Alpha Bette by Jennifer Manocherian is a contemporary fiction told from the viewpoint of several characters who revolve around the matriarch Bette Gartner. At ninety-five, Bette has lost her husband, most of her friends, and even her granddaughter. She has to rely on help from her housekeeper and night nurse after a fall that left her reliant on her wheelchair.
One morning, after what she is sure is a sign from her dead husband, Bette orchestrates a dinner party. The entire story takes place in one day giving readers a glimpse into the past and present of Bette and those around her: housekeeper, aide, two neighbors, daughter and son-in-law, great-granddaughter, and what Bette hopes to be her eventual great-grandson-in-law. Throw in a cremated parrot, political prisoners, a spoiled puppy, a cancer scare, and a medium who Bette believes can speak to her husband, George, and you have a dinner party you'll never forget. This book reminds me a bit of My Grandmother Told Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman and The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley. I think it is because we get into the heads of so many characters and see how they touch one another's lives. Manocherian states that people either love or hate the ending. I'm in the love category, but that may be because I saw it coming! This is another must-read. Purchase the paperback. Purchase the ebook. *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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AuthorTeri M Brown, author of An Enemy Like Me and Sunflowers Beneath the Snow connects readers with characters they'd love to invite to lunch. Follow the Blog Using the RSS Feed link below:
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