Charlie and Pearl by Tammy Robinson

By: Anonymous on Saturday, June 01, 2013

Title:  Charlie and Pearl

Author:  Tammy Robinson

Published:  January 13th 2013

Page Count:  270

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Shelf:  Review Copy

Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"This is an incredible story. As long as you don't mind getting kicked in the gut, shedding a few tears, and having your heart squeezed at the pain the characters go through, you'll love this book. It's simple, yet elegant. Painful, yet heartwarming. It is put simply, an incredible story told well."
Mark Paxson

Sometimes, love just isn't enough.

Charlie and Pearl tells the story of a relationship between two people which, really, shouldn't have ever been that complicated. Till life got in the way.

Charlie lives in the same small coastal town where he was born. He works in the local bookshop where he spends his days monitoring a boss teetering on the brink of dementia.

Pearl has fled to her grandmother's beach house to escape the memories of a relationship ended badly. She is there to heal and has sworn off men and all things romantic.

Their paths collide and the resulting love affair is tumultuous and unlike anything the Bay has ever seen. Soon though it will be put to the test in ways neither could have imagined, and when all is said and done, will anyone be left unscathed?

Charlie and Pearl is a quirky, unconventional love story, brimming with small town magic and characters you simply can't help but fall for.

My Review:

What a heart wrenching story. It had some heart-warming moments, some comedic moments, and some moments that make you think. But overall, this was a heart breaking tearjerker.

Robinson spends a great deal of time setting up the scene. Everything is laid out in a very clear and concise manner. It flows like real life. The story itself is also very solidly put together. There weren’t any holes or confusing spots in the storyline. Don’t get me wrong. There were times where you were caught up in the mystery of a new romance, right along with the characters, but it adds to the truthfulness of the story itself. Robinson’s story is not only solid, but well built around a very tough subject that is an everyday reality for all too many people. This is one of those stories that makes you stop and think about your life, and how you would handle a similar situation.

Throughout her novel the author switches perspectives between the 2 characters. This is a technique that is becoming more and more common in the literary world. Robinson, however, gives it a bit of a twist. She switches on pretty much a page by page basis. The story is told in the first person, but more than that, it is told through the thoughts of the two main characters. This allows you a huge insight into the main characters and into their actions and reactions. It also gives you greater insight into their relationship with one another. And this relationship is another thing I really liked about the novel. It was a real relationship with real quirks.

I got a bit stuck on the ending. I get it. I fully understand where it’s coming from. It wraps up the story perfectly. It’s actually the only ending I can imagine, but yet, I still don’t know what I think about it.

Buy your copy online here today!