Pamela Sparkman

All it takes is just one person. One person that has the power to change you, to make you fall in love.

Charlie Hudson, a Reconnaissance pilot during World War II, is home recovering from a war injury when he meets Sophie McCormick. Wait, let me rewind back a little further first. He didn’t technically meet her yet, he has only been watching her for the past couple of weeks at the restaurant where she works as a waitress biding his time till he could make an introduction. When the time finally comes, he manages to finagle his way into a date where he makes her a bet she can not refuse. Charlie bets Sophie that he can make her fall in love with him. Not one to back down from a bet, Sophie takes him up on his challenge as she is not looking to fall in love, especially not with an army pilot and especially not during a war where he could easily be taken from her. For Sophie, falling in love was non-negotiable.

Sophie has secrets of her own that she wants to keep hidden, but Charlie seems to be knocking down every one of the barriers she has placed around her heart. Can Sophie find the courage to finally let him in or will her mind deny her what her heart truly wants?

“I need someone who will care about me if I don’t come back. I need someone to care about me, Sophie.” My eyes skirted over her head and up towards the moon. I closed my eyes and quietly said again, “I don’t have anyone and I need someone. I desperately need that someone to be you.”
She placed her hand on mine. “Why?” she asked softly.
I lowered my eyes to hers. “Because…I think you need me too.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I don’t think it. I feel it.”

BACK TO YESTERDAY, set against the backdrop of World War II, is a captivating and brilliantly written love story full of heartfelt emotions that weave its way through the pages and into our hearts. Pamela Sparkman has such a way with words that will leave you breathless and desperate for more. Her writing style is lyrical and draws you right in. The simple things, like the tender phrasings thrown into the pages left me smiling and my heart beating faster. You will laugh and cry and maybe even fall in love just like I did. Charlie and Sophie’s story is told in both the present and past in chapters marked “Yesterday” and “Today” which give it an old time feel reminding me of the fact that the story takes place in 1943 during a war where not everyone you loved made it back home.

“I want to be the guy you run to when the world caves in around you. I want to be the guy who can put a smile on your face and kiss away all the bad stuff…the one who gets under your skin because I’m all you can think about. But mostly I just want to be the guy you call yours, because you’re that girl for me, Sophie McCormick.”

Charlie and Sophie’s story is a classic love story right up to par with The Notebook or An Officer and a Gentleman. If you loved these two, then I know you will fall in love with this story as well. BACK TO YESTERDAY is just so powerful and so moving and quickly became a 5 star read for me. To be totally honest 5 stars isn’t even enough to express just what this story did for me and how it made me feel. All I know is this story is simply perfect and has found its way onto my keeper shelf where it will always remain. Pamela Sparkman, you have gained a fan for life and I can not wait to read more.… (plus d'informations)

Wow! This book was a roller-coaster of emotions. One minute I was smiling, then the next I was in tears. Hayden and Beth's story was extremely moving and poignant, and Beth struggled with some heartbreaking issues including the untimely death of her parents when she was a child, anxiety and bulimia which gave this book more depth than the first two novels in the series.

Pamela Sparkman has an easy, believable style of writing and I have enjoyed my time with Cooper, Lily, Maggie, Joe, Beth, Hayden and, of course, Ms Sophie who was the glue that held them all together. I also liked Molly and little Annie, who were new characters in this book, and I adored Hayden's dog, Dozer. Although most of these individuals were unrelated by blood, they became a family who loved and supported each other throughout the ups and downs of life, sharing laughter and tears, heartbreak and happiness. For me, the ending was bitter-sweet, but I loved how the author brought everything to a close. A lovely series.… (plus d'informations)

This was a sweet historical romance, with the emphasis on the romance, not the history. Sophie and Charlie shared the narration as the story alternated between the past and present, giving an insight into their pain, struggles, fears, hopes and joys.

Sophie and Charlie were genuinely nice characters although, of the two, Charlie was my favourite - so swoon-worthy, patient, sensitive and gallant. Their love story was certainly of epic proportions, but it was touching and I loved the epilogue - it brought everything together beautifully. I even shed a tear or two!

I would like to get my hands on the playlist for this book as Ms Sparkman chose some terrific songs to herald the start of each chapter.… (plus d'informations)