Letters to a Stranger
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
‘WOW!!!!… What an absolutely stunning, gorgeous and unputdownable read!!... Devastatingly heart-breaking… I was utterly glued to the pages and I could not bring myself to put it down. I was carrying my phone to read it on kindle every chance that I got and I had tears absolutely streaming down my face… I was completely mind-blown at the end… Devastatingly beautiful, heart-warming and heart-breaking book!!!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ England, 1940. Dearest Ruby, you must have heard the news by now. The very worst has happened. Our countries are at war. What can I do? How can I stop this nightmare from happening? One day soon we’ll be together again. I swear. I love you. E. x Present day. Ruby Summers has lived an extraordinary life. Now, at ninety-six years old and living in a quiet countryside retirement home, Ruby may be an elderly lady, but her memory remains perfect. She remembers the summer in rural Norfolk eighty years ago when she fell in love with Edmondo, and the stolen moments spent in the orchard dreaming of their future. But tears fill her green eyes when she also remembers the September morning they embraced as they listened to war being declared on the wireless. As her village turned against Edmondo and his Italian family, Ruby knew she would be forced to make an impossible choice – one that would lead to a betrayal her heart never recovered from, and an earth-shattering secret she has never shared… But when lonely Ruby decides to take part in a letter-writing scheme for the elderly, and single mother Cassie replies, she realises this could be her chance. Her last chance. By revisiting her past, can she finally share the secret that has haunted her for all these years? And will her unexpected connection with Cassie unearth truths even Ruby never knew were hidden – or will it tear both their lives apart? This totally gripping and irresistible story of wartime love and heartbreak will captivate readers who love Lorna Cook, Fiona Valpy and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Readers love Letters to a Stranger: ‘Wow!… Amazing… beautiful… did not want this book to end… absolutely perfect!… If I could rate it higher than 5 stars I would.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely amazing… 5 stars just isn’t enough.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Heart-breaking… a truly amazing experience. You simply forget you are reading and just let it pull you in and wrap its arms around you.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fantastic… very hard to put this book down!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant! I didn't want the book to end… excellent!’ Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Completely charmed me!… made me smile and cheer… wonderful… I am dying to read more!… 5 glowing stars.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was hooked… you'll want to go back and reread the book to spot all the clues again!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviews with the most likes.
BOOK TOUR!!! I just finished Letters to a stranger by Sarah Mitchell and here are my musings.
Imagine 17 in 1939 and being in love. In England during a war and the love of your life is italian. It is an imperfect world. Ruby has her whole world change then and the secret she keeps haunts her 80 years on.
Ruby is now an old lady and finds herself in a letter exchange program with a local school where she begins corresponding with a stranger, a mother of a small boy. Ruby feels the urge to share her secret after all these years but this truth has the power to destroy their friendship and change their worlds forever.
Did you get chills? You should have! This book is a one in a million read. I don't usually connect so well to books written in the format of text messages, letters, emails etc but this actually worked quite well in laying out this story.
I felt like I was connecting with old friends in Cassie and Ruby and reading about them unfolding on the pages was a pure literary delight. I loved the two timelines and it was so artfully done too. It was quite the story being weaved and it was executed with precision and class.
I especially loved all the story building. So beautiful and devastatingly heartbreaking that you won't be able to help but ugly cry. You won't be able to help being captivated by this majestic novel that the pages practically turn themselves.
5 stars. If you love a book that will break your heart in all the right ways, this has to be your next book.
Thank you @bookouture for having me on this tour and to @netgalley for my review copy
Letters to a Stranger by Sarah Mitchell is a touching and unique novel that tells the story of two women, Ruby and Cassie, who become pen pals under unexpected circumstances. The novel alternates between two timelines: the summer of 1939 in rural Norfolk, England, and spring 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ruby is a young, beautiful girl in love with her childhood sweetheart, Edmondo, who happens to be Italian. As tensions rise with the looming threat of war, Ruby's family and village begin to show mistrust towards Edmondo's family. Ruby makes a life-altering decision that she must keep a secret from everyone she knows, maybe forever.
Eighty years later, Ruby is an elderly woman participating in a letter-writing scheme to stave off boredom. She starts corresponding with Cassie, a young single mother who mistakenly became involved in the program, and a beautiful friendship develops. Ruby sees an opportunity to share her long-kept secret before it dies with her. However, as they exchange letters, they realize their lives are more connected than they ever could have imagined, and truths will be revealed that have the power to either destroy their new friendship or change their lives forever.
The use of letters, text messages, and emails to tell the story is refreshing and gives readers a unique perspective on the characters' lives. Mitchell expertly weaves together the two timelines, creating a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The power of the written word is evident throughout the novel, and readers will be reminded of the importance of connection, vulnerability, and support in times of isolation and uncertainty.
Overall, Letters to a Stranger is a wonderful read that will leave readers feeling touched and inspired. The characters are relatable and endearing, and the storyline is captivating from start to finish. Mitchell's writing is engaging and evocative, making this novel a must-read for fans of historical fiction and contemporary romance alike.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
