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Life: A Love Story
A warm, intimate novel that reminds us of the richness that can be found all throughout our lives—by the New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv and Open House
As ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.
The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but it turns out to do much more than ultimately, it will transform Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now, and as long as she's going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a full life has led her to understand.
Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, A Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow.
As ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those “little” things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.
The letter starts off as an autobiography in things, but it turns out to do much more than ultimately, it will transform Flo and those around her. In the time she has left, Flo decides to take herself up on tiny dares. She encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about her own perfect-seeming marriage. Flo has never had a pedicure before now, and as long as she's going to a beauty parlor, she arranges to have a blue streak put in her hair, too. And as these adventures lead her to make new friends, Flo helps them, too, find the fulfillment that living a full life has led her to understand.
Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, A Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2026
272 people are currently reading
15646 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Berg
73 books5,128 followersElizabeth Berg is an American novelist.
She was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and lived in Boston prior to her residence in Chicago. She studied English and Humanities at the University of Minnesota, but later ended up with a nursing degree. Her writing career started when she won an essay contest in Parents magazine. Since her debut novel in 1993, her novels have sold in large numbers and have received several awards and nominations, although some critics have tagged them as sentimental. She won the New England Book Awards in 1997.
The novels Durable Goods, Joy School, and True to Form form a trilogy about the 12-year-old Katie Nash, in part based on the author's own experience as a daughter in a military family. Her essay "The Pretend Knitter" appears in the anthology Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting, published by W. W. Norton & Company in November 2013.
She was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and lived in Boston prior to her residence in Chicago. She studied English and Humanities at the University of Minnesota, but later ended up with a nursing degree. Her writing career started when she won an essay contest in Parents magazine. Since her debut novel in 1993, her novels have sold in large numbers and have received several awards and nominations, although some critics have tagged them as sentimental. She won the New England Book Awards in 1997.
The novels Durable Goods, Joy School, and True to Form form a trilogy about the 12-year-old Katie Nash, in part based on the author's own experience as a daughter in a military family. Her essay "The Pretend Knitter" appears in the anthology Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting, published by W. W. Norton & Company in November 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 337 reviews
March 20, 2026
Flo is a sassy, spunky, 92 year old woman nearing the end of her life.
She begins to write a letter to an “old”young friend whom she will be leaving her home to and all its precious mementos. She writes of the significance of some of them and how and what they meant to her.
This was a feel good read of friendships and relationships and their imperfections. It’s about recognizing the good and the ugly in each other and the acceptance and forgiveness that comes when loving someone.
A little short but a poignant one.
4⭐️
She begins to write a letter to an “old”young friend whom she will be leaving her home to and all its precious mementos. She writes of the significance of some of them and how and what they meant to her.
This was a feel good read of friendships and relationships and their imperfections. It’s about recognizing the good and the ugly in each other and the acceptance and forgiveness that comes when loving someone.
A little short but a poignant one.
4⭐️
November 19, 2025
This is the kind of sweet and uplifting story that I need once in a while after reading a tough one . 92 year old Flo has passed away . She’s written a letter to her former younger neighbor Ruthie she befriended from the time Ruthie was a little girl. It’s a long letter and as Flo has so much to tell her, she writes it piecemeal . In between the writing sessions, we get to meet Flo in her last days.
Flo tells Ruthie that she has left her the house and all its contents. She explains the meaning of some of the things in the house that we’re important to her - set of salt and pepper shakers, a picture of her in a red coat, a single rubber band and so many more things. Mostly, though Flo wants to tell Ruthie one big important thing that will help her with a problem she has. In doing so, she imparts a lifetime of wisdom about marriage, about patience, about forgiveness, about love.
It’s good to be reminded when life is tough, as it is at times for all of us, that the ordinary every day things and events in our lives , our memories of them are meaningful . From Flo’s letter, we also learn how much she and Ruthie enriched each others lives. That too, is a beautiful thing to remind ourselves of when life is tough. It did that for me. I think some people could find that’s there’s not enough action or excitement for them, but it’s short and suited me just fine right now. If you enjoyed Berg’s Arthur Truluv novels , this one’s for you .
I received a copy of this from Random House through NetGalley.
Flo tells Ruthie that she has left her the house and all its contents. She explains the meaning of some of the things in the house that we’re important to her - set of salt and pepper shakers, a picture of her in a red coat, a single rubber band and so many more things. Mostly, though Flo wants to tell Ruthie one big important thing that will help her with a problem she has. In doing so, she imparts a lifetime of wisdom about marriage, about patience, about forgiveness, about love.
It’s good to be reminded when life is tough, as it is at times for all of us, that the ordinary every day things and events in our lives , our memories of them are meaningful . From Flo’s letter, we also learn how much she and Ruthie enriched each others lives. That too, is a beautiful thing to remind ourselves of when life is tough. It did that for me. I think some people could find that’s there’s not enough action or excitement for them, but it’s short and suited me just fine right now. If you enjoyed Berg’s Arthur Truluv novels , this one’s for you .
I received a copy of this from Random House through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️ 5 ⭐️ Part of life is learning how perfectly imperfect it can be.
This book is told through a recollection of memories via letters while we follow Flo Greens ordinary life as she nears the end of her life. While on the surface it may seem like it's nothing special, I found this book to be full of life lessons and shared wisdom. It shares the values of a well-lived life with its readers and reminds us that it's never too late to keep on living. Sometimes the smallest and most ordinary things in life can carry the greatest meaning.
Flo, our 92 year old with terminal cancer, begins to recount precious moments of her life through letters to Ruthie, a young (now) woman who grew up next door. Never blessed with children of her own, Flo views Ruthie as a surrogate daughter and appears to have a very tender and loving relationship with her. Through her letters, she begins cataloging the little things she will leave behind. But those "little things" are special parts of Flo's life that carry so much meaning. They show us deeply moving parts of her childhood, her marriage, her relationship with the neighbors. They are essentially parts of her life experiences and are quite precious and show how small things in life can make a huge difference. It's always the quiet reminders that carry so much meaning and have a lasting effect.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves a character driven story. It's quite short and not meant to have a plot, so it never drags. It's tender, full of warmth and even some humor. It's like a friend, in some ways, that you didn't know you had.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publisher and the author, Elizabeth Berg for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: March 17, 2026
This book is told through a recollection of memories via letters while we follow Flo Greens ordinary life as she nears the end of her life. While on the surface it may seem like it's nothing special, I found this book to be full of life lessons and shared wisdom. It shares the values of a well-lived life with its readers and reminds us that it's never too late to keep on living. Sometimes the smallest and most ordinary things in life can carry the greatest meaning.
Flo, our 92 year old with terminal cancer, begins to recount precious moments of her life through letters to Ruthie, a young (now) woman who grew up next door. Never blessed with children of her own, Flo views Ruthie as a surrogate daughter and appears to have a very tender and loving relationship with her. Through her letters, she begins cataloging the little things she will leave behind. But those "little things" are special parts of Flo's life that carry so much meaning. They show us deeply moving parts of her childhood, her marriage, her relationship with the neighbors. They are essentially parts of her life experiences and are quite precious and show how small things in life can make a huge difference. It's always the quiet reminders that carry so much meaning and have a lasting effect.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves a character driven story. It's quite short and not meant to have a plot, so it never drags. It's tender, full of warmth and even some humor. It's like a friend, in some ways, that you didn't know you had.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publisher and the author, Elizabeth Berg for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: March 17, 2026
February 13, 2026
Flo is 92 yrs old and dying of cancer…
has been given only a short time to live.
This story follows Flo as she writes to her dear Ruthie, her neighbor for many years who was like a daughter to her.
She is letting Ruthie know that she is leaving her house and all it’s contents to Ruthie and tells her the story behind many belongings, the memories those items brought her and also shares a secret of the past with her, and much of her life with her husband.
Much of the story is in letter form to Ruthie, but Flo also continues to live each day spending time cultivating a new relationship with a younger female neighbor or two, and she is a lovely and engaging character who has led a simple life and still enjoys the simple joys of life.
This is a very sweet story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review!
has been given only a short time to live.
This story follows Flo as she writes to her dear Ruthie, her neighbor for many years who was like a daughter to her.
She is letting Ruthie know that she is leaving her house and all it’s contents to Ruthie and tells her the story behind many belongings, the memories those items brought her and also shares a secret of the past with her, and much of her life with her husband.
Much of the story is in letter form to Ruthie, but Flo also continues to live each day spending time cultivating a new relationship with a younger female neighbor or two, and she is a lovely and engaging character who has led a simple life and still enjoys the simple joys of life.
This is a very sweet story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review!
November 29, 2025
Reading another Elizabeth Berg book is like drinking a hot chocolate. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I cannot resist. A comp copy from the publisher and NetGalley, this one comes out in the Spring of 2026. A fitting cover and story for springtime.
Main character Flo knows she's dying so sets out to write a very long letter to the young woman to whom she will leave her house and treasured belongings. As she writes that letter we learn about Flo, her marriage, her upstanding character, her friends, and struggles. There isn't a lot of action or drama, so may not be for everyone. But it follows the pattern of Berg's latest books, concerning aging with grace or dying with dignity.
Main character Flo knows she's dying so sets out to write a very long letter to the young woman to whom she will leave her house and treasured belongings. As she writes that letter we learn about Flo, her marriage, her upstanding character, her friends, and struggles. There isn't a lot of action or drama, so may not be for everyone. But it follows the pattern of Berg's latest books, concerning aging with grace or dying with dignity.
November 26, 2025
I received a free copy of, Life: A Love Story, by Elizabeth Berg, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Florence Flo Greene is getting up there in years. She had a good life. Fell in love, had great friends and neighbor's This was a nice read.
December 29, 2025
Life: A Love Story
By Elizabeth Berg
A TOUCHING AND SENTIMENTAL STORY OF A LIFE WELL LIVED
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Flo Greene, who is 94, can’t see very well or walk very far. As she nears the end of her life, she wants to set her affairs in order. She is leaving her house and her life story for Ruthie, a former neighbor and surrogate daughter. She is writing Ruthie a letter about all of her beloved possessions and the meanings behind them. In these final days, Flo also explores some new adventures and meets some new neighbors. Flo encourages her new friend Teresa to open her heart to romance and dating websites, and even urges Ruthie to try again with her husband by revealing a secret about her own marriage. In her final weeks, Flo’s words of wisdom leave a lasting impression on those who knew her.
REVIEW
LIFE: A LOVE STORY is a sweet, sentimental exploration of Flo’s life. Author Elizabeth Berg’s writing weaves the endearing vignettes of Flo’s lessons learned over her lifetime into a beautiful tapestry of a life. I loved reading about Flo’s positive attitude and the possessions that held special meaning to her… sometimes a rubber band is not simply a rubber band, and a toothpick holder is not just a toothpick holder. The letter to Ruthie, which explains Flo’s sentiments, is the perfect mechanism for telling this spellbinding story.
One of my favorite vignettes Flo tells is a conversation she had with Champ, a neighbor's white elderly dog, as they sat together on the front porch, rocking and watching the squirrels go by. Read it, love it!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this touching book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Random House
Published March 17, 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
By Elizabeth Berg
A TOUCHING AND SENTIMENTAL STORY OF A LIFE WELL LIVED
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Flo Greene, who is 94, can’t see very well or walk very far. As she nears the end of her life, she wants to set her affairs in order. She is leaving her house and her life story for Ruthie, a former neighbor and surrogate daughter. She is writing Ruthie a letter about all of her beloved possessions and the meanings behind them. In these final days, Flo also explores some new adventures and meets some new neighbors. Flo encourages her new friend Teresa to open her heart to romance and dating websites, and even urges Ruthie to try again with her husband by revealing a secret about her own marriage. In her final weeks, Flo’s words of wisdom leave a lasting impression on those who knew her.
REVIEW
LIFE: A LOVE STORY is a sweet, sentimental exploration of Flo’s life. Author Elizabeth Berg’s writing weaves the endearing vignettes of Flo’s lessons learned over her lifetime into a beautiful tapestry of a life. I loved reading about Flo’s positive attitude and the possessions that held special meaning to her… sometimes a rubber band is not simply a rubber band, and a toothpick holder is not just a toothpick holder. The letter to Ruthie, which explains Flo’s sentiments, is the perfect mechanism for telling this spellbinding story.
One of my favorite vignettes Flo tells is a conversation she had with Champ, a neighbor's white elderly dog, as they sat together on the front porch, rocking and watching the squirrels go by. Read it, love it!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this touching book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Random House
Published March 17, 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
October 26, 2025
Classic Elizabeth Berg. An elderly widow without family prepares for death by writing a letter, with revelations small and large, to a younger woman who had once been like a daughter to her.
The protagonist Flo is very likable. Some of her story seems a bit too good to be true, but you want her to have new friends suddenly at 92 and to have had the (almost) perfect marriage she describes.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars
The protagonist Flo is very likable. Some of her story seems a bit too good to be true, but you want her to have new friends suddenly at 92 and to have had the (almost) perfect marriage she describes.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars
January 31, 2026
I loved the quiet wisdom of this story and Flos insight on life.
Flo is 92 and knows she will die within the next two months. She starts writing a long letter to Ruthie, a young woman who grew up next door to Flo.
Flo is planning to leave her house and just about everything else to Ruthie. Her letter starts at describing some of the things in the house but turns into a beautiful reflection of Flo’s life.
Elizabeth Berg once again brings us a gorgeous story about the really valuable things of a lifetime. I loved it.
Thanks Edelweiss and Random House.
Flo is 92 and knows she will die within the next two months. She starts writing a long letter to Ruthie, a young woman who grew up next door to Flo.
Flo is planning to leave her house and just about everything else to Ruthie. Her letter starts at describing some of the things in the house but turns into a beautiful reflection of Flo’s life.
Elizabeth Berg once again brings us a gorgeous story about the really valuable things of a lifetime. I loved it.
Thanks Edelweiss and Random House.
October 31, 2025
I have loved the author's books forever and her newest is poignant and beautifully written. Highly recommended!
March 13, 2026
Life: A Love Story is the story of Flo Greene, a 92 years old woman preparing for her imminent death. In fact, she has just recently learned of her illness and now is planning some practical steps, such as leaving her home to Ruthie, the younger woman who used to be the little girl next door. The overall story of Life: A Love Story is made up of Flo’s lengthy letter to Ruthie, who seems to have been almost like a daughter to her, alternating with Flo’s activities over the final weeks of her life. The letter provides a picture of her long marriage to Terrence who died some years before and who she misses constantly.
This novel met me at a perfect time when I have been jousting with a book of stories involving relationships where no one actually ever says what they feel to the ones they care about. Here there is love, honesty, attempts to be truthful and honest and act with love. There is acknowledgment of weakness but also of people’s better selves. There is a sentimental tone but there are also some acerbic moments. I liked Flo and enjoyed reading about her life. I also enjoyed meeting some of her friends and musing upon what meaningful things are lingering in my closets and drawers waiting for another generation to enjoy. Flo made this an enjoyable experience through her obvious love of life. Thank you to Elizabeth Berg for this reading experience.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
This novel met me at a perfect time when I have been jousting with a book of stories involving relationships where no one actually ever says what they feel to the ones they care about. Here there is love, honesty, attempts to be truthful and honest and act with love. There is acknowledgment of weakness but also of people’s better selves. There is a sentimental tone but there are also some acerbic moments. I liked Flo and enjoyed reading about her life. I also enjoyed meeting some of her friends and musing upon what meaningful things are lingering in my closets and drawers waiting for another generation to enjoy. Flo made this an enjoyable experience through her obvious love of life. Thank you to Elizabeth Berg for this reading experience.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
March 20, 2026
Gentle and contemplative and tender. What a sweet gem of a book. I just adore Elizabeth Berg.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was an incredibly sweet and moving novel. It is very short and I read it in a couple of hours. It is basically one long letter from Flo to her former neighbor Ruthie.
In the story Flo shares stories from her life as well as lots of advice that revolves around love. Flo is in her 90s and has seen a lot over the years. She had a long marriage to Terrance which was not always easy. She was never able to have kids but Flo never lost her love of life. Her advice in the book was very heartfelt and I think anyone would love hearing it. I felt like this book enriched my life. I also had an older neighbor growing up who I used to visit and hear stories from. This novel just really resonated with me and I think it is a book everyone should read.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
In the story Flo shares stories from her life as well as lots of advice that revolves around love. Flo is in her 90s and has seen a lot over the years. She had a long marriage to Terrance which was not always easy. She was never able to have kids but Flo never lost her love of life. Her advice in the book was very heartfelt and I think anyone would love hearing it. I felt like this book enriched my life. I also had an older neighbor growing up who I used to visit and hear stories from. This novel just really resonated with me and I think it is a book everyone should read.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC.
October 18, 2025
This was such a beautiful book. Flo was an unforgettable character and I enjoyed reading about her reflections on significant moments and events from her life. The way little items represent the memories was magical and the letter she writes about it all was an interesting way to read about it all, rather than just writing it into the plot like normal. This book got me reflecting on my own life and my future. This is an easy read that will tug at your heart. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 13, 2025
Elizabeth Berg inspired me to become a writer, and I appreciate how she's remained true to her brand and big-hearted voice. Layered, emotional, and deep. That's Berg. And in her latest, she tackles saying goodbye while sharing the beautiful lessons of life and all it has to offer. Nostalgic with Berg's signature warmth and wisdom. Highly recommend.
March 13, 2026
Ahhh this is just what I needed. It's like sitting in a rocking chair on the porch with your nana sipping on tea while she tells you stones.
in this case, 92 year old Flo has passed away, and she written a letter to her former neighbor and good friend Ruthie. whom she befriended when Ruthie was just a little girl. It's a very long letter and it goes on to tell Ruthie all the things Flo thinks Ruthie needs know about Flo and her life and all the things she has left behind in her house for Ruthie. Then in between Flo's writing, we get glimpses at Flo's last days and how she lived her life. In both the writing and seeing her life, we see Flo imparting wisdom, humor, kindness, patience and love.
This is one that will stick with me for a long time and sure to be one I will read again and again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this eArc in exchange for my review
in this case, 92 year old Flo has passed away, and she written a letter to her former neighbor and good friend Ruthie. whom she befriended when Ruthie was just a little girl. It's a very long letter and it goes on to tell Ruthie all the things Flo thinks Ruthie needs know about Flo and her life and all the things she has left behind in her house for Ruthie. Then in between Flo's writing, we get glimpses at Flo's last days and how she lived her life. In both the writing and seeing her life, we see Flo imparting wisdom, humor, kindness, patience and love.
This is one that will stick with me for a long time and sure to be one I will read again and again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this eArc in exchange for my review
October 30, 2025
Meet Florence, or Flo as she’s best known, who has just learned she only has a few weeks to live. Flo (age 92) lost her husband, Terrence, years ago and they had no children, but she wants to leave her house to her friend Ruthie, who once lived nearby as a child. She decides to write Ruthie a letter to explain some of her home’s quirky contents, and the letter is a sweet one-sided conversation filled with both funny and serious stories of Flo’s memories. Interspersed with the letter are third-person snippets about Flo’s interactions with her friends. She makes friends with Teresa her cat hides under her porch and learns that Teresa is a “death doula.” The characters, Flo in particular, are what make this novel so special; her life with Terrence and her friends are filled with lessons she passes on to Ruthie. Delightful! This was my first Elizabeth Berg novel, and it won’t be the last. Thanks to NetGalley and Booklist for the arc!
October 23, 2025
Oh, my heart, my heart.
This book is lovely, gentle, nostalgic. Makes me wish so much for that aspect of the past to still be how things are.
There was a time that neighbor women always had the offer of a cup of coffee, and maybe a cake available. The story of Flo, her letter to the young woman who will inherit her house, and the importance of the gentle life she made, will stay with me a very long time. Life should never be so busy that we can’t make a gentle life.
Highly recommend. Thank you Elizabeth Berg for a story to cherish.
Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for the digital ARC. Opinions are my own.
This book is lovely, gentle, nostalgic. Makes me wish so much for that aspect of the past to still be how things are.
There was a time that neighbor women always had the offer of a cup of coffee, and maybe a cake available. The story of Flo, her letter to the young woman who will inherit her house, and the importance of the gentle life she made, will stay with me a very long time. Life should never be so busy that we can’t make a gentle life.
Highly recommend. Thank you Elizabeth Berg for a story to cherish.
Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for the digital ARC. Opinions are my own.
October 30, 2025
This was such a sweet story about love, life, death and living in the moment. Florence, 'Flo' is 92 years old and recently diagnosed with cancer. The love of her life Terrence past away many years ago. She has no children or family left. Flo has lived in the same neighborhood all her married life. She made many friends. Most of her old friends have moved away. Flo is writing a letter to an old friend, Ruth. Ruth was a little girl in the old neighborhood that Flo took under her wing as her own. In this letter, Flo writes about different objects in her home and their meaning. She wants Ruth to have them. As Flo is reminiscing, she realizes that she has lived a wonderful, full life. This book is sweet, fun and a little sad. Thanks to Net Galley for ARC.
October 19, 2025
2.5
Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg is a story about Flo, a nonagenarian who has been given only a short time left to live. She is putting her affairs in order and writing a letter to Ruthie, a woman who lived next door to her when she was a child and was a surrogate daughter to Flo. Her letter is sort of a meaning of life letter, letting Ruthie know lessons she has learned through her life and the importance of marriage. Flo also befriends a neighbor Teresa, who is a death doula. Teresa has all but given up on love and Flo aims to change her mind on that.
This was a very sweet and simple story about Flo. However, I felt like it missed several opportunities at evoking more reactions from the audience than it did. I expected Teresa’s occupation to become more significant in Flo’s personal story, but it never did. There was only one poignant story from her work about a young boy, but I expected to get some of that with her interactions with Flo as well. I also think we needed to know Ruthie on a more personal level as well. She was obviously extremely important to Flo, but we never hear much about her story. And even after Flo dies, her part still seems very detached and unemotional from what I expected to be a very meaningful relationship.
Towards the end of the book, we learn about an event in Flo’s marriage that could have led to a very different present. Even this event was handled in such a simple matter in the storytelling that it left me wanting more drama.
When I started this book, I was expecting something similar to The Collected Regrets of Clover, with a death doula character, but this was very different in every way (main character focus, emotional depth). While this was a quick and easy read, I’m not sure I will take much from it. Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for my ARC.
Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg is a story about Flo, a nonagenarian who has been given only a short time left to live. She is putting her affairs in order and writing a letter to Ruthie, a woman who lived next door to her when she was a child and was a surrogate daughter to Flo. Her letter is sort of a meaning of life letter, letting Ruthie know lessons she has learned through her life and the importance of marriage. Flo also befriends a neighbor Teresa, who is a death doula. Teresa has all but given up on love and Flo aims to change her mind on that.
This was a very sweet and simple story about Flo. However, I felt like it missed several opportunities at evoking more reactions from the audience than it did. I expected Teresa’s occupation to become more significant in Flo’s personal story, but it never did. There was only one poignant story from her work about a young boy, but I expected to get some of that with her interactions with Flo as well. I also think we needed to know Ruthie on a more personal level as well. She was obviously extremely important to Flo, but we never hear much about her story. And even after Flo dies, her part still seems very detached and unemotional from what I expected to be a very meaningful relationship.
Towards the end of the book, we learn about an event in Flo’s marriage that could have led to a very different present. Even this event was handled in such a simple matter in the storytelling that it left me wanting more drama.
When I started this book, I was expecting something similar to The Collected Regrets of Clover, with a death doula character, but this was very different in every way (main character focus, emotional depth). While this was a quick and easy read, I’m not sure I will take much from it. Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for my ARC.
November 9, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. While this isn't my usual genre, I enjoyed it. The writing is beautiful but also simple. The story is cozy and sweet, but very little happens, as it is essentially a collection of recollections of a life well-lived. I'd recommend reading this on a weekend when you want to curl up in a blanket burrito and read a novel that feels like a big hug.
March 18, 2026
The main character of this short but touching novel is Flo, a 92 year old who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Because Flo and her late husband never had kids, she decides to leave her house and all its contents to Ruthie, who is now a grown woman with kids of her own but as a child was a neighbor and grew up very close to Flo and has stayed in touch ever since. About half the book is in the form of a long letter Flo writes to Ruthie over the course of weeks (or maybe months), as she tells Ruthie about various belongings in the house and stories that illustrate their importance and her thoughts on life, love, marriage, and more. The other half follows Flo in her life during the same time period, including friendships with current neighbors.
This was just the sweetest book - not treacly sweet but infused with a quiet, old-fashioned charm. Flo is kind of the personality opposite of the cranky main character Sybil of The Correspondent, but just like in that book we learn so much of her life and wisdom through letters. There’s not much plot but a lovely portrait of a life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
This was just the sweetest book - not treacly sweet but infused with a quiet, old-fashioned charm. Flo is kind of the personality opposite of the cranky main character Sybil of The Correspondent, but just like in that book we learn so much of her life and wisdom through letters. There’s not much plot but a lovely portrait of a life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
December 5, 2025
What a lovely little book this was! And can you believe this was my first foray into the works of Elizabeth Berg? The aptly named Life: A Love Story truly is a sort of love letter to life. It centers around 92-year-old Flo, who knows her days are coming to a close after a cancer diagnosis. She looks around at her home, her life, and then takes up her pen and begins writing a letter to her dear friend Ruthie, detailing the significance behind seemingly ordinary objects that surround her. Who knew a rubber band, for instance, could hold so much meaning? Each of these objects is attached to a memory, and in this way, she looks back on a life well lived. This was such a bittersweet, tender read. "Reflective" is the word that kept popping into my mind as I turned the pages. This quiet slip of a novel made me pause and look around in gratitude at all the ordinary miracles each day brings.
November 16, 2025
I received a free ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. I like good fiction. This was the first book I read from this author, but now I hope to read the rest of the authors books. This was good fiction!
I finished this book in about 25 hours. I can't tell you the last time I finished a book this quickly. It is an easy book to read. The book is broken up fairly short chapters. The book does go from present time to back in time. This works well in this book.
I liked all the characters in this book. The characters have flaws, like all of us. All the characters are likeable. The characters are not too predictable.
I didn't know where the story was going. The best fictional books are those that aren't predictable. The last chapter was the juiciest. All of the book was good.
I am so thankful to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
I finished this book in about 25 hours. I can't tell you the last time I finished a book this quickly. It is an easy book to read. The book is broken up fairly short chapters. The book does go from present time to back in time. This works well in this book.
I liked all the characters in this book. The characters have flaws, like all of us. All the characters are likeable. The characters are not too predictable.
I didn't know where the story was going. The best fictional books are those that aren't predictable. The last chapter was the juiciest. All of the book was good.
I am so thankful to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
October 20, 2025
This is one of the loveliest books I've ever read! Theresa is a death doula who visits Flo--who is nearly 100--before she dies. The novel is told in a series of alternating chapters; letters she writes to Ruth--a neighbor to whom she is leaving her house--and her own journal entries about her life and husband Terence. It's a beautiful lesson to all of us to find whatever "pockets" of joy we can while we are here to do it and live each day as if it's our last. i'm fairly certain that if God exists, she would be a woman!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
October 28, 2025
Whenever I finish a book written by Elizabeth Berg I am left with a nostalgic and cozy warm feeling. Her newest novel, Life a Love Story, is a delightful story about an elderly lady named Flo Greene. Flo is in her 90’s and her cancer diagnosis has triggered her to get her affairs in order. I enjoyed Flo’s life reflection as she recalled her good and not so good life events. It is a lovely story.
Thank You to the publisher and Netgalley for the early reader’s copy. This review is my own opinion.
Flo who is an elderly and unfortunately, terminally ill sweet little lady. Flo has a loving and caring heart as she reminisces about her life with her husband Terrance and the little neighbor child who lived next door years ago.
As Flo prepares and settles her affairs I got an insight into her simple but wonderful life and it made me feel nostalgic about my own life and I was able to reflect on my many happy and sometimes sad memories.
Thank You to the publisher and Netgalley for the early reader’s copy. This review is my own opinion.
Flo who is an elderly and unfortunately, terminally ill sweet little lady. Flo has a loving and caring heart as she reminisces about her life with her husband Terrance and the little neighbor child who lived next door years ago.
As Flo prepares and settles her affairs I got an insight into her simple but wonderful life and it made me feel nostalgic about my own life and I was able to reflect on my many happy and sometimes sad memories.
March 20, 2026
A comfort read for sure. Written in letters at the end of Flo's life and chocked full of wisdom and life advice.
Imagine The Correspondent but a little lighter and happier! Absolutely sweet.
Imagine The Correspondent but a little lighter and happier! Absolutely sweet.
October 24, 2025
“Love is so that people have a reason”
You don’t need a better reason to read this lovely book.
Florence Greene is ninety-two years old, and has received a somber diagnosis. Working with her new friend, fifty-one year old Teresa McNair, who happens to be a “death doula”, Florence is managing the transition from life to death gracefully. So much so that she is writing a letter, an autobiography of sorts, to her much-loved friend, Ruth Elmer, who will be her heir.
In this letter, in her intimately present first-person voice, as Florence reviews the “things” all around her, (remnants of her life), and tells Ruth their stories, we come to know Flo’s own story. Tender and often profound, Flo is feisty, meddlesome and vulnerable, a sort of Olive Kitteridge (one of this readers favorite literary characters) with perhaps fewer rough edges.
Beginning with her blossoming friendship with Ruth, who was then a young girl, and carrying into her relationship with Terrence, her now-deceased partner (eventually revealing the heartbreaking secret this marriage holds), Florence does “not deny life sorrows, but chooses to focus on its compensations”, making new friends, experiences and memories deep into her ninth decade.
Sweetly and slowly, the magic of this story unwinds, leading the reader through a life and its loves, underscored by the bittersweet upcoming necessity of saying goodbye. Heartwarming and poignant, Flo is the warm and wise voice we all need in our lives, — hopeful, compassionate and living to love.
A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
October 24, 2025
Some of my earliest memories reading were books by Elizabeth Berg, and this one did not disappoint. It is a beautifully-written story about a life well lived told through every day objects accumulated in the main character’s house. A unique perspective on how to tell a life story! 9/10.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 25, 2025
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on March 17th, 2026.
A beautiful and sweet tale of an elderly woman’s life memories of love in all of its forms. At 94, Flo is still finding new opportunities to connect with people and helping others to spot their own connection opportunities. The story alternates between her “now,” and the (very long) letter she is writing to her heir, the now grown up Ruthie who had befriended her while a child. In this letter is the eponymous love story of Flo’s life, as told through vignettes describing some of the “odd” things Ruthie will find in her house once she is gone. And that will not be too far in the future as Flo has received a terminal diagnosis.
This book was never depressing. It was full of the joys, wonder and sorrows of life. It was full of (sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes both) origin stories about small, but important, objects (a toothpick dispenser, a handful of rocks). And it was full of the (endless) intricacies of knowing and loving another person. Flo feels compelled to giving advice to those who need it: Ruthie, who is contemplating divorce; her new friend Teresa, who has given up on love completely. And this advice is practical, real, sensical, and insistent in the most positive sense — based on the wisdom that comes from real experience. I loved the mechanism used to depict these experiential bits of wisdom — no bullet points, no logical expositions, just elaborating vignettes sprinkled about with purpose.
I laughed and cried, but the reading of it left me feeling warm, reflective, a bit nostalgic, and more alert to paying attention to the life that I have.
A beautiful and sweet tale of an elderly woman’s life memories of love in all of its forms. At 94, Flo is still finding new opportunities to connect with people and helping others to spot their own connection opportunities. The story alternates between her “now,” and the (very long) letter she is writing to her heir, the now grown up Ruthie who had befriended her while a child. In this letter is the eponymous love story of Flo’s life, as told through vignettes describing some of the “odd” things Ruthie will find in her house once she is gone. And that will not be too far in the future as Flo has received a terminal diagnosis.
This book was never depressing. It was full of the joys, wonder and sorrows of life. It was full of (sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes both) origin stories about small, but important, objects (a toothpick dispenser, a handful of rocks). And it was full of the (endless) intricacies of knowing and loving another person. Flo feels compelled to giving advice to those who need it: Ruthie, who is contemplating divorce; her new friend Teresa, who has given up on love completely. And this advice is practical, real, sensical, and insistent in the most positive sense — based on the wisdom that comes from real experience. I loved the mechanism used to depict these experiential bits of wisdom — no bullet points, no logical expositions, just elaborating vignettes sprinkled about with purpose.
I laughed and cried, but the reading of it left me feeling warm, reflective, a bit nostalgic, and more alert to paying attention to the life that I have.
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