I absolutely loved this book. It's emotional and has multiple generations interacting offering different opinions and ideas for a common situation. Arthur is 82 and barely surviving the death of his wife several months ago. He takes his lunch to the cemetery each day to talk. Maddie is a 17 year old soon to graduate from high school who finds herself pregnant and pushed out of her home by her dad who insists she get an abortion. Lillian is Arthur's elderly neighbor who thought love had passed her by but meets an old beau, gets engaged and loses him to a heart attack. These three become a family unit and take care of each other. So emotional but very feel good. All three were desperate but found that life goes on even in the face of adversity and death. Hope Maddie has a book of her own in the future that she can reminisce about more time with Arthur and Lillian.

I loved this very well written book. The book has a good plot and interesting characters.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32918898-the-story-of-arthur-truluv" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Story of Arthur Truluv" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487140969m/32918898.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32918898-the-story-of-arthur-truluv">The Story of Arthur Truluv</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3529.Elizabeth_Berg">Elizabeth Berg</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1977547602">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
There are three people who this story is about.<br />Arthur Moses (Truluv), a sweet widower, 85 yrs old.<br />Maddy, a 17 yr old senior in high school, lost her mother to a car accident shortly after her birth, very unpopular at school, a loner.<br />Lucille, an elderly neighbor of Arthur's that has never been married and is quite boisterous and a great baker.<br />Sad circumstances bring these three lonely people together and it's a beautiful story! <br /><br />Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!<br /><br /><br /><br />
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An elderly widower, Arthur and his heartbroken elderly neighbor, Lucille form an unlikely friendship with a teenage misfit. While this seems a bit of a Man Called Ove wannabee, it was a sweet, albeit predictable story that provides a nice escape for a few hours.

The next part contains a bit of a SPOILER so if you haven't read the book, you can stop reading here (though this comes up fairly early on in the book):
I gotta know -- wasn't anyone else bothered by this whole virgin pregnancy thing? I mean, give me a break! I don't know why Berg would have her get pregnant without penetration or any mention of semen getting in or even near a vagina. Maybe it's so the reader will think Maddy is still a "good girl" or so that Anderson wouldn't be accused of statutory rape, I really don't know. But that unbelievable scenario and the fact that no doctor or anyone even mentions that she's still a virgin during any examinations almost ruined the whole book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this wonderful story. After losing his wife, Nola, Arthur takes his lunch and lawn chair and visits the cemetery everyday, talking to Nola and finding comfort in feeling her presence. Maddie, a seventeen year old senior in high school, who lost her mother when Maddie was a newborn, visits the cemetery, finding solace in taking pictures and thinking about the lives of the people buried there. Estranged from her father, Maddie finds hope and comfort from her new friend Arthur, who she calls Truluv. With Lucille, the energetic next door neighbor, who also lost her husband and then her new love, the three form an everlasting bond of family, friendship and trust. I loved this book.

It's been quite a while since I've read an Elizabeth Berg novel. This one reminded me of why I enjoy her so much and why it shouldn't be so long in between next time. I liked all of these characters.

Free e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Every day Arthur has lunch at his wife's grave, and visits other headstones to imagine the lives of the other deceased. He notices a high school student, Maddy, who also visits the cemetery most days (while she should be in school), and eventually they become good friends. Maddy's life is moving at a fast pace, first a break-up with her boyfriend, then the discovery that she is pregnant, then moving out of her distant father's house, and then moving in with Arthur to be his housekeeper. The third member of the unlikely trio of friends is Lucille, Arthur's prickly neighbor. Although this novel may be rather predictable, Berg has created believable characters for us to care about, and a heartwarming story of resilience and kindness in the face of real hardship.

I've loved Elizabeth Berg for years and this story did not disappoint. There are 3 characters, Arthur, Maddie and Lucille. They are each lonely in their own way. Rather than tucking in and "minding their own business" they all step up and help each other. It's just a beautifully woven story of what family really means.

Elizabeth Berg's books resonate with people of all ages. She often writes abut circumstances that alter one's chosen path and unexpected possibilities that offer something better in life. She has insight that few share and can express. Berg made me laugh, cry, and wish for more. Her unassuming characters form a friendship that when it exists, it's to be treasured and valued. In the Acknowledgements, Berg writes about sending the manuscript to a friend with the hope that she "gets" it. I got it, loved it and will recommend it to friends.

4.5--hovering but...

This short book is a sweet, sad, moving story about three people [primarily two--Arthur and Maddy] who make new lives for themselves by opening up to each other.

Arthur, (re)named Truluv, by Maddy, is an 85-year old widower. Maddy, a loner, ostracized at school, is an 18-year old pregnant teen. She lives with her dad, a widower, who rarely talks.

Arthur goes to the cemetery every day to visit Nola, his deceased wife. He brings his lunch, talks to Nola, and imagines the lives of the other people buried there. He meets Maddy at the cemetery and gradually they become friends.

Lucille, Arthur's neighbor, is a retired teacher; a lonely woman who loves to bake. Her story is separate from Arthur's and Maddy's--until it is not. I liked the before; I loved the after. When Lucille enters Arthur and Maddy's newly-formed household it is quite the home.

And Gordon, Arthur's cat, has his own persona--which also often was humorous.

Some of the lines brought a smile to my face. For example--Maddy has a nose ring which Arthur notes is "... hanging out the bottom like a booger." Lucille's snoring is described as "[she]... could be her own percussion section in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra." And, Maddy sees her father as "constant bad weather."

This book reminded me of Plainsong [whch I also liked a lot]--where two elderly men take in a pregnant teen.

I was engaged immediately. Why? Perhaps because I liked the characters and felt them all well drawn. At times predictable, my interest never waned. Complaint: too short! Heartwarming, bittersweet, a good read!

Sweet story! Elderly Arthur visits his wife's grave every day and one day he meets Maddy, a high school senior, at the cemetery where she is exercising her love of photography with the headstones. The pair strike an interesting friendship that heals them of their sorrows. Beautiful novel about old and young and the story of people's lives who live short or long. Berg never fails me as a writer.

Berg's talented writing rescues a cliched story of a lonely widower coming slowly to life with the help of a quirky teenager dealing with her own loneliness. The characters come to life but the plot has been done too many times before.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story of a young girl and an elderly man who find each other in a cemetery and in doing so find a family. Elizabeth Berg at her best!

I loved, loved, loved this book. Elizabeth Berg is such an amazingly talented writer. She has a quiet way with her words and in a few simple phrases can lay open your heart. I laughed and cried reading The Story of Arthur Truluv and I am so grateful that Elizabeth Berg is in the world and sharing her talents with us!

5 stars

What a delightful and charming book!

Arthur Moses who lost his wife just six months earlier and visits her grave every lunchtime, Maddy Harris a lonely and confused teenager and Lucile Arthur’s neighbor who is a little nosey all meet in this charming novel.

Drawn together by loss and a special kind of friendship and love, these three people form the center of our story. They help one another through hardship and the loss of loved ones and together they make a new start in life – for the better.

This is a remarkable novel about three of the best kinds of friends. It is written with tenderness, nostalgia and a measure of pain. It is very well written and plotted. It moves along very nicely and tells a wonderful story.

I want to send a big thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Random House for forwarding to me a copy of this most remarkable book to read.

Oh the feels! This book just flew by, and it gave me all the feels. Arthur Moses is just a sweet old man who loves his wife even though she passed away and finds joy in so many things. Maddie needs a family and found it with Arthur and Lucille, Arthur's elderly neighbor who needed them even though she didn't realize it. This book was sweet, but showed that life is hard. However, looking for the good in life makes it worth living.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and the publisher.

Arthur 'Truluv' is a prince of a man, faithfully remembering his wife by visiting her grave and talking to her daily. His friendship towards poor, troubled Maddy is an extension of his kind self, recognizing a need in another lonely person. There are some funny, quirky moments in this tragically edged story, full of humanness and struggle. Arthur's influence on others makes me want to be a better person, show more compassion, give more grace, That alone made this a worthy read for me.
(The foul language and sexual content were a detraction, and would be a better read without it.)

Arthur Sinclair a widower meets Maddy an unhappy, troubled teen while visiting his wife in the cemetery. They eventually warm to each other. . He offers her a room. Eventually the widow lady across the street becomes part of their circle. The three of them rub along together helping each other through thick and thin. The Story of Arthur Truluv ranks right up there with A Man Called Ove for being a heart-warming book. How does he get the name Truluv? I leave that for you to discover as you read the book.. This book is definitely a keeper.. Readers will not be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this novel! I felt it took a good look at life and death but was also very happy throughout. I loved Arthur and Maddy and how their relationship blossomed. I loved that Arthur still visit his late wife Nola everyday. I think both Arthur and Lucille were able to help Maddy deal with the death or her mother in a new way by showing her how they worked through their own grief and sorrows. They both did it with a positive light. Arthur still believed that life was worth living and Lucille turned her sorrow into creating something good by helping teach others to bake.
This was a heartfelt novel that made me laugh and just made me happy. Elizabeth Berg has a way with words and making you fall for her characters.