Anybody who has learn Elizabeth Berg will know that she is known for writing character-driven, emotionally impactful tales. Once more, she has delivered an exquisite novel with a title that completely describes the contents. It’s certainly a tribute to life, and the way very treasured it’s.

Flo Greene was a incredible outdated woman. She had a loving, although childless marriage and is now a widow. At her superior age, most of her contemporaries have handed as effectively. Now, she is writing a letter to a girl who was ‘the little woman subsequent door‘ for a few years. Ruthie was the daughter that Flo by no means had. As such, she is leaving the whole lot she owns to Ruthie, and needs to elucidate the which means behind most of the issues in her residence.

“An autobiography in issues”

On this letter, she revisits outdated recollections, each poignant and humorous. She says it’s like watching outdated residence films once more in her thoughts. She has cherished all of her ninety plus years, and needs to share that love of life along with her pal, Ruthie.

I’ve learn over what I’ve simply written, and wish to say that NO, this isn’t an excessively sentimental novel – although it should seem that approach at first. It’s an sincere and practical view right into a life effectively lived. A life that notices the on a regular basis miracles that too many people gloss over. A life that has identified its share of heartbreak and disappointment. Flo shares her lengthy earned knowledge and information that it’s by no means too late to search out achievement and pleasure in residing.

This guide is a few very aged lady who’s dying from most cancers, but it the very reverse of downbeat. Somewhat it’s uplit at its very most interesting.

I liked each web page of this novel. I laughed and cried. I want I had the consideration of assembly Flo Greene, for she has left a gaping gap and I’m now bereft…

This assessment was written voluntarily and my ranking was under no circumstances influenced by the truth that I acquired a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Random Home through NetGalley.

Publication date: March 17, 2026
Writer: Penguin Random Home
ISBN: ‎9780593446829  –  208 pages

Elizabeth Berg is the New York Occasions bestselling creator of many novels, together with We Are All Welcome Right here, The Yr of Pleasures, The Artwork of Mending, Say When, True to Type, By no means Change, and Open Home, which was an Oprah’s Guide Membership choice in 2000. Sturdy Items and Pleasure Faculty have been chosen as ALA Greatest Books of the Yr, and Discuss Earlier than Sleep was short-listed for the ABBY Award in 1996. The winner of the 1997 New England Booksellers Award for her physique of labor, Elizabeth Berg can be the creator of a nonfiction work, Escaping into the Open: The Artwork of Writing True. She lives in Chicago.