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The Arrivals
Two empty nesters living a quiet life have their lives changed overnight as each of their children returns home to recover under the guidance of their parents in this story of relationships and familial connections.
It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood -- only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family -- and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.
It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood -- only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family -- and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 25, 2011
630 people are currently reading
4478 people want to read
About the author
Meg Mitchell Moore
12 books1,902 followersMeg Mitchell Moore is the author of eight novels. Her ninth, MANSION BEACH, will be published in May 2025. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and whichever of her three high school- and college-aged daughters is home, as well two golden retrievers who shed a lot and don't read at all.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
April 27, 2011
Family dynamics fascinate me so the premise for The Arrivals sounded good. All the adult children returning home at the same time and all in some sort of crisis. The problem was that not one of these characters is at all likeable. Well, except maybe William. The rest are whiny, complaining, selfish people. I finished it, hoping these characters might grow on me. Sorry, no.
Predictably, they all resolve their particular issues and everyone goes their separate ways, leaving William and Ginny empty nesters once more. But by the time that happened, I didn't care.
People will call it real or endearing or fresh, but for me it was a story that sounded promising but ultimately couldn't deliver.
Predictably, they all resolve their particular issues and everyone goes their separate ways, leaving William and Ginny empty nesters once more. But by the time that happened, I didn't care.
People will call it real or endearing or fresh, but for me it was a story that sounded promising but ultimately couldn't deliver.
January 18, 2014
Ginny and William are empty nesters or so they thought. But then suddenly Lillian, who has left her husband after infidelity arrives on the scene with her two young children. Then Stephen and his pregnant and ambitious wife Jane arrive for what starts out to be a short visit and ends up so much more and then the youngest Rachel arrives.
This is a novel about marriage and family dynamics. It does raise a lot of issues about parenting, grand parenting, marriage and attitudes of society. The character I identified most strongly with in this novel was Ginny and thought the adult children were all essentially selfish with little regard for anything or anyone but their own problems. It made me glad I do not have a family like this.
Personally I could have done without the blasphemy but it may not worry other people. I thought a lot of the problems in this family could have been solved with some honest conversations earlier in the piece and I did question the structure of a marriage where the husband gives a sizable amount of money to one daughter without his wife’s knowledge. But again. Maybe that’s the way some other marriages work.
So while I found it an enjoyable read, it was one where I got frustrated at times with the characters and people’s inability to say ‘No’ when needed.
This is a novel about marriage and family dynamics. It does raise a lot of issues about parenting, grand parenting, marriage and attitudes of society. The character I identified most strongly with in this novel was Ginny and thought the adult children were all essentially selfish with little regard for anything or anyone but their own problems. It made me glad I do not have a family like this.
Personally I could have done without the blasphemy but it may not worry other people. I thought a lot of the problems in this family could have been solved with some honest conversations earlier in the piece and I did question the structure of a marriage where the husband gives a sizable amount of money to one daughter without his wife’s knowledge. But again. Maybe that’s the way some other marriages work.
So while I found it an enjoyable read, it was one where I got frustrated at times with the characters and people’s inability to say ‘No’ when needed.
April 16, 2012
If you want to read a book that talks about breastfeeding and the life cycles of being a SAHM, then this is the book for you. If you prefer books with compelling dialogue and interesting people, this is not the book for you.
The best word for this book is vapid - the characters, the conversations, the situations, the solutions, everything about this book is flat and dull.You might be wondering why this is a 2 star book instead of a 1 star, based on my review. Quite simply, it was actually readable. I needed something to read, the book wasn't so horrible that reading it was intolerable and I finished it and I generally reserve 1 star for books that I can't make myself finish.
The best word for this book is vapid - the characters, the conversations, the situations, the solutions, everything about this book is flat and dull.You might be wondering why this is a 2 star book instead of a 1 star, based on my review. Quite simply, it was actually readable. I needed something to read, the book wasn't so horrible that reading it was intolerable and I finished it and I generally reserve 1 star for books that I can't make myself finish.
May 31, 2011
Loved this one, here's my favorite part of the book...
"Because they're my life's work." says Ginny, the mother of three adult children who all wind up coming home for one reason or another.
"If they're not happy-if they're not capable of living on their own, and being happy-it means I've failed."
"This is what I've done with my life. They're my masterpiece, and they're broken."
I couldn't have said it better myself...this is exactly what I'm always thinking.
"Because they're my life's work." says Ginny, the mother of three adult children who all wind up coming home for one reason or another.
"If they're not happy-if they're not capable of living on their own, and being happy-it means I've failed."
"This is what I've done with my life. They're my masterpiece, and they're broken."
I couldn't have said it better myself...this is exactly what I'm always thinking.
August 10, 2012
It was ok. I think the author spent a lot of time trying to make the dialogue between the characters sound ordinary and natural. But it just seemed like it was choppy and unnatural and too much.
Ended poorly and was predictable and left me wondering why some of the characters were even part of the story, because they weren't. The whole storyline with the priest was unnecessary.
Ended poorly and was predictable and left me wondering why some of the characters were even part of the story, because they weren't. The whole storyline with the priest was unnecessary.
June 22, 2019
Even though I became engrossed in this one, I didn't love the story. As "messy" as the family proclaimed to be, they were frightfully stereotypical in their issues: from the retired, bewildered mother, Ginny, who "didn't have choices" and can't fathom the life decisions her children are facing; to the eldest, Lillian, who's elected to become a stay-at-home mom, her husband who's just cheated (very uncreatively) with his secretary; to Stephen who has agreed with his wife, Jane, that he will be a househusband (something that's apparently deeply wrong and shocking for reasons I cannot fathom; she makes 4x his salary; why wouldn't he stay home if one of them is going to? How else did his parents think they were going to continue paying the mortgage on a Tribeca loft?); and finally to the youngest, Rachel, on the brink of 30, stymied in love, career and finances, struggling to make ends meet.
These are definitely the bemoanings of white New Hampshire people with white people problems. Sometimes I don't mind books about those if there's something more honest or more delicious in the plot; "The Arrivals" just felt tedious. None of this is new, and Moore fails to put polish on tired issues. Yes, this is supposed to be 2008, but the book was published in 2012 and by 2019 this already feels very dated. Haven't we been having this conversation for the past 10 or 15 years? You could copy-paste these characters and plop them down into any piece of chick-lit, early 2000s sitcom, or Starbucks, press play, and wait for the laugh track to begin.
My second issue is with Moore's writing. Don't get me wrong - it's good. But her dialogue is irritating. Every conversation is annoying. I get that it seeks to be authentic in that every character is distracted, repeats questions, and generally can't express themselves very intelligently on the spot, but none of the conversations really help further the story. She also has a wordiness that's grating, small, overconscientious fussiness that makes sentences three times longer than they need to be:
She could not, from the center of the chair, reach both arms, and her attempt to do so made her feel as small and helpless as a child.
She could, after some reflection, imagine the chair in her sister Lillian's home, which was a stately four-bedroom near Boston...
There are at least one thousand "of courses" throughout (this is just a sample from one page spread): "As maid of honor it was her job, of course, to plan and execute the shower..." / "Not that Whitney's ring was exactly new, of course" / "She had thought, of course, that she would share the home with Marcus
Bottom line is that Meg Mitchell Moore is a good writer. She just needs something more original to write about. This book is obviously a labor of love, but it will appeal to a very narrow and privileged set of readers.
These are definitely the bemoanings of white New Hampshire people with white people problems. Sometimes I don't mind books about those if there's something more honest or more delicious in the plot; "The Arrivals" just felt tedious. None of this is new, and Moore fails to put polish on tired issues. Yes, this is supposed to be 2008, but the book was published in 2012 and by 2019 this already feels very dated. Haven't we been having this conversation for the past 10 or 15 years? You could copy-paste these characters and plop them down into any piece of chick-lit, early 2000s sitcom, or Starbucks, press play, and wait for the laugh track to begin.
My second issue is with Moore's writing. Don't get me wrong - it's good. But her dialogue is irritating. Every conversation is annoying. I get that it seeks to be authentic in that every character is distracted, repeats questions, and generally can't express themselves very intelligently on the spot, but none of the conversations really help further the story. She also has a wordiness that's grating, small, overconscientious fussiness that makes sentences three times longer than they need to be:
She could not, from the center of the chair, reach both arms, and her attempt to do so made her feel as small and helpless as a child.
She could, after some reflection, imagine the chair in her sister Lillian's home, which was a stately four-bedroom near Boston...
There are at least one thousand "of courses" throughout (this is just a sample from one page spread): "As maid of honor it was her job, of course, to plan and execute the shower..." / "Not that Whitney's ring was exactly new, of course" / "She had thought, of course, that she would share the home with Marcus
Bottom line is that Meg Mitchell Moore is a good writer. She just needs something more original to write about. This book is obviously a labor of love, but it will appeal to a very narrow and privileged set of readers.
August 6, 2019
Rounded up from 4.75/5
Anyone who’s been following my blog for a few years must know by now that one of my guilty pleasure is women’s (or domestic) fiction. I find it so satisfying to read a passage that validates my thoughts and feelings, whether it be about marriage, parenthood, or grief. Narrated from multiple points-of-view, Meg Mitchell Moore’s debut novel is a hit! It’s the kind of novel I can’t wait to return to at the end of the day, but hate to read too quickly, especially since there’s no backlist of titles on which to catch-up. My book was full of marked passages and on several occasion, I found myself nodding my head in agreement.
On empty nesting:
In the moment, you were often too tired to enjoy watching your children turn into people. It was such a busy time, so demanding. There was always somebody with a science project due the next day, always a lesson or a practice to get to, always a meal to cook or a stray mitten to find.
And then suddenly everyone had cleared out, flung themselves into the big world, two of them to New York City, Lillian to Massachusetts, calling, sure, e-mailing often, even visiting, but they were gone, truly gone, replaced by the silence—beautiful and blessed, of course, but still, sometimes, she had to admit, strange and unnatural.
On adult children:
“I’m going up to get my stuff,” said Lillian. She leaned down. William thought it was to kiss the baby but instead she kissed him, a cool, unexpected whisper on his cheek that was over so quickly he barely had time to register it. He didn’t acknowledge it—he looked steadily down at Philip’s unblinking gaze—but he felt his heart lift slightly. It was funny, the way your adult children could both delight and annoy you in the very same ways that they had when they had been actual children. He wouldn’t have predicted that particular truth of parenting, thirty years ago.
On family:
While they talked, Ginny looked out at the lake and let her thoughts float and settle, trying to put her finger on what it was she was feeling, where this sense of peace and fulfillment was coming from. And while she couldn’t articulate it exactly, she thought that probably the presence of all of the people in her house—all these different creatures, with their hungers and their desires and their moods and their love—was allowing her to feel necessary, to feel loved and embraced again, in a way that she hadn’t realized she’d stopped feeling. Hadn’t realized she’d been missing.
Now suddenly it didn’t matter much to her why Lillian and Philip and Olivia and Stephen and Jane and Rachel were there. It didn’t matter how long they were going to stay. It only mattered that they were there.
On adult daughters:
“Bye, sweetie,” Lillian said to Olivia, who had her thumb in her mouth and did not look away from the television screen. To Ginny she said, “He’ll sleep the whole time, I’m sure of it.” She leaned into Ginny and hugged her, and Ginny had to work at not holding onto her too long, because after all it was delicious to have her daughter, however briefly, in her grasp.
On motherhood:
“Why are you taking it so personally?”
She thought about that. Then she took a deep breath and touched her hair. She didn’t look directly at William when she answered, because she thought that if she did she might begin to cry.
“Because they’re my life’s work.”
He remained silent, watching her, listening.
“If they’re not happy—if they’re not capable of living on their own, and being happy—it means I’ve failed. I should take it personally.”
“Oh, Ginny.” He reached across the table and laid his hand on her cheek. She pressed it in closer.
“This is it,” she said. “I’m sixty-three years old. This is what I’ve done with my life. They’re my masterpiece, and they’re broken.”
Fans of Anna Quindlen, Marisa de los Santos, Lisa Genova, and Erica Bauermeister will not be disappointed with Moore’s perceptive and uplifting novel. I think it would make a marvelous book club read, especially one with multi-generational members.
Anyone who’s been following my blog for a few years must know by now that one of my guilty pleasure is women’s (or domestic) fiction. I find it so satisfying to read a passage that validates my thoughts and feelings, whether it be about marriage, parenthood, or grief. Narrated from multiple points-of-view, Meg Mitchell Moore’s debut novel is a hit! It’s the kind of novel I can’t wait to return to at the end of the day, but hate to read too quickly, especially since there’s no backlist of titles on which to catch-up. My book was full of marked passages and on several occasion, I found myself nodding my head in agreement.
On empty nesting:
In the moment, you were often too tired to enjoy watching your children turn into people. It was such a busy time, so demanding. There was always somebody with a science project due the next day, always a lesson or a practice to get to, always a meal to cook or a stray mitten to find.
And then suddenly everyone had cleared out, flung themselves into the big world, two of them to New York City, Lillian to Massachusetts, calling, sure, e-mailing often, even visiting, but they were gone, truly gone, replaced by the silence—beautiful and blessed, of course, but still, sometimes, she had to admit, strange and unnatural.
On adult children:
“I’m going up to get my stuff,” said Lillian. She leaned down. William thought it was to kiss the baby but instead she kissed him, a cool, unexpected whisper on his cheek that was over so quickly he barely had time to register it. He didn’t acknowledge it—he looked steadily down at Philip’s unblinking gaze—but he felt his heart lift slightly. It was funny, the way your adult children could both delight and annoy you in the very same ways that they had when they had been actual children. He wouldn’t have predicted that particular truth of parenting, thirty years ago.
On family:
While they talked, Ginny looked out at the lake and let her thoughts float and settle, trying to put her finger on what it was she was feeling, where this sense of peace and fulfillment was coming from. And while she couldn’t articulate it exactly, she thought that probably the presence of all of the people in her house—all these different creatures, with their hungers and their desires and their moods and their love—was allowing her to feel necessary, to feel loved and embraced again, in a way that she hadn’t realized she’d stopped feeling. Hadn’t realized she’d been missing.
Now suddenly it didn’t matter much to her why Lillian and Philip and Olivia and Stephen and Jane and Rachel were there. It didn’t matter how long they were going to stay. It only mattered that they were there.
On adult daughters:
“Bye, sweetie,” Lillian said to Olivia, who had her thumb in her mouth and did not look away from the television screen. To Ginny she said, “He’ll sleep the whole time, I’m sure of it.” She leaned into Ginny and hugged her, and Ginny had to work at not holding onto her too long, because after all it was delicious to have her daughter, however briefly, in her grasp.
On motherhood:
“Why are you taking it so personally?”
She thought about that. Then she took a deep breath and touched her hair. She didn’t look directly at William when she answered, because she thought that if she did she might begin to cry.
“Because they’re my life’s work.”
He remained silent, watching her, listening.
“If they’re not happy—if they’re not capable of living on their own, and being happy—it means I’ve failed. I should take it personally.”
“Oh, Ginny.” He reached across the table and laid his hand on her cheek. She pressed it in closer.
“This is it,” she said. “I’m sixty-three years old. This is what I’ve done with my life. They’re my masterpiece, and they’re broken.”
Fans of Anna Quindlen, Marisa de los Santos, Lisa Genova, and Erica Bauermeister will not be disappointed with Moore’s perceptive and uplifting novel. I think it would make a marvelous book club read, especially one with multi-generational members.
June 30, 2011
I really loved this book. There's no tragic or terrible event, it's just a story about a family, and yet it manages to be so entertaining because her characters are so well developed. Not only are they vivid, but they're also observant, smart, sensitive to one another--traits I think most people do have but few authors do the work of exploring. At different points certain characters act foolishly, but they come to their senses and that's what life's all about. The concept of parents worrying about their kids as adults as much (if in a different way) as when the kids were little really rang true for me. A poignant, feel good book, but with depth, and without ever becoming corny or easy.
October 12, 2018
I enjoy books like this on occasion-the cover is so lovely too-so New Englandish! I like reading about family relationships and dynamics. Maybe the individuals were a bit self absorbed and pouty, but being the oldest of four, I understand how we are different in our grownup lives than we are in our sibling and parental relationships on those rare occasions when we are all together again-we tend to easily fall back into those roles.
August 2, 2022
This is summer ChickLit with a big ol' helpin' of whining and complaining. Enough already!
Written by Meg Mitchell Moore, this is the story of William and Ginny, sixty-somethings who are happily retired in Burlington, Vermont on the shores of picturesque Lake Champlain and still living in the home in which they raised their three children. Those three now-grown kids each have problems they think are so insurmountable that they rush home to Mom and Dad. But here's the weird part: The kids show up on the doorstep one-by-one, but it takes seemingly forever for each of them to actually reveal to the others why they are there and why they are suffering so.
• Lillian is living in a beautiful home near Boston with husband Tom and their two children Oliva, 3, and Phillip, three months. The home is decorated from the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog. Soon after baby Phillip's birth, Tom has a drunken one-night stand with his very young secretary at an out-of-control office party, and of course someone immediately calls Lillian to squeal. In a fit of anger, she flees with the kids, yelling at Tom not to contact her—ever again.
• Stephen, a mediocre freelance editor lives in a tony New York City loft apartment with his MBA-credentialed wife, Jane, who makes the big bucks. Jane is pregnant and very moody, so Stephen decides the best way to cheer her up is to whisk her off to his family's home for a long weekend. This is puzzling because Jane and Ginny are like oil and water. THIS is going to cheer up the moody pregnant wife? But then there is a medical emergency, and Jane is ordered to bedrest in Vermont for 10 weeks.
• Rachel, who just broke up with her live-in boyfriend because he won't marry her, is failing at her job as a casting agent for one reason only: She has given up trying. Meanwhile, she can't afford the rent on her New York City apartment since the boyfriend walked out. Instead of trying to make the job work out, she flees to Vermont in emotional and financial distress.
That's the set-up. Everyone is home in Vermont in a house that isn't big enough for all of them. Chaos ensues. There is much rage and resentment. The problems take a long, long, long time to come to light before they resolve, which only happens because Ginny and William finally have had enough and force the "kids" to act like the adults they are. (But first they blame themselves that their children are so unhappy. Sigh.)
What bothered me the most about the book—in addition to nothing happening except a lot of noise and laundry—was the unrealistic expectations and actions of every character. They are all wrapped up in their own little world and can't see past themselves to reach out and help the ones they love the most. Instead, they just whine and complain. I had little patience for the characters because they were ALL so selfish, spoiled, and entitled. The result? A boring book.
Written by Meg Mitchell Moore, this is the story of William and Ginny, sixty-somethings who are happily retired in Burlington, Vermont on the shores of picturesque Lake Champlain and still living in the home in which they raised their three children. Those three now-grown kids each have problems they think are so insurmountable that they rush home to Mom and Dad. But here's the weird part: The kids show up on the doorstep one-by-one, but it takes seemingly forever for each of them to actually reveal to the others why they are there and why they are suffering so.
• Lillian is living in a beautiful home near Boston with husband Tom and their two children Oliva, 3, and Phillip, three months. The home is decorated from the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog. Soon after baby Phillip's birth, Tom has a drunken one-night stand with his very young secretary at an out-of-control office party, and of course someone immediately calls Lillian to squeal. In a fit of anger, she flees with the kids, yelling at Tom not to contact her—ever again.
• Stephen, a mediocre freelance editor lives in a tony New York City loft apartment with his MBA-credentialed wife, Jane, who makes the big bucks. Jane is pregnant and very moody, so Stephen decides the best way to cheer her up is to whisk her off to his family's home for a long weekend. This is puzzling because Jane and Ginny are like oil and water. THIS is going to cheer up the moody pregnant wife? But then there is a medical emergency, and Jane is ordered to bedrest in Vermont for 10 weeks.
• Rachel, who just broke up with her live-in boyfriend because he won't marry her, is failing at her job as a casting agent for one reason only: She has given up trying. Meanwhile, she can't afford the rent on her New York City apartment since the boyfriend walked out. Instead of trying to make the job work out, she flees to Vermont in emotional and financial distress.
That's the set-up. Everyone is home in Vermont in a house that isn't big enough for all of them. Chaos ensues. There is much rage and resentment. The problems take a long, long, long time to come to light before they resolve, which only happens because Ginny and William finally have had enough and force the "kids" to act like the adults they are. (But first they blame themselves that their children are so unhappy. Sigh.)
What bothered me the most about the book—in addition to nothing happening except a lot of noise and laundry—was the unrealistic expectations and actions of every character. They are all wrapped up in their own little world and can't see past themselves to reach out and help the ones they love the most. Instead, they just whine and complain. I had little patience for the characters because they were ALL so selfish, spoiled, and entitled. The result? A boring book.
August 7, 2013
People seemed to really like this book, which is surprising to me because I thought it was barely just ok. There is relatively little movement in the story--the grown-up kids come home with their problems and everyone sort of just sits around until the last chapter. The dialogue is so forced and stunted that it was hard to imagine anyone saying these lines in real life.
A major obstacle to my enjoyment of the book was the characters themselves. While the like-ability of characters is not an essential element for me to enjoy a book, The Arrivals had almost no character I liked (the exception was Rachel, who far surpassed her brother and sister on the like-ability scale). They were all self-absorbed and immature. I just wanted to scream: Lillian, take care of your own children! Jane, learn to express yourself better! Stephen, don't suffocate your wife! Ginny, let go of your traditionalist notions! Yes, adult problems suck, but that doesn't mean you can just retreat and never face down those problems.
What I did like about the book was the issues it touched upon and did not shy away from: women in the workplace, men being stay at home dads, and marital problems. In particular, it really highlighted the extraordinary work and sacrifices stay-at-home moms make in raising their children. Bravo for that!
A quick beach read, but you're not missing much if you pass on this.
A major obstacle to my enjoyment of the book was the characters themselves. While the like-ability of characters is not an essential element for me to enjoy a book, The Arrivals had almost no character I liked (the exception was Rachel, who far surpassed her brother and sister on the like-ability scale). They were all self-absorbed and immature. I just wanted to scream: Lillian, take care of your own children! Jane, learn to express yourself better! Stephen, don't suffocate your wife! Ginny, let go of your traditionalist notions! Yes, adult problems suck, but that doesn't mean you can just retreat and never face down those problems.
What I did like about the book was the issues it touched upon and did not shy away from: women in the workplace, men being stay at home dads, and marital problems. In particular, it really highlighted the extraordinary work and sacrifices stay-at-home moms make in raising their children. Bravo for that!
A quick beach read, but you're not missing much if you pass on this.
May 11, 2012
from Lilac Wolf and Stuff
I'm going to gush. I think this would be classified as "chick lit" but I would call it "just a story" which is my favorite kind of story. Ginny and William have settled into their retired life together when their adult children return home with their children, pregnant spouses or just alone. The house is filled to busting and William and Ginny take turns being annoyed by it. I loved this, because that's how it usually goes in a relationship. It's a good way to support each other.
Which leads to the other reason I adored this story. Each character is human, realistic. No one is all good or all bad, you WILL get annoyed with every character in this book. I find that more engaging than characters that are sweeter than a cupcake.
And there were numerous plot points, or story lines. Some I sort of knew where they were going to end, but even then it was a fun ride with nothing truly known for sure until it ended. There is lots of sadness, anger and tons of hope.
It also clearly paints a picture of what it's like when you want to be a parent, when you are waiting to become one, when you are one and when your kids are all grown. I think it was a brilliant way to play out not only a great story, but a sneaky way to play out a 30+ year timeline.
I'm going to gush. I think this would be classified as "chick lit" but I would call it "just a story" which is my favorite kind of story. Ginny and William have settled into their retired life together when their adult children return home with their children, pregnant spouses or just alone. The house is filled to busting and William and Ginny take turns being annoyed by it. I loved this, because that's how it usually goes in a relationship. It's a good way to support each other.
Which leads to the other reason I adored this story. Each character is human, realistic. No one is all good or all bad, you WILL get annoyed with every character in this book. I find that more engaging than characters that are sweeter than a cupcake.
And there were numerous plot points, or story lines. Some I sort of knew where they were going to end, but even then it was a fun ride with nothing truly known for sure until it ended. There is lots of sadness, anger and tons of hope.
It also clearly paints a picture of what it's like when you want to be a parent, when you are waiting to become one, when you are one and when your kids are all grown. I think it was a brilliant way to play out not only a great story, but a sneaky way to play out a 30+ year timeline.
September 28, 2011
I picked this book up mainly because of the setting (Vermont, specifically the Burlington area) and the premise (a retired couple suddenly find themselves hosting all 3 of their grown kids at home for a summer), which is eerily similar to my summer spent home in Vermont. However, I had to force myself to read it, because NOTHING HAPPENED during this book, and I found it incredibly boring and tedious. The plot was nonexistent until the end, and most of the pages were filled up with pointless dialogue, especially annoying bits of three-year-old speak from the toddler character. I didn't identify with or even like any of the characters. Also, I find it weird that the author makes SO many references and name-drops to local businesses and landmarks, but she doesn't ever say if she lived in Vermont, or went to college here-- it's strange it wasn't included in the author bio or the acknowledgements section (like, 'thank you to the state of Vermont for all the proper nouns and place names').
April 14, 2011
I started this book, found it somewhat interesting, but didn't get very far into it when a new Maisie Dobbs came in, so I set it aside, then I picked it up again, for a day until another new book I wanted was in. Then I realized I really didn't care about the characters. I found the plot to jumbled, didn't like the multiple perspectives and it's not enough to hold my interest.
3 words to describe: (besides boring), family, new mom, returning to the nest, tedious
3 words to describe: (besides boring), family, new mom, returning to the nest, tedious
November 2, 2015
What to do when the adult children move back home and bring their problems with them? Realize that although they are still your children, you can't fix their problems as if they were still your young children. Is it difficult? YES! Does it suck? YES! Love them, remind them they are adults, and pray!!!!!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
May 31, 2011
What a great debut...I must say though that for some reason, I keep thinking of the movie "The Family Stone" with this book...not sure why, but I do! Also, I must say that this book would be a huge nightmare for empty nesters!
Final GR rating 3.5/5 Stars
Final GR rating 3.5/5 Stars
July 17, 2023
A quick dose of realism, but each storyline is a testament of frustration. For the parents, the frustration of giving up their personal space. For the children, the frustration of not being able to immediately fix the things in life that are falling apart. For the grandchildren, the frustration of not being able to get the attention they need from the adults. In fact, every time Lillian confides and her friend Heather I feel like I'm the supportive friend helping others work through their issues. So not only do the main characters have palpable frustration, now I do as well. Well written, but not my idea of escapist literature. Every word of it rings true, but missing the humor that makes it easier to take in.
April 13, 2017
This story revolves around the return home of three adult children at the same time - one with children in tow and marital problems, one with a pregnant wife needing bed rest, and one with a badly broken heart and spirit. Their parents, William and Ginny, strive to accommodate the physical and emotional needs of all three as their once-peaceful home is stretched to the limit. Their interactions are realistic given the inevitable generational differences that we all experience as children and as parents; however, it has a predictable outcome and no memorable characters.
April 6, 2018
This was such a lovely, heartfelt book. Meg Mitchell Moore really nails the tragedy of being a parent and the cycle of feeling imposed upon and then abandoned and then needed again. As a new-ish mom, I found this book especially affecting, but anyone who enjoys a good old fashioned dysfunctional family drama will enjoy this novel.
November 23, 2019
An older couple’s children all come home at once for the summer. Too much drama from every character but I enjoyed the perspective of the empty nester mother dealing with the children and grandchildren.
June 15, 2022
For anyone who’s single, married, a parent or grandparent, this novel will hit home. When an empty nest suddenly becomes full of returning adult children—all with problems they’re fleeing—we see both the strain and the support. Parents think they’re responsible for their children’s happiness, but each has to find their own way.
Very well written and plotted, the book has characters you care about deeply and dilemmas that reverberate today. Highly recommended!
Very well written and plotted, the book has characters you care about deeply and dilemmas that reverberate today. Highly recommended!
September 13, 2025
Really enjoyed the style of this book—exploring dynamics of each individual member of a family and how they navigate the summer together.
January 5, 2018
Prima lettura del 2018 per niente eccezionale, ma avevo bisogno di una lettura leggera.
Tanti cliché, personaggi un po' piatti e nevrastenici e del momento "Uccelli di Rovo" ne avrei fatto volentieri anche a meno.
Tanti cliché, personaggi un po' piatti e nevrastenici e del momento "Uccelli di Rovo" ne avrei fatto volentieri anche a meno.
June 12, 2022
The most boring book I think I have ever read. :(
May 23, 2011
THE ARRIVALS by Meg Mitchell Moore
Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
The Hachette Book Group
ISBN 978-0-316-09771-0
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family - and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.
My Thoughts and Opinion: Having recently started my own chapter of being an empty nester, I was quite interested in the premise of this book. And along that line, I definitely could relate to the parental characters in the novel. It was very easy for me to, what I call being "transported", into the story line and become part of this family. Which was quite surprising due to the fact that this was the debut novel by this author. There was a situation, where the patriarch character became so frustrated that he finally lost his patience, because his house had been so transformed into a mess. Another plight I could relate to. And how the parents attempted to treat their children as the adults that they were. Except these adult children, never took into consideration that they were giving their parents their responsibilities and problems instead of dealing with them as the adults they were. I felt that there were some family dynamics, and this is only my opinion, that did not resemble real life. The timeframe occurred over a few months, and during that time, it was never stated to the parents why their children appeared "back home". I enjoyed this book due to the story line of the novel, but also felt that it was predictable. No matter what the rating this book gets, like the synopsis states, "once a parent, always a parent".
My Rating: 3
Published by Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company
The Hachette Book Group
ISBN 978-0-316-09771-0
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a HC was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.
First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family - and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.
My Thoughts and Opinion: Having recently started my own chapter of being an empty nester, I was quite interested in the premise of this book. And along that line, I definitely could relate to the parental characters in the novel. It was very easy for me to, what I call being "transported", into the story line and become part of this family. Which was quite surprising due to the fact that this was the debut novel by this author. There was a situation, where the patriarch character became so frustrated that he finally lost his patience, because his house had been so transformed into a mess. Another plight I could relate to. And how the parents attempted to treat their children as the adults that they were. Except these adult children, never took into consideration that they were giving their parents their responsibilities and problems instead of dealing with them as the adults they were. I felt that there were some family dynamics, and this is only my opinion, that did not resemble real life. The timeframe occurred over a few months, and during that time, it was never stated to the parents why their children appeared "back home". I enjoyed this book due to the story line of the novel, but also felt that it was predictable. No matter what the rating this book gets, like the synopsis states, "once a parent, always a parent".
My Rating: 3
June 22, 2017
Ever wonder what would happen if an empty nest suddenly filled up again for a summer? That’s the premise of The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore, a straightforward, dialogue-heavy, italics-loving novel about the imposition and comfort of family that didn’t grab me until circa page 120.
In the beginning, it was difficult to really like anyone. They were all so needy and petty and whiny, like children, which was the idea, of course. Once a parent, always a parent, and the same goes for kids, particularly when living in your childhood home. Not helping to seize my interest were the book’s contrived and uncompelling themes of reluctant motherhood, woman as breadwinner, infidelity and miscarriage.
All the characters—grandparents, grown children, in-laws, friends, grandchildren—“sounded” more or less the same, save for Lillian’s signature chilly bite. Their opinions differed, but any one of them could have made the statements. I was especially disappointed in Father Colin, a Southie only in description, not voice; Patrick Kenzie he was not.
Moore had a knack for capturing New England small town atmosphere, as if trapping it in a Bell jar, preserving it for deeper examination at leisure. While the unanswerable argument of working mom vs. stay-at-home mom doesn’t apply to me, and won’t for a long time, she debated it with knowing awareness. Moore also leaned on the same paragraph configuration (three or four clauses before the point) too often.
Stephen was perhaps my favorite character. I waited, fruitlessly, for him, even in his gentle way, to lose it with workaholic Jane. Everyone scoffed at the prospect of him being a stay-at-home dad, but the way he took care of his pregnant wife, from scouring the internet for tips on accommodating bed rest to his unending, cheery patience, proved him well-equipped for fatherhood.
In all, I came around and did enjoy this novel, the nebulous happy endings for each family member notwithstanding. I’m a sucker for babies, sue me.
In the beginning, it was difficult to really like anyone. They were all so needy and petty and whiny, like children, which was the idea, of course. Once a parent, always a parent, and the same goes for kids, particularly when living in your childhood home. Not helping to seize my interest were the book’s contrived and uncompelling themes of reluctant motherhood, woman as breadwinner, infidelity and miscarriage.
All the characters—grandparents, grown children, in-laws, friends, grandchildren—“sounded” more or less the same, save for Lillian’s signature chilly bite. Their opinions differed, but any one of them could have made the statements. I was especially disappointed in Father Colin, a Southie only in description, not voice; Patrick Kenzie he was not.
Moore had a knack for capturing New England small town atmosphere, as if trapping it in a Bell jar, preserving it for deeper examination at leisure. While the unanswerable argument of working mom vs. stay-at-home mom doesn’t apply to me, and won’t for a long time, she debated it with knowing awareness. Moore also leaned on the same paragraph configuration (three or four clauses before the point) too often.
Stephen was perhaps my favorite character. I waited, fruitlessly, for him, even in his gentle way, to lose it with workaholic Jane. Everyone scoffed at the prospect of him being a stay-at-home dad, but the way he took care of his pregnant wife, from scouring the internet for tips on accommodating bed rest to his unending, cheery patience, proved him well-equipped for fatherhood.
In all, I came around and did enjoy this novel, the nebulous happy endings for each family member notwithstanding. I’m a sucker for babies, sue me.
June 8, 2011
The Arrivals
By
Meg Mitchell Moore
Why I read this particular book…
I love books about families and their dysfunctions and relationships. This book was in one of my favorite places…Vermont…and had families as its main theme. Adult children came home to their parents and the house they grew up in one at a time over the summer. They brought baggage that included children, husbands, pregnancies, career issues and infidelities. They all came home to their old rooms and old haunts and old friends. They all knew more than their parents did and yet the parents in this story…Ginny and William…were the ones who provided a respite and care and food and support.
Why you might want to read this book…
This book had delicious writing and lovely settings and reminded me of all of the times when I went home to my parents’ house…just because I loved it and my old room and that summer no responsibility feeling. Ginny and William love having their children home and just want them to be happy. Ginny is the mom who made raising her children her life’s work. There is a touchingly achingly sweet line that Ginny says to William…it goes something like this…they are my masterpieces and I don’t want them flawed. It was beautiful. I think she will remind you of “every mom”…she reminded me of mine. The old fashioned sort of mom who did laundry and cooked and almost never complained and just wanted to help fix everything.
It was a wonderful wonderful book.
By
Meg Mitchell Moore
Why I read this particular book…
I love books about families and their dysfunctions and relationships. This book was in one of my favorite places…Vermont…and had families as its main theme. Adult children came home to their parents and the house they grew up in one at a time over the summer. They brought baggage that included children, husbands, pregnancies, career issues and infidelities. They all came home to their old rooms and old haunts and old friends. They all knew more than their parents did and yet the parents in this story…Ginny and William…were the ones who provided a respite and care and food and support.
Why you might want to read this book…
This book had delicious writing and lovely settings and reminded me of all of the times when I went home to my parents’ house…just because I loved it and my old room and that summer no responsibility feeling. Ginny and William love having their children home and just want them to be happy. Ginny is the mom who made raising her children her life’s work. There is a touchingly achingly sweet line that Ginny says to William…it goes something like this…they are my masterpieces and I don’t want them flawed. It was beautiful. I think she will remind you of “every mom”…she reminded me of mine. The old fashioned sort of mom who did laundry and cooked and almost never complained and just wanted to help fix everything.
It was a wonderful wonderful book.
July 22, 2011
Three adult children converge on their parents in June and stay for the summer. Their baggage includes a crumbling marriage, a newborn, an adorable three-year-old, an endangered seven-month pregnancy, and a heart-broken, financially-strapped daughter. The storm of problems in one summer is unlikely, but the author draws the reader into the lives of the characters and makes it believable. Both Ginny and William Owen lovingly welcome them. When everyone is sleeping, Ginny stands contentedly, remembering the past safe cocoon of their home. She “relishes every ounce of heavy, satisfied silence, drinking it like a nectar.” As parents, William and Ginny express anger at the sources of their children’s unhappiness; they help them financially and emotionally. Ginny, however, voices the worry that her life’s work has been a failure because her children may not be capable of living on their own…of being happy. Happily, the summer successfully closes with newfound hope because of the support of their parents, siblings, and friends.
Adult readers will relish the poignancy of constant love for their children - no matter their ages. Young adults may realize an appreciation for loving, supportive parents, for their own places in their parents’ hearts, and for the description of the challenges ahead.
Adult readers will relish the poignancy of constant love for their children - no matter their ages. Young adults may realize an appreciation for loving, supportive parents, for their own places in their parents’ hearts, and for the description of the challenges ahead.
October 21, 2011
Life in Burligton, Vt. seemed peaceful to the retirees, Wm and Ginny Owne. They are called by their daughter, Lillian and told she's coming to see them with her children age three and a newborn. She needs a break from her husband.
OVernight the come was suddenly in an uproar. Even more so when William and Ginny's son, Stephen and his wife, Jane, arrive at their home unannounced. Jane is seven months pregnant and their intended weekend stay is prolonged when there is a complication her pregnancy and doctor's recommend bedrest.
Rooms are changed and a pull out couch is activated for the sudden crowd. Things get wild with toys left out and Lillian trying to find a time to breast feed her infant in the crowded family home.
Problems continue when the youngest child, Rachel who had been living in New York tells her parents she needs help and comes to visit.
The family journey is described with humor and empathy with each child needing nourishment from their parets in different ways.
The author gives a realistic view of the family and William and Ginny's realization that being parents bears a responsibility that continues after the children leave home. The fact that the children have a safe place to go to when things are not going well is a lesson for all parents.
The chaos was a bit long but the novel was enlightening and enjoyable.
OVernight the come was suddenly in an uproar. Even more so when William and Ginny's son, Stephen and his wife, Jane, arrive at their home unannounced. Jane is seven months pregnant and their intended weekend stay is prolonged when there is a complication her pregnancy and doctor's recommend bedrest.
Rooms are changed and a pull out couch is activated for the sudden crowd. Things get wild with toys left out and Lillian trying to find a time to breast feed her infant in the crowded family home.
Problems continue when the youngest child, Rachel who had been living in New York tells her parents she needs help and comes to visit.
The family journey is described with humor and empathy with each child needing nourishment from their parets in different ways.
The author gives a realistic view of the family and William and Ginny's realization that being parents bears a responsibility that continues after the children leave home. The fact that the children have a safe place to go to when things are not going well is a lesson for all parents.
The chaos was a bit long but the novel was enlightening and enjoyable.
May 11, 2011
Haven't received yet, just received notice I had won. 4/25/11
Received last night, hope to start soon. 5/4/11
Started yesterday. 5/10/11
Empty nest to full house. Lillian, Stephen and his wife Jane, and Rachel all come for a "visit" to their parents house. The daughters are running away from life problems and Stephen and Jane came for the weekend, until she was required to stay for pregnancy complications.
There were a lot of parts of this story that made me mad. I don't doubt for an minute that my mom would welcome any of us into her home if we needed help or to stay for awhile, but there is NO WAY IN @#$% she would put up with what these parents put up with. There is also none of us children that would have tried. Yes, you are down on your luck, but you are the mother so take care of your kids. Clean up after yourselves, wash your own clothes, take care of your own food, help around the house and BE GRATEFUL! You inconsiderate brats! :)
Off soap box now, promise. I felt the story was realistic somewhat and very entertaining, especially Olivia! Probably doesn't hurt that I knew a small Olivia that seemed very familiar to the one in the story. All in all an enjoyable read.
Received last night, hope to start soon. 5/4/11
Started yesterday. 5/10/11
Empty nest to full house. Lillian, Stephen and his wife Jane, and Rachel all come for a "visit" to their parents house. The daughters are running away from life problems and Stephen and Jane came for the weekend, until she was required to stay for pregnancy complications.
There were a lot of parts of this story that made me mad. I don't doubt for an minute that my mom would welcome any of us into her home if we needed help or to stay for awhile, but there is NO WAY IN @#$% she would put up with what these parents put up with. There is also none of us children that would have tried. Yes, you are down on your luck, but you are the mother so take care of your kids. Clean up after yourselves, wash your own clothes, take care of your own food, help around the house and BE GRATEFUL! You inconsiderate brats! :)
Off soap box now, promise. I felt the story was realistic somewhat and very entertaining, especially Olivia! Probably doesn't hurt that I knew a small Olivia that seemed very familiar to the one in the story. All in all an enjoyable read.
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