Robyn Carr is always good for a romance with some interesting circumstances, family and friend dynamics to add to the mix, and a whole lot of heart. The View from Alameda Island really captured all of these, and left me very emotionally invested in the story. I ended up reading this as an audiobook, and I think some of the difficult conversations and situations popped even more as a result.

Overall I did enjoy this book. It was a great story of overcoming obstacles and starting over. The story began fantastic and grabbed my attention very quickly and the ending had some great suspense, but in saying there I had two major issues with the story that has me giving it only 3 stars and that is once the romance between Lauren and Beau really started it felt rushed and the lines that were saying to each other where cheesy and even at times down right cringy. As well as the whole storyline of Father Tim was given so little time and no real development that it had me question what the real point in it being included was. So overall im 50/50 on recommending it. It was not bad but it could have been a lot better.

One of my favorite things about Robyn Carr's books is that you always know what you are going to be getting into. There's going to be some love (not too open door), some new friendships and someone is always finding themselves in a new life. Her books are always refreshing, while still working with the same formula, and the View from Alameda Island is no exception. While it follows her normal formula, I think this is one of my favorites!

First of all, I am not a fan of books in the romance genre. But I thought the storyline sounded interesting. Unfortunately, this book did not appeal to me. It did not catch and keep my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mira for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

What an amazing story! The View from Alameda Island was delightful with unique characters.

The story is about Lauren who has everything until that fateful day when a decision she makes will change everything. A poignant story about lies and starting over. But it does not end there as her husband wants his “perfect” life back and his actions are shocking. Facing an uncertain future, Lauren discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had as she fights for the love and happiness she deserves.

Great job!!

What a great story. This book captured me right from the first chapter to the last chapter. It was interesting to read how someone's life could seem so perfect on the outside yet be so horrible on the inside. It' was also interesting to read how people's opinion of someone can be different from what they show. So many people disliked Lauren's husband the entitled surgeon but no one came forward about it until Lauren had the nerve to make some changes. It was also interesting to read that it is not just men that cause this type of grief. Beau dealt with an equally unhinged wife. As you are reading this book, you can picture how things like this may occur, however you hope it never happens to you. Great story, great read!!!!

EXCERPT: She walked purposefully to her car and she even looked around. He was in the garden shed on the other side of the gardens. She could hear him putting things away. He wasn't looking to see what she was driving or what her license plate was. He was a perfectly nice, friendly guy who probably picked up lonely women on a regular basis. Then murdered them and chopped them into little pieces and used them for fertilizer.

She sighed. Sometimes she felt so ridiculous.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: From the outside looking in, Lauren Delaney has a life to envy—a successful career, a solid marriage to a prominent surgeon and two beautiful daughters who are off to good colleges. But on her twenty-fourth wedding anniversary Lauren makes a decision that will change everything.

Lauren won’t pretend things are perfect anymore. She defies the controlling husband who has privately mistreated her throughout their marriage and files for divorce. And as she starts her new life, she meets a kindred spirit—a man who is also struggling with the decision to end his unhappy marriage.

But Lauren’s husband wants his “perfect” life back and his actions are shocking. Facing an uncertain future, Lauren discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had as she fights for the love and happiness she deserves.

MY THOUGHTS: I wavered on my rating for this book. Three stars? Four stars? Three-and-a- half? I loved the first half of the book, but then, initially, I thought the second half got a bit schmaltzy, Hallmark romantic. And then. . . Robyn Carr blew my socks off with a totally unexpected development.

But after I finished, and had time to sit and ponder my feelings, my reactions, I realized that she had perfectly captured the emotional reactions of the characters to the situations. Take away the extremes of her story, the wealth, the violence, and it could have been my story. The controlling husband, the constant put downs and erosion of confidence, the reluctance to expose the children to a marriage break-up, then the threats and manipulations, and finally the uncertainty and wonder of finding the right person with whom to share the rest of one's life. As I read I was thinking, 'Yes, I remember feeling/experiencing that!'

What more needs to be said? Although this was my first, I am sure that this won't be the last book I read by this author. Definitely a 'feel-good' experience. High praise indeed from someone who doesn't read romance!

THE AUTHOR: Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of almost sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. The fourth novel, THE BEST OF US, in her fan-favorite Sullivan's Crossing Series was released in Jan. 2019. Robyn's new women's fiction novel THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND will be release in April 2019. Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to NetGalley via Harlequin-Mira for providing a digital ARC of The View From Alameda Island by Robyn Carr for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

The View from Alameda Island is a simple enough story with a straight-forward and slightly predictable plot but that tugs at the heart-strings and will make the reader stop to think. The story follows the life of Lauren Delaney as she navigates her seemingly perfect life. To the world outside, everything is perfect, but, only she knows how broken she feels inside. However, there is only so much a person can handle and after a point, they just snap. It is common and normal that every human being wants to be happy. So it is normal that Lauren is also looking for the same.

The author does a great job in working on her character sketches and bringing them to life in this book. The story focuses on the concept of self love, and the idea that at some point every person should take decisions that ultimately make them happy. This is the turning point in Lauren's life when she decides that she wants a divorce and to get away from the darkness that has lurked behind the scenes during her twenty four years of marriage. This decision, though not taken easily, doesn't sit well with her husband and thus ensues a struggle to get away and move on, in-spite of her husband who tries to win her back and refuses to let go.

The story is well-written and focuses on Lauren's fight for the happiness that she deserves as she finds the strength to trust and love again! This is definitely worth a read and can be finished in one sitting!

RATING: 3.5 STARS
2019; HARLEQUIN - MIRA
(Review Not on Blog)

The View from Alameda Island is a standalone novel but could fit in any of Carr's series in that it is another book you want more of the characters and where their story will go. I enjoyed this book because it is more than a contemporary romance with a HEA. Carr is another author that does well in balancing the dark with the light to make her novels relatable. When I read a Carr book, I know there will be a HEA, but the journey to get there is usually a tough one. There is also some major issue that Carr tackles. In this novel, we have domestic violence and manipulation between a married couple divorcing. This is a tough topic, and sometimes can be done in a way that is not realistic (and I will leave it at that), but I think Carr handled it very well. I rated this one at 3.5 as it is one I would probably not reread as I didn't love the characters and find them endearing, but still a solid read.

***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***

The View from Alameda Island will provide insight on how Lauren ends her marriage and try to move on.
Lauren has been married for several years that she finally decided that she has enough. Her kids have finished college and moving on. That push her to end her marriage. Her marriage is not perfect at all. I definitely admire her to move on. She does not have time for belittle or abusive from her ex-husband. But it won't be easy for her since he always want control. But Lauren can do it do especially with the help of Beau who is cutie that catching her eye.
No marriage is perfect. It takes two to tango which Lauren have mention before. And you can recognize how much she willing to take actions for what went wrong in the marriage. It takes a lot to admit but she does it. And her ex-husband need too.
If you are in the mood in rediscovering yourself after marriage, then The View from Alameda is the one for you.
3 1/2 Star

Emotional study of when things go awry. Life can be messy at times and of course there are just times when we take things for granted. How about when life seems to be mundane and predictable. Well in THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND by Robyn Carr we are witnessing some very messy lives that definitely are in need of repair. But it is obvious that it is going to take a lot of guts to take that step towards a new future.
Lauren Delaney is the first character we meet in THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND. We are immediately thrust into her dilemma. Lauren can no longer stay in a marriage that has moved to being abusive on many levels. She is a successful business woman with grown daughters. So you might truly have to admit she has paid her dues. But that begs the question – should anyone have to pay dues in life. Sure it takes work and dedication and patience but those are the prices to pay. Nothing says anything about pain of any type.
Beau is also leaving behind a marriage that started quite innocently as almost benevolent. Pamela was down on her luck with two young sons. Beau was attracted and became surrogate father to Pamela’s sons. Love was on his side. Except there was always a problem with Pamela and her anger issues. These Beau faced until he no longer could. During Pamela’s sometimes long absences Beau was the stabilizing front for the boys. He had come to think of them as his. But divorcing Pamela was sure to make waves. Even Beau was unprepared for those.
Beau’s life is filled with beauty. His company designs gardens. Lauren finds such unexpected comfort in Beau’s gardens which represent more than just beauty. They are peaceful and safe. After her turbulent marriage to Brad, Lauren craves that peace, quiet and safety.
But as their divorces are closing in both Beau and Lauren are discovering that both their exes have an even darker side than they ever expected.
Be prepared to be swept away in another masterpiece by Robyn Carr. In terms of being truthful there isn’t a time when I’ve walked away from anything written by Robyn Carr without a smile on my face. Her stories are so well constructed and always timely. THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND is a fine example of that. Beau and Lauren are well crafted characters who are believable and their circumstances will make you angry at times. But Robyn Carr designed THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND with the same love and care as Beau does his gardens.

For Lauren Delaney, people assume her life is magical and perfect. She had the perfect life with a solid career, a great marriage and two daughters who she is so proud of. But for Lauren, her life isn’t perfect and on her twenty-fourth wedding anniversary, she makes a decision that will change everything in her life. Now on a path of her choosing, away from the controlling husband that mistreated her throughout her marriage, she finds the strength to move forward into a life of her choosing. She meets a man who is her kindred spirit and is also going through a similar ending of an unhappy marriage. Even as Lauren enjoys her new life she has made; darkness is on the horizon. Her soon to be ex-husband is determined that he get his perfect life back…at any cost.

THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND is Robyn Carr’s latest standalone novel and it was good but not, in my opinion, a great read. It might have been the mood I was in when I read it, but I couldn’t connect with Lauren right away and it took till chapter four for me to enjoy her journey and the rest of the book. The author does a great job in capturing Lauren’s journey to her new life as well as her relationship with her family, friends old and new and a new love interest. Ms. Carr delivers a solid story that will keep you interested until the very end as well as well root for Lauren to get her very own happy ever after in any way she can. What I loved after I got into the story and Lauren’s journey was how the author wrote Lauren’s relationship to Beau in such a believable way. Friends who are fed up with their spouses, someone that knows what they are feeling and going through with the demise of their marriages and someone to support what they are going through as well. Ms. Carr did a really good job in writing how their friendship slowly evolved over time and turned over to romance. I really enjoyed Beau and Lauren together. Their friendship seemed so natural and the romance that came naturally for them.

THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND is a bit darker than her past books and deals with mental, physical and emotional abuse so if those are your triggers than you might not enjoy this one as much. I really thought the author did a great job in capturing Lauren’s journey and the secondary characters where a wide range of personalities that gave the story some great moments. If you enjoy Ms. Carr’s past books then try her new one today and enjoy a darker story that is filled with hope, love in all its forms and a woman’s journey to the person she is meant to be. I look forward to seeing where Ms. Carr goes next for her readers to enjoy.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

While this isn't a horrible read, it is not one that I really recommend, unless you just have to read all of Robyn Carr's books. Just found it too unbelievable. That two people that happen to fall in love were both married to psycho partners.

The beginning is slow, and the heroine not that admirable. Pretty much she stayed married for money. The hero starts out as likable but what a martyred. They fall in love and watch out. The secondary romance (priest) didn't offend me or impress me. Priest should be able to marry (IMO).

If you can just go with the flow and not overthink the plot then you might enjoy it more than I did

Beau and Lauren meet by accident at a garden at a local church, and then again at a fund raiser. Both are in horrible marriages and are at different stages of the divorce proceedings. Lauren's husband Brad is a surgeon used to getting his own way and telling everyone that anything bad that happened is not his fault. For the mostpart it was verbal abuse with some pinching and pushing -- but he never started it. Beau's wife Pam is a drama queen who comes back when she's between other men, not caring about her two grown sons who Beau had taken care of for years when their fathers disappeared.

Lauren works very carefully to dismantle her marriage, packing some belongings off to her sister's home and is ready to move immediately when she tells her husband that she's leaving. She tries very hard to inflict the least amount of damage to both Brad and their grown daughters, one of whom wonders why she waited so long, the other insisting that it's her fault and not the father. Beau has a slightly harder time, again with one son with him, the other not.

When Brad gets violent, fortunately there's an audio and video recording, even tho he says again it wasn't his fault. When Pam intrudes on Christmas at Beau's, in full drama queen mode, his family doesn't fall for it, so she ups the ante with a more lethal attack that fortunately failed. It takes a bit more time, and a bit more violence, but eventually there's a HEA for Lauren and Beau.

I'm sitting here smiling -- I love happy endings, and I really like these two main characters and how they persevered until the end.

I first discovered Robyn Carr many years ago with her wonderful The House on Olive Street. This book has many of the same characteristics, a heroine we fall in love with, a rich world of supporting characters, a deep emotional overlay and so much more. Lauren has the perfect life, to some observers, but deep down, she resents her controlling husband and wonders why sh'e's spent a quarter of a century married to him. Is escape possible? When she meets a man who is contemplating divorce, she realizes she has choices in her life. A page turner, a wonderful read.

The View from Alameda Island was a touching read. It's a story about divorce, adult children, and controlling ex-spouses. As any Robyn Carr reader will know, she has the ability to pull you into the story and usually has a side story happening too.

Beau and Lauren meet in a church garden when they are both going through rough times in their marriages. Both have made the decision to leave the marriages and a friendship develops. Their story is of loss, personal growth, and ultimately love.

*thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for an honest review*

3 / 5 stars

Not going to lie. Some of the things that happened in this book felt repetative. I mean, it’s romance for goodness sake. Aren’t there some things that you see over and over again but still work? That’s what I felt while reading this arc. It felt familiar, like I was in well cared for hands. It also had many things that made it stand out. Lauren Delaney isn’t perfect, fucks up, and is given the time and patience to explore what makes her Lauren and how she can improve herself for herself. So, yes. Repetitive. But also fresh, unwavering, and maybe the kind of thing I wouldn’t mind reading again because I kind of know what I’m walking into.

Author Robyn Carr does it again! I know I've said this numerous times. This amazing author always one-ups herself with every single book she writes. This one has become one of my favorites now. I loved the plot and the writing as always is just perfection. So much love for this book and for the author.

Captivating and emotional! Two characters are coming to a crossroad in their life right around the same time and when they meet, it's the breath of fresh air they each needed. Friendship leads to romance as their divorces progress. The characters were both emerging from bad situations and finding solace in a happier life and each other. The plot had surprising aspects woven in that kept it fresh, although I felt like the side story of Tim and Angela was distracting from the heart of the story. Overall a really good read!

Wife and mother Lauren Delaney has been living a lie. To others, she has a great life of wealth and prestige with a loving husband and prospering daughters ... in reality, she's been biding her time until her children are at a point where they can support themselves so she can finally leave her controlling husband. On their 24th wedding anniversary, she puts her final plan in motion ... and meets a kindred spirit.

Beau Magellan has been going through the motions for years with his unhappy wife. It's an ongoing game of her leaving then coming back only to repeat at her leisure. This time he's had enough. He wants his freedom this time, and when he meets Lauren at a time in her life when she's starting on the same journey, they strike up a friendship that will later lead to more.

The View from Alameda Island is a book title dear to my heart because I used to live near Mill Valley, which, in this story, is the location of Lauren Delaney’s home during her marriage. The community is a metaphor for Lauren’s stifling existence because up-market houses like hers are closed off from the street and protected from the view of neighbors by a moat of hedges and/or walls. Contrast that milieu with Alameda, an island in the East Bay, that looks over the water to San Francisco. Alameda feels like an old-fashioned village with craftsman-style houses and inviting porches that look out over lawns onto sidewalks.

Before Lauren marries successful surgeon Brad, her mother warns her, “If you marry for money, you’ll earn every penny of it.” So true. On the surface, Lauren leads an enviable life but she’s deeply unhappy. She decides to leave Brad.

Oh, wouldn’t Brad be surprised when she finally did. And he’d be angry. She knew people would inevitably ask, Why now? After twenty-four years? Because it had been twenty-four hard years. It had been hard since the beginning. Not every minute of it, of course. But overall, her marriage to Brad had never been a good situation. She spent the first several years thinking she could somehow make it better, the next several years thinking she probably didn’t have it so bad since he was only emotionally and verbally abusive, and the last ten years thinking she couldn’t wait to escape once her daughters were safely raised. Because, the truth was he was only going to get more cantankerous and abusive with age.

Robyn Carr’s heroines always operate with the best intentions. In The View from Alameda Island Lauren Delaney carefully develops a precise roadmap to disentangle her marriage, wanting to inflict the least amount of harm on her soon-to-be ex and their two daughters. Unintended consequences make that goal an impossibility.

A non-surprising coincidence in romance is the appearance of an Act Two partner as Act One winds down. One night on her way home, in the waning days of her marriage, Lauren stops by a lovely garden attached to a church. She strikes up an intimate conversation with the gardener. Sometimes it’s easy to talk to a stranger.

She noticed, suddenly, how good-looking this man was. He looked like he was in his forties, a tiny amount of gray threading his dark brown hair at his temples. His eyes were dark blue. His hands were large and clean for a gardener. “Now what makes a volunteer gardener decide to read psychology?” she asked.

He tells her that when he reads, he “can zone out everything except what’s happening in my head,” … at least that’s what his wife says. Much to her surprise, she and Brad run into him at a fundraiser that evening. Beau Magellan is a successful landscape entrepreneur who is also unhappily married and lives and works in Alameda: the same community Lauren picks to start her new life. We readers know how this story is going to end, right?

Not so fast. Brad Delaney goes coldly ballistic. He fights Lauren for every penny, threatening to cut off financial support for their daughters. Unfortunately, geography does not protect Lauren from Brad’s abusive nature. Lauren has never really lived alone before but in the aftermath of filing for divorce, she taps into inner reserves of strength she didn’t know she possessed.

On the positive side of the ledger, Lauren’s new friend Beau is a special man. He fights to retain his self-respect, maintain a good relationship with his step-sons, and respectfully disentangle from a moribund marriage. Without giving away too much, his ex is as weird and vindictive as Brad.

Lauren and Beau’s journey to an HEA is circuitous and slow but they are good people. People who deserve to love and be loved. The View from Alameda Island is a perfect second-chance, older hero/heroine story and I enjoyed every minute of it.