Well this was nothing that I thought it would be. I have to admit that I was suckered in by the cute house on the front and then even more drawn in by the promise of juicy confessions. Sadly it didn't work out.

First off, this is the third novel in the Mason series. I didn't read the previous two novels and even though you can read this as a standalone, I felt that I was missing out. It was like being invited to a party where the others know each other, but no one introduces you to them. I found that there was a lot of female characters who I couldn't tell apart and I wasn't sure if I was suppose to know something or if it was from a previous novel.

And then there was the confessions. Sadly, this wasn't the juicy secrets that I was hoping for. The confessions only took up a minor part of the novel and they weren't really that good. It was interesting that the women were sharing their secrets with each other even though it was a small town and they didn't know each other that well.

Sadly this wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to Netgallery and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House, and Elizabeth Berg for the opportunity to read and review her latest book in the Mason series - I've loved them all! While you could read this as a stand-alone, you definitely need to read the first two books - The Story of Arthur Truluv and The Night of Miracles - because they are wonderful and you'll then know the backstory behind these characters.

The Confession Club started as a supper club - women of all ages getting together for a meal and conversation. A book club without books (horror - ha!). But it became a safe, supportive place where the women could take turns sharing something in their past that they did. We all know keeping secrets isn't healthy and sharing our burdens makes them lighter. Characters from the previous books, Iris and Maddy, get invited into the club when they both need it. Iris is getting involved with a homeless man and Maddy left her husband in NYC and came back to Mason with her daughter, Nola.

Just another heartwarming, charming book - highly recommended series!

Once again Elizabeth Berg has given readers a story that is pure magic. Her delightful ability with words and imagery is so graphic it is almost impossible not to visualize each character and every scenic detail.

THE CONFESSION CLUB is the continuing story of a group of women from the town of Mason, Missouri who meet regularly to share wine, good food and their deepest secrets. This is a charmer of a tale that continues the stories of characters that first appeared in the novel The Story of Arthur Trulov and is a loving ode to the Midwest, written for readers who enjoy stories about the lives of sympathetic, warmhearted, loving and faithful friends - - women who are flawed but fascinating.

This book serves as validation of the innate goodness of people and their willingness to support those around them whether they be close friend or virtual stranger.

I really enjoyed this book about a group of friends who begin a "confession club." Most women can relate to wanting to (or having a) group of friends that you can tell everything to with no judgment. The women meet weekly and share their deepest secrets and fears. Sweet little book!

Would you tell your deepest darkest secret to a group of friends? Let’s say they’re your book club or quilting group: mostly people you’ve known for several years. But why would you do this?

It all started for the Mason, MO Confession Club by accident. The original eight women had met while taking baking classes from Iris Winters. They started meeting as the, “Third Sunday Supper Club,” and got so comfortable with each other, they started sharing things they’d done wrong. It was so, so, … refreshing!

So they decided to meet twice a month, when someone confessed to something she’d done, past or present, and it made the person feel better. At the end of the meeting the group said in unison, “Go in peace.” One time, Leah had a few Margaritas with their taco lunch, and said, waving her hand for emphasis, “Go in peach.” And then the next week someone brought a peach-colored scarf, and now the scarf is a tradition.

Some of the characters you’ll recognize from Elizabeth Berg’s previous two books in the Mason Series (Arthur Truluv, and Night of Miracles). But if you haven’t read those, not to worry; you can jump right in and start reading!

You’ll enjoy all the women in the club, ranging in age from 30 to 70 plus years, and their zany antics.

Iris Winters has taken over Lucille Howard’s baking classes and is living in the same house Arthur Truluv willed to Maddy, the pregnant teenager who came to live with him and Lucille.

Maddy’s now married to Matthew, and her daughter Nola is seven years old. They all moved to New York City for a job to help Maddy’s career. But now, Maddy wants to move back to Mason and is not sure how to tell Matthew.

Iris has met a man named, John while picking lilacs at an abandoned farmhouse, when she realized he was living there because he was homeless. She also realized he was quite handsome and caring. However, John was honest with Iris, explaining he’s still suffering from PTSD from when he served in Vietnam.

This caring, funny, and most heartfelt novel is one of Elizabeth Berg’s best yet. I hope she extends the series to include at least one more book! Please?!

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Penguin, and Elizabeth Berg

The Confession Club is about exactly that. A group of female friends of varied ages in small town Mason meet up and take turns confessing things that weigh heavily on their hearts and minds. In return for their confessions they find self-acceptance, advice, and sometimes forgiveness.
Interwoven into the story is relative newcomer to Mason, Iris, who becomes involved with a homeless vet. Additionally series regular, Maddy, returns to Mason with questions about where her life and marriage is heading.
A cozy read through some big issues with a sprinkling of humor and occasional sadness.
This is my first foray into the Mason series and I believe I would have had a greater connection to the characters had I read the first two installments.

Provided by Net galley in exchange for a review

<b>2 1/2 stars</b>

This book tried way too hard to be charming and eccentric and uplifting and only succeeded in being twee.

<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/3oKIPxWhujnILXAEhi/giphy.gif" width="300" height="300" alt="description"/>

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks (and apologies) to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.

“...the way we look up when the rain comes. We’ve seen it before, but every time is different. It is as though we ask ourselves, What will happen this time?”

“ I guess we all like to be soothed, no matter how old we are”

“Walk toward whatever joy you find. You don’t know what’s going to happen....go about your business in the best way you know how, and love will find you. It’s like a butterfly-you do better letting it land on you than trying to capture it”
These are just a few of my favorites from The Confession Club. Grab a cup of tea or wine and cozy blanket and settle in for this delightful story.

At the foundation this third Mason book is a club where women eat a satisfying home-cooked meal together (with a yummy dessert) and then one member confesses per week. The intimacy a group gains by investing in those two activities is well depicted in the narrative. Reading this series is almost as good as actually visiting a small town in the Bible belt. As the timeline advances we lose some dear characters like Arthur in Book 1 and Lucille in Book 2, but that gives others the opportunity to grow and engage our affections. Getting to spend more time with Iris, Maddy, and Nola was delightful. The addition of a homeless vet into this book was an opportunity to explore the continued fallout from Vietnam. I will look forward to a fourth book and hope we get a character like Arthur or Lucille to shine in the next one.

This book was just what I needed right now. A trip back to Mason and seeing some of the same characters in the previous two books felt like visiting old friends. I like Elizabeth Berg's easygoing style of writing. The characters are all interesting and the story - though somewhat predictable - is engaging. I like how Berg manages to slip in some pithy truths of life into the everyday talking of these characters.

And I loved that I read the final page with a smile on my face.

The Confession Club is the third book in the Mason series. Elizabeth Berg writes very likeable characters and this is no exception. Characters from The Story of Arthur Truluv and Night of Miracles make appearances in this book. Maddy, the young pregnant girl from The Story of Arthur Truluv is back with her daughter Nola. Iris, who took over Lucille's cooking classes in Night of Miracles, is a main character in this story.
The beauty of Berg's stories is that they build off each other. You don't necessarily have to read the earlier books to enjoy this one, but it's worth it to know the background of these characters. The Confession Club doesn't have the supernatural elements that Night of Miracles did, but it also doesn't have the tight storylines of the previous books.
The Confession Club itself was a club within the story. A group of women met to share confessions and things they were ashamed of. The underlying theme of this story was that family isn't something you are necessarily born into, but something you've created. Family accepts you as you are and they are there to appreciate you - flaws and all.
The Confession Club is a nice, feel-good book. It's light and it's good, but it can't compare to The Story of Arthur Truluv.

In Mason, Missouri a group of ladies decides to start a monthly supper club. It begins as a place to get together and have a nice home-cooked meal with lots of wine & conversation, but one night one of the ladies confesses something to the others and from then on it beomes the Confessions Club. Each month someone has to take a turn confessing something to everyone....no judgements and nothing ever leaves the room. They invite Iris & Maddy and it is perfect timing since they each have something in their lives they need to unburden themselves with.
First, let me say I love Elizabeth Berg's books and the Mason, Missouri series. Second, I do want to add that if you haven't read any of the others, it is fine. They all take place in the same town and the stories build on each other, but you won't be lost if you read them out of order. I love the small town setting & characters. They feel "real" ....like they may be someone you know. She has a knack for telling a story that makes you feel like you are really there.. I loved this book and I highly recommend it!

A pleasant and sweet 'beach read' type of book; somewhat predictable, but pleasingly so. It was an easy read that I finished in a morning worth of reading. I did find myself wanting a little more with the ending....more development of some of the characters end stories (Maddy and family, Link and his mom and their family changes, as well as Iris and her new adventure). I do enjoy books with happy endings, but I guess I want to know DETAILS about the endings. So it is not exactly a failure of the author - because it means that she got me interested in their stories enough that I didn't want them to be over yet.

I enjoyed the clever characters that were a part of the "Confession Club" and found their different stories entertaining. It was funny to see what types of 'confessions' each came up with, and how some things didn't phase them all the same. I particularly appreciated a scene towards the end where the club members are talking about why their club and friendships are important. They learn about vulnerability, forgiveness, loving each other and the gift of letting go of mistakes of the past. One club member says, "It's all well and good to congratulate someone on something good that they did, or to acknowledge what's wonderful or exceptional about them. And we should do that; we should never be spiritually stingy. But to say out loud our misses or inadequacies - to confess in an honest way and to be lovingly heard - well, that's the kind of redemption we need on a regular basis."

And all of us need that kind of redemption, it was a sweet reminder.

(I receive an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of the book)

This is the third book in Elizabeth Berg’s the Mason series. Many people just loved the first book The Story of Arthur Truluv and the follow-up Night of Miracles. I myself was excited to see a third installment of this book.

This story revolves a group of woman who have a supper club, but it quickly turns into a place that they can confess and share things they would never do otherwise. If you read the other books you will recognize Maddy and Iris who have been mainstays throughout the series, however there are so many new characters in this book.

The idea of this book was really good, but I found myself thinking there were too many characters that I found I lost interest in a lot of the story lines. Ultimately, I still loved Iris and Maddy and that ended up being where I had the most focus.

This is a nice addition to the series, but ultimately for me, this will be a forgettable story. However, it was nice spending some time back in Mason.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ​

A fun novel about the power of friendship, love, and second chances.
A group of friends who hold a monthly dinner club realize the power of friendship and confessions and decide to hold their dinner club more frequently and change it into a confession club. This club becomes a strong source of support for old and new members.
A great quick read. I enjoyed the characters.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely love Elizabeth Berg= she is one of my favorite authors. She has a gentle and subtle, yet powerful way with her words and stories that make you nod in understanding while touching the heart.

Arthur Truluv was one of those books, among some of her earlier works.

That being said, this book was just all right for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it and it isn't really sticking with me.

Nevertheless, I will continue to always be happy and excited to read a book written by Ms Berg!

Thank you for this ARC!

This is the third Mason book in the series and I have read and loved them all. The writing seems simplistic until you realize the author’s talent is making it SEEM simple. The storylines are beautiful, especially the one between Iris and John. I really hope they can make it work! And I hope the author writes another Mason book too. I was surprised when the book ended. I read on a kindle so I didn’t keep track that I was at the end. So disappointed that there wasn’t more! Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I should begin by saying that this is the third book in a series and I have not read the previous two. With that said this novel can definitely be read as a stand alone.

The Confession Club is about a group of women, in particular, in the small town of Mason who meet regularly to share a meal, fabulous desserts and their shameful moments. The group consists of women in their 30s up to their eighties. Alongside this plot line is the story of Iris and her family-like landlord and her family. A new man in town enters Iris’ life and forever changes it.

This is a story about friendship, love, commitment, and chances. It is a quiet story with a cast of wonderfully loving characters. If you are looking for a feel good story then this is a quick and uplifting story you may enjoy.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Mason Series. I absolutely love these books. They are so heartwarming, feel good books. There is a group of women that meet to eat and tell a secret that no-one knows about. They let two new members into the club Maddy and Iris. Maddy has just came back from New York and wants to escape to the slow moving life of the small town. Iris meets a homeless guy John and they become friends.
If you want to feel good about humanity again then read this series. Now you can just read them separate but you get the full effect from reading all three.

3 1/2 ⭐️‘S
I loved The Story of Arthur Truluv and was very much looking forward to this book. While good, it just didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Set in the small town of Mason, a town I would like to live in, the story revolves around an unorthodox club. It’s called the Confession Club. Some confessions are funny, some embarrassing, and some painful, this group of women bond together and help each other through thick and thin. This book has a great cast of quirky, lovable characters, characters that I would like to be friends with and a club I would like to join! It was great to see Maddy, Nola and Matthew again in this book and I wouldn’t mind reading more stories from Mason in the future!