Arborview

Karen Guzman’s lovely prose immediately pulled me into her new release, Arborview. I was equally compelled by the interwoven stories of Ellen, whose middle-age life is upended by a nasty divorce, and Rosa, a young woman fighting to pursue her dreams for a better life. Despite their diverse ages and backgrounds, they come together as teacher and student in a college baking class, and slowly form a believable bond over their culinary talents. Though the road isn’t sweet or easy for either of these brave women, I admired how they persevered through some really intense challenges. Without giving up any spoilers, I’ll say Arborview is a thoughtful, well-written novel that embraces the best elements of women’s fiction.

Blindsided by betrayal, can Ellen and Rose forge new paths to a brighter future? A bitter divorce has left Ellen Cahill second-guessing everything, including her new pastry shop. It needs to be a success, or she won’t survive. She finds solace in her kids’ old treehouse they used to call Arborview. Sitting high off the ground, Ellen’s free to dream and contemplate life. When a love interest enters the picture, she’s not sure she can trust herself, let alone him. Meanwhile, Rosa has big culinary dreams. She gets no support from her mother, yet she’s determined to try. She enrolls in an exclusive culinary school after saving money. Two women going after their dreams, to make a fresh start, are shocked when those who claim they love them betray them instead. Will Ellen and Rosa give up or will they gird their loins and prove strength lies within?

Arborview is a stunning women’s fiction from start to finish. From the beginning, the writing style captivated me with its lush descriptive narration, emotional story, and intriguing characters. Two women, both at different stages of life, confront difficulties and learn the value of inner strength. I connected with both Ellen and Rosa. What they went through caused a full array of emotions to well up inside me. Karen Guzman writes for women, about women, with such empathy and grace, you can’t help but get swept up into the story. The plot moves at a nice easy pace. The character growth throughout Arborview is impressive. Readers will find themselves asking the same questions as Ellen and Rosa about love, life, and dreams. A brilliantly written story, Arborview needs to be read by all women everywhere. I look forward to more from Karen Guzman. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it. My thoughts are all my own.

My Rating: 5 stars