Love In The Present Tense
the heart-warming and uplifting novel from Richard & Judy bestseller Catherine Ryan Hyde
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4.1 • 7 Ratings
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- £4.99
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
The story of a love that transcends time, place and human weakness from Richard & Judy bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Perfect for fans of Mark Haddon, Mitch Albom and Alice Sebold.
'A work of art...enchanting' -- San Francisco Chronicle
'A magnificent storyteller' -- Denver Post
'What a quirky wonderful book! It moved me and made me laugh - what a wee gem!' -- ***** Reader review
'A beautiful, moving and thoughtful book' -- ****** Reader review
'Read it in one sitting. Really enjoyed it - had me laughing one minute and crying the next.' -- ***** Reader review
'A beautiful story about love in its various forms.' -- ***** Reader review
'Heartbreaking and uplifting.' -- ***** Reader review
'I highly recommend this book, it'll move the hardest of hearts!'-- ***** Reader review
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THE MAGICAL STORY OF A YOUNG BOY'S SEARCH FOR BELONGING
Mitch is a 25-year-old with commitment issues. Leonard is a five-year-old kid with asthma and vision problems, who captivates everyone he meets. Pearl is Leonard's teenage mother, who's trying to hide a violent secret from her past. Life has given Pearl every reason to mistrust people, but circumstances force her to trust her neighbour, Mitch.
Then one day, with a heart full of agony, Pearl drops Leonard off with Mitch and never returns.
How do you go on loving someone who isn't there? With Leonard's absolute conviction in 'forever love' always present, Leonard and Mitch grow up side by side and piece together the layered truths and fictions of their almost magical lives.
Pearl, Leonard and Mitch each have a story to tell - as their lives unfold, profound questions arise about the nature of love and family. The answers are heartbreaking, but ultimately triumphant.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Uniting vivid, needy characters in unlikely relationships is Hyde's specialty (Pay It Forward), evidenced in her emotional sixth novel. Featuring a tough teen, her sweet son, and their flawed but sincere neighbor, each take turns narrating their story in fresh, distinct voices. At thirteen, Pearl lives with a kind prostitute while her mom copes with a crippling drug addiction. In one tragic night, Pearl gets herself pregnant and accidentally kills the father, a police officer; on the run, Pearl decides that she and her son, Leonard, will share a "forever love," an unbreakable and unconditional bond. Pearl protects Leonard like a lioness, shielding him from the dangerous world and the tragic story of his father. At five, Leonard smart, loving and saddled with a degenerative eye disease stays with 25-year-old next-door neighbor Mitch while Pearl works; when Pearl disappears, Mitch must assume responsibility for Leonard not easy to do while maintaining a home business and an affair with a client's wife. Despite Pearl's mysterious departure, Leonard stays true to her "forever love," denying that he has been abandoned. Mitch isn't so sure, and when Leonard begins having his own doubts, they both must re-examine their beliefs. Hyde excels in sentimental, utopian storytelling, and though it isn't as sharp a hook as "paying it forward," her story of a love that transcends time, place and human weakness is a worthy successor.
