Dara is engaged to Austin but abruptly ends their engagement and leaves town, she refuses to tell anyone the reason. Her mother and grandmother have both had good marriages, a good story.

This was a meandering story of Dara and Austin, as well as both families and friends to get to a Great Marriage. It was a lyrical read in many ways to me,but it also was slow going! I did enjoy it, and the secondary storylines were often as good as the romantic one that led to Dara and Austin beginning a great marriage. This one took me several days to read because I had to stop often when the descriptions got to be too much. I really did enjoy the book, it was just a bit too slow for me.

I struggled with this book. It opened really slow, but I was glad I stuck with it to see how the story played out. Most of the book is dealing with the aftermath of Dara and Austin's cancelled wedding - what happens with the two of them and the many, many surrounding family and friends. The thing I liked the least was how the ending was arrived at without any on-page (or even an off-page but referenced) meaningful conversation regarding the issues at hand, and some of the issues seemed to get swept away in an abrupt 180. Then the book just ended.

The book also needed some content warnings, in my opinion - absent parents (from both death and walking out during childhood), high risk pregnancy/maternal mortality, graphic childbirth, off page cheating, graphic accident and recovery.

This was a DNF for me. I read about 25% and could not continue. I did not like any of the characters and could not see any pathway for an intriguing plot. So I gave up.

I truly tried to give this book a good try, but I just couldn’t get past 10%. I found the characters lacking as well as the storyline, which I never could figure out. After 10%, I should have been drawn in, and I just kept trying to force myself to get through. I hate to do that. I won’t give a review on this book because of the reasons I gave.

I struggled with this book. It was overly wordy, in my opinion, to the detriment of the story.

While the story itself was probably good, I had a hard time engaging with it. I don't think I'd recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book after I got past the slow opening. Dara is engaged to marry Austin when he receives some startling news that upends things. The story bounces around from different characters perspective and adds depth. The love of family and great friends is felt throughout. This is a quick read.

An interesting story of how hard a relationship can be and the stresses that unexpected twists can derail even the strongest relationships.

The characters in this book did not make sense to me and the big plot twist had me rolling my eyes. I could not get into this book, but I really do not like novels that make me suspend belief. If I had know this going in, I would have not requested the book.

3.5 stars rounded up! I've always wanted to pick up some of Frances Mayes's novels, and thought A GREAT MARRIAGE was a great place to start. I really loved the overall writing style! It took a little bit to adjust to at first because it is very stream-of-consciousness, but I thought it was so well-done, and enjoyed reading the descriptions of the different settings and characters. I did feel like the pacing was a little slow at times, but not in a way that took my attention away from the story—it felt more leisurely and measured than dragging or tedious. I'd definitely recommend this one for lovers of literary fiction and quieter, character-driven reads! And now I'm even more interested to dive into Mayes's backlist. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

A GREAT MARRIAGE opens at a lavish pre-wedding dinner for Dara and Austin. A spilled glass of wine foreshadows the difficulties ahead for the couple in love. Austin’s moment of indiscretion changes everything, and Dara cancels the wedding. Without giving her family a reason, the distraught bride-to-be runs. The true story is revealed in time, and the reader walks through the period of recovery with both Dara and Austin. And it’s a mess. Will they again find that rare love, the one they tried to erase?

Frances Mayes’ story, both literary fiction and romance, is a beautiful tale of love and of marriage, of romantic relationships, and of the value of generational family support. I loved the narrative, so very well written, literate, blending an interesting and cohesive plot with quotes from Yeats and other greats from literature. Life is a mess—a glorious mess.

A GREAT MARRIAGE by Frances Mayes is a poignant, multi-generational story of love, marriage and the consequences of choices made. Dara Wilcox and Austin Clarke meet by chance at an art gallery in New York. She is from an affluent family in North Carolina, planning to attend law school. He is a British architect working temporarily in New York. The pair fall in love and despite the differences in their backgrounds and aspirations, they vow to make a future together. Just after their joyous engagement dinner at Dara’s family home, Austin receives stunning news from London that threatens to tear the couple apart forever. Dara immediately calls off the wedding and escapes to California, then South Carolina, to the comfort of her close friends, refusing to reveal the reason for the cancellation. Austin returns to London to deal with the devastating situation that will change his life forever. Can the couple ever find their way back to one another or is this the end of their fairy romance? I enjoyed this beautifully-written and emotional story exploring the true meaning of love and what it takes to have a great marriage in a variety of contexts. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

2.5 This one was pretty rough for me and super choppy throughout. I had a very hard time connected with the characters due to the writing style.

Dara and Austin a couple in love about to be married but just days before the wedding Dara calls it off. All the questions secrets revealed an emotional roller coaster beautifully written by Frances Mayes. #agreatmarriage#netgalley

Dara Willcox, while in New York for a weekend, visits an art gallery, and it is there that she meets her soulmate, Austin Clarke. It is love at first sight. Despite the fact that their lives are on two completely different paths - he is from London but is working in New York temporarily, and she is from North Carolina and set to go to law school - they decide to make it work, long-distance. Within a year, they are engaged. Days after their engagement dinner at Dara's family home, Austin receives unsettling news from London, news that changes his life irrevocably When Austin tells the news to Dara, she abruptly cancels the wedding, refusing to reveal the reason to even her parents or her best friend. While Dara is still off licking her wounds, and Austin is back in London dealing with his new reality, Dara's mom has an accident while visiting London on vacation, and that may be the catalyst that brings everyone back together again.

This book was a slow burn for the entire book. I didn't find any of the characters relatable or especially likeable. There were moments here and there where the story picked up a little bit and I got a little more invested in the story, and wanted to see how it all played out. I wanted to like this book, but it just was not the book for me.

I've long admired the work of Frances Mayes and A GREAT MARRIAGE further deepens my admiration of this accomplished storyteller. Deft in describing the complex relationships and grounding the story in a place and time that feel as vivid as my own memories, Mayes tells a story that will stay with me for a long time, the tale of a long marriage, of deep and rich relationship, and how we live our lives with the ones we love. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

This book didn't resonate with me. I didn't feel the urge to rush back and see what would happen next. While I appreciated the premise, the story seemed to drag, taking a long time to reach the conclusion. The descriptions of some settings were overly detailed, which I believe is characteristic of Mayes' writing style. For me, it was just a slow read.

I was very excited to read A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes and unfortunately my high hopes and expectations may have influenced my reading and reception of the book. I had trouble getting going, and by and large I just didn't feel like I connected to the characters overall. I just didn't feel particularly invested in any of them.
That being said, there are no doubt many readers who will thoroughly enjoy it; it just wasn't for me.

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes is a well written novel with diverse and engaging characters!
A delightful and entertaining story!

A story of relationships, this will keep you guessing what’s next. Overall, it was interesting, but very wordy and confusing at times. Fans of Frances Mayes will more than likely enjoy this new book!