The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers and Their Muses
By Terri-Lynne DeFino
William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780062742674, June 2018, 336pp.
The Short of It:
I’m a sucker for stories about writers.
The Rest of It:
The Bar Harbor Retirement Home is home to a group of retired writers and what a group they are! Some have had relationships with one another, others have collaborated with each other, and some are still collaborating as they live out their final days.
What makes this story entertaining is that there is a story within a story as Alfonse Carducci, writes what could be his final story, and this new work of his is inspired by his caregiver, Cecibel. Cecibel, although much younger than Alfonse cannot help but be smitten with him. As a fan, she finds his work thrilling. There is just something about his charm and wit that hold her captive.
Usually, I am not a fan of the “story within a story” device but in this case, I didn’t mind it. Carducci writes what is essentially a love story and again, not something I’d typically enjoy but I did find myself wanting to know how that story would end.
The ending didn’t go the way I expected it to but all in all, it was an enjoyable read.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
Hm, I don’t usually love a story within a story either. I’ll have to think about this one.
Thanks for the review! 🤗
You’re welcome! Thank you for stopping by! What’s next for you? Working on a book now?
I’m always working on a new book. I’ll be pitching one of them to my editor in the next month or so. Fingers crossed!
Oh!! Excellent! I hope they go for it!
Thanks! 🤗
I’ve been seeing quite a bit about this book so it’s good to know you liked it.
I’m not usually a fan of a ‘story within a story’ either, but I keep seeing this book around. May just try it one of these days…
I do like a ‘story within a story’ mostly. And I’ve seen this book, but I think yours is the first review I’ve read. Sounds like one I’d enjoy.
It happened in Maine! That would make me love it no matter what!
I’m okay with a story within a story, but I would have to think twice about that second story being a romance. Typically, for me, such literary devices work best when they are thrillers or true crime of some sort.
I don’t really mind a story within a story, and this sounds very entertaining.
Wow, this sounds incredibly fascinating!
I had been under this impression that this one might be just a bit too precious but you’ve convinced me to give it a shot!