Then she meets Rose Trewidney, a ten-year-old who is a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of glittering joy. Eudora just needs some privacy so she can organize her affairs. Instead, she finds herself joining exuberant Rose and their amiable neighbor, the newly widowed Stanley, on a number of activities, including afternoon tea, shopping expeditions, beach outings, birthday celebrations, and pizza parties.

While Rose's new baby sister is being avidly awaited by the three unlikely BFFs, Eudora is brought back to her own childhood and the devastating effects her father's death during World War II had on her entire family. Eudora knows she needs to accept the future after thinking back on her history.

But how can she possible say goodbye now that her zest for life has been reignited?

My Review

The book was enjoyable to read. The novel was emotional and dramatic, with many highs and lows. In the book, Stanley, an older man, and Rose, a pretty young child, become friends with Eudora, a charming and benevolent old woman. Together, the three have several wonderful adventures and grow to love one another very much.

The novel's recurring flashbacks to Eudora's earlier years were incredibly fascinating. The bulk of chapters open with a brief introduction that discusses Eudora's origins and why she is now alone and without a family to spend her final years with because she has always put others' happiness before her own.

Eudora isn't exactly warm and fuzzy, but I loved how those tidbits from her past helped us understand how she came to be the person she is now. She neglected her own needs while bearing the weight of the entire globe. She struck me as being quite sincere, and I enjoyed watching her life unfold.

On the other hand, Rose is a charming young child who is hard not to adore. Rose not only makes Eudora's life more vibrant, but also the lives of the readers. I can't help but feel very warm every time I read about her encounters with each person. Stanley, who spreads happiness wherever he goes while lamenting the loss of his wife, should not be overlooked. He is the kind of person we need to annoy us and take our minds off of the present.

Every one of the characters was fantastic in every aspect! It was easy to fall in love with them. The pace is brisk, and the writing is clear. It didn't bother me at all that this novel had a lot of similarities to A Man Called Ove. I still liked it even if it had a little different spin on the same premise.

I would highly recommend reading this book! The novel will cause your heart to sing and to cry at various points.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.