A poignant and powerful story about how one woman’s best intentions lead to the worst of situations, and how love helps her to heal and ultimately triumph. From the outside looking in, Lauren Delaney has a life to envy–a successful career, a solid marriage to a prominent surgeon and two beautiful daughters who are off to good colleges. But on her twenty-fourth wedding anniversary Lauren makes a … Lauren makes a decision that will change everything.
Lauren won’t pretend things are perfect anymore. She defies the controlling husband who has privately mistreated her throughout their marriage and files for divorce. And as she starts her new life, she meets a kindred spirit–a man who is also struggling with the decision to end his unhappy marriage.
But Lauren’s husband wants his “perfect” life back and his actions are shocking. Facing an uncertain future, Lauren discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had as she fights for the love and happiness she deserves.
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I loved this book. Shows what a woman can do when she puts her minds to it.
It was a good story about 2 people who meet accidently but are going thru divorces. The trials and tribulations dealing with the divorce and family members are filled with drama which gets a little heavy. It was well written but personally like a happier story.
Not one of my favorite Robyn Carr books. I wasn’t as invested in the characters. It was predictable but entertaining.
I loved this book; I always look for more books by this author!
Things aren’t always as they seem. Life turns can make life so much better with sisters there to help.
Robyn Carr did it again. Wonderfully written woman’s fiction story of two dysfunctional families who find their second chance at love. Lauren Delaney is married to a sadistic, controlling older surgeon Brad Delaney. They had two girls Lacey(older), & Casie whose feelings and loyalties towards their parents are totally opposite. Lauren endured 24 years of emotional & subtle physical abuse & Brad’s cheating loveless marriage.
The second leading character is Beau Magellan whose wife, Pamela, is a self absorbed, never satisfied, cheating mother of two sons. Beau cared for & loved his two step sons Drew & Michael. Their biological father had disappeared out of their lives & their mother, Pamela, basically had nothing to do with raising them.
Both Lauren & Beau we’re fed up with their marriages & filed for divorce. Pamela had walked out from Beau 6 months earlier. Lauren & Beau met by accident in a church garden which started their journey to a new life.
The story revolves around their struggles obtaining their divorces-Beau’s wife going to extremes to stop the divorce and Lauren’s Brad resorting to severe physical abuse to force her to return to him.
There are several secondary characters that enhance the relationship with Lauren & Beau. Yes there was a Happy Ending-Love held them all together. I highly recommend this book to any contemporary woman’s reader. I had a hard time putting this book down, a page turner.
I purchased this book at another vendor.
Lauren decides she has had enough after almost twenty five years of marriage. Her husband a successful surgeon is cruel, mentally and emotionally abusive. As Lauren puts a plan in place to move her life into a new direction she faces Disbelief from one daughter and support from another. Lauren has to strengthen her resolve to pick up the pieces of her life while struggling to seek a divorce and settlement
In a peaceful garden situation she meets landscape architect Beau, also going through a divorce from his selfish wife.
Both ex spouses present a danger to the budding relationship as they fight the divorces, even at the expense of destroying their relationships with their children. Is their a limit to the selfishness of ex spouses? What will they do to reunite a failed marriage?
Awesome book
This is a gripping novel of domestic abuse. It details one woman’s struggles and the lengths she goes to keep it hidden from family and friends. Finally, she has had enough and just by chance finds a man that offers friendship and help. She tries to move forward with her life but her abuser is not letting go and will go to any length to hold onto her. I found myself gripping the side of my chair at the intensity of just hoping she can get away and find love again. This is a must read!
I loved this book. Shed a few tears, laughed a little, enjoyed getting to know the characters. I heartily recommend this book. A.E. Easterlin
Captivating and emotional! Two characters are coming to a crossroad in their life right around the same time and when they meet, it’s the breath of fresh air they each needed. Friendship leads to romance as their divorces progress. The characters were both emerging from bad situations and finding solace in a happier life and each other. The plot had surprising aspects woven in that kept it fresh, although I felt like the side story of Tim and Angela was distracting from the heart of the story. Overall a really good read!
Wife and mother Lauren Delaney has been living a lie. To others, she has a great life of wealth and prestige with a loving husband and prospering daughters … in reality, she’s been biding her time until her children are at a point where they can support themselves so she can finally leave her controlling husband. On their 24th wedding anniversary, she puts her final plan in motion … and meets a kindred spirit.
Beau Magellan has been going through the motions for years with his unhappy wife. It’s an ongoing game of her leaving then coming back only to repeat at her leisure. This time he’s had enough. He wants his freedom this time, and when he meets Lauren at a time in her life when she’s starting on the same journey, they strike up a friendship that will later lead to more.
I variation from her other books, I found this to be a very delightful read.
Thoroughly enjoyable! Robyn Carr at her best!
Robyn Carr’s latest book first caught my attention because it’s based on Alameda, California. I love that city and would love to live there myself. I’m an hour away! Second, her writing of course! Meet Lauren Delaney, who on her 24th wedding anniversary decides she’s had enough and moves out to start a new life. At first it seems like this could be a bit of empty nest syndrome since both of their daughters are in college, but soon we find out there is a whole lot more to this marraige that was so very one sided. Lauren definitely had the short end of the stick. Lauren’s husband is a well known surgeon who it seems can’t do wrong. He could be cruel and abusive if he didn’t get his way. This is a story with a lot of heart and some disappointment and heartache along the way. I really enjoyed the way Robyn explores the characters and we see Lauren come into strength she had buried deep inside. As things begin to really change for Lauren and her daughters we see the family dynamics change and shift in a way that is dangerous for Lauren. Robyn knows how to create the drama and mystery into her books. I really enjoyed this novel. I had the pleasure of listening to the audible version of the story. I was completely entertained by Therese Plummer’s narration. I am a big fan of hers! I can say that I give this book 5 stars ! I highly recommend this novel.
Robyn Carr provides a very enjoyable read. I liked the characters as well as the setting. If you just want to kick back and relax, this book will help you do just that!
Pretty much any book that has Robyn Carr’s name on the cover, I will read. I love her emotional, warm and charming stories, and The View from Alameda Island was no exception.
The View from Alameda Island features Lauren Delaney who is in an incredibly unhappy marriage. Her husband is controlling, and abusive, and her self worth is at an all time low after years of manipulation, coersion, belitteling and demeaning commentary. I found myself completely sympathising with her plight, but also pleased that she recognised her own choices impacted her life.
Whilst I expected this novel to be a second chance romance, it’s much more. It follows Lauren’s journey from being in an unhappy marriage, to finding independence, friendship, and finally love and happiness in the arms of another.
The View from Alameda Island may have triggers for some readers. In my opinion it deals quite senstitively and honestly with the topics of physcological, emotional and physical abuse in a relationship.
This title is hones, raw, and charming with a few unexpected twists and turns that kept me compltely enthralled from start to finish.
I will be eagerly awating Ms Carr’s next release!
Loved it!!!!!
Very interesting & I think true to life. Have not been in Lauren’s situation, but I think that all the things she went through could have happened. She became a strong woman through it all, finally, wishing she had done something about her situation much sooner.
This is a book that I could not put down. A powerful story of two lost souls, both going through divorces that have formed a friendship that develops into so much more. An accidental meeting, but they each find strength through each other.
My heart just broke for Lauren, the emotional abuse that she took for so many years because she wanted her daughters not to suffer from a broken marriage. Everything was picture perfect on the outside but you don’t realize what goes on behind the closed doors.
Loved Beau, a strong man willing to raise his step sons on his own. He too tried to make his marriage work for his sons but finally decided enough was enough.
This book is so powerful, and it can be anyone in our lives! I highly recommend.
The View from Alameda Island was quite a good read. It’s Robyn Carr doing what she does best, tackling tough issues and having her characters fight through to find their HEA.
I sometimes wonder where she finds new ideas after having written so many books, but she still comes up with interesting plots, relatable characters (and some you really do not like at all) and beautifully written descriptions of people and places.
As long as she keeps writing this way, I’m sure I’ll continue to be a fan.
Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC. Thoughts in this review are my own.
This book is about choices. Marital choices. Parental choices.
Lauren has been in her marriage for 24 years. Surviving. She’s the defacto errand girl, parent, and hostess for her surgeon husband. Wanting to make sure her daughters have the funds for their education, she waits and plans her escape, finally filing for divorce when her youngest daughter graduates college. Her life, her choice
Beau has been in his marriage for many years as well. Also, surviving. He’s been the step-dad to his wife’s children. Raising them when their mother wouldn’t. He’s a great guy, loves his kids, and wants the best for them. After his wife ‘needs a break’ and moves out, he follows through with filing for divorce. His life, his choice.
They’re both fed up with the subtle and not so subtle jabs that keep coming from their spouses. They know change is coming and that’s also their choice.
Ms. Carr weaves these two strangers together in a most convincing way. They’re not cheating on their spouses, but it might be perceived that way. These two battered souls need to finally make a choice that works from them. Making them the victors, rather than the conquered.
The compilation of secondary characters adds so much to the book and allows the reader to realize why Lauren and Beau are who they are, and why they do what they do.
I enjoyed this read. It’s much darker than many of her other works, but very powerful. This could be anyone. This IS anyone who has had a messy divorce.