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Opnieuw beginnen
Na de dood van haar echtgenoot verhuist Betta Nolan naar een dorp om haar leven een nieuwe impuls te geven. Terwijl ze over haar toekomst nadenkt, neemt ze zich voor de simpele dagelijkse dingen met plezier te doen. Ze wordt daarbij geholpen door de tienjarige buurjongen, drie uitbundige vriendinnen uit haar studententijd, een twintigjarige jongen die worstelt om zijn plaats in de wereld te vinden, en een knappe man die klaar is voor de liefde.
In deze rijke en intens bevredigende roman onderneemt een energieke vrouw een onvergetelijke reis van avontuur, zelfontdekking en vernieuwing. Ze erkent dat er troost gevonden kan worden in gewone dingen als een warm bad, lekker eten, en de schoonheid van natuur, muziek en vriendschap. Zal ze opnieuw de liefde vinden?
In deze rijke en intens bevredigende roman onderneemt een energieke vrouw een onvergetelijke reis van avontuur, zelfontdekking en vernieuwing. Ze erkent dat er troost gevonden kan worden in gewone dingen als een warm bad, lekker eten, en de schoonheid van natuur, muziek en vriendschap. Zal ze opnieuw de liefde vinden?
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2005
596 people are currently reading
7226 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Berg
69 books5,019 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,761 reviews
December 3, 2007
Over the past few years, there have been some standouts dealing with women rediscovering themselves. Lolly Winston's "Good Grief" comes immediately to mind, as does Sue Monk Kidd's "The Mermaid Chair." Going back a bit further, Berg's own "Pull of the Moon" is a classic in its descriptive realism -- one of the author's many strengths.
Unfortunately, "Year of Pleasures" comes nowhere close to Berg's best. It is shallow, even with its topic -- the death of a spouse. It is unbelievable, even with its thousands of details (the reader is almost overwhelmed with memories, thoughts, and feelings, all of which Berg seems compelled to dump on the page). It is disjointed and, to me, an unfinished work.
I just don't buy the characters, their development, or the way they're all thrown together -- and then abandoned like so many Barbie dolls that Berg got tired of manipulating. Not worth the read. Opt for one of her others, like "The Art of Mending" or "Open House." It was a relief to be done with this book.
Unfortunately, "Year of Pleasures" comes nowhere close to Berg's best. It is shallow, even with its topic -- the death of a spouse. It is unbelievable, even with its thousands of details (the reader is almost overwhelmed with memories, thoughts, and feelings, all of which Berg seems compelled to dump on the page). It is disjointed and, to me, an unfinished work.
I just don't buy the characters, their development, or the way they're all thrown together -- and then abandoned like so many Barbie dolls that Berg got tired of manipulating. Not worth the read. Opt for one of her others, like "The Art of Mending" or "Open House." It was a relief to be done with this book.
August 31, 2011
There is something really comforting about this book and in they way that the author has written this. I know its about death and new beginnings which is emotional, but its also like putting on your favourite snuggly clothes. I really like the way Elizabeth Berg describes the ordinariness of life in such a sumptuous way. I think I could read this book more than once and that I'd feel satisfied every time I read it. The characters and situations are so real and easy to like and get involved with. Perfect really.
October 9, 2007
This was sort of a wimpy novel. Not bad. Not that good. I didn't hate it. It's a hallmark card of a book. Newly single woman makes a life for herself kind of a book. Not much tension. Not much deep insight. Just sort of blah, but a sweet blah. Twinkies are a sweet blah. So is "The Year of Pleasures."
January 12, 2019
“'There is love in holding,’ he’d said. ‘And there is love in letting go.’”
This was a lovely, sweet book, but it reminded me why my usual fare leans toward gritty realism. It’s a little annoying to read about characters with seemingly bottomless pocketbooks, or to grieve for the dearly departed portrayed as flawless mates.
But I need a break from intensity sometimes, and this was a satisfying one. As I moved through the story I put aside my cynicism and began to see things weren’t as whitewashed as I first thought. The new widow Betta makes common mistakes and unusual discoveries. She plans to open a store of special things that women want, and learns that in the end, these indulgences, these bits of perfection, are the things that really last in this world.
So I’m going now to indulge in a Belgian chocolate truffle with some Jasmine White Tea in my hand-thrown mug with the deep blue glaze around the rim. Ahhh. Different books for different inspirations.
This was a lovely, sweet book, but it reminded me why my usual fare leans toward gritty realism. It’s a little annoying to read about characters with seemingly bottomless pocketbooks, or to grieve for the dearly departed portrayed as flawless mates.
But I need a break from intensity sometimes, and this was a satisfying one. As I moved through the story I put aside my cynicism and began to see things weren’t as whitewashed as I first thought. The new widow Betta makes common mistakes and unusual discoveries. She plans to open a store of special things that women want, and learns that in the end, these indulgences, these bits of perfection, are the things that really last in this world.
So I’m going now to indulge in a Belgian chocolate truffle with some Jasmine White Tea in my hand-thrown mug with the deep blue glaze around the rim. Ahhh. Different books for different inspirations.
August 6, 2021
Pathos. Elizabeth Berg had me crying along with her main character by page 21. She is one of my favorite authors, and I know I can count on her when I want a story that connects on a deep level.
Betta has lost her husband. As her neighbor says, “you were sort of complete unto yourselves.“ Betta decides to pursue their dream, as John had encouraged her at the end. She pulls up roots, leaves Boston, and moves to small town Illinois. Thus begins her year of grief and new beginnings.
Ms. Berg writes female friendships like no other. The bonds between women are so beautiful and so real. She will always be my go-to for thoughtful women’s literature.
Betta has lost her husband. As her neighbor says, “you were sort of complete unto yourselves.“ Betta decides to pursue their dream, as John had encouraged her at the end. She pulls up roots, leaves Boston, and moves to small town Illinois. Thus begins her year of grief and new beginnings.
Ms. Berg writes female friendships like no other. The bonds between women are so beautiful and so real. She will always be my go-to for thoughtful women’s literature.
November 6, 2022
When I read a novel, I want to gain some tidbit about how to live, and especially in the second half of life. The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg is about a recently widowed 55-year-old woman, and there’s so much wisdom in the story.
Here’s one: about halfway through, one of the characters tells the widow to try to do one thing every day just for her own enjoyment. The widow says, “Every night I count my blessings.” The friend says, “I’m not talking about things that happen to you. I’m talking about things you make happen. I’m talking about purposefully doing one thing that brings you happiness every single day, in a very conscious way. It builds up your arsenal…”
Isn’t that a smart piece of advice for life in general? Here are some more. Most of them are related to grieving a significant loss, but consider them metaphorically if you must:
“I saw in a way I never had before the beauty and diversity of our earnest labor on the earth, and also our ultimate separateness. This helped my pain metamorphose into something less personal and more universal and natural…”
“Still, every now and then a quick thrill raced up my spine in the form of a thought: I am my own again. Sorrow that lay pooled inside me gave over to a kind of exhilaration in those moments; the relief was stunning.”
“You think you get used to death in the dying. But after the dying is done, you see how the end is the beginning.”
“Perhaps my ‘job’ now was to learn what I needed to learn. John (her late husband) and I had often talked about how focused our culture was on distraction, about how ill suited we were to staying with things, following them through in a respectful and thorough way…”
“It came to me how necessary the near presence of others was in keeping me civilized and sane; I could see how quickly I might become a woman gnawing a chicken leg over the kitchen sink for her dinner.”
“But did you ever notice how after you look at art for a long time you come out onto the street and see only art?” (an argument for making more time for galleries and art museums).
“He’d appreciated…manual labor, saying he like to do work that was outside his head, for a change.”
And lastly:
“It’s true that when someone you love dies, part of you dies, too. And then you must be reborn. And many people were reborn; they suffered through their pain and emerged victorious: their love for the lost one revered but put away, their lives now open to a separate course.”
This is a great read because it’s empowering. The underlying message is one of hope; although the main character is flattened by grief (and she describes existential loneliness so well), she decides to value her life and keep going.
The reasons I didn't give this five stars:
1. some story threads are left hanging, and not in a literary way. As if they were forgotten.
2. Also, a huge missed opportunity: in the beginning, Betta realizes she became too insular within her marriage, which led me to think this topic of "giving up your identity within marriage" would be addressed. It wasn't, except in passing.
But overall, I loved this book and was excited to return to it each night.
Here’s one: about halfway through, one of the characters tells the widow to try to do one thing every day just for her own enjoyment. The widow says, “Every night I count my blessings.” The friend says, “I’m not talking about things that happen to you. I’m talking about things you make happen. I’m talking about purposefully doing one thing that brings you happiness every single day, in a very conscious way. It builds up your arsenal…”
Isn’t that a smart piece of advice for life in general? Here are some more. Most of them are related to grieving a significant loss, but consider them metaphorically if you must:
“I saw in a way I never had before the beauty and diversity of our earnest labor on the earth, and also our ultimate separateness. This helped my pain metamorphose into something less personal and more universal and natural…”
“Still, every now and then a quick thrill raced up my spine in the form of a thought: I am my own again. Sorrow that lay pooled inside me gave over to a kind of exhilaration in those moments; the relief was stunning.”
“You think you get used to death in the dying. But after the dying is done, you see how the end is the beginning.”
“Perhaps my ‘job’ now was to learn what I needed to learn. John (her late husband) and I had often talked about how focused our culture was on distraction, about how ill suited we were to staying with things, following them through in a respectful and thorough way…”
“It came to me how necessary the near presence of others was in keeping me civilized and sane; I could see how quickly I might become a woman gnawing a chicken leg over the kitchen sink for her dinner.”
“But did you ever notice how after you look at art for a long time you come out onto the street and see only art?” (an argument for making more time for galleries and art museums).
“He’d appreciated…manual labor, saying he like to do work that was outside his head, for a change.”
And lastly:
“It’s true that when someone you love dies, part of you dies, too. And then you must be reborn. And many people were reborn; they suffered through their pain and emerged victorious: their love for the lost one revered but put away, their lives now open to a separate course.”
This is a great read because it’s empowering. The underlying message is one of hope; although the main character is flattened by grief (and she describes existential loneliness so well), she decides to value her life and keep going.
The reasons I didn't give this five stars:
1. some story threads are left hanging, and not in a literary way. As if they were forgotten.
2. Also, a huge missed opportunity: in the beginning, Betta realizes she became too insular within her marriage, which led me to think this topic of "giving up your identity within marriage" would be addressed. It wasn't, except in passing.
But overall, I loved this book and was excited to return to it each night.
July 7, 2009
Elizabeth Berg has a way with words, that’s for sure. Although I’m not entirely convinced that the appeal of her stories have universal draw for all women. I was 22 or 23 when I read Open House by Elizabeth Berg and I didn’t particularly care for it. I couldn’t identify with the main character and so the emotional aspect of the book fell flat for me.
After the passage of several years, my life at the time of reading my second Elizabeth Berg novel is dramatically different and I suspect that was a contributing factor in my higher rating this time around. However, I can’t justify giving this book anything above 3 stars because even though it made me cry and even though I intend to pass it on to an older woman now that I’m done with it (either my mom or my mother-in-law), it didn’t speak to me like it might speak to someone who was in a similar situation or similar demographic as the main character, the recently widowed Betta Nolan, age 55.
I am married, so I can imagine (to some extent) what it would be like to lose my husband to an unexpected illness. But I’m also a newlywed, married less than a year and I don’t want to imagine what it would be like to lose my husband. Since we’re both young and in good health, I have the luxury of ignoring those thoughts and what-ifs and of telling myself that the possibility of something like that happening is prayerfully still decades away. But the main character even admits at one point that becoming a widow at 55 is not the same as being widowed at 35 or 85. At 35 you could marry again. Those around you might even expect it. And at 85 there is comfort in knowing that it’s only temporary and your own death isn’t too terribly far off either.
One important aspect of this book that did catch my attention is the whole concept of women friends. When Betta got married, she lost touch with some of her best female friends and after his death, feels compelled to track them down and reconnect. They do, and it turns out to be a very, very good thing.
On several occasions, my mom has solicited advice to me on the importance of keeping female friends and making new female friends whenever the opportunity arises. They can be fun to be around when things are going okay and they can helpful in more ways than you can ever imagine when things aren’t okay. We’ve also discussed our own friendships with women who are in different age brackets than our own and reached the conclusion that 10-15 years in either direction, give or take, seems to be the best place to make true friends. Any more or less than that and you tend to end up with a friendship that is based more on becoming or having a mentor, which I’m not saying is a bad thing, but it is different than the kinship than can result from having a friend who is relatively close to your own age. The point being that this was how I felt while reading this book. The main character is 25 years older than I am and so reading this book I felt drawn to her in the way a daughter might feel drawn to a mother whereas there might be a bigger draw for a reader who feels connected to the main character as a friend to a another friend.
So not a bad book overall, but for me it definitely read like a Lifetime movie that was filmed for the benefit of somebody else.
After the passage of several years, my life at the time of reading my second Elizabeth Berg novel is dramatically different and I suspect that was a contributing factor in my higher rating this time around. However, I can’t justify giving this book anything above 3 stars because even though it made me cry and even though I intend to pass it on to an older woman now that I’m done with it (either my mom or my mother-in-law), it didn’t speak to me like it might speak to someone who was in a similar situation or similar demographic as the main character, the recently widowed Betta Nolan, age 55.
I am married, so I can imagine (to some extent) what it would be like to lose my husband to an unexpected illness. But I’m also a newlywed, married less than a year and I don’t want to imagine what it would be like to lose my husband. Since we’re both young and in good health, I have the luxury of ignoring those thoughts and what-ifs and of telling myself that the possibility of something like that happening is prayerfully still decades away. But the main character even admits at one point that becoming a widow at 55 is not the same as being widowed at 35 or 85. At 35 you could marry again. Those around you might even expect it. And at 85 there is comfort in knowing that it’s only temporary and your own death isn’t too terribly far off either.
One important aspect of this book that did catch my attention is the whole concept of women friends. When Betta got married, she lost touch with some of her best female friends and after his death, feels compelled to track them down and reconnect. They do, and it turns out to be a very, very good thing.
On several occasions, my mom has solicited advice to me on the importance of keeping female friends and making new female friends whenever the opportunity arises. They can be fun to be around when things are going okay and they can helpful in more ways than you can ever imagine when things aren’t okay. We’ve also discussed our own friendships with women who are in different age brackets than our own and reached the conclusion that 10-15 years in either direction, give or take, seems to be the best place to make true friends. Any more or less than that and you tend to end up with a friendship that is based more on becoming or having a mentor, which I’m not saying is a bad thing, but it is different than the kinship than can result from having a friend who is relatively close to your own age. The point being that this was how I felt while reading this book. The main character is 25 years older than I am and so reading this book I felt drawn to her in the way a daughter might feel drawn to a mother whereas there might be a bigger draw for a reader who feels connected to the main character as a friend to a another friend.
So not a bad book overall, but for me it definitely read like a Lifetime movie that was filmed for the benefit of somebody else.
April 25, 2020
Betta is a 50 something woman who has just lost her husband and longs to get out of Boston where reminders of him surround her. So begins her renewing journey of discovery as she moves to a small town and goes about reinventing the second half of her life.
A short sweet book by Elizabeth Berg whose insight I always enjoy.
4 stars
A short sweet book by Elizabeth Berg whose insight I always enjoy.
4 stars
August 7, 2008
From my blog:
I couldn't quite get into The Year of Pleasures, written by Elizabeth Berg, although the subject matter was important - how a woman begins life again after her husband unexpectedly dies.
This story was just too neat, and Bette Nolan's life during the year after her husband died just doesn't ring true to me. Nothing is so easy.
The book might be a good summer read, when one doesn't want to concentrate too much on anything. I would say it ranks very high under a list I would call romantic fiction - no, not romantic as in the sense of romance, but romantic in that it just isn't likely to happen the way the story unfolds.
To read about how one might experience the first year after her husband's death, I recommend Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. Joan, in one of her final chapters, says: "I notice that I have lost the skills for ordinary social encounters.... I hear myself trying to make an effort [at having a conversation:] and failing.... I notice that I get up from dinner too abruptly." That rings true to me.
There's nothing romantic about loss.
I couldn't quite get into The Year of Pleasures, written by Elizabeth Berg, although the subject matter was important - how a woman begins life again after her husband unexpectedly dies.
This story was just too neat, and Bette Nolan's life during the year after her husband died just doesn't ring true to me. Nothing is so easy.
The book might be a good summer read, when one doesn't want to concentrate too much on anything. I would say it ranks very high under a list I would call romantic fiction - no, not romantic as in the sense of romance, but romantic in that it just isn't likely to happen the way the story unfolds.
To read about how one might experience the first year after her husband's death, I recommend Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. Joan, in one of her final chapters, says: "I notice that I have lost the skills for ordinary social encounters.... I hear myself trying to make an effort [at having a conversation:] and failing.... I notice that I get up from dinner too abruptly." That rings true to me.
There's nothing romantic about loss.
January 5, 2018
3.5 stars:
I love Elizabeth Berg, she is a go to author for me. That said, I did not find this to be her best. I thought I would relate better, being a widow, with Betta and was ready to take this journey with her. I thought I would cry and laugh with her. However, I found her a bit flat and did not bond with her as I had hoped.
Everyone takes the widows journey in different ways, we are all different people, with different relationships and experiences. However, there are some things that are similar when your life changes so. I thought Berg hit the nail on the head in some places, but missed the mark in others. I had a hard time that a smart and talented woman had put her whole self into her marriage. She had not kept up with friendships, old or new and did not take steps to follow her dreams when she had a supportive partner. As she settled into a town she picked to move to and start anew, she may some odd choices in my mind.
Was this enjoyable? Yes. One of Bergs that I will remember? Not so much. She gets an extra half star just for how easy her writing is to read.
I love Elizabeth Berg, she is a go to author for me. That said, I did not find this to be her best. I thought I would relate better, being a widow, with Betta and was ready to take this journey with her. I thought I would cry and laugh with her. However, I found her a bit flat and did not bond with her as I had hoped.
Everyone takes the widows journey in different ways, we are all different people, with different relationships and experiences. However, there are some things that are similar when your life changes so. I thought Berg hit the nail on the head in some places, but missed the mark in others. I had a hard time that a smart and talented woman had put her whole self into her marriage. She had not kept up with friendships, old or new and did not take steps to follow her dreams when she had a supportive partner. As she settled into a town she picked to move to and start anew, she may some odd choices in my mind.
Was this enjoyable? Yes. One of Bergs that I will remember? Not so much. She gets an extra half star just for how easy her writing is to read.
May 8, 2008
For unknown reasons, probably just coincidence of book pile-up, I seem to have read several books about grief in the last few months. While this one is not characterized by any particular depth of insight or profundities, I found tears running down my face several times as the middle-aged protagonist learns to cope with the early days and months after her husband's death from cancer. The focus is on her decision to move to a new town and begin a new life, which she does very quickly after his death.
I thought this was a better book than some of the other Berg books I have read, and one of the things I liked about it - as with others - is her focus on the minute, tangible, daily things of life (the joy of a well-cooked chicken, the unexpected gush of confession that a recently bereaved person sometimes foists upon strangers, the way that just borrowing a dog for an afternoon can bring comfort and security). The book - in terms of plot, characters, story, length, substance - is a small one, yet oddly engrossing. THe only thing about the story that really grated on me as hard to buy was that this woman has financial privileges that allow her to move across country, buy a house, contemplate setting up a business for which she has no background, indulge her grief with physical pleasures - an advantage that most people dealing with the loss of a long-time happy relationship don't have available to help them cope.
Still, reading the book just for the imagistic descriptions of domestic objects, scenes flying by from the driver's seat of her car as she crosses the country, snapshots of memory would be worth the effort. The protagonist's developing relationships with new neighbors and friends, including a 10-year-old boy and two college students, as well as her reunion with old friends from her past are enjoyable. This would be a good read for a plane trip or vacation.
I thought this was a better book than some of the other Berg books I have read, and one of the things I liked about it - as with others - is her focus on the minute, tangible, daily things of life (the joy of a well-cooked chicken, the unexpected gush of confession that a recently bereaved person sometimes foists upon strangers, the way that just borrowing a dog for an afternoon can bring comfort and security). The book - in terms of plot, characters, story, length, substance - is a small one, yet oddly engrossing. THe only thing about the story that really grated on me as hard to buy was that this woman has financial privileges that allow her to move across country, buy a house, contemplate setting up a business for which she has no background, indulge her grief with physical pleasures - an advantage that most people dealing with the loss of a long-time happy relationship don't have available to help them cope.
Still, reading the book just for the imagistic descriptions of domestic objects, scenes flying by from the driver's seat of her car as she crosses the country, snapshots of memory would be worth the effort. The protagonist's developing relationships with new neighbors and friends, including a 10-year-old boy and two college students, as well as her reunion with old friends from her past are enjoyable. This would be a good read for a plane trip or vacation.
September 22, 2016
I rated this novel 4 stars not because it's the most outstanding novel of all time. Surely there are more deserving books. No disrespect to Ms. Berg whatsoever. But this book is well written and speaks to us concerning the life we are living now. So many cliches have told us to, "stop and smell the roses," or "don't take things for granted," and "appreciate what you have," and on and on. The character in this book looses her husband to cancer at the age of 50 or 55. They had an incredible marriage and now Betta is alone and needs to move forward. As she tries to do this she recalls as the little things, events, places, etc. that made their life so great. As she does this it makes me think about all the wonderful people and things in my life right now! How blessed I am and to appreciate every single thing every single day. It was an awakening for me all by reading Elizabeth Berg's wonderful words. A gift. Thank you.
July 10, 2018
4.5 stars. I read this book pre-GR (over ten years ago) and had forgot a lot of it. It's a wonderful book that will make you feel the grief of, and recovery from, the death of a spouse. It takes place for the most part in the Chicago suburbs. It's not exactly a feel-good read throughout, but a worthwhile one, and the reader is left with hope by the end.
Some of the themes include friendship, marriage, death, aging, life stages, community and healing. The audiobook is performed by the author, who does a good, not great, job. Probably not an audiobook to buy, but to borrow from the library if you can.
I enjoy this author's books. They have more depth than typical chick-lit, and I enjoy her quirky characters. A recommended read.
Some of the themes include friendship, marriage, death, aging, life stages, community and healing. The audiobook is performed by the author, who does a good, not great, job. Probably not an audiobook to buy, but to borrow from the library if you can.
I enjoy this author's books. They have more depth than typical chick-lit, and I enjoy her quirky characters. A recommended read.
May 26, 2019
The book started out okay. I could feel Betta's grief and recognized it, but then nothing else was relatable. She wasn't a likable character at all, petty, judgmental, rude and selfish. The too perfect husband only left me disliking the character more because I could not feel one ounce of pity beyond the first chapter or so, as Betta never had one ounce of hardship in her life until her husband's death yet she was constantly finding fault with everything around her.
She was rude to the man who merely wanted to interview her and get to know her better; ruder still to her so-called best friend. I had heard good things about Berg's books, but this one has turned me off. None of her female characters was likable, except Delores and the next door neighbor. They were all narcissistic and had zero self-awareness. Betta reading the personal letter of the former owner of the house was just appalling to me. How dare she? To top it off she deigned to play the benevolent with old Lydia.
The character development was terribly lacking and what was there was so stereotypical. Haggard single mom; college boy who needs mothering; college friends who haven't aged at all and who talk behind each others' backs (women! groan); craggy old woman who hates everything and everyone; and a town out of pure fiction with such niceness, no one should be unhappy.
She was rude to the man who merely wanted to interview her and get to know her better; ruder still to her so-called best friend. I had heard good things about Berg's books, but this one has turned me off. None of her female characters was likable, except Delores and the next door neighbor. They were all narcissistic and had zero self-awareness. Betta reading the personal letter of the former owner of the house was just appalling to me. How dare she? To top it off she deigned to play the benevolent with old Lydia.
The character development was terribly lacking and what was there was so stereotypical. Haggard single mom; college boy who needs mothering; college friends who haven't aged at all and who talk behind each others' backs (women! groan); craggy old woman who hates everything and everyone; and a town out of pure fiction with such niceness, no one should be unhappy.
May 14, 2013
I think if I weren't dealing with the life issues that I'm facing right now, I wouldn't have appreciated this book nearly as much. While facing a very painful divorce, I found this book about a woman in her late 50s mourning the recent death of her husband rather cathartic, in allowing me to experience the grief of feeling and remembering the good things, without bringing up the anger and hurt of other areas. I can relate to so many of the things that she is missing; the closeness of friendship, sharing private jokes, having a companion to eat dinner with, someone in the home to make it feel safe, missing out on the future and all the dreams and hopes. There are so many sweet things that go away when someone leaves your life and it is helpful to miss them, even though it hurts sometimes. But it's nice to go through those feelings and process things, remembering that there ARE good things about the past.
I doubt anyone who hasn't experience such a close loss will appreciate it as fully, but it still a sweet, thoughtful book, and very honest about the pain but also the desire to live and thrive, even when it looks impossible.
3.5/5
I doubt anyone who hasn't experience such a close loss will appreciate it as fully, but it still a sweet, thoughtful book, and very honest about the pain but also the desire to live and thrive, even when it looks impossible.
3.5/5
March 2, 2021
Opinião:
Não é nenhum livro do outro mundo, nem sequer era isso que procurava que fosse.
É a simplicidade e honestidade implícita nas palavras desta autora, que confere a essência da mensagem desta história.
É importante para quem perdeu alguém ler algo que desperte tudo o que adormeceu com a dor da perda. E é aqui que Elizabeth Berg consegue tocar na ferida sem nos magoar, ligar o interruptor para prazeres que se julgavam perdidos para sempre.
Quando vivemos com o vazio deixado por outra pessoa, mais tarde ou mais cedo devemos abrir o coração a quem tem alegria para nos oferecer!
Elizabeth Berg quer transmitir nesta história, que um simples banho quente, ouvir música ou admirar a natureza, pode e deve fazer parte de um processo de voltar a sermos felizes depois do luto!
Fossem as personagens mais complexas e aprofundadas, a história mais desenvolvida e umas 50 páginas a mais, teríamos aqui um livro memorável no que toca ao tema!
Mesmo assim, é uma ode ao poder feminino e à amizade quando mais precisamos dela!
⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
Não é nenhum livro do outro mundo, nem sequer era isso que procurava que fosse.
É a simplicidade e honestidade implícita nas palavras desta autora, que confere a essência da mensagem desta história.
É importante para quem perdeu alguém ler algo que desperte tudo o que adormeceu com a dor da perda. E é aqui que Elizabeth Berg consegue tocar na ferida sem nos magoar, ligar o interruptor para prazeres que se julgavam perdidos para sempre.
Quando vivemos com o vazio deixado por outra pessoa, mais tarde ou mais cedo devemos abrir o coração a quem tem alegria para nos oferecer!
Elizabeth Berg quer transmitir nesta história, que um simples banho quente, ouvir música ou admirar a natureza, pode e deve fazer parte de um processo de voltar a sermos felizes depois do luto!
Fossem as personagens mais complexas e aprofundadas, a história mais desenvolvida e umas 50 páginas a mais, teríamos aqui um livro memorável no que toca ao tema!
Mesmo assim, é uma ode ao poder feminino e à amizade quando mais precisamos dela!
⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
February 7, 2013
I'd wanted to like this -- I thought the book synopsis sounded interesting, I'd heard good things about the author -- but unfortunately, nothing rang true in this story for me, not the characters, their situations, the details, nor the dialogue. I felt as though I were reading a screenplay for a shallow, sanitized Lifetime made-for-TV-movie: instead of people, characters; instead of a community, a set; instead of conversations, lines of poorly scripted dialogue. Of course the small midwestern town the main character moves to from big-city Boston after her husband dies is charming and quaint (coming from a small midwestern town myself, I bristle when authors romanticize it), and there's a crotchety old lady, and an eccentric friend (who, yes, works in theatre), and lots of stereotypical "folksy" folks ... Since Berg IS such a best-selling author (she was even an Oprah pick back in the day), it's clear many readers do love her style, but it's just not my cup of tea.
March 24, 2024
Gorgeous and contemplative. A woman who’s lost her husband learns to keep living with the help of things that bring her small pleasures. I will for sure be reading more by this author.
August 15, 2020
“In our house he loved me. At a restaurant he loved me. While I slept, while I worked, even when we argued, he loved me. It was a second heartbeat, as vital in its own way as the first.”
In this book we meet Betta Nolan, recently widowed, and trying to figure out how to live her life without her beloved John. She decides that selling their home and driving to another state to live will be the best way. As she settles into a new life in small town Stewart, Illinois we are witness to Betta’s grief and her determination to find pleasure in her new surroundings. She makes some new, albeit quirky friends; and renews friendships from her past. As Betta’s joyous and good moments begin to outweigh her sad and depressing ones, the reader becomes a silent cheerleader for her and her new life. A lovely book~ definitely recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My reviews can now also be found on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/quietimtryingtoread
In this book we meet Betta Nolan, recently widowed, and trying to figure out how to live her life without her beloved John. She decides that selling their home and driving to another state to live will be the best way. As she settles into a new life in small town Stewart, Illinois we are witness to Betta’s grief and her determination to find pleasure in her new surroundings. She makes some new, albeit quirky friends; and renews friendships from her past. As Betta’s joyous and good moments begin to outweigh her sad and depressing ones, the reader becomes a silent cheerleader for her and her new life. A lovely book~ definitely recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My reviews can now also be found on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/quietimtryingtoread
July 12, 2013
just an absolutely phenomenal book. if you are female, you should read this book. if you've ever been in love, you should read this book. if you've ever THOUGHT about being in love, you should read this book. I laughed and cried in the same paragraph, multiple times. please read this book, then come have a glass of wine and finish your cry with me.
September 17, 2010
A gentle and uplifting story of a woman coming back to life after losing her husband. Berg always leaves me satisfied.
May 28, 2015
Light feel good novel about a women's life after she losses her husband. It reminded me of a hallmark movie but good summer read.
November 20, 2025
I very much enjoyed this book by Elizabeth Berg. I'm pretty sure I've enjoyed all her books. While this is a story about loss and overcoming that loss, it still has moments of hope and laughter.
Part of the appeal might be that we all know that someday we'll be in the position of going on alone, or else our spouse/significant other/friends will. It's simply life. And yet, Berg is able to put her finger on the pulse of that grief and describe it with sympathy and clarity and yes, a touch of humor. I especially liked that our main character is so perfectly normal--one moment she's shouting at her best friend, the next she's crying in her arms.
Note: There are two moments of sexual suggestions/detail/innuendo? I'm not sure what to call it, but it might make some readers uncomfortable.
Part of the appeal might be that we all know that someday we'll be in the position of going on alone, or else our spouse/significant other/friends will. It's simply life. And yet, Berg is able to put her finger on the pulse of that grief and describe it with sympathy and clarity and yes, a touch of humor. I especially liked that our main character is so perfectly normal--one moment she's shouting at her best friend, the next she's crying in her arms.
Note: There are two moments of sexual suggestions/detail/innuendo? I'm not sure what to call it, but it might make some readers uncomfortable.
February 23, 2021
‘I stepped into the front hall. There was a musty smell, but it wasn’t bad. It reminded me of the old library I’d gone to as a child, so the association was one of pleasant anticipation.’
Not one of my favourites of Berg’s but there is no doubt that she can create the most cozy descriptions of rooms and of old houses that just speak to me...so clear it is like looking at a photo 😌
Not one of my favourites of Berg’s but there is no doubt that she can create the most cozy descriptions of rooms and of old houses that just speak to me...so clear it is like looking at a photo 😌
August 4, 2025
Sweet story!
May 6, 2011
Very disappointing -not the usual realistic, authentic writing that one normally enjoys from Elizabeth Berg. Betta Nolan is a grieving widow who moves to a small town because she promised her dying husband - who by all accounts seems to have been a saint from her description of him. She struggles to come to terms with his death as they were insanely in love (bearing in mind they are both middle-aged). Conveniently, a number of characters enter her life - a perfectly well behaved 10 year old boy who lives next door and who does not mind spending time with someone who could be his grandmother. Then there's Matthew,a young man who against all odds also befriends Betta. The story is disjointed and unrealistic. Who, in the real world re-connects with college room-mates 30 or so years after losing touch and carries on with the friendship as if nothing has changed? Less than a year after moving Betta embarks on her new life with a promising career and fabulous girl friends in between the crying bouts, still distraught over the death of her soul mate.The second star is because I liked her previous books.
September 15, 2016
Betta Nolan deeply grieves the loss of her beloved husband. Each day is difficult to get through without him. Selling their Boston, MA brownstone, she gets in her car and drives midwest to Illinois. Landing in a near perfect small town, she decides to buy a rather large Victorian like home and try to acclimate to a different lifestyle.
Unlike many or most widows, Betta is very fortunate in that she has a lot of money to spend. Thus, she decides to live a year of pleasures. Reconnecting with her college friends, she invites them to a weekend at her house. During her marriage, she left them behind, now that she needs them, she reaches out.
While I haven't read a lot of Berg's writings yet, I am beginning to get a feel for her books and her lovely folksy images of finding the importance in random events or items. This book was "nice" without a lot of drama. Perhaps that is why people are drawn to her books. There is a slow pace and pages filled with lovely images. While I liked this book, I don't think it is one of her best.
Unlike many or most widows, Betta is very fortunate in that she has a lot of money to spend. Thus, she decides to live a year of pleasures. Reconnecting with her college friends, she invites them to a weekend at her house. During her marriage, she left them behind, now that she needs them, she reaches out.
While I haven't read a lot of Berg's writings yet, I am beginning to get a feel for her books and her lovely folksy images of finding the importance in random events or items. This book was "nice" without a lot of drama. Perhaps that is why people are drawn to her books. There is a slow pace and pages filled with lovely images. While I liked this book, I don't think it is one of her best.
June 25, 2008
This book by Elizabeth Berg was lovely. It follows Betta, a 50-something widow, along her path of grief following the death of her beloved husband. The book, however, was a bit too "enchanted" for me....even though Betta was suffering from the loss of her husband, somehow things just fell into place too easily for her. Finding the perfect house the first day in a new town, and having friends rush to her aid after not corresponding with them for 30 years --these were things that were just too good to be true!
Many parts of the book were glimpses into the past: her college years, her courtship, parts of her marriage, her husband's dying. These glimpses helped to flesh Betta out, but she was not nearly as well-developed a character as Nan in "Pull of the Moon".
While coincidence played a bit more of a role than I usually like, Berg's lovely writing and her understanding of grief overcame the negatives.
I would recommend this book....with reservations.
Many parts of the book were glimpses into the past: her college years, her courtship, parts of her marriage, her husband's dying. These glimpses helped to flesh Betta out, but she was not nearly as well-developed a character as Nan in "Pull of the Moon".
While coincidence played a bit more of a role than I usually like, Berg's lovely writing and her understanding of grief overcame the negatives.
I would recommend this book....with reservations.
June 8, 2009
Parts of this book are wonderful, and the middle aged Betta who has just lost her husband, is very endearing at times. At others I found Betta hard to relate to, her husband is described in such glowing terms, and the memories are all of such wonderful thoughtfulness and romance on his part--he just didn't ring true for me. I did like her ability to reconnect with old friends, and to try to rebuild her life.
December 11, 2020
This was my first Elizabeth Berg book and I enjoyed it so much. Her characters are relatable and their stories always compelling. This one was sad and I felt a bit crazy at first. The lead character fulfills her dead husband's wishes and moves back to the Midwest, which seems odd but turns out to be just what she needs. I won't say anymore but it's about love and friendships, taking chances, reinventing.
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