The Arrivals...Review

About the book:
It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.

First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.

By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family--and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.


Family dynamics fascinate me so the premise for The Arrivals sounded good.  All the adult children returning home at the same time and all in some sort of crisis.  The problem was that not one of these characters is at all likeable.  Well, except maybe William.  The rest are whiny, complaining, selfish people.  I finished it, hoping these characters might grow on me.  Sorry, no.

Predictably, they all resolve their particular issues and everyone goes their separate ways, leaving William and Ginny empty nesters once more.  But by the time that happened, I didn't care.

People will call it real or endearing or fresh, but for me it was a story that sounded promising but ultimately couldn't deliver.

Mine is only one of many reviews and this is a book that will appeal to many people.  You can find other, more positive reviews of the book at The Last Book I Read, Diane Prokop, BookNAround, Thoughts in Progress, Wee Share, and Dakota Pam.

Thanks to Anna Balasi of Hatchette Books for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Meg Mitchell Moore here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 4/11

*
1/5 Stars

Comments

  1. Sorry this didn't work for you. I'll add your review to the Reagan Arthur Books Challenge.

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  2. I think I would enjoy this one. Thanks for the giveaway!
    I am a new follower via GFC.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

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  4. I would love to read this book. aitmama {{at}} gmail {{tod}} com

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  5. New follower aitmama {{at}} gmail {{tod}} com

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  6. Great, honest review.

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  7. Sorry you didn't like this one and I tend to feel the same way about some books you read, so I'm almost scared to try it, but I'm intrigued enough to want to read it.

    I'm a follower.

    Also my email is in my profile.

    crystalfulcher(at)ec.rr.com

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  8. Google Friends Connect - following your blog publicly as Raven In A Blue Room

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    schnitzomage {at} gmail {dot} com

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  9. Would love to win this book!

    New GFC follower

    littleone AT shaw DOT ca

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