Welcome to my stop on the tour for Fare Well by Penny Piva hosted be Good Choice Reading Promotions .
I’m celebrating this newest release with my review.
Let’s get to know Madeleine.
Available on Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Description
Thrown together at the funeral of a mutual friend, Madeleine’s three closest friends come from different parts of her life –her childhood, her former job, and a failed relationship. Tragedy and their fondness for Madeleine bring them together. Their fondness for each other forges new friendships that strengthen through sickness, a bad marriage, a crack in a seemingly-perfect life, and an unplanned pregnancy.
Through this all, Madeleine must overcome the pain of her former relationship and the loss of a once-successful career. With memories of her childhood friendship and her beloved nana running through her mind, she learns to live for the future—a new guy, a new job, and renewed, honest relationships
My Review
When I first met Madeleine, she was at a former co-workers funeral. Her and Amy used to teach at the same school.
Madeleine used to envy Amy for her size zero figure and her bubbling, genuinely caring personality. Never would she have imagined her being murdered. Now she’s at her house, listening to the comments usually spoken at these things, and hanging out by the food tables.
That’s where she is as she encounters each of her friends. Each one from a different time or place in her life. Seems they all feel a bit lost.
Madeline takes you on a journey, flashing back and forth to different remembrances in her life as she starts a new one. She’s sent her boyfriend Rob to California to pursue his dream, ending a nine-year relationship. She quit her teaching job of ten years. Now she’s alone, jobless, and at a loss. She’s also afraid.
Afraid of what the future holds, what new symptoms will appear.
She can’t tell her friends about her illness.
‘It wasn’t something she really wanted to reveal to anyone. Her mother hovering and her dad looking at her differently, like she might just break if pushed too hard or too far was more than enough. She wanted to be the same to everyone. She wanted her friends to treat her the same as always, obnoxiously or nicely…’
‘She’d keep up the secrets and lies.’
She wonders about Rose, her ex-beau’s mother, and why she’s injected herself into her circle of friends. What could she be up to? Is she just lonely?
Are they all just lonely? It seems like they are all needing each other and it seems like food is always a part of it. I guess that’s why they call it ‘comfort food.’
It’s not all serious. There are some lighter moments. Here’s a funny scene I really liked, and yep, it’s got food in it?
Ellen and Madeleine
“Please, my grandmother messes up frozen dinners. Can you imagine the pain she’d cause Mother Nature if we gave her real food to cook?”
“It’s a wonder you didn’t starve to death when you were a kid,” Madeleine joked.
“Why do you think I was always over here even when you weren’t? I was hungry! Thank God I learned how to drive so now I can forage for my own food.”
“At McDonald’s.”
“I’ve never been much of a hunter or a gatherer.’
As you get to know Madeleine and her friends. you’ll learn they all have secrets.
I wanted to know what was going on with her friend Maria, what wasn’t she telling? Why was she sad?
And her friend Ellen, the policewoman. Why was she acting weird? What was she hiding?
How long could these friends keep hiding? Who would break and tell their secret first?
As their secrets were revealed, I felt connected, I shared their worries and their pain. They became as friends to me and I wanted everything to be okay for them. I wanted them to be happy.
Four Stars for this moving sojourn of friendship.
About Penny Piva
Lives in Massachusetts with The Chef.
Teaches writing at several universities.
Laughs every single day.
Does not like olives or blue cheese or sushi.
Studied pastry arts at a superior university.
Only listens to audio books in the car when driving.
Eats pasta every Sunday (house rules).
Loves visiting New York City, Disney World, and Italy.
Has a fun website at www.PennyPiva.com.
