From the author of Rise and Shine Benedict Stone, soon to be a an original movie on Hallmark.“An endearing celebration of life.” -RealSimple.comPerfect for fans of A Man Called Ove, this curiously charming debut follows a lovable widower and his life-changing adventure of love and self-discovery.Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just … Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.
But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as 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 hope and healing in the most unexpected places.
Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters with big hearts and irresistible flaws, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a joyous reminder of life’s infinite possibilities.
Check out these other heartwarming stories from Phaedra Patrick.
Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone
The Library of Lost and Found
The Secrets of Love Story Bridge
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Recently, I picked up The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper because I was in desperate need of something redemptive and hope-filled. The quirky cover and flap copy made the novel sound light-hearted and adventurous, and I looked forward to an easy read. What I didn’t bargain for was the depth of emotion that kept me alternately in tears and doubled over with laughter as I traveled with Arthur on his amazing journey.
Arthur Pepper is marking the one-year anniversary of his beloved wife’s death by finally clearing out her closet. But when his fastidious nature compels him to check every pocket, nook, and cranny, he discovers a gorgeous charm bracelet that he has never seen before. The bracelet is not only expensive, it’s personal, and each charm seems poised to tell a story—though Arthur is certain that these stories couldn’t possibly have anything to do with his quiet, stable, dependable wife. Or could they? Upon closer inspection, Arthur discovers a number engraved on a tiny elephant, and when he musters the courage to call it he is set on a path of discovery and excitement.
As Arthur follows the trail of the charm bracelet, he discovers things about his wife that he could have never imagined. Why didn’t she tell him about her past? About the places she had traveled and the people she knew? Arthur is at turns fascinated and hurt. Reconciling the woman he loved for over forty years with the stranger that he is slowly discovering is both liberating and painful. And while Arthur uncovers secrets and surprises about Miriam, he also learns a great deal about himself.
This gorgeous, funny, touching book is both whimsical and profound. It is truly a gift to witness Arthur’s life unfold and expand as the pages dance by. I wept and giggled over the scene in the art studio (you’ll have to read it to understand!) and found myself cheering on not just Arthur but every single person everywhere as I longed for him (and us!) to fully realize our capacity for love and life. I highly recommend The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper to readers everywhere. I’m certain it will charm you as much as it delighted me.
I loved this book! You will find yourself hanging on to every word and waiting to see what happens next as Arthur begins a journey of discovery. I listened to the audiobook version and found myself gasping and laughing and getting teary as the story progressed.
The author does a wonderful job of developing the characters. You will travel along with Arthur and fall in love with the various individuals he meets along the way. Be prepared as you experience a variety of feelings…love, loneliness, fear, anxiety, insecurity, a sense of purpose, etc. Your heart will swell as Arthur realizes things are not always as they seemed.
I would love for this book to be made into a movie. It is definitely one I would see at the theater!
When I feel like escaping for a few days…I love looking for these books about quirky people. They are fun reads…you don’t have to think, just enjoy!
Patrick looks at love and loss from an often underrepresented perspective. Arthur Pepper is a gentleman of a certain age, struggling with bereavement and the sudden, and frequently disconcerting, discovery of his late wife’s past. Also unusual is the use of a charm bracelet as a McGuffin that moves the story along. Patrick investigates themes of family and relationship as well as love and loss and asks the question “how well do we really know those closest to us?” Thoroughly enjoyable, heartfelt and at times, heartbreaking, this book was wonderful from start to finish.
My husband and I read THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER out loud—back and forth—to each other. We loved traveling with Arthur to India, France, London, and to York and Bath in the United Kingdom as he learned the stories behind each of the gold charms on his late wife’s bracelet. More importantly, we enjoyed watching Arthur blossom as he learned about himself.
I loved The Curious Charms Of Arthur Pepper. The story was heartwarming and made me think of my own family. Time goes by so quickly we must relish the short time we have on this earth and love and appreciate our families and friends.
The Author spins an entertaining and inspiring tale through Arthur Pepper in his search for clues to his late wife’s charm bracelet. I found myself laughing out loud many times throughout the story, it left me feeling happy and hopeful. I’m looking forward to the next book from this Author.
I give The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper 5 stars for it’s lovely story.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
Such a funny sweet story of a widower discovering why his late wife loved him.
Really charming and not sickly sweet love story about a man who recently lost his wife and discovers her all over again by collecting the stories behind each charm on a bracelet she’d kept hidden from him. (Way better than my run-on sentence!)
This is a feel good book about ordinary people. I love a character driven book–and that is what this is. The story is fun but still managed to be touching at the same time.
Recommended by my husband who pulled it up on his e-reader by mistake (instead of a Western!). Thoroughly delightful! How nice to be able to share these characters over the supper table.
What a delightful book! It was a page turner, because I was as curious as anyone. Enjoy the light hearted to sometimes sad book, Finished it in 2 days…so if that’s a measure of a good book, then my recommendation is 4-5 stars.
Joan
A Charming story of a man dealing with the loss of his wife. There is life after loss.
Charming.
A nice and touching diversion that explores the relationships in our lives.
Charming book about a widower coming out of his grief to explore the meaning of a new (to him) charm bracelet his late wife had owned. Discovering this previously unknown part of her life (before she met him) helps him find his way back to his own.
My 60-year-old dad died very suddenly of a brain aneurysm almost two months ago. I’ve lost one of my best friends and my very favorite book buddy. We would read the same books and go meet authors together; our latest book obsession was Fredrick Backman’s stories. We even went to meet him a few months ago. My dad got a good selfie with him, as he often did with authors. 🙂
I bought The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper for my dad for Christmas because I had heard that it was a lot like A Man called Ove (which he was actually in the middle of reading again when he died.) I haven’t been able to bring myself to truly pick up a book and read since I lost my dad but I thought maybe listening to the audiobook of the last book I ever bought him might be worth a try.
I’m so glad this book found me at this time in my life. A story of grief and hope; a journey after the loss of someone you don’t know quite how to do life without. Beautiful story, and now that I’ve read it I know that it’s time to pick up a book and start reading again.
I totally loved this book, and could not put it down. It was an original, creative idea, well told, with a wonderful character I was tickled to meet. The author really develops her idea nicely, with a rhythm that compelled me to read straight through. I was so satisfied with this tale and have already recommended it to my friends. Don’t miss it.
So entertaining! I LOVED this book from beginning to end and found Arthur so endearing. Definitely one of my favorite reads. I highly recommend it. I got choked up at the end. It’s a “feel good” book and renews your hope in people while reminding us what a profound difference we can make in small ways.
Delightful story,, very human. All the events were unexpected. The characters are well developed and believable.
Had no idea that Phaedra Patrick was a known writer when I read this, but I’m not surprised! Wonderful insights into life, love, loss and recovery. Ended up buying a paperback for an “Arthur Pepper” in my life—a healing journey for sure.
A lovely, quirky adventure tale told from the perspective of an older widower whose gentle grace makes the story come alive in a good way. I was enthralled from the first page.