Going into this novel, I had read the synopsis over a year ago when I requested it from NetGalley, so I had forgotten all information I may have known about the plot. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Arthur, a widower, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. This review will be spoiler-free, so it’s safe to read on!Ī beautiful, life-affirming novel about a remarkably loving man who creates for himself and others second chances at happiness.Ī moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. It’s like a feel good movie, leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and tells a story of many forms of familial love. I totally recommend this for anyone looking for a sweet novel to read any time of the year. This short, beautifully written novel gave me just that in Arthur Moses and Maddy Harris. I love a good, wholesome contemporary novel. (Nov.*I was granted access to a free advanced copy of this novel by Random House through NetGalley. Readers will be taken by this story about how friendship can defy any generation gap and how it’s never too late to find a new purpose in life. Berg’s novel is as comforting as Lucille’s fresh-baked cookies, with plenty of charm and memorable characters. Together with Lucille, who has recently faced her own tragic loss, the three form something like a family.

The two form a bond, and when Maddy gets pregnant with her ex-boyfriend’s baby, she seeks Arthur’s help. Then he meets Maddy, a troubled teen who is bullied at school and misunderstood by her father at home, and who has taken to hanging out at the cemetery to be by herself. The only other constants in his life are taking care of his cat and keeping his distance from his nosy neighbor, Lucille. Since his wife’s death, the best part of his daily routine is visiting the cemetery to eat lunch at her grave. Arthur, the title character of the latest from Berg ( Talk Before Sleep), does not enjoy living alone.

The life of arthur truluv