Je découvre la plume de JP Monninger et j'ai été emportée par le lyrisme et la magie qui se dégagent de sa plume. J'ai été emportée en Irlande pour découvrir cette histoire d'amour atypique aux rebondissements très intéressants.



Kate Moreton est une étudiante érudit qui s'intéresse tout particulièrement aux légendes liées à l'île de Blasket près de Dingle. Dans le cadre d'une thèse sur les récits des femmes dans la littérature féminine, elle va se rendre sur place pour se plonger au coeur même de cette île qui va révéler de nombreuses merveilles. De part ses origines irlandaise, elle va partir à la recherche de ses racines tout en nourrissant son envie de découverte. Dès qu'elle va poser le pied sur les terres irlandaises, elle sent que les choses ne seront plus pareilles. Elle tombe lors d'un laborieux voyage en bus sur deux personnes déterminantes pour son séjour : Nora Crean , qui est un personnage quasi féerique et Seamus son fidèle allié. Ces deux là sont plus qu'adorables et on va adorer les voir interagir avec notre héroïne. Ils seront les porteurs à la fois de la bonne parole mais ils sauront aussi transmettre leur amour de leur pays et de ses légendes. Nora est la grand mère d'Ozzie et elle nous permettra de mieux l'appréhender.



Le roman se divise en trois parties qui correspondent à trois périodes distinctes : dans un premier temps, ce sera la féerie qui va dominer car elle va découvrir des gens merveilleux et des terres éblouissantes puis elle va foncer tête baissée dans une histoire d'amour qui sera transcendante mais aussi éprouvante et enfin , nous aurons la quête pour obtenir des réponses sur une réalité qui est à mille lieux de ce qu'elle pensait . Kate sera toujours bien entourée et elle a ce côté sociable qui lui permettra d'aller au contact des gens et de ressentir de l'empathie pour eux. Elle aura une destinée assez incroyable et ce qu'elle va vivre ne sera pas anodin. Peut on croire aux signes du destin? Saura t-elle trouver sa voie?



Ozzie Ferriter est un personnage que nous aurons du mal à cerner car il ne s'ouvre que très peu sur lui, ses sentiments et son vécu. Nous savons qu'il a vécu l'horreur de la guerre mais en ne s'ouvrant pas sur ce sujet qui l'a forcément marqué. Il met des barrières entre lui et les autres. C'est un pécheur qui vit sur les mers et on sent qu'il y est plus à l'aise que sur la terre ferme avec des gens. Sa rencontre avec Kate sera aussi inattendue que surprenante. Il pourrait dès lors laisser une femme entrer dans sa vie mais cette dernière devra avoir une patience à rude épreuve car il est assez renfermé et s'ouvrir aux autres n'est pas une chose naturelle pour lui. Je ne dirai pas que nous le verrons sous un mauvais jour mais ses démons pourraient bien le faire couler sans promesse de retour.



Bref, j'ai pris plaisir à lire ce roman en VO qui est étonnant , envoûtant car c'est une véritable épopée voire un voyage initiatique que nous découvrons. Les personnages ne sont pas lisses et ce sont leur faille qui nous donne envie d'en savoir plus à leur sujet. L'amour pourra t-il les sauver et sera t-il assez fort pour perdurer ?

Seven Letters by J. P. Monninger, a new to me author that I haven’t read any books by before. It wasn’t a top read for me but a still okay book. Enjoyed the setting and character development. I look forward to checking out future books by author.

I'm not usually one to read books that might be classified as a romance novel, but I really enjoyed this book. The information about the Blasket Islands, the different characters and Monninger's style of writing were extremely enjoyable to me. I was drawn into the book very quickly and became very invested in the characters.

3 1/2 ⭐️‘s
Monninger weaves a complicated love story set mostly in Ireland.  While slow and character driven, the book was very well written.  Monninger brings Ireland alive, as Kate tells her story of love, loss and hope.  Unfortunately even with all that, I did not love the story,  I could see where it was going fairly early on, but Monninger’s prose did keep me reading until the end.

Ireland was already on my bucket list of travel destinations, but after reading this captivating story, I would love nothing more than to drop my obligations, pack my bags, and hop on a flight.

Seven Letters was truly a lovely story.  J.P. Monninger gave such great detail about Ireland and the Blasket Islands that I felt as though I was right there with Kate, feeling the wind in my face and smelling the salty sea air.

Kate Moreton was fulfilling a dream of researching the Blasket Islands.  Taking a leave from her university position, she traveled to Ireland to immerse herself in the culture and to learn about the islands and the people who had inhabited them.  What she didn’t expect was to grow close to a few people there, including a fisherman by the name of Ozzie Ferriter.

It was easy to get swept up in Kate and Ozzie’s story.  While they had immediate chemistry, there was definitely a push and pull that made their initial interactions more intriguing.  It was a whirlwind relationship that was high on passion, intensity, and love.  They fell in love fast and hard, however, I felt the authenticity of it all.  I believed in it.  Despite their differences, I wanted true love to succeed.  Ah, but where would the fun be in a book that was just smooth sailing?  Their relationship wasn’t easy.  They faced many obstacles not unlike any new relationship, but Ozzie had some demons, and he was holding back some painful memories and guilt, and these demons had the potential to eat away at him and his relationship with Kate.

I luxuriated in the writing, felt all of the emotions along with the characters, and held my breath in anticipation of what would become of Kate and Ozzie.  I will admit that the author did surprise me with where the story went.  I can honestly say that I didn’t expect it to take the direction that it did.  There’s nothing better than being surprised and taking an unexpected scenic route.  I am certainly glad that I went along for the journey.

*4 Stars

In this touching story by J. P. Monninger, Kate Moreton Has taken a sabbatical and is visiting Ireland. She is a New Englander and what she hopes to accomplish on this trip brings her a mixture of joy and sadness.

When Kate first meets Ozzie Ferriter, a fisherman there, and also a man that is a war veteran, he touches her heart. However Ozzie has an innate sadness that love cannot even conquer.

Ozzie and Kate spent an idyllic time together but things eventually fall apart. Kate feels she has no choice but to return home to leave Ozzie to fight his battles. However something happens that changes Kate’s entire outlook and ultimately her life.

Whenever you read a story with a character that has been affected by war, it is very hard not to be drawn into it. Such is the case with this thought-provoking book. As much is this story dealt with Ozzie’s situation, Kate’s story held quite a bit of depth that kept me turning pages.

The ending of the story was really, really good. I expected one thing and got another, and I applaud the author for keeping me at the edge of my seat page after page. I look forward to reading more by him in the future.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s for this book for review. This is my honest opinion.

Oh sigh.  Kate, a PhD candidate doing research in Limerick, luckily meets Nora on a bus and then, more critically, meets her grandson Ozzie.  This is really the love story between Kate and Ozzie (I thought there would be more about, ahem, the Blasket Islands, which I found most interesting).  Ozzie came back from service in Afghanistan with issues, which Kate is warned about but doesn't fully understand.  There's a fair amount of sweeping off her feet (complete with a cute puppy and steamy love) and then despair when things go awry. Ozzie's a heroic character by his acts, which aren't fully explained til the end.  Some of the better characters, such as the bicycle women, appear and then are dropped, although Milly does stick through to the end.  Much drama (almost but not quite of the heaving bosom variety) that might suit others more than it did me.  Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.  This one had me wanting to book a trip to Ireland.

Let me start by saying I’m not a big fan of most romance books. I like Nicholas Sparks and Christina Lauren but haven’t found many others that I really enjoy. That being said, this was not one of my favorite romance books. Kate is spending her sabbatical in Ireland learning all about her ancestors when she meets Ozzie and of course the two fall in fast, all-consuming love. Kate eventually sees Ozzie’s flaws which leads her to run away back to the U.S.

The book synopsis gives away more info about what ensues but mostly I found the quick whirlwind romance not very believable and I didn’t care or know enough about Ozzie to really root for him. I also didn’t enjoy the fact that the main characters said each other’s names like 50 times in every conversation and Kate and her best friend call each other “sweetie” all the time and always have these philosophical talks that I didn’t find to be believable. There were also points of what was supposed to be witty banter between the couple that just didn’t resonate with me. 

The book also glosses over some violence and anger issues and the problems are basically swept away bc “omg I love him so much” and I just didn’t vibe with that. 

I think 2.5 is a fair rating for me.

I was completely swept away by this captivating story, its complex characters, and the beautiful settings. This book is a love story, but is also an awakening, a journey for one woman to find her place in the world. Kate and Ozzie are two fascinating people, passionate and and driven in all aspects of their lives. Set in Ireland, Italy, and New Hampshire, each location lends its distinct personality  to the story, becoming an integral part of this novel.

Seven Letters is a contemporary romance to warm and break your heart. Kate has a fellowship to travel to Ireland and research the narratives of the women of the Blasket Islands where her recently deceased father came from. The day she arrives she takes a bus ride and meets a gracious older woman who takes her out to the Islands, matchmaking perhaps Kate and her grandson Ozzie. Kate and Ozzie are drawn to each other, though Kate sees all sorts of problems. Ozzie seems unsettled and reckless to her and she has plans, a dissertation to finish, a job teaching to return to, and the academic life of a college professor to look forward to.

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” makes an appearance in Seven Letters and in a way it captures the story. Kate is a person of shoulds and oughts and Ozzie is a person of the moment, or so she thinks. The letters introduce different sections of the book and are not necessarily revelatory. For example, the book opens with a letter about Kate’s fellowship.

This story is very much of this time. There are references to the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Syrian refugee crisis and its effect on Itay and how that is feeding an growth in nationalist rightwing politics. The topicality of events in the story made the academic life Kate envisioned seem implausible as that academic world is long gone. Tenure track positions are a thing of the past for new Ph.D.s. At this stage, Kate would be an associate professor paid $1800 a month and need a second job to pay her school loans.

I enjoyed Seven Letters and my heart broke a bit over the story, more I think for Ozzie than Kate, who seemed to keep her love on a leash. She seemed also to think she was marrying down even though she met Ozzie’s respected and wealthy grandmother. Sometimes I didn’t like Kate very much, seeing how easily she gave up on love. However, she doesn’t pave paradise. She started to but decided she didn’t want a parking lot.

I received an e-galley of Seven Letters from the publisher through NetGalley.

Seven Letters at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
J. P. Monninger at GoodReads

This is a story that tugs at the heartstrings. Katie is on a working vacation in Scotland. She is a little lost and is trying to do research for a book. She is focused and determined to succeed in her career. On the journey there she meets Nora who introduces her to her grandson Ozzie. Ozzie is an Afghanistan veteran suffering the effects of all the evil he saw and participated in. He feels guilty and covers it by drinking. After a rocky start the two get married and start their life together. Things do not go well and while they are separated Ozzie is presumed dead at sea. The story looks at the regrets you can live with when you don’t take the time to get to know the person you love. Katie goes on a journey to try and find Ozzie and discover who he truly was. It also leads to self discovery and back to each other.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and J.P. Monninger for this ARC. The book is set mostly in Ireland, and the descriptions were very well done. I did find this story a bit silly though,  and in most parts pretty slow. I wanted to really love this book, but I only just liked  it.

Beautifully written romance story – and I am not a big fan of romances. The story itself did not grab me but I did enjoy the beautiful descriptions of Ireland and its Blasket Islands. While reading the descriptions I just had to do an image search online to see it for myself.

Kate Moreton goes to Ireland on sabbatical from Dartmouth College. As soon as she arrives in Ireland she meets Ozzie Ferriter, a fisherman and a veteran of the American war in Afghanistan. There are immediate sparks between them and before you know it they are married. Pretty much the entire first half of the book (or more) is focused on descriptions of the islands and the romance between Ozzie and Kate. I loved the descriptions but was bored with the romance. 

It picks up a bit in the second half but is still very much focused on the romance. Overall I felt the story was just not very realistic. I guess that is part of why I do not care for romances. There was nothing about their relationship that had any depth to it. Ozzie had demons from the war he was trying to run from and I wish there had been more focus on that earlier in the book. His PTSD did not feel real; it was more of a device used to move the story along rather than showing a couple facing the effect of PTSD in a relationship. And the portion at the end set in Canada was just way too contrived for me.

I do not want to spoil the latter part of the book for you so will say as little as possible. Throughout the book Kate makes several very significant impulsive (and poor) decisions. She will come to realize that she didn’t fully know the man she married and flees back to the US without a final goodbye to her husband. Kate will now need to decide if she loves Ozzie enough to deal with his sometimes reckless behavior and the demons he harbors. The book is written entirely from Kate’s perspective. I think it might have been much more interesting if we had been allowed into Ozzie’s head from time to time. There were also some minor characters that I would have loved to have more of a role in the book. All the characters seemed to be there only to further the Ozzie and Kate storyline.

Thank you to Jordan Hanley at St. Martin's Press for a digital advance galley. These opinions expressed are my own.

Kate Moreton is on a sabbatical from her teaching position at Dartmouth so she can finish her dissertation for her doctorate degree. Her research takes her to Ireland, a land she has longed to visit. 

While there, she meets Ozzie Ferriter, an American with dual citizenship. Ozzie has returned to Ireland and is working as a fisherman, trying to forget his experiences as a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. Their first meeting is a bit contentious, but being a romance novel, it's not long before the two are filled with desire for each other. Desire turns to lust turns to passion. Soon they are married and on Ozzie's dream trip of navigating by sea around Ireland.

Kate, previously so caught up in love and passion, begins to wonder if they are a good match when they face grave danger at sea, and she flees. A few years later, she receives word that Ozzie has died, lost at sea, and her loss makes her question her decision to leave him.

This is my first read of J.P. Monninger, and I really enjoyed the depth of his descriptions which made me feel as if I was visiting Ireland myself. Fabulous! I do wish the story had been told from both Kate and Ozzie's POVs. I sorely missed his take on things. The only glimpse we get of what he's thinking is in two of the seven letters referenced in the title. I had a hard time liking Kate, finding her immature and annoying. I realize a reader doesn't have to like every character, but when the character in question is one of the main characters and one we are supposed to feel for, it becomes problematic. 

This read gets 3 stars from me. It would have been a 2, but was raised due to Monninger's wonderful descriptions.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press allowing me to read a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

4.75 Stars!!

A number of years ago I randomly picked up a book called Whippoorwill and started reading while waiting for a friend. That friend's appearance was the only reason I set it down. I had been immediately drawn into the fabulous writing and since then, I've made it a habit to read each new release by this author. I haven't been disappointed yet.

After reading the blurb, I knew that I was going to fall in love with Seven Letters, but I hadn't realized how much. I was taken in by the beautiful prose, creative imagery, and evocative storytelling. This had all the makings of fantastic women's fiction, but then strengthened by the passionate romance between Ozzie and Kate. I was caught up in their whirlwind as much as they were and then equally devastated, elated, heartbroken, and healed. So many emotions. There was a point in the book just after 80% where the pacing slowed with some extraneous and unnecessary information, but it picked back up quickly and moved right along to a powerful and rewarding ending. It was almost not worth mentioning, since it was another fabulous story by this author, regardless. I'm still determined to read this author's back list, but until then, I will look forward to every new release.

Kate from Springfield, Massachussetts accepts a fellowship to study on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland.

The book starts with a letter with an Irish legend which I loved. The pace is good from the start and I love the mystery and excitement of the journey. 

Kate's destination is the University of Limerick where she'll be a visiting scholar. 

I adore books about going on journeys. Kate's nerves about the trip soon fade when she meets 70 year old Jerry, an ex middle school teacher and wise Irishman who claims Ireland is the world's bedtime story. I thought that was a lovely way to refer to it. 
 
Also on the bus is Gran, an elderly lady who is from
NYC but lives in Ireland for part of the year and who originally came to Ireland as she married an Irishman. I like the mention of the Irish language. 

All through the book the sights and sounds are very vivid and there is great detail. The story is exciting and evocative. 

I felt like I was on the trip, the descriptions are so beautiful and visual. Everyone is friendly. 

There's a sense of Kate arriving at university and starting her fellowship- it took me back to my own time at university. Of finally getting to study something I wanted to study and of being somewhere new. 

I liked her study partner Dijeen and seeing different cultures coming together in the melting pot of nationalities that is the university. Her being from
the States, Dijeen from India and some people from
Ireland. 

The Bicycle Club members were fun and I thought meeting them was a great way for her to travel round Ireland and meet people. 

Everyone has their own personality in this book which I loved. 

Ollie Ferriter and Kate meet and sparks fly. He's loving, attentive and an ex army soldier who was posted to Afghanistan.  But he has a dark past and loves to drink: will Kate be safe with him? 

A boat trip round Ireland tests them beyond limits. But will they survive? 

I liked Bertie Janes and the Blaskett Museum and the support of people towards Kate when life got tough. 

J.P. Monninger cleverly uses letters written between Ozzie and Kate at different parts of their relationship as a type of personal insight for the reader as to what they really feel. This is as well as letters to Kate from the university staff related to her fellowship 

Overall, the romance between Kate and Ozzie was clean but described cleverly to seem hotter but was still very readable. I love romance and this was definitely sweet. 

Much of the time, Ozzie seems a real gentleman but there were times when I was concerned for Kate. 

Ozzie and Kate are cute together. 

Seven Letters is a novel about love, the importance of family conflicts and hate and of making up again. 

I did not want it to end and Seven Letters would not be complete without Gottfried, Ozzie's loveable dog. 

In parts, I felt Seven Letters was up there with my favourite romances: The Notebook and Dear John by Nicholas Sparks, and if you love those you'll love this. 

I got through Seven Letters in a day and was hooked by every word. 

Huge thanks to J.P. Moninger and St Martin's Press   for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. 

5 stars but it deserves even more in my opinion as the plots are effortlessly woven in and I just loved the book. I'm looking forward to reviewing more novels by J.P. Monninger. I found I finished the book knowing more about Irish folklore and legends. 

Read this, the novel is pure magic!

Be still my heart! So many words to describe how I felt while reading this book, after reading this book. Maybe beguiled, captivated, charmed, mesmerized.  This book spoke to my heart, to my very own fascination with Ireland and reminded me of my LONG AGO trek to this enchanting land. It reminded me of what I wanted to be when I grew up, a historian. A dream set aside for the practicality of life. But I have no regrets and now J.P. Monninger has shared this GEM of a story, I felt as though I lived a bit of it through Kate Moreton. Kate is a brave and passionate woman matched with a brave and passionate man in Ozzie - but Ozzie is a very broken man. A man trying to outrun (out-sail in his case) his demons all while falling deeply and irrevocably in love.

Having traveled to Ireland as a part of her dissertation work, Kate is immediately transported to the subject of her work, the people on the now-vacated Blasket Islands. When she meets Ozzie she really has no idea how much this will change her life, and the spark of physical attraction can't be ignored. Theirs is a whirlwind romance, one that the reader feels in their heart and soul. For me, it had the essence of an EPIC love story; all-consuming, beautiful, soulful and at times, tumultuous. While change is inevitable, Ozzie doesn't manage it well. We start to see how he struggles with his past, experiences neither Kate nor the reader is privy too. They experience happiness and heartbreak, leading Kate to a decision that resets their course.

As the letters are shared, you'll come to expect the unexpected. A healthy part of the book had me on tenterhooks. Ready to cry at any moment. Through Kate's eyes, we understand the deep pang of grief and regret she feels. That try, as she might, moving on is agonizing and seemingly impossible. I grappled with her decisions which is, I believe, exactly what Monninger intended. We take quite the trip with Kate, as she sets out to uncover the truth, to come to terms with the past and present, to be able to heal.

Monninger's writing is prolific, insightful and contains details that indicate experience and/or a great amount of research. The details capture the essence of the characters and places. This is a character-driven story that is rich and deep in their narratives. Kate really is at the center, as the story is through her eyes, and even though she falters at completely considering a 360 view, it's understandable. She has to protect her heart. The cast of characters that support Kate and Ozzie adds so much to the story, drive the pace and the plotline forward.

As I've said this book was all-consuming. I've often seen reviewers say a book as addicting, and all I could think was sure I've read plenty of books that captivate me. But not often do I find myself putting off real life, clamoring to get back to the story as I did with this. There was absolutely no way I was sleeping until I finished. I guess I was addicted. I needed to see their story through to the end. Considering the range of feelings I experienced, what I feared for Kate, I couldn't be happier with how it ended. This is a 5++ star read and one that I HIGHLY recommend.

This was a slow mover for me. I like the concept was some of the letters were really not even that, they were just moments in the book. I expected more. The middle got better until the end was a little rushed and unbelievable.

I really enjoyed this one. Based in Ireland how could I not?! Kate feels connected to Ireland because that where her family is from. She is a professor at Dartmouth but goes to Ireland to work on research for a paper she is writing. There she meets Ozzie. Ozzie, is dealing with his memories of war but he and Kate find a special connection. 

They eventually end of married but because of some incidents Kate leaves him and Ireland behind until one day she receives a call that he was lost at sea. She goes back to Ireland and ends up learning his boat went down while helping refugees.

I did not think this book would be as emotional as the second part ended up being. BUT I just didn’t like how Kate just left him behind when she saw that he was struggling with his inner demons. I don’t think someone can help someone if they don’t want to be helped but I don’t think that was the case with Ozzie. Yes, he said he was fine but I just feel like Kate could have pushed a bit more. Kate struggles with those decisions once she goes back to Ireland. Overall, I would definitely still recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for my review copy.

Seven Letters by J. P. Monninger
Story of Irish folklore about an island and man wants to go back to his birthplace and he knows once he touches the ground he will age. On the island they stay the same age. She'd not be able to help hmm return to her if he left....
Each phase of the story comes to light from a letter that is written.
Similar to a movie i watched about aqua-man where his mother is the fairy who leaves...
Love the technology and how it's used to introduce others who are not tech inclined as to how it works.
She's on a path to do her doctorate and heads to Ireland and meets many on the way and they come to take her to tie island with a picnic lunch.
The men take her around the island walking and talking about history and how people lived back then.
Interesting: Rock charm and purifying her new space at the university.
Feel as if I'm on a tour of Ireland, so cool that so many details are given.
Kate finds herself attracted to Ozzy,  gram's grandson...
Endless days and weeks on the water, new islands to explore to help with her dissertation and she finds time to spend back at her university apartment.
They live like nomads and decide to just go for it. I was surprised!
Not much time for bicycle girls but others she keeps attracting.
Adult situations.  Storm at sea does things to their relationship....
News about her research and tragedy strikes as she had just begun her new life and she heads back to where they met to find out the details....
Her BFF comes to her rescue being with her.  Lots of travel and very descriptive details of places to visit...
Miracles do happen and love how the ending comes full circle.
Acknowledgments at the end.
Received this review copy from the St. Martins Press via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.