Synopsis:
In this touching and romantic Jojo Moyes novel, a chance meeting will forever change the lives of three people from two different times.
The novel begins in the 1960s with an encounter that would alter the lives of two unhappy individuals. Jennifer Stirling has everything she could ever want: money, clothes, respect from her friends, but lacks the one thing she truly needs, attention and love from her reserved and critical husband.
When she meets the opinionated and jaded reporter at a friend’s soiree she has no idea that this man will awaken feelings she thought were long dead and make her rethink her entire world.
Corresponding over several months by letter Jennifer and “Boot,” her term of endearment for him, fall deeply in love and try to work out how they can make their relationship work without disrupting everyone else’s lives around them.
Everything changes when Jennifer is in an accident and forgets all about “Boot” and their love, and has only his last letter as proof of their once passionate affair.
When a young journalist named Ellie discovers some old love letters in a news file in 2003, she becomes determined to track down the lovers and find out the ending to their story. She wonders if Jennifer and “Boot” ever encounter each other again after the accident and whether the love they felt for each other was worth all the pain.
Ellie is also struggling with her feelings for a married man and hopes that the answers she seeks from the letter writers can help her figure out if her own modern love affair is as real as the romance she has read about or if she should discover something worthwhile.
The Last Letter from Your Lover Review:
This was an ideal read for anyone who loves tragic romance that moves you to wonder if finding your soul mate means losing a part of yourself.
Many issues came up in the book regarding differences in the 1960s and present day. It portrayed how much a woman could lose if she were to follow her heart in a time when an affair could destroy your whole world. While the same could be said today, women have many more advantages and can think past the scandal and see a new beginning.
Moyes was able to display many comparisons between Jennifer and Ellie, the main is their different views on their affairs. Jennifer was always reluctant to participate, unable to communicate her fears with her friends and never saw a clear future, while Ellie is hopeful and very open about her relationship with her girlfriends. It definitely shows how relationships have changed in the past forty years.
Moyes kept me guessing as to whether or not our characters would ever reunite and have a happy ending. There were many new obstacles that made me believe that happiness was unobtainable for any of the characters.
They each manage to create new paths for themselves, especially Ellie who becomes so attached to the letters that they make her realize the kind of life and love she truly wants and deserves.
An entertaining read and a bit of mystery thrown in for good measure, The Last Letter from Your Lover proves that it’s never too late or even too early to find true love.
CONTENT NOTE: While there are a few sex scenes, they are not overly explicit. However, proceed with caution.
Overall Rating
“The stuff that dreams are made of.”
Romance Rating
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.
I have loved none but you.”
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