Back to Yesterday by Pamela Sparkman
Genre: Historical Twentieth Century Romance (WWII)
Release Date: May 2, 2016
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON UK | AMAZON US
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
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON UK | AMAZON US
REVIEW – 5 STARS
My goodness, that was beautiful. I have to admit I feel rather silly as to why it’s taken me so long to pick up a book by Pamela Sparkman. I’ve seen fantastic reviews for her Stolen Breaths series, but it was the synopsis to Back to Yesterday which instantly ignited my interest.
Set in 1943 during World War II, it was unique to anything I’ve read previously. After reading I can say it was not only a unique experience, but an incredibly special one too.
Back to Yesterday is the true essence of a love story. It’s beautifully written and captures the wonderful and fragile moments that come with falling in love. I basked in the imagery Pamela created and fell in love with not only the story, but the characters too.
Prologue
Charlie
Her best friend found me sitting alone in the café. I guess she knew where to find me. It wasn’t hard. I was always sitting alone in the café, because it was where Sophie worked and I liked being near her. Though, she wasn’t here now and I likely wouldn’t see her again anytime soon.
“She’s heartbroken you know.”
Never once stealing a glance her way, I murmured, “I know.”
“You should go to her. I’ve never seen her like this.”
I closed my eyes, recalling the last words Sophie had said to me. It was what I’d been doing for the last two hours. In fact, her last words felt like they were woven around my neck like a noose, choking the life out of me.
“Charles, look at me.”
I didn’t. Instead, I chose to tell her what I knew to be true. “She doesn’t want to see me.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Believe it.” I turned to face her so she could see my pain, my broken heart, and then redirected my eyes back out the window. “Besides, it’s probably better this way.”
Her friend slid in the booth across from me. “Better for whom? Her or you?”
“For both of us I suppose.”
With a sigh, she made the request again. “Please look at me, Charles.”
Hesitantly, I granted her request and turned to her. Her eyes wore empathy, and her smile held regret. “I know you told her you were leaving tomorrow and I know she hasn’t admitted it to you yet, but she loves you. You have to know that.”
Swallowing the ache I felt, I nodded. “I know.”
“Well if you know then why are you sitting here? Why aren’t you with her trying to–”
“I know what I’m doing,” I said, standing abruptly. I reached into my pocket, pulled out some money and slapped it down on the table. “I’m giving her what she wants.”
Coming to a stand beside me and getting in my face, she said, “Yeah? And what is that exactly?”
Ignoring her question, I headed for the door. She followed, nipping at my heels all the way. “I can’t believe you! You’re just gonna leave…without another word…just like that?”
I was coming unraveled at the seams. Once outside, I spun around and gripped her shoulders, startling her when I did something I never do…I raised my voice. “Yes! That’s exactly what I’m gonna do!”
Her eyes darted back and forth between mine while she tried to make sense of it all. “But…why?”
I loosened my grip and stated in a softer tone, hoping I could make her understand. “Because… it’s the only way she’ll ever admit that she made a mistake. I have to let her think she lost me, Elizabeth, and you have to let her think that too.”
“I don’t understand. You should fight for her.”
I took a step back and looked her right in the eyes. “I am fighting for her. I’ve been fighting for her.” I bowed my head, feeling the gaping hole inside my chest where my heart used to be, and in a whisper said, “It’s her turn to fight for me.”
AUTHOR BIO
I grew up in Alabama and have always been an avid reader. I had a stack of those Little Golden Books and I can remember reading Three Little Kittens over and over and over again. It was my favorite.
Fast forward and the older I got the more in love books I became. So, I’m admitting that I am a huge nerd. The only reading I don’t like are those math word problems. And I’m okay with that because no one has ever asked me in real life… “If I give you two bananas and take away six apples, how long will it take the southbound train to collide with the northbound train if Johnny left his house at midnight?” It just doesn’t happen.
So, yeah, books are my thing.
Oh, and writing. I love to write. So, I did. Write, I mean. And when I was finished I had a story in front of me about a girl named Lily, and a guy named Cooper. And when I reached the end, I felt – lost. Like, I was saying good-bye to old friends. It snuck up on me and I realized I wasn’t ready to let go. It was then I decided that I needed to keep writing – keep telling stories – and hopefully some other people may enjoy them as well.
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