I'm only giving this book three stars because I found the ending to be very weak. Berg spent most of the book building up the story of a childless widow who moves from Boston to a small Midwest town, the new friends she makes, and old friends she reconnects with. At what felt to me like the middle of the story, she suddenly begins a wrap-up that skips several months and leaves too many loose ends.
That "first half" was a comfortable and somewhat luxurious read, like the "pleasures" (good food, beautiful things, etc.) from which the title is taken.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a newly widowed woman finding her way toward her future by going off in search of adventures and pleasures. It's well written, and the emotions expressed are very real - I sometimes found myself crying right along with her!
This book was enjoyable, but almost too "over-written"- every few sentences was another flashback for the main character; after awhile it got to be a little much. Also I felt the ending could have been a little more important- the book just kind of trailed off. I liked her other book, "we are all welcome here," much more.