Review: Back to Yesterday by Pamela Sparkman

Title: Back to Yesterday
By: Pamela Sparkman
My Copy: Ebook from Publisher
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

Everyone loves a good love story. The stories that make you feel warm all over. The kind that leaves you the slightest bit envious because the story belongs to someone else and not you. The stories that make your heart race and on the edge of pain and pleasure. Pain because your heart hurts and pleasure because your heart hurts. An unlikely combination, yet, that’s the stuff good love stories are made of.

Ours could have been like that. We could have made a beautiful love story.

But when he was ready for that epic love story, I was afraid to fall in love, too hurt by my past to trust anyone. Then, when I was ready for the epic love story, he was gone.

And I was alone.

And the only thing I got was the pain.

It was time I told him the things that were in my heart but too afraid to say out loud.

I wrote the letter I needed to write and prayed it wasn't too late.

Dear Charlie,

You were right. I was wrong. I've never been more wrong in my life.

There - I said it.

I’ll say it a million times if you just come back to me.

Come back to me. Please!

I was so wrong. I do love you.

Sophie

If I had to write a one-sentence review, I would simply say: “I am stunned by the beauty of this book.”  The characters were magnificent.  Charlie bets Sophie that he can make her fall in love with him while he is on furlough.  Sophie takes the bet because she has never lost one yet and this starts the beginning of a pure and innocence relationship in an ever-changing world during WWII.

What I loved most about this book, besides the well-written characters and bone-deep love story, was the changing chapters.  Pamela switches between ‘yesterday’ and ‘today’ chapters.  Each chapter was riveting and I found myself finishing a ‘today’ chapter and craving to know what was going to happen but finding myself hooked into the ‘yesterday’ chapter right after it.  Switching back and forth kept the story line fresh and exciting.

And what can I say about Charlie and Sophie besides that they were magnificent?  They were sweet and kind, growing together only to be ripped apart by self-doubt and circumstances.  I became so invested in them that I was an emotional wreck throughout this book.  The last time I cried this hard for two people was for “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes.  I loved reading their story, their struggles, how gorgeous true love can really be, and how two people can fight for said love.