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.
more
I listened to this through Audible. Enjoyed the story. I love all of Robyn Carr’s books
This book was a complete roller coaster ride. I was expecting a simple romance on an island with a heartbreaking story. Well, this book has all of that and much, much more. Lauren is getting out of a long marriage to a verbally abusive husband. Beau is getting out of a twelve year marriage to a flighty woman. The two come together in a beautiful friendship that helps ease the pain for both of them. Neither of them were happy in their marriages, but they never would have expected the chaos to ensue after. This story made me laugh and cry, and I highly recommend checking it out.
This story is about the struggle of leaving a marriage behind; no matter how cruel a spouse can be, and no matter how toxic a relationship is.
Lauren meets Beau who is having similar issues and wanting to leave his marriage as well, so they form a friendship that soon starts to lean towards more.
But, can that happen with Lauren’s spouse still lingering so close by?
There is the family dynamic with the children and who they each side with, and the friends along the way.
I found that this story dragged a bit in few places and I got a little bored sometime; I have to be honest. Maybe I just didn’t really feel attached to many other characters. But, my interest in the outcome for Lauren was enough!
A lovely story of growth and learning to live and love again.
Amazing how one person can make you weak and change who you are. Immersed in an emotionally abusive relationship at the hands of a manipulative husband who utilized gas lighting techniques to prove her unworthiness. Lauren is manipulated into staying in their horrible marriage. Can you believe her husband does this by threatening to damage the future of his own children?
She finally takes the steps to remove herself from the unbearable situation. Through the divorce and self-discovery process she begins to find herself and discovers she really likes who she is. She begins to open up, making new friends, and living the life she’s missed out on.
While appreciating the beauty of the church gardens she meets hunky Beau. Beau is equally embroiled in a messy divorce. The two bond over their common situations and start becoming each other’s supporting shoulder. Neither is looking for love. But through companionship their love grows.
“I was content with my life,’ he whispered to her. “I wasn’t aching for something more, or someone to make me happier. But you’ve filled up an empty place inside me that I didn’t even know was there. You’re everything to me.”
“The moment Beau touched her, she opened up to him like a beautiful flower and he filled her with all his love and lust.”
During her marriage Lauren worked hard to hide from everyone the reality of her marriage. But after breaking away from her husband she discovers that she didn’t have anyone fooled. Her jerk of an ex works diligently to make the divorce and her new life miserable.
Out of her two daughters, one understands completely and supports her mother unconditionally. The other, only has her own interests at heart and sides with her father. The writing is raw and emotional. Lauren handled it with much more grace and heart than I think I could.
The relationships between Lauren and her daughters, Beau and his sons and how they handle the adjustments they go through was beautiful and realistic. I laughed, I cried! This was a beautiful story!
I read an ARC of this story via Netgalley. My honest and fair review is voluntary.
I love this author.
Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors. She’s an author whose new books I’ll read before even knowing what they’re about – I trust her that much. I believe I’ve read every book she has written, going back to THE HOUSE ON OLIVE STREET and, of course, THE VIRGIN RIVER series. She consistently challenges me as a reader, keeps me laughing, keeps me wishing the worlds she creates on the pages of her books were real life, and entertains me.
This story is about two similar people, both working at finally getting out of toxic marriages. They meet and become friends, talking about their grown children, common interests, bad days caused by their soon-to-be exes. And as their divorces head into the final stages, they discover happiness together, but not without terrible moments.
Lauren Delaney was married to her successful surgeon husband and stays with him for 24 years until their two daughters are grown, putting up with his emotional and physical abuse.
Beau Magellan is a successful landscape architect and has helped raise his two stepsons as his own while his wife periodically leaves them, has affairs and is a miserable person.
This is a well-told story of the many sides of domestic violence and definitely wasn’t always easy to read but I still enjoyed every word of it and hated having it end.
I received this book from MIRA Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
When I pick up a Robyn Carr book I think romance, sweet, and fun. This book is all of that but it is also a lot of twists and turns that will make you think about the life you are living.
Getting married means forever, means love, means respect and means happiness. For Lauren, none of that comes true. She marries to escape being poor. She wants the status that comes with being married to a successful surgeon, yet that isn’t what she gets. The book starts up with Lauren figuring out how to stand up for herself and leave her husband so I instantly felt respect for her. Sure she has lived for 20+ years with the abuse but she is now looking for a way out, setting up a life for herself without being a wife of a surgeon, and finding out who Lauren is.
Everything about The View from Alameda Island is wonderful. The book is hard to put down, easy to fall into, and wonderful from beginning to end.
The best kind of stories are the ones with a butterfly effect. A character changes and evolves to become so much more than they ever thought possible, emerging into something new and wonderful.
The change is often hard and has more obstacles than anticipated, but will be worth giving up the perception of perfect to become something and someone who is beautifully flawed yet emotionally on the way to wellness. The View From Alameda Island is all that and more. A beautifully poignant read.
I absolutely loved this story about second chances, mistakes and family.
Two of the worst divorces I’ve ever read about bring together a couple who are perfect for each other. The war stories will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Their friends and families round out this eclectic cast of characters joyfully.
Strongly recommend.
Another fabulous story from Robyn Carr, who I have been reading for years. A standalone, the story revolves around Lauren, an abused wife of a surgeon, with 2 grown daughters who finally decides to file for divorce. And Beau, a landscape artist, who has also recently separated from his wife. They meet, and the story is of their relationship as it pertains to their divorces, their grown children and their families, as well as their exes. A richly rewarding book, this story has so much heart. First of all, I love reading books about “older relationships” as these people have already lived a lifetime, and all come with interesting baggage. And the way Ms Carr develops their personalities and relationships makes for a a rich full story.
First, I’m not crazy about the description of this book. I feel that this story is just as much about Beau as it is about Lauren. And, frankly, I like Beau better. Lauren is great, but Beau is amazing! And his story is just as troubling and touching as Lauren’s.
I enjoyed the connection Lauren and Beau had from the start. I appreciate that they took things quite slow due to their circumstances. It was cute how they kept crossing paths accidentally. The friendship they forged over their similar circumstances was a lovely way to start their relationship.
I have always enjoyed this author and she has a certain way she tells her story that is as if someone is sitting with you having a cup of coffee telling you about their life. A lot of times this works in her books. In fact, the majority of the time it does. In this book it didn’t work as well as usual. I felt there was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. There are some intense things that happen that elevate the narrative, but then it goes back to a bit too low key.
This is realistic and over the top by turns, but a wonderful story either way. I just wish I had felt a bit more of the emotion.
** I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in my review are my own and given freely. **
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/29/the-view-from-alameda-island-arc-review/
Lauren has lived a life of comfort being married to a surgeon. She has 2 children she adores and a job of her own that she does well at. But behind the scenes she is unhappy in her marriage with her controlling and abusive husband. She has stayed as long as she can. Now the girls are in college and she feels she can move on. While waiting to serve her husband with papers she meets a gentleman at a local church garden. She finds he is going through a difficult separation from his wife. He has 2 step sons he has raised as his own. They find they have common interest and become friendly. Laurens husband is determined to make her stay and Beau’s wife is determined to come home. These 2 have a lot to get through to be together. Their spouse’s try to make things impossible. You never know what someone may be going through. Most people either didn’t know or chose to turn a blind eye to Laurens situation. Sometimes you never know who you are really marrying and find out after you are married. Even though its not easy Lauren and Beau will find a way to find happiness. I received this book as a ARC from Net galley for my honest review