We first meet Charlie in the place he is most comfortable, a bar. He has been in contact through text messages and phone calls with his first wife, Vivian. Vivian is nearly broken down by life, and is delighted to reconnect with Charlie, though she doesn't trust him. They divorced after a few years of marriage, primarily because Charlie couldn’t get his drinking under control.
Forty years have gone by. They’ve both lived lives, married other people, and struggled. Now they meet again.
A Forty Year Kiss is the love story that unfolds when two people who loved each other once reconnect. Charlie’s life has been full of material goods, and wealth, while Vivian is devoted to helping her daughter, who is a single mother, and with whom she shares her impoverished life. The story is beautifully told, through eyes that have learned to appreciate the beauty still present when two people can get out of their own way. The book is filled with emotion and great mid-western characters. It feels like going home.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the review copy. A Forty Year Kiss will be released on February 4, 2025.