The Bennett Women

by Roberta R. Carr

The Bennett Women is an absorbing portrayal of three women who are at a crossroad with one another and the world around them. Muriel Bennett is a feisty eighty-two-year-old artist who struggles to maintain her independence. For the past forty years, she has happily resided at her Oregon lakefront home. She wants to live on her terms, but soon discovers how little control she has over her life.

Susanne Bennett is a fifty-one-year-old CEO of a Fortune 500 technology company located in California. She leads more than three hundred thousand employees worldwide, but has little influence over the two people who matter most—her mother and daughter. Caught between two generations and a chaotic career, she must find a way to slow down before it’s too late.

Lilia Bennett-Parker is a gifted twenty-two-year-old cellist who is in her last year of college at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. As she prepares for the most important year of her life, her world begins to unravel, making her question everything she has ever wanted.

As tension mounts, the Bennett women will confront buried truths about their lives, and they will begin to know themselves and each other in wondrous new ways. This tender yet unflinching story examines what moves us from daughter, mother, and grandmother to something much deeper.

Genres: Family

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2015

About the author

After a rewarding business career in healthcare, Roberta R. Carr became a full-time writer. She enjoys creating slice-of-life stories that will entertain you, as well as stir new thoughts. Her travel experiences usually weave their way into the plots.

Reviews

[Marian Stauffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It is about 3 generations of women that have their ups & downs in dealing with each other. The characterization was realistic as each mother & daughter have issues dealing with each other but Grandmother & granddaughter seem to bridge the issues and are very close. I love the setting at a lake in Oregon with a small town feel. After dealing with an aging parent, I can relate to Susanne's frustration with her mother. I also enjoyed the Viet Nam section. It was an easy & enjoyable read. I very much recommend this book.

[Barbara Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

This is a wonderful family story about three women and their struggles and successes. Every family member should read this book!

[Gloria Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three generations of amazing lives

I can't remember ever reading a book that held my interest like this one did. There was so much truth in these pages! So many times a mother tells herself that she knows what is best for her child, makes decisions for that child without sitting down and discussing things with the child. Years pass, feelings get hurt and people drift further and further apart. These things happen generation after generation. It has to take untold hours and hours of research, not to mention determination and talent to make all the facts and locations come together perfectly.
Reading this book was a pleasure and warmed my soul!

[Emiley Allen Bowes · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS.... Loved it. Can't wait to see where these ladies go from here. Of course, Lilia and Matt will be great to follow. And we all hope to see Lilia cross paths with her daughter; perhaps as a mentor, as both Lilia and the father were musicians. Quang, needs to make a trip to America; perhaps as an employee of Susanne's new company. He'd make a good trouble shooter/translator. with perhaps a romance with the boss.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three generations of women reach a make-or-break point in this novel about life, love, mortality, forgiveness, and joy. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys hopeful stories about family, especially readers of women’s fiction.

Reviewed at Online Book Club. I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[Madilynn Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be an emotional roller coaster. I had periods where I was extremely happy for the characters and also periods where I just wanted to sit and bawl my eyes out. Very good read though. I highly recommend it.