Night of Miracles: A Novel
The feel-good book of the year: a delightful novel of friendship, community, and the way small acts of kindness can change your life, by the bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv Lucille Howard is getting on in years, but she stays busy. Thanks to the inspiration of her dearly departed friend Arthur Truluv, she has begun to teach baking classes, sharing the secrets to her delicious classic Southern yellow cake, the perfect pinwheel cookies, and other sweet essentials. Her classes have become so popular that she's hired Iris, a new resident of Mason, Missouri, as an assistant. Iris doesn't know how to bake but she needs to keep her mind off a big decision she sorely regrets. When a new family moves in next door and tragedy strikes, Lucille begins to look out for Lincoln, their son. Lincoln's parents aren't the only ones in town facing hard choices and uncertain futures. In these difficult times, the residents of Mason come together and find the true power of community--just when they need it the most. "Elizabeth Berg's characters jump right off the page and into your heart" said Fannie Flagg about The Story of Arthur Truluv. The same could be said about Night of Miracles, a heartwarming novel that reminds us that the people we come to love are often the ones we don't expect. Praise for Night of Miracles "Happy, sad, sweet and slyly funny, [Night of Miracles] celebrates the nourishing comfort of community and provides a delightfully original take on the cycles of life."--People (Book of the Week) "Find refuge in Mason, a place blessedly free of the political chaos we now know as 'real life.' In Berg's charming but far from shallow alternative reality, the focus is on the things that make life worth living: the human connections that light the way through the dark of aging, bereavement, illness and our own mistakes. . . . As the endearing, odd-lot characters of Mason, Missouri, coalesce into new families, dessert is served: a plateful of chocolate-and-vanilla pinwheel cookies for the soul."--USA Today "Full of empathy and charm, every chapter infuses the heart with a renewed sense of hope." --Woman's World
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Community Reviews
Elderly Lucille Howard enjoys staying busy teaching baking classes in her Mason, Missouri home during which she shares her secret recipes and tips. In fact, word has spread about her classes and she's become so busy that she hires an assistant. Iris Wilson doesn't know anything about baking, but she needs a job and to keep busy. She has just moved to Mason from Boston and does not want to be reminded about the decision she made ten years ago -- and has regretted since.
Lucille's next-door neighbors, Abby and Jason, ask if their young son, Lincoln, might stay with Lucille from time to time. Abby has been diagnosed with cancer and is going to need treatment that can only be received in nearby Columbia.
Lucille forges friendships with newcomers Iris and little Lincoln, and remains close to Maddy, the young girl who moved in Arthur, Lucille's now-deceased beloved, when she was eighteen and pregnant. She worked as Arthur's housekeeper. Lucille moved in, as well, and they formed a family. Maddy had no mother, was estranged from her father, and had been bullied in school. But now she has nearly finished college and they keep in touch via phone calls and occasional visits. Lucille dotes on Maddy's little daughter, Nola. Sure enough,
Lucille is the heart and soul of a community compromised of residents care and look out for each other created by author Elizabeth Berg. Berg's characters are reminiscent of close family or friends her readers know and, therefore, eminently believable and infinitely endearing. Time spent with them is as fulfilling as time spent with one's own family and readers will find themselves laughing at their quirks and flaws, and then crying with them when they endure tragedy. Lucille wisely relates her experiences aging, railing against her own mortality, and mourning the love she found late in life and, as a result, with whom she had such precious little time. She admits her own mistakes and regrets, but knows that dwelling on them won't change a thing. The result is a charming, uplifting, and lovely story that is thoroughly delightful and ends far too soon. Night of Miracles is, simply, a beautiful book that should not be missed. One of the best of 2018.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
Lucille's next-door neighbors, Abby and Jason, ask if their young son, Lincoln, might stay with Lucille from time to time. Abby has been diagnosed with cancer and is going to need treatment that can only be received in nearby Columbia.
Lucille forges friendships with newcomers Iris and little Lincoln, and remains close to Maddy, the young girl who moved in Arthur, Lucille's now-deceased beloved, when she was eighteen and pregnant. She worked as Arthur's housekeeper. Lucille moved in, as well, and they formed a family. Maddy had no mother, was estranged from her father, and had been bullied in school. But now she has nearly finished college and they keep in touch via phone calls and occasional visits. Lucille dotes on Maddy's little daughter, Nola. Sure enough,
Lucille is the heart and soul of a community compromised of residents care and look out for each other created by author Elizabeth Berg. Berg's characters are reminiscent of close family or friends her readers know and, therefore, eminently believable and infinitely endearing. Time spent with them is as fulfilling as time spent with one's own family and readers will find themselves laughing at their quirks and flaws, and then crying with them when they endure tragedy. Lucille wisely relates her experiences aging, railing against her own mortality, and mourning the love she found late in life and, as a result, with whom she had such precious little time. She admits her own mistakes and regrets, but knows that dwelling on them won't change a thing. The result is a charming, uplifting, and lovely story that is thoroughly delightful and ends far too soon. Night of Miracles is, simply, a beautiful book that should not be missed. One of the best of 2018.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
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