I am usually a huge fan of Robyn Carr books, so I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed in this one. One of Carr's strengths is character development. I feel as if I'm friends with the people in Virgin River or Sullivan's Crossing. A week after reading The View From Alameda Island, I can't even remember who the story was about. It will be interesting to see if our library patrons agree with me or not.

A nice read from author Robyn Carr. A story with attention grabbing characters that keeps the pages turning.
Review copy received from the Publisher via Netgalley

A very well written book as I always expect from Ms. Carr. Well developed plot and characters. I highly recommend this book.

A story of failed marriages & new beginnings. It starts off slow but then gathers pace to a great finale. Loved everything about it

Robyn Carr can surely write books that keep you hooked till the last page.
I loved this heartwarming book about second chances and changes.
I loved the setting, the characters and found the book engaging and entertaining.
It's a very good specimen of women's fiction that hooks you since the first pages and never bores or let you down.
I read other books by this writer but this is one of those I liked most.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Harlequin-Mira and Netgalley for this ARC

I absolutely loved this story about second chances, mistakes and family.
Two of the worst divorces I've ever read about bring together a couple who are perfect for each other. The war stories will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Their friends and families round out this eclectic cast of characters joyfully.
Strongly recommend.

This book was unbelievable. I don't mean exceptionally good or exceptionally bad; I mean that so many improbable things happened that by the end of the book there was no doubt that it was fiction. While there was nothing that happened that in and of itself was impossible, the combination just had me shaking my head.

One of the impossible stories had to do with a Catholic priest. After many years in the priesthood, the last few on the "bishop track" Fr. Tim decides that while he still has faith in God and in the Church, he no longer wants to be a priest--he wants to work for an organization that serves the poor, and, of course, he doesn't want to be celibate anymore. Once he makes the decision to leave, he gets into a relationship with a woman he has known for years and in the space of a few months has been laicized and has married the woman in a Catholic church.

Ok, I can accept that if Robyn Carr is not Catholic she wouldn't realize how impossible that is, but the book main character's first marriages are each abusive in their own way and the behavior of each ex just gets stranger and stranger as the book progresses. If either one of them had a spouse like those it would be unusual; that they both did? Just bizarre. At the end of the book something happens to the ex's and it is all just too convenient.

On the other hand, I really liked Lauren and how she stepped up to take control of her life. Her new man is everything her husband wasn't--focused on her and what is good for her rather than on himself.

All in all, I've seen much better from Carr but she did keep me reading and involved in the story until the end.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B-

Lauren Delaney had it all-rich handsome husband, gorgeous mansion and 2 healthy daughters. But like so many things, looks can be deceiving.
When her youngest daughter went off to college she decided she wanted a divorce but her controlling husband wanted no part of it. One day looking for solitude in a beautiful garden in a church she met a man named Beau who was also going through a contentious divorce. They became friends and helped each other through trying times.
Lauren’s husband wanted her back and she needed to stay strong for herself
As usual Robyn Carr kept me interested from start to finish.

Wow, just wow! What a great story!
Follow Lauren, as she struggles with the choice to leave her husband of twenty four years, she's had enough of his controlling ways. She stayed long enough to make sure her daughters were taken care of but now, she's had enough of his mental and physical abuse. Follow her story as she navigates starting over, with the help of Beau, who's there for her as a friend, and a sounding board as he's going through his own divorce. Watch their story unfold before your eyes!
This has a slow start, but hang in there because you will not be able to put it down! 5 stars for this one! Grab it when it comes out, you will so enjoy this story!

Robyn Carr is a top author for me. I enjoyed Virgin River series and Sullivan's Crossing series very much.
I was excited to see a new book, I was looking forward to it since March 24, 2018. I turned my non-reader mom into a Robyn Carr fan. I will have her buy and read this one also.

I immediately became interested in their story. I could not stop reading.
I could relate to them ad understand their viewpoints.
I felt a part of their story.
I was cheering them on and hoping the team around her gave her enough strength to survive.

I am hoping this will become a new series. I want more of these characters.

This book has a slow build to it and that is what really makes it work. We get to see Lauren really think about her life and what she wants from it, to see her start to make small changes that will set her up later. It was just her good luck that at a time she was ready to make a change she found someone else that was on the same path as her in Beau. I liked the friendship that these two developed, how they were able to talk about things as they were in the same place with their kids and their spouses. You could tell that if both would give it a chance they could have something more and as much as I wanted that for them I was very happy that they took things slow before starting up a relationship.

Both Lauren and Beau did a great job of communicating the changes going on in their lives with their kids. Sure there was some push back at times, but by the end of the book all the kids seemed to be on the same page as Lauren and Beau, happy for them and happy with the new family dynamics.

I was pleasantly surprised by a secondary romance in this one for a couple of reasons. The first, the people themselves, the second because not much happened until the last third of the book. This couple was so cute, worried about the same thing, but mostly about helping others. It's what made it very easy to root for them as a couple.

It's been a longtime since I have read a book by Robyn Carr and I am happy to announce that I was given the opportunity to do so by reading her newest book The View From Alameda Island coming out in April. Carr shows us her passion for writing in her books, and she did not disappoint in this one either.

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 she knew the day she married Brad that it was a mistake.

They say "opposites" attract, and it is true in Carr's writing of the turbulent marriages that Lauren and Beau share in common. Lauren has planned her escape from her abusive husband of twenty four years very methodically. How much more of the abuse could she take?

Ms. Carr takes us right there on the island with some beautiful characters, and some very ugly ones. And tells the story of how two beautiful people cross paths at a very turbulent time in their lives, and fall in love. But their stories are not all champagne and roses, their stories touch on mental and emotional abuse as well as physical abuse. A touching story of how two families overcome the hardships and scars that their ex's leave in their lives, as well as their kid's lives.

I enjoyed this book very much. I could see the island and the homey town, she describes. Oh and how the flower gardens must have looked, Carr makes them sound so amazing. There are going to be a lot of people that will be able to relate to their stories, as I did myself.

Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC of Robyn Carr's book

A captivating thought provoking storyline that ask the question. How can love turn to hate?. So begins this new Robyn Carr novel. Set in California near Almeda island(hence the title).Lauren has withstand emotional and some physical abuse from her husband of twenty five years and has enough. She plots out her escape only to realize leaving him is becoming even far worse that staying. Robyn takes us through the trial of a marriage gone sour where a controlling husband finally has no control of the wife he abuse for years. We are taking through the step by step process of how Lauren leaves her husband and tries to start a new life. Of course that is not an easy feat. Through all the hardship pain and suffering of the nightmare divorce she meets Beau a landscape architect who is also going through a divorce from a moody manipulative wife. At first they just consult each other and without realizing that amongst the craziness they are dealing with their spouses they are able to find one another and be each other's sanity. This is a fabulous addition to Ms. Carr's work. Though this novel touches on topics like physical violence murderous plots and extreme meanness Ms. Carr was able to show that with all of the bitterness of the world they are still a light of hope in a sometimes mean world. Review on goodreads and amazon

This book is more main line fiction than romance It deals with spousal abuse which is not a topic that I care for, I love the Virgin River series and her other series like that

This is one of my favorite author’s and I feel like I expect more from authors I really like. I was not disappointed by this book. It was hard to put down. It had some romance,a little mystery and a whole lot of just great story telling!

Robyn Carr has once again blown me away! The View From Alameda Island is a complete standalone that will capture your attention (as well as your heart) from page 1! To be honest, after the first sentence I was 100% hooked—best opening I’ve read in a long, long time!

One of my favorite things about Robyn Carr is her ability to write endearing characters with real world issues. Lauren had gone through a multitude of issues that many will be able to relate to. Then enter Beau, and I was glued to my kindle because I couldn’t wait to see how everything would play out!

I have no idea how Robyn Carr writes such fantastic and ORIGINAL storylines EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. This novel blends romance, suspense and women’s fiction perfectly! I know a lot of people asking for suggestions for a standalone novel for a long weekend or vacation—I highly recommend this book! The View From Alameda Island is a 5 star novel that you won’t want to see end! I adore Robyn Carr and always look forward to what she will come out with next!

Carr weaves her unique brand of storytelling into her latest The View From Alameda Island. There is a lot to take in and she does not hold back. Lauren and Beau are both victims of abuse in different, yer similar ways. Their trials and tribulations are sometimes hard to take, but their growth, as well as growth of the supporting cast, gets stronger as you read. This is an excellent read and I hope Carr continues this series.

Robyn Carr is one of my top ten favorite authors, however I am sad to say this one is not a favorite for me. Carr does handle the subject of domestic abuse and divorce well but I still didn't care for the story. It has a solid plot, well developed characters, and heartfelt emotions but it just wasn't a story I enjoyed.

4.5 stars
The View from Alameda Island is an engaging, well-written, character-driven novel. It is a book about toxic marriages, self-centeredness, blended families, guilt, and healing.

Beau and Lauren have suffered under abusive spouses for years. But when the two of them decided that it was time to end their toxic marriages, their spouses couldn’t believe, that they were being dumped.

Once the decision to divorce was made, life became very tough for both Beau and Lauren. The two of them had met by accident but became close friends and great support for one another. Their soon to be ex-spouses, became vicious, in unexpected, and unlawful ways. Although The View from Alameda Island is a bit over-the-top, it does, however, shine a spotlight on the ugly agony that a family unit breakup causes. It also shows the reader that although it is painful to leave toxic relationships, there is life and healing after them.

Thank you, Mira Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I loved it.

I am never disappointed in a book by Robyn Carr. This one continues that tradition with lovable characters and a solid plot.