romance, contemporary fiction
Charlie Jones (she goes by “Charlie”) and Charlie Jones (he goes by “Jones”) end up meeting each other when they both show up to start the same new job on a small island in the English Channel. Obviously, there was some sort of mix-up since they have the same name. But how were two acceptance letters inexplicably mailed to two different people? Despite the fact that something very fishy is going on, the two Charlie Joneses agree to live in the same farmhouse (there’s no other open space on the island) and work together for two months so that the farm store owners can get to know them before deciding which Charlie Jones they’ll officially hire. Both need this job because they need fresh starts, leaving behind all their former troubles.
Amy’s Review
While not as good as Beth O’Leary’s other novels, it was cute watching two people who have vowed to not deal with other people discover each other. The story unfolded through Charlie’s and Jones’ journaling. While the premise of two Charlies getting the same job offer was an unlikely stretch, the real problem for me was that the reader was not given sufficient information about Charlie’s prior troubles. Very slowly, her experiences emerge through flashbacks but I couldn’t really figure out why she was so delicate and I had trouble caring about someone who I didn’t know well. It was frustrating to me. I guess all the unexplained anxiety wasn’t what I was in the mood for over winter break.
And THEN, near the end, the entire novel went topsy turvy with a giant plot twist I hadn’t seen coming. I can’t say anything at all or I’ll ruin it. But it took effort getting reoriented to the new reality which was presented.
I really feel badly when I get a galley from an author I love but don’t end up loving it as much as the author’s other books. I fear NetGalley, the author, or the publisher won’t grant me any more galleys. But I want to be honest. The Name Game lacked the level of fun I’ve come to expect from O’Leary’s novels. I also didn’t love the characters as much as I normally do.
I do genuinely appreciate being given the opportunity to read an early copy of this novel!
Lynnie’s Review
On the remote Isle of Ormer, two people named Charlie Jones get off the
ferry and present themselves as the new manager of the island farm shop.
Has there been a mix-up? Is one of them an imposter? Will the real
Charlie Jones please stand up?
I absolutely loved the Isle of
Ormer and its residents. As O'Leary does, she created characters that
you not only want to spend time with, but that you feel you already
know. While the Charlie Joneses are a mystery, the other Ormer
inhabitants and the setting itself are delightful and I found myself
completely charmed by them. It was them, more than the Charlies, who made
me want to keep reading at first, though the Charlies certainly grew on
me as the book progressed and, in the end, I found myself cheering for
them and their love story, as I always do in any O'Leary novel.
But
the mystery of the Charlies is the meat of the book, isn't it? Sadly,
like any mystery, I had it figured out by about halfway through the
book; Checkov's gun strikes again. At least, I had the who figured out,
if not exactly the how. And like any mystery, that made the book much
less interesting for me, which is why I generally don't read mysteries.
It's not O'Leary's fault, I actually think she obfuscated really well,
particularly for someone who doesn't write mysteries most of the time.
At the end of the book though, I found myself wondering if I would have
enjoyed the book any less (or even more) if it had been written without that bit of
storytelling, and the truth is, I don't know.
As I was looking
back, I realized that Amy and I have read every single book
Beth O'Leary has written; we generally love her writing. There's a lot
of O'Leary's signature wit and charm in the pages of The Name Game and
overall, I really enjoyed the story and her characters, but if you've
read my reviews before, you know that I do NOT enjoy a mystery and in
the end, that's the part of the book that brought this novel down for
me.
So, four stars for the lovely settings and characters and
typical O'Leary wit, 2 for the mystery that bored me,
rounds out to 3 overall. I think most readers will be much more tolerant
of the mystery than I was and will love the entire package.
Thank you to NetGalley, Beth O’Leary, and Berkley Publishing Group! The Name Game will be released on April 7, 2026.
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