I am a big fan of Alexander McCall Smith - I love his different series and settings. But the Isabel Dalhousie Sunday Philospher's series is special even in that lineup. Sure, McCall Smith follows a formula in his novels so there are redundancies but isn't that exactly what makes these books so comfy and cozy while still offering food for thought ?I have grown to love all of these characters over the years and I want to know how their life progresses down to the mundane. Each visit to Edinburgh is a joy. The way that ethical issues arise in Isabel's life and are approached philosophically is original to each book and delivers much to reflect on.

The Geometry of Holding Hands
Alexander McCall Smith
Pantheon
July, 2020

The Geometry of Holding Hands is a lovely book, filled with wonderful characters, and lots of philosophy.

Isabel Dalhousie, a wealthy editor of an ethical philosophy review, has two sons and a loving husband named Jamie. The couple is dining out when a conservative group enters the restaurant and an opposing liberal group creates a scene and storms out; embarrassing the conservative. Isabel apologizes to the conservative for the disturbance in the restaurant. This act of kindness did not go unnoticed. A gentleman diner witnessed her kindness and will later approach Isabel with a strange request. This is who Isabel is: An ethical, kind, philosopher.

Isabel’s niece, Cat, manages a deli that is supported by the same trust Isabel benefits from. But, Cat does not have the access that Isabel has and so Cat is jealous of Isabel. I should add that Isabel’s husband Jamie was first dating Cat, but she broke it off. Later, Isabel and Jamie get together and they become a loving married couple. Another point of contention for Cat.

Isabel has a hard time saying no and so, once again, she finds herself working at Cat’s deli. And who walks in but the gentleman from the restaurant. He knew her father and asks a favor of her: To be executor of his will. Such an odd request from a stranger! Will she accept?

Cat returns from her luncheon errand and proudly displays an engagement ring! She has had many boyfriends and so this is a surprise. Isabel and Jamie think he is a gold-digger as Cat requests a Porsche Turbo from the trust to use for business! Do they deny her request or approve?

Isabel is faced with many requests and is kind but she thinks ethically about the requests. You’ll have to read the book to find out the path this family will take.

There is so much more going on in The Geometry of Holding Hands, that I may have to read it twice. I recommend this book to those who have a tolerance for sophisticated language and indulge in academic talk.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved visiting with these characters again. The plot was good and kept me interested. This is a comforting series.
Many thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Alexander McCall Smith's books. They are always such comforting reads and this book is no exception.

Isabel is such a warm character and her story is beautifully written as always. The estate dilemma is intriguing and I enjoyed catching up with the regular characters. Excited for the next book in the series.

I'm a huge fan of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency but I haven't read anything else by Alexander McCall Smith and was interested in a new character series by this author and this book did not disappoint at all!

Isabel is a likable character facing a dilemma in regards to her niece, Cat. I really enjoyed reading this book.

I love Alexander McCall Smith's style of writing. So surprising and full of twists and turns.
All I kept thinking was that as Isabel being the philosopher she is, she does often finds herself contemplating various everyday ethical issues that, in turn, encourage the reader to do likewise. I have read the Detective Agency and am always pleased to read their narratives. The character arcs are strong and well rounded. It is so beautifully descriptive and always such a gorgeously rich and well designed cover. As the thirteenth of the saga. It is because of this narrative that I found another recommendation of All Adults Here by Emma Straub which is also marvellous and I can't wait for more! These are smooth reads that satiate my wish for Alexander’s writing - a quiet, reflective escape to consider life with a coffee in hand, lounging in a comfy chair.

This is the thirteenth installment of the Isabel Dalhousie series and alas the first I've read. I love the eloquent, thoughtful writings by Alexander McCall Smith and thought I'd give this series a try. Perhaps I should have started at the beginning but I quickly understood the main character Isabel Dalhousie and enjoyed the interesting characters that crossed her path presenting her with ethical dilemmas. My favorite dilemma was regarding her niece Cat concluding with a valuable lesson .Although not much of a plot we get a glimpse into the day to day life of Isabel and her husband Jamie. and there is much to ponder. This well written book is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Thank you #netgalley for a copy of #TheGeometryofHoldingHands I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions.

This is a quick little book that continues the life of Isabel Dalhousie, her husband Jamie and their two wee lads. In this episode Isabel is confronted with ethical dilemmas and difficult people. Jamie finally convinced her to step back from helping her niece Cat, who’s gotten herself involved with a sketchy fellow.

This is the 13th book in the series is just as wonderful as the previous have been.. I have enjoyed seeing Isabel’s relationship with Jamie grow and develop with each book in this series. I hope there will be many more to come.

Alexander McCall Smith is probably best known for his No 1 Ladies Detective series. My favorites of his though are the the Isabel Dalhousie books. They combine beautiful titles along with a love of philosophy and a woman of a certain age in Isabel. Over the course of the novels readers watch as Isabel is tormented by someone at her journal, finds a relationship, becomes a parent and more. At the same time, readers enjoy spending time in Scotland and getting to know those around her including Isabel’s unlucky in love, niece Cat.

This time, in the 13th book in the series, Isabel is asked to be the executor of a Highland estate. What troubles will this bring to her? As if that is not sufficient, what is up with Cat and her latest love interest?

The books in this series are gentle and enjoyable. I highly recommend this entry and all of the others.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for this title. All opinions are my own.

EXCERPT: Back at the house where Grace, doing a sleepover babysit, had already retired to her room, Jamie and Isabel sat in the kitchen and shared the last glass of wine from a bottle they found in the fridge. There were several books on the kitchen table: Jamie had been at a book sale and had come home with a book of poetry, a biography of Patrick Leigh Fermor, and a book on the Darien colony - Scotland's Central American disaster.

He picked up the book of poetry. 'Have you seen this?' he said to Isabel. 'Scottish poetry. There are woodcuts. Look at this one. Celtic.'

He opened the book at random and found what he was looking for. Three figures, in a typical Celtic circle, held hands with one another, arms in a complicated pattern of intermingling. 'I love that,' he said. 'I think it says everything there is to be said about helping one another and loving one another and being part of . . . well, I suppose of being part of something bigger than oneself.'

Isabel looked. 'The geometry of holding hands,' she said.

ABOUT 'THE GEOMETRY OF HOLDING HANDS': Just when Isabel and Jamie finally seem to have some time to connect and unwind, a wealthy Edinburgh resident reaches out to Isabel with an unusual request--he would like her to become the executor of his large Highland estate. Though Isabel initially demurs, he presses on. He has only a short time to live, and, without any direct heirs, is struggling to determine which of his three cousins would be the best caretaker. Should it go to the bohemian artist, the savvy city property developer, or the quiet, unassuming bachelor?

As if this weren't enough to keep Isabel occupied, she's also spending more time helping her niece Cat at the deli. Cat, perennially unlucky in love, seems to have finally found her match in the leonine Leo. But Isabel is beginning to suspect that Leo might be interested in more than Cat's charms, namely her access to the family trust. Isabel will need to rely upon remarkable reserves of intelligence and compassion in order to give all parties exactly what they want and deserve--no more, and no less.

MY THOUGHTS: The Geometry of Holding Hands is #13 in the Isabel Dalhousie series, and the first that I have read. In spite of having no idea of Elizabeth's back story, I have become quite enamoured with her. It was not an instantaneous attraction, but she grew on me as the book progressed after a bit of a wobble early on where there were a lot of references to characters from Greek Mythology, the Classics, and philosophers. But I soon recovered my equilibrium and became enmeshed in Isabel's story.

Isabel's thoughts have a tendency to run away with her, a trait that is both a blessing and a curse. She has trouble saying 'no' to anyone, and consequently tends to overburden herself with commitments and responsibilities. She is a working mother with two young children, lucky enough to have a wonderful husband in Jamie, and Grace, a gem of a housekeeper/nanny.

Isabel cares very much about doing 'the right thing', something that becomes obvious as The Geometry of Holding Hands progresses. But she is not a paragon of virtue. She can be quick to judge, before she has all the facts. She doesn't seem to spend a great deal of time with her children. But she is a caring and generous person who does not like to see others taken advantage of, although she frequently allows others to take advantage of her.

I loved the supporting characters too: Gordon MacGregor and Hamish MacGeorge, the sherry and soda drinking, shortbread eating, golf playing, Scottish dancing pair who administer Isabel's trust; Cat, Isabel's self-absorbed niece and her fiance Leo about whom, I must admit, felt somewhat uneasy, particularly after the scene where Isabel visits them unannounced at Cat's flat; and Eddie, Cat's employee at the deli who has suffered some great trauma leaving him rather vulnerable. And there are many more wonderful characters, real people all of them.

This is a quietly encompassing read, one that absorbed me and left me with a smile on my face, knowing that I will be meeting up with Isabel again.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.4

#TheGeometryofHoldingHands #NetGalley

I: @alexandermccallsmith @knopfdoubleday

T: @McCallSmith #KnopfDoubleday

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #sliceoflife

THE AUTHOR: Alexander McCall Smith is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Pantheon, for providing a digital ARC of The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This 13th book in the Isabel Dalhousie series is just as delightful as the previous escapades have been. This time, Isabel has to make decisions around her niece Cat’s upcoming marriage to Leo, whom Isabel suspects of ulterior motives. She is torn between sharing her opinions and maintaining her relationship with Cat. As usual, she does everything she can to protect Cat’s employee, Eddie whom she has taken under her wing. And of course, she finds herself being asked to get involved in the lives of complete (or almost) strangers while trying to balance her own work and family life. I’m sure the author’s writing style in this series can be seen as circular at times but this is exactly what I love about it. Isabel’s wandering philosophical thoughts remind me of my own at times. In this book, she says to her husband, Jamie “I know I have a tangent problem, but some tangents are just so interesting, I can’t help going off along them.” Her big heart and moral beliefs always place her in difficult situations but she usually always finds solutions; something we can all learn from. And her relationship with Jamie is so heartwarming - it’s been a delight to watch their love grow and evolve with each book in this series.

I’ve read quite a few of Alexander McCall Smith’s Isabel Dalhousie series, and this one, Isabel’s 13th outing, was my favorite by far. Unlike some of the earlier books, where the “mystery” at the center of the plot never really came together, “The Geometry of Holding Hands” sidesteps this problem by being less plot driven and more about character development, as Isabel manages her growing family with her husband Jamie and her niece Kat continues her quest for romantic happiness.. The Edinburgh setting, as always, is fully and charmingly realized, and although Isabel’s running ruminations on the ethics of, well, everything were often a bit wearing in the previous novels, McCall strikes the perfect balance here. No need to start at the beginning with this series; jump right in with this one for a cozy treat.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Mostly daydream, but where's the drama?

I'm a fan of Alexander McCall Smith and the Isabel Dalhousie books in general, so I was eager to dive into this one. But unfortunately, for me The Geometry of Holding Hands felt weak from start to finish.

This book, the 13th in the series, has two intertwining plot lines: a mysterious, terminally ill stranger asks Isabel to be the executor of his will, and Isabel's relationship with her niece Cat becomes increasingly fraught as Cat becomes more enmeshed with her flashy boyfriend. And like all Isabel Dalhousie books, the writing and dialogue is smart, intellectually referenced and tackles a beautiful philosophical theme - in Isabel's words, "Where were the boundaries of your moral responsibility for others?" What do we owe each other in a beautifully interconnected world? A lovely and very timely sentiment.

But while the premise is strong and all the philosophical asides were charming as usual, this book felt like more of a sentimental sketch of beloved characters than a fully-fleshed out novel. Jamie is an anodyne fantasy, Isabel is a beloved saint, and Cat is increasingly a villain, but the only nuance in anyone's behavior comes in Isabel's daydreaming ruminations, rather than the actual characterization. So our characters essentially end up where they started. And unfortunately, for me the plot wasn't compelling or brisk enough to make up for the lack of character development; in particular, the will storyline kind of fizzled out before it ever had any real drama or tension. I also felt the plot was challenged by some of the perspective issues, meaning - 90% of the POV is Isabel's, but occasionally there's an omniscient narrator who drops in out of nowhere to simply tell us how other characters feel, usually to tidy up any hint of conflict.

I did think the two lawyers, MacGregor and MacGeorge, were good fun - they added a pop of witty sparkle and specificity to the book in classic McCall Smith fashion. But for fans of the series, this one would unfortunately be a pass for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the reader's copy!

Another book in the Isabel Dalhousie series. As usual, Isabel is approached for help by someone who has heard of her reputation as a level-headed problem solver. We get involved with Isabel and her quandaries with her children and her husband and how she takes on the problems of others. This time we are left with a bit of a cliffhanger as circumstances change with her niece, Cat, and the cafe.

This novel continues the philosophical meanderings of Isabel Dalhousie as she attempts to use her skills to help others. Isabel contends with her niece's conniving husband, a man who wants her to serve as executor for his will, and a past jury duty participant. Along with these situations, Isabel is taking care of her husband Jamie and their two sons, as well as editing a professional journal and working at her niece's deli. All in all, Isabel has a lot on her plate!

The novel gets off to a slow start, with some obscure references to literary works. There is not a lot of action in this novel either. Readers new to this series might find the philosophical sidebar thoughts to be confusing.I have read the other books in this series, and this one does not seem to be the best of the lot. Lots of philosophizing, not much plot.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

As always, the Isabel Dalhousie series is completely enjoyable. The way that the ethical issues arising in Isabel's life form the basis for each book is completely original. In this book, the focus on Cat and her engagement and decision about her delicatessen provides one of the key themes. The resolution to this is wonderfully worked out and very satisfying for the reader. I enjoyed the description of the two Scottish lawyers. Isabel's husband, Jamie, has to deal with an ethical matter about the selection of a boy for the orchestra and Isabel has to make a decision about becoming the executor of a will. I would really like to pay tribute to the elegant way that literature and knowledge of music is used in these books. Somehow a relevant quotation is woven into a discussion about a problem which summarises the issue beautifully. It is a real treat to have these references used so skilfully in fiction.

Story line is great and it’s intriguing in parts that keep you wanting more. At times the series lacked substance but this was the best one in the series yet. The series is always been uplifting and full of joy and life affirming.

Three figures, in a typical Celtic circle, held hands with one another , arms in a complicated pattern of intermingling . “I love that,” he said. “I think it says everything there is to be said about helping one another and loving one another and being part of . . . well, I suppose being part of something bigger than oneself.” Isabel looked . “The geometry of holding hands,”

This is the premise of another of McCall Smith's wonderful book.

The geometry of holding hands is about a coupl-Isabel, a philosopher and Jamie, a musician as they go about leading their lives when a wealthy Edinburgh resident reaches out to Isabel with an unusual request--he would like her to become the executor of his large Highland estate. Though Isabel initially demurs, he presses on. He has only a short time to live, and, without any direct heirs, is struggling to determine which of his three cousins would be the best caretaker. Should it go to the bohemian artist, the savvy city property developer, or the quiet, unassuming bachelor?
Isabel will need to rely upon remarkable reserves of intelligence and compassion in order to give all parties exactly what they want and deserve--no more, and no less.

Although it was a slow start to the book, it gets interesting as it goes, with a lot of philosophising on the go about daily life situations. I loved the easy banter about heavy stuff between the husband wife. I also love how issues do get sorted out in the end with ease. Another well written book from one of my fav authors!

Wonderful book. Awesome author. Love everything this gentleman writes. Everyone should read this!