Katherine's letter-writing approach is fresh, a form rarely seen in Christian fiction. Any initial reservations I might have had quickly disappeared as I began to get caught up in the action and fast-paced dialogue of Sam's letters to Mr. Knightley. What at first seems to be a light, Austen-based romance surprisingly goes far deeper and turns out to be so much more.
Katherine is very knowledgeable on foster care system and classic novels; her love for classical fiction shines through every page. It is my understanding that this story is a modern version of Jean Websters Daddy Long Legs, which I've never read. Neither have I read the Austen classics from which these characters frequently quote, but that in no way lessened my understanding and enjoyment of this novel.
Sam is a delightfully human heroine - fun, quirky, smart, warm, loving, flawed and broken all at the same time. As a child who had known abuse and neglect, she used literature almost as a defense mechanism, erecting walls around herself to keep from getting hurt, only to discover that "no matter how many characters I hide behind, how much work I bury myself beneath, my past still pushes me every day and haunts me every night." She seemed to find a sanctuary in the letters she was required to write, and Mr. Knightley became a glorified diary as she began to pour her heart out to her unknown benefactor.
Sam and Alex are complex characters and there's a great supporting cast. I loved Sam's rapport with the young teen Kyle and how they helped each other open up about the abuse they had experienced. And I wish I could pull Professor Muir and his wife off the pages and into my own life. One of my favorite takeaways from this story is the Professor's admonition to Sam concerning her background: "It's your past - your story to share. But never let something so unworthy define you."
While the spiritual element is subtle, grace is a major theme from beginning to end. When Sam questions Father John at Grace House about the grant, he tells her, "Consider it grace - a gift unwarranted and undeserved." Sam felt so real that I was walking along beside her as she gradually matured both emotionally and spiritually. Her words give voice to the grace she received: "How can I not believe that there is a God who exists and loves, when the people before me are infused with that love and pour it out daily? I still can't grasp that it's for me, but what if it is?"
Storylines are tied up pretty neatly at the conclusion, but that flowed nicely with the theme of grace and I loved it. I especially enjoyed the last section which was written outside the letter format.
Rarely do I finish a novel and wish I had time to start again at the beginning, but I think a second reading would reveal so many things that I missed the first time. Dear Mr. Knightley should easily appeal to fans of the classics, but I don't hesitate to recommend it to all readers.
This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
Katherine is very knowledgeable on foster care system and classic novels; her love for classical fiction shines through every page. It is my understanding that this story is a modern version of Jean Websters Daddy Long Legs, which I've never read. Neither have I read the Austen classics from which these characters frequently quote, but that in no way lessened my understanding and enjoyment of this novel.
Sam is a delightfully human heroine - fun, quirky, smart, warm, loving, flawed and broken all at the same time. As a child who had known abuse and neglect, she used literature almost as a defense mechanism, erecting walls around herself to keep from getting hurt, only to discover that "no matter how many characters I hide behind, how much work I bury myself beneath, my past still pushes me every day and haunts me every night." She seemed to find a sanctuary in the letters she was required to write, and Mr. Knightley became a glorified diary as she began to pour her heart out to her unknown benefactor.
Sam and Alex are complex characters and there's a great supporting cast. I loved Sam's rapport with the young teen Kyle and how they helped each other open up about the abuse they had experienced. And I wish I could pull Professor Muir and his wife off the pages and into my own life. One of my favorite takeaways from this story is the Professor's admonition to Sam concerning her background: "It's your past - your story to share. But never let something so unworthy define you."
While the spiritual element is subtle, grace is a major theme from beginning to end. When Sam questions Father John at Grace House about the grant, he tells her, "Consider it grace - a gift unwarranted and undeserved." Sam felt so real that I was walking along beside her as she gradually matured both emotionally and spiritually. Her words give voice to the grace she received: "How can I not believe that there is a God who exists and loves, when the people before me are infused with that love and pour it out daily? I still can't grasp that it's for me, but what if it is?"
Storylines are tied up pretty neatly at the conclusion, but that flowed nicely with the theme of grace and I loved it. I especially enjoyed the last section which was written outside the letter format.
Rarely do I finish a novel and wish I had time to start again at the beginning, but I think a second reading would reveal so many things that I missed the first time. Dear Mr. Knightley should easily appeal to fans of the classics, but I don't hesitate to recommend it to all readers.
This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
WOW!! I was really not sure how much I would like this book as I don't really go for the victorian, Jane Austen style books. But I thought the plot sounded interesting and figured I would try it. I mean, who can resist a book that is all written through letters to an anonymous stranger? I couldn't and once I started, I was so glad I had reviewed it. You will be brought on highs and lows as you laugh and then cry. I was totally swept up in this book:)
The writing style is unique but I loved it. You meet all the characters through the letters of Samantha, or Sam as she likes to be called. And she is writing to someone she has never met and never plans on meeting. He paid for her grant to school but the clause is that she has to write him letters. You get to see through these missives that she had a very hard life growing up as a foster child, her fears and regrets, and even some romance as she gets a boyfriend and loses him. You also slowly fall in love with some of the secondary people including Kyle, Ashley, Debbie, and even Coach Riddley. I had too many characters to like so I can't even start with a favorite. But my favoriteS were Sam, Alex and the Muirs. I just loved the whole book! I would urge you to pick this one up and read it, even if you don't like Jane Austen quotes. Yes, they are in there but I fell in love with way more than that. Excellent book and I can't wait to read the next novel by Katherine Reay! Way to go!!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes. No other compensation was received.
The writing style is unique but I loved it. You meet all the characters through the letters of Samantha, or Sam as she likes to be called. And she is writing to someone she has never met and never plans on meeting. He paid for her grant to school but the clause is that she has to write him letters. You get to see through these missives that she had a very hard life growing up as a foster child, her fears and regrets, and even some romance as she gets a boyfriend and loses him. You also slowly fall in love with some of the secondary people including Kyle, Ashley, Debbie, and even Coach Riddley. I had too many characters to like so I can't even start with a favorite. But my favoriteS were Sam, Alex and the Muirs. I just loved the whole book! I would urge you to pick this one up and read it, even if you don't like Jane Austen quotes. Yes, they are in there but I fell in love with way more than that. Excellent book and I can't wait to read the next novel by Katherine Reay! Way to go!!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes. No other compensation was received.
This was a page turner for me but in an unusual way. I felt strangely drawn to Sam even though she was young and came across as flighty. Except she wasn't flighty, she was wounded by life and had immersed herself in literature to escape the pain. Full review is at my website.
Dear Mr. Knightly is more than just the surface romance I expected. It was a very serious story with a heroine my heart craved to learn more about, to dig within her person and plumb her depths. This is certainly one of those books with so many layers and human emotional tangles that it could be read several times over.
More womens fiction that romance, there is still a generous dose of love story hidden within Samanthas telling. I loved her and Alex together on the page. She truly personifies every little girls dream of prince charming and happily ever after, without all the cliché responses that I expected in a book based around a Jane Austen quoting heroine.
Even among all the layers that make the book worth going back for another read, I thought at times there were way too many twists hidden in the dialogue. I was often caught off guard by the subtleties and undercurrents and while there is nothing wrong with that, I thought it happened too often for my ability to catch the intricaties and not just be confused.
Overall, I thought it a lovely story, one I would read again. There is a great deal of hope given to the single reader, waiting for her Prince Charming. If it could happen for Sam, there is a deeper faith that anything could happen here in real life
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.
More womens fiction that romance, there is still a generous dose of love story hidden within Samanthas telling. I loved her and Alex together on the page. She truly personifies every little girls dream of prince charming and happily ever after, without all the cliché responses that I expected in a book based around a Jane Austen quoting heroine.
Even among all the layers that make the book worth going back for another read, I thought at times there were way too many twists hidden in the dialogue. I was often caught off guard by the subtleties and undercurrents and while there is nothing wrong with that, I thought it happened too often for my ability to catch the intricaties and not just be confused.
Overall, I thought it a lovely story, one I would read again. There is a great deal of hope given to the single reader, waiting for her Prince Charming. If it could happen for Sam, there is a deeper faith that anything could happen here in real life
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.
