I loved this book! Great character development. I particularly loved seeing their friendships grow. The connection between Missy and the dog. This book solicited an overwhelming emotional reaction. I Loved it!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey was not a great read for me. It wasn't really even a good read. The first few chapters were a slog, but, I'd heard good things about the book, so kept reading. Although the writing and structure got better, the characters simply weren't my cup of tea. I found the main character, 79-year old Missy Carmichael, largely unlikable and fabricated, and the supporting cast was not much better.That said, the book's theme of the redemptive power of friendships was one I'll  continue to enjoy and explore, just not with these characters.
 
The books opens with the main character alone, miserable, whining and well on her way to drunk. I didn't find anything charming about that, and I didn't find much authentic about the character, either. To me it felt like Missy was a young person's image of what old people are like, and that first impression didn't get much better with time.

Characterization aside, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael was well written and fairly well paced. After the first couple chapters, the structure took on a natural rhythm of present day and backstory, which was mostly effective in revealing the main character's motivation and response. Other than the riff with her daughter, which I thought was over advertised, the information brought forward in backstory was solid.

Not every book is for every person, and I know a lot of people will probably fall in love with Missy Carmichael and her ragtag band of friends. I just wasn't one of them. But, that's the good thing about books - there are plenty out there to meet the needs and expectations of every reader, all we have to do is be open to finding them. Or, as my grandma used to say, sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince, ;)

This review was based on an advance copy read.

I really love the story and I admit I spent the last 10% crying like crazy,  Also there wasn't a lot of movement in the story, lots of character growth though, which I know seems odd, but not much happened besides internal growth of the characters, and Missy coming to terms with her life.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

As soon as I heard a few friends rave about this book, I knew I had to read it. And while I haven't read either of the two books that it is being compared to - though they are both on my list - I have to say...this book charmed me like no other.

I adored Missy. She might be my new favorite character. She is quirky and set in her ways but at 79, isn't that to be expected? She's not mean, but she's had some things happen to her in life that have made her become the way she is. Luckily, all it takes is meeting some new people, allowing them into her life, albeit begrudgingly at first, to realize how she has closed herself off and what she has missed in by doing so.

This book warmed my soul. It was the perfect book to read during this time of uncertainty. It's a slow-moving book, but once you get there (and you will know what I mean once you read it) you will want to savor every word and interaction that occurs. Being a dog person, I particularly loved the way Missy slowly grew to love the dog - so much so that she even started talking to it! I talk to my dogs all the time :)

I loved learning about Missy's life as she reminisces about her life and her family. In the beginning of the book, she's not the most likeable of characters, but as time goes on and we learn more about her, she really grew on me and I found I really cared about her and what happened to her. I love books like that, where you become so invested in a character that you only want the best for the characters, especially ones that you didn't particularly love in the beginning.

This is a truly a special book and I am definitely going to be watching to see what comes next from Beth Morrey. She has such a way of creating characters you care about and evoking such strong emotions. Have those tissues ready when you read this...you'll need them!

“Middle-aged women,” the subject heading of The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey. I’m always looking for books appropriate for older women like myself but most books coming out seem to be about 20- and 30-year-olds. 

Missy is on her own at 79 (hardly middle aged!) living in Great Britain. She and her daughter are not on good terms, her son and her only grandchild live in Australia, and her husband is gone. She has not developed any friendships having always been busy taking care of children, a home, and her husband.

One day she ventures out in the neighborhood and comes across a couple of women who will help her find her place in the world again. This involves dog-sitting with a wonderful dog named Bob. Her days are up and down but thanks to her joining the world of dog walking, Missy makes a whole series of friends who come to her aid in her most needy moment.

Beth Morrey, a new-to-me writer, gives a nod to the power of friendship in this heart-warming novel. I found she fooled me on one point in the plot, but it made for an even more tender story.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 27, 2020. 

I’d like to thank G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review..

Missy Carmichael heads to the park one day and her life is forever changed. Her chance encounters there lead to new relationships and as these relationships grow, Missy's life is unfolded to us; how she got here and why she is so lonely. The characters are rich  and all that Missy learns can be applied to our own lives. Seeing Missy show kindness and compassion to others and eventually herself, has given me a lot to think about in terms of my own life which is always the sign of a good story. What a wonderful treat this book has been, especially now in the midst of a global pandemic. It has been a great reminder of how important community is, including all our canine friends.

I really enjoyed this story. 

The character development was very thorough. The cast of supporting characters, especially Angela and Silvey, were my favorite. In fact, they carried the story for me. 

Missy, however, was not likeable until the end of the book. The welcome plot twists made me a bit more sympathetic to her struggle, but not entirely. 

Overall, a fun read that I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for something quick and uplifting.

I loved this! The characters were so great. I loved seeing their friendships blossom and grow. I loved Missy's connection with Bobby, the dog she agrees to sit for. I loved the unexpected things that happened. And it even got me to shed a tear. Loved it!

What a gem this story is! I fell in love with The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey around the middle of chapter one and just kept falling as I read. This book was the type of book I really love-a great character driven story about family. A story of biological family and how that shapes you, how family loves each other, and how they accept and protect each other. And also a story of those we choose to be our family, and how those relationships work also. And there’s a wonderful dog-Bobby (who’s a girl), through whom Ms. Morrey also wonderfully depicts true love. I laughed, I cried, and I didn’t want this story to end! 

Thank you to #Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an advanced e-copy of this story. I’m only sorry I didn’t read it sooner!

This book sounded like something completely different than the traditional ‘romances’ that I tend to pick up when I am looking for something different.

When I read the description, the main character is 79 years old. I was like oh, interesting….which immediately put it into the category of something different for me. Plus I loved that it said the novel was a ‘coming of old’ story. Not going to lie it made me laugh and I usually tend to pick up books that feature young heroines so reading something with a much older heroine sounded new and exciting.

Plus this debut has been getting a lot of buzz lately and I didn’t want to miss out on something new and exciting, not to mention the sweet dog cartoon on the cover basically sealed the deal.

Summary
For readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove, a life-affirming, deeply moving “coming-of-old” story, a celebration of how ordinary days are made extraordinary through friendship, family, and the power of forgiving yourself–at any age.

Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Woman meets dog…

The world has changed around Missy Carmichael. At seventy-nine, she’s estranged from her daughter, her son and only grandson live across the world in Australia, and her great love is gone. Missy spends her days with a sip of sherry, scrubbing the kitchen in her big empty house and reliving her past–though it’s her mistakes, and secrets, that she allows to shine brightest. The last thing Missy expects is for two perfect strangers and one spirited dog to break through her prickly exterior and show Missy just how much love she still has to give. Filled with wry laughter and deep insights into the stories we tell ourselves, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael shows us it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. It’s never too late to love. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
This book hit me right in the feels. I mean don’t you ever stop and look at an older person and wonder what their lives have been like? What heartaches they have had, what triumphs? I have older parents (my mom is 66 and my dad is 80) and now that I am a mom, I look at my parents and start to wonder what were their lives like? This book takes that notion of life regrets and experiences from a new perspective and I absolutely loved it!

I mean this book is definitely more emotional that I was expecting but it was emotional in a good way. I loved that it touched on a number of different issues about the complexity of families, love, and life. It had a lot to unpack and digest and I do not think that readers will be bored in the least. I found the main character, Missy, to be stubborn and cantankerous but at the same time there was something about her that made me want to know more about her.

Not only is the story itself beautiful and touching it packs so much emotion. While this book isn’t necessarily a romance even if the title has ‘love story’ in it. Sure it touches on romance and love but it’s also a story of life, family, and memories.

This book was even more special to me because I have a little boy and honestly little boys are the best and I love being a boy mom so reading this book really endeared itself to me in a number of different ways. I also loved Bob the dog.

This book was a home run for me, it took a little bit for me to get into it but once I did I enjoyed it quite a bit and was glad to read it! This was a great debut and will no doubt be a fan favorite as well as an ideal book for book clubs!

Book Info and Rating
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published April 7th 2020 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons
ISBN 0525542442 (ISBN13: 9780525542445)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Putman, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: contempo, fiction

4.5 stars rounded up.  I finished this a little over a week ago and wanted to sit with it before writing a review.  This is the poignant story of Missy Carmichael, an older (late 70's) woman coming to terms with a new chapter in her life.  At first glance, Missy is not particularly likable and she is certainly not embracing her new chapter.  A chance encounter with some neighbors and a dog start to bring Missy out of her self-imposed shell.

The beauty of this story is how memories of important events in Missy's life help us understand how and why she functions and interacts with people as she does.  Also, as she self-reflects, she stretches and challenges her own perspective and starts to make different choices..  For me, it's a story of the importance of caring and compassion for both oneself and others.  Sometimes the first step really is just showing up.  I really enjoyed it.  

Thanks to G. P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group / Putnam for this arc.

I found this a delightful read about second chances.  A character driven story with real characters.  Missy's honesty with herself was refreshing and her ability to step out of herself admirable.  Missy's story flipped back and forth between her past and her present time offering insight into her character and circumstances.  While not particularly fast paced, the questions raised between the past and present kept me engaged and reading steadily.  Some tough issues were dealt with in a reasonable and satisfying manner.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Millicent "MIssy" Carmichael is 79 years old. She lives in her large family house in London alone, now that her husband is gone.
She is estranged from her daughter Melanie, who lives with her wife a few hours away. 
Beloved son Alistair lives in Australia with his wife and son Arthur.
Missy is very lonely and depressed and more than a bit cantankerous. Trying to keep busy, she heads to an event at the park where they electrocute fish so they relocate them. She meets Sylvie and Angela and her young son Otis, who reminds her of her grandson.
Angela has a friend who escapes from an abusive husband, but can't take her dog Bob with them. She asks Missy to care for the dog until they can reunite.
At first Missy refuses, she doesn't want a dog. But she relents and ends up loving her new companion.
The story alternates between the present and past as we learn more about MIssy's life and what happened to her husband Leo.
This was a poignant, heartbreaking and beautiful story about friendship, love and aging.
A touching and enchanting debut novel.
Thank you Penguin Group Putnam for the e-ARC via NetGalley.

Many thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the chance to read this novel.

These types of character-driven novels are my absolute favorites. This was like a mix of A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, which was right up my alley. I adore curmudgeonly characters who struggle to find their place among others in this world because I find them relatable. When I came across this title, I knew it would be something similar to these favorites and I couldn't wait to dive in.

I absolutely loved watching the evolution of Missy's character as the story drew on. It was great to see how her opinions on certain matters changed from that of a grumpy and lonely old lady to a woman with a new lease on life. This novel proved that it's never too late to make changes in one's life. I loved the overall hopeful message and feelings this story provoked, along with the nuggets of wisdom Beth Morrey conveyed through Missy. 

"It's hard to accept, when you have children, that your time isn't your own anymore -- it belongs to them, every precious second."

Unfortunately, I struggled with the organization of the story. I'm not sure if it was due to me reading an unfinished ARC or if my feelings would have been the same if I had read the published edition, but the time jumps weren't always clear. I struggled keeping up with where the story was going and where the past ended and the present started at times. This made the story drag a bit for me. Especially in the middle of the story, I was quite bored but decided to keep reading because I was attached to the dog in the storyline. Nonetheless, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael was heartwarming enough to get me through the slower parts.

Missy Carmichael is an old lady who has lost her husband, her son and his family live very far away, she had a major fight with her daughter and Missy apparently has no friends.  Of course, she feels sorry for herself. I felt sorry for her too, but eventually she leaves her home and starts meeting people and things start to blossom for her. The characters in this book are far from perfect which makes them more likable and their interactions are well written and interesting.  Where this book falls down a little is the several places where Missy is reminiscing about her life when she was younger.  Sometimes it is not readily apparent that this is what is happening even though these reminisces are vital to understanding why Missy is the way she is.  The story progresses rapidly to the end and some very surprising revelations. Thank you NetGalley for the early copy of this book to review.

This is a rather sweet novel - and one that it is easy to draw comparisons to other big hits like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called One. The titular characters is 78 at the opening and quite lonely. Her beloved son and grandson live in Australia and she is mostly estranged from her daughter, her husband is gone and Missy was never one much for friends. A chance encounter at the park suddenly brings her neighbors into her life - and when she agrees to temporarily look after a dog, her heart and world opens up. 

Missy's story, both her past and her present unfold into a rather heartwarming story that touches on darker moments, too. I am sure that an audio version would be particularly lovely, too. And while I never quite connected to Missy quite as deeply as I wanted to, I did enjoy her story. There are some plot points that are more predictable than others, but there are plenty of shocks, too. The middle does sag a bit, but after it picks back up in the end, I really did enjoy it and I imagine that a stellar audio performance would have made me really love it!

The characters are wonderful and the story really drew me in.  What a joy to go along on the journey with Missy to her new life with friends and family from her previous loneliness.  I had an inkling of a few of the things revealed at the end but they were still a surprise.  Because of some parallels to my own life right now, there were a few things that definitely had me reaching for the Kleenix.

Overall, just an excellent book.  This would be great for book clubs and discussions.

Oh my gosh, this book was absolutely adorable and beautiful. The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey is a sweet, heartwarming  book of forgiveness that captivates you from the start. 

Missy Carmichael is a lonely old woman, about to turn 80, who normally keeps to herself but decides to make an effort to get out of her house more and enjoy the company of others. All of the characters in the book are absolutely adorable and delightful. They each elicit strong emotions in Missy’s path to forgiveness, redemption, and growth. It is a beautifully written book that had me crying at several points. 

This was a wonderful book that shows us it’s never too late to fall in love.

Don't look here for a bodice riper, but it is truly a story about finding love whether that's with a estranged daughter, a family around the corner, or a four legged nuisance that gets dumped at your door. Beth Morrey has created masterful portrait of someone who is isolated, desperate, painfully self conscious, and lacking the usual skills needed to breech the divide between human beings. Thankfully, a small accident during a fish stunning in the park brings her into contact with three outgoing people and their dogs, a bunch who just don't understand the idea of staying away. This is a funny, poignant, and ultimately uplifting story. Highly recommended!

Missy Carmichael feels as if she’s been set adrift on an endless ocean.  After the loss of her beloved husband Leo, she can’t seem to find a reason to venture out of her sprawling old home.  Her children rarely visit and all that she truly has after seventy-nine years of life is crippling regret. 

She never ventures far from home.  Preferring to rattle around her house alone.  But one rainy afternoon, a visit to a local park changes her life completely.

 “One minute you’re gliding along, not a care in the world, and the next a huge prod appears and knocks you for six, and then everything is different and you’re gasping with the shock of it. And there’s no triumph in survival, because you’re just swimming round and round endlessly in a new lake, mouthing pointlessly. I’d rather someone put me out of my misery. Ashes to ashes. The breathlessness, back. Plash, whoosh, thud. I could look the other way, then it would go away. Don’t think, don’t think. Thud, thud, thud. I clutched the railings, trying to ignore the looming branches above, but my skin prickled around the edges, flared, and I felt myself fall amidst reaching hands and faraway shouts as the blackness took over…”

An eclectic group of characters come crashing into her world – A single mum named Angela and her precocious young son Otis, Sylvie with her fabulous flair and an adorable dog named Bobby. 

Together, they fill Missy’s days with friendship and love. And it’s that love that gives her the strength to mend the wounds of the past.

 “Did I have much to offer? Six months ago I’d have said I had very little, but lately I’d felt a sense of optimism creeping up on me—the idea that there were things to look forward to, that I had options, was a heady feeling. Yet I worried my newfound zest was a flimsy thing, as brittle and crumbly as Otis’s cheese straws. Would Leo have been proud? He would probably have grumbled about me being out all the time—he liked having me around, even when he was closeted in his study. He used to say he could feel my presence in the house even if he couldn’t see or hear me, and that it was comforting. I felt the same. But he wasn’t around anymore, and I had to live with that.”

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is a poignant journey from loneliness to light.  Beth Morrey starts with a somber landscape and then makes it shine. As the bond between each of the characters grows, so does Missy’s universe.  But it was her devotion to both the young Otis and Bobby that moved me in unexpected ways.
 
Love, family and friendship are tested and then strengthened.  And on every page the ageless power of the soul sings loud and clear..