I thought that this book was going to be a lot more lighthearted and heartwarming than it was. The main character really went to a bit of a depraved state and did not seem to have learned as much as she could have about how she got there in the first place by the end of the book. The secondary characters, especially the parents and the ex, were extremely grating and did not add much to the plot. Unfortunately, didn't really enjoy this one.

Could relate to this plot on a few levels so that's what sucked me in at first. Once I got into it, I couldn't totally relate to the main character but I stuck with it...still a good read!!

As someone who spends a lot of time on their own community board/FB group, this was a lot of fun and felt realistic, though quirky.

Thank you for this early copy of Community Board. I meant to read it and then my Read.Talk.Grow podcast recordings went on hold. Once we returned, I had not read this book in the time of your marketing.

One of the few books that comes to mind when I’m asked a favorite book is The last romantics. Needless to say I was mega excited to read her next novel. I am sadly disappointed that this one did not live up to it. From the get go I felt bad for Darcy and my mind was blown that the people in her life like her family and friends were kinda brushing her off. After awhile though it becomes apparent she's a hot mess and in general there's this over the top vibe going on with the story. My issue came when more characters were thrown into the mix. While yes there is some heart to the writing, when you are already mentally checked out from the story, the good bits aren't going to make a big impact.

An interesting and quirky story that has heart. The off best humor was nice but didn’t always hit. The first half was much better than the latter half.

One year late to reading this, but Community Board is a gem of a book! It is funny, delightful, heartwarming, and includes all the best things a book can have: found family, personal growth, returning home, and an excellent grandma-like character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely have to go back to read her first book! Highly recommend!

This book is a mixed bag, and your enjoyment of it will probably turn on how you weigh in on its main strength and its main weakness. As to the strength, there are loads of funny one-liners, throwaway observations, and mini-bits and set pieces that are truly inspired. There is more edge and sly humor here than expected, and sometimes a refreshing take-no-prisoners tone, though often at the expense of our heroine. And that leads to the main weakness. While the main character is supposed to be a 30-ish woman, (with a failed marriage), she usually presents as a passive, meek, and fairly immature person. Lots of current books are built around characters whose central feature is an inability to cope with the burdens of being a grownup, and I guess that's partly a generational thing. (Why are 30-year-old men who can't use a screwdriver or touch a diaper or change a light bulb considered hilariously funny?), But be that as it may, it's hard for such a character to keep a reader's sympathy, or attention, for the length of a novel. And that's the challenge here. I came down on the plus side because of the free-wheeling humor, but it was a bit of a chore.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This is my first Tara Conklin book, and I enjoyed it! The premise of a story being told based off of the papers found on a community bulletin board is unlike any other book I have read. I loved finding out how the tales would weave together, and found the writing style to keep me involved throughout.

This book was interesting and can really give you a slew of emotions to go through if you can relate to this story in some way. Darcy is a quirky type character of a woman who had her life implode and now she needs to pick up the pieces and figure out what road leads to her next chapter. I think a lot of people especially women who think they have a life they planned on or how it was pictured that suddenly falls apart, can all get the sense of where this book goes with going home.
Going back to where you started is so many emotions in itself without whatever broke for you. Going home can be so many things for someone whether t be comfort, scary, feeling like you failed, or going back to start over; there is so much to going back to the beginning like you have to try to begin again. The book did fall somewhat flat for me about halfway through, I enjoyed this for a light heartfelt read, but I wouldn't say that it moved me as much as I thought it would until the end. Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the copy to review with my own thoughts.

I thought this book was hilarious. Loved the main character and found myself relating to her stressed out, anxious state when things go wrong, as well as her frustration and disappointment when her "security blanket" of home and family don't seem to respond as expected. I laughed out loud multiple times and have recommended this book to several friends.

I really enjoyed The Last Romantics and I thought that Community Board was even better. The characters are really developed well. A great quirky read.

Community Board by Tara Conklin was one in which I think I suffered from too high of expectations. This book was about coming home, and how it shaped us and perhaps reshapes us. The premise was good and there were parts I really liked, but often I found myself bored and not really invested. Wished for more from this author. I loved The Last Romantics.

4 ⭐️ - A fun, quirky, and lighthearted novel for those looking for a story with both odd characters and a narrator whose kind of a mess.
Poor Darcy. One day she has a job, husband, and sense of security and the next, she doesn't. Her husband leaves her for a flight instructor. Her boss, after initially promising a sabbatical to get past her current depression, fires her via email. Her parents, who have always been there for her, have closed up her childhood home in order to try out a retirement community in Arizona. Darcy has nothing. So she holes up in her childhood home, rereading old National Geographic magazines and eating canned food from her family's quasi-bunker all while analyzing her failed marriage and keeping tabs on her town's online community board. Eventually, Darcy finds her way out of the house and even manages to make a friend or two.
This novel was a fun read and one that made me chuckle to myself many times. Darcy's response to her terrible situation was quite comical. I loved reading all of her hateful emails to her parents.
Definitely a fun read!

I really tried to enjoy this book but unfortunately barely got through it. The lack of quotation marks mixed with a repetitive story was a bit frustrating to me. Darcy did not evoke any strong feelings from me and I did not feel involved in the story

COMMUNITY BOARD by Tara Conklin introduces us to Darcy Clipper, a flawed protagonist who finds her life upended. Her marriage ended, she retreats to her childhood home in New England, only to discover her parents are exploring a retirement community in the Southwest. Darcy indulges in grieving her changed circumstances, isolating herself and living off of canned goods. Her minimal interaction is through the virtual neighborhood message board, and she slowly ventures back into the world.

Darcy begins to form friendships, but there are risks in opening up. Risks in being misunderstood, or rejected, or not found worthy of interest. But Darcy also demonstrates the payoffs that can be had.

At times the book struggled to keep my interest, particularly the first third or so when Darcy is isolated and petulant and the days feel monotonous, but I was curious enough to see how Conklin would develop the various characters and wrap things up.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Darcy Clipper returns home to Murbridge, Massachusetts after her husband leaves her for a skydiver. Her parents have always been there for her in times of trouble, but not this time. Will Darcy be able to come to terms with the changes in her life and figure out how to move forward?

I was just not a fan of Community Board, mainly because of Darcy. She sounded more like a bratty teenager than a woman of almost 30. Darcy, for whatever reason (and no, I was not sure I cared), would not rant to her husband, but focused her attention on her parents. I really just wanted to yell "Get a Life" at multiple points during the book. The Community Board quips were interesting, but really were out of left field in the beginning half of the book. They seemed to be out of place and, though quirky, took away instead of added to the novel. Overall, Community Board was a letdown and not one I would recommend to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

i wanted to like this so badly, but unfortunately it didn't work out for me! i just could not find myself to love (or even love hating) the main character. i was fine with the lack of quotation marks (hello, sally rooney), but it was just the main girl i could not even vaguely empathize with, which really negatively impacted my reading experience. such a shame because this was one of my most anticipated reads.

Community Board made me laugh… It was funny from the start and I wish I could be a neighbor who could partake on the Murbridge Community Board. Darcy Clipper, is 30 years old and she moved back to her parents house. Only problem is her parents aren’t there. They actually are in Az for the winter. She is besides herself that they aren’t home to comfort her and feed her. So she hides away in the house and subsists on canned goods and water. After awhile she gets on the Murbridge Community Board and little by little she seeks out other humans. Darcy is fascinated by the posts and follows them closely. This is a witty read but also heartwarming. Nobody liked change and going home isn’t always like we think it will be. I was rooting for Darcy to figure out her life. I want to thank Netgalley and Tara Conklin for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. This was a 4 read for me, it was well written and enjoyable.