Maureen is a prickly sort of person. Set in her ways, judgmental and hard to warm up to. Still, she is doing her best to hang on to her life as she had known it, even as she feels that she is losing her grip. The final book of a trilogy that no one knew was going to be a trilogy, until it was.
"You have to go Maureen” Harold had told her and finally, after a long list of excuses, she went.

Maureen is book three, the final book, in the Harold Fry Series. The story has been told from Harold’s point of view in “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” and from Queenie’s point of view in “The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy” and, finally, from the point of view of Harold’s wife, Maureen. Maureen, the woman who put up with his unannounced, unplanned 600 mile walk, saw her marital ties unwind, mourned the death of her only child and, together with her husband worked to save their marriage.

Maureen recognized that Harold's attitude and outlook had been vastly improved by his walk, his pilgrimage. He had learned to cope with adversity and to properly mourn his son. She also recognized that she has not come that far. She has not healed. She needs help to openly mourn the her son.

A portrait of a woman consumed by grief. Joyce’s writing is so lovely that the book tore me up before it gently, tenderly put me back together. A story filled with love and kindheartedness. A heart rendering, compassionate look at what it means to be human. A story of "finding a resting place for losses that are too terrible to bear” and of the humanity that unites us all.

Publication Date: February 7, 2023. Special thanks to #PenguinRandomHouse #NetGalley #RachelJoyce for this advanced copy of #Maureen in exchange for a fair and honest review.

#emptynestreader #Maureen #RachelJoyce #AHaroldFryNovel #AdvancedReaderCopy #ARC #NetGalley #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #novemberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #librarybooks

I could relate to Maureen. I'm a crusty middle -aged woman and found so many similarities. I haven't read any of the other books but I definitely will after reading this. The author is a gifted writer.

I didn't care for this book so didn't get very far into it before setting it aside. Was a DNF for me so hesitant to leave a star rating.

Maureen starts slowly but builds in emotion as Maureen journeys north to see Queenie's Garden with its memorial to David. She is truly moved by what she sees in the garden, both the sculpture of David and also one representing Harold. Most poignant was her midnight "talk" with David . . . She faces her memories of her son as he "appears" before her and they have one last conversation where David reveals many of his past actions and Maureen forgives him. They even share a laugh over some of his recollections. When she returns to Queenie's Garden one last time before returning home, she understands that Queenie had also created a sculpture depicting Maureen, one that offers forgiveness and recognizes Maureen's anguish. These three driftwood sculptures (of David, of Harold, and of Maureen) have a strong effect on Maureen and help her realize that in her grief over David's death she had closed herself off from truly living.

Of note, at the end of the novel, there is a chapter entitled "An email correspondence with Maureen Fry" wherein Rachel Joyce "asks questions" of Maureen and we get to find out some of what Maureen learned from her journey.

After reading Maureen, I feel compelled to reread The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. I think I will now have a different perspective after getting to know Maureen.

Maureen (the novel) worked well in the Harold Fry series. It was a little shorter than the other two previous books, and it had a little less conflict or meandearing to her journey. This is probably due to having two other novels and also partly due to her being more direct of a character. Maureen gets pretty quickly to where she is going and dives right into the purpose of her trip. I think a few more unexpected hiccups would've been fun to see, to draw out the story and see Maureen's side of things for a little longer.

It was a quick read, and the writing was clean and crisp. Overall, it was a lovely ending to the Harold series. Rachel Joyce mixes the heart of these series well with the pains we have all endured recently due to the pandemic. It allows the reader to connect a little deeper, I think, having that aspect involved/explored. Again, I wouldn't have minded if it was a little fuller, but, due to the brevity of the story, it felt like a lovely coda or afterword. I give it 3.5 stars.

This is the third book in a trilogy by Rachel Joyce but it easily stands alone. Since I've read all three books, this is a review that is easily written. Maureen is Harold Fry's wife and curiosity has her wanting to make the same pilgrimage as her husband made. This is a very satisfying conclusion to this series and I wouldn't have put in the time if these books were not entertaining and informative about the human condition.

3.5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.

The problem with picking up with book 3 of a 3 book series is that you’re always playing catch-up. While I enjoyed this novel, I think I would have had a much better appreciation for the subtleties if I’d read both 1 & 2.

Maureen is married to Harold, who made a long trek on foot from one end of England to another to see his friend Queenie when she was dying. Later, Maureen sees a postcard from a friend of Harold’s, Kate, who mentions that Queenie has a tribute to their late son David in her gardens. This eats away at Maureen until she decides that she must make the trip to see Queenie’s Gardens and her son.

Maureen is angry. Oh so angry about her son David. Maureen has likely not smiled in years, especially since Harold’s trip to visit Queenie. But even more so since David’s passing. So when she takes this trip, she has a lot of ideas about Harold, and Queenie, and Kate. But she’s determined to make this trip on her own and quash those demons.

Yet as usually is the case, nothing goes as planned. Not the trip, nor the Gardens, nor Kate. And Maureen is forced to face her past and her demons.

This was a very sweet novel. While I really wanted to dislike Maureen and her sourpuss attitude, over the course of the story, I began to understand her, to some degree. It was also very nice to see the arc of her feelings from start to finish. I still wish that I’d read the other two novels first, but I enjoyed this one, and maybe at some point will read the first two.

I adore this third book in the Harold Fry series. Maureen is hard to like but impossible not to love. Her hard outer shell gets rocked by family, kindness, and compassion. A quick read, but one that will stay with you for months to come.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel!

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Powerful conclusion to this trilogy. Readers have waited several years to hear from Maureen and see how she found healing and peace. It took most of this book for that to happen but Joyce offers deep insight into what shaped Maureen into the woman she was. I appreciate the author's writing style as she slowly revealed her character's thoughts and connected them to her actions. Forgiving yourself and others is a painful process when the hurt is deep. This message comes through clearly. A satisfying conclusion for Harold, Queenie, David and Maureen.

With appreciation to Random House for this lovely lyrical story (via NetGalley).

I read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry a year or two ago for a book club and I adored it; I am so glad I got the chance to read this early copy of Maureen by Rachel Joyce. There is something gently magical about her writing, emotions evoked are not quite sad despite the nature of the story at times (the loss of Maureen and Harold's son in the past was via self harm) but are instead something more nuanced and elegant, a tale of emerging resilience, reconciliation of self and loss and memories, and a hopefulness that sadness/loss can be a part of moving on to new chances as well. I loved again the focus on strong women, communities of women and people who somehow know each other despite being strangers if that makes sense.
A story of a journey again unfolds though this is distinct from the walk Harold took as this story is about Maureen's own next chapter.

A most welcome read that can be read alone from the other two related books but to me is also satisfying when placed in the world of the Harold Frye and Queenie.

Maureen hasn't been able to move forward after the death of her son. Her husband, ten years ago, walked six-hundred-miles, that was part of his journey. Now Maureen is heading out at age 72, alone, on a journey she feels she must do. She is driving the car.
It isn't an easy journey, and at times she wanted to give up, but she continues on. Reading her story, I realized life and grief has made her the person she has become, and maybe this journey will help her to heal, be able to move forward, and find some positive thoughts.
I enjoyed reading the journey she went on, all that happened, and the things she discovered. The journey she went on, came to an end, and it was a surprise to see who she was when this part of her life came to an end.
I received an ARC from Random House - Dial Press Trade Paperback through Net Galley.

I received an Advanced Reader copy from Netgalley for my honest opinion. This is book three in a trilogy. I have not read books one or two. I was a bit lost with references to Queenie and Harold. I was ready to abandon the book a few times. About 70 percent of the way in, things started to come together for me. The most interesting character to me was Kate. I could read a book about Kate, Sarah, Maple, and the community of women. Maureen needs to make this journey on her own, yet she struggles with directions, interactions, and understanding herself. This is really a book about self discovery. If you have read the other books about Harold and Queenie, you will enjoy learning about Maureen.

This third book of the Harold Fry trilogy fits beautifully with the first two. The writing is deceivingly simple and straight forward but carries much emotional weight…another journey, another introspective look at love, friendship, and forgiveness.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press/Penguin Random House for the ARC to read and review.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.” Maureen” is a beautiful bow tied on the “Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” and the “Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy,” This book can be enjoyed independently from the others.
Harold went on his pilgrimage to see his dying former co-worker Queenie and makes. amazing friendships along the way. Harold’s physical and emotional journey is complete but it is not the same for his wife Maureen. Harold and Maureen lost their son to suicide years ago and since then Maureen has worked hard to control her world with order, repetition and defined boundaries. Maureen travels to see the memorial Queenie established in her garden for David, their deceased son. Maureen finds this journey won’t just check a box but will help her come to terms with her past. Rachel Joyce creates a character in Maureen that you root for and may be able to relate to.

Maureen is the third book in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry series. It is time for Maureen Fry to make her own journey. Maureen is ten years older and decides to take a car instead of a walk so the book is more of a novella in length. Maureen is very outspoken and pretty much says whatever is on her mind. She struggles with people and her own loss. Maureen’s journey is filled with tenderness, kindness, and love.

I enjoyed Maureen and a fitting end to the trilogy. Maureen did make a few mistakes in her journey. However, in the end it is a very moving book that did bring a tear or two, I would recommend reading Maureen’s story!

#NetGalley #Maureen #HaroldFry #RachelJones

I loved both The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy from this series but the final one left me feeling very disappointed. I couldn’t connect to the main character, Maureen, at all and frankly, I was quite bored sometimes while reading this one. It was very repetitive in the fact that Maureen whines and complains and gets angry over and over again. Rachel Joyce usually writes about the ordinary in an extraordinary way but this one just fell flat.

I understand what the author was trying to do giving Maureen a voice to her grief at the loss of her son. While Harold walked during his journey Maureen chooses to drive and we are subjected to a lot of internal dialogue and not much interaction with others and what we do get is complaints and whining. I think that’s the biggest difference between these stories.

This was a short book and I was able to read it in a single sitting and it does not work as a stand-alone. If you’ve read the other two books you might be curious to read this one just to get some closure of some sort but other than that I cannot recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

A Harold Fry Novel #3

Harold and Maureen are back in this third Harold Fry novel. And this time it is from Maureen’s point of view, which I was excited about.

Ten years ago Harold Fry walked over 600 miles to see a dying friend, Queenie, while Maureen stayed at home waiting.

Now it’s her turn to take a trip. But Covid is still a concern and Maureen is 72, and not an easy person to deal with. But, a message from her son has arrived and she knows she must go.

She can be rude and outspoken but she is also somewhat vulnerable. At her age, traveling alone not knowing what she will find.

But the world has changed during Covid and she almost doesn’t recognize it.

This is a feeling novel. You are going to feel a lot. Especially if you have read the other two books. If you haven’t you may feel lost.

NetGalley/ February 7th,2023 by The Dial Press

The conclusion to Joyce's Harold Fry trilogy. Maureen is Harold's wife, prickly and somewhat literal minded. She is suspicious and has a hard time recognizing the goodness with others. For ten years, since Queenie Hennessey's death, Maureen has been obsessing over Queenie's sea garden, ever since Harold's friend Kate wrote to them and told him that Queenie made a memorial to their son David. Maureen is actually outraged, convinced that Queenie wanted to "take" first Harold and then David from her. Finally Harold tells Maureen that she has to go see the garden to understand Queenie and move on with their lives.

A novella rather than a full length novel, Maureen is not as likeable as Harold or Queenie. She has difficulty connecting with people she does not know and is so deep in her grief for her lost son that she cannot fathom that others are grieving as well. When she first meets Kate, Maureen cannot get beyond the clutter and dirt of Kate's home to see the kind, loving person that Kate is. Having grown up without love, Maureen is difficult to love and finds it difficult to give love, but Harold sees the sweetness in her. On her journey, Maureen finds answers to questions she didn't know she had. A lovely conclusion to the trilogy.

"Maureen" wraps up Rachel Joyce's trilogy that began with "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry." I enjoyed the earlier two installments, which addressed grief and depression in remarkable ways, but found it extraordinarily difficult to settle in with this one. The path to redemption and greater understanding that characters followed in the first two books felt forced in "Maureen." The titular main character is not only depressed and set in her ways, she doesn't seem at home in her own mind or body. She's unkind and judgmental. Rather than slowly evolving from that state, Maureen experiences a dramatic turnaround literally overnight. If you're deeply invested in these characters, it may be worth reading "Maureen" to see how Joyce wraps things up. But I wouldn't pick up this book on its own.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing an early copy of Maureen by Rachel Joyce

The time has come for Maureen Fry, wife of Harold Fry, to make a journey of her own. Encouraged by her well-traveled husband, Maureen sets out on a automobile trip through the English countryside in order to visit a special garden that has ties to her dead son, David. The quote from David's youth, "I am the world's guest" has remained a driving force in Maureen's life.

The trip does not go as planned ("it was like looking directly into a migraine" seems representative), but Maureen has to set aside her own shortcomings and attitudes as she will ultimately reach a place where she can accept her son's death and appreciate other people who in their own ways pay homage to him.

While it may be difficult to journey with Maureen without Queenie and Harold's back stories, this book can be read and appreciated without the two previous books featuring them so prominently. It is simply time to hear from Maureen.

"A person could be trapped in a version of themselves that was from another time and completely miss the happiness that was staring them in the face". Maureen Fry will not let this happen to her.