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Read advance reader review of Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey, page 2 of 3

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Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey

Letters to the Lost

by Iona Grey
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (2):
  • Readers' Rating (25):
  • First Published:
  • May 26, 2015, 384 pages
  • Paperback:
  • May 2016, 384 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Reviews


Page 2 of 3
There are currently 21 member reviews
for Letters to the Lost
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  • Mary Ann B. (Louisville, KY)
    Letters to the Lost
    Letters to the Lost shows that love can be forever. I liked the story of Dan and Stella, and of Will and Jess. From WWII to the present day, the book shifts back and forth to show how love can be lost and found in any time.
  • Susan J. (Twain Harte, CA)
    A Wonderful Story
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think it would be an excellent book club choice. I recently reread Kline's Orphan Train which also involved a troubled young woman connecting with the past, drawing in the reader in a similar way. It also reminded me of Brockmole's Letters from Skye which also uses war-time letters to tell the story.
  • Joan W. (Orion, MI)
    Heartwarming Story
    I thoroughly enjoyed Letters to the Lost. I enjoy reading stories that relate to WWII and the present day. I could feel so many emotions in reading this story about Jesse, Stella and how their lives were so much alike. You dislike some characters and love others. I laughed and I cried for Stella and Dan. To have a love like that is wonderful. I definitely recommend this book and I look forward to Iona Grey's next book.
  • Helen M. (Petaluma, CA)
    Not Just Another Love Story
    When I saw the format, letters from WWII, I was wary but interested. I love WWII stories. And who doesn't like a good love story, but this was so much more. Letters to the Lost travels in time, 1943-2011. The many interesting characters are very well developed. They all have their own story. The landscape of WWII was done perfectly. I do not want to give plot away so I will just say that truly, I could not put the book down. Great story.
  • Dorothy H. (Folsom, CA)
    Letters to The Lost
    Two beautiful love stories. Both take place in London, one during WWII the other 2011. I could not put this book down until all the loose ends were tied up. A good historical fiction read. This would be good for Books Clubs. I shall recommend it to my club.
  • Luv2read NY
    I am in love with Letters
    Reader be warned. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy and a clear calendar for the next few days. You will not want to put this book down until the final page and even then the characters stay with you. Letters to the Lost is historical fiction meets love story meets mystery. The story is told partially through Stella's voice in the past, partially through Dan's letters and partially in present day. Unlike other novels written this way, there was no confusion. The characters are so well written that I feel as though I would recognize them on the street if they passed by. The pace of the book moves so well. Just as I was about to take the next step in a chapter, The author, Iona Grey, moved me from the past to the present or back again. I could hardly wait to see what would happen next. Grey hit one out of the park with this debut novel.
  • Jane C. (Whiting, NJ)
    Love lost, and found
    Love, both new-found and long-lost, permeates Letters to the Lost. Although this book did not pull me totally into its world, I found it a pleasant read. Jess, a singer, on the run from her boyfriend/manager, finds love in the modern world when she meets Will, a probate researcher, looking for the missing owner of the house in which Jess is squatting. Jess also finds vintage love when she uncovers WWII-era letters written by Daniel, an American Air Force pilot, to Stella, the missing, married, owner of the house. The book sometimes felt disjointed, jumping as it does between the evolution of Jess and Will's growing relationship, via their search for the woman and the pilot, and the revelation of the old, via the letters. Otherwise, there was fairly good character development of the main characters.
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