Scan barcode
A review by nuriamm
The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
medium-paced
5.0
Cue “The Lament of the TBR Procrastinator.”
Three years. Three years of separation, unanswered questions and anguish for Sebastian and Sylvia.
One year. One year since Sebastian has been back, wounded and reclusive.
Seven years. Seven years this devastatingly good book has been out, and I hadn’t read it. Walking around calling my self an angsty second chance fan when I had yet to get out of my own way and have this story in my life.
But then it’s days. Days it takes Sebastian to completely lash out.
Days it takes for feelings thought long-dead to resurface in full force for both.
Days it takes for Sylvia to not only tame the snarling beast but have him *gasp* apologizing.
Days (ok, more like nights) for me to inhale this story because, man, can Mimi write a tense, atmospheric tale, a scarred, growling brute of an endearing hero and a heroine with such practical, long-suffering, quiet strength. I’m not surprised, just in perpetual awe. The reversal of fortunes second chance had my Persuasion-fan self cheering, and, as always, every character is distinctive. Special shout out to MVP Lady Harker, every brooding shut-in needs an unapologetically meddling sister.
I love many books, but I very rarely have the “Don’t want it to end, Can’t help but inhale” struggle, and here it was so much so. How two people can hash out so much baggage while figuring out the root of their misconceptions and still manage to overthink themselves into knots and misunderstand each other is so delicious to me. I’m not an outwardly emotional reader at all, but the heart-squeezing tragedy of time wasted and characters spent in such despair able to find relief and home in each other seems really to yank on my little heartstrings and get a watery pout to come forth (basically the equivalent of ugly cry wailing sobs). The chest-pang-o-meter was off the charts with the achy tenderness and the blazing longing. I felt it all. I loved it all.
Content notes: Kissing Only. Mention of suicide. Mention of war violence. Very vague allusion to hero’s past premarital intimacy and a brothel visit. Some biblical swearing.
Three years. Three years of separation, unanswered questions and anguish for Sebastian and Sylvia.
One year. One year since Sebastian has been back, wounded and reclusive.
Seven years. Seven years this devastatingly good book has been out, and I hadn’t read it. Walking around calling my self an angsty second chance fan when I had yet to get out of my own way and have this story in my life.
But then it’s days. Days it takes Sebastian to completely lash out.
Days it takes for feelings thought long-dead to resurface in full force for both.
Days it takes for Sylvia to not only tame the snarling beast but have him *gasp* apologizing.
Days (ok, more like nights) for me to inhale this story because, man, can Mimi write a tense, atmospheric tale, a scarred, growling brute of an endearing hero and a heroine with such practical, long-suffering, quiet strength. I’m not surprised, just in perpetual awe. The reversal of fortunes second chance had my Persuasion-fan self cheering, and, as always, every character is distinctive. Special shout out to MVP Lady Harker, every brooding shut-in needs an unapologetically meddling sister.
I love many books, but I very rarely have the “Don’t want it to end, Can’t help but inhale” struggle, and here it was so much so. How two people can hash out so much baggage while figuring out the root of their misconceptions and still manage to overthink themselves into knots and misunderstand each other is so delicious to me. I’m not an outwardly emotional reader at all, but the heart-squeezing tragedy of time wasted and characters spent in such despair able to find relief and home in each other seems really to yank on my little heartstrings and get a watery pout to come forth (basically the equivalent of ugly cry wailing sobs). The chest-pang-o-meter was off the charts with the achy tenderness and the blazing longing. I felt it all. I loved it all.
Content notes: Kissing Only. Mention of suicide. Mention of war violence. Very vague allusion to hero’s past premarital intimacy and a brothel visit. Some biblical swearing.