“The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is wise, witty, and utterly compelling.” —Jane Green, New York Times bestselling author of The Friends We Keep
Evvie Drake Starts Over meets The Friday Night Knitting Club in this wise and witty novel about a fired advice columnist who discovers lost and found family members in Charleston, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Sister. … family members in Charleston, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Sister.
Celia Fairchild, known as advice columnist ‘Dear Calpurnia’, has insight into everybody’s problems – except her own. Still bruised by the end of a marriage she thought was her last chance to create a family, Celia receives an unexpected answer to a “Dear Birthmother” letter. Celia throws herself into proving she’s a perfect adoptive mother material – with a stable home and income – only to lose her job. Her one option: sell the Charleston house left to her by her recently departed, estranged Aunt Calpurnia.
Arriving in Charleston, Celia learns that Calpurnia had become a hoarder, the house is a wreck, and selling it will require a drastic, rapid makeover. The task of renovation seems overwhelming and risky. But with the help of new neighbors, old friends, and an unlikely sisterhood of strong, creative women who need her as much as she needs them, Celia knits together the truth about her estranged family — and about herself.
The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is an unforgettable novel of secrets revealed, laughter released, creativity rediscovered, and waves of wisdom by a writer Robyn Carr calls “my go-to author for feel-good novels.”
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The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is a feel-good story of hope and new beginnings. A book you read while wrapped in a cozy blanket with a cup of tea. You just can’t help but root for Celia the entire way.
With gorgeous writing, Marie Bostwick has hit new heights with this surprising story of one woman’s redemption. The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is wise, witty, and utterly compelling.
With warmth, heart and hilarity, Marie Bostwick dazzles with a story about taking risks and letting go of the past to make way for the future of her dreams.
Perennial fan favorite Marie Bostwick has done something special. This new novel has all the hallmarks readers have come to love about her books…This big-hearted tale of redemption, family ties, secrets, tough choices, and happy endings is filled with her trademark warmth and wisdom that will leave readers deeply satisfied.
There is lots of Southern charm as well as plenty of sweet tea in this wise and funny novel by Marie Bostwick… Marie Bostwick writes with such warmth and generosity and humor that you won’t want to put this book down.
Loved this book and it’s characters. Great storyline set in Charleston. Marie Bostwick never disappoints. I,would love to read a sequel.
Celia thinks she’s lost everything but then finds out she’s inherited an old house in Charleston. Besides that, she finds out she has the possibility of adopting a baby. First she needs to get the house ready. There’s a lot of interesting characters in this story. They all help Celia and along the way become family.
I enjoyed the story
3.75 Stars
Kind of a slow, drawn out start, but then it all comes together and delivers a truly heartfelt and fun story about the friendship of women, romance, and new family.
Marie always writes interesting characters. And in this book, watching a woman reclaim both the house she inherited and herself, made for the perfect bedtime story.
There are so many things I love about The Restoration of Celia Fairchild! The book is a heartwarming story about family secrets, and friends who become family. The author’s characters are an eclectic group who you will fall in love with. Her beloved Aunt Calpurnia has passed, and the family home is left to Celia. However, the beautiful house she remembered from her past is now the neighborhood eye sore! The property is littered and overgrown. The inside is a hoarder’s paradise. Poor Celia is overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. After careful consideration, Celia decides she will stay and restore the home back to its original glory. Little did she know that the restoration of the house would lead to the much needed restoration of her life. Under Celia’s roof you will find a mixed bag of neighbors, an old school friend, ex-cons, feuding brothers, and a dear friend who is a chef from NYC. All of these delightful characters draw you in and will make you laugh out loud. This book will grab your attention and your heart in the first chapter. I would highly recommend it!
I truly enjoyed this story. Sometimes when we take the eye off of the ball and trust it can come back to bite us in the butt. Trust, but verify. Just when you think you’re living your best life, you open your eyes and find that those who you put your trust and faith in the most have completely betrayed your trust, your money, your hope, what you wanted for your future and your name. It’s a hard pill to swallow and yet with some wonderful friends, old and new, a new home you manage to create a wonderful new life for yourself. Some of it good, some not, but with a loving support group learn that you can get through anything and not just survive, but thrive and have a great life. Great narration of the audiobook. A truly wonderful listen.
A Not To Be Missed Literary Fiction Read
“The Restoration of Celia Fairchild” by Marie Bostwick narrator: Sarah Naughton
I listened to the author read the first chapter of this book and pre-ordered my own copy of the unabridged audio book. I was so sure I was going to be head over heels for this story. I also asked if my town library were going to order the audio (CD) book and if so I wanted to be the first one to reserve a copy. Well, I did get the call that their copy had come in and would be ready for me to pick up the following Wednesday. I sat in my car for an hour that morning waiting for the library’s curb-service to open up (due to COVID-19 the only library access). And I have been binge reading it ever since. Well, I was NOT disappointed. As I had heard Marie read that first chapter, I could hear her voice as the narrator read the whole story for my pleasure. There were some funny times as well as the hard times that rather ripped my heart right out of my body. Just as I fully expected this author’s story pull me in and cause me to feel the emotions of the main players in the story. I would give this story 10-STARS if it were allowed. This is about a 12-hour read, so don’t expect to devour this story in one sitting. I am now going to return the book to the library. And then I will proceed to listen to my copy at a more leisurely pace. I am also going to go back and read the Cobbled Court series one more time. I hope you love this story as much as I did. Happy Reading ! !
What an enjoyable book! If you are in the mood for something light, fun, and inspiring… this is a good one! Celia loses her job as an advice columnist in NYC and is recently divorced. Her aunt has passed away and has left her home in Charleston South Carolina to her. Only this home needs a ton of work done. Celia decides to move there and fix it up, and also wants to adopt, and become a parent. I loved Celia’s character, and all of the characters that Celia connects with throughout the book. They were so real! I also really loved the southern setting, and reading this just made me feel so happy and it was great to escape everytime I picked up this book!
Thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewer Giveaway program & William Morrow for an advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
A heartwarming story of families and friendship, with a dash of romance, too. I loved this book! The “restoration” in the title refers to Celia’s efforts to restore an old house she has inherited, as well as the restoration of Celia’s life after her divorce and loss of her job.
Author Marie Bostwick skillfully incorporates the theme of knitting throughout the novel. Not only does Celia discover a room in her aunt’s old house containing shelves of beautiful yarn and begins to knit a baby blanket, the new friends Celia makes after returning to the small southern town in North Carolina combine with her old friends to create an endearing family. As one character tells Celia, “You started out fixing up a house but ended up creating a home filled with people you love and who love you right back.”
This is the sort of book we all need to read – quirky characters, family secrets, repaired relationships, full of charming southern small town flavor, and a sweet ending that made me wish there was another chapter or two.
This is my first Marie Bostwick book and I look forward to reading more of her books. The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is a story written with wit and wisdom, humor and angst, joy and sadness. I would laugh then need tissue then laugh again. The cast of characters were pure fun. Celia, the protagonist, was emotionally real and wise. I definitely recommend this book when you want to just escape for a while.
Set in Charleston with a cast of original and memorable characters, I found this book to be such a delightful mix of great setting, witty prose, poignant and yet light at the same time. It ticked all my happy boxes!
When my mother was living, she was in a sorority. Every year around Mother’s Day her “sisters” would have a mother/daughter luncheon that I was invited to attend. After a dainty potluck lunch, the sorority ladies read poems and essays related to the occasion. One of the readings that was given annually was a piece that urged the younger ladies (daughters) to “get yourself some girlfriends”. I always liked that reading. As I listened to this book, I was frequently reminded of it.
After her Aunt Calpurnia passes away the main character, Celia, goes from living a harried corporate life in NYC with only the support of Calvin, her gay BFF, to a more laid back life in South Carolina with an entire neighborhood of quirky friends (mostly female) to support her as she pursues restoring her aunt’s house while waiting to adopt a child. Along this journey she reconnects with a childhood girlfriend who is struggling to put her life together after the school of hard knocks has ravaged her life. There’s a tease of romance, a corrupt real estate developer who attempts to delay her house restoration, and an adoption drama—two dramas, really.
This was shaping up to be a five star book on my list of favorites. Then Calvin, at the whim of the author, had to go and mess with that five star rating. No spoilers here, but in my world, Calvin would have lost the BFF title no matter how good his intentions were or how positive the outcome was. To me, his action (revealed at the close of the book) was treacherous. That it was glossed over as an act of support was a huge disappointment to an otherwise great story.
In my review of her book “The Promise Girl’s” by this author, I said that her books had always been a “must read” for me. That book didn’t work for me because it was just too far-fetched and passed off a sexual taboo as ok. In this book, the author returned to a previous formula plot (from her Cobbled Court series and The Second Sister) that works for her (and me)—a community of (mostly) women that craft, a special needs character, a quirky world-wise character, and a hint of romance. It is quite apparent that this author values friendships. I just don’t understand why, and obviously don’t like, that she would take such a great character as Calvin and write-in an act of disloyalty (at best) without dealing with the fallout of that act. Seriously, no repercussions. None. Celia needed a book on boundaries, at the very least.
The ending made rating this book difficult for me. Do I just knock off a star because I didn’t agree with the author’s prerogative to end the book as she chooses or do I rate it even lower because of an ethical issue? Initially, I chose the former. After remembering the devotion and honor of my mother’s band of “sisters” though, I couldn’t give this book more than three stars. That’s a ~ or so-so rating for me—and a demotion of this author to my “might read” list.
Enjoyable rom com with occasional depth – I loved the locale (Charleston) and probably wouldn’t have read if it had been based elsewhere.
This is a wonderful story of friendship. When people come together to lift each other up, it’s a beautiful thing!
I wished I could give this book more than 5 stars because it is so worthy of many more! The family dynamics and the constant struggles and joys makes this book such a great read. Celia is a great character and you just have to fall in love with her. That saying “one mans trash is one mans treasure” might come into play at times in this book! It is a must read for sure!