The Name Game: a review by Kayne
Two people show up to work at the secluded Isle of Ormer farm shop, both named Charlie Jones and both ready for a fresh start in life! How could this happen? Who was the real Charlie Jones? Both Charlies have their own secrets and reasons for being there and I was excited to see how it would all unfold. There were some zany twists that had me confused midway through the story, but I enjoyed the beautiful island setting and the colorful characters as they found their way to happiness.
The island shop owner is surprised when two people arrive claiming to be her new employee, Charlie Jones. She believes the island calls to people and she can use the extra help with harvest coming so she decides they can share the job (and pay) for two months and then decide who will stay. To simplify their names, he goes by Jones and she goes by Charlie. They have to share lodging and work together at the shop and it gets fun. Their banter is snarky and lighthearted. The island setting is magical with beach hikes, a barn dance and farm animals. They have both experienced loss and are looking forward to this chance to start over. At first, they don’t trust each other but as they work together and get to know each other, they begin to share their grief. The story is mainly told in a diary format with both of their view points.
On the first day, Jones tells everyone that it’s his first day sober and that he was a bartender before coming to the island. He is handy at fixing things and is also good with people. Charlie doesn’t tell people much about her past, but we see her struggle with panic attacks and anxiety plus she longs to have a baby. She and Jones hope to improve shop sales enough for both of them to stay on. It’s a popular tourist destination and the descriptions of food items from the shop sounded delicious.
It’s romantic when they are caught in the rain together and run to the lighthouse where they collide and kiss. There’s a lot of yearning between them, but we only see them share a few kisses in this story.
There was a really unique twist in the story and I wondered how the author came up with the zany premise! I was confused in places but I wondered if that was intentional? Once the twist was revealed, I began to see what was happening and the story really took off.
I always enjoy O’Leary’s humor and while the story deals with some heavy themes, the banter is stellar. My favorite O’Leary books are The Flatshare and The Wake-Up Call, and while The Name Game had some awkward twists, the small-town romance and quirky secondary characters won me over by the end.
by Kayne Spooner