Maybe 2 1/2 stars. Dara and Austin are about to get married, when Austin hears some news that causes the wedding to be cancelled. The author's writing style was not my cup of tea - it was rambling and rather confusing, and I had a hard time getting to the meat of the story. It may have worked better for me if I had the patience to read more slowly, but I really just wanted to find out what happened to Dara and Austin. Thank-you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Ms. Mayes for the ARC of this title.

Frances Mayes' "A Perfect Marriage" presents a tale of love, loss, and the complexities of relationships against the backdrop of well-to-do families and their seemingly perfect lives. The story follows Dara Willcox and Austin Clarke, two individuals whose whirlwind romance is abruptly halted by unforeseen circumstances, leaving their families grappling with the aftermath.

While the premise holds promise, the execution falls short. The characters, despite their privileged backgrounds, struggle to resonate on a deeper level. Their wealth and lack of substantial challenges make it difficult to connect with their experiences. Additionally, the sporadic shifts in perspective and the narrative style hinder immersion in the story, preventing a fully engaging reading experience.

Despite these shortcomings, Mayes' narrative does offer moments of introspection and exploration into the intricacies of marriage and family dynamics. The author's warmth and humor are evident throughout, creating a sense of familiarity despite the detachment from the characters.

Ultimately, A Perfect Marriage may appeal more to readers who enjoy exploring the nuances of relationships within affluent circles. However, for those seeking deeper emotional resonance and relatable characters, this novel may fall short of expectations. While not without merit, this particular work is not for me.

A Great Marriage opens right in the thick of it as Fayes drops us around a lavish dinner table. Friends and family buzz around the protagonists Dara and Austin, who are in the final weeks of preparations for their weddings. As the night winds down, it becomes clear that something is bothering husband-to-be Austin. Within days, and with a secret revealed, the wedding is off. The majority of the book follows Dara and Austin as they piece together their now fractured lives, Dara in California, then South Carolina, then back home to North Carolina, and Austin in London. Along the way the narrative is supported, and at times accelerated, by a cast of family and friends, each more successful than the last. Mayes scatters throughout some beautiful lines of poetry as well as musings about the makings of a great marriage.

I quickly became absorbed in Austin and Dara's story and was flying through the book to learn what would become of them and their relationship. At times, I found the writing hard to follow. There are entire sections where the writing is so clipped it reads like the clues for a logic/matrix puzzle. At other points, the narrative switches from first to third person or between different characters in entirety. There are also a ton of characters and I often lost track of the details of each. There is quite a bit of drama and while it ultimately leads to love, the journey there made me a bit sad. Others suggest this would make a great vacation read and I agree with that, by the end, everything ties up neatly in a saccharine scene set right where we began.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Great book from this new-to-me author. The characters are strongly delineated and I wondered throughout who wasn’t what they seemed! I enjoyed the mystery and intrigue, making it a page-turner!

This is the first work of fiction I've read by Frances Mayes.. I loved her books about her experiences in Italy. This too might be a good book to take on vacation. This is a light read, a romance mixed with some philosophical musings about marriage and relationships (most marriages fail through a lack of Imagination). Other than the quirky, rich, writer, psychologist grandmother, I never got attached to the characters. Maybe I'm jaded, but I find it hard to muster too much empathy for a group who is so privileged, so attractive and without personal conflict. There is a blow up at the beginning of the book that sets the scene for drama and potential heartbreak. With all of the scene shifts and plot twists for the right reader the book provides a satisfying escape.

A beautiful, readable family saga filled with life, loss, longing and plenty of food for thought.

I loved Frances Mayes’ characters and would have liked to spend additional time with each of them. Her novel’s ending didn’t follow the trajectory I anticipated, but perhaps an ultimately more satisfying course. This was a wonderful novel.

Dara Wilcox and Austin Clarke seem perfect for each other. Their elaborate wedding is just days away when Austin confesses to a transgression he made before they became a couple. Stunned Dara cancels the wedding and flees to California to visit friends. Could she ever forgive Austin? Meanwhile Austin is dealing with a situation that will absolutely change his life. A warm, loving group of characters leads Dara to ponder the future and what a great marriage actually means. Lovely, poignant novel filled with self reflection and affection. An enjoyable read.

Four stars for a book filled with lush descriptions, beautiful (successful) people, and a “tied with a bow” ending. However…
It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the writing style. There are lots of characters, some of them are referred to with more than one name, they all take turns speaking (sometime first person, sometimes third person) and much of it is almost stream of consciousness. With each new chapter, you have to read several lines before you know which person is taking their turn.

Once into the manner/rhythm of the writing, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the descriptions of the various areas in which the story takes place.

I’ve seen several other reviews that say this story is probably good for older female readers, or a grandmother. I fit both those descriptions, so perhaps that’s true.

Nicely written, but every character is the most beautiful, rich, talented, and brilliant person in the room. They are at the top of the class, going to an ivy league college if they're young and still gorgeous and amazingly virile if they are older.
Two people immediately fall perfectly in love, ready to love each other forever, then one thing happens, the wedding is completely cancelled, and the inseparable couple split, living in different countries. The beginning is told by the pretentious grandmother, who famously wrote a book on marriage, introducing a confusing amount of characters all at once, as if the reader already knows them. I just could not like any of them. I found the plot to be predictable and the dialogue to be a bit cliched. It was not a bad book, just not for me. I think this book would appeal to older women, who like reading about rich people having a mildly scandalous heart rending romance.
It will probably be a best seller.

A well written story that centers around Dara and Austin who are about to get married until an unexpected obstacle occurs and contributes to the story including a great deal of soul searching by Nora about what a great marriage really is according to her grandmother!!. It has too many characters to mention here but they are all interesting and devoted to each other. It is a good story which includes a lot of interesting discussions among the characters about poetry and literature!!

Love her writing and stories. Good to see her out with a new book. Thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Thanks for the early read.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc! I really loved the premise of this story and the characters within it, however I really struggled through the writing structure to get fully invested and hooked into the story itself. I’m not sure if that is because of where the book is in the editing process, but the shifts in first person to third person while focused with the same character was confusing and disruptive while reading.

A Great Marriage was the first book I've read by Frances Mayes, so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is the story of Dara Wilcox and Austin Wilcox who meet and fall deeply in love. The book opens with a prenuptial dinner at her parents' house, and it's all perfect until some wine is spilled. Several family members see this as a possible bad omen, and it turns out to be just that. Austin receives distressing news that disrupts their plans and the wedding is canceled. Dara flees to California to visit with friends, then heads to South Carolina to help restore an inn. There are moments of angst and some drama, but it reminded me of a Hallmark movie in book form. My mother-in-law used to love to read books with very mild dramatics (where nobody suffered from serious illness or died) and the ending was all tied up neatly with a big bow. This book made me think of her as she would have loved it.

I found the author's writing style difficult to read. She used a lot of sentence fragments and once I started noticing them, I had difficulty concentrating on what she was saying and found myself paying attention to how she had written it. But if you like your books to be mainly romantic escapes where nobody really suffers and characters live happily ever after, this one may bring you enjoyment. (And as a bonus, it has an arresting and interesting cover!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published August 13, 2024.

One phone call is all it takes to end a seemingly perfect engagement, and cause many lives to change.

This was a wild ride! There were so many characters and connections to explore. I guess it goes without saying that the families are WEALTHY because how else could Dara just take time off to go to California at the drop of a hat?

This was a very intriguing story with heart wrenching moments and memorable characters.

Finishing this book, I had the thought that it was the type of story my grandmother would have enjoyed. I remember her saying something like, “I just want a story about a family who goes through some problems and everything turns out right in the end.” This is that kind of story. Lots of family members and lovely imagery. Strife and tragedy that leads or feeds into love.

This was an advance copy from NetGalley and it definitely had moments where editing/correction was needed, especially in cases of missing quotation marks or italics. The overall writing style didn’t always work for me, either. Narration sometimes switched from first person to third person in a way that was hard to get used to. The beginning was a lot of jumbled inner monologues, almost journalesque— at times the book felt like being in someone’s brain with so many thoughts buzzing around.

Still, it pulled me in. There were times that it dragged- especially scenes with multiple people being told the same story again and again- but it was worth reading, even if it’s not my usual type of book.

I am a sucker for a romance. I simply love them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
That being said, it does have a rather large cast of characters, which I found difficult to keep straight in the beginning, at least until their personalities emerged more fully and the events unfolded. Interestingly, there were snippets here and there, within the framework of the cushion a wealthy family can provide in the wake of an event that causes a major undoing, that revealed true thoughtfulness about what it is to love deeply and with unconditional commitment.
4.5 stars

4.5 ⭐️ Lyrical & captivating.
Beautifully written & told.
The rich imagery ... the gorgeous language. The literary references abound and delight.
One of those rare books you cannot wait to continue reading yet never want to end.
I am not a re-reader of books, but this one ... yes, a must. I want to continue to dwell in it.
And such a stunning cover.

With great thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group — Ballantine for this e-ARC!

No one writes sweeping sagas like Frances Mayes. A Great Marriage was a real treat! I know I’ll be seeing copies of this book everywhere come August.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoy Frances Mayes's books, but I confess I loved her memoirs about moving to Tuscany (one of my favorite places) and starting a new life there. "A Great Marriage" is a perfect book to take on vacation, because it has lots of plot, a variety of characters, romance, heartbreak, but satisfying resolutions.

The criticisms are that unless you are very wealthy and privileged, you might not be able to relate to the characters. Still, I enjoyed the book, and it was a quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC to review this book.

This romantic tale centers on Dara and Austin, who appear to be the ideal couple on the brink of marriage. But as their wedding day draws near, unexpected events compel Dara to cancel the celebration, throwing both their relationship and their optimistic families into chaos. Now separated and in different places, the question remains: will Dara and Austin repair their bond, or is this the conclusion of their love story?