by: S.L. Scott
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 14, 2023 (re-release)
Publisher: S.L. Scott
I’ll be your date, and you’ll be mine.
Who says a funeral can’t be romantic?
Okay, everyone. Including myself.
That doesn’t stop the rumor mill from turning when I show up with a beautiful redhead on my arm.
That redhead also just happens to be a stranger, relatively speaking. Charlotte Barrow and I have run into each other a few times—on the subway, at a bar, and now on our way to separate funerals. Instead of the prodigal son who let his parents down showing up alone, I traded favors and brought a date. The deal made sense at the time.
You be my date, and I’ll be yours.
Who knew bringing a date to your ex-fiancé’s funeral would cause such a stir?
Technically, I did.
I invited him anyway for moral support. It didn’t hurt that he was handsome.
The cold-hearted stares that greeted us didn’t matter. We found comfort in each other and formed a friendship from there. Charles Adams was nothing like my ex. The pressure wasn’t there to be anyone other than who I was. He also loved my cupcakes as much as I enjoyed his company.
I always dreamed of finding my soul mate, and then along came Charlie. My perfect match was right here all along. Did I realize it too late?
It’s every girl’s dream to be in a crowded room and make eye contact with that one special person. You know the ONE. The one who can fulfill you and make all of your dreams come true. The one who completes you.
As the book blurb states, Along Came Charlie is the tale of two Charlies. Yes, this can be rather confusing while reading the book, but it’s totally worth it. Charlotte “Charlie” Barrow has trust issues. She feels responsible for something she had no control over and she’s betrayed in one of the worst ways possible. Charles “Charlie” Adams is simply trying to live the life he wants, without all the false pretenses. Charlie Boy is from a life of privilege, where money is the only thing that really matters. Unlike his parents and his friends, Charlie Boy realizes that money can’t give you two of the most important things in the world, which are love and happiness.
Along Came Charlie is one of those books where once you pick it up, you aren’t going to want to put it down. While reading the book I thought, “Yes, they get their happy ending”. Then I realized that I was only about forty percent of the way through the book. NOT a good thing with romances.
The two Charlies initially first laid eyes on each other on a crowded subway in New York City. Each was mesmerized by the other. Instead of taking this opportunity to formally meet, they each went their separate ways. As chance would have it, they run into each other again at a nightclub. Girl Charlie is there with her friend Rachel. This time, however, they get to speak to each other. Charlie Boy immediately spots Girl Charlie. But by the time he makes his way to her, she runs off to the ladies’ room. Boy Charlie decides to wait for her with Rachel. Boy Charlie wants to get to know and spend time with Girl Charlie, but unbeknownst to him, Rachel is sending Charlie Girl signals to tell her to leave. Girl Charlie rushes out of the club, leaving Boy Charlie to think that she isn’t interested in him. Boy Charlie and Rachel go on two dates with each other before he realizes there isn’t anything between them.
As fate would have it, Girl Charlie and Charlie Boy run into each other as Girl Charlie is on her way to the funeral of her ex-fiance and Boy Charlie is on his way to the funeral of his Great-Aunt Grace. Boy Charlie suggests that they attend the funerals together as friends and as a support system for each other. This leads to them becoming friends and more.
Along Came Charlie is a real sweet romance full of fate and destiny, that is both touching and heartbreaking. In my opinion, Charlie Boy takes romance to a whole new level. One where you don’t even know that it’s romance. Charlie Boy seriously “courted” Girl Charlie, without her knowing. I don’t know if he realized it or not, but he did. I love the fact that the MOST important thing to the Charlies was their friendship. And I loved that their friendship turned into love before either of them knew it.
This wasn’t one of those books where I wanted to slap one of the characters because they kept sabotaging any chance at a happy ending. For me, there were emotional roller coaster moments. The climax of the book was something that I didn’t see coming. Boy Charlie decided to let destiny determine the future for him and Girl Charlie.
Another thing I liked about this book was that it gave you closure. You didn’t have to guess, assume, or envision how life for the Charlies turn out in the end. I love it when authors write Epilogues for their books. Even though this Epilogue did give me the closure I was looking for, I found myself getting confused going between the present, the past, and the future.
If you are a hopeless romantic like me, I DEFINITELY recommend you read this book.
*Note: This book was personally released until the title Naturally, Charlie.*
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the author and voluntarily reviewed it.**
Rating: 4
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling, avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She's obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist.
Scott writes character driven, heart-racing, and swoony romances to suspense that will leave you glued to the page. Her stories are regarded as emotion-filled and soulful. With stories ranging from light and witty beach reads to heart wrenching and heart healing, Scott has a story for all readers. Her books are more than escapes for the voracious readers of today. They are journeys of the heart that always come with a happily ever after at the end.
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the author and voluntarily reviewed it.**
Rating: 4
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You can read my interview with S.L. here.
Scott writes character driven, heart-racing, and swoony romances to suspense that will leave you glued to the page. Her stories are regarded as emotion-filled and soulful. With stories ranging from light and witty beach reads to heart wrenching and heart healing, Scott has a story for all readers. Her books are more than escapes for the voracious readers of today. They are journeys of the heart that always come with a happily ever after at the end.
Places to find S.L. Scott:
Website | Facebook | Facebook Reader Group | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon Author Page
sounds like a good one
ReplyDeleteIt is. I loved these two.
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