Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

This is the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for February, chosen by Ms. Corrado (Mrs. Paredes' secretary). 

Diana has her whole life planned out. She's an art seller via Sotheby's in NYC and in a long-term relationship with a resident soon to be surgeon at a major hospital.  Currently 29, she wants to be engaged at 30 and knows he's hiding a ring in his sock drawer, kids by 35.  They plan to travel, starting with a two-week trip to the Galapagos Islands in March 2020.  She expects he'll propose on the beach.  

It's March of 2020.  We all know what happens in March of 2020. 

Finn, Diane's soon to be fiance, tells her to go on the trip.  There's no point in them losing all that money.  Maybe she'll be safer there.  After all, Covid is supposed to die out after two weeks of shut down, right?  

Diane arrives to find the entire island has closed.  There's no wifi, no post office, no bank, no hotels, no restaurants.  She has no way to contact Finn or her mother in a nursing home.  She's got two weeks in paradise, but now it's total isolation from the rest of the world.  She also doesn't speak Spanish like most of the islanders.  

Thankfully, a grandmother takes her in and allows her to stay in her grandson's old bedroom.  Abeula's grandson Gabriel is a former tour guide; he and his teenage daughter Beatriz both speak fluent English.  Diana, Gabriel, and Beatriz go on local adventures outdoors--hiking, swimming, etc.  Diana sees parts of their home the tourists usually never do, while Abuela takes care of her and shows her the local trade market.  

And that's where I'm going to stop.  There is a major plot twist I did NOT expect and I do not want to ruin it.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.