Sista brevet från din älskade (2010)

Ótimo; a história prende muito. ( )

Thoroughly pleasant and definitely a feel-good. Moyes has mastered the sweet love story and the power of chance/fate -- the theme here is "better late than never." In 1960, Jennifer Sterling a young married British society housewife (think Mad Men) begins an affair with a reporter, Anthony O'Hare (Boot) who comes to interview her up-and-coming husband, Lawrence. As things intensify, Jennifer is in an accident and loses her memory. She has no recollection of the affair (or her husband or friends) until she finds letters from B. She struggles to put these pieces together and when she finally sees him again in 1964, she is instantly smitten again. However, fate intervenes again and they have another near miss due to a situation in Congo which Anthony must go cover, as it seems. 40 years later the letters fall into the hands of Ellie Hayworth -- and the story takes on a Bridget Jones feel. Ellie is a reporter and her newspaper is moving offices and the letters are discovered in the archives. In her personal life, she is dating a married man and her work and friendships are falling off. The letters hit a sweet spot for her and she is determined to find the writers and what really happened to them 40 years ago. Rory, the sweet, handsome librarian lends a hand. Things wrap up neatly, which would be disappointing otherwise, so a happy satisfying read. I think I cut Moyes a lot of slack because she is British and charming -- is she the Danielle Steele of England? (never that bad!) Her writing always strikes me as intelligent and her characters are never too prosaic if some of the situations are. Sigh. It's just romantic. ( )

When Jennifer wakes up in a hospital bed in 1960, she has virtually no memories. She wakes to a husband she can't really remember, and who she feels no passion for once she returns home. When she finds some love letters hidden amongst her personal things, from someone signed only as "B", she struggles to recall anything that will refresh her memory and give her a clue to her past. Gradually, she is able to piece together clues to unfold the mystery of "B", but it seems she may have missed her window of opportunity. Meanwhile, later in 2003, journalist Ellie also finds a mysterious letter. Determined to discover the fates of the lost relationship of the past, she embarks on a journey of her own.

At its heart, this is a romance. I typically shy away from things labeled as romance, though when I do read something categorized as such, I inevitably find myself enjoying them. I've enjoyed JoJo Moyes' other novels, mostly because I appreciate the witty banter she is able to capture between her characters. This story, while bittersweet like her others and enjoyable enough, was lacking some of that witty banter that I so enjoy. There were flashes of it in the present-day story line, but the meat of this book was centered more around the 1960's story line, and while I liked it, it had a more serious tone. Overall, I did enjoy this book, though it seemed to drag on perhaps a bit longer than it needed to. ( )

The novel opens when beautiful, rich Jennifer Stirling wakes up in a hospital room unable to remember anything. Nothing seems familiar, not even her husband. After she is released, she finds her house just as unfamiliar. As she explores the house she finds a series of carefully hidden love letters addressed to her and signed “B” which confirm her sense that her marriage was an unhappy one. But who was her lover? Circumstances intervene and forty years later, journalist Ellie Haworth uncovers a group of love letters signed “B” in the newspaper archives. The passion of the letters draw Ellie in. She can’t help but compare the intensity of the letters with the cryptic text messages she receives from John, a married man with whom she is having an affair.

I know Jojo Moyes has lots of fans. If this was the first book I had ever read by her, I might not ever have picked up another. I'm not sure if the reader is supposed to admire or identify with these two spoiled, self-absorbed women or take them as a warning. I'm not sure how Ellie could even keep a job. Jennifer is supposedly leaving her husband for her “soul mate” yet she can't even be bothered over the next forty years to see if he's really dead? It was a boring, predictable story with miserable and unlikable characters. I understand from a friend that this “may not have been her best story”. Fortunately I've read other, more interesting Moyes books so I know this one doesn't mean l'll never pick up another one....it just won't be until the nausea subsides that was brought on by this one. ( )

Loved it.
Just as good as the other two mushy/teary books I've read by her.

I have nothing against happy endings.

Read it again for book discussion- still enjoyed it and was compelled to read quickly! ( )