Cover Image: Very Sincerely Yours

Very Sincerely Yours

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was such a sweet story! The main characters complimented one another so well (a heroine who works at a vintage toy story and a Mister-Rodgers-esque TV figure). It was wholesome and comforting. My favorite romance from Winfrey so far!

Was this review helpful?

This was good!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for my advanced copy of Very Sincerely Yours!

What I Enjoyed-

The Friendship- Teddy had great supportive friends.

The Writing- Kerry Winfrey books are fast and easy reads.

The Romance- Teddy and Everett are a cute couple and I wanted them together.

The Conflict- It was reasonable. I also enjoyed the resolution.

The Feels- This book is a feel good type of read.

Why This Wasn't a Five Star-

I LOVED Waiting for Tom Hanks!
Very Sincerely Yours took me a minute to warm up to. I loved the concept of them writing to each other but I felt as though it took us a bit to even get to that point. I was impatient.

Overall- I still adore Kerry Winfrey and will continue to read and recommend her books.

Was this review helpful?

I'm a big Kerry Winfrey fan, but the synopsis for this one didn't really draw me in at first. I took a chance though because I love the author and I really enjoyed Very Sincerely Yours! Aside from the beautiful cover, I thought the characters were sweet and the story was original. A little cheesy at times, but I didn't mind! I'm going to give this one 3.5 stars! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a fun read. However while Teddy did seem at times very immature it was interesting to watch her get a backbone and try one new thing a day. Everett was an enjoyable character as was his sister. So much humor in this I found myself chuckling out loud. A good book club discussion title. Would like to see this made into a TV movie.

Was this review helpful?

Kerry Winfrey writes books that make me nostalgic for my favorite rom-com movies. Picking up Very Sincerely Yours was a fabulous weekend in the making. I indulged with a book, a cup of tea, a cozy spot on the couch and a rom-com in the background! Winfrey's books are automatic hits with me.

Was this review helpful?

Winfrey does it again!! She has created quirky yet lovable characters that you just want to bubble wrap up and protect at all costs! But also somehow made them strong and sturdy and oh so swoony!

This was her first true stand-alone and it really was incredible! I had a huge smile on my face through most of the story and in the more serious moments, my heart really felt for our main characters. Watching them both grow and discover what will truly make them happy, and breaking out of their routines/comfort zones as their learn to prioritize their hearts was BEAUTIFUL!

Was this review helpful?

The premise of Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey, a new to me author, caught my eye and I decided to read it and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed this light romantic comedy that featured two 30 something individuals who didn’t quite have their lives worked out. The heroine is out of a long term relationship she didn’t see ending and has basically spent her life since college being her boyfriend’s personal assistant/maid/cook and she enjoyed doing those things until he decided he was done. The hero is a local television personality/puppeteer with a successful children’s program yet he has no life. I loved everything about their story; the way they met, their accidental first in person meeting, their crazy second in person meeting, the way they were comfortable with one another from the start, and even their missteps along the way. I loved this sweet, flirtatious, low angst romance.

Teddy Phillips life is at a turning point and it isn’t one she saw coming. Suddenly without a boyfriend and a place to live she’s rooming with her two best friends who she freely admits she hasn’t been the best friend to since her ex Rick (the d*ck) didn’t like them. While she enjoys her job working in a vintage toy store mainly because she adores the owner, Teddy knows she needs to find her passion and figure out what she wants out of life. With the help of her friends Eleanor and Kirsten she makes a “Teddy Time” list basically a to-do list of things they scare her. After a particularly bad evening she decides to email Everett of Everett’s Place a local kid’s show that soothes her and makes her happy and while she is terrified he’ll laugh or send back a message telling her to get a life, she has no clue that email will actually change her life forever.

Since he was 4 year old Everett St. James knew he wanted to be a puppeteer and a television host. Known on the internet Mom’s boards as the “sexy Mr. Rogers” he has quite the local following in Columbus and a pretty successful show. His family and friends constantly remind him that he needs work/life balance as he tends to obsess over the show often working 12-15 hour days, but he’s happy or at least he thinks he is happy until one email makes him realize perhaps this is something missing from his life.

I really loved these two together and while Teddy was a bit of a mess at the beginning it was wonderful watching her blossom into her own person, learning to stand up to those she loved that thought they knew what she needed to do with her life, and to embrace being with someone who wanted her for the person she is not for what she can do for them. Everett was a good man, but somewhere along the line work became his only focus so it was fun to watch him begin to realize how much the people who have known him for years have put up with him and for him to see how much being with the right person can make your life better. That’s not to say it was all smooth sailing between them, but with Everett’s keen communication skills and Teddy’s new found independence, they both are pretty good at saying exactly what they are feeling.

From the main characters to the secondary, they all drew me in with their unique personalities. Very Sincerely Yours was a heart-warming love story that I actually found hard to put down.

Was this review helpful?

Very Sincerely yours by Kerry Winfrey is another enjoyable romantic comedy read with laugh out loud moments. I especially enjoyed the email banter between the two main characters. Teddy and Everett are adorable and the secondary characters are fun.
I read it in a day while I was resting in bed recovering from a muscle strain in my back. It was the perfect palate cleanser having previously just read two thrillers.

Yes, it’s predictable as most books of this genre are but not less heartwarming and engaging.

Was this review helpful?

Very Sincerely Yours wasn't a book that I enjoyed. Teddy needed a backbone and to grow up. Her friends made the book worth reading for me.

Was this review helpful?

She leaned her elbows on the counter, her chin propped in her hands as she gazed around the store. People were lingering, browsing, and chatting quietly. Soft music played over the speakers as she audibly sighed. She felt content, but also like a piece of her was missing. She hadn’t found that passion in life that everyone seems to discover early on and here she was as a grown adult struggling with her dreams. Her phone dinged in her back pocket, signaling an incoming email… maybe she didn’t know her career dreams yet, but she may have some other dreams blooming.

Very Sincerely Yours, as with Kerry Winfrey’s other books, was such a cute romance. While it did take me some time to get fully invested in the characters at first, I eventually couldn’t put Teddy and Everett’s story down. A perfectly modern day You’ve Got Mail vibes story and considering that’s my favorite movie, well, you know this book put a smile on my face.

If you’ve ever struggled with your purpose in life or if you’ve ever invested so much of yourself into one thing but not into what matters most… you’ll connect with this story and these characters.

Also, this book will give you a craving for Taco Bell.

TW: Divorce of Parents, Emotional Abuse.

Was this review helpful?

I haven’t read the author’s previous title. I didn’t connect to the main character and found her to be flat. I liked the idea of being employed at a toy store.

Was this review helpful?

Kerry Winfrey has never disappointed-and this book is no exception. So. touching, heartfelt, and sincere. Full of funny moments and sweet romance. THe concept of a "hot Mr Rogers" seemed far-fetched at first, but it totally works!

Was this review helpful?

I love Kerry Winfrey and her books never disappoint me!! They always make me feel like I am watching a cozy rom com movie! Really enjoyed this one!

Was this review helpful?

It's clear from even snippets of any of Kerry Winfrey's books that she's a huge fan of romantic comedies. That love of the genre and the feelings it inspires helps elevate her work, giving it a lightness that always makes her an enjoyable read. Her plots, inspired by some of her favorite romcoms, shine with the twist of her idiosyncratic, messy characters, who are, as is the case here, often just trying to figure out who they are and what they want to do with their lives. It's You've Got Mail mixed with the ennui of a twenty-something.

While Very Sincerely Yours is certainly cute, and certainly is appealing and enjoyable as a fan of You've Got Mail, Winfrey's prose leaves something to be desired for me. I can sense the wheels in her head spinning and the words on the page feel...not forced, exactly, but predicted. I'm not sure if it's her trying so hard to stick to a romantic comedy formula, but whatever it is, this book would benefit from loosening up.

Was this review helpful?

Very Sincerely Yours is a really cute romcom with a pop culture feel that explores how life doesn’t always turn out like you expect.

I loved the You’ve Got Mail feeling of much of this story, with an email-friendship at the heart, and even a reference to a lovely fall day. But Teddy and Everett have their own unique challenges to a romance, adding a good bit of realism to the comedy while exploring the dangers of being a workaholic and the misguided way some people try to earn others’ affection. At its heart, it’s a delicate reminder of how dreams don’t have an expiration date.

The hero’s character pays clear homage to Jim Henson and Mr. Rogers, yet he comes off as original and very endearing. The way Everett portrays the importance of understanding and relating to children is one of his best qualities (because who doesn’t love a guy that’s genuinely good with kids?!). His little sister is my FAV with her no-nonsense demeanor! Teddy’s roommates, too, add to the great supporting cast with their personalities.

“When it’s really love, you don’t have to lose yourself. Falling in love should make you more yourself.”- best unexpected advice from Sophia, Teddy’s sister.

Content note: some mild to strong expletives throughout, sensuality, and closed-door romance scenes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. This is my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

BE STILL MY WINFREY LOVING HEART.

This a-freaking-dorkable love story from Winfrey checked every single box I hoped it would. It was swoon-worthy, heart warming, AWW!-inspiring, and just downright fun. I have been a massive fan of Winfrey from her first novel and will continue to be until the end of time (forever and ever, amen).

With strong <i>You've Got Mail</i> vibes, Winfrey takes us on a gooey, scrummy ride where Teddy and Theodora have the most amazing meet-cute in the history of meet-cutes. He gives off yummy Mr. Rodgers vibes and she is a strong woman who is just out of a long relationship and trying to find herself. She takes a chance and messages Teddy. What happens after that is just... amazing. I loved every single page and highly recommend to everyone.

Was this review helpful?

This was a such a sweet story. Everett and Teddy’s relationship is such a beautiful reminder that we are at our best in relationships where we are encouraged, inspired, and supported in being our fullest and best versions of ourselves, and watching these two kind and good people find their way out of their respective corners—Teddy’s tendency to bury herself in the desires and dreams of others and put her own ones aside and Everett’s to throw everything into his work at the expense of everything (and everyone) else—was such a lovely narrative arc. And while the overall adjective I’d give this book is “sweet”, there was plenty of steam as well and the chemistry between Teddy and Everett wasn’t just present in their email exchanges. 3.5 stars

Was this review helpful?

Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey is a lovely story that is sweet and so heartfelt. I loved all of the pop culture references as well as the characters in this novel. I had been a huge fan of Winfrey since Waiting for Tom Hanks and Not Like The Movies, so this was a highly anticipated read for me and I did enjoy this wonderful read.

Teddy and Everett are such adorable characters that I loved reading about, as well as seeing some of my favorite characters from the previous books make a cameo in this story. The writing was easy to read, fun and completely adorable. I loved it!

Was this review helpful?

I loved Kerry Winfrey's first two rom-coms and was excited to check this one out. I was instantly drawn into the story and it didn't let go, even when I was finished. Kerry is three-for-three with delightful novels!

The e-mail banter between Teddy and Everett was so much fun and made me laugh out loud. I was anticipating the moment they would finally meet in person, whether it was intentional or accidental. I also enjoyed the premise of the story with Teddy needing to find herself after being so devoted to an ex-boyfriend who clearly took her for granted. Her friends were so kind and supportive, loving her unconditionally and pushing her out of her comfort zone. The backdrop of autumn and a vintage toy shop added to the enjoyment of the story.

Were some elements predictable? Yes, as it is common with romantic comedies. However, there were some surprising moments too. Watch for a cameo from Not Like the Movies; be sure to read that book first as to avoid spoilers though!

Overall, I loved this novel and I looked forward to every chance I got to spend reading it!

Movie casting suggestions:
Teddy: Emma Appleton
Everett: Chris Wood
Eleanor: Kelly Marie Tran
Kirsten: Spencer Locke
Richard: Max Lloyd-Jones
Josie: Dee Wallace
Gretel: Olivia Edward

Was this review helpful?

Reading this book is actually quite painful, to the point that I simply can’t bring myself to finish it. The characters and content are both incredibly awkward, and I don’t see any chance of that improving.

Was this review helpful?