Another fabulous story from Robyn Carr, who I have been reading for years. A standalone, the story revolves around Lauren, an abused wife of a surgeon, with 2 grown daughters who finally decides to file for divorce. And Beau, a landscape artist, who has also recently separated from his wife. They meet, and the story is of their relationship as it pertains to their divorces, their grown children and their families, as well as their exes. A richly rewarding book, this story has so much heart. First of all, I love reading books about “older relationships” as these people have already lived a lifetime, and all come with interesting baggage. And the way Ms Carr develops their personalities and relationships makes for a a rich full story.

Wonderful book. Tough story line, very well told. Engaging, interesting characters. A must read for fans of Robyn Carr. Hooked me from the first chapter.

This story is about the struggle of leaving a marriage behind; no matter how cruel a spouse can be, and no matter how toxic a relationship is.
Lauren meets Beau who is having similar issues and wanting to leave his marriage as well, so they form a friendship that soon starts to lean towards more.
But, can that happen with Lauren’s spouse still lingering so close by?
There is the family dynamic with the children and who they each side with, and the friends along the way.
I found that this story dragged a bit in few places and I got a little bored sometime; I have to be honest. Maybe I just didn’t really feel attached to many other characters. But, my interest in the outcome for Lauren was enough!

Fans of Robyn Carr's will be delighted to find that she has a new (non-series) novel out just in time for spring and Mother's Day. This book is about second chances, making the kind of life that you want to have happen and of not holding back out of fear.

The story focuses on Lauren who seems to have it all...except that, of course, she doesn't. She is married to Brad, a successful surgeon, and has two daughters.

Beau is married with two stepsons. He is a landscape architect whose marriage has been unhappy for years.

Tim is a priest and friend of Beau's. He also becomes a friend of Lauren's.

What happens to each of these characters, those around them and their relationships forms the basis of the novel. The pages turn easily and readers will be interested in how the characters fare. A good women's fiction book all in all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author.

Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors. She's an author whose new books I'll read before even knowing what they're about - I trust her that much. I believe I've read every book she has written, going back to THE HOUSE ON OLIVE STREET and, of course, THE VIRGIN RIVER series. She consistently challenges me as a reader, keeps me laughing, keeps me wishing the worlds she creates on the pages of her books were real life, and entertains me.

This story is about two similar people, both working at finally getting out of toxic marriages. They meet and become friends, talking about their grown children, common interests, bad days caused by their soon-to-be exes. And as their divorces head into the final stages, they discover happiness together, but not without terrible moments.

Lauren Delaney was married to her successful surgeon husband and stays with him for 24 years until their two daughters are grown, putting up with his emotional and physical abuse.

Beau Magellan is a successful landscape architect and has helped raise his two stepsons as his own while his wife periodically leaves them, has affairs and is a miserable person.

This is a well-told story of the many sides of domestic violence and definitely wasn't always easy to read but I still enjoyed every word of it and hated having it end.

I received this book from MIRA Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

A lovely story of growth and learning to live and love again.
Amazing how one person can make you weak and change who you are. Immersed in an emotionally abusive relationship at the hands of a manipulative husband who utilized gas lighting techniques to prove her unworthiness. Lauren is manipulated into staying in their horrible marriage. Can you believe her husband does this by threatening to damage the future of his own children?
She finally takes the steps to remove herself from the unbearable situation. Through the divorce and self-discovery process she begins to find herself and discovers she really likes who she is. She begins to open up, making new friends, and living the life she’s missed out on.
While appreciating the beauty of the church gardens she meets hunky Beau. Beau is equally embroiled in a messy divorce. The two bond over their common situations and start becoming each other’s supporting shoulder. Neither is looking for love. But through companionship their love grows.
“I was content with my life,’ he whispered to her. “I wasn’t aching for something more, or someone to make me happier. But you’ve filled up an empty place inside me that I didn’t even know was there. You’re everything to me.”
“The moment Beau touched her, she opened up to him like a beautiful flower and he filled her with all his love and lust.”
During her marriage Lauren worked hard to hide from everyone the reality of her marriage. But after breaking away from her husband she discovers that she didn’t have anyone fooled. Her jerk of an ex works diligently to make the divorce and her new life miserable.
Out of her two daughters, one understands completely and supports her mother unconditionally. The other, only has her own interests at heart and sides with her father. The writing is raw and emotional. Lauren handled it with much more grace and heart than I think I could.
The relationships between Lauren and her daughters, Beau and his sons and how they handle the adjustments they go through was beautiful and realistic. I laughed, I cried! This was a beautiful story!

When I pick up a Robyn Carr book I think romance, sweet, and fun. This book is all of that but it is also a lot of twists and turns that will make you think about the life you are living.

Getting married means forever, means love, means respect and means happiness. For Lauren, none of that comes true. She marries to escape being poor. She wants the status that comes with being married to a successful surgeon, yet that isn’t what she gets. The book starts up with Lauren figuring out how to stand up for herself and leave her husband so I instantly felt respect for her. Sure she has lived for 20+ years with the abuse but she is now looking for a way out, setting up a life for herself without being a wife of a surgeon, and finding out who Lauren is.

Everything about The View from Alameda Island is wonderful. The book is hard to put down, easy to fall into, and wonderful from beginning to end.

The View from Alameda Island by Robyn Carr - another of her books that held my interest all the way through.

Lauren is married to a surgeon - Brad, but... he is manipulative, controlling and abusive. She stays in the marriage because of her two daughters, Lauren wants the best for them - in a money sense, however most likely it isn't good for them really. Lauren is a competent person but she is told by Brad that she is useless. Finally after many attempts Lauren makes plans and leaves him. What a relief!

She meets another man, Beau one day at a garden and they strike up a conversation. Soon they are developing a friendship and spending more time together. However he too is going through a divorce and life is not exactly straight going for him. What I really liked about him was his care for his two step sons - 18 and 21. While his ex wife was the mother, it was Beau who had always stepped up for them.

So a divorce should be straight forward - right? Well not in both Beau's and Lauren's cases. They have cray, cray, crazy ex partners who go to extraordinary lengths to put a spanner in the works to prevent the divorces going through. I kept thinking - what next? No! Really!

This is a very good story of a woman finding her way, choosing happiness and a full life. It is about friendship, family and people standing with you and supporting you.  It is about being there for others - being able to admit mistakes and readjust living to a better, more wholesome path.I really liked Lauren and Beau as characters and was so sorry to have to close the book.

I have only recently discovered Robyn Carr’s books and so far I have really enjoyed the nice little escape they provide from day to day life.

Carr has written a number of different standalone books and various series, and clearly has a huge following of devoted fans! So far I have stuck with the Sullivan’s Crossing series but I have been interested in checking out some of her other novels.

She has been hugely successful and I can clearly see how experienced she is in her writing. Her books are often well written, believable, with interesting characters so when this book came up for review—a standalone—I was eager to try something a little different from this established author!

Summary

#1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr delivers a poignant and powerful story about how one woman’s best intentions lead to the worst of situations and how the power of love helps her to heal and ultimately triumph.

From the outside looking in, Lauren Delaney has a life to envy—a successful career, a solid marriage to a prominent surgeon and two beautiful daughters who are off to good colleges. But on her twenty-fourth wedding anniversary Lauren makes a decision that will change everything.

Lauren won’t pretend things are perfect anymore. She defies the controlling husband who has privately mistreated her throughout their marriage and files for divorce. And as she starts her new life, she meets a kindred spirit—a man who is also struggling with the decision to end his unhappy marriage.

But Lauren’s husband wants his “perfect” life back and his actions are shocking. Facing an uncertain future, Lauren discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had as she fights for the love and happiness she deserves (summary from Goodreads).

Review

I was a little surprised by this book. As I mentioned before, I have limited experience with her books, but the ones that I have read seem to be a little more light and positive. This book seemed to be a little darker than her usual stories. Perhaps I am wrong as I have only read two books by her, but from what I have read from other devoted fans, her books do run on the light side and this book seems to be the exception.

This book had some domestic abuse in it and that was a little troubling for me as a reader. When I pick up a book that I am hoping will be happy and romantic, and I get a book that’s a little darker and more serious, I feel disappointed and that’s kind of what happened with this one.

While it’s clear that Carr writes beautiful stories and has a refined and clear style from years of experience, this book just missed the mark for me in some ways. I was expecting one thing and got another.

The book wasn’t completely off putting, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I did enjoy the concept of starting over again after a break up. While I am not divorced, my parents are and I remember how hard that was for my mom to have to start over and rebuild a new life with two younger children. I think that was about the only thing that connected me to the characters in this book.

In the end, I went with a 3 star rating for this book. Carr’s writing style was still recognizable but I was surprised by the direction of the content in this novel. I picked it up thinking I was going to get something more light hearted and fun, but instead got a book that was on the darker more serious side. Others might enjoy it more than I did, but for me this one was just ok.

This is a story about finally taking your life into your own hands and making a new beginning. And it’s also a story about karma being a beautiful brass-balled bitch.

Lauren Delaney is 24 years into a marriage that looks perfect on the outside – but is completely rotten on the inside. She knows that she’s let herself be a victim, and she’s pretty damned ashamed of that.

At the same time, she’s also aware that her husband is a controlling douchebag, and that she’s stayed because he threatened to cut their daughters off without a penny – or at least without enough pennies to pay for college.

He’s also certain that because he’s been the breadwinner as a successful and (self-) important surgeon that everything will go his way in any divorce. He knows how to turn on the charm when he needs to suck up – not that Lauren has had that charm directed at her in nearly two decades. But that over-inflated sense of his own self-importance has led him to completely ignore the fact that California is a community property state. Just because he’s done his level best to convince Lauren that she’s stupid doesn’t mean that she actually is.

Her departure is arranged. And secret. Her daughters are grown or nearly so, and it’s time to start living her own life without fear of abuse.

But no plan survives contact with the enemy – and neither does Lauren’s.

The family takes sides, with Lauren, her sister and her older daughter on one side – and her husband and younger daughter on the other. Along with a whole lot of friends that Lauren never realized she had.

She just has to survive long enough to see it all through.

Taking another chance at romantic love is absolutely nowhere on her horizon. After the way her marriage descended into an abyss, and the emotional cost of keeping up appearances long enough to get her daughters launched, she just isn’t ready to trust another man with any part of her slightly battered self.

At least not until she meets someone who has run the same gauntlet she has – someone who helps her see that the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel isn’t always an oncoming train.

Escape Rating B+: This was a hard books for me personally. In the end, a terrific one, but difficult at the beginning. My own first marriage went down on the same rocks that Lauren’s did. Not to the same degree by any means (and no kids for him to hold hostage), but the paths were surprisingly similar. It was painful and cathartic to read the story of someone else who came out the other side.

I also enjoyed that this is a story of a second chance at life and love for two people who are not 20somethings anymore. I always enjoy romances where the protagonists are a bit seasoned (and a bit closer to my own age!)

The story sits on the border between contemporary romances and women’s (or relationship) fiction. Because as much as the second half of the story focuses on Lauren’s initially stumbling steps towards a new relationship, a great deal of the narrative focuses on Lauren getting out of the old one, the bigger stumbling blocks to reaching that goal, and her relationships with the other women in her life.

Particularly her relationships with her daughters, her sister, and the women she thought were keeping her at arm’s length. After she leaves the jerk, she discovers that she was the one holding everyone else away, because it was easier to keep her secret in isolation than to lie with every second breath.

The way that her daughters react is painful but also feels all-too-real. The older one remembers more of the abuse than Lauren herself was willing to acknowledge. She’s thrilled that her mom is finally breaking away. But the real part is the way that the older girl was always aware that her younger sister was her dad’s favorite so she and her mother are more closely bonded.

The younger girl believes everything her daddy says, and is convinced her mother is having a midlife crisis and will come to her senses at any moment. It’s only when she is faced with incontrovertible evidence that she is finally able to let go of her own selfishness enough to realize that her mother has been telling the truth all along.

The romance that Lauren finds develops slowly and reluctantly. She’s been damaged, and her new friend has been hurt in the same way. They both lived with abusive spouses, both managed and cajoled and tolerated the abuse for the sake of their children, and both were finally able to let go once the children were nearly grown.

That both of their separated spouses tried to take the law into their own hands provided the tension in the story. This was a case, or rather two cases, where Chekhov’s Ex (the creepy stalkerish ex-relationship that looms over the entire plot like Chekhov’s Gun) took itself down off the shelf and hit the story with both barrels.

That the shots rebounded on their shooters made for a deliciously cathartic ending. Karma really is a beautiful bitch.

Robyn Carr holds nothing back in this thought-provoking tale! I admire her ability to write about such dark realities that many people face, but it seems like they're never discussed in polite society. I was captivated the moment I started reading and I couldn't put it down!

Engaging characters, a beautiful setting, and a whole lot of drama makes THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND by Robyn Carr a great read with plenty to keep your eyes glued to the page.

After twenty-four years of abuse and controlling behaviour at the hands of her husband Brad, Lauren has finally had enough. Her two daughters are grown up and at college and she can be free. But Brad doesn't take kindly to being left and will do whatever he can to make life difficult for Lauren, destroying her in any way possible. When Lauren accidentally meets Beau, a gentle and kind man who is going through a similar situation with his ex-wife, she is cautious but happy to have a friendship and possibly more with a man who understands her and actually listens to her. But Lauren and Beau have no idea how difficult their baggage is going to get, with both their children and their exes struggling to accept the situation. And just how far will their ex-partners go to seek revenge?

The characters are great (with the exception of a couple!) but I have to say that Beau and Cassie, one of Lauren's daughters, really stood out for me as extra special. Lauren doesn't see herself as strong but she is and this topic of abuse and controlling behaviour is excellently handled.

THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND by Robyn Carr is a perfectly paced story of new beginnings and friendship and I highly recommend it to contemporary fiction fans everywhere.

I was, honestly, underwhelmed. I found it a bit slow to start and it just wasn’t my favourite of Ms. Carr’s stories. That being said, the further in I read, the more I enjoyed it. It was, as described, poignant – it touched on emotional abuse, physical abuse, divorce, strained family relationships, new beginnings, healing, and gentle romance.

As much as the primary characters carry the plot (and I did admire their strength and tenacity), I actually wanted to read more about some of the secondary characters and their development. I do not advise against reading this novel – in fact, I’d say give it a try – it has heart and soul and happily ever after – but it doesn’t get a definitive must-read recommendation from me (and I feel terrible actually saying that…)

I’m sure it will still pop up on bestsellers lists and will be a great summer read. (PS – avoid if language and romantic scenes aren’t your thing…. I know some of my reader friends are cautious with content!)

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own. Full review posted on my blog: https://lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog/2019/04/29/book-review-the-view-from-alameda-island-by-robyn-carr/

First, I’m not crazy about the description of this book. I feel that this story is just as much about Beau as it is about Lauren. And, frankly, I like Beau better. Lauren is great, but Beau is amazing! And his story is just as troubling and touching as Lauren’s.

I enjoyed the connection Lauren and Beau had from the start. I appreciate that they took things quite slow due to their circumstances. It was cute how they kept crossing paths accidentally. The friendship they forged over their similar circumstances was a lovely way to start their relationship.

I have always enjoyed this author and she has a certain way she tells her story that is as if someone is sitting with you having a cup of coffee telling you about their life. A lot of times this works in her books. In fact, the majority of the time it does. In this book it didn’t work as well as usual. I felt there was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. There are some intense things that happen that elevate the narrative, but then it goes back to a bit too low key.

This is realistic and over the top by turns, but a wonderful story either way. I just wish I had felt a bit more of the emotion.

This book seemed deeper than most of the Carr books I've read previously and let me tell you if she writes it....I will read it. I have never been disappointed in any of her books and this book is no exception.

Lauren, deciding to finally take the plunge and leave her husband, finds an unlikely ally in the church garden when she meets Beau. Their relationship is a slow burn, they don't jump into anything, but become divorce buddies. Both of them going through a divorce and they bond over what they are going through. Both have older children/step-children and not everyone is on board in the beginning.

Beau's best friends is a priest, who gives advice, but doesn't preach to his friend. He is in quandry and doesn't feel like he is doing enough to help the less fortunate.

The ending of this book was absolutely wonderful, but I don't want to spoil it.

Loved reading this book.

5 stars

Robyn Carr is an author I can always rely on to create characters that I love and stories I want to read. This title was no different.

4.5/5

I just love Carr’s style, something about it almost soothes me even if she’s writing about some heavy stuff. I think it’s because she strikes the perfect balance between dark and light, and also due to the fact that her characterization is always on point and she has me invested in the people in her books before I’ve finished the first chapter. Whatever it may be, she’s damn good and I always know when I start one of her books that I’m about to begin an emotional journey alongside some memorable characters.

Lauren is just the type of character I’ve come to expect from a RC novel, she’s extremely likable and it was very easy for me to sympathize with her almost instantly. Right at the beginning of the book she’s preparing to leave her abusive husband after over twenty years of marriage and you just can’t help but feel for the poor woman. Initially I thought this would only be about her personal journey in starting over and while it definitely was, it was also so much more than that. She finds love again and that was developed in a really realistic and authentic way, but what surprised me the most was actually how many surprises the plot took. It was really unexpected for me, most WF novels follow a somewhat predictable path but this one was really different and I just love that!

Highly recommended for fans of the author, her trademark warmth and charm is heavily apparent but I think this is also my favorite of her books so far, so if you haven’t read her before this is a great place to start!

The View from Alameda Island in three words: Genuine, Warm and Charming

Lauren has lived a life of comfort being married to a surgeon. She has 2 children she adores and a job of her own that she does well at. But behind the scenes she is unhappy in her marriage with her controlling and abusive husband. She has stayed as long as she can. Now the girls are in college and she feels she can move on. While waiting to serve her husband with papers she meets a gentleman at a local church garden. She finds he is going through a difficult separation from his wife. He has 2 step sons he has raised as his own. They find they have common interest and become friendly. Laurens husband is determined to make her stay and Beau's wife is determined to come home. These 2 have a lot to get through to be together. Their spouse's try to make things impossible. You never know what someone may be going through. Most people either didn't know or chose to turn a blind eye to Laurens situation. Sometimes you never know who you are really marrying and find out after you are married. Even though its not easy Lauren and Beau will find a way to find happiness.

Lauren Delaney has endured a highly unsatisfactory marriage for 24 years to a man who’s controlling and mean. Brad’s a successful surgeon whose done nothing but demean and belittle her their entire marriage. She declares to herself that there will not be a 25th year in this relationship now that her two daughters have finished college. She now has to figure out how to make this happen and create a new life for herself.

Lauren’s decision is declared in the opening paragraph of this story so there is no ambiguity about the state of her marriage. What comes next is how she takes those steps towards liberation and the impact on her family, career and self respect. I expected to see some of the typical things you’d find in the dismantling of a marriage to someone like Brad and a one-sided view of that but was pleasantly surprised to see Lauren take a critical eye at her own enabling behavior, including her motives for agreeing to marry him. It was insightful and painful, laying bare some hard and awful truths on both sides. When she meets another man (Beau) who’s in similar circumstances following her separation, it gives her an opportunity to test her judgment and make different choices.

I really enjoyed this story because of its honest approach in looking at the disassembly of a long term marriage. While Brad was clearly an awful person, Lauren’s complicity wasn’t ignored and I liked how there was clearly shared responsibility for her circumstances. I especially liked how the impact on the children was portrayed, not only the divorce but the costs of staying in a bad relationship for the sake of those children. While there are some extreme behaviors here, they do illustrate what is probably reality for many who have traveled this road before, some I’ve witnessed. Lauren’s new relationship with Beau was a needed diversion and their contrasts were remarkable given he was going through a similar process. This was an interesting and eye-opening journey.

I read many books by this author, the Virgin River and Thunder Point series were some of my most favorite by her. This time the author writes about two middle age characters that both want to get out of disastrous marriages – separately from each other, but coincidently at the same time.

I’ve always admired the author for picking topics and themes to write about that have meaning, and are relatable.

Beau and Lauren matched well, no doubt about that, and I’m glad they got their HEA especially after what they all had to go through.

I love that authors like Robyn Carr don’t shy away from taking on issues, and writing books about middle age characters with grown children. The only complaint I have is that both main characters went through a messy divorce, that was too eerily similar, at the same time. It felt a bit like a soap opera at times.

But otherwise it was a solid performance by the author, and a great book for anyone that enjoys romance with a more mature couple.