Charlotte Moore

At last April's Jasper Park Lodge reunion, a challenge surfaced to learn what happened to your first crush. More like Lydia Lane than Zoey Phillips, CHARLOTTE MORE finds the idea intriguing. She remembers being in a Toronto fifth grade class pining with love for high school student Liam Connery, who did not know she existed. On a business trip to Prince Edwards Island, Charlotte sees Liam. However, he is nothing like her dreams and memories portray him, as he acts very dark, remote, and misanthropic except with his dogs. Charlotte finds herself still attracted to her first love even if he acts distant towards her. As she begins to break down his barriers and fall in adult love, Liam cannot commit to the forever that Charlotte needs from him. Judith Bowen's second "Girlfriends" novel feels more like a modern day gothic romance as opposed to the contemporary tale of its predecessor (see Zoey Phillips). The lead couple is an interesting pair struggling with deep feelings Liam does not want. Prince Edwards Island makes for a unique Canadian locale. After reading CHARLOTTE MOORE, fans will anxiously await next month's LYDIA LANE tale.Harriet Klausner

Zoey Phillips, Charlotte Moore, and Lydia Lane met just after high school while working at a wilderness resort in the Rocky Mountains. Ten years later at the reunion of the Jasper Park Lodger summer staff, someone speculates what fun it might be to look up the boy that led to their first heartbreak. Perhaps he's balding, paunchy, and boring. Then at the next year's reunion, they'd all report their results. Six months after their discussion, Charlotte gains her unexpected opportunity to find out what happened to Liam Connery, the boy she had a crush on in fifth grade. Charlotte's sister Laurel offers to set her up with the opportunity to meet Liam again. Laurel supposedly made arrangements to breed her show Labrador retriever Maggie with one of Liam's dogs. While surprised to learn Liam gave up his dreams of flying to become a breeder, Charlotte happily agrees to drop Maggie off for breeding since she will be working nearby anyway. Charlotte has her own business as a decorative arts supplier, and had landed the opportunity to carry out a special estate appraisal on Prince Edward Island. The job should take three or four weeks, which should give enough time for Maggie's breeding. Unfortunately, Laurel neglects to mention that Liam had second thoughts about breeding one of his gun dogs with a show dog.From the moment he first glimpses Charlotte, Liam doggedly holds himself in careful control. With a haunting dark secret, he doesn't want involvement with a woman. His life is limited to running his breeding and kennel service, and taking care of his marvelous aging mother. But his mother Ada has her own ideas about how things should be, offering to care for Maggie while Charlotte works. One thing leads to another, and soon Ada persuades her son to offer a room to Charlotte. Their house had been set up as bed and breakfast, so they obviously have the room and Ada can use the company. Even as the enigmatic Liam maintains his careful distance, Charlotte can't help regretting that the cheerful boy she knew years ago became such a taciturn man. Yet there's something incredibly attractive about him when he forgets his careful control long enough to smile. Author Judith Bowen creates a delightful conundrum in CHARLOTTE MOORE. Liam falls in love while still struggling with the past. Granted, there are extreme circumstances that certainly justify his decision. However, because he has not told Charlotte the truth of the past, Liam's omission becomes not an ethical issue, but one of honesty. Bowen uses this plot to great effect, leaving the reader to contemplate Liam's dark secrets and question his motives before finally resolving the explanation. Contrasting the dark secrets of the past are several litters of puppies, a marvelous old house full of treasure, and terrific cast of characters. A novel of surprising depth and marvelous characterizations, CHARLOTTE MOORE comes very highly recommended.