Wish You Were Here
Thank you, Penguin Random House, Ballantine Books, and Authentic Books for gifting me a copy of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 11.30.2021
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“Maybe that’s enough. It’s not having the adventures or crossing off the links items of a bucket list. It’s who you were with, who will help you recall it when your memory fails.”
Synopsis:
“Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.
But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.
Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.
Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.”
Review:
I finished reading this book last Monday, and since then, I have recommended it to at least 15 people, and I’ve also considered going back to reread it. I know, how could I enjoy a book written during the pandemic? How could anyone? But, reading this book came at just the right time for me. It was a reminder of what life was like and that the pandemic is still very present in our daily lives.
It’s been a long time since I read a book that caused such a visceral reaction, one I didn’t see coming. But, Wish You Were Here did just that. It’s a true testament to the power of the human spirit.
Writing this review has been challenging, as describing my thoughts/reactions would probably give too much away. Just know that I loved this book for all its heartbreaking, overwhelming, and honest glory.
I know that this may end up being a contentious story for some, but it was eye-opening for me, and I can’t recommend it enough. It is absolutely a necessary read.
😷 Pandemic based
📚 Perfect for a book club
📖 Long chapters
🤍 Beautiful & thought-provoking
What book would you recommend for a book club discussion?
The Bookend Diner 
One response to “Wish You Were Here”
Thanks for this review. I also read and blogged on this one. There is a lot to talk about in it.
LikeLike