Review: All the Letters I'll Never Send You by Ace Gray (Handwritten & Heartbroken #1)
Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Give Me Books Promotions.
Sigh. I hate writing reviews like this. My love for old-fashioned letter writing had me eagerly signing up to read and review All the Letters I'll Never Send You, the first book in the Handwritten & Heartbroken duet from Ace Gray, who is a new-to-me author. I expected some angst, given what I read in the blurb. Not being one to shy away from angst--hello, angst addict here!--I was prepared for whatever was waiting for me between the proverbial covers. Alas, I wasn't expecting what I got. Yes, there was angst, and yes, there were all these letters that the female main character had written to her "soul mate" who just happened to NOT be the man she was engaged to. Before I get into all my musings about the book and why it didn't click with me, let's go through a few details about this book.
Mina McLennan is in love but it isn't with her fiancé. She meets James Larrabee and her reaction to him is a mere inkling of what it grows into. She's smitten with the man who seems to hold his emotions in complete lockdown. She puts her thoughts of and feelings for James on paper, knowing full well that she will never--could never--send them to him. Nothing can ever come of her love for him, not when she knows how it will hurt too many people. But her letters are just waiting to be discovered, and when they are, Mina's life will truly never be the same again.
So, here's the thing: Mina was a difficult main character to connect with. Was she really in love with James or was it bordering on obsession? On the other hand, did James even have any feelings for Mina? That latter question was easier to answer because while he may not have relied on words to express himself like Mina, James did so with his actions. I honestly just wish these two communicated better to save themselves all the unnecessary heartache, but I guess the heartache was necessary because this is a that's supposed to run over the span of two books. While I love my angst, the amount of it in All the Letters I'll Never Send You was too much even for me. It gets three stars. ♥
Mina McLennan is in love but it isn't with her fiancé. She meets James Larrabee and her reaction to him is a mere inkling of what it grows into. She's smitten with the man who seems to hold his emotions in complete lockdown. She puts her thoughts of and feelings for James on paper, knowing full well that she will never--could never--send them to him. Nothing can ever come of her love for him, not when she knows how it will hurt too many people. But her letters are just waiting to be discovered, and when they are, Mina's life will truly never be the same again.
So, here's the thing: Mina was a difficult main character to connect with. Was she really in love with James or was it bordering on obsession? On the other hand, did James even have any feelings for Mina? That latter question was easier to answer because while he may not have relied on words to express himself like Mina, James did so with his actions. I honestly just wish these two communicated better to save themselves all the unnecessary heartache, but I guess the heartache was necessary because this is a that's supposed to run over the span of two books. While I love my angst, the amount of it in All the Letters I'll Never Send You was too much even for me. It gets three stars. ♥
Release Date: 23 January 2020
Date Read: 23 January 2020
Learn more about Ace Gray.
Purchase All the Letters I'll Never Send You on Amazon.
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