Just another wonderful book by Elizabeth Strout. If you have read her books before, you may remember some of the characters. This can definitely be a stand-alone book if you haven't read this author previously. Her people (ie. Olive, Bob and Marilyn, Lucy, William, and their extended families and townsfolk) come to life once again. Bob and Marilyn, a minister are going through some difficult times in their relationship. Sometimes they don't like each other. It doesn't help that Bob keeps secrets from Marilyn or that Marilyn seems to only care for herself. Bob loves Lucy, but Bob being the man he is, won't act on it. Bob and Lucy go for weekly walks and share stories. Olive invites Lucy over and they tell each other stories. Many of the stories told are about family members who are going "through things." The stories may be sad, or happy, exciting or pointless but they relate to life and the ways that people survive. A main theme in the book is that "people suffer. They live, they have hope, they even have love, and they still suffer." One story in the book is about a childlike man whose mother is remembered as a mean person. When she goes missing the pieces of their particular story come together. This book deals with death, suicide, love, adultery, sexual abuse, illness, parent/child relationships, guilt, and the unknowns of life. It showed me that life comes in waves and that people are placed in each others life, even if it is just to be there for the story. Paraphrased from the book: during the winter, you wait for spring....but when it arrives nothing has changed. Throughout the book I felt happiness, I felt anxiety and fear, I felt love and despair. How blessed are we that are able to feel life. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is in my own words.

the book was great.