I enjoyed this book. It was thought provoking and emotional and hit me in all the right places. It definitely deals with the age old theory of what makes a great marriage through many successful and unsuccessful matches, but focuses on one center marriage that may or may not happen. Great overall read - would be a perfect for a book club discussion!

A Great Marriage is a modern generational story. The matriarch of the family is a famous psychologist who wrote books about marriage but had her own divorce before she found love. Her daughter has found a much steadier marriage. They are gathering for the wedding of her granddaughter, which seems perfect as well, until they cancel it without explaining. This is actually explained in the book pretty early, and is not a big surprise. The book jumps around a lot from different characters' perspectives, even within the same chapter, and from first to third perspective, which can be a little confusing. I liked most of the characters, although I didn't quite understand the love story between the engaged couple, it just seemed like they were two charming people who found each other, but everyone else would have fallen in love with them too. There were a couple of glimpses into side characters which I thought would have been interesting to explore further as well.

A poignant novel that delves into the complexities of love, marriage, and a broken engagement. It is beautifully written and captures the turmoil and effects of the broken engagement. Dara’s journey of self discovery and Austin’s struggle to navigate his challenges are portrayed with depth It is a thought provoking story.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book, though it took me a while to get through. It asks the central question, what makes a good marriage? The two main characters--Dara and Austin--are deeply in love and on their way to a huge wedding celebration. A bomb is dropped in the middle of their seemingly perfect lives that could derail everything. I don't want to give too many more details because I loved going in blind on this.

This is a story about romance and friendship and family, and how we support and forgive one another. It is well written and I enjoyed a number of the characters and the settings. It did seem a bit far-fetched at times, but I still enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes. Dana and Austin meet in New York, quickly fall in love and plan their wedding. But before their engagement dinner, Austin gets some news that derails the marriage plans. They split up, both try to move on, and deal with the new reality. Don’t want to give too much away, but it is a journey for both of them, and ends up with friends and family appreciating what is important in life. I enjoyed this one, likeable characters for the most part. #agreatmarriage #francesmayes #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #bookstagram #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook

After a whirlwind romance, Dara and Austin are getting married. With just weeks to go, Dara unexpectedly calls off the wedding. Only they know the reason, their families and friends are left In the dark. Life can be messy when you least expect it.

At the beginning I found this book very hard to get into, but as I read on and got use to the writer’s style, I enjoyed it more. The cover is abstract, much like this book, overly descriptive, flowery. So many characters made the beginning hard to follow. I just couldn’t connect with the characters, their situations or their choices. But the supportive aspect of the family and friends was endearing. The ending was a little too neat for the whole storyline and felt rushed. But, even with all this I couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Dara and Austin are passionately in love and days away from consummating their marriage, and then an earlier indiscretion results in the relationship dissolving, or at least it appears to dissolve. Dara runs away with little explanation and the rest of the book is the restoration of their union. I enjoyed Mayes’ lyrical writing but felt lost on many occasions in the tangle of characters who seemed to have endless pots of money, a great deal of education and lots of patience. Nevertheless, it is a sweet tale and I enjoyed it very much.

This book follows the story of Dara and Austin as their love story twists and turns when the unexpected happens right before their wedding. This was an exploration of different love stories and how our lives shape who we are and how we love. The book felt a little long with not much nuance in characters and the author wrapped it up in a happy ending that I’m not sure would have played out in real life.

Do you believe in love at first sight? For some people it happens and it can’t be ignored. Even when you have your life plans laid out and nothing was ever going to get in the way of that, nothing! Well one day while in NY City, Dara Willcox meets Austin Clarke at an art gallery. He’s British on his own course and she is from North Carolina and she is set to go to law school. They have plans, they can’t change them, or can they? Or do they have to find a way to be together? All bets are off and the two forge a life together. An April engagement dinner seems like the start that they need. They are so happy with their friends and family but Austin gets news from England and suddenly the wedding is off. Austin heads to England and Dara heads to her grandmother’s home. She won’t tell anyone anything and travels to see friends and family, to escape the whole situation. She is looking for comfort, looking for a way to move forward. Meanwhile Austin is living with life altering situations and trying his best to forget Dara. Beth, Dara’s mother, heads to England and a chance meeting Austin and things just might be set straight. This was a very cute story. The author did a great job telling the story from both perspectives. This was a four star read for me. I want to thank Netgalley, Frances Mayes and Random House Publishing/Ballantine for my copy of A Great Marriage. It was my pleasure to read and review this story. I love a good love story and this book was just that.

*A Great Marriage* is a delightful exploration of love, family, and the twists life throws your way. Dara and Austin’s whirlwind romance starts with a bang in New York, but when unexpected news from London derails their engagement, everything begins to unravel. Dara retreats, keeping her reasons hidden, while her family’s secrets and legacy of "great marriages" start to complicate matters.

Frances Mayes brings her signature charm and humor to this tale, creating a fun and insightful look at what makes a marriage work—or fall apart. With a mix of romance, family drama, and life-changing choices, this book keeps you hooked. It’s heartfelt, relatable, and just a great read overall!

I read a couple pages and started another book then picked it up again after reading kirkus review. So glad I didn’t let it languish in my dnf growing pile
simply because of the quality of the writing and character development which makes sense given the authors SFSU tenure. In many ways this seems like the quintessential southern novel writ modern. So interesting to follow well educated moneyed generations deal with the vagaries of life..makes for
a perfect read. A real tell is that I felt empathy for all the characters as the plot unfolded. I had minor issues with the fictitious city names and was
confused that Mei lived in real city Charleston? This mixup in my mind could have been due to less than careful reading..in any case my preference would have been to say Pawleys is Pawleys, etc…perhaps it’s a confusion when fiction contains the autobiographical. I think a different less spelled out ending could have worked to elevate to a level of best books of the year.

I wanted to love this book but the switch from first person to third person kept me confused for most of the book. This book just did not resonate with me. I enjoyed the beginning but just could not get into it. I'm sure there are people who adored this book and I understand why but it just wasn't for me!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the chance to read and review this book.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i thought this would be one thing when i started and it turned into something completely different but maybe for the best. i really enjoyed the story and the changing settings. i did not like the switching between first and third person a lot.

Dara is raised with privilege. She has connections in Washington DC that helped her get her job. She lives, rent free, in her grandmother’s apartment since the grandmother no longer lives in DC. Dara meets and quickly falls in love with Austin, an architect from London who is working in New York City. The book begins at dinner at her parents’ home. Dara and Austin are surrounded by their friends and her family. The wedding isn’t far off. The next week, back in New York, Austin is given news that will change the trajectory of their lives. Dara responds to the news by giving back the ring and running home. Then she runs to California to visit college friends. She seems to be trying to make huge changes in her life. There are several intertwined stories going on in the book. While I admire Austin for how he finally deals with adversity, Dara annoyed me in some places. But that makes the story interesting.

I’m sorry. I wanted to like this story but I really couldn’t t get into it . The writing was sporadic and confusing. I had trouble figuring out what was going on. It took so much effort that l found I was not enjoying reading the book so I did not finish it..
I’d never read this author before but I likely will not try her again.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

This book was really difficult for me to get into, and I didn’t really connect with the writing style. It flips back and forth between first and third person narration and comes from many different points of view, which can make it harder to follow. I did, however, get really sucked in to the story and in the end I couldn’t put it down. Some very intriguing twists and turns to this one. I’d just recommend sticking with it until the story grabs you, even if the first part feels like a bit of a struggle.

A Great Marriage
A Novel
By Frances Mayes ( this review is from an ARC sent to me by Netgalley)
Dara Willcox, up in New York for a weekend, meets Austin Clarke at an art gallery. If love at first sight can happen, it happens to them.
However, days after their engagement Austin hears news that causes Dara to cancel the wedding and she refuses to reveal the reason to her parents and best friends.
While Dara escapes to California and Indigo Island, South Carolina, Austin, back in London, faces a major tragedy, the consequences of which are life-altering.
The author weaves the plot with the challenges of modern love empathy and acceptance as well as forgiveness.
Frances Mayes is the author of the modern classic Under the Tuscan Sun, which was a New York Times bestseller for more than two and a half years and inspired the beloved motion picture starring Diane Lane. It was followed by Bella Tuscany, Every Day in Tuscany, and two illustrated books, In Tuscany and Bringing Tuscany Home. She is also the author of A Year in the World, See You in the Piazza, Always Italy, and A Place in the World: Finding the Meaning of Home. Her novels include Swan and Women in Sunlight. Her books have been translated into more than fifty languages.

Enjoyable and thoughtful, this book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. The story held my attention, and the writing is engaging. Recommended!

Frances Mayes can create great characters that are engaging, empathetic, and coping with love. When a perfect wedding is called off just days before the big event, it sends two people—and their families—reeling, in this poignant novel. A Great Marriage uses a multi-generational approach to illustrate the challenges of marriage, celebrating those who manage to navigate them together.
This is a slow story about how circumstances in our lives can affect not only ourselves but our extended families and friends. The storyline focuses on relationships and how compromise serves as a valuable tool.
I enjoyed this story, I used it as a palate cleanser between a mystery and an epic fantasy and it was a perfect book at this time. I read it on the beach too! The characters are likable and the storyline is engaging. If you enjoyed books such as Under the Tuscan Sun by this same author or Abby Jimenez's Just for The Summer, you will like this story. This might not be your next read if you seek action adventure and an in-depth plot.

As a longtime fan of Frances Mayes, I looked forward to reading “A Perfect Marriage” via an ARC provided by NetGalley. The story follows Dara Wilcox and her fiancee Austin Clarke, whose wedding is called off due to a surprise happening in Austin’s former life in London. The book then explores how they both pick up the pieces, and figure out how to move forward with their lives.

Dara escapes to California to recoup with friends as Austin leaves for London. Meanwhile, Dara feels small in comparison to her accomplished parents and grandmother, who themselves have lived and loved within great marriages and privilege. I appreciated the multi-generational character depictions here: with multiple points of view, we get the sense of complex familial dynamics at work, even if the book carried low stakes. In comparison , Mayes previous novel “Women in Sunlight” pulls off its promise much more effectively.