Well!! This book hit the spot! It is an absolutely charming read and gives you all the feels. I fell so hard for Arthur. He is a joy. He visits his wife’s grave every day at lunch, which is where he meets Maddy. Maddy is a unique and sad young lady. Her mother passed away when she was young and her father is not much of a father. She and Arthur develop a relationship and it is just exactly what each of them need. Throw in a pesky neighbor named Lucille and you have a perfect family.

Did I mention I love this book. One of the reasons is the chemistry between ALL the characters. Each bring something special into the relationships, plus all have some baggage or hang up. Maddy is a heartbreaking teenager. She does not fit in anywhere, school or home. She is bullied and even has thoughts of suicide. Arthur is her saving grace. (Like I said, HE IS ADORABLE!).

This is the perfect book if you are looking for a heartwarming, delightful read. Plus, you may shed a tear or two if you are not careful.

This was a quick and charming read. It reminded me of other novels that I've read in the past few years. The widower or widow has an adventure whether inside or outside of their home. I enjoyed this one more than some, less than others.

In The Story of Arthur Truluv, a loner teenager meets an elderly man visiting his wife’s grave and the two bond. We learn about life, love, growing up, growing old, and the meaning of family as their relationship grows and they bring others into their circle.

The story is heart-warming, if extremely predictable and manipulative, and there are some neat turns of phrase. For example, Maddy tells Arthur she feels things from the graves, “Mostly peace. Like … relief. Like, ‘Okay, that’s all, put down your pencils, even if you’re not done.’” (p. 39 of the digital advance reader copy). Another phrase I liked was a thought from Arthur on page 49: "What the kids can't do with those computers! He's seen what look like four-year-olds seated at little computer screens at the library, intent on their business as air traffic controllers." I think this novel will find many readers and will be chosen by many book clubs in the coming year.

Arthur imagines the lives of the people under the graves at the cemetery, and I was not crazy about this thought: “This one was a librarian, the prettiest thing you ever saw in spectacles….Wore her hair up in a bun that always immediately started falling down in a most attractive way.” (p. 35 of the digital advance reader copy). It may be Arthur thinking it, but it is Berg writing it, and I’m disappointed in her for continuing the old librarian stereotype. She surely could have come up with something more original.

If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and Pixar’s movie Up, you probably will enjoy The Story of Arthur Truluv. It struck me as a merging of the two.

I read an advance reader copy of The Story of Arthur Truluv. It was published on November 21 and is available at the Galesburg Public Library as a print book and as an ebook.

Arthur Moses misses his wife, Nola and visits her grave daily. Oddly enough, he can discern details about the lives of her neighbors in the graveyard beyond what’s noted on the headstones. That’s where the magic of this novel begins. In that same graveyard, Arthur meets 17-year-old Maddy who is struggling with being bullied, not having a mother and having an uncommunicative father. An unlikely friendship develops and (no spoilers here) extends to include Arthur’s neighbor Lillian. The first half of the book is particularly strong with both Arthur’s and Maddy’s points of view - what they’re thinking and feeling and views on their lives. As the book continues, the book shifts tone somewhat and although still enjoyable, it begins to feel more pat because Maddy’s thought process is no longer consistently developed. Overall, this story of friendship and love is sweet and delightful.

I loved, loved, loved this book. Very much in the vein of A Man Called Ove, a little different but still just as good.

Arthur visits his wife's grave every day, and there he notices a teenager hanging around. Maddy is trying to avoid school and her father, who is grieving in his own way. As they begin to share experiences, their bond begins to grow.

Arthur tolerates his overbearing neighbor, Lucille, who is lonely in her own way. However, Lucille gets a sudden second chance at happiness that will alter her life as well.

I don't want to reveal too much, not because there are huge plot twists because there aren't. These are just lives lived well, that become even better when they give of themselves to others.

I loved this book and I want everyone to read it! I'm not even reading anyone else's reviews because I don't want my opinion to be swayed at all. This book made me HAPPY!


Current Goodreads Rating 4.19

After losing his wife (Nola), elderly man (Arthur) finds a second family (Maddy and Lucille).

This was a simple, yet beautiful, story about second chances. If you're in the mood for a sweet story about the kindness of strangers and creating familial bonds with friends, I would highly recommend this story. I enjoyed the eccentric, fun-loving characters of Arthur and Lucille, and my heart was warmed by how they took lonely, love-deprived Maddy under their wings.

I would recommend this to fans of A Man Called Ove!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars

The Story of Arthur Truluv is uplifting, sweet, and a good addition to what I like to call The Man Called Ove genre. The characters are likeable, and the story is entertaining and moves along at a good pace. While I liked the book, I didn’t love it. The message is fabulous- the power of people to impact those around them. It is certainly worth reading if you are looking for a touching story; however A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine resonated more with me. I received an advanced copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Arthur Moses is the sort of person who epitomizes the idea that good intentions and behaviour travel out in waves , touch and change lives.

This book in many ways is about Arthur Moses, later named TRULUV who continues to have lunch with his wife six months after has she passed away, at the graveyard.Here he encounters seventeen( later eighteen) year old Maddy. Maddy Harris is hiding from bullies at school and sometimes from the world at large. They start to talk and though not much is said, a bond is forged. The lonely neighbour Lucille is also excited about changes in her life. When things get hard, the three of them form an eclectic family worthy of a tv show. Life goes on for them, the delicate dance of relationships and the quirky comments in between ( natural to most families) touch the heart. 

This book has all the factors to cause you to tear up, new relationships and second chances, and endearing characters.The narration is also different from the other books of the author that I have read and liked.

You fall into this book from the get go. That's something that tells me this is one that's a winner. No matter what genre, storyline or background; once you start reading and not wanting to stop is a sign for the pages to come.

The elderly Arthur misses his wife terribly and everyday he goes to the cemetery, taking his lunch and lawn chair, to spend time with her. This is where he meets Maddy, a teenager who doesn't seem to fit in at home nor at school. She spends a lot of time at the cemetery, where she and Arthur meet. Lillian is Arthur's elderly neighbor who loves baking and is lonely. These three people will come to play important roles in each others lives.

Their story is shared in a sweet, heartfelt manner. Underneath the telling of their road together life themes as loneliness, family, acceptance & friendship are addressed. A lovely feelgood book. I received a copy from Netgalley to read this novel, and it gave me 3 hours of reading pleasure and characters that will remain with me for some time.

With an unforgettable cast of characters and filled with rare insights into what really constitutes family, The Story of Arthur Truluv is Elizabeth Berg’s charming and heartwarming tale that celebrates life and attests to its infinite possibilities.

While some might buckle under the grief of losing their spouse, childless octogenarian Arthur Moses prefers to look on the bright side as he builds a new life for himself and assists two others in exploring the possibilities present in their lives.

Dubbed Truluv by Maddy, a misfit teen with a plethora of problems he meets on one of his daily trips to the cemetery, Arthur begins a friendship with the girl whose need for love and acceptance is obvious to the kind and gentle Arthur. He also offers his understanding and companionship to his somewhat temperamental 83 year old neighbor Lucille. Through a series of events coupled with the common thread of loneliness the three end up living in Arthur’s home, sharing their varied life experiences with humor and unconditional love and creating for this unlikely trio an escape from the emptiness and isolation they have all been experiencing and giving each a second chance at happiness and fulfillment.

All of us wish we could have a sagacious and devoted man like Arthur Moses (Truluv) teaching us the extraordinary gifts of beauty, love, and tolerance we should practice in our everyday lives.

Elizabeth Berg has done a magnificent job of combining distinctive characters and a heartwarming and satisfying plot filled with empathy, compassion, understanding, and acceptance and liberally sprinkled with its own special brand of magic.

P.S. If I appear to be gushing in my appraisal it’s due to the fact that this book is something really special that deserves to be “gushed over”.

Powerful, poignant, and charming!

The Story of Arthur Truluv is a touching novel that reminds us that life should be lived to the fullest and that family can be any unit created by love and not limited to those related by blood.

The story is told from three different points of view; Arthur, a kind-hearted widow whose loneliness is palpable and who spends the better part of his days at the graveside of his late wife; Maddie, a troubled teenager, struggling with bullies at school and an apathetic father at home; and Lucille, a retired school teacher who has spent most of her life pining for a lost love.

The prose is eloquent and reflective. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are strong, multi-layered, and endearing. And the plot is a compelling tale of friendship, happiness, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, honesty, humour, unconditional love, growing old, and the true meaning of family.

The Story of Arthur Truluv is a moving, delightful story that will make you laugh, make you cry and is hands down one of my favourite reads of the year.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg is a poignant, impactive story. It has real, genuine characters that I grew to love. Some might say it has a predictable plot but so, what. The characters of Arthur, Maddy and even opinionated Lucille became so dear to me that I laughed with them a few times and shed a few tears other times. I couldn’t help but envy Arthur’s (Truluv) positive outlook at 80+, along with the sphere of influence he had on others.

While it is a contemporary novel it has a lyrical almost poetic feel at times. making it a pleasure to read. I did not just see these scenes and events, I felt them. A touching story that sticks with you long after you have closed the book.
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I've long been a fan of Elizabeth Berg's writing and this book is in my opinion, her best yet! The characters are vivid, the story is sweet and bridges all age groups.

I absolutely loved Arthur - who wouldn't?! And I came to love Maddy and even Lucille in her maddening but well-meaning way.

There were so many times I had to read a passage more than once just because of the beauty and truth - - and sometimes sadness - - of it. Like (and I paraphrase) "nobody sees you when you're old unless they knew you when you were young". So true usually and yet as this story showed, that's not always the case. Yes, there's a lot of sentimentality and perhaps wishful thinking of how things should be in this story. But what's wrong with that? It gives hope that perhaps things can be like this - and that even when there are tears, there are smiles for all that came before. I loved this book!!

My Disclaimer:

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book. I am voluntarily providing an honest review in which all opinions are fully my own. I am not being compensated in any way.

~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

What it’s about…

Nora has been dead for six months and is buried in the town cemetery. Arthur Moses travels across town to the cemetery every day to have lunch with her.

Maddy Harris is a girl who is about to become a young woman without having had a childhood. Her mother died shortly after she was born. Her father shut himself off from her.

Lucille is Arthur’s next-door neighbor. She loves to cook and bake and talk. She has just gotten a letter from the love of her life who married another woman back then.

This is the story of what happens when these three people meet and life does what life does.

Technical Tidbits…

The cover is absolutely wonderful! Not only is it appealing and what made me want to read the book, but it totally relates to the story and is a great metaphor for Arthur himself.

The storyline is simple and sweet.

The characters are the whole story.

The pace is the pace of life itself.

The tension is the same as waking up each morning and not knowing what will happen that day.

The quality of the writing is magical. Ms. Berg creates a slice of everyday life and invites us to share it. This little corner of Americana. This is happening on a daily basis somewhere in our world, it just may not be playing out quite this way. Three people collide and life happens. In this case, magic happens because of the love of one of them.

And this is where you STOP if you don’t want to see any SPOILERS…

The good, the bad, and the ugly…and how much it lit up my life… ✰✰✰✰✰

O…M…G! This is really magic! The reason I called the cover art a metaphor for Arthur is because Arthur has so much love inside him that he tries to take care of everyone. He tries to shelter Maddie and Lucille. He tries to shelter Gordon, the cat. His talking with the spirits in the cemetery is his way of sheltering them, too. He has so much to give that he does it without thinking about it. It’s his automatic response. So that little scene where he shares his umbrella with Maddie at the bus stop is a perfect metaphor for Arthur Moses.

It’s amazing the amount of life in these 240 pages. We have a young woman sneaking out to give her sleazebag older boyfriend a blowjob just to get his attention. The same young woman running away from home now pregnant with the sleazebag’s child. She, of course, has had a lousy childhood due to a dead mother and a distant father. Then we have a fluffy old lady who cooks, bakes, and gossips. Then she takes up with the guy who got away until he dies. Then she grieves so hard so can’t take care of herself. And that’s without Arthur!

If we add in Arthur, we have so much more. Do we say Arthur is senile because he speaks with the spirits of dead people in the cemetery? Or is he a medium? How do we explain the fact that he can see into the past lives of those spirits and know how they lived before they died or how they died? Or exactly what they looked like and what they wore when they were buried? And whether or not they were happy with that?

Who or what is Arthur Moses? Is he a special spirit sent to spread love in this world and into the afterlife? He certainly seems to do that. The only person he seems to not care for is Maddie’s sleazebag, but he threatens him in defense of Maddie. When Maddie is prepared to move out because Lucille is going to move in, Arthur convinces her that having Lucille there will be a good thing so that Maddie will stay. When Lucille isn’t too sure about continuing her cooking school because her students might disrupt Arthur’s home, he tells her he’ll be thrilled to have them in his home. He tries to take care of everyone so that they are happy.

And in turn, everyone wants to take care of Arthur. And Arthur needs caring for because he is getting older and doesn’t really pay any attention to taking care of himself. So when it came his time to die, he had people around him to take care of him who loved him.

Highly Recommended.

I founds the book to be heartwarming and the story itself to be lovely for this time of year. The characters meshed well and the ending warmed my heart. I appreciated reading a story like this and seeing how death effects people differently. The story flowed well, made sense, and the ending made me smile. Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the early arc.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. - Richard Bach

This is such a lovely, loving story. It is a story of choosing our family, which isn't necessarily the one we were born into.

Arthur Moses is an 85 year-old widower in a small town in Missouri, mourning his dead wife. He takes the bus every day to visit her grave and have lunch with her.

Maddy Harris is a 17 year-old high school girl whose mother died at a young age and whose father is cold and distant. She doesn't have any friends and she comes to the cemetery during her lunch breaks. (I identified strongly with Maddy. I was the young girl who used to go to the cemetery to read. I was a Goth before the word became known.) So Maddy and Arthur meet at the cemetery and become friends.

To round out the friendship is Arthur's female next door neighbor Lucille Howard, a retired teacher that's never been married and loves to cook and especially bake.

This is a story about this unlikely trio becoming a family, being there for each other, and learning from each other.

I am so glad that I received this book from Random House through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

The Story of Arthur Truluv is a beautifully written book, both moving and uplifting. It is a book which addresses a range of human emotions and conditions, written with compassion and humour. The story is a testament to the fact that understanding, acceptance and human kindness can have rich and fulfilling outcomes. Everyone needs an Arthur Truluv in their lives. He is, indeed, a real mensch. Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Story of Arthur Truluv is a gently philosophical story centered on an elderly widower. Arthur visits the cemetery every day and has lunch at his late wife’s grave so that he can talk to her. Those interred there make pieces of their stories known to him at times; it’s a bit like crossing Fannie Flagg’s The Whole Town’s Talking with the work of Fredrik Backman. I read it free and early thanks to Random House and Net Galley in exchange for this honest review. I rate this book as 3.5 stars and round upward.

Arthur, an octogenarian, and Maddy, who is 17, meet at the graveyard. Maddy is in a spot herself; her home life is not good; she’s been dumped by a much older boyfriend; she’s a pariah at school; and on top of all these things, she is pregnant. She and Arthur form a tentative friendship, though she is wary of trusting him at first. A bond is formed, and Arthur becomes a mentor to Maddy.

Added into the mix is Arthur’s lonely next door neighbor, an older woman named Lucille, who has never married or had children. These three characters make up the vast majority of the story, but it’s not a story with three protagonists; as the title suggests, the story is Arthur’s, and Maddy and Lucille are here primarily to develop him.

The story is a sweet one and has some nice moments, particularly where gentle good humor is employed; yet at the same time, I felt a little let down. Perhaps it was the hype; there’s been so much buzz about this book. But although I liked most of it, I found it somewhat derivative. I had 90 percent of the ending figured out a third of the way into the story. The character of Lucille felt wooden to me, and a lot of Berg’s sentimentality and allegory could use a lighter hand.

This one is a good choice for those needing a little light, feel-good fiction, but I wouldn’t pay full jacket price for it. This story is available to the public tomorrow, November 21, 2017.

Ok, I'm a sucker for these kinds of feel-good books! So full of heart and love. And no, it is NOT to be compared to A Man Called Ove. Arthur Moses is an eighty-five-year-old widower and retired groundskeeper living in Mason, Missouri, who visits his beloved deceased wife every day in the cemetery and has lunch with her. Arthur often looks at what is written on a tombstone nearby and imagines the life story of whomever is buried there. He wants to know who is keeping his wife company, after all. Very reminiscent of Thornton Wilder's play, Our Town, in that way--for the appreciation of how wonderful life can be.

There he meets Maddy, a young misfit girl, a loner, who also frequently has her own lunch amongst the graves. The two strike up an unlikely friendship. Arthur tells her about Nola, his wife, and she begins calling him Truluv.

Maddy's story is that her mother died when she was a baby and her father has never recovered from his grief. His heart seems closed to his daughter. She has always felt lonely and unloved, the object of scorn and teasing from her school classmates.

When Maddy becomes pregnant, her father's wishes are not her own and so she runs away from home. A concerned high school teacher, who respects her artistic talents, arranges for her to start colleges classes in the spring at a school that has facilities for single mothers. In the meantime, Arthur offers to hire her as his live-in housekeeper. Then Lucille, his spinster neighbor, feeling her life is lonely, also asks to move in. She is a marvelous cook and baker and plans to teach cooking classes in his kitchen and Arthur impulsively says yes.

Can three strangers with very different personalities learn to live together? The resulting mix is often hilarious, with a few irritations, but mostly compassionate and loving. I predict their appreciation of life will open your heart just a little wider. "Arthur thinks that, above all, aging means the abandonment of criticism and the taking on of compassionate acceptance." Amen to that!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an arc of Ms Berg's lovely new book. This would make a perfect holiday gift for friends and relatives.

Beloved Author Elizabeth Berg creates three more beloved characters.

Arthur Moses is an eighty-five-year-old widower who fills his days caring for his cat Gordon, and with walks to the cemetery to have lunch with his dear departed wife Nola, who’s been gone six months. He is a gentle, intuitive soul who acknowledges the dead in Nola’s cemetery neighborhood, accepting their value even in death.

One day he meets Maddy, a troubled teen who doesn’t fit in at school or home. Maddy has trouble with her widowed father, and with a boyfriend who has no respect for her. Arthur and Maddy forge an unlikely friendship that restores hope for both. Along the way, they add Arthur’s quirky neighbor, Lucille, who’s cooking will make your eyes tear up, it sounds so good.

The bond forged by the three of them makes this book one I hated to see end. People who loved of A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman or Amor Towles A Gentleman in Moscow will equally enjoy Arthur Truluv.

I received this book from Net Galley.