Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Book Discription:

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

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I absolutely loved this book! I wasn't sure at first if I would, as the novel is written as if you are reading letters. However, after a few letters in, I was hooked! I found it hard to put down, when I had to, and it lingered in my mind while I was away from its' pages. I thought that maybe I would miss out on the character interaction and other things from this style of writing but I did not. I found that it was all wrapped up nicely in the letters.

Characters, and not just our main character, Sam, came to life. The story was rich and touching. I cried at times and went through many other ranges of emotion, but most of all I was excited. Excited to see Sam and her relationships grow and mature. There was a lingering suspicion I had throughout the story, about where things might head and I was correct but still so pleased to see it all unfold.

Definitely, a novel I could read again!