What do you think?
Rate this book
Tapestry of Fortunes
A wonderful new novel about four women who take a trip into their past, to find again the people they miss, and to reconnect with their fortunes. From the beloved bestselling author of Home Safe and Open House.
Cecilia Ross is looking for a change. She has decided to take time off from her job as a successful motivational speaker and sell her home. She moves in to a beautiful old house in St. Paul, Minnesota, complete with a big front porch, a wild garden, a chef's kitchen-and three roommates. The four women are different ages, but all are feeling restless, and want to take a roadtrip to find again the people and things they miss. One woman wants to connect with a daughter she gave away at birth; another wants to visit her long-absent ex-husband; a third woman, a professional chef, is seeking new inspiration from the restaurants along the way. And Cecilia is looking for Dennis Halsinger, the man she never got over, who recently sent her a postcard out of the blue. This novel is classic Elizabeth Berg-a portrait of how women grow through the relationships that define them, and a testament to the power of female friendship.
Story St. Paul, Minnesota
Cecilia Ross is looking for a change. She has decided to take time off from her job as a successful motivational speaker and sell her home. She moves in to a beautiful old house in St. Paul, Minnesota, complete with a big front porch, a wild garden, a chef's kitchen-and three roommates. The four women are different ages, but all are feeling restless, and want to take a roadtrip to find again the people and things they miss. One woman wants to connect with a daughter she gave away at birth; another wants to visit her long-absent ex-husband; a third woman, a professional chef, is seeking new inspiration from the restaurants along the way. And Cecilia is looking for Dennis Halsinger, the man she never got over, who recently sent her a postcard out of the blue. This novel is classic Elizabeth Berg-a portrait of how women grow through the relationships that define them, and a testament to the power of female friendship.
Story St. Paul, Minnesota
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
1664 people are currently reading
6875 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Berg
69 books5,028 followersElizabeth Berg is an American novelist.
She was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and lived in Boston prior to her residence in Chicago. She studied English and Humanities at the University of Minnesota, but later ended up with a nursing degree. Her writing career started when she won an essay contest in Parents magazine. Since her debut novel in 1993, her novels have sold in large numbers and have received several awards and nominations, although some critics have tagged them as sentimental. She won the New England Book Awards in 1997.
The novels Durable Goods, Joy School, and True to Form form a trilogy about the 12-year-old Katie Nash, in part based on the author's own experience as a daughter in a military family. Her essay "The Pretend Knitter" appears in the anthology Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting, published by W. W. Norton & Company in November 2013.
She was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and lived in Boston prior to her residence in Chicago. She studied English and Humanities at the University of Minnesota, but later ended up with a nursing degree. Her writing career started when she won an essay contest in Parents magazine. Since her debut novel in 1993, her novels have sold in large numbers and have received several awards and nominations, although some critics have tagged them as sentimental. She won the New England Book Awards in 1997.
The novels Durable Goods, Joy School, and True to Form form a trilogy about the 12-year-old Katie Nash, in part based on the author's own experience as a daughter in a military family. Her essay "The Pretend Knitter" appears in the anthology Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting, published by W. W. Norton & Company in November 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,979 reviews
April 14, 2013
Elizabeth Berg’s latest novel is a disappointingly lightweight read. While the loss of a close friend, regrets about past relationships, estrangement from children, and the hospice experience are serious enough in themselves, I thought they were given generally superficial treatment here.
Cece, the main character and a motivational/inspirational speaker and author, is propelled by the death of BFF Penny to stop putting off what would give her the greatest joy -- advice Penny has been spouting for years. Now comes a little bit of fantasy: within hours of meeting a real estate agent Cece sells her house and most of her furnishings with it, finds the perfect room in a large home housing three other women, bonds with them almost immediately -- even the one who can be blunt, skeptical, and cynical, works wonders with the sad gardens, and in short order plans a road trip to see a long-ago lover and is quickly joined by the other three women who are suddenly motivated (and available!) to do some searching themselves.
Along the way we’re treated to a good deal of “wisdom,” that which Cece shares in her talks as well as what is found in various fortune-telling devices that Cece indulges in when at a crossroads in her life. It just feels like so many platitudes. (And is it consistent to deliver wisdom and encouragement to others yet seek answers for oneself in the I Ching?)
Also, we don’t really get close to the characters. What we more or less know about each is her profession and one secret from her past or a present unfulfilled yearning. It’s not enough to care whether or not they find what they’re looking for.
In many other Berg novels I have appreciated the wisdom, liked the characters, and enjoyed the plot, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Cece, the main character and a motivational/inspirational speaker and author, is propelled by the death of BFF Penny to stop putting off what would give her the greatest joy -- advice Penny has been spouting for years. Now comes a little bit of fantasy: within hours of meeting a real estate agent Cece sells her house and most of her furnishings with it, finds the perfect room in a large home housing three other women, bonds with them almost immediately -- even the one who can be blunt, skeptical, and cynical, works wonders with the sad gardens, and in short order plans a road trip to see a long-ago lover and is quickly joined by the other three women who are suddenly motivated (and available!) to do some searching themselves.
Along the way we’re treated to a good deal of “wisdom,” that which Cece shares in her talks as well as what is found in various fortune-telling devices that Cece indulges in when at a crossroads in her life. It just feels like so many platitudes. (And is it consistent to deliver wisdom and encouragement to others yet seek answers for oneself in the I Ching?)
Also, we don’t really get close to the characters. What we more or less know about each is her profession and one secret from her past or a present unfulfilled yearning. It’s not enough to care whether or not they find what they’re looking for.
In many other Berg novels I have appreciated the wisdom, liked the characters, and enjoyed the plot, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
November 28, 2017
This time around I did not connect with a book. A stream of consciousness, motivational talk: about about women, loneliness, their challenges to be single women, middle-aged or nearly there. Berg writes beautifully, but I needed more oomph, a strong storyline, something above mediocre self-help encouragement. Instead of writing a motivational book, a novel is attempted with the same intent.
I really loved the prose. So well done. Honest and to the point. Here and there clichéd, but REAL. It just did not grip me. I struggled through it. Dull? Yet, I do believe that some readers might feel validated by reading this dissection of womenhood and find it entertaining as well. To each her own, right?
I needed more. And that's it.
I really loved the prose. So well done. Honest and to the point. Here and there clichéd, but REAL. It just did not grip me. I struggled through it. Dull? Yet, I do believe that some readers might feel validated by reading this dissection of womenhood and find it entertaining as well. To each her own, right?
I needed more. And that's it.
October 21, 2020
“There are times when you have to hurt badly in order to move. Otherwise you'll stay in a place you've outgrown.”
Sitting down with a new Berg novel is like sitting down with an old friend who has lots to tell you about what she's been up to. In this latest endeavor, the main protagonist is Cecilia, a motivational speaker, who is still reeling from losing her closest friend Penny to a fast-moving cancer. In Penny's last days they spoke often about the important things in life, and how we can get caught up in working and acquiring “things” that in the long run don't really matter. Cece made a few promises to Penny that she really wants to keep, about downsizing her life, making changes that matter, perhaps finding Mr. Right, and even working in a hospice center where she can put her expertise to work to make someone's last days as fulfilled as possible.
After a few months of grieving, circumstances provide her this opportunity, which she takes. She sells her home and most of her belongings to move into a shared home with 3 other accomplished, professional women in varied fields. She takes a sabbatical from her career of telling other people what to do with their lives, to see if she can take her own advice.
The friendship develops between these 4 women quite rapidly, as it sometimes can, each of them offering each other something they didn't know they needed. Cece was lonely after losing Penny, and never married. She decides to take a trip to meet up with someone from her past. One by one, the other women find they want to join Cece on this trip and make their own stops along the way. Each has a reason to see someone from their pasts and settle a few things. And so they set out on this journey, which was my favorite part of the whole book. I wanted to be sitting in the back seat myself, with Riley the dog, stopping at all those quaint places and pie shops, meeting all these interesting people along the way. The tattoo-parlor incident had me laughing aloud. This life drama has many poignant and humorous moments. I was drawn into the story of Michael, the young man in hospice who's death experience is totally changed from what he expected by having Cece influence his attitude.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this novel, Berg developed them well. I wanted to know more about what happened in each of these women's lives after I closed the cover. I've always said that she writes like women think. This novel is quite short at just over 200 pages, and Berg doesn't do sequels yet, but this is one time I wish she did.
A “Tapestry of Fortunes” is appropriately titled, as this is what these women find they have in their lives if they look hard enough.
“Sometimes getting lost is the only way to find what you didn't know you were looking for” is another little gem of wisdom from this profound little novel.
This dramedy is a joy. Recommended for fans of women's fiction, and lovers of life. 4+ well deserved stars.
Sitting down with a new Berg novel is like sitting down with an old friend who has lots to tell you about what she's been up to. In this latest endeavor, the main protagonist is Cecilia, a motivational speaker, who is still reeling from losing her closest friend Penny to a fast-moving cancer. In Penny's last days they spoke often about the important things in life, and how we can get caught up in working and acquiring “things” that in the long run don't really matter. Cece made a few promises to Penny that she really wants to keep, about downsizing her life, making changes that matter, perhaps finding Mr. Right, and even working in a hospice center where she can put her expertise to work to make someone's last days as fulfilled as possible.
After a few months of grieving, circumstances provide her this opportunity, which she takes. She sells her home and most of her belongings to move into a shared home with 3 other accomplished, professional women in varied fields. She takes a sabbatical from her career of telling other people what to do with their lives, to see if she can take her own advice.
The friendship develops between these 4 women quite rapidly, as it sometimes can, each of them offering each other something they didn't know they needed. Cece was lonely after losing Penny, and never married. She decides to take a trip to meet up with someone from her past. One by one, the other women find they want to join Cece on this trip and make their own stops along the way. Each has a reason to see someone from their pasts and settle a few things. And so they set out on this journey, which was my favorite part of the whole book. I wanted to be sitting in the back seat myself, with Riley the dog, stopping at all those quaint places and pie shops, meeting all these interesting people along the way. The tattoo-parlor incident had me laughing aloud. This life drama has many poignant and humorous moments. I was drawn into the story of Michael, the young man in hospice who's death experience is totally changed from what he expected by having Cece influence his attitude.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this novel, Berg developed them well. I wanted to know more about what happened in each of these women's lives after I closed the cover. I've always said that she writes like women think. This novel is quite short at just over 200 pages, and Berg doesn't do sequels yet, but this is one time I wish she did.
A “Tapestry of Fortunes” is appropriately titled, as this is what these women find they have in their lives if they look hard enough.
“Sometimes getting lost is the only way to find what you didn't know you were looking for” is another little gem of wisdom from this profound little novel.
This dramedy is a joy. Recommended for fans of women's fiction, and lovers of life. 4+ well deserved stars.
September 12, 2013
Elizabeth Berg used to be one of my favorite writers. That's why I get hopeful each time she comes out with a new book. I love her love of home. I love the domestic details and descriptions with which she fills her books. I love the womanliness of it all.
But her recent story lines. Oh my. Oh. My.
Four adult women living contentedly together - in peace? That's a happy little fantasy. But, I have never personally known a single woman who could make that work, much less four.
One woman who stumbled in to being a motivational speaker with no credentials whatsoever? Apparently she made enough money to just stop working when she feels like it? Another happy little fantasy.
And let's not even talk about why she refused to be involved with the man of her dreams - the man she never stopped longing for. We're just supposed to accept that this is how things are.
Elizabeth Berg - queen of the domestic detail, peasant of character development and plot formation. I think I'll pass on her next book.
But her recent story lines. Oh my. Oh. My.
Four adult women living contentedly together - in peace? That's a happy little fantasy. But, I have never personally known a single woman who could make that work, much less four.
One woman who stumbled in to being a motivational speaker with no credentials whatsoever? Apparently she made enough money to just stop working when she feels like it? Another happy little fantasy.
And let's not even talk about why she refused to be involved with the man of her dreams - the man she never stopped longing for. We're just supposed to accept that this is how things are.
Elizabeth Berg - queen of the domestic detail, peasant of character development and plot formation. I think I'll pass on her next book.
July 13, 2013
You tell me what's wrong with this picture: a college graduate with no direction helps take care of a dying woman. After the woman dies, her husband hires the grad to be a motivational speaker for his multi-billion dollar company because he likes the way she dealt with his wife. She gets to go all over the world, giving motivational speeches (with no prior training or experience), and when the business owner retires, she moves home and writes how-to books to go with the motivational speeches. After living alone till she's 60(?), she decides to answer an ad for a roommate in a big house with 3 other women. They are instant friends so she sells her house the next day with all the furnishings. They are such good friends that they all decide to go on a road trip to reconnect with lost loves. Gosh things go smoothly in this story.
And I know this is nitpicking, but these kind of details drive me crazy: our heroine (while in college) puts on a record (yes, on the record player) to fall asleep to every night. Well, anybody who has ever played a record player knows you can't fall asleep to a record because when the record ends, you have to pick up the needle and shut off the player.
And I know this is nitpicking, but these kind of details drive me crazy: our heroine (while in college) puts on a record (yes, on the record player) to fall asleep to every night. Well, anybody who has ever played a record player knows you can't fall asleep to a record because when the record ends, you have to pick up the needle and shut off the player.
November 2, 2018
I love this Elizabeth Berg’s writing style but this story just didn’t come together for me. I loved The Story of Arthur Truluv and I plan to read more from this author soon.
July 15, 2019
2.5 stars. A predictable, unrealistic story all tied up at the end with a pretty bow, but more like reading a too lengthy story one would find in a woman's magazine.
August 27, 2018
Cecilia Ross feels unmoored after the death of her best friend, Penney. Although Cecilia is motivational speaker, she is the one who needs advice now. She can imagine what Penney would say, and decides to make a big change in her life. She sells her house and most of her possessions, and moves into a large home with three housemates. The four women decide to take a road trip to see important people from their past, and resolve issues that keep them from living life fully.
The road trip is fun, and shows the importance of female friendship. The book had themes about making connections with others, and redefining oneself as one ages. I felt like I had to suspend disbelief sometimes since major life decisions were often made extremely quickly or with the help of Tarot cards. However, Elizabeth Berg is very skilled at writing about middle-aged women and their strengths, insecurities, dreams, and emotions. 3.5 stars.
The road trip is fun, and shows the importance of female friendship. The book had themes about making connections with others, and redefining oneself as one ages. I felt like I had to suspend disbelief sometimes since major life decisions were often made extremely quickly or with the help of Tarot cards. However, Elizabeth Berg is very skilled at writing about middle-aged women and their strengths, insecurities, dreams, and emotions. 3.5 stars.
May 21, 2013
Berg's lost her spark. Her last good book was Home Safe.
***
Main character is a motivational speaker who speaks in that motivational speaker lingo (Oprah! Tony Robbins!) and seriously consults tarot cards as a means of making big decisions. From the first couple of pages I'm already not clicking with this main character and not sure I want to spend a few hundred pages with her. (ugh)
Main character then chucks it all to move in with a group of women in a pretty house, perfectly appointed except for the garden which she can (yay!) transform into a meditation garden. (I didn't get this far, but other reviewers have said that when she puts her own house on the market, someone immediately buys the entire kit and caboodle, down to her canned goods, in one fail swoop. Riiiiight). (ugh)
The women in the house - each a stereotype/cliche. (ugh)
At this point, I looked at some good reads reviews to see if I was just being cranky (perhaps, always a valid criticism) but the reviews told me everything I needed to know because these four women - roommates - eventually embark on a road trip to revisit the past. How handy to have a motivational speaker along for the ride to help you work through those issues. (ugh ugh ugh).
Yeah, back to the library for this one. Thank goodness I didn't buy it.
A few of Elizabeth Berg's books are among my most favorite of all time, but something has turned with the most recent few and not in a good way. (ugh)
***
Main character is a motivational speaker who speaks in that motivational speaker lingo (Oprah! Tony Robbins!) and seriously consults tarot cards as a means of making big decisions. From the first couple of pages I'm already not clicking with this main character and not sure I want to spend a few hundred pages with her. (ugh)
Main character then chucks it all to move in with a group of women in a pretty house, perfectly appointed except for the garden which she can (yay!) transform into a meditation garden. (I didn't get this far, but other reviewers have said that when she puts her own house on the market, someone immediately buys the entire kit and caboodle, down to her canned goods, in one fail swoop. Riiiiight). (ugh)
The women in the house - each a stereotype/cliche. (ugh)
At this point, I looked at some good reads reviews to see if I was just being cranky (perhaps, always a valid criticism) but the reviews told me everything I needed to know because these four women - roommates - eventually embark on a road trip to revisit the past. How handy to have a motivational speaker along for the ride to help you work through those issues. (ugh ugh ugh).
Yeah, back to the library for this one. Thank goodness I didn't buy it.
A few of Elizabeth Berg's books are among my most favorite of all time, but something has turned with the most recent few and not in a good way. (ugh)
February 22, 2024
Her story of self-discovery, of reaching past what you know and are comfortable with, to searching for something even better.
May 9, 2015
Three and a half stars.
Elizabeth Berg has the knack of taking small moments and making them interesting, of making the ordinary seem somehow less so, while at the same time leaving the reader feel she can relate. Her books are filled with the minutiae of life. That said I wasn’t as enamoured of this book initially. But once I progressed a little and came to know the characters better, I enjoyed it. The characters are four very different women who end up sharing a house. So long as you accept this premise that they can get along living together and sharing their lives, you should enjoy this book.
Each has her own problems, sorrows and regrets. It is these and trying to rectify them that are at the core of this novel. Cecilia (Cece) is a motivational speaker better at giving advice than taking it herself. Lise is the divorced house owner where the women live. She has issues with her twenty year old daughter. Joni is a sous chef at a classy restaurant with a pig of a boss and Renie, has huge regrets from events on her teenage years. How the women bond in friendship and deal with their issues makes for an interesting read.
One thing I did like was when the women were talking about what is sexy. If only more of our writers and movie makers took notice of this! As Lise says,’ All the blatant sex these days isn’t sexy at all. Give me a guy pinning a corsage onto my shoulder just about my breast and then lingering there for just a moment.’ I also loved the way the romantic, sexy moments the women shared were a lightened with humour by Joni.
An entertaining read about friendship, lost love and choices that bring lasting consequences. Or do they?
Elizabeth Berg has the knack of taking small moments and making them interesting, of making the ordinary seem somehow less so, while at the same time leaving the reader feel she can relate. Her books are filled with the minutiae of life. That said I wasn’t as enamoured of this book initially. But once I progressed a little and came to know the characters better, I enjoyed it. The characters are four very different women who end up sharing a house. So long as you accept this premise that they can get along living together and sharing their lives, you should enjoy this book.
Each has her own problems, sorrows and regrets. It is these and trying to rectify them that are at the core of this novel. Cecilia (Cece) is a motivational speaker better at giving advice than taking it herself. Lise is the divorced house owner where the women live. She has issues with her twenty year old daughter. Joni is a sous chef at a classy restaurant with a pig of a boss and Renie, has huge regrets from events on her teenage years. How the women bond in friendship and deal with their issues makes for an interesting read.
One thing I did like was when the women were talking about what is sexy. If only more of our writers and movie makers took notice of this! As Lise says,’ All the blatant sex these days isn’t sexy at all. Give me a guy pinning a corsage onto my shoulder just about my breast and then lingering there for just a moment.’ I also loved the way the romantic, sexy moments the women shared were a lightened with humour by Joni.
An entertaining read about friendship, lost love and choices that bring lasting consequences. Or do they?
August 13, 2013
I must confess I didn't completely finish the book because I ultimately became disgusted with it. I enjoy chick lit, but not this kind. This was an almost by-the-numbers book. Take one middle-aged woman who has faced a life-changing crisis, have her remember the love that got away, decide to make major changes in her life and team up with other similiarly challenged women to face their life challengs together. And these women will have BIG challenges to overcome, not little ones. But they will be strong and awesome and WOMAN. I hope you can hear the sarcasm dripping from my comments because it is there. And the frosting on this particular cupcake? The main character uses tarot cards to find her way through life. And everyone else takes her completely seriously. All four women are very new agey and regret missing Woodstock and some marches on Washington. And I didn't even like them, any of them. They all felt like near charicatures rather than human beings. Blah. I see that Elizabeth Berg is a highly prolific author, but I won't be spending time with any of her other books.
May 5, 2013
Full disclosure: I am an Elizabeth Berg groupie. I don't think anyone under 45 can fully appreciate her. She taps into women - their relationships, friendships, and ordinary conversations like no one else does. Sarah Dessen for older women, is how I would characterize her novels, because the profundity of relationship and life is laid out there with a simple elegance.
Cece's best friend dies - this is not a spoiler, because what comes after is the heart and basis for the story. She is a motivational speaker which of course gives her the leg up on all the truisms of life, and there are many. Berg's characters are archetypes, and that allows her to give you these little gems as she writes. This one is done as a road trip, one on which I so wished I had been tagging along. Mother-daughter and male-female dynamics abound. Any woman at a crossroads will appreciate this story of people, women and men, making decisions on which way to go.
A great book for a book club of mostly women of a certain age, because there are many questions that could be posed relating to the what ifs, the would you have done thats, and the what would have you saids that are part and parcel of everyday life. All fodder for lively back and forth. But you must have food with the conversation, as it figures prominently in the story.
Read it and give yourself permission to be human. While I borrowed it from the library, I may just buy this for my Kindle so I can bookmark all the good stuff and ponder it once again.
Cece's best friend dies - this is not a spoiler, because what comes after is the heart and basis for the story. She is a motivational speaker which of course gives her the leg up on all the truisms of life, and there are many. Berg's characters are archetypes, and that allows her to give you these little gems as she writes. This one is done as a road trip, one on which I so wished I had been tagging along. Mother-daughter and male-female dynamics abound. Any woman at a crossroads will appreciate this story of people, women and men, making decisions on which way to go.
A great book for a book club of mostly women of a certain age, because there are many questions that could be posed relating to the what ifs, the would you have done thats, and the what would have you saids that are part and parcel of everyday life. All fodder for lively back and forth. But you must have food with the conversation, as it figures prominently in the story.
Read it and give yourself permission to be human. While I borrowed it from the library, I may just buy this for my Kindle so I can bookmark all the good stuff and ponder it once again.
April 12, 2013
I ordered it on Kindle the moment it was available. I hated the cover art, but I absolutely love Berg so I got past it (especially since I was reading on Kindle and didn't have to see it laying around my house like a doily in an elderly aunt's retirement home) As usual Berg explores the vagaries of life and death in a painstakingly truthful (especially from a woman's point of view)way, forcing the reader to say "yes" to herself every page or so. I read Berg for entertainment and for enlightenment but truth be told I read her for validation. A woman in her fifties loses her best friend to cancer. Not a new story, and perhaps not compelling told by anyone else - but Berg strips it naked, pulls it into the vortex of "Oh my God, who will I be now, who am I, what should I do, am I too fat, who will love me, should I quit my job, will I ever have another friend like this,what happened to my first lover, am I crazy to talk to a dead person, am I too fat, who will read the tarot cards with me now, am I too fat, who am I......" I love this vortex because we all fall into it once in a while and we all need to explore those queasy questions and look at our fortunes, past present and future. Berg does it with a stinging honesty and always, humor. Love her. This book, though, was really short (or is it just Kindle?) It almost felt like a novella. I know her so well that I knew when it was approaching the final laps and I thought to myself that it shouldn't be....and there it was, the finish line. They packaged it on Kindle with another book (Open House). I have to go to a book store or library and just look at the real thing and see if it's heft is lacking...
April 27, 2013
Two and a half Stars
One of the things I like best about spring is that all the new books by my favorite authors emerge. Elizabeth Berg is one of those. Her newest, Tapestry of Fortunes marks the first time I have ever been disappointed in her work. I had high hopes starting out but from early on I read with a feeling that something was just "off". The writing was fine. The characters might have been excellent, if any of them had been more fully developed. The plot line might have worked - given more time, background and context. Cecilia, an accomplished author and motivational speaker, who has recently lost her lifelong best friend decides to just chuck it all - home, career, lifestyle, and move in with a bunch of women she's never met before. They immediately bond and decide to go on a road trip to seek out the people in their pasts with whom they feel a need to reconnect. Huh? It seems a little far-fetched, given how little we know about any single one of them. We have all wondered what it might be like to go back and fix our worst mistakes. This book, sadly, does not give us any plausible answers. There is a sense that the author was trying to put too much into too small a space and, consequently, nothing was exactly right. Usually Berg manages to get it exactly right. Maybe next time.
One of the things I like best about spring is that all the new books by my favorite authors emerge. Elizabeth Berg is one of those. Her newest, Tapestry of Fortunes marks the first time I have ever been disappointed in her work. I had high hopes starting out but from early on I read with a feeling that something was just "off". The writing was fine. The characters might have been excellent, if any of them had been more fully developed. The plot line might have worked - given more time, background and context. Cecilia, an accomplished author and motivational speaker, who has recently lost her lifelong best friend decides to just chuck it all - home, career, lifestyle, and move in with a bunch of women she's never met before. They immediately bond and decide to go on a road trip to seek out the people in their pasts with whom they feel a need to reconnect. Huh? It seems a little far-fetched, given how little we know about any single one of them. We have all wondered what it might be like to go back and fix our worst mistakes. This book, sadly, does not give us any plausible answers. There is a sense that the author was trying to put too much into too small a space and, consequently, nothing was exactly right. Usually Berg manages to get it exactly right. Maybe next time.
June 10, 2015
Cece is a motivational speaker in her early 50s. There are elements of her life that she's not quite happy with - too much travel, never having married - but changing things up feels too hard. When her best friend Penny dies she is hit hard, but it spurs her on to make dramatic changes. She turns down further speaking opportunities, sells her house and moves into a house with three other women. The four will become immediate and close friends and over the course of this (short) book they will each address long held regrets in their lives. It's a feel good book about the power of friendship and how it's never too late to make changes in your life.
So a sweet book, and a quick and easy read, but it failed to resonate with me. It's the kind of book where everything happens too easily. Again and again, people abandon long-held principles after just one short conversation. Cece decides to sell her house and lo and behold! - a buyer turns up the very next day who wants to buy not just the house, but all the furniture too. Someone who doesn't like you is just hurting because of something that happened to them 20 years ago and if you can only get them to spill their secret - which they are longing to tell you and only you - they will be your lifelong friend. I felt like beating my head against a wall with the inanity of some of the plot elements. There were also parts that felt very dated, such as when Cece makes contact with a former flame but all of their correspondance is by post (which thankfully seems remarkably quick and efficient - if you wanted to tell someone you were arriving to see them tomorrow, would you really send them a postcard???).
Moreover, none of the central characters are fleshed out. We are just given little snippets about the way they dress, what they do or decorate their rooms in lieu of any character development. As a result, we don't particularly care for any of them. Their stories are interesting enough, but not involving in any way.
I didn't hate this book at all (and I loved the cover!), but it fell short for me of what it could have been.
So a sweet book, and a quick and easy read, but it failed to resonate with me. It's the kind of book where everything happens too easily. Again and again, people abandon long-held principles after just one short conversation. Cece decides to sell her house and lo and behold! - a buyer turns up the very next day who wants to buy not just the house, but all the furniture too. Someone who doesn't like you is just hurting because of something that happened to them 20 years ago and if you can only get them to spill their secret - which they are longing to tell you and only you - they will be your lifelong friend. I felt like beating my head against a wall with the inanity of some of the plot elements. There were also parts that felt very dated, such as when Cece makes contact with a former flame but all of their correspondance is by post (which thankfully seems remarkably quick and efficient - if you wanted to tell someone you were arriving to see them tomorrow, would you really send them a postcard???).
Moreover, none of the central characters are fleshed out. We are just given little snippets about the way they dress, what they do or decorate their rooms in lieu of any character development. As a result, we don't particularly care for any of them. Their stories are interesting enough, but not involving in any way.
I didn't hate this book at all (and I loved the cover!), but it fell short for me of what it could have been.
May 7, 2013
In this book, the writing is so down to earth and realistic, I could see and hear everything as if it were illustrated or on tv to see. While most of the plot lines were predictable, that was easily overlooked in the descriptiveness for me. I also liked the food talk throughout the book...yum! Enjoyable book, this one.
September 3, 2014
A couple of years ago, I went to hear Elizabeth Berg read from her latest novel. Someone asked her how she started writing and she said that she'd been a nurse before she became a writer. In both roles, she saw herself as providing comfort. Indeed, really bad stuff rarely happens in Berg's novels, or it happens off stage, or it has already happened and the story is about coming to terms with it, making peace with the past.
In Tapestry of Fortunes, a character makes up her mind to abandon her high-pressure job as a chef in a fancy restaurant to open a homey restaurant that serves comfort food. Another character connects with the daughter she abandoned at birth, a third gives her ex-husband a second chance and the main character ends up with her first love, whom she'd let go some twenty years before, inspired in part by her widowed mother's romance in an assisted living facility.
Yeah, it's all pretty implausible, but sometimes you want meat loaf and mashed potatoes, topped off by a nice slice of lemon meringue pie.
In Tapestry of Fortunes, a character makes up her mind to abandon her high-pressure job as a chef in a fancy restaurant to open a homey restaurant that serves comfort food. Another character connects with the daughter she abandoned at birth, a third gives her ex-husband a second chance and the main character ends up with her first love, whom she'd let go some twenty years before, inspired in part by her widowed mother's romance in an assisted living facility.
Yeah, it's all pretty implausible, but sometimes you want meat loaf and mashed potatoes, topped off by a nice slice of lemon meringue pie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2013
Perfect for the mood I'm in, day after the horrible Boston bombing. Needed a kind, sweet pick me up, an affirmation of hope, love and kindness. Berg delivers all things in beautiful prose in lovely settings. Things happen as you wish they would, not as life really is. The best kind of fantasy. Get so tired of reading books full of tortured souls making the same mistakes in life, never growing or taking chances. Berg's characters reach out with wide open hearts and arms for life to rush in and sweep them away. I love that. Never experienced it personally, but it's a wonderful dream to consider. Wish there were more books like this out there. If anyone knows of them, please let me know. I need many to fill the holes in my heart this week...
December 11, 2017
This is everything I dislike about chick lit. Cece needs to find a way beyond her deep grief over the death of her best friend. So, she quits her job, puts her house on the market which sells in a single day along with every can of food in the pantry, and sets out on a road trip with a group of women she just met. Each of them is on a pilgrimage to reconnect with someone from their past. Along the way, they encounter a number of people to whom they bring some bit of healing or light. In true chick lit fashion, the women become instant best friends, talk in non-stop pop psychology insights, find their own healing, and even, of course, romance. The only thing I liked about this book was that it was short.
March 13, 2013
I think it is hard to write women's fiction and to do it well, without crossing over the line into maudlin or melodramatic stereotypes. Berg is actually quite good at this, though in this one I felt she came awfully close. Her strength lies in her characters and these characters are what pulled her back, just slightly over the line. This is not, however, one of my favorites of hers, the plot seemed a bit cliche, but that said it will appeal to those who love Berg, regardless, such as myself.
ARC from publisher.
ARC from publisher.
April 28, 2013
Is it possible to reinvent ourselves at a late stage of life?
When Cecilia Ross (Cece), a motivational speaker and writer of self-help books, loses her best friend Penny to death, she is at that point in her life when nothing seems worthwhile any longer. And then one day she receives a postcard from Dennis, the love of her life, someone she has not seen in many years. And he's back in the states.
What an opportunity, Cece thinks. If she can find the courage. Is it possible to find each other again?
Almost as if she is guided by Penny, Cece decides to sell her house and finds another home where she can rent a room. She has been considering this possibility for awhile, so she takes that leap of faith. Her new roommates are of varied ages, and for some reason, they all fall into a comfortable compatibility. As they all begin to share with one another, there is a realization.
Each of them has someone they want to reconnect with, so a road trip is in order.
"Tapestry of Fortunes: A Novel" is a wonderful read that reminded me of all the lost moments in my own life, and also served as a beacon of how hope, faith, and a special kind of courage can lead us where we need to go.
My favorite parts of any Berg novel are how she brings the characters and settings to life. I could visualize the people and the rooms in the big house where the women came together in their newly reinvented lives. And then again, I could see Cece, near the end, as she began again. I like this sentiment that seems to sum up the journey:
"Now I look again at the people gathered in my backyard, feeling a deep appreciation for the events that brought us all together: We are a convergence of fates, a tapestry of fortunes in colors both somber and bright, each contributing equally to the Whole."
I am never disappointed by any book that brings out those real-life moments we all experience sooner or later. And I revel in them. Five stars.
When Cecilia Ross (Cece), a motivational speaker and writer of self-help books, loses her best friend Penny to death, she is at that point in her life when nothing seems worthwhile any longer. And then one day she receives a postcard from Dennis, the love of her life, someone she has not seen in many years. And he's back in the states.
What an opportunity, Cece thinks. If she can find the courage. Is it possible to find each other again?
Almost as if she is guided by Penny, Cece decides to sell her house and finds another home where she can rent a room. She has been considering this possibility for awhile, so she takes that leap of faith. Her new roommates are of varied ages, and for some reason, they all fall into a comfortable compatibility. As they all begin to share with one another, there is a realization.
Each of them has someone they want to reconnect with, so a road trip is in order.
"Tapestry of Fortunes: A Novel" is a wonderful read that reminded me of all the lost moments in my own life, and also served as a beacon of how hope, faith, and a special kind of courage can lead us where we need to go.
My favorite parts of any Berg novel are how she brings the characters and settings to life. I could visualize the people and the rooms in the big house where the women came together in their newly reinvented lives. And then again, I could see Cece, near the end, as she began again. I like this sentiment that seems to sum up the journey:
"Now I look again at the people gathered in my backyard, feeling a deep appreciation for the events that brought us all together: We are a convergence of fates, a tapestry of fortunes in colors both somber and bright, each contributing equally to the Whole."
I am never disappointed by any book that brings out those real-life moments we all experience sooner or later. And I revel in them. Five stars.
July 18, 2013
Well. I love, LOVE Elizabeth Berg and have read every one of her books, which is kind of a lot. But dare I say, with this one I think she is on auto-pilot...or at least cruise control. But, heck, I would be too if I were her. The pieces fall into place way too fast for the main character to be believable, even for a work of light chick-lit fiction. So then I couldn't even see the housemates as friends, let alone a new pseudo-family the way Berg seemed to want to make them. They were strangers! Give me a break! Plus for a 2 hour road trip, they sure made a lot of stops--hokey, cliche ones at that--which must have had them stopping the car every 10 minutes. And don't even get me started on Dennis...the bit about his last minute trip to Paris and the key?! Whatever. I will say that one of my favorite parts of the book was the description of his mother's house. THAT was good, and the Berg that I love. Michael and his wedding--ugh. The whole tarot-rune-Ouija thing was super-silly, too. But I gave it 3 stars because I love Elizabeth Berg and would rather be reading her than just about anyone...I hope for her next book she is a bit more engaged. Even though she has totally earned the right to "cruise" through her books, I hope it is not the start of a new style or something for her.
P.S. Totally meaningless but gave me huge smile--Berg writes that Cece put on Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys to go work in the garden. I NEVER have heard a reference to him in a book and was happy because I love listening to him. His old stomping grounds are my home town; he isn't on too many peoples' radar.
P.S. Totally meaningless but gave me huge smile--Berg writes that Cece put on Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys to go work in the garden. I NEVER have heard a reference to him in a book and was happy because I love listening to him. His old stomping grounds are my home town; he isn't on too many peoples' radar.
June 7, 2013
Color me gray
that's how I felt reading Tapestry of Fortunes. and about the main character Cecelia (CeCe) Ross who is a Motivational speaker and self help author.
When I think of a motivational speaker and self help author the first things that come to mind about the person are
outgoing
a risk taker
someone who has vocal power and energy
they are doers not followers.
CeCe to me is none of these things.
We are made to believe that she has traveled the world inspiring people to do the things she herself has put off or is timid to do herself. I don’t think she could motivate a person to take their head out of a plastic bag! Reading the book I also felt that she had a very monotone voice. I was bored by her, She was hesitant to do or try things, until she was guilted into it by the death of her best friend. Yes she did take a small road trip in her 50’s and with four woman she just met and moved in with. I thought the book would pick up then and to be fair it did somewhat but it also fell flat I wanted to hear more about the other woman, and it just didn’t get there.
By the end of the book I felt that it did not ring true.
that's how I felt reading Tapestry of Fortunes. and about the main character Cecelia (CeCe) Ross who is a Motivational speaker and self help author.
When I think of a motivational speaker and self help author the first things that come to mind about the person are
outgoing
a risk taker
someone who has vocal power and energy
they are doers not followers.
CeCe to me is none of these things.
We are made to believe that she has traveled the world inspiring people to do the things she herself has put off or is timid to do herself. I don’t think she could motivate a person to take their head out of a plastic bag! Reading the book I also felt that she had a very monotone voice. I was bored by her, She was hesitant to do or try things, until she was guilted into it by the death of her best friend. Yes she did take a small road trip in her 50’s and with four woman she just met and moved in with. I thought the book would pick up then and to be fair it did somewhat but it also fell flat I wanted to hear more about the other woman, and it just didn’t get there.
By the end of the book I felt that it did not ring true.
July 1, 2016
OK, so I lied. I did not finish reading this book. All I can say is thank goodness for my Kindle and my public library, because not only did I get the ebook for free, it will be returned without my having to actually do it. This was a record set, I have never returned a book in under an hour.
This book had an interesting premise. But....can you say "unrealistic"? I don't know any grown woman, especially one who has lived alone for years, who would sell their house and move into a new one with 3 strangers. Not that she needs to save money, either, apparently she's loaded. She's a touring, book selling motivational speaker. And these women aren't simply sharing a house. There are RULES. Homemade sit together dinners, and everyone takes turns. No overnight guests. WTF? Really? And the lesbian "Renie" is so obnoxious I'd have slapped her before I told them "No thanks".
I love a good chick novel. Cece's divinations for answers to life's questions and her journey to find happiness with herself should have been more interesting.I love the runes, the tarot cards, the questions about life and death. But this book just didn't do it for me.
This book had an interesting premise. But....can you say "unrealistic"? I don't know any grown woman, especially one who has lived alone for years, who would sell their house and move into a new one with 3 strangers. Not that she needs to save money, either, apparently she's loaded. She's a touring, book selling motivational speaker. And these women aren't simply sharing a house. There are RULES. Homemade sit together dinners, and everyone takes turns. No overnight guests. WTF? Really? And the lesbian "Renie" is so obnoxious I'd have slapped her before I told them "No thanks".
I love a good chick novel. Cece's divinations for answers to life's questions and her journey to find happiness with herself should have been more interesting.I love the runes, the tarot cards, the questions about life and death. But this book just didn't do it for me.
August 1, 2013
I listened to this on audio. I highly recommend you avoid the audio version and read the book. The narrator has a very distinctive voice. The main characters are all women and the narrator doesn't chnge tempo, pitch, or tone for the chnage in charcters. I'm not sure what the director was thinking but the narrator read this book with great enthusiasm and a lot of exclamation points.
Now on to the book. I love books that feature female friendships. My female friends have been one of the greatest joys in my life. This book really doesn't add anything to the genre. There is no real special moments or characters that stood out. It was all rather ordinary.
Now on to the book. I love books that feature female friendships. My female friends have been one of the greatest joys in my life. This book really doesn't add anything to the genre. There is no real special moments or characters that stood out. It was all rather ordinary.
February 2, 2013
Elizabeth Berg’s latest novel is a disappointingly lightweight read. While the loss of a close friend, regrets about past relationships, estrangement from children, and the hospice experience are serious enough in themselves, I thought they were given generally superficial treatment here.
Cece, the main character and a motivational/inspirational speaker and author, is propelled by the death of BFF Penny to stop putting off what would give her the greatest joy -- advice Penny has been spouting for years. So Cece decides, for starters, to take a break from her job and to change her residence. Now comes what I'd call fantasy: within hours of meeting a real estate agent Cece sells her house and most of her furnishings with it, finds the perfect room in a large home housing three other women, bonds with them almost immediately -- even the one who can be blunt, skeptical, and cynical, works wonders with the sad gardens, and in short order plans a road trip to see a long-ago lover and is quickly joined by the other three women who are suddenly motivated (and available!) to do some searching themselves.
Along the way we’re treated to a good deal of “wisdom,” that which Cece shares in her talks as well as what is found in various fortune-telling devices Cece indulges in when at a crossroads in her life. It just feels like so many platitudes. (And is it consistent to deliver wisdom and encouragement to others in a professional capacity yet seek answers for oneself in the I Ching?)
Also, we don’t really get close to the characters. What we more or less know about each is her profession and one secret from her past or a present unfulfilled yearning. It’s not enough to care whether or not the women find what they’re looking for.
In many other Berg novels I have appreciated the wisdom, liked the characters, and enjoyed the plot, but this one just didn’t do much for me.
Cece, the main character and a motivational/inspirational speaker and author, is propelled by the death of BFF Penny to stop putting off what would give her the greatest joy -- advice Penny has been spouting for years. So Cece decides, for starters, to take a break from her job and to change her residence. Now comes what I'd call fantasy: within hours of meeting a real estate agent Cece sells her house and most of her furnishings with it, finds the perfect room in a large home housing three other women, bonds with them almost immediately -- even the one who can be blunt, skeptical, and cynical, works wonders with the sad gardens, and in short order plans a road trip to see a long-ago lover and is quickly joined by the other three women who are suddenly motivated (and available!) to do some searching themselves.
Along the way we’re treated to a good deal of “wisdom,” that which Cece shares in her talks as well as what is found in various fortune-telling devices Cece indulges in when at a crossroads in her life. It just feels like so many platitudes. (And is it consistent to deliver wisdom and encouragement to others in a professional capacity yet seek answers for oneself in the I Ching?)
Also, we don’t really get close to the characters. What we more or less know about each is her profession and one secret from her past or a present unfulfilled yearning. It’s not enough to care whether or not the women find what they’re looking for.
In many other Berg novels I have appreciated the wisdom, liked the characters, and enjoyed the plot, but this one just didn’t do much for me.
April 20, 2013
I always look forward to a new book from Elizabeth Berg. That said, I found this one a little less compelling than some of her earlier books. When motivational Cecilia Ross loses her best friend and next door neighbor Penny, eventually she realizes the time has come for something new. She goes on hiatus from her career and sells her home. To her own amazement, she has decided to become a renter, sharing an old house with three other women in funky Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The four women become close, and soon they all decide to take a road trip. That development strained credibility in the sense that they all conveniently at least three of them have unfinished business from the past that conveniently fits into the same time frame and trip route. Especially because one of them is a doctor, this all just seemed too pat. Cecelia's unfinished business involves an old boyfriend with soul mate potential. All the women make progress on their problems. Yet I have to say, Berg always provides moments when her female characters have believable miniature epiphanies. In this novel, they often come when Cecilia speaks with the spirit of Penny, who "tells" her: "The best things in life have no hard evidence to support them. Hope. Faith Love." Cecilia also heals her heart ache over the loss of Penny by volunteering at a hospice, where she makes an immediate connection with a young man, reading him poetry and talking to him about love and life.
Everything wraps up easily so there are lots of happy endings. These characters never became believably real for me, but I did enjoy spending time in their company.
The four women become close, and soon they all decide to take a road trip. That development strained credibility in the sense that they all conveniently at least three of them have unfinished business from the past that conveniently fits into the same time frame and trip route. Especially because one of them is a doctor, this all just seemed too pat. Cecelia's unfinished business involves an old boyfriend with soul mate potential. All the women make progress on their problems. Yet I have to say, Berg always provides moments when her female characters have believable miniature epiphanies. In this novel, they often come when Cecilia speaks with the spirit of Penny, who "tells" her: "The best things in life have no hard evidence to support them. Hope. Faith Love." Cecilia also heals her heart ache over the loss of Penny by volunteering at a hospice, where she makes an immediate connection with a young man, reading him poetry and talking to him about love and life.
Everything wraps up easily so there are lots of happy endings. These characters never became believably real for me, but I did enjoy spending time in their company.
September 26, 2013
I really thought this was a 4.5. Yes, it was a love story. Yes, it explored death, change, relationships and other interesting themes. But, you are constantly saturated with the fundamental life issues...love and fear. The writing is brilliant, the characters are full-blown and open to the reader. In mid-life, motivational speaker, CeCe Ross is mourning the death or her best friend, Penny and struggling with where she is going in life. As she mulls over the things that Penny had been urging her to change about her life, things suddenly become clearer. In a rash move, she sells her house and most of its contents and moves in with three other women...a doctor, a chef and a columnists who answers questions from readers. The fit is good and as they settle in and CeCe plans a road trip, they all decide to join her. By the time they leave, the trip is routed so that three of the four will try to reunite with people from their pasts...CeCe with a love she let go, Lise with her ex-husband, and Renie with a child she gave up for adoption. Chef, Joni, has just quit after verbal abuse from her boss at a fancy restaurant...she is trying to figure out her next move. The story line is simple and rather straight-forward and sprinkled with ups and downs, but the thrust of their thoughts, and interactions is powerful. Well worth the read.
May 3, 2015
I love when I read a book and it is the "right book at the right time". This has happened numerous times for me with Elizabeth Berg novels.
Tapestry of Fortunes has a great cast of characters and all are dealing with crossroads in their lives; facing fears, choosing to live honestly, doing something radically different that pushes you to cross a line into new territory in life and SO much more. I will be reading this book again and soon!
I don't agree with/believe in fortune-telling, but that did not in any wy keep me from finding Tapestry of Fortunes a great story by a phenomenal storyteller, as well as finding it challenging me at this time in my own life.
Thank you SO much, Elizabeth Berg!!
Tapestry of Fortunes has a great cast of characters and all are dealing with crossroads in their lives; facing fears, choosing to live honestly, doing something radically different that pushes you to cross a line into new territory in life and SO much more. I will be reading this book again and soon!
I don't agree with/believe in fortune-telling, but that did not in any wy keep me from finding Tapestry of Fortunes a great story by a phenomenal storyteller, as well as finding it challenging me at this time in my own life.
Thank you SO much, Elizabeth Berg!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,979 reviews