The Curious Charms Of Arthur Pepper: Free Sample

by Phaedra Patrick

‘A charming, unforgettable story.’ Harper’s Bazaar 40 years of marriage.
8 golden charms.
One man’s journey of discovery. Having been married for over 40 years, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper is mourning the loss of his wife. On the anniversary of her death, he finally musters the courage to go through her possessions, and happens upon a charm bracelet that he has never seen before. What follows is a surprising adventure that takes Arthur from London to Paris and India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met, a journey that leads him to find healing, self-discovery, and love in the most unexpected of places. Charming by name, charming by nature, this book is a balm for the soul and heart.’ – The Sun
___ Readers have fallen in love with The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper : ' I enjoyed this lovely book so much . Recommended if you want to read a poignant , warm-hearted story ' ' A lovely book and very well written with gentle humour and charm ' 'A little gem of a book peppered with humour' 'Will leave you feeling warm and content by the end' 'Absolutely the best book I have read in a long time . The story was lovely' 'I truly loved every page! The most beautiful story that I've ever read! ' 'A delightful read . I adored it'

Genres: Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2016

About the author

Phaedra Patrick studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organiser and communications manager. An award-winning short story writer, she now writes full time in Saddleworth where she lives with her family.

Her debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, was translated into over twenty languages worldwide and has been optioned by a major Hollywood film studio.

Her second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone (named Wishes Under the Willow Tree in the UK), has been made into a Hallmark Movie and will premiere on TV in Autumn 2021.

Her third novel is The Library of Lost and Found, and the fourth one is titled The Secrets of Love Story Bridge (The Secrets of Sunshine in the UK).

You can find out more about Phaedra and her books at www.phaedra-patrick.com including writing tips

Please follow her on:

www.facebook.com/phaedrapatrick
Twitter @phaedrapatrick
Instagram @PhaedraPatrick

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book may feature run-ins with tigers and chases through the streets of London, but it feels more like a quiet sit down with a cup of tea and the loving company of old friends.

It’s a sweet, sentimental and a delicate exploration of grief, memory and identity, shown through the eyes of 69 year-old Arthur Pepper.

A year on from the death of his beloved wife, Miriam, Arthur finds an old charm bracelet he had never seen in their 40 years of marriage. He sets out to find the meaning of the charms, and discovers a host of fascinating and surprising stories from her life before they met.

But it’s the subtle, emotional quest which accompanies Arthur’s actual one that is the warm, glowing heart of the story. He questions the simpleness of their life together, shown in the new context of her youthful adventures; and he questions his own nature and choices as he steps outside of his comfort zone and finds that he likes it there.

The most touching elements of the book are the small ones; like two grieving characters discussing the guilt they feel at breaking old, shared, habits, however trivial.

The journey of Arthur is supported by a charming crew of supporting characters, all interesting and nicely sketched, and all seemingly designed to question prejudices Arthur probably didn’t realise he had.

This is a gentle tale of self-discovery, neatly structured and delicately told. It celebrates normal life in all its mundanity, while managing to never be mundane.

[Toast · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this weirdly wild tale of 69 year old Arthur Pepper, retired locksmith, who in the course of unravelling the story behind his late wife's charm bracelet ends up being attacked by a lion called Elsie in the countryside of Bath, mugged in London, romanced in Paris, life modelling for a group of students in a Scarborough college amongst other adventures. Inbetween, he dispenses wisdom unknown to him previously, learns about himself, his wife, their life together and his life to come. It is a compassionate book with a rich vein of humour and belief in the person. Strong characters, a good ear for dialogue and some very funny / silly situations make this a great antidote for the weather, old age and achey bones.
Toast

[Maya Panika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur’s wife Miriam has been dead for a year and the time has come to go through her things. That is when Arthur finds a mysterious charm bracelet in a heart-shaped box., a thing he has never seen before. He finds a telephone number engraved on one of the charms, decides to call – and so begins a wild adventure that will take Arthur well beyond his comfort zone; a journey into his wife’s unimaginably exotic past and change Arthur’s life forever.
I must confess I thought, at first, I would hate it. I found the opening pages so unbearably twee – but it gets better, and very quickly, and becomes a delightful and charming tale of a man’s search for the woman his wife once was, and ends with him finding himself.
It’s not a very original idea; there are distinct shades of Major Pettigrew, Harold Fry, Ove and the 100 year old man who jumped out of a window (etc). But that’s not to take away from its considerable charm; it is very well done and hugely entertaining, if not completely believable all of the time (it wasn’t India or the tigers or the poem that got me; the life class chapter was when I feared it was about to jump the shark, but this is just my opinion). It is almost unbearably touching at times; Arthur’s relationship with his also-bereaved neighbour Bernedette was at times, almost too painfully perfect in its gentle prodding of bruised nerves. Mostly though, this is pleasantly undemanding and hugely entertaining, pure, indulgent comfort reading. Like snuggling under a soft, warm blanket with radio four on a cold wet day; slipping into a hot, sweet-scented bath after a walk in the snow. Sweet and lovely.

[Rebecca-Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a breath of fresh air! I love, love, LOVED the character of Arthur Pepper, so lovingly crafted that you instantly become ferociously protective and loyal towards him. His adventures, all done out of love for his wife and an unfaltering sense of duty towards her, are amusing and actually made me laugh out loud in some parts. If there was a small piece of criticism, it would be that some of the adventures are a little TOO fantastical to be believable, however, this certainly doesn't detract from the sheer sense of delight you get from going on this emotional and life-affirming journey with Arthur.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy this now! It's so lovely and charming that this extract will not be enough. You will need to be able to hug the entire novel so this extract won't be enough ;)

[Wisterious Woman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the audiobook. Slow paced but heartwarming. James Langton is a fantastic narrator and does a wonderful job on all the voices making the story come alive. It is a quirky adventure story about a fairly ordinary English man in his later years that learns a lot about himself as he goes on a journey to discover more about his wife's past. I liked that they were such a sweet couple living a quiet country life together but underneath there was so much more. It only irritated me that he kept referring to his 'beautiful wife' but you don't have a clear sense about all the qualities that make her beautiful. Was it just her looks or something deeper? It could be that the book had more meaning for me because I have been married for 40 years to an Englishman and come out of a similar time period. Those of a younger generation that have lived a less provincial life and have never been married might not find the book delightful.

[Angela]

This is one of my favorite books from this past year. I loved A Man Called Ove, and this book reminds me of it. It is a wonderful story about a man who discovers his wife's charm bracelet after she has died. They were married for 40 years, and he thought he knew everything about her. He starts on a pilgrimage to learn about the significance of each charm. He finds out a lot of unexpected information about his wife's past life, but he also discovers many things about himself. It is a sweet and wonderful story.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arthur is grieving for his lost wife, a year after her passing he decides to clear her things. He comes across a charm bracelet he has never seen before and there starts his journey of recovery. This is about grief and how you cope with it, about moving on with your life, about enjoying the small things with your family, about taking your wife somewhere if she asks to go, about letting people help you, not shut them out. It is about many things but is heartwarming and entertaining. Loved Arthur, loved the book, curl up in a blanket with a hot Choc and love them yourself.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read and discussed book in our book club. We enjoyed the trails that were discovered with each charm. It was surprising that the family to include the main character's husband had no clue about her past adventures. Her adventures were so different from the personality and life she lived once married and raising a family. Her husband's ability to figure out the "next" charm seemed slightly implausible, but kept the story moving. In the end, we all enjoyed the story. We also each brought our own charm bracelets and shared a bit about our little treasures.

[Bonnie Wertz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for book club. A very sweet book that many of us could relate to - how do you move on after a spouse has died. After a year of staying in one place, unable to function, Arthur decides to donate his deceased wife's clothing when he discovers a charm bracket he had never seen before. As he searches for the meaning of each charm he begins his journey out of a grief filled life. Arthur Peppers is a charming sole and someone I'd like to know. A very delightful read

[Dakota Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really really liked it! Arthur is a widow who finds a charm bracelet from his late wife, he knows nothing about it so he tries to figure out what each charm represents. I like Arther, I love how the author brings in an aray of unique characters and adventures. This is my second book by this author this month and they won’t be the last!! ( 1 f bomb, 1 gay character and 1 compromising situation)

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I can see it being made into a film. The story follows Arthur Pepper who, on finding his wife's charm bracelet, goes on a voyage of discovery and finds out more about himself, his wife and their relationship. It is a charming tale and I found myself cheering Arthur on. I recommend this book.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up on a whim and enjoyed it very much. Very poignant about marriage and loving your partner for who they are in the present and not their past.

Arthur finds a bracelet his wife had, but kept secret from him. He goes on an adventure to trace the charms and his wife's history only to realize that it did not matter, only his life with his wife, not the past.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely, sweet story of Arthur Pepper a 70 year old widower who is still grieving the loss of his wife Miriam, who died the year before. In cleaning out some of her things, he finds a charm bracelet that he has never seen and begins an amazing journey into his wife’s past. In doing so finds a new and exciting life for himself.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Whizzed through it in 3 days. I was gripped instantly - loved the style of writing AND the plot. It's a book about love, loss, grief, memories, friendships, connection and listening. I heartily recommend it. I was amazed to see it was a debut novel and delighted to learn that the author is local to me. Local girl done good.

[Jean Donze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story with unforgettable characters and adventures. It warms the heart even though it’s a story of a recently widowed man adjusting to life without his beloved wife. I really enjoyed it.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arthur has been mourning the death of his wife for over a year when he takes a small step to donate Miriam’s things and discovers a charm bracelet. He searches to uncover the stories of the charms and learns about Miriam’s life before he knew her.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. It's heartwarming, funny, heart aching, and just overall wonderful. A story about family, new discoveries, and love. A wonderful read.

[Sarah Worrall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an uplifting feel good book, which took me on a beautiful journey.

[Kristine Leonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminating and charming.. will be looking forward to the next book of Phaedra.. cheers!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light but charming read.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

F2F pick for December. A perfect pick if you loved Ove or The Hundred Year Old Man. Just a bit too cartoonish for me.

[Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Such a lovable character!

[Jackie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I wanted something light and happy and it came through. It's a very simple book, an easy read and I liked the characters a lot.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story!

[Amy B. Soldan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word: fantastic! Super quick read

[Priya Chakravartty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very wholesome and beautiful

[Elaine Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming story. I love how the main character changed over the course of the story. He embraced adventure with hesitation and then with pleasure.

[Lisa]

Not a favorite. Didn't finish.

[Y1greenleeyahoo.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story set in England with travels about India and France. Fun current characters. Of course charming tale about love, marriage, adult children and the loss of a spouse