Item: Dear Mr. Knightley
Rating: 3.00
Author: kozbisa

by Katherine Reay

Bookish Samantha has always hidden behind the words of others-namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, as she discovers love beyond the pages of her favorite novels, she will learn to write her own story.

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 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, Katherine 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.

Praise for Dear Mr. Knightley

"Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley kept me up until 2:00 a.m.; I simply couldn't put it down." -Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Tower

"Dear Mr. Knightley is an emotional, haunting tale of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. With depth and honesty, Katherine Reay's debut novel will grip your heart in the very first pages and not let go." -Sarah E. Ladd, award-winning author of The Governess at Penwythe Hall

"Katherine Reay's touching debut novel made me cry in all the right places. For joy." -Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

Sweet and thoughtful contemporary readStandalone novelIncludes a reading group guide, a Q&A with the author, and Sam's reading list

This was a character study at heart. Sam, an orphan, corresponds with her anonymous benefactor as part of the grant she won to complete her master's degree. These letters she writes to "Mr. Knightley" allow her to reveal and confront parts of herself that she normally would not. Through this writing exercise, she grows and changes, and in the end, she is a better version of herself than she was in the beginning.

This book is sort of sad. Sam had a tough life, bad things happen/happened to her and she self sabotages. All that said, I found myself rooting for her, and I wanted her to see what was right in front of her, and to make better choices. In the end, Reay did give me a satisfying ending, and I will honestly say, I was surprised by one of the reveals, pleasantly surprised.

Overall: Enjoyable but sort of heavy read.

Dear Mr. Knightley

by Katherine Reay

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on Feb 28, 2017

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