Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Need to Read #34: Dear Mr. Knightley


Title: Dear Mr. Knightley

Author: Katherine Reay

Book blurb: Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.
Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.
After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.
As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.


Quick endorsement: I was delighted that Katherine honored me by asking me to write an endorsement for this book – but that’s not why I’m recommending it now! I genuinely loved this one, loved the Jane Austen aspects, loved the writing, loved the characters, just plain loved it!

Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/12/blog-tour-dear-mr-knightley.html

2 comments:

Lydia said...

Reading the storyline it reminds me of a book called "Dadddy-long-legs" which is a great book

Analiese said...

This is a delightful read. I think this is the first book written in letters I've read besides Lady Susan. It's a fun twist and once I got into the book I couldn't put it down. :)