The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey

Change is never easy and this is especially true for the aging Mrs. Carmichael. Her adult children have grown up and moved on and without her husband by her side, Mrs Carmichael is in a bit of a funk. Spending her days reading the obituaries while talking herself out of leaving the house is common until she meets a few spunky neighbors after a disastrous outing in the park. One change leads to another and soon it seems as though change might not be so bad after all. Heartfelt and bittersweet, readers will be pulling for Mrs Carmichael and be reminded that sometimes things are not always as simple as they seem.

"She marched to the beat of her own drum, whereas I seemed to listen out for everyone else’s."

I loved and adored this story. This is the story of Missy Carmichael who is living by herself at the beginning of a new stage of her life where she's lost her husband and is estranged from her daughter and so far away from her son who lives in Australia. She is living a contained life.

"To be open with one’s emotions, to reveal one’s devotion so obviously, seemed reckless, as if inviting a knock‑back."

As she meets her next-door neighbor Alice, her life begins to open up and thanks to a series of small-seeming events she starts building a community around herself. She touches people's lives and allows them to touch hers. She mends relationships. She learns about herself. She grows up and opens up.

"The magic doesn’t stop the worst happening. The worst happens all the time, every day. And then life goes on. And you just hang on and hope that you can keep whatever crumbs and tiny white teeth are left."

The magic of letting others help you, of expanding your life, of leaning in and on others is at the heart of this gem of a novel. And it shows you what happens when a person is supported and loved and blooms under the care of that love.

"I’d never seen myself like that before. The first photo summed me up, mostly, but the second had exposed my other self, the tiny part of me that could laugh like that. I wanted to poke my way into that part like I’d delved into the envelope, widen and open it up so that it overwhelmed the stiffness and self‑consciousness and all the other weaknesses I despised."

It's not possible to read this beautiful novel, full of beautifully rich characters and not to feel your heart growing a size bigger. I have loved my time with it and it will stay with me for a long while.

with gratitude to netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished The Love Story of Missy Carmichael, my emotions still are all over the place, I'm having a hard time translating my thought about this book but it was an amazing ride!!

It started as slow burn, with all the details about Missy's life and past, making us believe the story will head in a certain way, but life and circumstances change the course of the story, bringing so many new scenarios and characters that will change everything in a blink of an eye.

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is the story of Missy, an older woman who lives alone, in a huge house full of memories. Her past is a constant reminder of what she lost and all the mistakes she made, making her feel and regret whatever things happened. She lives of her memories, memories that only cause her pain and sadness and a few that will bring her love and joy.

The story of Missy is about friendship, love, and hope it's about not giving up, forgive and forget. whatever happened in the past should stay in the past but for Missy, seems hard to move on and make changes. She is having a hard time to accept this new routine and people, in her mind everybody has an agenda after all who wants to spend time with an old woman? but life and circumstances will prove her wrong and show her that there still people who have time to care and love.

One of the things that struck me about The Love Story of Missy Carmichael was the loneliness and sadness Missy showed through the pages, I felt her despair and her need to meet someone and be surrounded by people, it made me feel and realize how lonely this world can be but Missy always surprised us, she never gives up, she fought hard to have a place, to redeem herself to be seen and understood by others even if her own family didn't understand her at the time.

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael will bring you Joy, as well as sad beautiful moments but the main feeling that permeates around this story is the feeling of hope and friendship. The secondary characters added more depth to Missy's life Sylvie, Angela, Otis, Bobby all of them contribute and made the life and the story of Missy come Alive. I still wanted to know more about Alistair, Arthur, and Mel

I was left with a very pleasant feeling, Missy was a very beautiful character that we slowly started to understand, at the beginning, she was completely different from what we thought making us hesitate if we really liked her or not but eventually, through the pages, she made us fall in love with her showing us her true colors.

The Love Story Of Missy Charmichael was my first book by Beth Morrey, I really enjoy her writing and I'm looking forward to her next book!!

Missy is lonely. Her husband is gone and her children are not close. A chance meeting at the park upends her orderly existence. Somehow she finds herself with a dog. This is a really great story.

Missy Carmichael is an elderly woman feeling lost. Her children are grown & gone, her husband is no longer with her, she has no friends. Her life changes when she decides to go out & be sociable for an afternoon & gets more than she intended. I like the idea of this book but found it too slow moving for me. Also, Missy was a tough character to like, most of the situations were a bit too unlikely for me to buy into. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I preferred the side characters, found them much more likeable & interesting. I read this book because it was described as one to read if you liked A Man Called Ove but in my opinion this book was just not up to that standard. It was just OK.

This is the story of Missy, a seventy-nine-year-old woman who until this point seems to have let life happen to her. It’s the story of the family one is related to and the unrelated family who welcomes one in and, against better instincts, decide to accept. I wouldn’t describe Missy as curmudgeonly but more overly-cautious. Slowly the author revealed exactly how much Missy had on her plate, what she attended to and what she ignored. For me it was a very slow reveal but I found the pay-off in the last parts of the novel. I loved Missy’s ‘adopted’ family of characters and, above all, I loved Bob the dog. Ultimately I enjoyed this heartfelt, uplifting story.

I really enjoyed this book the lead character shows its never to let to find happiness and friendship

What a great book. If you lived A Man Called Ove, you should love this one as well. I loved this book so much and highly recommend it!

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is an affirmation of family and friends. Beth Morrey has portrayed Missy as a woman who finally learns to trust herself and fully opens her heart to family and friends. She shows us that it's never too late for this.

LOVED THIS! I say set up Missy with Ove for a beautiful love story. Very sweet and heartwarming and just what i needed.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for my copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This is such a wonderful story about Missy Carmichael. She has lived her life in a constant state of worry and regret. Now that she is alone with her thoughts, she has the time to wonder if she would have done things differently. Missy is estranged from her daughter, her son lives in Australia and the love of her life, is gone. She spends her days drinking and cleaning overcome by her loneliness, secrets, and regrets. With the help of a wonderful dog and some beautiful friendships, Missy begins to learn the power of forgiving. This is perfect for anyone who loved "A Man Called Ove."

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey
Source: NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Rating: 5/5 stars

At seventy-nine years old, Missy Carmichael has a load of regrets that weigh on her daily. She spends her days puttering around her big old house, cleaning that which is already sparkling, lamenting the mistakes of her life, and, quite frankly, wondering how much longer she will have to endure the loneliness.

And then, one day, Missy goes to see a load of fish get shocked in pond.

Of all the things in the world that could have happened the day Missy Carmichael went to see the shocking of the fish she never would have expected what did happen. One, the fish really did get shocked and two, Missy passed out. Though neither of those events were particularly nice or enjoyable, they did lead to some interesting new introductions, most notably the effervescent Sylvie and the utterly brash, Angela and her young son, Otis. Though Missy wasn’t particularly looking for any new friends, or friends at all, both Sylvie and Angela work their way into her life and as she eventually finds, it is for the better.

For much of her life, Missy Carmichael has felt utterly alone. Even in the days of her grand marriage and motherhood, Missy has always felt separate from those around her. She is utterly convinced she spent her entire life loving her husband far more than he loved her, and her children were responsibilities she now wishes she had viewed as joys rather than simply responsibilities. If her current relationship with her children is any indication, they felt the separateness too. Sylvie and Angela have no idea of Missy’s past and while they would like to know more about her, they both understand that she is going to be a tough nut to crack and it will take patience and time to gain her trust and friendship. Thankfully, both women are more than willing to wait and put forth the effort.

In the days and weeks that follow, a strange sort of feeling comes over Missy. She still spends far too much time in the past, but in light of her new friendships, she is beginning to see her past in a somewhat less harsh light. Not only are Angela, Otis, and Sylvie constants in her life, but so is a most unlikely creature, Bob the dog. While Missy has never been an animal lover per say, she isn’t actually opposed to them either and since taking Bob in is meant to be temporary, Missy agrees to the arrangement. Just like her friendships with Angela, Otis, and Sylvie, Missy takes her time with Bob. Adjusting to life with a dog isn’t easy for Missy, but she finds, once the training wheels come off that she rather likes the beast and she (yes, Bob is a girl!) opens up a whole new world of friendships in the form of the dog park people.

With each new day and each new experience, Missy begins to see life differently, and she begins to reassess her past and forgive herself for some of her many perceived flaws and failures. As her walk through the past coincides with her walk in the present, Missy learns to appreciate the people in her life and opens herself up to new experiences. She becomes a true friend in every sense of the word and rather enjoys the freedom from the loneliness that had been her constant companion for so many decades. For the better part of year, Missy embraces life as she never has before and just as she’s getting truly comfortable with her new reality, Life rears its ugly head and pulls the rug right out from under Missy. What she finds in the wake of tragedy is that friendship is a two-way street and what she has experienced over the last year has earned her the friendship, kindness, and caring of a large number of people, friends who are more than willing to come to her aid.

The Bottom Line: What a truly tremendous read this was for me! Based on the synopsis, I thought this book was going to be far lighter than it is, but I found that I appreciated the heaviness of the read and the themes it explored. Missy Carmichael is a survivor and for much of her life, that is all she has been. It isn’t until her husband is lost to her and her children are virtual strangers that Missy really begins to live. Through a series of strange events and thanks to the persistence of two wonderfully different women, one small boy, and dog, Missy learns to trust, to open herself up, to participate in life, and to be present. As she is learning all these new and liberating lessons, Missy is also applying the lessons to her past and learning to forgive and to let go, to say the things she means and fully participate in the world around her. Through her strength and courage, Missy finds she is not only worth liking, but worth loving and caring for. She finds friendship for the first time in her life and when the rug is pulled out from beneath her, it is that friendship that sees her through the darkness. I so appreciated this book, the steps back into the past to help frame and better understand the present and the unwavering relationships that come to Missy so late in life. Missy Carmichael’s story is one that will resonate with readers as it is, ultimately a story of life, love, connection, and friendship. In all, an excellent read.

It some ways this is similar to A Man Called Ove and it reminded me some of Arthur Truluv. Missy is a sweet character who is searching for newness in her life. She makes some new friends and finds new things help combat her loneliness.
A sweet story.

This is not your typical feel good story, as Missy’s life takes many turns, not always expected. Missy is 79, feeling alone and at the end of her usefulness when she becomes friendS with Sylvia and Angela. As her daily existence expands with their friendship, she begins to appreciate life again. A quirky group of characters who you will appreciate, wanting the story to go on. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A heartwarming story about an elderly woman, her dog, and loneliness. I think it was supposed to be ultimately uplifting but it was a bit depressing. I don't see why they are flogging it as for fans of readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove because I don' think it was like either nor are those books like each other. It was okay but nothing I'd suggest to a friend.

THE LOVE STORY OF MISSY CARMICHAEL is a poignant but sad story. At first, I found it difficult to relate to the elderly main character who seems depressed. As a reader, I was looking for something with a bit more energy, if that makes sense. However, I did enjoy how the supportive friendships developed and of course who doesn't love a sweet dog?! I also appreciated how the author wove the past scenes through the present-day story line. This is a well-crafted and well-written story for fans of slow burn, heartfelt literary fiction.

Missy Carmichael could be a contemporary of mine as we are the same age, but that's where it ends. Why I would request this book is beyond me. I didn't finish it and, therefore, won't be able to give it a good review. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC for a review (sort of).

Boo hoo, waahhh… Boo hoo, argghhkk! Somebody sledgehammered my heart, broke into tiny particles and buried into ground! I’m in deep pain and whining, crying like a baby! And I’m in the mall now! Everybody’s looking for me. I know you will ask me why the hell I read the final chapters of the book in the public place if it is so devastatingly sad story.

Well, I was waiting my friends to have a lunch break. They occupied in work places so I carried this book not to get bored and do something useful while I was waiting. I knew something tear jerker, heartbreaking, soul shuttering coming, I could hear the warning “stop reading, you’re gonna frighten those people! They already posted your picture so many public places and named you as –persona non grata-, children thinks you are Melisandre and brought Jon Snow back to life!!! You cannot even visit some European places, they still call you- boogey woman- after your breakdown and scream cried after finishing –Me before you- in front of Eiffel Tower“

But yes, it happened again! My friends found interesting my raccoon make up and red, bloated eyes, running nose and took me to a visit to Santa to calm my nerves (of course later they took me early happy hour to stop my whining! Best friends ever!)

You may imagine that you need so many tissues, chamomile tea or any kind of booze and Zanax cocktail before starting this sad, over emotional book. Firstly I have to admit, describing Missy Carmichael as Eleanor Oliphant could be marketing strategy but it is absolutely false information. Missy is lonely woman, lost her love of her life and her children already left the house, living alone, aimless, stressful, depressed and sometimes it’s really hard to understand or empathize with her. But her back story, her life choices are so much different than Eleanor. Only similar thing of the characters are their asocial manners but the reason behind their social shyness and being alone are really different.

This book is about finding hope, friendship and purpose when you live the winter times of your life.
One day Missy meets two women in the park and listens to their stories and connects with them. Finally she starts to leave home and fill her life with new responsibilities including taking care of a sweetest dog.
This is slow burn, heart wrenching, poignant, lovely story and especially last parts are a little heavy. When you learn more about Missy’s past and her backstory, you start to root for her and want to know more about her life.

It’s brilliant, heart felting, promising debut novel which stole a place in my heart.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam to share this marvelous ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

It is a pleasant and easy read. And, the story of Missy Carmichael and her life is similar to a number of single older people living alone. But, love unfolds and brings surprises. Relationships she never expected and a love she never expected to experience again!

An enjoyable story of Missy, an elderly woman living alone but finds and new and supportive group of friends. Through these new relationships, she comes to grip with issues from her past. It is a well arranged story, with Missy's remembrances scattered throughout.