Chasing Love

Charlie Mason is the protagonist and one of the first-person narrators of the novel. The chapters titled with her first name are written from her perspective and trace episodes from her storyline. In the narrative present, Charlie is in her late twenties. She lives in New York City and runs a family law firm with her best friend from law school, Nikki Romano. Charlie has been single for the past year, attempting to focus on her career, friendships, and personal growth. When she unexpectedly meets, falls in love with, and gets engaged to Julian Baker, Charlie feels as if romantic bliss might be in her future after all. However, Charlie’s chance encounter with her first love, Lex Edwards, immediately jeopardizes these hopes.

Charlie has been trying to heal from her heartbreak over Lex for nine years. She and Lex had an affair when Charlie was 18 and Lex was 25. Lex was married to Samantha Benson at the time, forcing Charlie and Lex to keep their relationship secret. Even still, Charlie believed Lex’s promises that they’d find a way to be together forever. His sudden disappearance from Charlie’s life after he discovered that Samantha was pregnant destroyed Charlie emotionally and mentally.