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    The Confession Club
    The Confession Club
    The Confession Club
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Confession Club

    Written by Elizabeth Berg

    Narrated by Elizabeth Berg

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    An uplifting novel about friendship, surprising revelations, and a second chance at love, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv.

    When a group of friends in Mason, Missouri, decide to start a monthly supper club, they get more than they bargained for. The plan for congenial evenings—talking, laughing, and sharing recipes, homemade food, and wine—abruptly changes course one night when one of the women reveals something startlingly intimate. The supper club then becomes Confession Club, and the women gather weekly to share not only dinners but embarrassing misdeeds, deep insecurities, and long-held regrets.

    They invite Iris Winters and Maddy Harris to join, and their timing couldn't be better. Iris is conflicted about her feelings for a charming but troubled man, and Maddy has come back home from New York to escape a problem too big to handle alone. The club offers exactly the kind of support they need to help them make some difficult decisions.

    The Confession Club is charming, heartwarming, and inspiring. And as in the previous books that take place in Mason, readers will find friendship, community, and kindness on full display.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 19, 2019
    ISBN9781980047360
    The Confession Club
    Author

    Elizabeth Berg

    Elizabeth Berg is the award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, including the New York Times bestsellers True to Form, Never Change, Open House, The Story of Arthur Truluv, Night of Miracles, and The Confession Club. She lives outside of Chicago. Find out more at Elizabeth-Berg.net.

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    Reviews for The Confession Club

    4/5

    125 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Perfect palate cleanser of a read between two rather heavy reads.
    • 5/5
      I read a lot of books. I have read a lot this year, this is one of my favorites. I’m so glad I found this author.
    • 3/5
      I've read all three books in this series and enjoyed them all, but this one less than the other two. I enjoy Berg's writing and the setting, the characters, and all. However, it seems to jump around among too many people. The women in the club each confess to something, Iris has things going on, John is working things out, Mattie is trying to figure her life out, etc. It was pleasant and sweet.
    • 5/5
      Elizabeth Berg never fails to write a book that makes you feel better about the world once you’ve finished it. I want to join The Confession Club.
    • 3/5
      A return to Mason, Missouri, the home of Arthur Truluv. Iris is living in the home Maddie inherited from Arthur & Lucille and continues to teach the baking classes begun by Lucille. Maddie has returned from NYC with Nola, but no Matthew. Iris and Maddie join a group of women who call themselves The Confession Club where the women share their flaws and dark secrets (IMO an unlikely thing in a small town where secrets are not easily kept).John Loney, a homeless man arrives from Chicago and squats in an abandoned farmhouse. Iris meets him when she stops to cut overgrown lilacs at the house. Romance ensues, though John has many issues relating to an abusive father and PTSD as a Viet Nam veteran.In typical Mason, Missouri fashion, all's well that ends well. This time no one dies.
    • 4/5
      The Story of Arthur Truluv #1 (2017)
      Night of Miracles #2 (2018)
      This is the third book of the Mason series.
      ————————
      I received this digital ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

      With characters gathered from the prior two novels, a group of women from Iris’s cooking class organize a group for “confessions”. They rotate their meetings and serve a dinner appropriate for the occasion. Each night to dedicated to a particular member who can share a secret or concern to unburden herself. The group’s goal is offer confidential support and advice to their fellow members.

      The story continues as Maddy Harris returns from New York where she needs a respite from her busy life. She moves in with Iris Winters who has since begun to care for the house in her absence. Iris has continued with the cooking lessons started by her friend and mentor Lucille. The group decides to allow Maddy and Iris into their exclusive group where support and understanding are the ingredients for their recipe of friendship.
    • 5/5
      I had no idea thst there was a 2nd, or that there was this 3rd book in this series. I'm so glad I paid attention and realized. I have really enjoyed this series.
    • 4/5
      Lovely story about women who teach us about listening, telling our story, and friendship. Can be read as a stand alone, although, I highly recommend the first in the series "The Story of Arthur Trulov".
    • 4/5
      Entertaining series!Book #3 returns to the small town of Mason where Iris has taken over the baking classes, Maddy has returned from New York, and there's a new ladies group called The Confession Club.The writing style, and pace of the previous novels, is maintained as new characters are intermingled into the original storyline.There is a little drama and a few minor twists, but the plot is mostly lighthearted.Warm and endearing with a big helping of sweetness, this book is comfort food for your mind.
    • 5/5
      DITTO!! I missed the first book of this series, had the other two on my TBR shelf, so I jumped right in and read both. They were so appealing, a small town just dives in and helps each other, no matter the back drop story. The characters were wonderfully written and I really needed them due to what is going on in the world now.
    • 3/5
      Nice to read, but no lasting impact. Felt compelled to finish, but was glad I did.
    • 4/5
      The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg is the third in a series (following The Story of Arthur Truluv and Night of Miracles) — and hopefully not her last! Although this can definitely be read as a standalone, please do yourself a favor and read the previous novels in this series before this one. The characters will become even more memorable as you read along.The story Berg tells in The Confession Club is a one which takes place in a small town in middle America — Mason, Missouri. It focuses on a dinner club in which the members take turns confessing personal details about themselves for which they feel guilty and are then forgiven by the other women. It is a character-driven story of community, camaraderie and women supporting women. The characters are very well-developed, and the novel is beautifully written, heartwarming and inspiring. I have found all of Berg’s novels to be wonderful reads, and this one is no exception. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advance reader’s copy to review.
    • 3/5
      The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg is the third instalment in the Arthur Truluv series. Reading the two previous novels would be helpful in becoming familiar with the characters. Speaking of characters, there are so many of them that the reader can be easily confused. Although I have been an avid reader of Elizabeth Berg novels, I feel that the last few seem overly charming and cute. A group of women in Mason, Missouri belong to a club where, each month, one of the members confesses to the other members some kind of secret or indiscretion or shameful tidbit. Hence the title of the book. Two new members, Iris and Mandy, join the group and are soon divulging their secrets. This idyllic small town is represented as having only kind, helpful, sympathetic and friendly inhabitants which, in the real world, we know is not always so. If you are looking for a quick and light read, this is the book for you. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      Like other of Elizabeth Berg's books, this is a magical, soft story of a group of women who meet to talk about various things in their life that they did and are not necessarily proud of. The main character is Iris who holds baking classes. When picking wild flowers at a nearby abandoned farm house, she discovers a homeless man who is living there. Almost immediately, she is drawn this very attractive man. Thus, her confession at the club meeting is about John.Part love story, part wonderment at the small town where is seems like an old-fashioned environment where everyone knows everyone and helps each other.This was a great book to start the new year, nothing dramatic, no one gets killed, even puppies have a role in making the atmosphere safe and joyous.3.5 stars
    • 3/5
      Predictable, comfort food yes, but she tackled the many problems facing women today and used different age groups to do so. Self doubt, assisted suicide, the aging body, the mistakes made in the past that continue to haunt, street people and the problems facing returning vets.. Her books are easy-going, quick reads, told in a light hearted manner. One comes to really root for her characters, hard not to like them. She also has small town living down to a T. In many ways she could be describing the block I live on, we really do all help each other.I loved the character of Ollie, a first woman in her ninties, who though she is a Cardinals fan, wears a Cubs cap because she feels bad for them and their fans. I do have to say that her prose and the circumstances are sometimes over the top, treacly and a bit much. Still, they are enjoyable breaks, and a welcome relief after many of the difficult reads I've undertaken lately.Read with my two book buddies, Angela and Esil whose insights are always valuable..ARC from Random house.
    • 3/5
      There is no big bang, just a few women who come together to shed their troubles and share their inner most thoughts. Missing ice cream, missing sex or not, missing companionship, trying to decide if they can unravel some of their screw-ups, being comfortable enough with each other to discuss things most of us keep tucked away.One of the characters makes the observation that she is surrounded by “broken people, doing the best they can.” And yet I had the feeling that these were every day, ordinary people dealing with the ups and downs and curve balls of life. No big deal, no big reveal. Admittedly they had pluck, humor, compassion and the desire to support a neighbor. So, maybe not such ordinary everyday folk, maybe a little bit brave and extraordinary.Maybe the whole point of this book centers around that quote by Elaine May; “The only safe thing is to take a chance.” Not my favorite book of the series but a pleasant read.Thank you NetGalley and Random House for a copy.
    • 5/5
      Another delightful Elizabeth Berg book which just enough past history to remind me where The Story of Mr. Truluv ended. I particularly loved her acknowledgement dedicated to her copy chief---especially since I am closely related to a copy chief---they are truly essential in this world of words!!!
    • 3/5
      This is the third in the Mason series by Elizabeth Berg. It works well as a stand alone novel, but even better if you’ve read the other books in the series. I enjoyed seeing the repeat characters and the references to the characters that have passed away.Just as the books before it, this one is full of references to delicious meals and full of uplifting characters. You won’t find any titillating confessions, but what you will find is a group of women who support each other, who share their deepest fears, shames and desires. The club is more about the friendships within than the confessions.Readers who are looking for a heartwarming, light read during the holidays will be pleased with this novel, as it covers all the bases for an uplifting read.Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This book continues tracing the lives of the people in Mason, Missouri, started in Berg's novel, The Story of Arthur Truluv. Once again, the format consists of chapters as vignettes, each focusing on a resident of Mason, usually a member of the eponymous women's group. Iris and Maddie may be remembered from earlier books, and grab our particular attention because of the conflicts they are dealing with within themselves. Iris's relationship with a handsome and mysterious stranger adds some spice to the story. Once again community and relationships are portrayed as affirming, and Arthur Truluv's spirit is almost tangible.
    • 3/5
      I hadn't read the other books in the series and I don't think you need to to be able to follow this one. It was a lovely tale set in a small town with charming and neighborly people. My favorite parts were during the confession club meetings themselves when we got to peek into each member's life and see the love and care they had for each other. It was an enjoyable look into human nature. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      I really don't know what to say about this book -I loved it but in a small way I hated it too. Though I do have to admit the love part managed to win over the hate part.I found this book (third in a trio) to be a little'sweeter' than the first two and the first two books were quite 'sweet' but in a perfect way. This book-the sweetness was a tad unbelievable and dangerous too.The writing was still wonderful, the ladies in the Confession Club are perfect and I hope I can grow up to be just like them!I certainly do hope that there will be a fourth in this group of books (I don't want to quite say series yet!) but I can see the different generations picking up for what the original character's stood for.The Confession Club is inspiring, humorous and romantic.*ARC supplied by the publisher.