The View From Alameda Island by Robyn Carr

The View From Alameda Island by Robyn Carr

Published April 30, 2019 – MIRA

Review copy provided by the publisher; NetGalley

Description:

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 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. (publisher)

My take:  I find Robyn Carr’s characters always easy to cheer on. In this case, it’s Lauren, a woman who has waited far too long (for mostly understandable reasons) to break free from an abusive husband. Her circumstances aren’t what I’d consider typical in that she has the means to leave and transition to a new life. It was interesting to see how her story played out as life offered up new and wonderful possibilities.

There’s a secondary plot line about a priest changing his path in life that while I thought it interesting I’m not sure how accurate the details of that change are. In the end I don’t think the book needed to include this storyline at all. I liked the novel but not as much as most of Carr’s other books.

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