Charming and heartwarming! Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly is set primarily at a North Carolina lakeside resort, and the locale is so gorgeously rendered - from the cabins to the flora and fauna - I found myself wishing I could make reservations to vacation there myself. The accompanying storylines make for very pleasant companions as well, with several relatable characters and overall themes of empowerment and appreciation of women, of redemption, and of the importance of family, community and creative expression, among others. The novel is not perfect. A magical realism thread is introduced and then seemingly abandoned along the way, and more details regarding Adele’s wartime role at Biltmore would have been much appreciated. Also, the final few chapters felt a bit rushed. Overall, however, this is a delightful read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

To start with, I typically don't read this genre of books but I have to say after I got through the start of it I very much enjoyed myself. The start was slow for me, I would read a couple pages and then put it down to read a different book. But after I got through the beginning, I could not put it down.

It was pretty interesting to see the mountains and Asheville described in the book, as I do live near there. Calling Asheville a small town kind of tripped me up, but I suppose it was back then 😂.

I felt some kinship with Esme as someone who grew up in a small community, moved away to a big city, and eventually settled down to a small town outside a big city.

This was a very cozy story, not really any romance with the main character. You get the hint of one with the cook but not much, the ending of their relationship doesn't really surprise. You get more of the relationship between Adele and George, and oh it is so so sweet.

I liked the peeks of her grandma, Adele, I got throughout the story, whether that be the glimpses of ghost Adele or through Esme's story or even through the quilts. She seemed very quirky and I loved how much she and George loved each other. Their love is what I want to have when I grow up and get old.

George, her grandfather, was a character all on his own. Suffering from dementia but still loving his family and being as active as he could with his community. He was a serious cinnamon roll, and there were times in which he made me cry. I would love to experience him teaching me fly fishing.

The relationship Esme had with her mother was understandable and went through a whole lot of growth throughout the book as Esme figured out herself and her mother.

All in all, it was a good emotional story and made me cry and feel so so happy.

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could, but rounding up to 4
I received this as an Arc from NetGalley, and I did really enjoy it. It is not my typical choice for a read: theres really only a very subtle hint at romance, and it leans much more heavily into literary fiction. But I really enjoyed Esme as a character, the supporting roles were well defined, and I really enjoyed the dual timeline and focus on books!
My only knock: the dual timeline at time got a bit confusing, and the 'twist' on the 'interstitial' portions came a bit too late. I was struggling figuring out the premise of these stories. There also seemed to be a 'magical realism' plotline that was dropped or at least mostly ignored: I think that could have been fleshed out way more.
But overall a good read!

Everything worthwhile takes longer than you think, and though it took me a bit to bite the bullet and start this book, once I did I couldn’t put it down.

I had such a strong relationship with my own grandparents who have now passed, this was actually pretty painful to read. But it was a good hurt, soothing and somewhat healing, as Esme’s relationship with Adele and George changes overtime with new challenges and illnesses, to grow into something that transcends lifetimes. I wish I could read the book she/Adele wrote - at times I was more enthralled it than the main text. I could do without the “ghosts of Asheville past” pieces, though.

And can I just say, thank goodness for a strong female protagonist whose entire plot line does not revolve around a burgeoning relationship with the mysterious and brooding guy! More of these please!

Overall a great read and one that I will highly recommend!

Esme returns home after her job and marriage fail. she moves in with her mother and grandfather. a story of second chances.

My Rating : 3
Overall, I thought this book was good, I would definitely recommend it to a certain crowd and most definitely to book clubs. This book has the feeling of a warm summers day throughout while touching on some heavier topics with ease. However, this book wasn't the best fit for me.

While some of the characters are written with depth-- overall I felt a lack of connection to the characters, especially the main character.The characters I did connect with ( George) really connected with though!

The more annoying portion of this book ( to me) was the romance subplot and her relationship with the love interest. It was a whisper throughout the novel and only really got talked about towards the latter half. It was resolved in an unsatisfying way ( again to me).

Again, I would recommend this for those who love southern fiction, book clubs, and women fiction lovers.


My thanks to @NetGalley @ William Morrow for an advance reading copy of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly for a fair and honest review.

Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly
By Marie Bostwick
Pub Date: May 30, 2023
Harper Collins
Women’s Fiction
This was the first Bostwick novel I have read and I truly enjoyed it. It’s a story full of unexpected touches. I enjoyed this story about Taking risks, chasing dreams and finding solace.
I recommend this book if you like Southern Fiction, stories of coming home and books about family.
5 stars

Esme Cahill had plans. Life had different plans. After getting a divorce and then fired, Esme goes back to the small town where her grandparents raised her after her grandmother dies. Her grandmother had said she needed her, but Esme didn’t make it home before Adele died to find out why. Esme had gone to New York to launch a career in publishing, but also to avoid her mother, Robyn. Coming home means having to face Robyn after all these years. The lakeside retreat that was once a thriving family business has fallen into disrepair. Even if they’re just going to sell it, they have to find a way to fix it up first. Esme is determined to somehow make it profitable, so Robyn, Esme’s grandfather, and a talented cook named Dawes that the grandfather found living out of his van all pull together to see what they can accomplish over the course of the summer.

There is a lot of good stuff here about family, friendships, and how we sometimes let what we do for a living define who we are.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES MAY 30, 2023.

Esme loses her marriage and her job, and returns to her North Carolina home too late to learn what her grandmother wanted to tell her. She has to come to terms with her estranged mother, and a grandfather sliding into dementia, all while trying to help save the family retreat from financial ruin. The story is of resilience and perseverance in the face of disappointment and tragedy, picking up the pieces again and again, refusing to let problems defeat her, learning from the past, forgiveness, and looking to the future. Heartbreakingly tender at times, and laugh out loud funny at others. Quilts are an integral part of the story, from Esme’s discovery of her grandmother Adele’s unconventional style, to the stories that are discovered about her past. I enjoyed the rich character development, and layered storylines. Highly recommend!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

*****Publishing May 30, 2023*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Esme Cahill was raised by her grandparents in Asheville, NC. At the age of 19, she decided it was time for her to move to NYC to become a writer. She quickly found herself a job as an editor. As quickly as she was successful in NYC, it all came crashing down with a failed marriage and job. In addition, her grandmother had died just before. Esme had no choice but to move back to her grandparents’ home where her mother, who abandoned her and grandfather, currently lived. When her grandfather starts showing signs of dementia, Esme and her mother have to face reality and figure out what the future will hold for the falling-apart lake house inn? Will they be able to save it or will they be forced to sell it? Can she rebuild her life and figure out her relationship with her mother?

I loved how the quirky characters in this book highlighted how life has its ups and downs, which made this story unique and entertaining. A well told and satisfying story that will tug at your heart. Perfect for book clubs as it will lead to many good discussions on abandonment by a mother, success vs failures, second chances, friendships, synesthesia and dementia of a loved one, etc.

Thanks to William Morrow, I was provided an ARC of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Esme Cahill loses her marriage, her job and her grandmother Adele in quick succession, she packs up her life and moves back to Asheville, NC. Once there, she realizes the Lodge her grandparents have owned forever is at risk of going under and her now-widowered grandfather George is struggling with dementia. Esme commits to staying in Asheville for the summer, to help her estranged mother Robyn turn the Lodge around.

This reads like a book club selection, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but ultimately this book wasn't a great fit for me personally. I felt like the book zoomed through a lot of story, and it was hard for me to feel a connection with any of the characters. The interstitial chapters set in the 1940s, where we meet Adele and George as young adults first coming together, are the most interesting, but even those feel really surface level.

There is also the possible love interest for Esme in Dawes, and quite frankly I got whiplash from how often we snapped back and forth between Esme being interested and then not interested and then maybe interested and then definitely not? It didn't resolve itself until the very end, and I think honestly Dawes could have stood on his own as a character without ever needing to add that (unsatisfying) element.

This would be a good summer book club selection, as I think it brings up a lot of good discussion points, but I don't know that I would want to read it on its own without having anyone to talk to about it. But for fans of light summer reads with some historical elements, it has it's merits. For me personally, it was a two star read. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

A charming, entertaining, and breezy read, ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARLY is delightful! Ms. Bostwick delivers a polished plot of a lady who had her whole life laid out. Esme had certain goals, a husband and a job she loved. Unexpectedly, she is humiliated at her New York city company, fired, and goes through a shocking divorce. She slinks back home to Asheville to her grandparents resort. There she finds her grandpa has dementia, the lodge is in disrepair, and she has to contend with her estranged mom who lives there. Her grandma had urgently called her to come home before she passed away. Life throws you curve balls and Esme learns the hard way how to deal with problems. What happens next?

She is introduced to the new chef her Grandpa hired. She is intrigued and attracted to the clever, bighearted, dashing chef who has a mysterious past. She regrets not taking the time out before to travel to her grandparents place to help out. Now, Esme is learning how much the resort is rundown and that her mom moved there to help out. What does Esme uncover about her family's history, the resort, her upbringing and the new chef? Will she find love too?

ESME CAHILL FAILS SPECTACULARLY is a book about life dreams and decisions we make. Esme goes back to her grandparents resort after her career crashes only to find that it is in disrepair. Saddened and heartbroken, she picks up the pieces, buckles down and devises a plan to restore the resort. She learns life delivers roadblocks and you have to learn how to get over them. Maybe what you wanted isn't the best choice after all. She learns that family, her ancestral history, and being home mean the most to her. Her grandmother left her a mystery to figure out and Esme is shocked at the wealth of historical information she uncovers. This is a richly atmospheric surprising story!

Everything is a story. The stuff that happens to us is just stuff. The only reason it means anything is because we attach stories to it. Without any stories, there aren’t any memories, or art, history or faith. Almost everything that matters is connected to stories, large and small.”

Marie Bostwick’s newest effort combines a lot of her skills, talents and personality. She writes stories, and she quilts, cooks and multi-tasks efficiently in real life. Her blog is an inspiration to me and countless others who follow.

This latest effort is about the character of Esme Cahill as a 30ish single woman with a goal of accomplishing certain things by certain dates in her life. However, life isn’t turning out quite that way. Her career choice of editing books for a company in New York hasn’t worked out as she’d hoped and she is let go after the rant of an established author. She heads home to Asheville, NC to lick her wounds but also at the behest of a letter from her grandmother Adele, who raised her. She pleaded for Esme to come home immediately but Esme didn’t make it in time before Adele passes on. She has left Esme a box of items that will have a big role in this plot of connecting the dots of Adele’s life while telling the love story of her grandparents in flashbacks of their timeframe. Writing their story is one of her goals.

There are several subplots going on. Esme was raised by her maternal grandparents Adele and George, and she always refers to them by their first names, not Grandma and Grandpa. They are a big part of this story, as is her bio mother Robyn whom she is estranged from and has not seen in over a decade. Robyn is at the home in Asheville living there with Esme’s grandfather George when Esme arrives. It is an uncomfortable situation for Esme as she has harbored feelings of abandonment in regards to Robyn. The reader is not privy to Robyn’s whole story ‘til closer to the end, neither is Esme, but as a reader I enjoyed witnessing their relationship play out with the efforts of healing their mother daughter relationship, inspired by their mutual respect and love for sweet George.

Bostwick’s biggest strength, imo, is in character development, and there are others not mentioned here in Esme’s circle that draw you in. You feel you personally know her characters by the end of her books. There is hardship and disappointment, but obviously love, empathy and strength in her characters, and definitely surprises as we learn about each character, that help us cheer for them to succeed in the paths they’ve chosen to follow.

Written with humor and sensitivity and a lot of good sense, I found this a very pleasant read. Sit a spell with Esme Cahill come release date, May 30, 2023. You’ll be glad you did.
#NetGalley #EsmeCahillFailsSpectacularly #HarperCollinsPublishing

I am a big fan of southern fiction. I am also a long time fan of Marie Bostwick so when the two likes collided I was so very happy. Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly is a fabulous read. A lot of my favorites are included in this story - books, fiber arts, food and a peaceful rustic setting.
Marie Bostwick continues to write strong women's fiction and I would recommend readers of Lauren K Denton to give this book a try.

My thanks to @NetGalley @ William Morrow @Custom House for an advance reading copy of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly for a fair and honest review.

This book releases May 30, 2023

I love books like this, truly. Esme comes home, feeling like a big failure. Although she really isn't. It's such a heartwarming book and it's about taking a turn in a completely opposite direction then you thought you were going in. I really loved how cozy it was, the way the author created such wonderful side characters and a lovely plot. I found myself curled up with my favorite blanket, a cup of coffee and my little dog. Fabulous book.

The title alone makes this a book to read. Who’s Esme, how did she fail, and how was it spectacular? Esme has a life plan, certain goals by a certain age..She loves her career in NY as a book editor until she’s fired in a humiliating way which forces her to move back home to her grandparents lodge in Asheville. There she finds her beloved grandfather with dementia, the lodge fallen on hard times, and she’s forced to deal with her estranged mother. In short her plans have flown out the window. But through all this Esme learns the best things in life don't always happen with a plan.
A delightful read with engaging, multifaceted characters.

Having lost her job and her marriage, Esme Cahill returns to the lake resort where she was raised by her grandparents. Her grandmother, Adele, had asked Esme to return to Last Lake just before she passed away. Now Esme finds her grandfather, George, and her estranged mother, Robyn struggling to keep the resort out of financial ruin. Not only are the finances shaky, but the resort itself is run down as well. On top of that, George has hired a mysterious (handsome) new chef that lives out of a van.

In a storage room, along with Adele's beautiful quilts, sits a box of items Adele left for Esme. As she goes through the box, Esme slowly unravels her grandmother's secret past and a beautiful love story.

. I think that one of the things I enjoyed so much about the story is that it adds a few touches of the unexpected. There are quite a few "stories within the story". Esme's relationship with her mother is strained at best since Esme was taken from her care as a child and placed in her grandparents' custody. Both Robyn and Esme have their share of regrets, and Robyn has a few secrets of her own.

Esme's story is interspersed with chapters of Adele's. As Esme finally learns what brought Esme to Asheville and why she decided to stay, she has to take a long look at herself and her own life choices. This is a book about our dreams and the decisions we make to follow them, or let them go.

Read this book if...

...you love southern fiction

... you love stories of coming home

... you love books about family.

I learned a new word recently. Apricity. It means the warmth of the sun in winter. That’s kind of how I feel after reading the latest Marie Bostwick book. I felt warmed in winter. Esme returns home after a major change in her life and career. She thinks she’s failed spectacularly, but she hasn’t. What she’s given is a chance to learn more about her family, her upbringing, and the people who mean the most to her. Sometimes a significant change later in life isn’t such a horrible thing. In actuality, it’s exactly what we need. With a dual POV from past and present, we learned so much about this family, the life they lead, and the choices they made. Beautiful, insightful, funny, and heartwarming. Apricity.
~Tanja

I have to be honest that this is the first book by Marie Bostwick that I have read. A fellow quilter had recommended her to me, so when I saw the book on Instagram, I knew I wanted to read Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly. From the moment I started reading the first chapter, I was pulled into the storyline. The characters are people in whom you want to invest your time, the settings are varied and the perfect background for the story, not to mention to use of an interwoven timeline which brings the whole thing to another level.
The interesting part of the story is that while she meets some circles of expectations, there are enough twists and turns to ensure no clichés or stereotypical characters. This book has something so many readers would enjoy: art, books, family, food, outdoors, history, an unexpected romance, and, of course, quilts.
I can't wait to give copies of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly to some family members and friends who I know will enjoy it as much as I did. So, grab your copy, get comfy with a quilt and a cup of coffee, and savor each page of this delightful new novel!

I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't get into it. At 20%, I just wasn't invested in the characters or what happened plot wise.