Cover Image: This Is Not a Love Letter

This Is Not a Love Letter

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Member Reviews

This is Not a Love Letter is a story about two teenagers who find they have a lot more in common then they thought. Jessie is white and is not a popular girl. Chris is black and just moved to town.
The town they live in does not accept minority very well and Chris pays the price one night while on a run. Three weeks later Chris disappears and no one knows where he is. Jessie and Chris's best friend spend all their time searching for Chris and do everything in their power to get the local police to look for him. What unravels in this story will not be a surprise however, you will still feel your heart beating while rooting for Chris to show up.
I thought this was a good story however, I would have liked to see more related to the mental illness that was touched upon. Even so I enjoyed Jessie and Chris's story and have to admit I cried like a baby while reading the last chapter.

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As I read this story through the point-of-view of Jessie, the “not-wild, naked girl”, I saw so much I didn’t expect. Her boyfriend, Chris, is missing and no one’s heard from him. Written in the form of a letter to him, I experienced her worry, her panic, her breakdowns, and her anger.

'This is not a love letter. So don’t get all excited for nothing. Maybe I should write you one, to go with all the letters you’ve written me and folded into perfect little airplanes. But I never wrote you one before, and I would be seriously bad luck to start now.

Chris. Where are you?'

Between the search for Chris and Jessie’s hunt for answers, I fell in love with this book. The blurb was interesting, I wouldn’t have requested it if it wasn’t. But the letter format was a little different. I ended up loving that it felt like we were speaking directly to Chris, who is probably the best character I’ve read, in the sense that he was just a really good person. If you broke out a dictionary and looked up ‘good’ you’d totally find a picture of Chris next to it. So what happened to him?

This was a difficult story. I can’t imagine the pain that any of these characters went through, even after reading a firsthand account of it, fictional or not. The questions that go through someone’s mind when someone they love has disappeared?

Where are you?

Did you run away?

Has someone hurt you?

Did you hurt yourself?

…Are you still alive?

I am heartbroken and shaken. The world needs more books like this. This Is Not A Love Letter was heart-wrenching and perfect. It’s one of those books that reminds you to think about what you say a little more and how those words affect those around you. It reminds you that just because you think you know someone, you really don’t. It reminds you that just because you don’t always see the inner battle they’re fighting, it doesn’t mean they aren’t about to break.

“Shh,” you said. “It’s okay.”

'You gave me small kisses all over my forehead, my ears, my eyelids, my nostrils, and then, I couldn’t help it, I giggled.'

“What are you doing?”

“Kissing your sadness away. Is it working?”

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The part that makes this a great book is the character relationships and the development. You can feel the love and support that the main character has. This is a suspense novel that makes you keep turning to figure out what happens to Chris and you feel for the main character throughout the entire novel.

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Started reading but couldn't get into it. Didn't finish.

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Chris Kirk is a responsible, smart, athletic, funny and kind high-school senior. He is heading off to college on a full-ride baseball scholarship. Almost everyone in the small town loves him. His little sister adores him. His best friends are loyal. His girlfriend of nine months thinks his laughter is like a gulp of cold water on a hot day. He's the sparkle in his mom's eye. A guy like Chris Kirk doesn't go missing.

Police do not suspect foul play. In fact, authorities believe he ran away. But as the search continues, accusations of racism in the small town arise. After all, Chris Kirk is one of the only black boys in this white community. Could it be more to his disappearance? A hate crime or harassment gone too far? Why is Jessie receiving frightening threats now?

I want to reach through my Kindle and give a group hug. I want to join the search for Chris Kirk and give him a strong shake. I want to hold Jessie and tell her it'll be okay. These characters had my heart on the page and twisted it with every new day. Instead of chapters, the book is set up as dates and times surrounding Chris' disappearance and narrated by the girlfriend, Jessie. Every Friday since they've started dating, Chris wrote Jessie a love letter shaped as an airplane. Now she is writing a letter of her own. She may not know it yet, but as readers we see she is falling in love with him. The emotions of all friends and family leap off the pages.

No exaggeration. No fib. I legit cancelled my plans for the day to finish this book. I got zero steps on the Fitbit. I didn't want to leave the house for food so I cooked a frozen pizza and stayed in just to finish reading. Not many books can hold my attention like this. Not many plots can make me read nonstop. And I am stingy with my five (5) hearts! So consider this a high compliment, author Kim Purcell and a strong recommendation, bookhearts.

Happy Early Pub Day, Kim Purcell! This Is Not A Love Letter will be available January 30, 2018. Yup, you have to wait for the publication of this greatness.

LiteraryMarie

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This got spoiled for me when I was halfway through the book so my outlook changed dramatically while I was reading. All the tension I was feeling while trying to figure out what happened to Chris disappeared and I could enjoy reading the emotional roller coaster the main character was dealing with and flinching at the arrival of the crash. And what a crash. Bring tissues.

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I received an ARC of the ebook for This Is Not a Love Letter, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Chris Kirk is a star-athlete, straight 'A' student, and all-around nice guy. One night he goes for a run, and doesn't return. This sets his girlfriend Jessie--with whom he was on "a break"--into a frenzy to find out what happened to her boyfriend.

From that point, we are all along for the ride.

The author, Kim Purcell does a great job of pulling you into the story. From the start you're trying to figure out what happened to Chris? Where is he? Is he alive or dead? Who knows what?

Though we only have one perspective to entertain--that of Jessie's--it's from the one character who seemingly was closest to Chris. From her, we're able to glean some understanding of how Chris related to everyone else (both central and peripheral) to the story.

Where I began to have trouble was around the midway point: what type of story was this intended to be, honestly?

On the one hand, it felt like a mystery.

There's the introduction of motive via the jealous teammate (Dave Johnson) who isn't happy about Chris being scouted and offered a scholarship. A scholarship offer he felt would have been his if Chris hadn't shown up and taken it from him.

Johnson is introduced as a jerk, who is potentially both racist and homophobic, with anger management issues. Jessie wonders if said jealousy boiled over into something more, especially given her knowledge of the twos previous interactions.

This is what brings the cops on the scene.

However, as the story continues to unfold, and Jessie learns more about Chris through the words of others, we're forced to consider other alternatives for his disappearance.

What is crystal clear is Jessie and Chris have a very codependent relationship. It's not healthy. Both she and he have emotional issues, stemming from abandonment and lack of trust, and each acts in extreme ways to protect themselves from more emotional harm.

As these things come to light, it's clear this story is meant to be much deeper than a mystery and, as such, greater care could have been taken to allow for other perspectives to be given.

Jessie's wasn't nearly enough and, honestly, after awhile her self-centeredness began to grate on my nerves.

Overall, the story started out with a load of potential but, by the time I reached the end, I was disappointed with the handling of the story and the inattention given to the central character via the lack of other perspectives.

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Though books in the form of letter is not a new conceit, This Is Not a Love Letter manages both the form and the storytelling very well. The ever-increasing suspense about the fate of Chris and the equally powerful agony felt by Jessie and her friends over his disappearance were expressed through the smaller details of the relationships in the book. The relationship between Jessie and Chris is both extraordinary and flawed. And the parents in the book are real characters that care about the kids. Highly recommend for teen readers who love romance and suspense.

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This is not a Love Letter by Kim Parcell, is a well written look at the relationship between two teens, one of whom disappears. Through the medium of a letter written to Chris who is missing we see their relationship and the story unfold. Surprising and deftly written, this is an excellent, thought provoking book.

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Honest and emotional ending. The author continued the page-turning dynamic of the story throughout the story with enough big reveals and suspense to keep readers engaged. I would have liked to see a deeper development of the mental illness story.

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High school senior Chris Kirk goes out for a run and doesn't come back. What has happened?
We follow the mystery with the narrator, Chris' girlfriend, Jessie.
There are complications. Jessie and Chris were "on a break" so Jessie has been out of touch with Chris' routines. She knows a secret he asked her not to share with anyone, though. A secret that may be a lead to his disappearance. Is it foul play? Has Chris just left town for a few days? Could it be a suicide? Chris has a bright future ahead of him. He's got a baseball scholarship, he's a neat, responsible kid from a religious family. And even though Jessie and he were on a one-week break, he had to know she loves him like crazy, right? Would he have chosen to give all that up?
This story has so many twists and turns that it really keeps a reader guessing until the very end.
There are plenty of high emotions, regret, and longing. This story can keep your stomach in knots.


If I'm rating this as a young adult, I'd rate it 4 stars. If I'm rating it as the 50 year old reader I am, I'd rate it 3 stars.
Sometimes it's difficult for me to read young adult literature, because I imagine some things are geared specifically for the way teenagers think and feel. And I don't just mean the feelings of a character or the perspective shared, I mean the plot points and how realistic they are.

I have two major sticking points:
First, the detective working Chris' missing person case is in primary contact with Jessie, Chris' high school-aged girlfriend. I understand that this is a device used by the writer to give the audience more information through the first person narrator telling the story (Jessie) and for us to experience the story with her. This rings so false to me, though, that it's hard for me to take the story seriously. The police would be in touch with the immediate family. There's also just too much divulged by the detective - he shares more with Jessie than I think police would share, especially with someone who'd be considered a possible suspect. Girlfriends, boyfriends, partners of the missing/deceased are always suspects.
Second, Jessie gives a TV reporter sound bytes accusing a suspect of a hate crime against Chris... killing him because he's African American. She uses the suspect's name in the clip and it's used on the news. Holy cow, this would be such trouble on so many levels. I think about the legal issues for Jessie, the TV station... This would NEVER happen. I appreciate that Purcell acknowledges racism, racial tension, hate crimes into this story. I appreciate that she's trying to help foster conversation around these important issues. I just don't know if this lands right or rings true for me.

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This was an okay read, not my favorite but thank you so much for the opportunity!

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I gave up on this book at 20% completed. I could not stand how whiny and the inner dialogue of the main character. To me it was boring and very slow paced.

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I received this as an ARC in exchange for a review.

I read the synopsis on Netgalley and was intrigued. honestly it took me awhile to get into the book because I was kind of put off by the writing style, but the story ended up pulling me in. it broke my heart a small bit and I ended up really liking this book!

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Mini review:

DNF

I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I saw this book on Netgalley and liked the synopsis. So I requested it. Unfortunately it wasn't for me.

The writing style turned me off. And some of the wording was off. I liked how racial profiling was mentioned and racism. That was well done.

As I already know the ending I think everyone should read this. Highly recommend.

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My pee lasts for thirty-two seconds. My record is a hundred and seven. I wonder if you count your pee. We never talk about this stuff, but we should. Bathroom habits are fascinating. When you get back, I expect answers about all things bathroom related.

Sadly, Jessie never got the chance to ask Chris bathroom related questions.

I wasn't sure about this book at first (Jess keeps saying "you" and I got reeeeaaalllyy confused. Turns out "you" means Chris. :P) but then I got absorbed in the story and OH WHAT A HEARTBREAKING BOOK.

Jessie's my favorite in my character in this book because she's super relatable. She likes the feeling of digging out eye crusties. I LOVE DIGGING OUT EYE CRUSTIES TOO IT'S SO SATISFYING

Chris is a really sweet and considerate guy and when he goes missing, Jess and her friends try to find him. Jessie believes that he is still alive, but some of his friends think he took his own life. I really didn't expect his friends to be right all along!

When Jessie finds out about Chris's death, she cries. I cried along with her. It's so sad and I couldn't help it.

Will recommend to anyone who loves mystery and YA contemporary. (Reminder: prepare box of tissues before reading.)

Final ratings:
Plot: 5 out of 5 - SUSPENSE
Characters: 5 out of 5 - Jess's friends are all so supportive and thoughtful. Love them!
Writing: 2 out of 5
Interest: 2 out of 5
The Feels and emotions: 5 out of 5
Ending: 5 out of 5

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After Jesse and her boyfriend break up, he goes missing while out on a run. No one really suspects he's missing except Jesse, who goes on the hunt to find out what happened to him. As a narrator, Jesse is relatable, conveys emotion, and is a teenager dealing with a lot of stuff but her ability to seek out Chris (her boyfriend) also shows her strength and loyalty. She wasn't without imperfections or flaws, which made her seem all the more real.

The writing style was well done with decent pacing that kept me reading. Although there are hints throughout the book that point to what really happened to Chris, it's done well enough that it isn't obvious. The ending was unexpected.

Two points I didn't like: Chris's race was, in my opinion, too force/overdone. A character can African American without having it stated all the time and while he was the only African American in a white town, it seemed to bother Jesse more than the other residents, which didn't feel authentic for me. I lived in several small towns that weren't accustomed to diversity and more than one person was definitely uncomfortable.

My other issue is Jesse's regrets/hindsight reflecting. I've never know a single teen who ruminates over the past or reflects on regrets made. It just doesn't feel like something a teen does. Everything I have read about teens (including for my psych course) is that they don't really live in the past or future. They are typically NOW kind of people. Of course, not every teen fits this bill but still, it makes Jesse seem older than what she really is.

Otherwise, a beautifully written story with twists and turns that I genuinely loved.

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On a Friday night one week before graduation, Chris Kirk goes out for a run and doesn’t return. Jessie, his girlfriend, tells the story of what happens next in a letter she writes to Chris. Multilayered storytelling keeps the reader turning pages. If you liked The First Time She Drowned or Lock and Key, you’ll like this

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This is an amazing book. It is about a subject that is hard to talk about. Depression happens to anyone. Even someone who has everything to live for. The result of depression can be suicide. Which is what a star athlete, going to college on a scholarship, smart, genuine young man had going for him. His name is Chris.
I was so sad for what the friends and family were going through.
The characters are amazing. They could be classmates that were part of our lives. The sorrow described is genuine. You can definitely feel the anguish and heartache that each felt over the loss of Chris. No one wanted to believe he had taken his own life. Yet, everyone took some if the blame upon their shoulders. In the end, it was a decision Chris made. No one, not Jessie, his girlfriend, his best friends, his family, could have stopped him.
Wonderful read
5 Stars

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"There's nothing. No sign of him anywhere."

Jessie's boyfriend Chris disappears one night while on a run, just after Jessie suggested they take a break from each other. Everyone thinks he is just another teenage runaway, but Jessie knows differently - and she's out to prove it and find him.

It has been a while since I have read a book that kept me so on-edge. Kim Purcell's This is Not a Love Letter is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. The suspense kept me hooked right from the beginning, and touched upon a lot of social issues that are very relevant in our society today. This book definitely will bring out a lot of emotion in readers, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary mystery or suspense books.

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