The nice cover attracted me, and Netgalley sent me a copy in exchange for a fair review. Well, tastes differ, as they say, and the plot and story are much less than what the cover and the publisher's synopsis seem to promise. It's a bit like: In my mind a see a group of (very) elderly ladies and gentlemen in a small town in the US outback, meeting once a week in the lobby of their seniors' home in order to chat a bit about the book they have chosen to read with their book club. They put on their glasses, some stand up with a bit of difficulty, argue this and that, always friendly, even if they don't agree. Some speak a bit too loud - consequence of their hearing difficulties. Others need a bit of help when it comes to the meanwhile much too small fine print. Whatever happens - and not much happens - happens slow, oh so slow. Old couples live the romantic life you have after being married for 50+ years. There is a bit of politics involved, but actually everybody is happy that a few power-hungry men agree to act as big-belly mayor of the city or more or less vain members of the city council. Corruption? Yeah, you might call it that. However, does anyone really care? Now, this is the white-hair-novel Eric Small has written. His story is a bit different, but actually, there is no story. Summarize it in 2 sentences: An older couple from somewhere in New Jersey moves to a place called Standard in order to overcome some disaster that happened where they lived before, apparently caused by Ed, the husband, aged 70+. His wife Brenda, also 70+, has a hard time living without her professorship (hard to imagine from a European perspective that someone at that age still teaches at universities, but the US might be different in this respect), but truly loves old Ed and thus sticks with him. He does not really seem to be a nice guy - irrespective of his past - and yet runs for a seat in the city council. I won't tell you, whether he gets it or not, because I don't want to spoil, and because - see above - not much happens anyway. I'd say that the plot is quite okay for a short story, but not enough for a novel. Unless the author is intentionally repetitive, because his targeted readership is not that young anymore and tends to forget details and needs to be reminded. Thus, coming back to the setting I had in mind when reading the novel: It might be a nice read in a group of older people, sitting at the fireside in a nice lounge, being read to in order to have a bit of afternoon entertainment, between the little after-lunch siesta and and early supper. If that was the author's intention, I'd say: Achieved! And add one star to the one I granted for the cover pic and the title.

3.5 rounded up
Interesting story with well developed and realistic characters. Sometimes it seems like too much is going on, but that happens in Real Life. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book