Lucy by the Sea let’s us return to Lucy’s life right as the pandemic is starting. She ends up stuck with her ex-husband in a house on the coast of Maine. We see her struggles with being away from her daughters and her friends. We listen as she thinks about her life and figuring out how to continue in the crazy world we all had to deal with for too long. At first this book depressed me- because living through the unknown part of Covid was hard- but Lucy brings us through with her wisdom. Reading another Lucy book is like visiting with an old friend.

Lucy has to go through so much. Dealing with having to stay in Maine from New York to avoid the chaos with the pandemic. Also dealing with loss and other things. She still has her ex-husband and now friend William to help her out. When I read this, it's mostly related to what everyone has to go through when the pandemic started.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, I was provided an ARC of Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

**** Publishing September 20, 2022****


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ William and Lucy have remained friends, despite being divorced for 20 years. They have an understanding and respect for each other, which allows for their friendship. Since Lucy’s 2nd husband died and Williams third wife left him, they have frequently seen eachother, even traveled together. When Covid-19 hit NYC, William informs Lucy that they will pack up and go to Maine to avoid the virus, since one of Williams friends had died of Covid. This book is from Lucy point of view and how they navigated life through the pandemic. Lucy has so much insight on her own life, her children’s lives and Williams which makes this book entertaining!

In this book, Lucy grapples with the loss of her husband David, Covid-19 Pandemic, her adult children’s problems, friendships, political/social issues, and of course her relationship with William. How will they cope with the pandemic? What will discover about themselves and others? This book leaves it open for future books, so I hope this author will continue the story!

Elizabeth Stout has a way with words that allows the reader into Lucy’s head, so they can truly understand her and how she navigates life. Perfect for book clubs as it will lead to many interesting discussions.

Wow! Read this in one sitting. From the beginning I was hooked and didn’t want it to end, Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout is Introspective, insightful, and so beautifully real. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and cold not put this one down.

Lucy Barton, a well-loved character of other Elizabeth Strout novels, returns to share her experiences during lockdown as she travels from her apartment in New York and its memories of her deceased husband to the coastal regions of Maine with her first husband and now aged friend William. As the two of them adjust not only to living with each other again, but the reality of a world-wide pandemic, we’re treated to Strout’s sparse, evocative prose. There are appearances by people we’ve grown to love – Lucy’s daughters, old friends, even Olive Ketteridge has a cameo as Lucy shares thoughts, memories, and conversations and grapples with her new reality. If you’re a fan of Strout’s authentic, timely writing style, this one will not disappoint. It looks at the once-in-a-lifetime COVID experience with honesty, introspective and humility.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I last left Lucy Barton in 𝐎𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦! where in her sixties she was grieving the loss of her second husband David, and trying to help her first husband, William navigate life. Yet, in all of her contemplations, she determines she feels very much alone.

In 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚, Lucy’s world is rocked when the world goes into lockdown due to Covid. Lucy, who is somewhat naive and oblivious to things, is whisked out of the city by William to Maine.

This is a pandemic story. But if you’re a fan of Elizabeth Strout or you’ve been on this journey with Lucy, you’ll want to read this, as hard as it may be to revisit the early days of Covid.

Lucy is one of those characters that is so open and honest that sometimes you want to shake her. And yet, she is endearing. As much as she worries, frets, and comes across as fragile, Lucy is preceptive and, in the end, maybe the wisest one in the room. Although the story is set during the pandemic, it’s really about family and second chances.

Thank you @randomhouse for a gifted ebook and @PRHaudio for the complimentary audiobook.

Ms. Strout's novels are always a treat and it's an especially sweet one to have her 2022 novel continue to let us into the life of Lucy Barton, again with her ex-husband, William.
At the start of the pandemic, Lucy and William (at William's strong urging) move to Maine and live together in a small house in a small town. They start the pandemic as the friends/former spouses they've been for years. Living in such close quarters and without distractions enables them to have very open conversations about their lives and their former marriage.
Maine is also a wonderful character in the novel. Out-of-state visitors weren't especially welcome during pandemic times, but through William's friendship with Bob Burgess (yes...that Bob Burgess), the couple are able to settle in comfortably with only a few bumps in the road. Ms. Strout writes so beautifully and gently about the pandemic/lockdown experience - the highs and lows, worries and uncertainties experienced by so many people. She's physically removed from her apartment in NYC and her daughters, so it's not a nitty gritty detailed retelling.
Lucy By the Sea is a beautifully written and quiet novel about characters who feel like family. It's one of my favorites for 2022. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read Lucy By The Sea in exchange for an honest review.

I had requested this book just before I read Oh William and was excited for it. This book starts off with giving you a summary of Oh William which I wish I read instead of the book. I didn't like Oh William and would have never requested this book had I known. So my apologize to Net Galley and the Publisher.

I tried to just continue with this one since I did request it but for me, it's too soon.

we are still in the throws of the pandemic. I read to escape not to relive the currant situation.

So, having said that, by all means please, if you liked OH William, then read this book,

I am new to this author and unaware that there are many other Lucy Barton book which I suspect would have enriched the background of the characters. When the pandemic drives William to take his ex-wife Lucy out of New York City and to a home in Maine for safety, readers will learn of their history and hope for their future. Lucy came from a history of poverty and abuse. She met William when she went to college and was married for decades. Their relationship struggled due to his many infidelities. Something that stood out is when she questioned him, he responded that out of all everyone, he chose to save her. This is not a book you will read to escape, it is a book you will read to think and feel and not just about the characters.

“Lucy by the Sea” by Elizabeth Strout
An Interesting Year
I am not sure if I really liked this story; but I couldn’t walk away from it either. I found myself thinking it was a memoir rather than fiction; but there was a whole lot of truths spoken in this story. And a great deal of the truths of this story would have been just as true without the pandemic. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of the story from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thanks for the free book PRHInternational #prhinternational #partner #sponsored #ad

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again – I love me some Lucy Barton. So, when I saw this fourth novel with her, I was hoping I’d get the ARC. Well, not only did I get a copy from NetGalley, but Penguin Random House International actually sent me a print copy! I was NOT expecting that at ALL, so once again, THANK YOU. There is one drawback, however, and that being that unless Strout has a really good reason to tell more of Lucy’s story, we’re basically caught up with her to present day – or at least through early 2021. That’s a sad prospect because I’m not sure I want to read about Lucy’s death – or William’s for that matter. However, it is always possible that there will be a fifth book with Lucy, since the world, and Lucy’s life, was still somewhat up in the air at the end of this novel (I hope that’s not a spoiler – I don’t think it is. The world is in chaos right now, so why wouldn’t Lucy’s life be the same, right).

Anyway, despite this slightly upsetting prospect, I was thrilled to get back into Lucy’s life. But the thing is, I’m wondering if the poignancy of this story is more about how ordinary people were able to muddle through these last couple of years of upheavals in general, and less about how Lucy handled them in particular, even though there is a good deal of that as well. This is probably what made me feel just a bit more distanced from Lucy than in the previous novels. Despite that, I’m positive that Lucy and I could become very close friends since we have several things in common. I cannot tell you how many things Lucy goes through that I were so similar to things I’ve gone through recently, that rang so true. In fact, I couldn’t help but feel like this felt more like a memoir than a novel at times. So, it surprised me that this book didn’t make me cry even once – however, it certainly did make me laugh several times (as well as nod my head vigorously quite often). So, as my mother would have said… six of one; half dozen of the other.

Now, I get that not everyone likes these Lucy Barton stories, but I really enjoy them. This is mostly because I find her to be very much like me in many ways. Sometimes she’s reclusive, and she can get panicky or uncomfortable going into certain situations. She doesn’t always like people, but when she does, she’s totally there for them – when they’re around. However, she might not remember to be in touch with them between chance meetings, and most of the time, she isn’t one to initiate any get-togethers. For this reason, the digital age is very comforting to Lucy – mostly because she can stay in contact without too much effort. Furthermore, Lucy doesn’t feel like her life has been very special or that she’s at all important. While sometimes that low self-esteem can annoy others – particularly her family – others don’t see that; they think her distance and silences are her way of being a snob. Yes, Lucy is a complex person, who doesn’t realize how she sometimes makes complicated things easy, and easy things complicated. She’s a real wonder, that woman is!

As usual, Strout brings us this part of Lucy’s story with such an open and unassuming style, that it feels like she’s talking directly to us. Again, there’s a deceptive simplicity to her language here, much like we would use when we’re on the phone, sitting with someone in the park, having a coffee with a friend, or even by text. And yet, when Strout starts to describe the sea, and the coastline, and the various places that she and William visit – both by car and by foot – we can almost taste the salt on the air, smell the sand, and hear the waves. And with this novel, which takes place during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when things open up enough for people to hug again, we can totally understand why Lucy says “closer, closer” when she’s being held. I know this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it, and I will warmly recommend it with 4.75 stars out of 5 (rounded up for the graphic)!

Lucy Barton is back and I love her. It is a delight to see the world through her eyes. The book, the writing is so slow and most often I am impatient for the author to get a move on. But, the slow pace is a gift to me as the reader. Authors have recently offered me rushed, twisty novels where I am not truly being lulled. Strout is not that author - she is clever and respects herself, Lucy, and her reader. She offers us a true gift through this book - of time, delight, and patience.

I did not know if I was ready for a pandemic novel just yet. However, the way Strout writes of Lucy's experience and feelings resonated with me. Without extraneous drama, we re-live what most of us lived just a few short years ago through Lucy. Her matter-of-fact, journal-like novel was just what I needed to know that I'm not alone in my feelings regarding the past few years.

I've love Elizabeth Strout's previous novels. This is no exception They always surprise me and send me right into the characters' lives. I've read a few books set as Covid just started taking over, causing changes and, for good or bad, crystalizing who those around us really are. This one was far and away the best, most accurate in capturing feelings and sending me back to that time.
The main character, Lucy Barton, is a writer divorced long ago from the father of her children. William starts to realize that this will be more serious than most others were thinking. He gets her to pack a bag and head off to the house of a friend on the coast of Maine.
The author covered the different opinions of others, navigating family, spouses, etc. She makes new friends (from a distance) and she mourns that she can't see her daughters (as I would!)
As is typical of Ms. Strout's books, she sneaks a few previous characters into the book...so I hope you catch these little tidbits. You feel like you're visiting an old friend.
This is a book that I'll refer to others. I am giving this book my highest rating! Do not miss this one, whether you've read Ms. Strout in the past or not! (But you should)
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book! Truly suspenseful. I felt like I was guessing the whole time, and the ending was perfect!

This novel is set during the early and middle stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is pitch perfect in terms of the emotional tone of that time period. As a result, it was difficult for me to read. I felt the old weight of stasis, constant low-level despair, and uncertainty descending over me whenever I picked it up.

The writing is classic Elizabeth Strout - sparse and intentional, often poetic, always atmospheric.

The main character, Lucy Barton, has some keen insights about the emotional state caused by lockdown. I might normally quote some passages here, but the NetGalley ebook platform does not offer highlighting as an option, so it's impossible for me to mark language to return to later. I especially appreciated how Lucy brought a writer's perspective to understanding people with different life experiences.

As I said, the novel is beautifully written, but it activated a lot of anxiety in me. It wasn't a "take me away" story. I feel it's an important work, but it was so challenging to read!

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

Wow! I've read quite a few "pandemic" novels over the last year or so, but this one is the winner! Nothing has truly encapsulated the feeling of 2020-21 like Lucy by the Sea. Elizabeth Strout gently and effortlessly blends experiences from the early pandemic through roll out of vaccines with the characters of her previous novels (especially the other Amgash ones, but also The Burgess Boys and Olive Kitteridge). If you have read and loved her previous work, this is a treat!

Slow, atmospheric, yet addictive and page turning, Lucy by the Sea is a masterpiece that brings back so many memories of that time, yet is careful to not be sensationalistic or traumatic. It goes beyond the pandemic to other events of that period, but in a beautiful and relaxing way (if that is possible).

Loved every word of this!

Slow pacing and it felt like I had to relive a lot of the lockdown again. I would have enjoyed this more five years from now. Great story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Different but great. I read many reviews stating they didn’t like the “stream of conscious” writing the author used but it suited me fine. I wouldn’t enjoy all books being in this style but it was perfect for this story. It’s written in a way that’s so easy to connect with. And while it’s an average woman’s take on living during the Pandemic, it’s written so well, with much truth & emotion, so that the reader can easily picture the story playing out. Again, not a wild story, just a regular one but written so beautifully. I truly enjoyed it.