My Two and Only

by Carla Malden

“Go for a run.” That’s what Charlotte Most said to her husband Paul on that ordinary day. And when he did, her life was never the same. Yet Charlotte remains the mother, daughter, friend, interior designer… and, although single… wife.
Until she meets Brian. When she’s surprised by his little Tiffany-blue box– and the proposal that goes with it – she is forced to make a decision. But questions begin to consume her. Who will Charlotte be if she’s no longer a widow? Does old love prohibit new? Does new love diminish old? How can she marry her one-and-only twice? Heartache and hope propel her through a perilous journey from devoted widow to joyful fiancée. My Two And Only  is a love story about clinging to the past and embracing the present. About memory and the stories we tell ourselves. About identities, inner and outward, and the struggle to make peace between them. Humorous and insightful, poignant and profound,  My Two And Only  explores the how much happiness can we allow ourselves… and which self might that be?

212 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 2023

About the author

Carla Malden grew up in Los Angeles, California. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from U.C.L.A. with a Bachelor of Arts in English and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society for her academic achievement. She worked extensively in the film business, both in production and development.

With her husband, filmmaker Laurence Starkman, she wrote twelve feature screenplays; they also served as rewrite guns-for-hire. The team of Malden & Starkman wrote and produced the short romantic comedy Whit & Charm, which screened at eight major film festivals, including The Hamptons, and won several awards. They also wrote and created a series of Cine Golden Eagle Award-winning Art History films produced in association with The Detroit Institute of Art and The National Gallery.

Along with her father, Academy Award-winning actor Karl Malden, Carla co-authored his critically acclaimed memoir, When Do I Start?, published by Simon & Schuster. "

Reviews

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, but it was a slow journey. I became frustrated with Charlotte at times with her attachment to the mantle of widow and her inability to move forward, but that is not something I have any experience with and hope I never do. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to move on and allow space for another future than what you had planned.

[BookTrib.com]

MY TWO AND ONLY by Carla Malden explores love, loss and coming to terms with a new version of yourself while still clinging to the past.

Read the full review on BookTrib.com