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bianca89279's review against another edition
3.0
I've received this novel via NetGalley, thanks to the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.
This wasn't a bad novel, but it felt familiar like I read the story before.
Tina is a battered wife in the 1970s. She volunteers in a second-hand shop, and there she finds a letter in a donated suit. The letter was from 1939 and it was addressed to Chrissie. Touched by what she read, she decides to find out more about the sender and the addressee.
There are quite a few characters and stories from different decades. I thought the characters were unidimensional, not developed enough. While I liked that the story was written in the third person, there was a lot of head hopping going on - I found that distracting.
Given that this novel had lots of elements that usually tug at my heartstrings: a sad love story, a battered woman, stories about the odious Catholic nuns and their treatment of unmarried mothers, child death etc., I felt detached and unengaged through most of it.
In many ways, this novel felt like one of those LifeTime (?) movies, which can be enjoyable, but they're no Oscar winners.
This wasn't a bad novel, but it felt familiar like I read the story before.
Tina is a battered wife in the 1970s. She volunteers in a second-hand shop, and there she finds a letter in a donated suit. The letter was from 1939 and it was addressed to Chrissie. Touched by what she read, she decides to find out more about the sender and the addressee.
There are quite a few characters and stories from different decades. I thought the characters were unidimensional, not developed enough. While I liked that the story was written in the third person, there was a lot of head hopping going on - I found that distracting.
Given that this novel had lots of elements that usually tug at my heartstrings: a sad love story, a battered woman, stories about the odious Catholic nuns and their treatment of unmarried mothers, child death etc., I felt detached and unengaged through most of it.
In many ways, this novel felt like one of those LifeTime (?) movies, which can be enjoyable, but they're no Oscar winners.
jolantheerb's review against another edition
4.0
A sweet story of reconciliation, but also how small decisions can impact lives across generations.
A shopkeeper discovers a letter that was never mailed and decides to find the intended recipient. The letter leads her on a journey of discovery and also changes the lives of those whose lives hinge on the contents some thirty years later.
Some language and also scenes that may be disturbing (domestic abuse).
A shopkeeper discovers a letter that was never mailed and decides to find the intended recipient. The letter leads her on a journey of discovery and also changes the lives of those whose lives hinge on the contents some thirty years later.
Some language and also scenes that may be disturbing (domestic abuse).
sabrina80's review against another edition
3.0
I actually really enjoyed the idea for this storyline spanning the decades. One part was just as WWII would begin and the rest was in the early 70s. I loved how the storyline was based on a letter that brought the two eras together. What I disliked was the writing style, it really let the story down. Found it too repetitive and almost child like. And nobody likes predicting the love story that would inevitably unfold after the first few chapters making it just far too predictable. That said I still enjoyed it overall.
cohencottage's review against another edition
3.0
Great story, fast read. I didn't find it as life changing as some of the other reviews, but I enjoyed it.
nannyf's review against another edition
4.0
This story has so much packed into its pages. It has marital abuse, unplanned pregnancy, mystery, war, love stories, and more. The way the author weaves everything together is very well done.
This book isn't just one story. It is two different stories, set 30 odd years apart, and how they come together through one woman's dogged determination to solve a mystery and reunite a letter with its intended recipient.
The story is very well written, it really held my attention. I couldn't wait to see if Tina would find a way out of her day to day life, why the letter in question was never delivered, and what happened to those involved in both stories. There were a lot of different strands to the story, can everything come together and provide a satisfactory ending? Check it out for yourselves if you want to find out.
Recommended read from me.
This book isn't just one story. It is two different stories, set 30 odd years apart, and how they come together through one woman's dogged determination to solve a mystery and reunite a letter with its intended recipient.
The story is very well written, it really held my attention. I couldn't wait to see if Tina would find a way out of her day to day life, why the letter in question was never delivered, and what happened to those involved in both stories. There were a lot of different strands to the story, can everything come together and provide a satisfactory ending? Check it out for yourselves if you want to find out.
Recommended read from me.
sun_shine2025_sc's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
abowlen's review against another edition
2.0
Blah. Couldn’t even finish it. Skimmed to the end. Don’t bother, even for a 99 cent Kindle buy.
hiking_pages's review against another edition
3.0
There are some books that I feel should not be read in audiobook form - this is perhaps one of them.
What started off as an intriguing plot and a beautiful tie between two love stories, set years apart, became muddled as I struggled to bear 9 hours of the narrator's poor regional dialects and their take on an American accent. For some reason, the main protagonist of Tina was portrayed as someone much older by ear, which was confusing as the story came to a climax. This, in part, is why I didn't enjoy the story so much.
The writing itself is fully descriptive, evoking and well researched - the characters were all beautifully woven with a clear sense of foreboding from the start. I enjoyed the twists and turns of The Letter - I only think I light need to give it another go in paperback form.
What started off as an intriguing plot and a beautiful tie between two love stories, set years apart, became muddled as I struggled to bear 9 hours of the narrator's poor regional dialects and their take on an American accent. For some reason, the main protagonist of Tina was portrayed as someone much older by ear, which was confusing as the story came to a climax. This, in part, is why I didn't enjoy the story so much.
The writing itself is fully descriptive, evoking and well researched - the characters were all beautifully woven with a clear sense of foreboding from the start. I enjoyed the twists and turns of The Letter - I only think I light need to give it another go in paperback form.
kiwikazz's review against another edition
4.0
An easy light read. Very enjoyable story for a lazy winters Saturday afternoon.
lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
What a beautifully written story. Tina is in an abusive marriage with Rick. She volunteers in a charity shop and finds a letter in an old suit that's been donated. This letter takes her on a journey that I don't think she ever thought possible. There is heartbreak and happiness along the way.
In 1939, Billy writes a letter that he hopes will bring him forgiveness and change his future. It does, but not how he would have imagined.
I really liked Tina's character and felt all her emotions through the story. I also felt for Billy too and the situation he ended up in. This story intrigued me from the beginning and had quite a few twists and turns.
In 1939, Billy writes a letter that he hopes will bring him forgiveness and change his future. It does, but not how he would have imagined.
I really liked Tina's character and felt all her emotions through the story. I also felt for Billy too and the situation he ended up in. This story intrigued me from the beginning and had quite a few twists and turns.