This is the book that you have been waiting for and didn't even know it! Pour yourself a glass of red/white or a cuppa and settle in for a fun read that deals with the heavy topic of surviving loss and the grief stages that come with it. You wouldn't think that a book about becoming and surviving widowhood would be humorous, but you would be wrong! After spending a lifetime with their mates, each of the three main characters have lost their mates and stumble into an unlikely friendship born from looking for support on how to live through surviving the loss of their spouses. Each woman has a different background and situation, but they still manage to become close friends and confidants. Through this unlikely bonding, each woman is able to not only survive but grow and flourish with the support of their widowed friends. It was wonderful to read a book with mature main characters that end up with a "second act" in life as they lost their spouses and have to find their way now on their own. You will run the gambit of emotions so having tissues to dab your eyes isn't a bad idea, but by far be prepared for random outbursts of laughter. I am truly a fan of this author from this day forward as she captured the fears, hopes, dreams, sadness, guilt and love extremely well and wrote an extremely impactful story about friendship! I can't wait to find more books from this author!

This is a fantastic debut and it completely stole my heart. The writing style is empathetic and handles the topic of grief sensitively, the characters are all so different but I think this is why it works because death can touch someone's life at any time. The power of friendship in this novel is uplifting and heartwarming. I really hope we get a sequel with these characters as i was so sad when it ended.

The Widow's Wine Club is my first book by Julia Jarman. I was expecting a lighthearted, cosy read and that's what I got, but with depth of feeling too. The main characters, Viv, Janet and Zelda are all very different people and are thrown together by chance at a Widow's support group. They took one look at the group and turned away, and that could have been that, except they went on to form their own little group. It's definitely un unlikely friendship trope as the women don't really gel for a while. I liked Viv best, she was very down to earth. I liked that all the women had their own stories and that they helped each other out but it wasn't perfect or neat and tidy. I really enjoyed the different storyline ls and their trials and tribulations, or losses and gains as they spoke of them. There were some quite serious issues and obstacles and some humour too. I was pleased with the ending and the outcomes for the side characters as well as the main ones. I found myself getting more invested in the characters and their stories as I got further into the book. There was a lot of detail and maybe some stories didn't get enough attention but I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it.

Earlier this week, I did a Top Ten Tuesday post where I listed ten books with yellow covers! Somehow, I didn't include this book even though I knew that I was reading it this week! My excuse is that I have it on my Kindle and therefore the cover is in black and white!

Originally I was planning to have this as my Weekend Cooking post for today. After all, with wine club in the title that kind of indicated that there might be something about wine in the book but, apart from occasionally mentioning wine, there really wasn't, so I had to rethink. Somewhat strangely, I was actually reading two books with wine in the title in the last week, which is more wine than I actually drink!

Zelda, Viv and Janet meet in the most unfortunate of circumstances at the funeral home where they are making arrangements for their husband's funerals. When they are all invited to join a bereavement support club which meets in their town, they meet again. They take one look at the group and agree it is not for them. Instead, they become the Three Muscateers.

The book follows the three very different women as they navigate life on their own, from family dramas to deciding if they want to take another chance at love, health issues, and for some of them, learning things about their past that change their perception of their lives.

Each of the women have their own interests, but there were times where I was left wondering which one we were talking about as I tried to keep up with the chopping and changing between their stories. Through their various interests we learned about gardening, New Zealand, and a search for a wartime GI.

Julia Jarman has published more than 100 children's books but this is her first book for adults. I do hope she writes more.

This was a lovely surprise. I was expecting a laugh out loud comedy and got a more nuanced, multi-layered story featuring woman who must face a life changing experience like becoming widow.
They must learn to decide and manage their life, sometime discovering that their new condition is the one that enable them to decide to what they really want.
Janet, Viv, and Zelda are well plotted and well-rounded characters, they’re not senior as we use to think and they’re an excellent representation of a generation that want to experience new things and does not want only to knit and cook for the younger generation like the perfect grandmother in a movie.
Their friendship is their strength and something new as it’s based on solidarity and loyalty.
This book is funny, but it also caused a lot of emotions as I’m that much younger than these women.
I read it in one sitting and felt involved in the life and the choices for the Muscateers.
Highly recommended
Many thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources for this digital copy, all opinions are mine.

Viv, Janet and Zelda are all recently widowed and the three women go to a bereavement group where they meet and realise that the bereavement group is not for them so they form there own fun group and it may involve wine! I hope I have as much life left in me in my 60s as these three women do. I adored and admire their buoyant and lively nature's. I liked how the story portrayed dealing with banks and so on when someone dies it is sooo frustrating because no matter how many times you tell them that the person has passed away they still want to speak to them. This is something that really annoys me because it's not as if you aren't dealing with enough without having to explain over and over the person has passed. The close friendship that the women developed made me get a lump in my throat and I think this book is one that I will cherish forever.

Viv, Janet and Zelda, all have one thing in common, they are all widows. After attending a bereavement group the three decide to form a friendship of their own support network. This novel will explore the ups and downs and how through a sad loss friendships can be created and you can get through it.

These characters were fantastic and I loved their bond throughout. Jarman writes with humour as well as heart in this easy read which had me turning for ‘one more page,’ and telling me that life does go on.

The novel begins in 2008 where we meet the three main characters of the story – Viv, Janet and Zelda.

Viv Halliday is a gardener, mother of three daughters (Beth, Sally and Em) and newly widowed, after the death of her husband Jack. She also has a ginger cat called Claudia.

Janet Carmichael is Scottish, mother to Grant and newly widowed, after the death of her husband Malcolm. She has grandchildren in New Zealand who she doesn’t see often.

Zelda Fielding owns a hairdressing salon, she is stepmother to three kids (William, Tracey and Errol) and newly widowed, after the death of her husband Harry. She has two Westie dogs – Morag and Mack.

Six months later in 2009, the three women receive a letter from the NSNBW – the National Society for Newly Bereaved Widows – and decide to go to a meeting. However, unimpressed by what they see there, they instead make up their own support group of three. We follow the three of them as they go through ups and downs, find out secrets and share the good times and bad with each other.

Although the women are very different, I loved the rapport between them and how their friendship grew and developed as they each helped each other with their loss.

The story was really easy to get into. I was interested from the first page. I loved the women, their pets and also the brilliantly described Mugwort! It didn’t quite go where I expected it to do, but it’s worth a read and the characters are fabulous.

A fun read with sexagenarian widows showing how
They're moving on with living now.
After joining a bereavement group is not their way
The join together and have lots to say.

The Three Muscat-eers vow to help each other
As life without their husbands they seek to discover.
Each had a very different married life before
Now they hope heir joie de vivre to discover once more.

There are dramas, discoveries, trials and surprises
And changes occur before anyone realises.
They're there to support each other through every thing
Helping each other face whatever life may bring.

A story where friendship helps them pull through
Facing things with support, whatever they do.
A heartwarming read, with laughter, too,
Making this a fun read I recommend to you.

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

The Widows Wine Club - Julia Jarman

What a joy this book is!

Three sixty something women, all recently widowed meet at the local church social group for , yep, you guessed it, widows.
Finding it all a bit dull, the three women sneak off and make their own fun.

Friendships soon blossom and as life moves on, Viv, Janet and Zelda form a strong bond together, to make sense of the past and to take on whatever new challenges life has to throw at them.

I love a book with older ladies leading the way. It’s so refreshing to read about women who have a wealth of life experience, and are still vibrant and alive.

The girl, or should I say woman power in this story is truly uplifting.
#TheWidowsWineClub is a warm hearted tale that really champions the power of friendship.

Julia Jarman has a captivating writing style. Her words are funny and wise and kept me turning the pages.

This is a book that made me laugh, it put a lump in my throat and most of all gave me hope that I’ll still be drinking wine and laughing with my friends for many years to come.

A joyous romp of a read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a digital arc of this title.

A pleasant relaxing read. Three very different widows, three very different marriages and husbands. United by a common grief they bond and support each others choices.

I loved it! The story follows the path of three very different women who after being widowed try to forge a new life for themselves. The events unfold from the alternating points of view of the three main protagonists. They all are strong characters of different ages so all the readers can find one to relate to. The plot is interesting, sometimes even exciting, full of twists and turns. I was sorry to leave the three women at the end of the book.
I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes good women literature.

The Widow’s Wine Club by Julia Jarman is a delightful contemporary novel which I really enjoyed.
The novel follows three widows who meet as they are choosing their husband’s caskets. We see their journey through grief as they learn to live again.
Sometimes there are shocking discoveries made after death, which raise all kinds of emotions.
The three women band together offering love, support and encouragement as they journey through life.
There are the perils of online dating as one has to wade through the sludge in order to find the jewel.
All the characters were well drawn and realistic.
The Widow’s Wine Club was a charming light-hearted read that was amusing too – with some classic one-liners- “Janet hadn’t a clue how the non-rich lived.” I can highly recommend this book and will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Still missed the ordinary things like eating together… and not having to worry about … radiators needing bleeding.”
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

This book is a brilliant lovely story focused on 3 recently widowed ladies and how they survive through life.
I really enjoyed the twists and tales of romance, friendship and family and was so invested in their lives just willing them all to be happy.
Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Julia Jarman for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This story was wonderful, three lovely ladies going from painful widowhood to friendship and possibly new relationships with plenty of adventures along the way, marvellous!

A funny and witty story about 3 women meeting at a funeral parlor for the first time, each having lost their husbands. After attending a bereavement group in the church hall, they choose wine over the meeting and their friendship begins.

I am a first time reader of the author Julie Jarman, but I am looking forward to discovering more of her brilliant reads soon.

You will not be disappointed in the book, its a great feel book book. Enjoy!

Thank you for my ARC of The Widow’s Wine Club by Julia Jarman. This was a fast fun read that at times lost its zest. The three widows in this book were each totally different than the other and each had their own story to tell. They were friends with being widows as there attraction to each other that each needed support at different times. They never really seemed to come across as liking each other to me. At the end, the pace picked up, but then fizzled. Also, I think it ended a little too abruptly unless there will be a part 2.

The Three Muscateers—three widows, three sets of different circumstances

Different enough to be interesting but I kept losing which character was which. I almost feel I need to read it again to follow who’s who.
I do know that three women came together to form a support group, going to the pub for lunch etc. Better than the local widow’s group in the church hall.
All three had recently lost their husbands and now had to find a way to face their new lives.
Viv Halliday is a knowledgeable gardener. Zelda Fielding is setting herself up with internet dates and searching the web for her unknown father. Janet had a controlling husband who it turned out was having affairs, and their son is just as controlling.
How their lives unfold is the new challenge.

A Boldwood Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Janet Jarman is a new author to me. Three women, Janet, Viv and Zelda are recently widowed and are trying to find their way through their new grief. When they are all invited to the National Society for Newly Bereaved Wives, they don't know what will happen.

They decide to form a group, The Widow's Wine Club, as a support network for themselves.

I found time after their husbands' deaths passed quickly, which I was a little bemused by. I was pleased at Janet's efforts to reivent herself.

I liked their friendship, it seemed realistic, but I felt like each woman's personality could have been developed a little more.

The pacing was quick, and there were good details.

There's something comforting about this book, the having a support network and being able to talk to friends about everything.

Thanks to Janet Jarman, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

I wanted to love this so much, and on paper it sounded just like my sort of book.

But I found it very slow, and should have DNFed it in all honestly when I twigged I wasn't fully enjoying it. However by that stage I had read so much of it, that I thought I should finish.

The last perhaps 25% or so did improve, but i've just reached the ending and even that fell flat for me.

Seemed to take forever to get going there were some intriguing plot lines right towards the end especially but I feel like I haven't had any resolution.

Just didn't work for me I'm afraid. Sorry.