Are you looking for a pleasant summer read? Consider The Story of Arthur Truluvby Elizabeth Berg.

Each day, eighty-five-year old Arthur Moses eats his lunch by the graveside of his wife, Nola, who died six months before. As he walks into the cemetery and passes other headstones, he vividly senses the life stories of the deceased. One day during a visit, he spots a pale teenaged girl with spiky black hair and ripped jeans. His first thought is, “That child needs a coat.”

Turns out that the teen, Maddie,  needs much more than a coat. She is in desperate need of a few friends.

At two weeks old, Maddie lost her mother in a car crash, leaving her father to raise her. You could describe the man as being remote, but that would be generous. He blames Maddie for her mother’s death. He makes little effort to connect with his daughter. Maddie winds up looking for love in all the wrong places, specifically an older guy who works at Walmart. The boyfriend personifies every parent’s nightmare. Of course, trouble ensues.

An unlikely friendship develops between Maddie and Arthur, the widower.  Well, maybe it’s not that unlikely because they’re both lurking around the cemetery.

I can guess what you’re thinking. This sounds like a Hallmark Movie. Well, maybe a little.  However, every once in a while, wouldn’t you like to read a book that doesn’t cause you to gasp or cringe on each page? All that is to say, there were no awful shocks and nothing explodes, which I found comforting.

Berg’s characters are well drawn. She articulately describes the challenges of aging and the challenges of being a teenager.   The pacing is good. The tone and voice are pleasant. The poignant ending is satisfying. The story made me feel good and what’s not to like about feeling good?