Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I didn’t realize this was the third novel based in the fictional town of Mason, Missouri, but after finishing the book, I can say it stands perfectly on its own. This lovely story of second chances just makes me want to go back and pick up the first two books set in this beautiful small town full of genuine people.

Elizabeth Berg returns her readers to Mason, MO, with her third novel in the series. Many of the characters that we have grown to love are back. Eight of the towns women, ranging in age from 20’s to 80’s, have formed the Confession Club. A place where members can share, without judgement, their problems and transgressions, small and large, all while enjoying macaroni casserole and home baked desserts. Iris, a childless divorcee who teaches baking classes in her home and her friend Maddy are the two newest members. Iris is the center of Berg’s latest installment as she deals with loneliness and a worrying new relationship with John, a homeless Vietnam War vet. Maddy is also dealing with her own problems, recently escaping from New York City with her daughter Nola in tow.

Iris and the other club members find comfort in their shared stories and home-spun advice. Berg’s cast of characters are the quirky types that often pepper stories set in small towns, but non-the-less likable for it. For those familiar with the series, it feels like a long awaited visit home, and newcomers will find much to delight them. This is an engaging and warm-hearted novel for lovers of gentle reads and women’s fiction.

I’ve enjoyed Elizabeth Berg’s Mason series. The Confession Club is book three and although I suppose it could stand alone I highly recommend reading the books in order. At the forefront in this book are some familiar characters: Iris and Maddy. Iris meets a handsome stranger who becomes important to her. But he has secrets. Maddy is back in Mason and feels haunted by her previous demons. She and her young daughter stay with Iris and she winds up joining the Confession Club. It’s a group of women of a certain age. At each meeting one person reveals something about herself that she’s never shared before. These women are mostly north of fifty and have regrets, hopes, and secrets. Ultimately the meetings become an exercise in trust and compassion. The women find courage they didn’t know they had and also discover the power of forgiveness – of others and themselves. Berg used a fairly light touch addressing some serious issues. As the novel drew to a close I wished it could have gone on for a few more chapters. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye! Recommended to fans of Elizabeth Berg, women’s fiction and small town fiction.

The Confession Club is an amusing read about an eclectic mix of ladies who come together to divulge interesting tidbits about themselves. The cast is an array of different swirls of personalities and ages. The author does a good job of keeping the narrative moving. Readers will be delighted in reading about these ladies and their confessions.

I loved The Story of Arthur Truluv; less so Night of Miracles. This one--not at all.

I laughed from time to time, but also grimaced at what I thought a contrived plot and some of the "action." [SPOILER ALERT: I saw the hookup between Iris and John coming miles away. And one of the "ugh" moments--
"The shape of his lips makes her feel as though she's gone liquid."

Additionally, when one of the characters noted that she thought The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted was a beautiful book [and this was at the beginning], that sort of sealed the downward trajectory for me as I DID NOT LIKE that book either.

Occasionally a sentence/image, I liked.
"...frail scaffolding of self-confidence..."
"...moved on to a rose...the clerk at County Line liquors couldn't stop raving about. "He said it had fine character...As if he were providing a job reference!"
"...phones have become adult pacifiers"

I could have walked away from this book at any time. Although I liked all the characters, I never felt engaged. Sweet [sometimes almost cloying] but not enough. A huge disappointment.

A group of friends, women young and old alike, in a small Missouri town gather together to take turns confessing the events, circumstances, and thoughts that make them feel guilty. Support, compassion, and suggestions are rendered, but above all, the "sinner" is absolved of her sins and forgiven.
Iris, who recently moved to Missouri from Boston, and Maddy, who had relocated to New York City and recently returned, become the group's newest members.
This is a delightful story of the ways women face their fears to take on new unexpected challenges with the support of friends. Berg also does a wonderful job of describing the hardships as well as the joys of living in a pastoral setting.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I'm happy to be an early reader since Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite authors.

The Confession Club is a small town, warm feels, cozy read. With Berg's descriptive characters you get to know each woman involved in the club. The Confession Club includes women aged from their twenties to their seventies, all sharing stories of their life that need to be confessed. Stories involving regret, heartbreak and humor make you crave a confession club of your own and the support we all could use.

One of the best things about reading Berg’s books is that you get a different perspective. Everyone writes and reads about romance involving younger people (i.e. YA and early to mid-20s - 30s) but not very often do we get to read about what is called a “May to December” romance. I assume supposedly called that because of the age of the main characters. In this book, we are invited into the confession club where a group of ladies convene and confide in each other. They share things they are ashamed of and secrets in an effort to take the weight off of their shoulders and get some help solving their problems along the way.

Iris is a relatively new member of this club and after a divorce, she finds herself renting a house and lonely. Before long she is part of this family and she begins to fall for a man who lives in a barn on the outskirts of town.

A lot of the confessions didn’t seem like that big of a deal for me but I do realize that it is a different generation. However, the writing was sharp and witty and made me want to create my own confession club because in the end, it was a support group. They encouraged each other and helped each other through life challenges.

As for the romance subplot, I didn’t appreciate it very much. It felt like it was trying to glorify homelessness and say that the people who do have wealth, namely Iris’ ex-husband were not worthy partners. The ending was also a bit jarring because I knew it was going to happen but the way it did was extremely awkward.

Overall, I like the book because of the population that it represents, and the club aspect but the romance was lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Confession Club is a weekly dinner club for a group of female friends in Mason, Missouri. The group allows members to unburden themselves of secrets, actions, or events that are bothering them in a judgement-free atmosphere.

The book by Elizabeth Berg is the third volume of the Mason, Missouri, series that started with The Story of Arthur Truluv. Berg carries on with the themes of loss, loneliness, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness introduced in the first book, continues in the second volume, Night of Miracles, and greatly shapes The Confession Club.

Iris from Miracles is one of the main characters in this third book along with Maddy and Nola from the Truluv story. Iris has taken over Lucille’s cooking classes, and Maddy has found the pull back to Mason from New York is so strong she can no longer ignore it.

Long-divorced Iris becomes involved with a damaged homeless veteran while Maddy is taking a break from her husband Matthew.

Like the previous two volumes, this novel unveils a warm-hearted story that is fraught with conflict and personal journeys. Although this novel could be read as a stand-alone, it would be a much richer experience to read the series in order.

Does Berg have more ideas about ordinary life in Mason, Missouri, to share with readers? I hope so.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting October 12, 2019.

I highly recommend this book to all readers of contemporary fiction, especially Elizabeth Berg fans. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

I id not realize this is a third book in a series. I will definitely be reading the other two. I enjoyed reading about the characters in a small town and how they interact with each other. This was a well written book and I will be recommending it to my patrons.

This was a heartwarming story with lots of endearing characters--both those who were prominent in the first two books and the series and new characters. I loved the bits of wisdom that were woven through the story as well as the way the women in the confession club support one another. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous two books in the series, but I still found it to be an enjoyable read.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Berg has done it again! The Confession Club is a satisfying end of the trilogy beginning with Arthur Truluv, The characters are so real, I feel like I know them and Mason, Missouri. The concept of a group that meets and confesses things that they have done or feel is a novel concept, but oh, so appealing. I hated for the story to end!

I really enjoyed the premise of the book. About a group of women gathering and fessing up to things they had done in the past and how friendships. It was an easy read that can be ready over a few a days. It was a cute story.

I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of this novel by Elizabeth Berg. I loved reading more about the characters from Arthur Truluv. As always, the book was hard to put down, a delightful escape, and a novel that will make you sad when it is over. Thank you for this wonderful book!

Another heartwarming and funny book by Ms. Berg! Our patrons always look forward books by Elizabeth Berg!

The Confession Club is a lovely, feel-good book. A welcome break from mysteries, thrillers and the horrors of WWII. Seems so nice that a group of women would meet monthly and reveal their deepest confessions with an accepting audience. I enjoyed the friendships and the support among the women and especially the storyline of Iris. Great cover art – wish I was one of the women.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of the book which comes out November 19.

I had trouble connecting with this book. I think that might have been because I didn't read the first two books in this series, as I wasn't aware it even WAS a series.

Sometimes you really have to be in the right mood to read a book by Elizabeth Berg. Turns out, I wasn’t. There was nothing wrong with this book but I felt it was slow and rather plodding. I was disappointed at the ending.

I just love her writing. I don't think I cared much for the plot from the beginning and it just felt too much like a made up plot instead of a story that I'm looking in on in real life however, her writing just draws me in and I couldn't put it down. Elizabeth Berg is definitely one of the few writers who doesn't have to dumb things down but doesn't talk to people above their level.

The Confession Club is a sweet feel good novel about friendships, small towns, surprising secrets and second chances. This is the third of a series that started with The Story of Arthur Truluv followed by Night of Miracles. I have not read either of them and Confession Club reads like a stand alone. The common thread that makes this a series is the town of Mason where each book is set.

Iris, the main character, is divorced and teaching baking classes in small town Mason. She is also a member of the Confession Club- a group of friends ranging in age from 20's-70's- that make weekly confessions to one another and ask forgiveness from the group. The confessions run the full spectrum of white lies to affairs with everything in between.

I would recommend this novel to fans of small town stories, sweet or cozy feel good books and women of any age. I have read many Elizabeth Berg books over the years and liked some of the older ones better than this one. The Confession Club is a sold 3 star read. A great palate cleaner after a book with heavier themes. Many thanks to the author and Random House for the chance to read and review this one.