The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra PatrickMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
4 1/2 Stars. Arthur Pepper is a widower whose wife, Miriam, died a year ago. His world has gotten smaller and more self-centered - he stays at home except for infrequent trips to the grocery, thrives on routine, avoids his do-good neighbor Bernadette who brings him food, and occasionally talks to his adult daughter and son. Everything changes when he discovers a hidden charm bracelet belonging to his wife that he didn't know she owned. The charms reflect various aspects of her life - before she met Arthur. He embarks on a quest to find out more about Miriam and her life -- he journeys to London and Paris, talks to individuals in India and the local college to piece things together.
Throughout the book we follow Arthur trying to discover what Miriam was like before she met him, and not all of it was positive. This is a book of love, loss, grief, discovery, hope, and ultimately personal growth. Arthur is thrown into various uncomfortable situations as he is tracking down the background of each of the charms. Yet he embraces each of them for what they tell him about his wife. Overall, it's a feel-good book with a happy ending. A perfect book to read at the end of 2025, and I'm looking forward to a discussion with my book club.
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