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.“At a time when people are having to isolate, [this novel is] a balm, offering an expansive sense of love and possibility at a time when … possibility at a time when the main characters feel like those chances are gone.” —Christian Science Monitor
The world has changed around seventy-nine-year-old librarian Millicent Carmichael, aka Missy. Though quick to admit that she often found her roles as a housewife and mother less than satisfying, Missy once led a bustling life driven by two children, an accomplished and celebrated husband, and a Classics degree from Cambridge. Now her husband is gone, her daughter is estranged after a shattering argument, and her son has moved to his wife’s native Australia, taking Missy’s beloved only grandchild half-a-world away. She spends her days sipping sherry, avoiding people, and rattling around in her oversized, under-decorated house waiting for…what exactly?
The last thing Missy expects is for two perfect strangers and one spirited dog named Bob to break through her prickly exterior and show Missy just how much love she still has to give. In short order, Missy finds herself in the jarring embrace of an eclectic community that simply won’t take no for an answer–including a rambunctious mutt-on-loan whose unconditional love gives Missy a reason to re-enter the world one muddy paw print at a time.
Filled with wry laughter and deep insights, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is a coming-of-old story that shows us it’s never too late to forgive yourself and, just as important, it’s never too late to love.
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For everyone with an Eleanor Oliphant-shaped hole in their heart, this is the book to fill it. Gorgeous characters, heartfelt storytelling and the sort of book that lifts your heart.
Masterful and a real page-turner. Missy is a joy… the humor and courage with which she faces loss and aging are handled with such wit and empathy. The world needs more assured female voices like Beth Morrey’s. Her novel is a breath of fresh air!
This was a lot sadder than I was expecting. I prefer happier stories. Well-written though.
Missy Carmichael rambles around her large house alone, having grown children overseas or estranged, alone in here aged-ness. Through flashbacks and memories, the reader learns Missy’s life story and the details of her marriage, education, and current life. Over the course of her 79th year, her world expands with new friendships, experiences, and repaired family relations, largely due to a dog she fosters, in a way. Well told and somewhat breezey, the lightness somewhat betraying deep connections and larger issues. A few surprising twists at various points, an enjoyable read for fans of Fredrick Backman, Gail Honeyman and the like.
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!!
A beautiful story of finding your way once your life as you know it changes. I loved Missy and her honesty, she had a though life with every one else coming first. Now in a long time she has to start doing things for her and finding where she fits in. My heart went out to her wishing she would find her happiness. A lovely story.
This is Beth Morrey’s debut novel. I predict that it is the first of many more. She is a tremedously talented author.
This novel has multi-generational characters ranging from an infant to seventy-nine year old Missy. I love books that include the older population! Also included are pets of the characters with one very special female dog named Bob, who definitely stole my heart.
I experienced so much emotion reading this book. I came to know these characters and I care deeply about them. That is the sign of a fantastic author, when I struggle to call them characters and not “people/friends etc”. They are a part of my life now. I miss them already, having finished the book yesterday.
There are many themes running throughout the story. Friendship, Strength of Women, Imperfect Lives, Forgiveness and Love. I kept thinking throughout the book of the saying, “be kind to everyone, you do not know the struggles they are going through”. Every person we encounter has burdens they are carrying. We may never see them since they are so well hidden. This book explores that truth. As we get to know the characters better, we see the things that they usually hide.
I truly love this book. I highlighted so many sentences that touched me and I know I will be re-reading The Love Story of Missy Carmichael again in the future. That is one of the best compliments I can give, since I rarely read a book for a second time.
I want to thank NetGalley.com and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me this great pleasure of reading Beth Morrey’s debut novel! This review is my own opinion not influenced by receiving the ARC of this fantastic book.