Monday, September 15, 2014

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay


Dear Mr. Knightley

By Katherine Reay

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Published by: Thomas Nelson - November 5, 2013
Genres: Fiction/Literature, Austen
Rating: 4 Stars

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.


I must admit that the first 1/4 of the book, I was forced to plod through. Samantha's voice lacked sentimentality and the drama of her moving back and forth between the orphanage and an apartment at the drop of a hat became tedious. That said, once I plugged through that section, the storyline really got going and I found myself interested!

The mystery behind the benefactor kept me riveted to the end. I honestly didn't know who it was, but I was completely satisfied by the end!! Read it!

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