Eden: A Novel

Blasberg expertly alternates a sweeping lifelong tale of a man and his dream of a beach home with the events of a summer almost a century later. From almost the very first page, this book drew me in and left me desperately wanting to live at Eden or at the very least, visit for a weekend. This book is a captivating and gorgeous story of generations of family and the intricacies of those relationships. It's a love story to a family property and the beach community it inhabits, but most of all, it is a story of mothers and daughters. This is an astounding debut and a must-have book for every beach bag this summer. I can't wait to read Blasberg's future work.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

A thoughtful commentary on the impact of unwanted pregnancy on different generations set amid an affluent summer community, Eden nonetheless falls short of its potential. Adjective-laden writing and a lackadaisical approach to facts distract the reader (a quick look at a calendar reveals that the many chapters set in 2000 are titled with incongruent days and dates), while stereotypical treatment of the locals and indifference to the lives of the help (some of whom have served the family for decades) both limit the story's effectiveness and infuse it with the author's bias. Eden is perhaps a fine beach read for the country-club set, but the author's apparent limited knowledge of "regular folk" strains her ability to fully tell her characters' story.

Eden is a sweeping family saga, following the lives of the Meister family over 9 decades. Eden is the family's summer home, witness to the ebb and flow of this family...through joys and sorrows, love and loss, scandals and secrets. The characters in this book are very real, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and their relationships are sometimes difficult, oftentimes stormy, but mostly loving. The author does an excellent job of pulling the reader in in this story of life, love, and family. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg’s debut novel Eden poignantly proves the adage, all that glitters is not gold. The wealth and privilege of the Meisters give way to the reality of the secrets and sorrows that each family member harbors. All is played out in the summer days at the family compound on the ocean in Rhode Island. Blasberg reminds us it’s never too late to learn from the past and redefine the meaning of family. A wonderful audiobook!

This novel is literally the perfect summer read. Beautiful writing, languid pacing, lovely characters and a story that is easy to get swept up in. The characters might be a challenge to keep up with if you're listening to the audio, but after referring to the family tree in from of the print copy a couple of times, I had them down. If you enjoyed Commonwealth or The Nest, this will probably be a good fit for you. Best read in the sunshine (even better at a beach or a lake!) with a cold drink and some time to savor.

Jeanne Blasberg's debut is a sweeping epic of several generations of families living in a grand house in the fictional town of Long Harbor, Rhode Island. The house, rightfully dubbed Eden, is the Tara of this family, the center of both happy summers and secrets shoved under the rug. Blasberg's characters are well-drawn and the arc of their lives is richly entwined and artfully depicted. Eden is an emotional story that is a fitting read for a deck chair facing the sea with the sound of the waves as the soundtrack.

Eden is teeming with secrets, courage, strength, abundant with tales from a dysfunctional family, and with a message that the spirit of family, though dim at times, can prevail anything that is set as an obstacle. With its' multi-dimensional and multi-generational characters and setting, Blasberg has hit it out of the park with her first novel. I cannot wait to see what she has coming for us next. I highly recommend Eden and it's a strong contender for my favorite novel so far this year.

I enjoyed reading the Family Saga that revolves around one summer house, Eden in Rhode Island. The opens in present day and travels back in time through three generations. Most of the book includes three time periods. The early years, the carefree middle years and the declining later years. During the current family reunion lots of family secrets come to light. This is the perfect book to read this summer on the beach. Enjoy

I received an early copy of Eden by Jeanne Blasberg and was awestruck from Page 1. This debut novel is a compelling read with engrossing characters that stay with you long past the summer sunset in fictional Long Harbor, Rhode Island. Eden opens with 75-year-old Becca Meister on the brink of revealing double secrets to her extended family over the course of the 4th of July weekend: her impending personal financial ruin, resulting in the inevitable loss of "Eden" - the family home built by her parents - and another secret, with far more lasting consequences. The novel's rich characters are bound by societal mores and traditions that haunt, even in their quest to find Paradise always out of reach.

A fine novel by any measure, though especially for a first time author. The author moves in time between chapters, toggling between the story of the family's founding generation as it moved through the first half of the 1900's, and in alternating chapters describing the family in its current iteration as it gathers to make great end of the century decisions. At first, that time travel presents a reading challenge, but ultimately the technique effectively serves the theme of family connection that runs through the book. This is surely the story of a very successful twentieth century American family--the family wealth is deep, created by a patriarch of relentless ambition, but descendants with less ambition or grit are plugged into banking and finance and are helped along by family money-- though many of their trials are not unique to their class. Class distinction is a theme throughout, and by small details the author insinuates that the gulf might be growing. All in all, an enjoyable tale, told well.

Everything about this book captured my heart - the story, the characters, the writing, the setting. I wanted to be a fly in the wall of #Eden so badly. It's a masterful multigenerational family drama that magically weaves the past with the present. I found my heart aching - as if I was personally going through the character's lives; it's relatable in many ways. It's the perfect summer read!

I finished reading this book in a wonderful old log cabin in Spar City, CO.
The cabin has been owned by my wife's family for 90+ years and Spar City, an old mining town, just celebrated it's 125th Anniversary.
It was a fitting setting to read and digest this wonderful book.
Having spent many years owning a vacation home in Rhode Island, the characters, settings and story lines were all familiar yet brilliantly recreated in and for EDEN.
Jeanne has a genuine talent and love for nuance and detail - she is an excellent writer.
This is a gentle story about a family and a special place.
I highly recommend it !
Stephen Page

Just finished reading Eden, while vacationing at the beach. I bought it in May but waited until I had time to read it uninterrupted and it was worth the wait! I read it in a day and a half.

Ah, families and their complicated relationships. Jeanne Blasberg does an excellent job of capturing the emotion and poignant of familial relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters. It made me recall one of my favorite books--Long Day's Journey Into Night--but Eden has joy and is more uplifting. You don't need to wait until vacation to read it. It hooks you from the start.

I received an advanced copy of Eden from the publisher last year, and read it right away. I just got the book returned to me after loaning it to a friend to read, and put it in my pile to read again. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their interwoven storylines across generations, and look forward to revisiting them. Jeanne Blasberg is an excellent storyteller.

A sprawling story told beautifully by the author. It's an amazing story of long-kept secrets and family dysfunction and a wonderful home that serves as both setting and character. I usually take my time reading books, but this novel moves. When I put it down, it wasn't for long!

Really enjoyed this novel rich with interesting characters/historical events/personal struggles and family issues. The settings were beautifully described and many of the interpersonal scenes were powerfully depicted, some of them quite heartbreaking. Appreciated that most of the characters were multi-dimensional, flawed yet doing their best considering their circumstances.

Excellent debut novel, and hope to read the next one, including a sequel perhaps?

Great book club book - everyone enjoyed and there was so much to talk about from the setting to the historical events to family dynamics. Really makes you want to think about your family traditions and special places and relationships and your role in continuing on with the people and places that matter.

Blasberg transported me to another world in this book. I felt like I was a part of the family in the book and couldn't put it down. It is beautifully written and I missed the book when it was over. I am known to stop reading books if they don't keep my attention. Eden kept me up late wanting to read the next page and get more involved in the story. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

This book was, beyond any reasonable measure of doubt, one of the best books that I have ever picked up in my entire life.

Starting in chapter one, it pulls you into the world of Eden and doesn't let you go until you finish the last chapter.

6/5 would recommend.

I could not put this book down and was disappointed when I was done -- please write more!! The writing just flows and the story is not only well developed but pulls you in. Each of the characters, and Eden, came alive. The "family saga" label is used a lot but definitely applies here. This would be a fabulous summer beach read! Loved it!!!

Like a summer cocktail, Eden was refreshing and delightful! I loved this woven tale of the generations of a family and how their past sculpted their current motivations and behaviors. Blasberg descriptions had me smelling the salty air and old money. Well done.

This book really swept me away. Blasberg has such compassion for her characters - they are all doing the best they know how given the circumstances of their era and opportunities. Eden was the perfect backdrop for all these generational stories. I loved the atmosphere, the setting, and I loved getting lost in this home and family.

I bought EDEN at my local bookstore and wanted to write a review here to express my enthusiasm for it. I was totally engrossed by the historical context which served as the backdrop for a heartbreaking family saga. The town of Long Harbor and Eden, the rambling family home, make for an unforgettable setting.

Jeanne Blasberg's debut novel skillfully weaves family history with a suspenseful revelation of long-held secrets. A real page-turner that explores societal norms surrounding pregnancy and adoption, and how women have struggled to control their own destiny. You won't want to put it down.

Eden is a beautifully written debut novel. Unforgettable real life characters with painful secrets who return to a beautiful family estate every summer make this a gripping read from start to finish. A perfect book club novel.

The perfect book to complement a New England summer, Eden encapsulates the timeless love of family. Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg displays the qualities of a master storyteller as she blends biblical metaphors into picturesque Rhode Island, this book is a must read.

A page turning, well-written first novel. Great beach, or anywhere, read! Focused on well-developed deep characters, particularly matriarchs and daughters, the choices they face and a big binding family house on the coast of Rhode Island. Highly recommend!!