Sadly I had to DNF this about halfway through. This book was incredibly choppy, and I found it jumping between subjects, which left me reeling and unsure of how we got there. It's difficult to know what POV each chapter is in, and consistently jumps between 1st and 3rd person, which took me out of the book constantly. Far too many sentences that consisted of 2-4 words. Not that I was easily able to get into it in the first place, as much of the dialogue was unbelievable and far fetched. What father is describing his future son in law's lips and hands as "sculptural?" The way these characters spoke to each other was two-dimensional and felt like a hastily written Lifetime movie.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Random House for giving me an advanced reader copy from in exchange for an honest review!

In "A Great Marriage," Frances didn't write the ending I wanted to read.

Instead, she delivers an overly sweet resolution tied up neatly in a pretty bow. Readers are going to love it. I didn't.

Dara and Austin are set to wed when consequences from his stupid actions upend their storybook romance. Apart, they set out for a little self-discovery. Apparently, self-discovery comes to those with pockets deep enough to jet between countries or to take spur-of-the-moment road trips across the United States.

My opinions about "A Great Marriage" definitely were influenced by my own marriage to a wonderful man. Austin did a stupid thing and then compounded that with his awful reaction when faced with the initial consequences. My hubby wouldn't do that.

Still, most readers will be captivated by what is presented as a true love story that cannot be torpedoed. Happy endings all around.

Dara Willcox and Austin Clarke are, at first glance, the perfect pedigree couple. A meet cute at an art gallery, a romance set against the buzzing backdrop of New York, a wedding for the ages in the works; nothing seems like it could possibly upend the young couple's future.

Until suddenly something unexpected and simultaneously cliche does. Without much of a second thought, Dara cancels the wedding and flees to California to soul search amongst friends and along the Coastal Highway. Left reeling from the broken engagement, Austin is left to grapple with the pieces of his life and the single choice that led him there. And amongst it all, the couple's families--generations deep--reflect on the fundamental question that most of us ponder at some point or another: what is it that makes a great marriage? A true love?

Without a doubt one of my most anticipated reads of the year, "A Great Marriage" boasts both a beautiful cover and the author that brought us "Under the Tuscan Sun" many years ago. While not the most unique premise for literary fiction, I was intrigued by Dara and Austin's story enough to dive in, but found myself slugging through the barely-over-300 pages of "A Great Marriage" with disinterest at best. Both convoluted and riddled with laughably out-of-touch, stiff, and conceited characters, I found "A Great Marriage" as much a strange read as a shallow one. With choppy, disjointed chapters and dialogue that never quite reached plausible for me, this isn't a novel I'd recommend despite Mayes' impressive track record.

So good! This is the story of two families, one based in London, and one based in North Carolina. The main characters meet in NYC and fall in love, their lives don’t fit together, but they don’t care, and decide to get married anyway. However, the bride ends up abruptly cancelling the wedding, and won’t tell anyone why. The bride and groom go back to their lives, until the mother of the bride decides to visit the groom.

This was unexpected and fresh. I love that we got to learn about both families, across multiple generations.

This novel brings two families together through the planning of a wedding and abruptly tears them apart.

Dara and Austin meet at an art gallery, proving that love at first sight is real. During their engagement dinner, things don’t go as planned, and as if a warning from the gods, Dara’s mother spills wine all over the table and onto Austin.

Days later, Austin receives some unsettling news from London, and the wedding is called off. As the two go their separate ways, the bride’s mother changes the trajectory of their lives with her impulsive visit to London. Is she going to save her daughter’s marriage or put the final nail in the coffin of this once-happy couple?

I want to say I finished this novel, but for some reason, I couldn’t keep the characters straight, making it almost impossible to follow the plot. The novel itself is wonderfully done, and if I could have focused more on the characters' relationships, this would have been rated much higher.

I’ll be returning to this book once more and will revise my review once I have read it again. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves multigenerational novels and complex family dynamics.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an easy read, perfect for a beach holiday. The characters are all likeable, the scenes are plush, full of lovely destinations, good food and drink. There's drama to keep it interesting and a beautiful romance. If you’re looking for something deep this isn’t it, but enjoyable nonetheless.

I have two thoughts about this book. First, I loved the story. I found the complications thrown into Dara and Austin’s love story to be quite compelling, and the supporting cast to be very interesting (despite their largely perfect, special, and unrealistic lives). I kept reading because I really wanted to know what happened to them. However, I found the writing to be frustrating. There is a constant shift between characters, and sometimes I found that I wasn’t sure who was now speaking. There are also A LOT of sentence fragments. Frequently, characters are thinking rambling, changing thoughts, and this is written in a stream-of-consciousness fashion that takes some getting used to. I’ve read many books by Mayes, and I think that this style works better when she is expressing her own thoughts, in non-fiction books. In this novel, I did find that it took away from being able to read fluidly. Once I got used to the writing I was able to enjoy the story, and the abundant descriptions of food, houses, and gardens that Mayes is known for. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dara Willcox, and Austin Clarke met at an art gallery in New York, and fell in love at first sight. A week before they were supposed to get married, Austin got some news that changed everything. Turned their lives upside down, and their journeys go separate ways. Frances Mayes tells us all the things that are going on in their lives, after it was completely turned upside down. Life has a way of controlling things along the way, and it does make for a very interesting read. You will have to read the book, which will capture your attention and your heart along the way.
I received an ARC from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.

A beautiful read by Mayes - I've been hoping for a book by her that lived up to the magic of Under the Tuscan Sun, and this delivered on every score. Finished reading the galley and immediately ordered copies for two friends.

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes is exactly about that, what makes a great marriage. Dara and Austin are in love and plan to be married. Dara’s parents have an exceptionally great marriage and that is exactly what Dara is hoping for and feels that she is getting, until a wrench is thrown into the picture. On the night of their engagement dinner, Austin reveals to Dara something unexpected that sends her world spinning.

Dara cancels the wedding and does not tell anyone why. She leaves for California then South Carolina to try and put her life back together. Austin returns to London which is where he is from and where this devastating event took place.

Dara’s mother has a major accident while vacationing in London and has surgery there. She needs to stay there a while to recuperate. Dara goes over for her mother, winds up connecting with Austin, understands and accepts his problem, and winds up marrying him.

I enjoyed this romance novel after getting over and ignoring what I felt was a problem. For me there was way too much description of everything. I felt it took away from the story and had me skipping over much of it. Perhaps there might not have been enough there if not for the descriptions.

I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Oh my goodness. I couldn't anticipate where this was going. A perfect love story, disrupted by moral failure, and redeemed by a surprise participant.
You won't be able to predict where it ends up - so if you have to know, read the last chapter and find out how the whole thing unfolds. Mayes is a great storyteller for the modern age.

I enjoyed this pleasant read - a good beach read as long as I did not look too deeply. On the surface - a runaway bride sets off the tale after an awful revelation from the groom to be. The characters are all intelligent - educated - thoughtful - and unspoken well off. They read and reference a lot of books and authors that I like - and are very very understanding. They live in beautiful not shabby homes - London - North Carolina - DC and NYC. There is some insight into love and what makes a “great marriage” (hint: compromise). The problem is - scratching the surface I found the characters irritating and entitled - especially Dara who annoyed me the most and I found a spoiled selfish brat. I find Elin Hillenbrand does this milieu much better and with more wit and insight. A pleasant read - some delicious meals along the way - and a charming story - alls well that ends well. Yes the main dilemma was tragic - but even that was a bit glossed over with zany obsessive Shelley. Bring to the beach - you won’t be disappointed. Thanks NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advance copy! I have not read Under a Tuscan Sun but have heard wonderful things about it!

Initially I chose this because of my admiration for the author, who took the world by storm with her captivating memoir detailing the acquisition and modernization of a structure in Tuscany, complete with sensual overloads of descriptions of meals taken outside in timeless settings. Under the Tuscan Sun set off an onrush of emigres hopeful to recreate her experience. However, as with another author whose foodie expertise has led to amazing memoirs, her fiction wallows in the shallows of romanticism, and while there are mouthwatering depictions of every meal and nosh and accompanying drink, the characters are two dimensional, the situations overwrought, and the dialogue improbable.

A couple splits before getting married when the man finds out the woman he had an affair with is pregnant, and she is ill.

This was the first work of fiction that I have read from Frances Mayes. I have to say that I enjoy her nonfiction much more. The descriptions of the various places the characters lived and or visited were wonderful, and truly transported you to those locations. I think that is definitely a strength of Mayes. The story, however, I was not as impressed with. I found the characters hard to relate to. First of all, the central conflict in the story feels somewhat weak and lacks depth, leaving readers wanting more substance. Added to that, all of the characters were from upper class privileged backgrounds. This made them appear somewhat whiny.
There was also a confusing prose. There were frequent shifts between 3rd person and 1st person narration, which was disorienting. It made it difficult to follow who was speaking and made what should have been a light read feel slow and laboring.
Overall the story was entertaining, even if it was not profound, and you certainly find yourself rooting for the characters. In the future though, I will stick to Mayes' nonfiction.

“What I would have preferred is moot. Maybe at some point, what I preferred isn’t what I prefer at all.” Isn’t that the truth!

Absolutely beautiful story about love, family and not just making a relationship work but, making it truly great.
Austin and Dara are the celebrating their engagement when their marriage is tested before it has even begun. We see both characters develop in ways they weren’t expecting and they are the better for it. I loved that all the characters in this story are striving to be in a great relationship. Even Dara’s parents are still working to have a great marriage. This was such a great reminder that we should all be thinking like this!

At the start of the story, I was expecting a typical romance novel but ,this story went much deeper. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

This is a pleasant novel to read during the summer. The descriptions of the places in the novel are well written and made me want to visit them. The characters are well developed. I wish I had a supportive family and group of friends like the ones in the book, but I think most people don't. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something to read during a vacation or to escape the stress from work-to just cuddle up and visit different places, where life is different from your own problems.

I found this book very confusing with the multiple POV's. I wanted to love it but it wasn't my favorite. I never really got hooked in. The author does make a compelling case for the Southern United States and is a very gifted writing style but this just isn't my favorite of her writing.

What makes a great marriage or even a good one or a good divorce?

Dara and Austin are in love and celebrating their upcoming marriage with family and friends. Little do they suspect that something will seriously impact their relationship, throwing their worlds into chaos. With support of those who love them, will they find their way back to each other?

Both literary fiction and romance, this is a beautiful story and I loved it. With an entertaining storyline, the book explores romantic relationships and partnerships. It is well written, literate, with a cohesive plot and charming intergenerational characters. As she has done with other locales, Mayes paints a beautiful portrait of the South (US). Perhaps a bit fairy talish, I think it may take a certain level of maturity and experience to truly appreciate this read.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for the DRC.

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes is a contemporary family drama novel about finding your partner and what makes a marriage. I was so excited to read this book! The writing style is journalistic. The story is written from multiple perspectives, and it takes a while to get to know who's who. At times, it's hard to follow who is narrating. All of the characters Dara, Austin, Rich, Lee, Charotte, are successful, beautiful, smart, highly educated, do gooders...which made them rather annoying. Dara's youthful energy and her seemingly perfect love affair with Austin is shattered by an indiscretion. Dara makes a decision to call off the wedding abruptly leaving her family to wonder why. The main plot follows the year afterward and leads the reader on a journey of discovery.
I had trouble engaging in the storyline. Side note, reading about Grandma's sex and dating life was creepy. Maybe my perception of this book is because I could not relate to any of them?
I have read Frances Mayes and like many of her fans, I enjoyed Under the Tuscan Sun.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the arc of the novel. All opinions are my own.