alarmingly well researched and vivid as well. The characters will capture your interest and attention immediately. I was initially intrigued with their lives, behaviors, and interactions and I quickly grew to love them as I progressed through the story. I am going to say what everyone will be thinking--a book about COVID....we are still in the middle of this Pandemic....is it too soon? Certainly not! If it were any "normal" book with any "normal" writer that may be the case. Picoult, however, is the exception and she is the master of storytelling raw, real events that are not only gut-wrenching and terrifying at times but entirely true! I don't want to give away too much of this plot because it is captivating and needs to be discovered fresh with new and unclouded expectations. Seriously, I cannot recommend this enough! It is wonderful!

I wasn't sure how I would feel reading a book about COVID-19 while still in the midst of the pandemic. It was okay but I will admit it was wild reading this almost as if it was written assuming by now surely we'd be done with it? Ha. Sigh.

Anyway - this was a really hard book to put down! I blasted through it rather quickly and had really vivid dreams about the Galapagos while reading it. That's how well Jodi drew the island where Diana ends up. The book seemed SO real which helps push this story forward.

If you're looking for escapism this isn't QUITE it but at the same time it was? I don't know how to describe this aptly without spoilers as you can tell. I do recommend reading it but caution any that are struggling with the pandemic to give pause before diving in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished reading "Wish You Were Here" by Jodi Picoult. As I sit here trying to think about what I want to say about this book-- it is hard. In some ways I do not know exactly how I feel about it other than this book made me FEEL. With the Covid-19 being at the center of this book, it will resonate with people deeply. Being set in 2 different counties, it will resonate globally.

The protagonist is Diana O'Toole and it follows her on 2 different life journeys. This book makes you question the choices you have made in your life and the consequences and results of those. It makes you wonder if you took a different path, would your life be better? Worse?

I enjoyed the growth that Diana had during this story & although the ending wasn't wrapped up as tidy as I usually prefer, it was so fitting.

I received an ARC of "Wish You Were Here" by Jodi Picoult from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a quick read for me. Diana and her boyfriend, Finn live together in New York City. Finn is a surgical resident, and Diana is an associate specialist at an art gallery. The couple has planned a get away to the Galapagos for Diana’s 30th birthday. Diana is sure that Finn will propose to her sometime soon. A virus suddenly hits the city and Finn is stuck at the hospital for hours on end. Finn encourages Diana to go on the vacation without him. The story touches on Diana’s adventures and Finn dealing with the virus every day at work. I enjoyed the romantic parts of the story so that kept me interested. But there were certain topics that I didn’t necessarily agree with which made me bump it down to 3.5 starts. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This is another of Picoult's great hits. I was nervous about reading this book with the pandemic that is written about in the book still going on. I started reading and could not put this book down though. Such a great read that will leave you with lots of emotions.

Dianna is a young lady that has her whole life planned out and thinks that the trip she and her boyfriend Finn are about to go on will result in her being engaged. Dianna is just certain that Finn is going to ask her to marry him while they are on their trip to the Galapagos islands. The problem comes into play when Covid hits and everything is starting to shut down.

Finn works at the hospital and it is filling up fast with Covid patients. Even though Finn had planned his vacation way before Covid hit, there is no way that he can take the time off now. The hospital is swamped and it is all hands on deck just to get people treated. Finn encourages Dianna to go ahead and go on the trip so they don't waste all of their money. Dianna is not excited about the idea but decides to go anyway.

When Dianna gets to the boat that is going to take her to the island she has reservations at, everyone is talking about the island closing and that there will be no more boats coming or going for as long as the island is closed due to Covid. Dianna decides to go to the island anyway so that she can get to her room. Well, when she gets to the island, the hotel is closed too and not taking anyone else no matter if they have reservations or not. What is Dianna supposed to do now?

With phone reception spotty and internet the same, Dianna doesn't even get to hear from Finn very much while she is trying to figure out what to do while stranded on the island. It's Finn's fault that she is there in the first place. Why did she listen to him anyway? For Finn, he is so busy he doesn't have a second to himself. he does find a few minutes every so often to send Dianna an email, but when she get it is anyone's guess.

You will get lost in this great read and grow to love the characters. I was so impressed with the research that went into this book and how it really made you think about stuff still going on to this day. Very well written!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I loved this book. I was a little worried to read a book about Covid so soon, but Picoult did a great job with this plot, and it was suspenseful in a tasteful way. This really was an incredible book. So full of emotion, especially over an event so real and horrifying for everyone. I loved the characters, and the "out of body/was this real life" experience. This was a book I would recommend, and in my top 5 of Picoult's books.

DNF. I didn't like the characters and I was completely disinterested in this story. It was very slow and I was not looking forward to read it but I tried to push myself since other people left good reviews. I got to 40% and gave up. Then I decided to give it one more chance just because I wanted to see the twist. I got to the twist which was predictable and then the story got even more boring. Just not for me. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wish You Were Here is very timely, set during the current pandemic. While I have some minor quibbles with the book, the story and characters are so well written, the quibbles are easily forgotten. The novel will bring up some strong emotions for anyone who has been touched by the corona virus. I'm very glad I read the book.

Wow, I did myself a service and didn't read what this book was about before I read so I had no idea what was coming. As always Jodi Picoult has crafted a novel that truly makes you stop and think about your life. And to weave in relevant and cultural events made this book splendid. The repercussions surrounding COVID-19 are still unknown, but this story is completely believable in its possibilities. You're forced to stop and think about not only what's immediately occurring in this work, but what are long-term ramifications to what may happen in the future.

Your heart breaks for the lead character when she realizes what is reality. But part of you is envious because she has two such perfect worlds from which to choose. There is no right or wrong, but it's another way to think of the path not traveled.

Highly recommend this wonderful book.

This one is a fast read. It is a modern day story taking place in NYC. Our protagonist works in the art world while her boyfriend is a doctor. They plan to travel the world together with the first stop being the Galápagos Islands. Their world changes - the world changes - when COVID hits. If you are overwhelmed by all things Covid, this book may not be for you, however it is a read that you may want to pick up regardless. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

I've wondered how we would remember Covid, and Jodi Picoult brings back the early days in vivid detail. This story, about a young couple in New York City, demonstrates the toll of the disease on lives both at the early epicenter in New York and also far away where it is a barely a blip in daily life. Finn and Diana were supposed to go to the Galapagos where they would get engaged and move forward with their perfectly planned lives. However, once Covid hits, Finn, a doctor, can't leave the hospital, and Diana heads off by herself only to be trapped on an island once everything shuts down. Finn's messages to Diana about surviving the never ending challenges in a New York City hospital are heartbreaking, meanwhile Diana is experiencing the beauty of the Galapagos and getting involved in daily island life. It turns out the best laid plans mean nothing. This is a Jodi Picoult book, so there will be some twists that add to the story, but you won't find spoilers in this review. This was a page turner and brings back so many of the emotions of 2020 that we don't want to lock away. Jodi Picoult has set a high bar for authors that write fictional accounts of life during Covid. Read this story, you won't be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another incredible read by Jodi Picoult.

Diana has been dreaming of the vacation she's planned with her boyfriend Finn to the Galapagos islands for a while now, but when the pandemic breaks out, Finn, a doctor, has to stay behind. The trip isn't all the Diana hopes it would be. The day she arrives on the island, it shuts down due to covid. She has no place to stay and no way to get home.

This story was so sweet and wonderful to read. The people surrounding Diana on the island have stories of their own that really make for deep relatable characters and great connections between all the major players in the story.

I have to say, I didn't see the major twist at the end coming, and I'm not going to tell you anything about it because it will ruin the story, but you need to read this book. I'm a hard person to pull the wool over my eyes, but Picoult did it. She shocked me.

This really was a wonderful read that I enjoyed immensely. Great for a rainy afternoon.

My review will be live on my blog Book Confessions on 9-1-21.

This is an author I never hesitate to pick up. The author's attention to details along with her writing skills create stories that hard to put down and falling in love with. This book is no different. This is a well written story where the author used details that gave the story a realistic feel. I enjoyed what the characters brought to the story and how relateable they were . This is a story about Diana and how a trip she takes without her boyfriend makes her take a second look at her life. This is a story written with alot of heart and Diana is such a great character I fell in love with her. I enjoyed the growth throughout the story and what the characters brought to the story. I highly recommend this book and this author.

I am just at a loss for words about Jodi Picoult’s newest, not out until November 30 but one I had to read and received via Net Galley. This book is the reason Jodi Picoult is still my favorite author. While it may be too soon for some, Wish You Were Here is set in the early days of the Covid pandemic. It features Diana, who leaves to the Galapagos just as the world shuts down and ends up alone there while her boyfriend Finn is working as a doctor on the front lines. The feelings of isolation and uncertainty that we all felt are beautifully described. I really felt like I was there with Diana throughout the story. Besides Covid, other content warnings include self harm, dementia, and drowning. One thing this book talks about is how life has changed since the pandemic began. Masks, new vocabulary, a sense of fear, and of course all of the loss. It hasn’t been easy! I wish it was all behind us and we could call it over, but I don’t think we’re there yet.

This is one that will hit home hard. As a NYer experiencing the impact Covid had on the city, this one most accurately described what it was like to live through a pandemic. This book is based in NYC and the Galapagos, had just enough escapism to feel like you were transported to a private island swimming with the seals. However, its a heavy book that hits home regarding the isolation, death, sickness, scary and emotional toll that COVID has taken on the human race. It was a quick read despite the subject matter. Every one will be able to relate in some sense to what these characters are going through. The twist actually threw me for a loop - in typical Jodi Picoult fashion! Highly recommend the read - with the warning it will take you on an emotional deep rollercoaster that reminds you what is important in life. A must read for all.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jodi Picoult for the advanced copy.

I’m not the slightest bit surprised that I loved this book. Jodi Picoult is always an engaging and interesting author. Add in the current hot topic of covid-19, and this book was impossible to put down. I think she did a lovely job of presenting multiple sides without adding shame to any particular opinion. Well done!

What an amazing book! I loved it from cover to cover, having such a hard time putting it down in between. This is only the second book I've read with COVID 19 taking place in it, but this was so different than anything I've read. The raw details of COVID 19 in the hospitals and how it affects healthcare workers outside of that setting were so emotional. Diana was a character that I have a love=hate relationship with. Some of the decisions she made towards the end were questionable for me, but I love an author that can make me have such strong feelings about a character. That was definitely the case here with Diana and Finn. Their relationship surviving what it did was incredible, but the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I would have loved a little bit more at that point. Overall, I loved it and would highly recommend it.

As always, I post my reviews to my Instagram page @briannak_bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

As Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, I always look forward to her newest book, her newest shall we say "hot topic". One of the first books coming about with Covid at the center of the story this book did not disappoint. And I must say JP really threw me for a loop with, as I'll call it "the twist". I had so many questions and loop holes, I almost wasn't going for a 5 star rating. I won't disclose the secret here, because you must experience it for yourself, and anyone who tells you is a creepy spoil sport.
As expected Picoult is descriptive in her writings about our MC's travels and heartfelt and honest with her relationships. Many hot topics in this one and I was a bit worried it wouldn't necessarily come together in the end, but as usual it did. Obviously she covered the fears and devastation of the Covid pandemic, but also other issues such as Dementia and dealing with a dying parent, relationships and future plans, self assessment - as always doing what you feel and know in your heart is best for yourself.

As a hot topic and the disagreements about Covid , I feel this book was well presented with seeing it from different perspectives.
In the end... Read it! Especially if you are a fan of our beloved Jodi Picoult.

Diana has her perfect job, her man, and a ring hidden in his underwear drawer. Their upcoming trip to the Galapagos is the perfect place for him to propose. When he comes home from work and tells her this virus is more serious than they thought and that he will have to stay home, Diana is devastated, but when he tells her to go without him, she does. Too bad the entire island is under quarantine and she is stranded there. When she becomes friendly with a local family, she wonders if her life was what she wanted after all.

So I was hitting a bit of a book slump and decided to give this one a chance. Only Jodi Picoult could pull me out of a slump with a book about covid, while we are still very much dealing with covid. This book was beautiful, heartbreaking, anxiety inducing, and everything else we have dealt with in the past year and a half. I really thought this book was going to be a “too soon” situation, but honestly I could not have loved it more. I just adored Diana and the life she built in the Galapagos while she was stranded there. I don’t want to say much more, but this is the Picoult I have been waiting for.