The Widows' Club - Joyce Livingston

Synopsis from amazon.com: Valentine Denay seems to have it all in finances and nice possessions-the only thing missing is her husband Carter. Can she find a way to fill the aching void he left behind? She has already opened her house each morning for coffee with two other widows in the cul-de-sac. But when a new widow in the neighborhood, a church fundraising project, and a pregnant soldier's wife all come knocking at the door to her heart of compassion, can Val keep her wits about her? Or, will the princess of the cul-de-sac fall from her lofty perch when pulled into a romance triangle?


This was an interesting concept for a book series. And this is the first book in the series (finally reading a series in order!).

It is the story of Valentine and her widow friends. How they help each other, help the community, and basically do life together.

I enjoyed the connections between the characters. Their friendships, their open doors, and the way they accepted others for who they were.

I did find it odd that most characters had very odd names…Valentine, Bitsy, Barbie, etc. Really?

And I didn’t like Edna popping up at the end. She seemed more like a specific plot device than an actual character in the book. I also wonder what happens when these widows remarry. Do they still get to be a part of the club? I guess I’ll have to read book two to find out.

Overall, it was a lighthearted (despite being about widows), enjoyable read on a unique concept.