Letters to the Lost

A rare gem.

Now and again a book comes along that is just so perfectly formed that I almost don't mind if nothing happens. Letters to the Lost was one of these, so beautifully written that I didn't want it to end, and when it did I was left with tears streaming down my face.

There are two time eras involved, a tricky combination, as one usually outshines the other. But Stella and Dan's love affair during WWII was perfectly balanced by Jess and Will's current-day romance and the reader moves seamlessly between the two. There are also a number of similarities between the two female characters as both endure hardship, abuse and lack of family support. Mental illness appears in both eras as well.

The opening scene gabs you immediately, as Jess show more runs in stockinged feet, to escape her abusive boyfriend, and finds herself in a house that has been left empty by an elderly lady. Here she stumbles upon the letters that link her to the long-ago love affair and she is drawn in by the undying love that she finds in their story.

Modern-day London and the war era are both evocatively described, as is the life of a vicarage wife in the forties, with scones and summer fetes and endless cooking. I felt for Will with his scathing boss, but there was a wry humour in those cutting comments.

I'm now waiting with baited breath for Iona Grey's next book and when it comes I shall be dropping everything to bury my head it it (no pressure!). show less

The blurb tells you all you need to know about the broad plot without spoiling things. However what it doesn't say how beautifully the story is told. I was totally captivated and more than a little bit in love with Dan myself.

The story starts in the present day with Jess. She is running away from an abusive boyfriend and finds herself squatting in an empty cottage, the lack of any current occupier is confirmed by the pile of unopened post which includes the letter from Dan. Not only does she read this letter, but she finds a box of letters sent from Dan to Stella in 1943. What is clear is that their relationship was clearly special and Jess is determined to help Dan find Stella again.

The story alternates between Jess's own personal show more struggles in the present and 1943 as we discover the truth about Stella and Dan's relationship. The story is brilliantly told and really evokes the period of wartime Britain with it's rationing, shortages and philosophy of resilience. It presents a very fixed view of the role of women which helps to keep Stella trapped in her loveless and abusive marriage, despite Dan's desperate attempts to release her.

As well as the unfolding story of the past, there is also the present day story of Jess who herself blossoms and grows throughout the book. She has her own emerging love story when her path crosses with Will who is seeking the owner of the cottage she is squatting in.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, as it is one that you can really lose yourself in. The storytelling and the characters are of the highest quality and combine to produce a book that is romantic, emotional and incredibly touching. This is impressive when you consider this is a debut novel. Based on this I can't wait for the next book.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review. show less

I had sworn off WWII books but for some reason this one seemed more a love story than a war book – and so it was. In the current year young Jess is fleeing an abusive boyfriend and finds herself near an abandoned house. She breaks in to hide and ultimately uses the house as a place of respite. While there a letter arrives and going against all that is proper she opens it and reading it changes the course of her life in more ways than she can imagine. It’s from a man named Dan who was an American airman who fell in love with a woman named Stella during the war. He’s trying to find her before he dies.

The book is told in the current time and the past alternating between Jess’s story and Stella’s. There are a lot of similarities show more between the two women. Jess finds Dan’s letters to Stella and starts reading them. I found myself quite lost in the blossoming love story and couldn’t stop turning the pages. If one were to sit back and analyze the book for reality it would fail miserably but if you just let go and let the story pull you in I think you’ll be very pleased. I ended up staying up ’til 3AM to finish it because I just didn’t want to put it down.

I felt as if I knew the characters by the time I was done and I’m still thinking about them. I’m going to keep it for a second read at some point in time. It’s just one of those books. show less

A love story for the ages. That is what Stella and Dan had. While it was not always an easy road that they traveled with their relationship, it was worth it. Instantly I could tell that they shared something special. Although it was a slow and sweet love story. The more I got to know of both Stella and Dan through their letters, the more I liked them a lot. Than there is Jess. She is a complex character. I liked this about her. She did not let her past dictate her present future. In fact, I was almost my favorite person in the whole book. Jess started out as a shy, mousy person but by he end of the story he was an independent woman. The alternating time periods and voices was lovely. This is what helped bring the characters alive and show more made me feel a connection with them. I will be reading more books by this author. show less

This is a beautiful book that I would recommend to any hopeless romantic or reader who loves the timeless beauty and complicated lives of those living through World War II. Please do not discount this as a 'war romance', though! The way the author ties together past and present is ingenious and could not be more enjoyable. All in all a fantastic read.

Letters to the Lost is a well written romance that had me engrossed from page one. Author Iona Grey weaves this engaging storyline and takes the reader from past to present effortlessly.

The plot goes from 1940's to 2011 where an unfortunate Jess breaks into an old abandoned house and finds an urgent letter addressed to Mrs. Thorne. She swears to try to find this Mrs. Thorne and deliver her letter, which is from an old love whose dying wish is to see her again. Swoon, I know. Jess has nowhere to live so she stays in the house for some time.

Will works as a probate researcher and has been assigned to find any last will and testament of a Miss Price.
His and Jess's paths cross and as the story flows the plot alternates between these two and show more between Stella and Dan.

In a twist of fate, Stella meets Dan, an American bomber pilot and the two fall deeply in love.

The scenes between Stella and Dan made my heart skip a beat, they were truly romantic but also bittersweet and fraught with emotion as the two kept in touch with letters. Dan was in constant danger and their sparse meetings would end in worry over it being their last. Their love story was believable as was the war ridden backdrop. These characters are living during a time where nothing is certain and their loved ones can be gone in an instant. Oh gosh, Dan. Great hero alert. He smoked Lucky Strikes and I was fine with that. He never stopped loving Stella.

When the story would sway back to Will and Jess, I was also on pins and needles because I wanted the two of them to make it out alright as well. I wanted them to find Stella and reunite her with Dan. I found the author did a wonderful job at having these characters help find one another; love in the past and love in the present.

The ending wraps everything up nicely, all the questions are answered and I teared up a the last few pages.
I loved this one so much! I recommend it to fans of contemporary romance and historical romance and just general bittersweet love stories in general. Get your tissues handy, this is a tear jerker.

Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I received my free copy of Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey via AmazonVine.
https://bookwormnai.wordpress.com/2015/05/02/letters-to-the-lost-by-iona-grey/ show less

I enjoyed "Letters to the Lost" but I wasn't blown away with it as I was hoping I would be. The book started well. I loved Dan's letters and following his forbidden romance with Stella, the vicar's wife, but about halfway through I lost interest in them and found Jess and Will's story more interesting. I enjoyed the parallel stories and the WWII references but I felt the ending was a disappointment - I wanted to be sobbing by the last page. However, when I did reach it, it was more a case of oh, that's the end. A nice read, just not a compelling one.