Very entertaining story.

On one hand, Josie’s story in particular, being set during our time, is told by emails and texts, which I found resourceful. Most emails are between the main protagonist and Faith, her now reconnected best friend. Because they can’t text a lot (thanks to them being very apart geographically) the emails are very long so the author uses them to insert Josie’s narration. She basically recollects whatever happens to her in the emails, so it felt natural.

Moreover, I really liked the juxtaposition between Josie’s emails and Elias’ letters,because you know, one is a teenager from nowadays and the other is historical romance hero, generally speaking. The moment we’re introduced to Elias’ first letter is amazing, you instantly feel the shock of Oh This Person Writes Very Dramatic and Formally. Therefore, to me, the shift in voices between them is great.

However, I would’ve liked for that to also apply to how Faith and Josie (and Oliver, we’ll get on that later) sound while writing. Since, we only get to know them through their emails and texts, we can’t hear them in dialogue, in how they sound in day to day life. Of course, both have different preocupations, dreams and fears. Nevertheless, it could’ve been really nice to see distinct differences in how they wrote/spoke, since it’s the only glimpse at their personalities the reader gets.

On the other hand, we have an actual novel within the novel. I really enjoyed it. I don’t read a lot of historical romance and I’ve been meaning to try it out, but I loved this one a lot. Even though it wasn’t what I came looking for when I opened the book, it was still a nice surprise.

As you could guess by now, there’s a mix of everything here. Apart from contemporary and historical romance sort of clashing, other aspects come into play. Like at some point we can’t help but wonder if there’s a bit sci-fi involved with time travel. Sometimes Elias sounds so obsessed in his letters and Josie in her emails that it’s a bit of horror. There’s a bit of suspense around the house, are there ghosts?

However, I realized when the book was coming to a close, that didn’t really matter because the story had a strong message that I was ignoring. The story is more about grief and love that anything else. It explored both things in an unusual way, but a moving one nonetheless.

If you want to check this one out, know that you’re in for a ride.

This may be the longest review I'll ever write. I have a lot of thoughts about this one.

First of all, this book is told through a few different narratives. We have
a) Josie's texts and emails to her friends and family
b) Elias's letters to Josie
c) Chapters of Elias's novel

It's also important to note that Josie lives in modern day England while Elias lives during the Regency era.

I really struggled to get through this book for multiple reasons. Let's break them down, shall we?

Reason 1: Because Josie's perspective is only told through emails and texts, it was really hard to connect with any of the characters, including herself. It was all just surface skimming stuff.

Reason 2: Elias's letters to Josephine reeked of desperation, instalove, and naivete. He meets Josephine exactly one time, then he proceeds writes her letters confessing his undying love and devotion to her, tries to locate her so he can propose marriage, and ignores all other perfectly great prospects. It was both unbelievable and eye-roll inducing.

Reason 3: The pacing was so. very. slow. For someone who was obsessed with and falling in love with Elias, Josie sure took her sweet time reading his letters and novels. Seriously. This book starts in June and ends in November. Five months. It took her five months to read a handful of letters and a very short novel. Even with her part time job and home renovations (which don't seem to get worked on very often), that is a long time for someone who is supposed to be obsessed with this guy.

Reason 4: This was the biggest hang up for me. This book felt like having hiccups. You know when you have really big, annoying hiccups and you can't even get a full sentence out without a hiccup interrupting you? This was hiccups in book form. Every time I started to get even a little bit into the story, it was interrupted by a short burst of texts that were not necessary at that point. If the texts could have been compiled and saved for the ends of the chapters, it would have been far less frustrating to me. I think if things had just been rearranged a bit it would have been less frustrating to read.

I have a bonus Reason 5: but it's a spoiler. Suffice it to say, the romance which was supposed to be sweet in the end actually seemed incredibly problematic to me.

I actually reading enjoy this read. It kept my interest all the way through and I've already recommended it to arrive friends on bookstagram!

When Josie De Clare's world falls apart, she finds that the things she thought made sense (boyfriend, life goals, friends) are suddenly turned upside down. Suddenly she is looking for understanding from an old friend and discovering love in very unexpected, and historic, places. Author Caroline George takes her readers on a time-bending adventure in her newest book, Dearest Josephine. An original narrative that mixes the modern with the past through a series of emails, letters and stories, this is a book worth reading. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I very unfortunately was unable to finish this before my ARC expired. :(

BUT. What I read so far was absolutely amazing and original, it wasn't quite like anything I've ever read before. Up to the point I read to, I would recommend this book, and I'm excited to get a copy when it releases!

Title: Dearest Josephine
Author: Caroline George
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

2020: Chocolate and Earl Grey tea can’t fix Josie De Clare’s horrible year. She mourned the death of her father and suffered a teen-life crisis, which delayed her university plans. But when her father’s will reveals a family-owned property in Northern England, Josie leaves London to find clarity at the secluded manor house. While exploring the estate, she discovers two-hundred-year-old love letters written by an elusive novelist, all addressed to someone named Josephine. And then she discovers a novel in which it seems like she’s the heroine…

1820: Novelist Elias Roch loves a woman he can never be with. Born the bastard son to a nobleman and cast out from society, Elias seeks refuge in his mind with the quirky heroine who draws him into a fantasy world of scandal, betrayal, and unconditional love. Convinced she’s his soulmate, Elias writes letters to her, all of which divulge the tragedy and trials of his personal life.

As fiction blurs into reality, Josie and Elias must decide: How does one live if love can’t wait? Separated by two hundred years, they fight against time to find each other in a story of her, him, and the novel written by the man who loves her.

I’m honestly not sure what to say about this novel. I enjoyed it and the writing was excellent, but to me there was a major question left unanswered. The author tells the story creatively, using emails, texts, letters, a manuscript…There are three storylines—2020, Elias’ letters, and Elias’ manuscript—and I had difficulty telling the two Elias wrote apart, as they were partially very alike.

It seems, for all intents and purposes, that somehow Elias met Josephine in the past, but that “How?” question is never answered. That’s the biggest mystery of the story, and the reader never gets an answer. I loved how the 2020 storyline wrapped up, and Elias’ novel, too, but Elias’ own story was a bit disappointing to me, mainly because of the lack of resolution. Nevertheless, this was a solid read.

Caroline George is an award-winning author. Dearest Josephine is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 2/5)

Dearest Josephine is an epistolary novel about grief and coming of age, disguised as a paranormal gothic romance. It is a sweet, clever, beautiful book, and I adored it.

My full review will appear on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books closer to the publication date.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book has a simple premise, but it's a difficult one to review. There are three stories running concurrently: e-mails and texts back and forth between Josie and her best friend Faith, letters from a Regency beau to a Josephine (that Josie discovers in the house she's been left after her father's death), and a manuscript purportedly written by said beau, Elias, covering the same ground as the letters. The story works well initially, especially the beginning which is wonderful, as Josie and Faith reconnect after a long period of no communication. However, the INSTA is strong in this story, and ends up overpowering it. Josie falls in love instantly with the Regency beau, convinced they have a connection. Regency beau falls in love instantly with his Josephine, having encountered her once. And the manuscript is more or less bad fanfiction about a brief encounter with instantaneous feelings. While I loved the secondary characters, I didn't much like Josie or Elias, and found the whole build-up a let-down to what the resolution ended up being.

3.5 stars — I really loved the blurb for this book and was excited to read it. In the end, I can’t decide whether I liked or disliked the book. I enjoyed the premise of the novel and thought it was very original. However, I have never been a fan of insta-love in books and it felt like there were many accounts of that. I also did not connect with the characters through the way in which the novel was delivered.
Although, I do give props to the author for a unique format of delivery. Ultimately, I thought this book was okay and think many may really like the uniqueness of the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dearest Josephine is written in such a unique way! I loved discovering the story along with Josephine and her friends Faith and Oliver.

Caroline did a wonderful job at juggling the different stories though it did take me a moment to get everything set straight it culminates into a gorgeous story. Also this was perfect to read after watching Bridgerton.

I’ve already preordered this book for myself! Such a unique trope, storyline, and presentation. I could not put this book down.

The tale of love over two different centuries intertwined forever.

1821 Elias Roch is a bastard born son raised by the staff he grew up with until he took his fathers name and got the education he deserved. Elias falls madly in love with Josephine De Clare and when unable to locate her begins penning love letters to her that tune into so much more. Alongside the letters he also begins writing the fictional love story he wish they had.

Fast forward to 2021 and Josie has just been dumped by her loser boyfriend, her best friend still isn’t speaking to her after she all but ruined their friendship and he fathers dead. Josie’s whole worlds come crumbling down right when she finds Elias’s letters.

Their worlds couldn’t be more different yet so very the same. Josie falls in love with Elias’s letters and begins finding herself. Such a super sweet and uplifting romance novel.

***4 ‘Meeting is Enough’ Stars***

The cover was the lure and the mysterious love letters and novel were the hook (also, I do love me some chocolate and Earl Grey tea). And I have to say that I ended up enjoying Josie and Elias’s somewhat unconventional, but absolutely fascinating journey of self discovery.

And that’s what this book really is about. Yes, there is romance, and it does play a role in their lives and their evolution, but this story is really about Josie and Elias finding themselves through words. They’ve both been through a lot and are at a crossroads in their lives ~ Elias’s as he is writing the letters and novel and Josie when she happens upon them ~ and how with each letter, and chapter written and read they evolve and grow. Sometimes their “growth” isn’t in a necessarily positive direction, but each step opens them up to more possibilities until they truly find themselves and their happy.

I know that doesn’t explain much, but doing more than that may possibly ruin their journey for you, so I must remain vague.

But what I will be a bit less vague about is how this book is written because I think it’s important. As I have just learned, this book is written in the epistolary style meaning that it is written via letters, texts and emails and there is a novel in the mix, so outside of the texts there is a lot of monologue-ing going on. Some may not enjoy that style of writing and while I’m not always a fan of extensive monologues, in this instance I quite enjoyed it. Many moons ago I read a contemporary series that was based almost entirely around emails and texts when both were still somewhat “new” and I loved it and the same goes for this book. Through the various means of correspondence I got a good feel for all of the characters that inhabited the novel and all that they were going through and if anyone were to ask me to boil it down to a simple description (which maybe I should have done at the star) I’d tell them to look at this like you are reading a memoir/autobiography/diary in a mix of mediums.

This is my first read by the author and I will definitely be looking to read more by her. The writing was engaging and I enjoyed the multiple POV’s. I did find that at times the pacing did slow, but my interest in finding out how things worked out for everyone kept me turning those pages. Also sometimes the time jumps were a bit...sudden ~ though that can be chalked up to this not being the final version ~ but all in all, a great read. As for the supporting cast of characters. I loved Faith, Oliver, Norman, Martha and all of the others who populated this story. I do wish there was a little more to the ending BUT it still had me grinning and happy with how everything worked out.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

This book! Epistolary novels are often hit or miss. Usually they don’t make me feel as connected to the characters as I would with a regular novel, but Dearest Josephine works due to its distinct character voices and compelling plot.

I absolutely love the format of the story. Josie’s email letter diaries to Faith, the text conversations Josie has with numerous people, Elias’s letters and the inclusion of his novel. It was such a fun way to tell a story, and it worked so well.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this story so much because it felt like a stretch that Josie would fall in love with someone who has been dead for almost 200 years because of the letters he addressed to her. But I love how everything unfolds and comes together in the end so I can forgive that minor plot annoyance because the ending really sealed the deal for me. I'm still reeling from that plot twist!

This is a different kind of story, and I thoroughly enjoyed the light mystery and historical aspects as well as Josie’s shenanigans at the mansion. Also, Oliver is adorable. Where can I get one?

If you like cute romances, Jane Austen era stories, and quirky characters, definitely pick this one up.

Dearest Josephine is a unique take on love, and grief through a series of letters, emails, and texts. The back and forth between the present and the past blends well. It really engaged me.

Josie has just lost her father to cancer and it obvious that she is angry but that anger and grief are diverted when she finds these letters written over two hundred years ago, that Elias Roch wrote to Josephine De Clare, Josie's namesake. And she falls in love with a dead man.

Dearest Josephine is a rich, thought-provoking, epistolary novel on what it means to be human, to fall in love, to hurt, to be angry, etc., and at the end, find your happily ever after. For Josie, it didn't look as she thought it would in the beginning, but by the end, she was able to clearly see that even though she thought herself to be in love with a dead man, it was the man who loved her in the present that helped her see clearly where she was going.

My gratitude to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unfortunately, I did not finish, I made it 20%. And it wasn’t because of the story line. I think in an electronic format, there is a lot lost and bumped together. Transitions between “texts” and “emailed” were difficult to navigate. I will definitely look forward to finishing this when it is released. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review.

Long ago I did not read a story told in an epistolary way.

Actually despite being narrated in this way (something that has always been interesting to me) I lost a lot in reading.

It also didn't feel so real to me. The story is a mixture of reality and fantasy that was difficult for me to understand.

However, there were moments where they spoke of serendipity and well, I have felt that way many times when I read some liros and this story reminded me of all those times.

Somehow I feel that the author wanted to express that feeling that readers sometimes have. I loved her for it.

Sometimes a book just doesn’t do it for you and sadly this was the case for me with Dearest Josephine.

When I read the description I fell in love with the story. In 2021 A young woman named Josie whose father has recently passed away moves into an old decrepit estate her dad was planning to fix up. There, she finds love letters from a man called Elias Roch addressed to his lover but never sent. As Josie continues to read she begins to fall madly in love with Elias. Only problem is, the letters are from 1821.

As I said, I fell in love with the premise of the story but I didn’t fall in love with the execution and the format. The book is written as a series of emails, texts and letters.
While I don’t mind books with these elements in them by only using these elements I lost the connection to the story and the characters. There was no descriptive imagery to help me get lost in the world the characters were in. All in all it felt a bit like opening someone else’s mail and trying to connect to the people it was meant for.

There were some beautiful quotes in this book and I hope with the right audience it will be a big hit.
Also how gorgeous is the cover!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for my ARC to read and review.

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George follows Josie in 2020 who when her father’s will reveals a family-owned property in Northern England, Josie leaves London to find clarity at the secluded manor house. While exploring the estate, she discovers two-hundred-year-old love letters written by an elusive novelist, all addressed to someone named Josephine. And then she discovers a novel in which it seems like she’s the heroine. Meanwhile in 1820, novelist Elias Roch loves a woman he can never be with. Born the bastard son to a nobleman and cast out from society, Elias seeks refuge in his mind with the quirky heroine who draws him into a fantasy world of scandal, betrayal, and unconditional love. Convinced she’s his soulmate, Elias writes letters to her, all of which divulge the tragedy and trials of his personal life.

This book was a little slow at first for me but I quickly got invested in the several timelines and was curious to see how it would all turn out. The modern timeline takes place through emails and text messages which made it a little harder for me to get invested in that time period. Overall, this was a very fun twist on a historical YA novel.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I was really going to love this, but I just didn't. I did like the story overall, but it can be confusing at times. Also, there's a lot of overuse of the word "bastard", not as a swear word, but still, its in there way too many times-unnecessary, in my opinion. I like the whole letter thing, but it needs to be a little clearer, I think.
Thanks to the publisher and Net galley for the advance e copy! The opinions expressed are my own.