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Community Board: A Novel Hardcover – March 28, 2023

3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 242 ratings

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The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics deliversa wise, timely, big-hearted novel of unplanned isolation and newly forged community.

Where does one go, you might ask, when the world falls apart? When the immutable facts of your life—the mundane, the trivial, the take-for-granted minutiae that once filled every second of every day—suddenly disappear? Where does one go in such dire and unexpected circumstances?

I went home, of course.

 MURBRIDGE COMMUNITY MESSAGE BOARD

FREE: 500 cans of corn. Accidentally ordered them online. I really hate corn. Happy to help load.

REMINDER: use your own goddamn garbage can for your own goddamn pet waste. I’m looking at you Peter Luflin.

REMINDER: monthly Select Board meeting this Friday. Agenda items: 1) sludge removal; 2) upkeep of chime tower; 3) ice rink monitor thank you gift. Questions? Contact Hildegard Hyman, HHMurbridge@gmail.com

Darcy Clipper, prodigal daughter, nearly thirty, has returned home to Murbridge, Massachusetts, after her life takes an unwelcome left turn. Murbridge, Darcy is convinced, will welcome her home and provide a safe space in which she can nurse her wounds and harbor grudges, both real and imagined.

But Murbridge, like so much else Darcy thought to be fixed and immutable, has changed. And while Darcy’s first instinct might be to hole herself up in her childhood bedroom, subsisting on Chef Boy-R-Dee and canned chickpeas, it is human nature to do two things: seek out meaningful human connection and respond to anonymous internet postings. As Murbridge begins to take shape around Darcy, both online and in person, Darcy will consider the most fundamental of American questions: What can she ask of her community? And what does she owe it in return?

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Community Board The Last Romantics The House Girl
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Customer Reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
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4.2 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Sometimes we’re not ready to jump. We need a little push. When Darcy Clipper — a heroine for the ages — gets a major shove, she finds herself in a brave new world of second chances, radical decisions, and transformative change. Funny, cinematic, and heartfelt, Community Board is a propulsive delight.” — Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles

“I can’t believe how good this book is! Tara Conklin once again dazzles with a hilarious, heartfelt, and wholly original tale. She writes about depression and grief with such a light touch, and her mesmerizing sentences immediately draw you into this quirky and fun community—one I was sad to leave behind! Read this!”
Etaf Rum, author of the New York Times bestseller A Woman Is No Man

“A brilliant, hilarious look at modern-day community and the distance between who we are and who we say we are. Insightful, honest, and surprisingly sly. I loved this book.” — Maria Semple

“A droll investigation of what we owe our neighbors and ourselves.”
Vanity Fair

Conklin delivers a winning third novel, with Darcy’s smart, introspective voice at the heart of it. Her unconventional adventures (often hilarious, always interesting) drive home the importance of community and how important it is to show up and participate.” — Booklist

“Oh, how I loved this delightful, unputdownable novel! A pitch-perfect comedy of manners, a balm for difficult times, a charming coming of age story, Community Board is ultimately the literary equivalent of a warm hug.”
Joanna Rakoff, bestselling author of My Salinger Year

"Timely and hilarious! For all its madcap glory, COMMUNITY BOARD is a sweet and surprisingly plausible tale for our time."
Jonathan Evison, author of Small World

“Tara Conklin’s brilliance jumps from the pages of this quirky delicious delight. I loved every second of this fabulous take on community and the on-line board that unites them.”
Jane L. Rosen, author of Eliza Starts a Rumor

"A bittersweet, laugh-out-loud novel...Community Board is a crafty send-up about one woman struggling to come to terms with--and rebuild--her battered self-esteem.... Darcy may seem a poor soul, but her sharp, bright, enlightened mind--and her snarky, lovably endearing narrative voice, supplemented with zany e-mails and community posts--will easily win the affection of readers rooting wholeheartedly for her reinvention." — Shelf Awareness

“Conklin has created a heartening look at a community whose people realize they're better together than alone.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Heartwarming, hilarious.” — BookBub

About the Author

Tara Conklin was born on St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and raised in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Last Romantics and The House Girl.  

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books (March 28, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062959379
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062959379
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.93 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 242 ratings

About the author

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Tara Conklin
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Tara Conklin was born on St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands and raised in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, THE HOUSE GIRL and THE LAST ROMANTICS. Her third novel, COMMUNITY BOARD, is out on March 28, 2023. Visit www.taraconklin.com for more information.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
242 global ratings
Such a cute little read!
4 Stars
Such a cute little read!
This book is just plain old cute. It was a sweet little read and I smiled as I finished it. What more could you ask for?Darcy Clipper is back in her beloved hometown of Murbridge, Massachusetts after her husband blindsides her with a divorce. As much as she wants to hibernate the rest of her life away in grief she finds herself reading the town’s online community board where she can’t help but reach out to a few posts. Let the small town hilarity and reluctant healing begin!Also, I found myself comparing this book to Really Good Actually. Both young women are blindsided by a divorce and handle it in vastly different ways but come to similar conclusions in the end.This book had some definite Gilmore Girl vibes, but think more Taylor than Lorelei. The small town quirkiness was there but man can these folks complain. 😂I love the structure of this book and the way the community board is always in the background (helping AND hindering). I thought it was a super unique premise!This book brought up some great points about fear and change. It’s not good to completely idealize our past when it’s to the detriment of our present.Overall, this is a solid book and I enjoyed it. ☺️ It just came out on March 28th, so pick this one up if it sounds like it’s up your alley!
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2023
This quirky and quite funny book has a very slow start so be ready. Stick with it - I promise it picks up.

Darcy is a 29 recently separated, (who in no way was ready for her husband to suddenly leave her for another woman) regimented and someone emotionally stunted woman.. To say she is devastated is an understatement. She takes time away from her job and goes to her childhood home in Murbridge, MA to figure out her next moves. Once she arrives though - she realizes her parents have essentially moved to a senior community in Arizona without telling her. This news just sends her more fully into a tailspin. She survives on canned food her parents stored in preparation for the unknown consequence of the year turning 2000.

In a series of unsent letters to her ex-husband, messages on the community board and emails to her parents, she starts off as a self-absorbed, quite unlikeable character who blames her indulgent and loving parents for most of her problems. Lucky for the reader though, she is forced to come out of her forced hibernation in order to earn money once her stash of canned food is running out. She begins in essence to redefine the person she is into the person she wants to be. In the process she finds community, finds purpose, self-awareness and maturity.

She is such a quirky character and this book had me laughing out loud so many times. It is not a long book, so it felt like a quick, easy read. The last half of the book felt much more deep and meaningful. I definitely enjoyed this book, but I wouldn't say it blew me away. I loved the humorous bits and I loved so many of the zany community characters.

"But more often the end comes, kaput, without fanfare or signal."

Basically this is story of a woman who feels like she has lost everything, even herself. Then she must figure out how to redefine herself and move on. Definitely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC to read and review.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2023
Hmmm.... Somewhat strange story, husband leaves wife for a skydiver, wife falls completely apart and spends months in her PJ's eating only canned food while living in her parents house and seething with resentment because they moved to Arizona for a year and aren't there to take care of her. Just did not like Darcy. She acts like a whinny child and falls completely apart over a man who she really wasn't all that crazy about. But the community board posts were cute and funny.
9 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2023
This book was such a surprise ! So many LOL moments, fun characters, moments of seriousness but always good natured. ❤️ it.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
When Darcy Clipper's life falls apart, she heads to her childhood home in small-town Murbridge, Massachusetts. Other than peeping through her parents' blinds, Darcy's main source of connection with other humans is the internet: emails, checking social media, and keeping tabs on the Murbridge Community Message Board. At first it's her source of entertainment and window into others' lives, but over time, the message board grows into her way to connect with others and gradually step back into a sense of community.

This one is quirky in both tone and structure. It's separated into four sections—one for each season—but lacks other breaks. There aren't numbered chapters. There aren't mid-chapter breaks with little symbols to indicate a pause or passage of time. There aren't quotation marks. Once I got used to the structure, things flowed pretty well for me, but it did take some getting used to.

If you pick this one up, be aware that with that major upheaval in Darcy's life comes depression. She shuts herself off from the world. She's grieving and snarky and salty. And after being closed off for such a long period of time, it takes her time to reacclimate to being around people again. Honestly, this part of the story reminded me of coming back into the world after things shut down for COVID. Darcy seems socially stunted and awkward around people when she reemerges.

The Murbridge Community Board itself is so representative of what you see on sites and apps like Facebook and Nextdoor. You get the good, the bad, the petty, and the ridiculous. Some of the posts had me laughing out loud.

And I adored the characters that brought Darcy back out of her shell. She needed them, and they needed her. Their friendships provided her with both found family opportunities and a new perspective on her life.

Overall, this book was different from what I typically read, but I enjoyed it.

I received an advance copy from Book Club Girl, Mariner Books, and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.
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