Circle of Three

This was definitely a different book than THE SAVING GRACES but in it's own way, it's just as satisfying. I loved the picture it creates of mothers and daughters, and how difficult each role is sometimes. I loved all the women characters, and definitely, Ruth hods a special place in my heart. I can't wait for Ms. Gaffney's next book!

I just listened to the unabridged audio of this book, and it completely carried me away. I disagree that The Saving Graces is better. I loved that one, too, but it said "BESTSELLER" all over it, and this one is quieter, a much more thoughtful book, and in many ways, to me, a better one. I like the way Gaffney captures women's voices. This one is about family, not friendship, so automatically it's more complex and doesn't reach any easy conclusions. I liked the way she didn't force any pat ending on me. Life just goes on. I look forward to this author's next book.

I loved this book. Gaffney has drawn three complex women and then thrown them into crisis, and the way they all change and grow, and the way their relationships change and grow, makes for a fascinating tapestry, a complex interweaving of unforgettable characters. Having said that, it's the glorious details that will make this book linger in my mind. I loved the ark and the way Carrie's return to her first love, art, sparks her return to her other first love, Jess. I thought the scenes with Ruth at the end, on the highway and in the streets, were true and harrowing and still life-affirming. And I loved being in Dana's point of view because she was such a funny, exasperating, powerful woman. This isn't a story about victims or perfect women who achieve the impossible dream, this is a story about real women who stumble and learn and triumph. It's just a wonderful, wonderful book.

There's no one who writes as well about women's relationships as Patricia Gaffney. I thought I couldn't love a book as much as I loved THE SAVING GRACES, but Gaffney did it. She made me love Ruth, Dana and Carrie, all very different (different ages even) and yet Gaffney captures each one perfectly. And the love story buried at the heart of this book was terrifically moving. This truly is a book to savor as much as her last one.

Carrie instigates an argument while her husband is driving home from an outing when he suddenly keels over and dies from a heart attack. Carrie's guilt is so intense, she slides into a deep depression for the next four months, unable to eat or even dress until her mother Dana forces her into obtaining a job. Dana hopes that Carrie's new boss will prove to be a suitable spouse once her daughter comes out of mourning. Carrie cares about no male except perhaps her first love Jessie, a person she fled when she decided to abandon her small hometown. Carrie's teenage daughter Ruth knows nothing about the shared past her mother and Jessie had. Instead she likes him, treating him like a friendly older brother and occasionally like a father. Dana never approved the "socially inferior" Jessie, but feels that when he thinks the time is right he will make his move. However, when Ruth catches Jessie and Carrie in a compromising position, she feels betrayed causing a crisis that forces the three generation of women to confront each other and themselves.Patricia Gaffney follows up her last bestseller THE SAVING GRACES with another powerful drama that will appeal to her fans as well as that of Delinsky and Siddons. The poignant story line deals with problems on different levels as the three females bring differing perspectives to the table. This makes for an engaging tale that charms the audience as everyday people try to do their best to attain a happy life for themselves while hoping to bring contentment to their loved ones. CIRCLE OF THREE is family drama that is impossible to put down until the final page is read.Harriet Klausner