Very topical story about the pandemic and problems surrounding it. Some beautiful descriptions of Galapagos..Despite the subject matter it was a great read.

Diana has all her life planned out, she has her job at Sotheby's and will soon get a promotion, she lives with Finn and he is going to propose on their upcoming holiday to the Galapagos. But, everything is about to change, as a pandemic hit the world and just like that, everything changes.

Finn works in a hospital and he is not able to take time off, as the number of people hospitalized is about to increase significantly and they need all hands on deck. However, he said to Diana that she should just go on hew own....and so she does, but on her arrival she is faced with a decision: the island is closing, so she either goes back to NY now or she stays not knowing when she will be able to depart again.

Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite writers, I always devour her books and this is no exception and there is a huge twist in the story. This is the first book I read that is set in Covid times and it is not an easy read, I felt those lives lost and the trauma we all lived through and Jodi described perfectly how we all felt (and still feel). This is a story that a few years ago would seem so far off from reality... and talks about coming to terms with having your life (and your reality) turned upside down and accepting we can't plan everything in our life.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review - Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult #WishYouWereHere
Diana and her boyfriend Finn are supposed to take a vacation to the Galapagos at the start of March 2020. Due to a rise in virus cases, Finn, a surgeon, stays behind in New York to take care of patients and Diana goes off on her own, until she gets stranded on a remote island without phone signal, internet or money. She befriends the locals and integrates herself into the community, and it seems like the perfect place to wait out the pandemic. Until something happens that changes Diana's life entirely.
This story was a ghost from the past two years, from the start of the pandemic to modern day. It's become so commonplace that we wear masks everywhere, shower as soon as we get back from being outside, disinfect any groceries or takeaway containers that come in the house, that I've forgotten what a jarring change that was to how things used to be. It was especially strange, like an out-of-body experience to see how we all dealt with it nearly two years ago now, with the high death tolls, lack of tests and extreme caution and panic about coming into contact with the virus.
When I started the novel, I thought the story was going to be about the pandemic in remote parts of the world, but in fact, Picoult found a very unique, interesting and heartbreaking take on the situation and how to relate what Diana and Finn were going through in their own worlds. The story comes in two main parts, and I have to say, I enjoyed the first part the most, as it felt like an escape, and the second part was a jarring shock, but, in fact, by the end of the book, I felt like I had gained the most from the latter half. There comes wisdom with experience and I believe Picoult put in not only her lifetime's worth of experience into this book, but that of many, many different people. It was exactly the kind of thing I needed to read and experience from a first-person perspective to truly understand what Diana was going through, but it resonated with me so much more.
This blog tour review has been made possible thanks to Kate Keehan and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and I hope you check out the other reviews on the blog tour this week and purchase the book upon publication!

Ever since I read My Sister’s Keeper years ago, I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult books and she is an author I’d always buy the book without focussing on the blurb, but I did have my concerns about reading about the pandemic while cases are still high and the surrounding emotions are still raw. I needn’t have worried; I loved this book.
I was hooked with the opening scene with its fantastic imagery of the Diana’s father restoring the painting on the Grand Central Terminal ceiling. I knew from how Diana saw the world and her love of art I’d enjoy getting to know her better.
This novel is a tale of two halves and highlights the different experiences people had depending on the location, the depth of infection in the area and people’s reaction to it as a whole. The first chapters with Diana in the Galapagos islands were true escapism with the calm, stunning location and sense of community leaping off the page, making them a joy to read despite the climatic threat in the background. Conversely Finn’s experience trapped in New York facing the harsh realities of being on the frontline in the pandemic were heart breaking and eye opening. This novel does not shy away from the cruelty and horror of the disease which made for powerful but disturbing reading. For this reason, I think at the moment Wish You Were Here will be a marmite book - some people will love it and others who have been deeply touched by the virus will find it too close to home. In time it will gain more readers and become an important reflection on the realities of the last couple of years.
The Jodi Picoult twist came as a shock and drew me in further. It was fascinating and made me long to dig deeper, I wish I could chat more about it but that would be a huge spoiler. You’ll have to wait until you’ve read it and find like-minded people to discuss it with.

This is an emotional and powerful book with a character finding her way in unfamiliar territories and has a unique Jodi Picoult twist. Not many authors would get away with a novel based on the pandemic while it is still raging but she’s managed it with great characterisation, sensitivity and the clever use of balancing the harsh and traumatic scenes set in New York with the calmer escapism of the idyllic islands. It’s a book for my forever shelf.

Oh my days, this book! Firstly, I have to warn you that Covid is front and centre in all its devastating horror in this book so, it might be a bit too soon for some people if they have scars that are still a bit raw. Also, it's a book that it's quite important to go in as blind as you can as, well... you'll see when you get there!
With that in mind I am going to be as careful as I can be with this review. Diana is an Art specialist and has climbed quite high in the field. She is about to broker her biggest ever sale when the customer gets cold feet. There are rumours of the illness that is devastating Europe slowly coming towards them. She is also about to go on a trip of a lifetime to the Galapogos Islands with her boyfriend Finn, a hospital surgical resident, and she has a sneaky suspicion that he will propose out there.
And then Covid really hits at home. As Finn is a doctor, he is duty bound to cancel all holiday and stay and fight the disease, he tells Diana that she should go, she's be better off away from things, safer. So she does...
Isolated and lonely and stuck on an island that is shut, Diana is determined to make the best of things and connects with a local family. With scant communication back to Finn, and plenty of time on her hands, Diana starts to reflect on her life and where it is going...
Any that's all I can say. Hopefully it's not too much. I wish I could say more, I wish I could shout from the rooftops how much and why I loved this book. I was a bit unsure about Diana at first, about her loyalty, about running out on Finn. And then when I saw what she had to contend with when so got to "paradise", I though, well... you've made your bed. But then I started to get to know her better, in flashback and in the present, and I really started to gel with her.
And then things too a bit of a turn and that's all I'm saying!
It's emotional, it's beautiful. Yes there's quite a lot of description initially when Diana first gets to the island and it does go a bit slow initially but that's reflected in the beauty and pace of life and fits the narrative. The pace does ramp up in the second part, but I can't say more about that!
All in all, having read in pretty much one sitting, I declare this book another winner from an author who is now firmly cemented on my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I love Jodi Picoult so was extremely excited to be give the chance to read this ARC. Stunning! Such a surprising read which is totally of the moment.

Beautifully written, from the first line I was truly captivated. The character of Diana seemed so totally compelling that I was hooked on her every move. The trip to the Galapagos was exquisitely described and I seriously felt like I could have been there personally. Then the book seemed to take a predictable path of Diana (already in a committed relationship) falling for the dark, rude, impossibly handsome, Gabriel. However, there is a plot twist that I did not see coming - this was as fabulous as 'My Sister's Keeper' (Picoult at her very best, IMO!). Do not miss this read!

The back story to Diana's life is so intricately woven, drawing on historical events that you will know and recognise, yet changed enough to make them fit into Diana's story plausibly. The characterisation in this book is truly a marvel to behold. Lots of tough issues as you would expect: illness, absent parents, death, Alzheimer's, grief.

This is also the book that keeps on giving! Having enjoyed every moment of the read, I round the afterword from the author to be just as surprising. The inspiration and motivation for writing this story are something to celebrate alone.

What can I say? You cannot miss this one! If you only read one Jodi Picoult novel, make it this one...but don't miss 'My Sister's Keeper,' too!

5 star read. Full review will appear in my newspaper column but certainly up to Picoult's usual standard and with a jaw-dropping location.

I had to wait a couple of days after finishing this book before writing a review, just to let all the emotions it stirs settle a little bit.
And, running the risk of being predictable, I have to say WOW!! Wish You Were Here is clever, deeply researched, highly informative, emotional, unpredictable, captivating, engrossing and I could go on.
There's an unexpected twist half way and the story takes a totally different turn from there, leaving you wondering what's true and what is not, and what if this is not real, but it's the other way round. I can't say more for fear of spoiling it, but read this book, maybe not immediately if covid is still too raw a subject to you, but add it to your TBR pile, this book must be read! I know it will stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you, THANK YOU! to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I love Jodi Picoult, I was sceptical about reading this book knowing it centered around coronavirus. But oh am I glad I did.
I was instantly addicted, not wanting to put the book down. While the story was set in the middle of the pandemic, the characters (as in all of Jodi’s novels) were so real and had trials out with this that still allowed me to escape the very real and exhausting experience of lockdown in my own life.
I adored Dianna, Abuela, And Gabriel. I felt Finns pain and it matches the real life stories I hear from those in similar roles.
I didn’t want the story to end and wanted to know more and more of what happens after.

I would definitely recommend this book.

I received an arc of this novel via Netgalley and the publisher but this has in no way influenced my review or opinion.

Thank you to Kate Keehan and Hodder for answering my begging message of my dream of being on a Jodi Picoult Tour! You made one of my dreams!! Thanks you also for my gifted proof and finished copies - they are truly beautiful and in my favourite colour to boot 😍

I’ve been reading Jodi’s writing since I was a teen! She is another of my go to authors because her writing is always so immersive!

Wish You Were Here is no different - I can always rely on Jodi for a deep but beautiful story.

This book is centred around the Covid Pandemic so consider this a trigger warning as some people may not be ready to read books about the pandemic.

Jodi has written the parts about the pandemic with such heart and conviction that I can only assume that she has spoken first hand to medical staff on the front lines (I’m pretty sure she requested to speak to these types whilst she was writing the book).

After reading Jodi’s book I feel like The Galápagos Islands is to be added to my list of destinations to see in my life. Her descriptions never fail to produce such beautiful images in my minds eye.

The books captures the strength and resilience of the human spirit but also the loneliness that can be so consuming.

Overall this is another book of Jodi’s that I will love and reread and I highly recommend it to each and every one of you (provided you are ready to read about the realities of the pandemic)

"Sometimes it feels like the whole world is holding its breath. If we don't gasp, soon, we will all pass out."

Wish You Were Here is a beautiful, heartfelt and absorbing story about resilience, hope and survival. It explores the fear and trauma of the pandemic and the limitless potential of the human mind. Moving between New York and the Galapagos, it follows Diana O’Toole as she goes on an unexpected journey of self-discovery after she finds herself stranded on Isabelle Island as the world shuts down.

Jodi Picoult is my favourite author and can be relied upon to deliver a story I will get lost in. She is a masterful storyteller who knows how to get right to my soul, but all the same I had some fears that it might be too soon for a book that focuses on the pandemic. But while Picoult doesn’t shy away from the raw, unvarnished truth of covid and the effects of the pandemic, this is a story that focuses on finding beauty in the bleakest of times and hope when things seem hopeless.

"The idea of being by yourself on a desert island has a romantic cachet to it, but the reality is less attractive."

The story takes us back to the early days of the pandemic, vividly conveying the fear, uncertainty and confusion we all felt through Diana’s eyes. It brought back that terror at seeing how things escalated so quickly, that cheerful optimism that it would all be done within a matter of weeks, and the reality that it has changed every one of us forever. I liked that she offered us two very different experiences of the pandemic: Diana stranded alone in paradise, learning how to survive in a place she doesn’t know or speak the language, and Finn’s emails from the front lines in a New York hospital as he helplessly watches hundreds of patients die and works himself to the bone. Both characters are filled with fear, loneliness and desperation but in different ways, which Picoult expertly explores. But at its heart this is a story about self-reflection and self-discovery. About how no matter the plans we make, life will happen, sometimes taking us in the most unexpected directions.

Mesmerising, soulful and thought-provoking, Wish You Were Here is an absolute masterpiece. Ms. Picoult has outdone herself, creating one of her best and most moving stories to date.


NG Note: There are parts of sentences missing or paragraphs are the wrong way around and end or start halfway through a sentence. This happens mostly in the emails from Finn. While it doesn’t distract too much from the story, it is frustrating.

I enjoyed this story, with the trademark twist in the story.

It was an accurate if sad portrayal of the pandemic.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Jodi Picoult must be one of the most versatile writers working today - her novels have covered an astonishingly wide range of subjects and she has found another new one in this COVID pandemic book. It centres on Fine Art researcher Diana and her doctor partner Finn, and is the story of their journey together through the worst of the COVID pandemic in New York. The story is truly astonishing in its detail and research, from the disease itself, to Toulouse-Lautrec, to the Galápagos Islands and many other themes. All are real and convincing, and the characters and their emotions, sometimes very raw, are brilliantly drawn. There were just a very few moments that didn’t ring entirely true, but I’m in awe of Picoult’s wealth of knowledge, writing skill and imagination. This won’t be the only pandemic themed book, but it will surely be one of the best.

What an expertly crafted, heart-wrenching read. This is definitely a story you don’t want spoilers for, but will need time to pause and reflect as you read.
Diana, the main character, is a fabulously ‘normal’ flawed human being, with a life plan which matches that of her surgeon boyfriend Finn.
Through her eyes we see life at its most raw, the start of the pandemic, which results in her taking one of ‘their’ dream holidays, to the Galapagos alone, as Finn stays to work on the predicted start of the pandemic. Little did either of them foresee what this would bring.
The description of The Galapagos, even during a pandemic, is beautifully evocative and emotive and the characters Diana meets, Gabriel and Beatriz are well-crafted, each with their own ‘issues’ from the past, contributing to who they are.
Through Diana’s isolation on beautiful Isabela island, alongside not speaking the language and needing to survive without her luggage, we feel her loneliness and desperation to be back with Finn. She shows vulnerability whilst also developing a deeper strength.
We also glimpse, through confusing and rambling emails, what Finn is facing on the front-line back in NYC, the unanswered questions and uncertainty, the desperation, exhaustion and despair being so well scripted the feelings are almost visceral.
Diana has plenty of time to reflect on her life, the desertion by her professional photographer mother, the loss of her father and the plans she shares with Finn, alongside the new, simple life she has crafted on Isabela.
And then there is a twist, one I couldn’t see coming and which also meant I no longer had any idea where the book would take me.
Although the story resonates massively with the pandemic, a dark subject to be the main theme of the book and one many people might not be ready to read about. The human frailties and reflections make the book a real winner and made me think what really matters in your life? This is thought-provoking and insightful and will challenge your perceptions.
Picoult is a masterful story-teller and here tells a multi-layered, painfully raw story of love, loss, grief, lockdown and isolation. Make sure you read the Authors notes after the prologue, they explain the ‘why this subject and why now?’ questions.

I have to Say anything this woman has wrote I love. However this book I found difficult to read, it is a great read but I found it not like picoults other books which have immersed me into them over the years.

Jodi Picoult is an auto read author for me, her books are always highly enjoyable reads and Wish You Were Here was no exception.

Set in March 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it follows Diana – an ambitious young woman working as an art specialist in Sotheby’s auction house and her surgical resident boyfriend, Finn. The couple have planned a one in a lifetime trip to the Galapagos to celebrate Diana’s 30th birthday but as the virus starts to take hold around the world, Finn is unable to leave work and Diana plans for a solo trip.

Interspersed with postcard writings by Diana which Finn never receives as the island she is on is completely shut down from the outside world. She does however manage to receive occasional emails and gets glimpses of the very different world Finn is living in back in New York.

I found the storyline to be highly engaging, and the characters were well developed.

This is a wonderfully writing book by Picoult and whilst it does cover the pandemic, it’s more a book about finding yourself and realising that people and places matter far more than objects and ambition.

Highly recommend this title.

Many thanks to Jodi Picoult, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the review copy.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story takes place right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in New York. When Diana’s doctor boyfriend says she should go on their planned trip to the Galápagos Islands without him in order to get her out of the city for a couple of weeks until things die down, she reluctantly agrees.

But neither of them knew that there would be a worldwide lockdown meaning that while Finn was working on the frontline dealing with endless Covid patients, Diana was trapped on an isolated tropical island.

While on the island Diana has nothing but time and start questioning her life choices, especially when she meets Gabriel and his troubled daughter.

I absolutely love Picoult. This is the first of her books I’ve read for a while and is a bit of a departure from her usual court room/moral dilemma format, however Picoult’s description of the Galapagos will have you putting it on your bucket list, while the details of Covid will break your heart.

There was something that didn’t quite sit right for me and couldn’t put my finger on it until I realised that I didn’t actually like the main character! Throughout the book she makes selfish decisions without thinking how they’ll effect others, especially the lovely Finn.

But overall it’s a brilliantly researched book which does a great job of showing what those working on the frontline had to go through during the peak of the pandemic

I read a glowing review of this book a couple of months ago which prompted me to request to read it, yet then I put off reading it for a couple of months it due it’s subject matter. This book is set during the beginning of the pandemic. I’ve read a couple of books now that have referenced Covid but this entire book is about the pandemic, the one that rages on and continues to wreck havoc .

Wish You Were Here is the story of Diana. Her life is good and she on track to achieve all the things she has worked towards . She is approaching her 30th birthday, successfully climbing the professional ladder, living with her boyfriend Finn in New York. They are about to take a holiday to the Galapagos where she suspects he will propose, then on the day before they depart, Covid hits New York. Finn is a surgeon and feels he must stay as the hospital where he is a resident prepares to deal with the virus and urges Diana to take the trip without them. She goes and the paradise island goes into lockdown when she arrives. Diana is isolated from reality in the Galapagos and begins to question everything in her life whilst Covid ravages the world she left behind.

I’m reluctant to say much more as there is a lot that takes place and if you’re going to read this book, it’s best to go in spoiler free. I don’t know what I expected from this book but it wasn’t what I ended up reading. It’s a slow enough pace to begin with yet was interesting to read of a place that managed to seal itself off from the pandemic, fictional but mirrored the experience of some countries in 2020. The book also details certain elements of the pandemic , I’d never considered or really knew about which was the intention of Picoult and it’s very well captured. I read a lot of her books when I was younger but haven’t in a long time. Reading this I was reminded as to why she has sold millions of books worldwide. It’s well researched , well written story and despite feeling no real connection to the characters for the first half of this book , there were parts of this book that were incredibly moving and the story really grew on me. I think if you’re a fan of Jodi Picoult you will love this book. I think it’s a story worth reading and it accurately represents specific elements of 2020. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read it a later date though when more time had past and Covid wasn’t still a daily headline on the news.

3.5-4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Content warning- self harm and obviously a huge one for COVID-19. I think if you lost someone to this disease you might find this a difficult read.

"You can't plan your life. Because then you have a plan. Not a life."

In 2020, COVID shook everyone's life. But probably not as much as Diana's. When the world closed down for a few weeks, we all wished we had been imprisoned on an exotic island instead of our small apartments. Well, Diana had something like this.

I loved the first half of the novel: interesting plot, lovable characters, great style, I couldn't put down the book. Then a twist left me dumbfounded, and I wasn't sure if I liked how things were developing with the main character. I read on and realized that this was just the perfect way to build up the story. This book gives you so many things to contemplate: family, relationships, goals in life, forgiveness, letting go.

What I love about Jodi Picoult's books is that they are meaningful without being abstract or philosophical. There's a tangible story, and there is always an unexpected turn of events. You know it is coming but still she has a way of taking you by surprise.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an Advance Reading Copy.

Diana is a successful art specialist living with her surgeon boyfriend in New York. So far so dream life….
However, on the eve of a much planned trip to the Galapagos, Finn is told that the Covid pandemic which is starting to sweep the world means he needs to stay. He insists Diana goes alone and she soon finds herself marooned in paradise as the world closes around her. She quickly becomes assimilated into island life and the family that befriends her, making her question what she has at home. However, this is a Jodi Picoult novel, so not all is as it seems.
This was an unputdownable novel full of characters who leapt off the page. It was thought-provoking and challenging to read, particularly in the detail of the early days of Covid in hospital wards and the descriptions of Diana’s mothers dementia.
I was fascinated by Jodi’s note at the end that described when her ideas for the novel came from.
My only caveat is that I think this would be a brutal novel to read for anyone who has had any close contact with someone dying or close to death from Covid. Thank you to #netgaley and #hodderbooks for allowing me to review this ARC