Everyone needs someone like Arthur Truluv in their life! . This trio are all on different walks of life and though they come together under strained circumstances it all makes sense. Family isn't just blood its what you make it and the people who are there for you when you need them the most. Arthur, Maddy and Lucille sucked me into their unconventional family and didn’t let me go until the very end. I love them separately and all together. They each learned from each other and I loved the support they gave each other and how they accepted one another quirks and all. I honestly can’t even write a review to give this book justice. I loved the characters, the message and the overall feeling after I finished reading this story. I’ve never read or heard of this author before until now and she has managed to suck me in with her way of words. This story tugged at my heartstrings and I had tears in my eyes when I finished. This is one story that I won’t forget anytime soon and will definitely be listed as one of my top reads of 2017.

To remain closer to his deceased wife, Arthur has lunch at the cemetery every day.  He pauses at different graves in order to learn about their lives, but finds Nola and talks to her before leaving.  Maddy, a seventeen year old girl, goes there to escape school during lunch.  When they meet, the two click as only two lonely people can.  Arthur is more the father- or perhaps grandfather(?) figure she always wanted, and I think Maddy is the child he always did.  As time moves on, things change in Maddy’s life forcing her out of her home and unsure how to continue.  Moving in with Arthur as a “house keeper”, she revels in the closeness she feels with Arthur and his caring, busy body neighbor Lucile.
I loved the play between all of these characters.  Bossy mother-hen Lucile who never got the chance to have her own brood, lonely and confused Maddy just trying to find a place she belongs, and patient loving Arthur.  Lord, everyone needs an Arthur in their lives.  He is so open and kind, so giving, that he captures your whole heart.  Certainly there were times where I wanted to shake each of the main characters…. but isn’t that what makes a well rounded and developed character?  The story had a nice flow, and was easy to follow from narrator to narrator, and I adored the plot.  I will definitely be looking into more books by this author!  For me, this was a five star book!   
On the adult content scale, there was some sexual content and language, though nothing over the top.  I would give it a three.  
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Random House publishing for the price of an honest review.  My thanks.

I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for this review. While the mature nature of the story and the adult language make this book inappropriate for middle grade children, the novel could be read by high school students and other young adults. There is a wonderful message that a family can be the people you choose to surround yourself with because there is mutual and unconditional love in the relationship.
Arthur has lunch at the gravesite of his recently deceased wife every day. It is in the cemetery where he meets Maddy, a teenager who also comes daily to escape the excruciating demands of high school life. Arthur helps Maddy when she finds herself in circumstances where she truly needs the love and caring of a family. Arthur, Maddy, and Lucille (Arthur’s next door neighbor) become very close and readers will find themselves drawn into the kitchen to enjoy some of Lucille’s cooking and the comforting way that Arthur helps Maddy believe in herself.

Arthur, a widower, goes to the cemetery every day to have lunch with his wife, Nola. While there, he notices a young girl who also frequents the cemetery when she needs a break from school. The two strike up an unusual friendship, each giving purpose to the other's life. Arthur's neighbor, Lucille, adds a third person to their unconventional family, proving that life is sweeter when shared.

I have enjoyed many of this author's books in the past, but haven't read anything by her in several years, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was happy to discover that I liked this story as much as the earlier Berg books I'd read. It's a bit predictable, but sweet and uplifting, so the predictability wasn't disappointing. I loved Arthur, and have known many teens like Maddy who just need someone to accept them for who they are. I never really made up my mind about Lucille, but that didn't stop my enjoying the book.

According to Goodreads this is “a moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.” Well, I couldn’t have summarized this book better, so let’s leave it at that.

At the outset, I have to admit that I’m of two minds about this book. In general, I really did enjoy it. Berg’s prose is so gentle and inviting, we cannot help but feel for these characters, while totally understanding their motives and actions. Plus, as the story progresses, Berg builds them so lovingly that it’s almost like watching flowers come into bloom. Furthermore, Berg seems to have an excellent knack for pacing her story so that we never get bored nor feel confused with too many things happening. Berg also constructed a plot that makes good sense, and runs faultlessly from beginning to end. Everything Berg is trying to show here comes through with empathy and care. These include the need people have to feel appreciated, the desire to help others and share our lives with them, and the feeling of being in control while at the same time, having people in our lives we can also depend upon.

One thing I really must commend Berg for is the ending of this novel. In my mind, I can imagine a certain scene that Berg could easily have included here, just before the final chapter. Thankfully, Berg (or her editors) didn’t include that scene, and instead jumped ahead in the story, and allowed the readers to assume this situation. Had it been included, I’m certain it would have lessened the effect of the final chapter, so kudos to Berg and/or her editors for that exclusion.

However, despite all this praise, I still have some reservations about this book. Now, perhaps this might seem unfair but early on in reading this book, I got the distinct feeling that Berg was attempting to mold Arthur into an American version of Ove (as in, from Backman’s debut novel). Yes, Ove is far more curmudgeonly and judgmental than Arthur, and also unlike Ove, he certainly hasn’t given up on life. But there are many versions of the old man who you might not always like, but you can’t help loving them nonetheless. Unfortunately, Arthur isn’t the best example of any of them, since for me, Berg wasn’t able to evoke any strong emotions out of me for Arthur. It took me a long while to put my finger on why Arthur didn’t move me, and I think the reason was that Arthur was simply too nice, too often, and it didn’t balance well with the smaller incidences of when he was being difficult. That may sound silly, but I have to be honest, and I feel I needed more harshness in Arthur, so that Berg could convince me to fall for him despite his faults. I’m certain that Berg could have done this, since essentially, we learn to love Lucille in exactly that manner, as Berg knew exactly how terribly infuriating she could be, and we still end up adoring her, both because of and despite her many faults.

So, although this is a truly warm and heartwarming tale, tenderly written that just flows softly from beginning to end, it will make you smile, but I’m afraid it won’t make you cry. For this, I can still warmly recommend it, and give it a solid four out of five stars.

Arthur goes to the cemetery by bus daily to visit his dead wife and have lunch with her there. Maddy goes there daily because she has also suffered a loss and is an outcast at school. Meeting there and chatting, Maddy gives Arthur the name of “Truluv” because he truly did love his wife. They become friends and together form a bond that helps each other. When Maddy needs a place to live, generous Arthur opens his house to her. Then their neighbor Lucille moves in, and the trio form an unbreakable relationship that weathers heartbreak and loss, together no matter what may come their way. This was a delightful story of humanity reaching out to others and doing what you can to help, unselfishly and without thought of what you can get from it.

Elizabeth Berg is superb at developing characters so full and complete that I feel I know them and understand what they are thinking and feeling, and why. She also excels at telling a story.

This is a heartwarming, feel-good book about three lonely people (Arthur, an elderly widower, Maddy, an 18-year old girl who no one seems to care about, and Lucille, Arthur's next door neighbor) who form their own family and find second chances within the bonds they have together.

Arthur Truluv is the heart of the book, in every way, and the character I loved the most. It is his compassion, openness and love for others that makes all the difference. Everyone should be so lucky as to have an Arthur Truluv in their lives!!

Kudos to Elizabeth Berg on another fine read, and to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this wonderful book!

I enjoyed this book. However, I did think it was strange that Maddy would simply go home with Arthur after just meeting him. I liked how the three main characters found friendship within each other. This was a quick read and kept my interest.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Elizabeth Berg (one of my favorite writers!) for the opportunity to get to know Arthur by reading this amazing book!

Arthur is an 85-year-old widow who spends every lunch hour at the cemetery eating lunch at his wife's gravesite. While he's there, he also visits others' graves and imagines the lives they led. Arthur begins to notice teenage Maddy at the cemetery, when she should be in school. They strike up a conversation and a friendship begins. Maddy is having trouble at school and at home and Arthur provides a needed friend. Add to this Arthur's neighbor across the street, Lucille, who is alone and lonely. These three people come together to once again prove that friendship can be the best type of family.

Sweet, quirky, uplifting, wonderful - highly recommended!

While it’s true that only in books do we find deeply lonely individuals that somehow spark to one another and become support systems quickly enough to actually make a difference, I am consistently drawn to these tales. Hope springs eternal, and this is one plot that always engages me. In THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV, the author provides us with a bereaved 80-plus year old man unable to say good-bye to his deceased wife, an isolated, bullied 17-year old girl unclear why she is the source of such antagonism from her peers and father, and an elderly, retired female teacher with strongly held beliefs developed from years of living alone. While they each pursue lives filled with magical thinking as a means to assuage their pain, they gently bump into one another. The elderly man eats lunch in the cemetery every day to be near his wife, the teen imagines she will marry the boy who barely acknowledges her and the elderly woman imagines marrying her high school love. When reality crashes in on the teen, she reaches out to the elderly man and oddly enough, he responds positively.

She needs a home and he has more than enough room. Soon they are joined by their neighbor and a delicate balance is struck as they attempt a family for three people with no experience of family. The author could have provided a bit more tension but this type of plot doesn’t really traffic in acute discomfort. The book delves into replacement families and the ability to create what you need when you need it most. It’s a book with a genuine message and a realistic ending. I enjoyed every minute of reading it, because, as I said, I love to imagine that everyone can create the family they need whatever their age or circumstance.

For the past six months, Arthur Moses’s days have looked the same: He tends to his rose garden and to Gordon, his cat, then rides the bus to the cemetery to visit his beloved late wife for lunch. The last thing Arthur would imagine is for one unlikely encounter to utterly transform his life.

Eighteen-year-old Maddy Harris is an introspective girl who visits the cemetery to escape the other kids at school. One afternoon she joins Arthur—a gesture that begins a surprising friendship between two lonely souls. Moved by Arthur’s kindness and devotion, Maddy gives him the nickname “Truluv.” As Arthur’s neighbor Lucille moves into their orbit, the unlikely trio band together and, through heartache and hardships, help one another rediscover their own potential to start anew.

My Thoughts: The Story of Arthur Truluv begins with Arthur on an ordinary day, as he goes through his routines. Visiting his late wife Nola’s grave, where he has lunch. It is his way of keeping in touch. He also visits neighboring graves and imagines what the lives of those people were like. He often remembers the moments he and Nola shared as he visits her grave.

One day he meets Maddy at the cemetery, a teenage girl who is isolated and lonely. Her father is isolated, too, still grieving the death of Maddy’s mother, but unable to share his grief with his daughter. Maddy has no friends at school; in fact the other kids often make fun of her.

Lucille, Arthur’s neighbor, reconnected with an old high school friend…but then lost him. She has given up on life now. What can she look forward to now?

Alternating narratives take the reader on the individual journeys of Arthur, Maddy, and Lucille, and reveal how they are beginning together.

An unexpected change in Maddy’s circumstances leads her to accept Arthur’s invitation to move in as his housekeeper.

Nearby, Arthur’s neighbor Lucille invites herself to move in as well. She is one of those people who is bossy and controlling, but gradually she begins to learn, through the example of Maddy and Arthur, that becoming a part of a newly created family means one has to make changes.

I loved how this story showed us the value of young and old joining together to help each other, and to make choices to begin again. As they share their lives, we learn about how unique families are created. Themes of loss, loneliness, and new beginnings kept me reading until the very last page. I will think about this story often. 5 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a very sweet & heartwarming story about an unlikely friendship between 82 year old Arthur & a troubled teenager Marcy! Add in Arthur's outspoken neighbor Lucille & the 3 form a special bond that makes for a very touching story! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

What a lovely book! So sweet and poignant. The author talks in the acknowledgements at the end about her hopes that people would "get" this book. I got it. I really got it. Sometimes books from the perspective of an older male reflecting on his life don't really speak to me, but I've read two really good ones lately (this one and Millard Salter's Last Day) and both were excellent. Each character, Arthur, Maddy and Lucille, were so well developed that you could practically see them in the room with you as you were reading. And while things were up and down for their lives, and you knew how it was going to end, it didn't come across to me as cliched or predictable. I've read Elizabeth Berg before, and knew that she was an author I liked, but never expected to like this book so much. If you like the description -- the book won't disappoint you, I promise.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From the first page, Elizabeth Berg’s solemn, lonely characters visiting the cemetery hooked me. I felt their sadness, loneliness and awkwardness. The Story of Arthur Truluv is a heartwarming, feel-good book.

Maddy has spent a lonely life growing up without a mother, and her emotionally absent father isn’t much of a parent. Her father has taken care of the basics (food, shelter, etc.), but after losing his wife right after Maddy’s birth, he is but a mere shell of a person. Maddy marches to the beat of a different drum. She has endured ostracism and ridicule from classmates. It is a wonder that she has stuck with school. My heart broke for this character. An outcast at school and home, I just wanted to give her a big hug. It is no surprise that she is taken in by the {innocent} attentions of Arthur Morris.

Arthur “hears” the dead and feels how they lived and died. This is probably Ms. Berg’s way of showing her readers that Arthur is a caring person who truly listens, feels deeply, and pays attention to people. Everyday he takes a bag lunch to the cemetery to visit his late wife, and along the way to her grave, the dead call out their stories to him.

“I’ll love you forever in darkness and sun, I’ll love you past when my whole sweet life is done,” says Arthur to his late wife Nola. While Nola is already long dead when the story begins, she is integral to the story line.

Lucille is Arthur’s next-door neighbor. She doesn’t have much in her life besides baking. She is alone, and Arthur provides her with a little company, and in exchange, she provides Arthur with no end of scrumptious baked goods.

Everyone needs an Arthur in his/her life (at least at some point). Both Maddy and Lucille certainly were enriched by his presence and generosity. While it is Arthur who starts things in motion, it is really needy Maddy who is the catalyst for this motely crew to become a family of sorts. Each character blossoms to his/her best as a result of the trio coming together. They find in one another the things they have been missing most in their lives—parental love and attention, a child to care for, and companionship. They find family.

Even Maddy’s biological father redeems himself a bit by the end. He built a wall around his heart with the death of his wife—blaming his daughter—and he all but neglected his beautiful offspring who didn’t know love until she met Arthur in a cemetery. While Maddy dubs Arthur “Truluv" because of his undying devotion to his late wife, he truly exemplifies the nature of true love (Eros, Agape, Phileo and Storge).

“We can’t help but make mistakes. The important thing is to keep trying. And to apologize when you need to.” –Arthur

Arthur, Lucille and Maddy have been living lonely lives, and when they come together, in the most unusually way, they find family, happiness, and people to care for and who care about them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at https://abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg is a feel-good novel with life-affirming messages. This is about three people who have lost someone, are lonely, but ultimately find companionship and a family with each other.

"Arthur thinks that, above all, aging means the abandonment of criticism and the taking on of compassionate acceptance."

Arthur Moses, eighty-five, lost his beloved wife, Nola, six months ago. His days consist of caring for his roses and Gordon the cat, and taking the bus to have lunch at the cemetery with Nola. Arthur is an optimist, but he desperately misses his wife.

Quite by chance, Arthur meets Maddy, a high school student who will be turning eighteen soon. She skips lunch and classes to avoid her classmates. Often she goes to the cemetery where she sits and take pictures. Maddy's mother died shortly after she was born and her father seems to blame her for the death. Maddy craves love and acceptance. To make matters worse, her classmates relentlessly bully her. Once she and Arthur meet and form a friendship, she gives him the nickname Truluv.

Across the street from Arthur lives his neighbor Lucille. She is a retired school teacher who often calls Arthur over to sit on her porch when she sees him. More importantly, she sends delicious baked goods home with him. Lucille lost her one true love in high school and is over joyed when he reconnects with her. When circumstances cause these three people to bond together, they not only support and help each other, they form an unlikely family of sorts.

This is a wonderfully written, charming story of how people can help each other and form their own family through their friendship, compassion, and emotional support. Set in Mason, Missouri, a small town of five thousand people, The Story of Arthur Truluv has a small-town-Fannie-Flagg feeling to it. It is a simple story, but charming. There are not any shocking surprises - it is not that kind of story. And while there are some harsh and challenging things that happen, our characters are going to get through it. We know they will because it is that kind of story. You know it will provide positive messages and have a feel-good ending. And, you know, sometimes that is what you need.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
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A very brief but extremely moving book. We meet Arthur, his neighbor, Lucille, and Maddy, a very lost young women close to graduation high school, and together, they form a very offbeat, yet close and supportive family. Each has experienced a great loss of love, yet they move forward, with the help of each other, and one very cranky cat named Gordon. The book was so simple, yet the emotions captured and communicated were so deep and complex, that I found myself moved to tears several times, aching for each one of the characters. The flip side was also the joy and comfort that they brought to each other, that almost restores your faith in humanity. "Find the helpers"...was a very symbolic message throughout the story, that I think we can all carry with us. This is a story you will finish in a single sitting and then ruminate on for days to come.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had forgotten just how much I loved Elizabeth Berg's novels. The characters are just so real, and the insights so profound, that I don't know how you can read one and not be moved. In this story, Maddy, age 18, meets Arthur, an 'old' man still mourning the loss of his wife. His neighbor Lucille is also mourning a lost love. The three become an unlikely family, and help each other through some very trying times. This is just a gentle story showing that everyone has value, and there is always hope. Loved it! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. 4.5 stars!

I had forgotten how much I like Elizabeth Berg's prose. I loved every page of this delightful novel, and I was truly sad to finish it! Perfect thanksgiving read! Recommending to everyone for holiday reading.

When we first meet Arthur and Maddy, it is in a graveyard. Arthur is visiting his deceased wife, love of his life Nola’s grave, eating lunch with her as he does every day. He has a quirky habit of trying to get to know Nola’s ‘neighbors’, surmising who they were in life. Maddy is a bright yet troubled and lonely girl who is treated cruelly at school and skipping out the day she meets Arthur. Sitting in the cemetery is a safe haven from her sad life of bullies and a detached father. Although worlds apart, they develop a strong friendship. My heart went out to these wonderfully drawn characters, people who meet each other at just the right time in their lives. I thought Arthur’s nosey neighbor Lucille, the third distinctive viewpoint in the book, to be a strong and sympathetic character as well. I felt familiarity with her, like she could have been my mother.

There is sadness, there is humor in this smartly written and entertaining story. The writing reminded me of author Fredrik Backman, one of my favorite contemporary authors.

*will post in additional online venues upon publication.

When elderly gentleman Arthur Moses loses his wife, he muddles through each day the best he can. His daily visits to his wife's grave turns into the start of a friendship with Maddy, a teenage loner, who also frequents the cemetery for her own reasons.
This unlikely duo work together to heal each other's broken hearts. Add in Arthur's nosy neighbor, Lucille, who suffers sudden loss in her life. This unlikely newly formed trio will both sadden and enlighten you.
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