The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (And Their Muses)

By: Terri-Lynne DeFino

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

A whimsical, moving novel about a retirement home for literary legends who spar, conjure up new stories, and almost magically change the lives of the people around them.

Alfonse Carducci was a literary giant who lived his life to excess - lovers, alcohol, parties, and literary rivalries. But now he's come to the Bar Harbor Home for the Elderly to spend the remainder of his days among kindred spirits: the publishing industry's nearly gone but never forgotten greats. Only now, at the end of his life, does he comprehend the price of appeasing every desire, and the consequences of forsaking love to pursue greatness. For Alfonse has an unshakeable case of writer's block that distresses him much more than his precarious health.

Set on the water in one of New England's most beautiful locales, the Bar Harbor Home was established specifically for elderly writers needing a place to live out their golden years - or final days - in understated luxury and surrounded by congenial literary company. A faithful staff of nurses and orderlies surround the writers, and are drawn into their orbit, as they are forced to reckon with their own life stories. Among them are Cecibel Bringer, a young woman who knows first-hand the cost of chasing excess. A terrible accident destroyed her face and her sister in a split-second decision that Cecibel can never forgive, though she has tried to forget. Living quietly as an orderly, refusing to risk again the cost of love, Cecibel never anticipated the impact of meeting her favorite writer, Alfonse Carducci - or the effect he would have on her existence. In Cecibel, Alfonse finds a muse who returns him to the passion he thought he lost. As the words flow from him, weaving a tale taken up by the other residents of the Pen, Cecibel is reawakened to the idea of love and forgiveness.

As the edges between story and reality blur, a world within a world is created. It’s a place where the old are made young, the damaged are made whole, and anything is possible....

©2018 Terri-Lynne DeFino (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Great story!

This is one of those books that stay with you after you read it. I really enjoyed this story especially since I vacationed in Maine and knew of the the cities mentioned. Great story and wonderful narration.

What a clever book!

Three elite writers and one of the leading editors find themselves together waiting out the remainder of their days at a retirement home for writers and those in publishing, fondly referred to as “the Pen” (pun intended). Alphonse, a legendary author and philanderer, has just arrived and becomes smitten with orderly Cecibelle, a young woman scarred both inside and out. Using Cecibelle as his muse, Alphonse starts writing again, something he hasn’t done for over a decade. When Olivia and Switch learn of Alphonse’s new manuscript, each jumps in and writes alternating chapters. Editor Judy lends her editorial skills, and the fun begins.

The book written within is just as entertaining as the novel itself. Truly a fun, unique spin and so well-written. I loved all the characters, those who the book was about, and those within the book that the characters wrote.

This is a wonderful read.

Good, but sometimes confusing

This was a good book. It was hard to get into and sometimes hard to follow because of the 2 story lines. It seemed very long.

wow!

One of the best books I've ever read. Thoroughly enjoyed all the characters, their depth, and the different stories. Can't recommend it enough.

Lots of sex

I could do with more story and fewer sex scenes. It’s pretty formulaic. Just okay.

On the fence

Warning: SPOILERS..... sort of

The story was sweetly written with some very interesting characters, but I'm still not sure if either resolution was victorious, or one of those Greek-level tragi-comedy things. I guess the moral of the story is: intellect can be a tricksy bedfellow. If you are blessed/cursed with it - entertain with it, amaze with it, quantify the wonders of the universe with it, but best not to base major life decisions on it!

Good story but could use more editing

After listening to this book, I hope to never hear the word “chuffed” again, it was so overused. Interesting storyline.

nice story good narration

the narrator has a nice tone and the story kept my attention throughout the book

Engaging Characters & A Story Within A Story

De Fino does a good job of creating an intimate world with interesting characters. There is enough "suspense" to keep the reader engaged in both the main plot and the story within the story. The plots twist in fairly predictable ways, but I was almost more intrigued by the secondary story, and a little disappointed that it ended the way it did. Overall the characters were the best part, and I was emotionally invested in most of them. A solid, medium weight read with a few tears and a relatively happy ending.

The title drew me in, the story kept me there

I had no previous knowledge of the author and no one recommended this book to me, but it popped up on my screen and, as a writer, I thought it sounded intriguing so decided to give it a shot. I am so glad I did. I really don't understand some of the negative comments I've read regarding the sex in the book. Yes, there is sex, but it's not terribly graphic or on every page, and it's a part of the story, not there to tittilate. In fact, at one point in the story, one of the seniors who is writing the story that's within the story comments to her writing partner that she's glad he moved away from the sex because too much gets boring. Part of me wonders if those who made the comments couldn't relate because it was old people who were thinking about it (whether in their actual life or the story they are writing together). Whatever.

I loved the characters and the insights gained. I was just as involved with the story within the story as the main plot. The narration is excellent. I'm very glad I took a chance and downloaded this book on a whim, simply because it had an intriguing title.