Love in the Present Tense is an inspiring story of love in all its many forms.
Synopsis of Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Pearl is a street kid who, on her 13th birthday, becomes pregnant and accidentally kills the baby’s father, a police officer. She spends the next five years moving around, trying to keep hidden from the police who search for her and attempting to keep baby Leonard safe. Eventually, her past catches up with her and she never returns after leaving Leonard with her neighbor, Mitch.
Mitch is far from the ideal caretaker--he’s having an affair with a client’s wife--but he and Leonard must find a way to bridge the gap between them as they bond as parent and child. As time goes on, Leonard becomes very close to Mitch, but he never stops feeling Pearl's presence in a tangible way: her 'forever love' for him. And Mitch discovers that taking care of Leonard is the best thing that ever happened to him.
The story's characters include a tough teen (Pearl), her sweet son (Leonard, age 5 at the beginning of the story, smart and loving and suffering from a degenerative eye disease), and the 25-year-old neighbor, Mitch, who maintains a home business.
Summary
Narrated in the alternating voices of the principal characters, this novel is an examination of relationships and special bonds. Events go back and forth in time from one chapter to the next. Mitch and Leonard grow up together, through the power and the magic of the human heart.
Author Catherine Ryan Hyde once again gives us an astoundingly wise portrayal of human nature.
*Review of the novel, Love in the Present Tense, was written by Wednesday Elf
