A nice story with good characters. We alternate between mother and daughter as they go through a difficult patch in their lives and learn that they no tomorrow is promised

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC!
In "The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright," Beth Miller crafts a story that has all the fun feelings of a 90s rom-com -- but which emphasizes character over romance. This is women's fiction at its best: taking on relationships, aging, and giving purpose to one's life.

The story opens with a bang as Kay Bright decides to leave her marriage (and the career connected to it) of 29 years. Her decision ripples through the family, setting her ex, her children, her mother-in-law and her friends on unexpected paths. The novel's strength lies in its creation of believable and sympathetic characters; I rooted for most everyone (and had a special fondness for Piet) and could hear each voice distinctly. Its weakness is that some aspects are a bit predictable - but you'll have so much fun reading that you won't mind if you occasionally know what's coming.

What do you do when you are not happy anymore with the life you are leading? Do you have to stay because of the kids or a thousand other reasons? Or is it time for a change and be what others will consider as being selfish? Don't you deserve some time for yourself after years of giving more than taking? After  all, you only have one life and you have to make the most out of it.

When you are young you have certain dreams, but you have to put them on hold because there is work and kids and you promise yourself and each other that you will do those things when the children have left home. But then years go by and you still are waiting for the day to come and go on those adventures and you feel like those dreams will remain exactly that : dreams. Time to act or to keep on waiting?

A beautiful story that I could not put down about friendship, making the most of your life and live it the best you can. Sometimes you have to hurt people in the process in order to make them see your side of the medal. It can break them or set them free too.

No let people back you into a corner. You are also important! 5 stars.

Thank you, Beth Miller and Bookouture.

This is one book that has me torn. I liked parts but not other parts. The characters were kind of people that in real life I would have hated and although I did enjoy the story they made the story just something that I couldn't get on board with. I think for the most part this one just wasn't for me at all.

Sad and sweet - all in one book. I loved this story, the characters were easy to like and there was a genuine need to know why there was no response to the letters sent. A journey of discovery for the main character and a superb book.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this. It was an easy read with likeable characters, and Miller explored the separate storylines well.

Absolutely loved this book!! The characters were very interesting & intriguing. Kept me interested from the first page!

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this advanced copy. This is not my favorite genre, but the writing was good and the story line not what I expected, so that was enjoyable. Parts of plot were predictable, especially the ending, which was disappointing, Most readers would like it.

I loved it. It is a heartwarming and uplifting story about a middle-aged woman who is brave enough to finally put herself first and not make do with a marriage that has lost its true meaning.
Kay goes to visit her friend sensing that there must be some trouble with her that keeps her from writing. Ursula's story is heartbreaking, but it was wonderful to read about their friendship, I also loved the supporting characters, mainly Kay's daughter. It is a bit her coming-of-age story as well. I can recommend this book to anyone who loves a good book about a strong heroine.

A heart warming story about finding your happiness both early and late in life. Kay leaves her husband of 29 years although things are "perfectly fine" when she finds the inner strength to chase the dreams she had long buried. Her journey (both physical and spiritual) allows her to reconnect to the those things that matter most. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing an advance copy for review.

This book had a lot of ups and downs and really made you think about the many life choices we make, and how much they can impact the rest of our lives. I also enjoyed the written letters mixed in after every few chapters, many from the past. It was a nice touch. I would give it 3.5 stars, so I'm rounding up.

Mrs. Bright is your average middle-aged woman, married for more than half of her life, mother to 2 grown children, keeping up with friends and obligations. Until one day, when she wakes up and decides that she has had enough and walks away from her marriage.
Kay finds herself at the point in her life where she wonders at the road not taken and looks back too fondly at what could have been, seeing the past through a distorted lens of wistful thinking.
After her friend’s bi-monthly letters suddenly stop with no notice, Kay decides that while she is spreading her wings and finding her own identity post marriage, she will check in on her friend in Australia.
What she learns on her travels, about her friends, herself and her marriage helps her to put feelings in perspective and find a new way forward while maintaining her relationships with her husband, children and friends.
This is a novel about midlife, looking back, family and friendship. It is a nice light read, the troubles and turmoils are put to bed a little too neatly for my taste, making it a little hard to believe at times, but overall a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a slow starter for me but then all of a sudden it was really good and I enjoyed it. Kay decides to leave her husband, Richard, after almost 30 years of marriage and two grown children. Kay has a good friend, Bear (Ursula) who she has exchanged letters with for years up until about six months ago. The story is told from different POVs to go along with the different story lines within this book. This is a very poignant story of love, loss and hope. Thank you NetGally and Bookouture for the ARC of this very touching book in exchange for an honest review.

I can imagine this is a very relatable book for many these days when life expectancy is much increased and forever suddenly seems a very long time in a marriage. In this example Kay Bright is not in a bad marriage but can’t shake off the feeling that there should be more to life than this, she’s feeling stuck in a rut both at home and at work where she manages a shop in the family business. There’s no trigger for her leaving her husband when she does beyond the feeling that if she doesn’t now she never will.

The story is told from two perspectives, those of Kay and of her twenty something daughter Stella. Whilst I enjoyed reading both I don’t feel that Stella’s chapters especially added to the story, I felt more invested in Kay’s travels and relationships, more so her friendships than her marriage. This is a very reflective story which definitely makes you think a little about the life you live.

This is a well written novel, with good characterization and description. I didn’t connect to the main characters Kay and her daughter Stella as much as I thought I would, but otherwise it was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

There was nothing exciting about this book and that isn’t a criticism. This is a frank admission and discussion about a tired marriage that is finally abandoned, a friendship that is winding down, another that is strengthening, and an exploration of the possible next chapters in life. Mrs. Bright ruminates “It was hard not having a single proper reason to leave..” and that pretty much sums up the book.

I have often had the notion that one day you wake up and realize things are different and it’s time to go. Beth Miller attacked this notion and turned it into a story that I can hold close and revisit. I liked all the elements and relationships within the story and the way they held together. I liked that friendships didn’t get put aside due to an unspoken word, a misstep, a greater challenge. It really holds true friendship up to a bright light.


Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutre for a copy.

Fifty one year old Kay Bright who has spent the last twenty nine years married to her husband Richard, raising their two children and working in his stationary store, wakes up one morning and decides she has had enough of living with a man who never wants to do anything interesting. She has decided she will leave Richard and do some of the things she has always wanted to do, such as visiting her dear friend Bear in Australia. Since Bear's family emigrated to Australia when she and Kay were teenagers, they have exchanged letters regularly so Kay is concerned that Bear hasn't answered her letters for the last six months.

This is a lovely, beautifully written, book about women's friendships, mother-daughter relationships and finding yourself, no matter how late in life. Sad in places, it was also heart warming and a reminder that it's never too late for a new beginning.

A beautiful read about a women who sets out to make her own destiny after living a run of the mill life as a wife, mum and shop owner. One day Kay wakes up and ends her marriage after 29 years. She wants more from life and after finding her friend of many years stopped writing to her, key goes on a journey of life, love and loss. heartwarming and at time sad but over all a lovely read.

I really enjoyed this story. We follow Kay and her Daughter Stella as they navigate some pretty big life changes. Kay leaves her husband of 29 years in search of the happiness that’s been missing and Stella’s relationship, career, and living situations, which were all intertwined, come crashing down around her. It’s a story of resilience, hope, second chances, and recognizing life is too short to put things off. The characters were relatable- from their gifts to their faults. Definitely recommend for an easy, feel good read!

A wonderful story of the friendships we shape through our lifetime. Some are long lasting with many ups and downs, filled with joy, disappointments, laughter, sadness, and sometimes loss. A great story of the changes Mrs. Bright goes thru as she heads into her “senior years” which some might say was her mid life crisis time...but alas, she is very happy with all her decisions in the end. A funny, tearful, relatable story for many!!
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