Conclusion to the series and well written. I really enjoyed reading the ending because I like grumpy Mo. We all have some of these moments ad this was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher!

I went into this novel not knowing it was a third book of a series. I selected it because of the cover but could not really get sucked into it because I had not read the other novels. Thank you netgalley for the early copy.

Starting backwards, again, I begin with Book 3 in a series. However, Harold Fry's reputation through his travels has preceded my reading of him. . .I've had reports of him through other readers I follow - and he's on my list. Maureen has beat him, though, as to actual reading, and in a way, I'm now looking forward to how it will affect my read of Book 1, and then Book 2 about "Queenie" who I now only know from Maureen's quest to settle and resolve her dangling life conundrums.

This is not a long read, but it is a powerful one. Maureen is cranky, opinionated, full of judgment and has a manifest destiny sized sense of territory (hers, that is). She's on the fierce side, but tends to think of herself as open-handed and fair-minded (she isn't really). She's easily irritated, although she sees it as helping others mend their social flaws - a favor to them, really. As her journey progresses, though, one develops an attachment, a fondness for Maureen. Well, I did. She seems, in a way, quite like me.

In this book, Maureen is running away from home. And like Blanche DuBois, she is depending on the kindness of strangers, and she doesn't like it a bit. Not a bit.

A great read if you've ever thought things were one way only to find out they are not; or if you've mid-lifed and turned everything upside down; or if you've just got to get out of where you are. Take this book along. It might help to see someone else working through their crisis while you work through yours. As for me? Ah. It was a tender walk down Memory Lane. . .

*A sincere thank you to Rachel Joyce, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.* #Maureen #NetGalley

Something to know going in - this is the conclusion to the Harold Fry trilogy. That established, Maureen is a book about grief and the journey to find healing, and it reminds readers that sometimes pain makes people a little less likable.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

So, I got my hands on a widget for Rachel Joyce's Maureen, the third book in a series I still needed to start. I figured I would catch up. However, I tried to tackle "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" a couple of times and even attempted the audiobook route, but life kept getting sidetracked with another read. So, naturally, I thought, let's skip to Maureen and get it off the NetGalley Shelf!

Maureen is a short powerhouse of emotions that hits you immediately. With a generous dose of warmth, the story delves into themes of love, loss, and the journey to making peace with our past, all in the name of better understanding ourselves.

While it works solo, you know you'd have had an even better time if you'd been in on the earlier dynamics between the characters. So I recommend starting at at the beginning and try an unlikely pilgrimage with Harold Fry.

This is just a novella. And it is hard to read. Maureen is not necessarily easy to like. She is angry and still filled with grief over the loss of her son. She takes a trip to Queenie’s garden. And faces hardship and is forced to accept some help. I loved Harold Frey liked Queenie less and this one I have a certain ambivalence about.

MAUREEN
Rachel Joyce


This is the third and final installment in THE PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY trilogy and this time the focus is on MAUREEN. It’s been ten long years since Harold went on his infamous pilgrimage and a lot has changed. Most obvious to Maureen is Maureen and Harold's cozy existence.

If you know MAUREEN, then you know MAUREEN doesn’t set out to be unlikeable it’s simply in her nature to be so.

We meet up with MAUREEN on a day when she receives unsettling news. This sparks her on her journey, and we follow as she experiences the world for herself, on her terms. MAUREEN is different than Harold in a lot of ways and we see how that might influence MAUREEN’s journey.

MAUREEN, a bittersweet goodbye and fond farewell to characters that I have come to enjoy spending time with.

Let’s talk about MAUREEN and Rachel Joyce’s heartwarming trilogy.

I first met up with Rachel Joyce and the Harold Fry series at the beginning of this year. More than a decade late to the party but surprisingly, Harold held up and despite the year of publication, was an enjoyable reading experience.

I quickly read QUEENIE HENNESEY after reading HAROLD FRY. I did not connect very well with Queenie’s story but knew I’d stick around for MAUREEN, to hear her side and see things from her perspective.

Although I do not feel the supporting books in the series were as good as the opener, I’m still glad to have experienced all that was MAUREEN. She is not like HAROLD; she is different from QUEENIE, and I’m glad to finally know her better.

Have you read the HAROLD FRY trilogy? What were your thoughts?

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the advanced copy!

MAUREEN…⭐️⭐️⭐️

A nice viewpoint on the epic journey for Harold to see Queenie, but not necessary. I enjoyed seeing within Maureen.

Maureen and Harold Fry have settled into a quiet life after Harold's walk across England. He has found peace, but Mareen has not. Now, it's her turn to make a journey. She has allowed grief and loss to become her identity, and she has a wall built around her that keeps everyone out. This journey will help her discover herself and the powers of forgiveness, friendship and love.
This book moved me. I can so relate to Mareen who is not a likable character because of her pain. And my child is getting older, so I could relate to her pain as a mother. I'm not sure I would have liked this book as much if I was not in a similar life situation as Maureen.
While Maureen is the third book in a trilogy, it can be read alone. I didn't read the first two books and understood what was happening.
Content note: the book includes death by suicide

Did not realize this was a series.
But, enjoyed it nonetheless and am going back to read books 1 and 2!

This was a touching book just as much as the other two related books. This is Maureen’s part of the story. Many years ago, a lot happened to Maureen and her husband Harold’s lives. Harold and Queenie’s stories were told in the other books. Harold and Maureen receive a surprising message and Maureen decides to make her own journey. She experiences a transformation in her life along the way. I love the characters in this story. And I enjoyed the way the heartbreaking parts were given with the other more joyful moments.

Thanks to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I had not read the first two books in the series so I wasn't sure how this would go, but I was able to follow along and enjoy this book as a standalone. The references from the other two books were explained well and tied in well with this story.

This is a heartwarming tale of a woman trying to make peace with the loss of her son as well as finding her independence and friendship along the way.

I cried and also laughed throughout this book. I will have to go back to read the first two in the series too.

Maureen is a bitter and dour woman who has ceased to see the good in life because of her tragic circumstances from years before. Set off on a journey, Maureen cannot seem to let go of the bleak cloud that follows her. Will her trip to Queenie's garden help Maureen see her life in a different light? Will she allow help along the way, not unlike her husband Harold?

Having read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy previously, I had high hopes for Maureen. Unfortunately, this novel did not live up to my expectations. Maureen was mainly sad and depressing, with little glimmers of hope. The ending did not make up for the rest of the novel and the tone it set. Overall, I found myself wishing that I did not read Maureen, as it tainted the feeling I got from the other two books in the series. For this reason, I would not recommend Maureen to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this novel was entirely my own.

I love almost anything by Rachel Joyce but I especially enjoyed revisiting the world of Harold Frye and glimpsing the world of Maureen. I only wish this were longer because I appreciated getting Maureen's story. All of these characters are wonderful and I appreciate the deftly depicted portraits of each character and the different struggles they are dealing with. Each of their journeys is significant and delivers something important for the reader to learn.

Rachel Joyce has returned with the final book in the series about Harold and Maureen Fry. I was such a fan of Miss Benson's Beetle that I was excited to receive an ARC of the final installment in the series.

I am glad that Joyce closed the loop on the story. I think it was good that Maureen got to voice her part of the story. I think for anyone that has experienced a sudden or traumatic class can relate to Maureen's story in some ways.

I will say that this was my least favorite of the three books but it was still enjoyable. Joyce has proven that she is a strong writer and I will gladly read anything that she writes.

I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Possibly triggers: Suicide, sudden loss, loss of a child.

This was a cute mystery that was extremely easy to follow! The characters were really likable and the plot kept my interest. I listened to this on audiobook and I can’t wait to read more from the author.

I do wish that Maureen became more likeable before the last (literally) 30 pages of the book. It was a very quick read, but felt like an unnecessary addition to the Harold Frye universe. However, the last couple of pages were heartbreaking, emotional, raw, and a lovely tribute to a lost son. I only wish that Maureen had been redeemed earlier.

Maureen was not the book for me. Maybe if I had read the earlier books and was invested in the characters, it might have been different. However, I found Maureen to be an unappealing character. She seemed to genuinely care for her husband and their friend/neighbor, Rex. However, she seemed pretty disdainful of pretty much everyone else. Yet I appreciated the ending where Maureen shows some empathy and understanding of others, as well as some sympathy and forgiveness for herself. I also thought the author did a great job of portraying scenes in a vivid fashion.

Having not read the first books in this series, I felt a little lost at first. Overall it was an interesting read but I wish I had read the previous books first.

"Maureen" is the touching finale of a trilogy that began with "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. which I loved. After Harold's journey to save a friend, his wife, Maureen, now faces her pilgrimage filled with love, loss, and self-discovery. The novel explores her struggles, vulnerabilities, and the changed landscape as she embarks on a deeply emotional and powerful journey to understand herself and come to terms with the past. It definitely took a while for me to get into this book because Maureen is a difficult person to like.
She is quick to judge and often not very kind. However, it was worth the read to follow Maureen on her journey.