Chick Lit Central: Book Review: I Love You, Charlie Tanner

By Melissa Amster

It’s never too late to become your best self…

After twenty years in an isolated Cape Breton commune, Charlie Tanner loses the man she thought was her soulmate—and her voice. Fleeing to a quiet Vermont cottage, she’s determined to heal, tend her garden, and start over.

When a widowed rabbi awakens feelings she thought were gone forever, Charlie must confront the truth of her choices—and chart a more confident future. Still, reverberations and rumors from her old life ripple back to her in her new home and hard as she tries, she just can’t escape the sinister truth of her last two decades. She tries to shut it out and build a new life, but Charlie’s past continues to haunt her, even to the point of threatening her life.

Finally, Charlie sees that no one will save her but herself. She must summon the courage to face the truth and speak up—be the strong woman she once wanted to be, long before she fell for lies and charismatic personalities. It’s not only her life on the line, now. If she doesn’t stand tall, she risks being silenced by the past and losing those she loves forever. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I had been hearing some good buzz about I Love You, Charlie Tanner, and recently got the chance to check it out for myself. I'm so glad for that because it was so easy to fall in love with.

The story was both comforting and unsettling at the same time. I just couldn't get enough of it! Lynne really explored the emotions that come with someone shutting out their family for a long period of time. There's just so much to unpack. We see flashbacks from Charlie's life on the commune, while she's currently trying to learn more about herself in her new life.

I really just loved so much about this book. Lots of Jewish joy, great steamy scenes, genuine emotion and dialogue, descriptions that brought the story to life even more, and an interesting premise. The characters worked so well and had a variety of layers.

I wish we had an update on something but I can't say what it is as to not spoil the story. I just felt like a certain aspect got left up in the air even after part of it was resolved. I also wish there had been a conversation between Charlie and her parents about how they treated her when she was a kid. None of these concerns were deterrents to the greatness of this novel, however.

I Love You, Charlie Tanner is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. Definitely check it out and bask in the warmth and generosity of this novel!

Movie casting suggestions:

Charlie: Milana Vayntrub

James: Ryan Hurst

Parker: Either Michiel Huisman or Max Greenfield

Charlie's mom: Stepfanie Kramer

Mary: Marguerite Moreau

Boden: Xavier Dolan

Indira: Matilda De Angelis

(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)

More by Lynne Golodner:

Woman of Valor