I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me and kept me turning pages until I was done. Finished it in two days! The character development was strong, and the premise was unique enough that it didn't feel like anything else I've read.

This is another beautiful and endearing book by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Berg.
Before there was the adult we have come to know as Arthur Truluv, there was a 16 year old young man named Arthur Moses and this is his story.

The book opens with Arthur Truluv looking back at his younger days. As a reader we finally see all that occurred to make this man the amazingly incredible human he became . The novel is a breath of fresh air in a world of trying times.

A pure joy to read.

Once again, Elizabeth Berg has given us a heart warming story filled with colorful, strong and well developed characters. This is a book that will leave the reader feeling good and wanting to know more about this kind man.
This book can be read alone but I hope readers will read the other three novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this novel in advance for my review consideration. All views are my own.

Special Thanks to Elizabeth Berg for continuing to give us more regarding this wonderful character.

I have not read the "first" 3 books in this series, so was unsure starting with this prequel. But I found that I was able to follow the story just fine and enjoyed it as a standalone. I'm not sure I would have noticed it was part of a series if I hadn't looked it up. I thought this was heartfelt and a beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available March 21, 2023.

Ms Berg is a favorite of mine. I follow her blogs and social media. She has such a way with words and is gifted in how she builds her characters to make the reader feel as if she personally knows them. This was no exception, which is like a prequel to her Arthur Truluv short series. We get to meet Arthur as a teenager and through his experiences in life see what crafted the young man, Arthur Moses, as was his name then, into the caring and intelligent man he grew up to be. A man anyone would be blessed to know.

This novel had a lot of heart, a bit of angst, yes some loss and hardships, as such is life, but there was always hope and love and little bits of wisdom sprinkled throughout. It never lagged for me, I loved every paragraph, and highly recommend it to fans of literary fiction, women's or domestic fiction. A thumbs up, Elizabeth. Loved it.
Releasing March 20, 2023 from Random House

I am a fan of Elizabeth Berg and I did enjoy reading her previous book, The Story of Arthur Truluv. In the first book Arthur is 80 years old. This new book explores Arthur’s life as a child and transitioning into adulthood. It was fun to read about a character from a prior novel that had touched my heart. Arthur is a sweet and genuine soul and I enjoyed revisiting with him and reading about his early years.

Arthur Moses is a sophomore in high school, a sweet caring boy, when he meets and falls in love with Nola McCollum. But Nola has enough boyfriends and just wants to be friends with him. Arthur loves nature and enjoys caring for plants and watching the birds, and he talks about everything with his older brother Frank, who is also his best friend. Frank shares his thoughts and problems with Arthur as well, including his dream of becoming a writer, his relationship with his English teach, and avoiding their abusive father. When their father finally lands a job and things are starting to look up, a terrible tragedy rocks the family. Arthur has to learn how to continue living and deal with his grief and loss, while finding the kind of life he wants for himself.

A lovely heartwarming story about love in its many forms, loss and grief, and the meaning of family. Readers first met Arthur in Berg's previous novel The Story of Arthur Truluv, where Arthur is 85 years old and goes to the cemetery every day to talk to his wife while he eats his lunch. This is a prequel to that novel, providing backstory about how Arthur and Nola met, and the events that shaped the man he became. I found it almost impossible to put down, which was surprising since the story is character driven and there is little action. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

In this beautifully written heartfelt prequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv, Elizabeth Berg introduces us to Arthur ((Moses) as a naive , sweet tenth grader living in a small town Missouri, post World War 2. Arthur lives in a not so perfect family. Eugene, his father has unemployment issues and a huge drinking problem, which causes Arthur and his older brother, Frank, to cringe in fear when Eugene has been on a bender.
Frank is a devoted older brother, teaching Arthur the secrets of courting women, as only a trusted savvy older brother can. Nola, a very pretty and popular tenth grader is Arthur’s serious crush. He can’t stop thinking about her. But how to move from friendship to girlfriend to wife is a big dilemma. Frank has a secret love of his own, is a very handsome and an athlete who is very popular at school. Arthur idolizes him. The brothers are dear friends.
Mom is living an attentive in all ways women were expected to be in the 40s and 50s
This is a small town family and neighbor story reminding me of a mix between Father Knows Best and Happy Days. The characters are extremely well defined and the plot takes its time to blossom and grow as Arthur shows his kindness to his friends and neighbors, struggles with Algebra, makes a friend , and treasures Nola. Then something earth shattering occurs and the plot takes an unexpected turn.
At first not sure where this book was going, I was lured by the soft, mellow words and taken in by the charm of the people living in Mason, Missouri. Some serious themes such as ;what does it mean to love another person? How does one move on after tragedy? Is patience really a virtue.? Can a bond of friendship develop between unlikely people?
This gentle, moving, heartfelt story is one I’m not likely to forget. It will be published on March 21, 2023. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a prepublication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect for readers who would like to learn about Arthur's earlier years before the book, The Story of Arthur Truluv. Loved the relationship between the two brothers. The family is dysfunctional with problems of alcoholism, depression and grief in which some readers may relate with. Arthur is the type of character readers will endear.

When I was asked to read #ElizabethBerg 's latest novel I was hesitant because it appeared to be a part of a series I had not read. However after reading the synopsis. my interest was peaked. #EarthstheRightPlaceforLove was such a wholesome story I now find myself now wanting to read all the prior novels in the Mason series. Berg's writing style will make you fall in love with the characters and totally absorb you as you follow Arthur on his journey from teen to manhood. Thank you #Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review...

Earth’s the Right Place for Love tells the backstory of Arthur from The Story of Arthur Truluv. As I’ve found with the other books by the author, this novel is an absorbing, authentic escapist read. The characters felt like real people – even the various minor players. The town of Mason, its businesses, neighbors, and geography are described in a way I could see it. The plot is fairly predictable, and maybe because the story feels so real even the twists and turns are believable. I completely enjoyed the time I spent with this kept-reading-so-I-could-finish-in-a-day book and I will never hesitate to pick up a story by Elizabeth Berg. This book comes out March 21, 2023. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an early copy to read and review; all opinions are my own.

What a delightful story! This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but while reading this, I was reminded of the writing style of one of my favorite writers. It takes a special person to tell someone’s story and make you feel you actually know them! Arthur Moses is a boy who is shy at times, but really seems to keep his focus in life…and he immediately falls in love with Nola. This story is about the ups and downs of their friendship over the years absolutely perfect….I loved it!

I’ve always enjoyed Elizabeth Berg’s books, but this one really got to me. I loved it! It was so sweet and heartfelt and moved me to tears more than once. Young Arthur made me love him. I laughed with him, cried with him, grew with him, mourned with him. I think he will remain in my heart for a long time. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

I adored this book. I liked all the characters, even the father with his issues, you could tell he was a good man at heart, a good man who went through some tough times. He made mistakes, in those days it wasn't manly for fathers/husbands to need help, especially those of the emotional kind. I really loved Arthur and Frank's relationship, they were my favourite characters in the book. They weren't just brothers, they were friends. As sad as this book was in some parts it is also full of hope, joy and love. Elizabeth Berg always manages to absorb me into her writing, placing me right there with her well-thought-out characters and she manages to evoke many emotions in me with her prose.

What a superb book with characters so unique and vivid that you get to know them well. It isn’t just strong characterizations that make this a five-star read. The plot races along, pulling you with it so that it is impossible to put the book down. Is it sentimental? Yes, but it is a worthy sentimental. It is a story about life and it is profoundly insightful, Elizabeth Berg is a true storyteller. Berg is my favourite author and I recommend this entire series and everything else she has written. So rich. So beautiful. I hated for it to end. All. The. Stars.

In Earth's the Right Place for Love, we learn the backstory of 16-year-old Arthur Moses who will become the beloved Arthur Trublood. Set in a small town in America after WWII, the book reflects the quiet, steady, neighborly, optimistic, and innocent rhythms of the time period.

Arthur knows he's not like other boys; he never has been, and he's used to that now. He's shy, quiet, loves nature, and helping his neighbors out by doing chores for them. He has a crush on Nola McColum, the prettiest girl in his class. He often thinks about her and dreams of marrying her; she sees him as a friend.

His older brother, Frank, a high school senior, is his best friend. They have always shared a room and talk every night. Arthur often asks him for advice about dating, girls, and life. Frank, who wants to be a writer, is also in love, so the boys have much to share.

Their father, a veteran of the war, has anger issues, especially after drinking, and often takes it out on Frank. Frank is now old enough and strong enough to fight back. Their mother, a peace maker, waits for her husband to become a better man.

This gentle, well-written story about family and first loves captured my heart from the first page. I enjoyed this book immensely, and higly recommend it.

My thanks to Random House for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley. The book is scheduled to be published on 3/21/23. All opinions stated in this review are my own and are freely given.

4.5 stars. What an absolutely beautiful novel! This prequel to Elizabeth Berg’s Mason saga (The Story of Arthur Truluv, Night of Miracles, and The Confession Club) details the heartwarming soul that Arthur was, even as a young man, and gives the reader a glimpse of what helped shape him and his adult years. It is a beautiful coming-of-age novel that focuses on family and sibling relationships as well as unrequited love. It is also a novel that should make you smile and touch your heart. This is a must read for those who have enjoyed The Story of Arthur Truluv!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this free digital copy for my honest review of this story.
This was a wonderful come of age story of the life of a young boy becoming a man. It is so refreshing to read a clean story without sex, violence and crime while the author still keeps the reader attached to the story.

Sixteen year old Arthur Moses is infatuated with Nola McCullum, one of the most popular girls in his high school. But as life would have it Nola is interested in Arthur’s brother, a senior. Arthur pursues Nola and they become friends. Tragedy strikes the family and leaves Arthur without someone to help him manage his emotions. His help comes from an odd-ball peer that shares sporadic morsels of wisdom.

After high school Nola moves to St. Louis and Arthur gets a job. Arthur dates off and on but he finds no one that can replace the feelings he has for Nola. Eventually, with the help of some older ladies that are friends of Arthur’s mother and that he does side jobs for he begins to start coming out of his shell.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to any YA fans. I have not read this author before so I am interested in reading her backlist.

Another sweet as pie book about Arthur, our fav old guy. This is the tale of him growing up, which was interesting and very enjoyable.

I've loved Elizabeth Berg's novels for many years. And this one is no exception. The characters, the setting and the relationships are both the most endearing and thought provoking. Nola McCollum is the most desirable girl in Arthur’s class, and he is thrilled when they become friends. But Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses—Arthur’s older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys’ father, a war veteran with a drinking problem and a penchant for starting fights. When a sudden tragedy rocks the family’s world, Arthur struggles to come to terms with his grief. In the end, it is nature that helps him to understand how to go on, beyond loss, and create a life of forgiveness and empathy. But what can he do about Nola, who seems confused about what she wants in life, and only half aware of the one who loves her most?

This was a lovely book! I received a free copy of this book prior to publication from NetGalley and I am so glad I did! I've loved all of the books in the Mason series - this one was no exception. It was wonderful to read the story of Arthur and how he grew up to be such a lovely, respectful man.

Elizabeth Berg never fails. I waited for this one to come out, and I savored it. Beautiful phrasing, a quick and engaging pace, completely immersive. Exactly what you want to disappear into. I'll always look out for, and look forward to, her books.