Elizabeth Berg does it again! Night of Miracles is an wonderful book. Especially in these turbulent times sometime I need a light and enjoyable read,. This one certainly delivers. It continues the story with Lucille previously introduced in Arthur Truluv. Lucille has new neighbors who have their own struggles, she hires Iris, who has recently moved to Mason, to be her assistant with her baking classes. We also get to meet Tiny and Monica. I love each and every one of these characters. He’ll, I wish I lived in Mason and that they were my neighbors and friends! Reading about their lives and challenges was especially heart warming. Thank you Net Galley for giving me an advanced copy.

Honest, pensive, and affecting!

Night of miracles takes us back to the small town of Mason, Missouri and into the lives of many, including Lucille Howard who's still teaching people to bake, befriending those who are lonely, and selflessly helping those in need; Iris, a middle-aged woman, struggling to move on after a recent divorce; Tiny, a large man with no confidence and courage; and Abby, a young mother battling for her life against a relentless disease.

The prose is vivid and sincere. The characters are complex, genuine, and engaging. And the absorbing, astute plot takes us on a heart-wrenching rollercoaster ride of love, loss, friendship, family, community, thoughtfulness, loyalty, and companionship.

Overall, Night of miracles is another beautifully written tale by Berg that made my heart fill with joy and burst with heartbreak. It's a perceptive, sentimental, poetic tale that reminds us that life is not only about the highs and lows but also all those quieter moments in between.

Woo! I listened to Elizabeth Berg narrate The Story of Arthur Truluv on one of my favorite audio renditions of a story, ever. She captures the poignancy to her characters, and I could not wait to read this follow-up to Arthur’s story.

While I think you can read Night of Miracles on its own, you will miss out on how Lucille, Maddy, and Nola came together thanks to Arthur, and Arthur’s character is too special not to meet in his own novel.

Night of Miracles is Lucille’s story this time around. She’s living in a quaint small town in Missouri, and she’s teaching baking classes to stay busy.

A new family moves in next door, and Lucille ends up caring for the young son, Lincoln, when a tragedy occurs. More tragedy and strife unfortunately happens, and the town of Mason becomes a character in itself as the community members join hands and lift each other up.

Night of Miracles is an easy, breezy, heartwarming tale of friendship and unexpected family. It is a treasure of a read, and I’m grateful that Berg took the time to write this follow-up perspective on Lucille along with some magical elements sprinkled in.

Thanks to Random House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a sweet story! I am still on a post-election bout of frustration, but this book provided a brief respite for the ongoing counting of ballots.
I love a story that brings together a group of people from different backgrounds and weaves their stories together into one. I especially loved hearing about Lucille's baking and tips. I think the recipes and tips should have also been included in the book.
This story felt like a warm, cozy sweater that provides comfort. Apparently this is the second book of a series and I did not read the first. I don't feel like I particularly missed anything in doing so.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Summary:

Lucille Howard may be getting on in years, but she refuses to slow down. Who has time?!? There are baking classes to teach! Her classes are so wildly popular she has to hire new-comer Iris as an assistant.

Then, when tragedy strikes next door, there’s a little boy that needs her. Lincoln’s parents face hard choices, as do many of the Mason residents. Can she bring her town together and help them through everything?

My thoughts:

I was obsessed with The Story of Arthur Truluv, Elizabeth Berg when I read it. I loved the writing style, the characters and their interactions, the premise…. it floored me. It also left me unwilling to leave- I wanted more! What happens next? How is Lucille holding up? What happens to Maddy? These characters needed more time!

And here we have exactly that. Years after book one, we see Lucille again. Cranky and cantankerous- willing to fight even death for more time. We see Maddy as a young mother. We see who they are now and how knowing Arthur shaped them. We also meet a lot of fantastic new characters that I personally love. This book has the gorgeous writing I remember, the deep-set emotions, the great characters…. so often the “what came next” book is messy and rushed- just a device to tie things together. Not here. You can read this, and love it all it’s own- it carries it’s own weight. But having seen how certain characters meet, and knowing references to old characters, made this one more fulfilling to me. All in all this is a five star book for me.

On the adult content scale, there’s some language, and some drinking. That’s about it. I give it a two.

I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this from Netgalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

What a lovely book. This is a sequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv, and centers around Lucille, Arthur’s neighbor. Lucille still lives in Arthur’s house, courtesy of Maddy, and has sold her house to a new family who become important characters in this book. She gives cooking classes out of her kitchen, as well as making cakes for the local diner. There is a larger cast of characters here than in Arthur Truluv, and the book pursues several intertwining story lines, but it continues with the sweet, loving spirit that made the previous book such a delight. If you need a little happiness in your life, you can’t go wrong with Night of Miracles.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Elizabeth Berg’s The Story of Arthur Truluv which I read earlier in the year. In fact, I love all of Berg’s novels (and there have been many!). This one continues the story of the characters from Arthur Truluv. And yes, I did maybe shed a little tear at the end!
Thank you for my review e-copy via Net Galley.
Full review with book description at www.drbethnolan.com

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg is a very highly recommended continuation of the feel-good narrative found in Berg's previous novel, The Story of Arthur Truluv, set in Mason, Missouri, a small town of five thousand people.

Maddy and Nola, Arthur’s “adopted” daughter and granddaughter, often stop in to see Lucille Howard in Mason. Lucille is continuing to teach her popular baking classes out of her home (which used to be Arthur's and is now owned by Maddy). Lucille is so busy with her classes that she hires an assistant, Iris Winters. Iris is new to Mason and is trying to move on from her divorce and make a life for herself. Iris lives in the same apartment building as Tiny Dawson and the two become friends. Tiny has a crush on waitress Monica Mayhew, who he wants to ask out but is too afraid to follow through. Monica, unknown to Tiny, feels the same way as him. At the same time, Abby Summers, a neighbor to Lucille, has been recently diagnosed with cancer. Abby and her husband, Jason, ask Lucille if she can watch their son, Lincoln, while she undergoes chemo.

Berg continues the wonderfully written, simple, yet charming story found in Arthur Truluv of how people can help each other through their friendship, compassion, and emotional support. This is truly another story for fans of Fannie Flagg. It has the same feel-good small town feeling to it that often are found in her novels, although it is a simpler story with less depth than some of Flagg's novels, it is overwhelmingly a pleasant tale for the heart during vicious, turbulent times. There are not any shocking surprises - it is not that kind of story. While there are some harsh and challenging things that happen, we know, again, that the characters are going to get through it because it is that kind of story. And, you know, sometimes that is what you need.

It is true that Berg touches on some controversial topics but chooses to not make them hot-button topics and keeps the overall tone pleasant leading to an expected, fitting ending. This is a novel that is good for the heart. It is not packed full of the real-life drama and emotional conflicts that abound today, but it is a novel that is full of compassion and kindness toward others. Sometimes you need a novel like this - beautifully written and heart-warming.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
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Lucille's baking classes have become so popular among the residents of Mason, Missouri, that she hires an assistant, Iris. Lucille's neighbor, Abby, is given an devastating medical diagnosis, so Lucille steps in to help care for Abby's son, Lincoln. Iris's new friend and neighbor, Tiny, is seriously interested in Monica, but he's nervous about asking her out.

These relationships and more are peppered throughout this second book of the series. This is definitely not a plot-driven book, but I really enjoyed it. Just like in the first installment of this series, I like the way the reader gets to know the characters and how their lives are interwoven to create a sense of community. Having grown up in an area that had the same small-town feel, it was easy to understand how one person's life can touch so many others without even realizing it. If this series continues, I will definitely continue to read it.

In Night of Miracles, I was transported back to the wonderful world of Arthur Truluv and the people he came to love as family, Lucille and Maddy. As the two of them go on with their lives, they are blessed by the miracles around them. They have each grown and embraced the life that they discovered when the three of them became friends.

Night of Miracles centers on Lucille and we watch as she discover the miracles of her life. But there is really only one miracle that she wants and waits for. Will she finally get her miracle?

I have always loved Elizabeth's gentle, beautiful stories, stories that seem to teach us a lesson, and this series is one of my favorites. I love the characters and love that we get to follow their lives through multiple books. And as expected when I pick up one of her books, the words are put together in such a lovely, flowing way that it's such a joy to read. I look forward to reading more stories in this series.

Night of Miracles follows the characters we met and loved in the book Arthur Truluv. Ms Berg has a way of introducing a character into your heart as well as her book. Lucille, who we met in the first book, is the pivotal character. She can always be counted on to know what to say and do even when she has contrasting thoughts. She decides to hire an assistant for her baking classes, and Iris, recently divorced and from Boston, becomes that assistant. Through Iris we meet Tiny, a sweet man who lives in her apartment building. That leads to Tiny sharing his desires with Iris to date Monica. By the time you finish the book, Lucille's neighbors are also a huge part of the book and the love shared through Lucille. I didn't want the book to end, and when it became obvious that Ms Berg had indeed an ending, I appreciated her writing even more. She didn't rush to the end like so many authors do, instead she savored every connection and feeling, giving the reader a true sense of peace.

It is obvious that I loved this book, I am sure. Thoughtful and well written, it shows an Utopian life that I would love to be able to replicate. Everyone needs a Lucille in their life as they journey through the unknown. Lucille's wisdom dispensed through her baking classes and daily encounters is what is sadly lacking in many of our lives today.

I can't recommend this book enough, and suggest you read The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel first before reading this wonderful book.

I would like to thank Random House publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book and express my opinions

A Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg

A sequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv; this can be read as a stand alone however had I read the first book, for me personally, I feel it would have tied together some things a bit better as a whole.

This is a light, wisdom-filled, cleansing story of the powers of friendship, a simpler time with small town charm - small town lives..... how they intertwine and in turn, bring out the best in themselves despite their own troubles and hard times.

The cast of characters is many, and as it can be a bit challenging in spots due to that, all in all, a lovely read when you need that "cozy hug" too be reminded of what's truly important.......

A Night of Miracles is charming, heartwarming, a bit predictable and on the "sweet" side, but enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth Berg and Random House Publishing for this ARC in order that I may read and review.

Novels N Latte Book Blog
Novels & Latte Book Club

Small town living at it's best. A wonderful story of friendship, between women in this town. New love of two people unsure of themselves, and a family fighting for a cure. Throw in a direct speaking elderly widow who teaches others to bake from her home and you have a story of life.

I wanted to like this book as I like the author but I didn’t. The characters were one dimensional and I didn’t find mysel really caring about their storyline of which there many. Characters were introduced in chapters at the beginning of the book rather where they fit in.

The sequel to Elizabeth Berg's The Story of Arthur Truluv is another feel-good story, this time about Lucille Howard, the elderly woman living in Arthur's former home that she rents from Maddie, the young woman Arthur befriended and made his heir. There Lucille teaches fabulous baking classes with recipe names I guarantee will have you drooling. Oh, if only we could have her recipes!

Berg adds several new characters to the line up including Iris, who has moved from Boston to the small town of Mason, Mo, to start over after her divorce. Lucille hires her as her assistant, even though Iris is not much of a baker. Then there's Abby, Lucille's neighbor, who learns she has a potentially-deadly disease. And the people at Polly's Henhouse, the local eatery, one of whom might have a crush on a handsome regular but is too shy to pursue her dream of true romance...and vice versa.

Many years ago my mother and I enjoyed sharing the Mitford series by Jan Karon and these stories, based on small-town people who genuinely care about each other, remind me very much of those wonderful stories.

I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Many thanks.

You cannot go wrong with Elizabeth Berg. This is a lovely story that goes straight to your heart. It would be beneficial to read The Story of Arthur Truluv by Fannie Flagg prior to starting this one.

A beautiful book about friendship and the connections of people in a small town. Lucille finds that though two people very important to her have passed away, there are new residents coming in to town that can add richness and friendship to her life. All of the characters are wonderfully written, real people with flaws and personality and goodness at heart. I loved how the chapters were told from the point of view of a variety of characters. Lucille's baking classes and the items she would make just for fun added another element of enjoyment to the story.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Night of Miracles" by Elizabeth Berg
I really liked this contemporary mid-west small town story. I was one of the lucky ones who received an invitation from the publisher to download an ARC of this story via NetGalley. I rather fell in love with Mason, MO and the characters that lived in this story... I would so love to be able to take a baking class with Lucille.. meet Iris, Tiny, Monica, and everyone else. I do love small towns and the way people caringly support each other. My big problem ... the story was over before I was ready.. and I never did get any of the recipes that sounded so very delicious. But that is just as well, I am trying not to gain weight !

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Elizabeth Berg for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. This is the sequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv - if you haven't read that one, grab it first. You will totally love it and it will make Night of Miracles even better.

Taking place in the small town of Mason, Missouri, you will meet a delightful cast of characters. Lucille, now living in Arthur's old house, is elderly but has the energy of a much-younger woman. She has started teaching baking lessons to people in town, helping them create beautiful desserts. Iris came to Mason from Boston, living with hurt and regret, and is hired by Lucille to help create a website and help with the classes - even though she is not a baker. Lucille also helps the new people living in her former house next door when a crisis comes into their lives.

This is just a charming, feel good story about how the things we do for each other can make an impact in so many lives. I fell in love with these characters and I miss them already!

What an enjoyable read! I loved the characters: Lucille in her sunset years, Iris a divorcée in her forties, Tiny and Monica, Jason, Abby, and their young son Lincoln, Maddy and her young daughter Nola. All of them were dealing with the struggles of life: looking for romantic love, dealing with illness, resolving failed love, learning to accept the end of life. The small town atmosphere of Mason, Missouri adds a somewhat humorous setting for the story and how the characters become connected to each other. Throw in a tiny bit of supernatural, and the story comes to a sweet resolution that leaves the reader with a smile and a sigh.
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