Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Story of Arthur Truluv. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Arthur Moses buried his wife Nola six months before, yet he lunches with her almost daily. He visits other graves as well, imagine the once living people who reside in spaces near his beloved.

Maddy Harris feels more at home in the cemetery that she does in the rest of her life. When her separate world intersects with Arthur's, an unlikely friendship with born. Along with Arthur's next door neighbor Lucille, will the trio be able to make life a little less lonely for them all?

I am usually a fan of Elizabeth Berg's characterization, so I was surprised that it took me a while to warm up to Arthur and Maddy. My interest changed gradually and I found myself wanting to read just one more page. For a relatively short novel, The Story of Arthur Truluv makes quite an impact by the ending. The love and respect by the characters for each other is clearly felt and, although the plot is a little lacking, the book is well balanced overall. Arthur reminds me of a kinder, gentler version of Ove, which means that he also does not have the spark that the aforementioned character does. Regardless, I enjoyed reading The Story of Arthur Truluv and would recommend it to readers who like realistic and contemporary fiction.

Enormously charming character driven novel about three lost souls who find their way when they least expect it. Ms. Berg's best yet.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This was a quick summer read--charming characters and a sweet story.

I’ll start off by saying that I never met an Elizabeth Berg novel that I didn’t absolutely LOVE, and this one is no exception. There is just something about the way this author views every detail of life going on around her main characters, from the way the sunlight slants onto a blade of grass, to the distinctive sound of a dear friend’s snore. I just fell in love with the main characters- 80-something Arthur who is grieving the loss of his dear wife, 18-year-old Maddy who is a loner and grieving the loss of her mother who died when she was two weeks old, and Arthur’s bossy next-door neighbor, Lucille, who is an extraordinary baker. Underlying the main storyline are themes such as compassion, forgiveness, loss, grieving, small kindnesses, and growing up. I can't recommend this highly enough!

Sometimes you just need to read a sweet feel good book and The story of Arthur Truluv was exactly that. Arthur, a man in his 80’s is a recent widower who is missing his true love. Maddy, is a teenager who has never felt love but is desperately looking for it. This unlikely pair meet at the cemetery and they have formed a special friendship. Arthur is such a sweet and caring soul and he gives Maddy and his lonesome neighbor, Lucille, a special gift of acceptance and love. Maddy calls him “Truluv”. This is a wonderful story based on kindness and understanding . I loved Arthur’s sense of humor and he really was a Truluv.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and his is my honest review.

What a delightful novel! I am grateful for having got the opportunity to read it. The plot has a slow pace, but it is not boring at all. We meet the three protagonists whose aspects the author takes up in turns. They all are very loveable people despite of (or together with) their failings. Arthur is a warmhearted, elderly widower who reminds you a little of the characters of Ove (A Man Called Ove) or another Arthur (The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper). They all are unforgettable characters. Maddy, the young person in this unlikely "family unit" is also struggling with a huge loss in her life and has to endure bullying at school. The caring love of the two elderly people, Arthur and Lucille gives her the self-esteem and strength to stand up for herself and build herself a happy life.
This story will make you smile and cry (at one point I even laughed out loud). You will lose yourself into it and will treasure the experience. A lovely read. I recommend it to everyone.

Twenty years ago I stumbled on the book Range of Motion, and I have read all of Elizabeth Berg's since then! I love her books and I love the people in her books. Her new book, The Story of Arthur Truluv, is one of her best. I read it quickly and could not, and did not want to put it down. Her writing is so clear and the warmth shows through. Please read Elizabeth Berg's books! You will never be disappointed.

What an great novel!!! The Story of Arthur Truluv was moving, emotional and heartwarming. Elizabeth Berg created a beautiful storyline that snagged it's claws into my heart and held on until the very last page. The characters were genuine and their sincerity truly came through the pages! My favorite part of this novel is seeing the characters make a "family" out of friends. Most novels have an age range for it's target audience, but this 5 star book is meant to be read by EVERYONE!! I would recommend The Story of Arthur Truluv to people in their late teens all the way to hundred year olds-- it has something for everyone. I have always enjoyed reading Elizabeth Berg's books, but Arthur Truluv could quite possibly be my favorite from her!! I can't wait to see what she come up with next!!

Elizabeth Berg is masterful at creating fully human characters! A touching, authentic and inspiring story. Will share widely with friends.

4 1/2 Stars
A delightful read from the first to last page. A sweet story of second chances with a cast of characters you can't help falling in love with! One you won't want to miss!

The Story of Arthur Truluv is deceptively simple and sweet. The beauty and depth of the relationships Arthur cultivates sneak up on you and envelop you in a loving embrace. While Arthur is central to the story, it isn't his alone, it is also Maddy's story, and it is Lucille's story. It is the story of family. "What is it that makes a family? Certainly no document does, no legal pronouncement or accident of birth. No, real families come from choices we make about who we want to be bound to, and the ties to such families live in our hearts."
After reading The Story of Arthur Truluv, I want an Arthur in my life. You will, too.

Fabulous. Heartrending. Textured. Once again Berg writes to the heart in this novel of loneliness, taking power over your life and love

Reading good books gives me the perfect break from the harsh realities of the world. But there are times when I feel like I’ve been reading fiction with too much darkness and tragedy. So it was an engaging escape to read Elizabeth Berg’s charming new book, “The Story of Arthur Truluv.” A teenage girl and two much older adults meet and connect in an unexpected manner, and through their friendship they find healing from their grief and loneliness and the possibility of experiencing fulfilling new chapters in their lives. Yes, the book is sweet and somewhat sentimental, but the touching and uplifting story was an entirely satisfying way to spend a lazy summer day.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 7/30/17

This is a charming story about the beauty of human connections. I fell in love with all three of the main characters and their self-made family.

I LOVED everything about this book right down to all the quirky characters.
Building your own family, that's what love is all about.

The extra insight that Arthur was able to give us at the cemetery was quite fascinating.

"I need an Arthur in my life"

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely story. Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy. Full review closer to publication date.

Sweet story that has all the feels. I was given this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Read it!

I absolutely loved this story of three lonely people who come together as a family with heartwarming details and lots of laughs.

The style of writing reminded me very much of Frederik Backman and I truly love his books.

My first book by this author, however, it won't be my last.

A very emotional, poignant and funny, at times, story that will either leave you needing tissues, or at least with tears in your eyes.

Thanks to Random House and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Such a sweet, lovely book. After all of the dark suspense novels I've been reading, this was a welcome change. A tender hearted story about 3 very different people befriending one another. A bit sappy, but filled with poignant and true quotes and words to love by. No highs or lows in this book, just a sweet story about the goodness in people. Thank you netgalley and Random House for this advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Arthur Moses misses his wife so badly that he goes to the cemetery every single day to have lunch with her. One day he spots a young girl there and the two of them become unlikely friends. Maddy is the young girl that has had a sorta bad life. Her mom died when Maddy was just a couple of weeks old and her dad is very unemotional towards Maddy. (I felt this was kinda lame..I've seen and read way more serious life problems but what do I know..not much. I do know I thought one part of Maddy's story was funky. (view spoiler)

They along with the weird lady that wears a crooked wig and Arthur's cat forge a sweet little book. It's one of those that a friend of mine used to call a "potato chip" book.

You kinda wanted it at the time but you never felt really full.

(It did kinda feel like a trying to hard version of the much better A Man Called Ove)

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review