Set during lockdown and world war 2. Written using letters and text messages. It did take a while to get used to how it was written but stick with it. A beautiful story that once I got past the first few chapters I could not put down.

This style of writing, in the form of letters / emails is distracting, It isn't exactly the way I want to read a book, but then I should have known from the title of the book! In any event I finished it but wasn't thrilled.

This was such a special read. I have always loved books written with letters and this book is like that. This story was spellbinding. I loved the way the reading of letters from the past and the present wrapped through the whole adventure.

Letters to a Stranger by Sarah Mitchell

I had a hard time in the beginning to get into this book but after about 50% I really liked it. It’s unusual as it is only diary entries, text messages and letters back and forth between a few characters. That way we get a direct glimpse into their lives.

The book has dual timelines.

We have Cassie who decides to leave her partner with her son Noah to Norfolk to escape Covid during lockdown hits. Noah is sick and if he would get Covid he would probably not make it. She has rented a caravan at an empty caravan park. From there Noah is following his class online and one day they get an assignment to write a letter to a stranger at a nursing home. They get paired with Ruby, a 96 year old lady.

This is the start of the second timeline where Ruby tells Cassie about her life. We get to know Ruby through her letters and her diary entries during 1939. We learn about her friendship with Edmondo and his family and what they went through being from Italy and living in the UK.

This is a wonderful story and I really loved reading about Ruby, everything she went through, her love, friendship and all the secrets. If you are an old pen paller like I am, you will love it.

Thank you to @Bookouture and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

A lovely book which I highly recommend. Well written and well paced.
Emotional, atmospheric and a definite page turner.

Okay so firstly I just want to say that this book should come with a trigger warning, that it heavily features around the time of COVID/local down. Now I for one, given that we have recently just lived through/experienced the whole COVID/Pandemic that took over the world and so it is still all very real/fresh to me, had decided that I would not want to nor be comfortable reading stories that featured around COVID anytime soon.

So imagine my surprise when I pick up this book which I chose because it was a dual timeline storyline partly set in World War Two and discovered the present timeline was set during the Pandemic me and everyone else is 2020/2021 had the unfortunate experience of going through. Well let me tell you I nearly put the book down and refused to read it there and then, however something stopped me and told me to give it a go. And in a way I’m glad I did. I won’t lie it wasn’t easy reading, as it bought it all back to me, just how bad lockdown/pandemic was.

But alas despite what I have said above, the story was very well written, and engaging especially the WW2 storyline set in 1940. It was a captivating story, heartfelt and emotional at times, really felt for the character of Ruby, all that she had to go through and yet despite it all she accomplished so much in her future as a scientist. I enjoyed how the two storylines, that in 1940 and the present one in 2020 eventually linked and entwined together, very cleverly done and the little twist surprise at the end was a nice touch too, very nicely done.

Despite the difficult subject of COVID, lockdown, pandemic, I do think the author handled it well and did a good job with how she wrote it all. But I will say again that a trigger warning should clearly be marked, as a lot of readers out there will not want to read it as COVID is seem very fresh and close in their minds/life’s.

This is a really special book.I absolutely loved it and am looking forward to reading more of Sarah’s books

I really liked this book. The entire format is in forms of written correspondence like emails and letters or diary entries. In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I was going to like it partly because of the format and partly because of the reality of adding in an overlay of covid, but the writer did an excellent job of engrossing me in the story, introducing new characters, layering a storyline, having a contemporary story and weaving in a historical element. I was really transported into each of the merging storylines. Highly recommend.

Letters to a Stranger by Sarah Mitchell is a touching and unique novel that tells the story of two women, Ruby and Cassie, who become pen pals under unexpected circumstances. The novel alternates between two timelines: the summer of 1939 in rural Norfolk, England, and spring 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ruby is a young, beautiful girl in love with her childhood sweetheart, Edmondo, who happens to be Italian. As tensions rise with the looming threat of war, Ruby's family and village begin to show mistrust towards Edmondo's family. Ruby makes a life-altering decision that she must keep a secret from everyone she knows, maybe forever.

Eighty years later, Ruby is an elderly woman participating in a letter-writing scheme to stave off boredom. She starts corresponding with Cassie, a young single mother who mistakenly became involved in the program, and a beautiful friendship develops. Ruby sees an opportunity to share her long-kept secret before it dies with her. However, as they exchange letters, they realize their lives are more connected than they ever could have imagined, and truths will be revealed that have the power to either destroy their new friendship or change their lives forever.

The use of letters, text messages, and emails to tell the story is refreshing and gives readers a unique perspective on the characters' lives. Mitchell expertly weaves together the two timelines, creating a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The power of the written word is evident throughout the novel, and readers will be reminded of the importance of connection, vulnerability, and support in times of isolation and uncertainty.

Overall, Letters to a Stranger is a wonderful read that will leave readers feeling touched and inspired. The characters are relatable and endearing, and the storyline is captivating from start to finish. Mitchell's writing is engaging and evocative, making this novel a must-read for fans of historical fiction and contemporary romance alike.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

March 2020, covid hits and Cassie scoops up her son Noah and heads for a remote caravan. Noah has impaired immunity and his mum is desperate to keep him safe. But she is acting illegally, ignoring the stay home lockdown rule, and the locals want her gone... 1939 Ruby Summers is a young woman who dreams of a sparkling future in science alongside her Italian love. But as war devastates Europe, her Edmondo becomes the enemy and the locals turn against them...
Letters to a Stranger is an absolutely stunning book. The format is a series of texts, emails, letters and diary entries written by Cassie, Ruby and a host of other characters. I found this structure really effective and guzzled the book so quickly, unwilling to put it down!
Cassie is scared about her son's weakened immune system so braves breaking the law to take him out of London. This takes them away from her dentist boyfriend Stuart who cannot stop working which she feels risks compromiseing Noah's health. Living in a caravan has some quirks and she quickly develops a rapport with the owner Austin even though they cannot meet in person.
Meanwhile, Cassie receives a letter from a care home resident Ruby and the pair start sharing their stories. Ruby was 17 at the outbreak of WW2 and in love with Italian Edmondo but his nationality becomes a major issue. She faces divided loyalties as her heart is torn betwern the man she loves and her country.
The book is completing absorbing and I read faster and faster, wanting to know what would happen to these two wonderful women. The short messages keep the pace rapid as events unfold and they are faced with impossible choices. My only quibble was the speed of the postal deliveries! The juxtaposition of the war and lockdown was so clever and it was a reminder of the human cost of national policies.
I also felt an emotional connection to this book because my own great grandfather was Italian who was proudly in the British Merchant Navy during WW1 yet experienced negative attitudes which forced the family to change their surname immediately after the war.
Letters to a Stranger is an utterly wonderful, emotional, and fascinating novel.

I love epistolary novels and old time war love stories and dual time lines. This book had it all.
Highly recommend.

This was quite a unique story, I have never read a book that was comprised purely of letters, texts and e-mails before, but it worked.

The story unfolds over dual timelines - Ruby and Edmondo during WWII and Ruby as a very elderly woman at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, together with Cassie, a young single mum.

Cassie and her son Noah are staying at a caravan in Norfolk, because Cassie's partner, Stuart, is a dentist and Noah is very vulnerable after a serious health issue and thus can't be subjected to whatever Stuart brings home. It is the early days of the pandemic, there is no vaccine and no-one really knows what we are dealing with.

I have to admit, now we are 3 years into the whole COVID thing and things have settled down a bit, I remembered just how it used to be in the beginning. The panic, the suspicion when you went grocery shopping, how the people you normally chatted with, you didn't. You just got your groceries and went home. It was so isolating and depressing. And the constant round of lockdowns, new rules every second day, it seemed like. It was confusing and frightening. Funnily enough, when I read the descriptions of WWII in this book, what the general populace had to deal with, it reminded me a little bit of the start of the pandemic. And the realisation that each generation has SOMETHING to deal with and whatever it is, we all get through it the best way we can.

Anyhow, I liked how Ruby's story got told via her diary entries and her letters. And Cassie's story was told via e-mail and text.....and then letters because she discovered that writing and receiving letters is actually pretty special.

I don't want to give anything away, but like all good books, there are some dilemmas to solve and decisions that need to be made. It is a bit of a thinker of a book.

I really enjoyed this book.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

This is outside my normal read. A dual timeline told in letters, texts and emails shouldn’t work, but it does and beautifully. Ruby and Cassie don’t know each other, but through a strange twist, become pen pals. I was mesmerized by their story and can’t believe the author wove a world war II love story with a timeline set during the pandemic and was able to draw such a correlation.

The characters are engaging and likable. The story is smartly plotted and written. It reminds those of us old enough to have written letters, that they can be powerful. And hopefully introduces this idea to a whole new generation. I loved that instead of the hate that seems to stem from anonymity (is it really?) on social media, that these two women bonded over their lives and their secrets. And the story with a few secrets of its own, surprised me more than once.

I highly recommend this to anyone wanting a unique and fascinating read. And don’t be put off by the thought of it being too soon to read a pandemic story. This one won’t leave that same bitter taste in your mouth.

What a emotional read I loved it the writing style had me hooked I can picture it all in my mind loved the characters a fab read

This was such an emotive read that gripped me right from the start and didn't let me go. Both heart-wrenching and hopeful at times, I became so invested in the story and the characters. I loved it

I was intrigued by the title and cover illustration.

This was an interesting story, partly set in WWII and partly set in the 21st century. It was told through letters, emails, text messages and diary entries. I found this an interesting format, and the story was entertaining and easy to get through. It was interesting to see the interactions between the characters in this way.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

This book was very unusual as it was full of letters and emails being sent to people during the pandemic. It was an enjoyable read and very quick and on the whole I enjoyed it. It was quite sad dealing with a woman whose child had been seriously ill and she took him away fro his father to a caravan to protect him from the virus. Very touching and made me think of the lengths mums go to to,protect their child. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Letter to a Stranger is a wonderfully written book that's story is told entirely through letters, text messages, and a diary. I absolutely loved it! The book is told in two timelines, one in 1939-1940 as World War II is getting bigger and more dangerous. The second timeline is in 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic. As you read both timelines you will come to see if they are connected.

Cassie is a single mother of six year old Noah. She's been living with her partner, Stuart who is a dentist. Noah has been very ill a year prior to the pandemic and was in and out of the hospital a great deal. Cassie is very concerned with Noah's health as the pandemic hits because he's still got a very weak immune system. Cassie makes a decision to go to a caravan park that she had planned on visiting for a week before the pandemic hit. She had already rented it and figured she'd take Noah there to protect him from germs. Cassie didn't want Stuart to bring germs home to Noah as he was going to continue to work as a dentist during the pandemic. Cassie packs up and leaves for Norfolk, a 5 hour drive. Cassie rented the caravan from a farmer named Austin. She's constantly texting Austin when they first arrive because she doesn't have electricity, doesn't have water, doesn't know the wifi password for Noah's lessons, etc. Austin doesn't mind as he's on his own trying to keep his farm going. He's got animals to feed and care for as well as crops.

Stuart forwards some mail to Cassie after she and Noah have gotten settled in. The school that Noah attends has set up a penpal program with the kids and residents of a care facility for older people. Noah is assigned a woman named Ruby. The only problem is that this is supposed to be for year 6 students and Noah is only a year 2 student. Noah is just putting 2 sentences together in writing, but is definitely not ready to write a letter! Cassie is very worried about this because she doesn't want Ruby to not have a penpal. She calls the school to explain the mistake that was made, but they are overwhelmed with lessons that have to be made online for the kids. They don't seem overly concerned about the problem and tell Cassie to just forget about it.

Ruby is 96 years old and has had a very full life. Her storyline is told in both timelines and is compelling, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. Cassie sends Ruby a letter telling her about the mistake that was made with Noah and how he's not up to writing a letter. She tells her about them living in a caravan for now and sends it off. A couple days later Cassie gets a return letter from Ruby and the writing of letters begins. The two women form a bond through the letters and get to know each other more intimately than they would have in person. Ruby begins telling Cassie about her life when she was young and she was in love with Edmundo, an Italian boy living in England with his family. Ruby had big dreams of attending Oxford and becoming a scientist even though her parents thought she should be content to be a wife, mother, and homemaker. Ruby's uncle starts questioning her about her relationship with Edmundo and asking about his family. People in England are worried about Italians being in their country as they feel Mussolini will side with Hitler. Will Edmundo and his family be safe in England?

Will Ruby go to Oxford? Will Ruby and Edmundo end up together? Will the war impact Ruby's family? Will Cassie go back home to Stuart or realize something better is out there? Will Noah stay healthy? Will Austin ever meet Cassie and Noah in person? Will Ruby and Cassie meet in person? How do the two storylines connect? Read this book now and find out all of the answers and more!

As the story unfolds you will be mesmerized and find yourself flipping the pages at a rapid pace. The characters pop off the pages and you become emotionally invested in their wellbeing. I can't state enough what a special book this is. I rate this book 5 stars and give it my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of Letters to a Stranger in exchange for a fair review.

In Letters to a Stranger, Mitchell pairs two different worlds, the COVID-19 pandemic and the early years of World War II, together. Told in an epistolary style of letters, diary entries, text messages, and emails, Mitchell connects Ruby and Cassie’s different lives and stories, creating a pen pal friendship between two women with shared memories and people. Mitchell’s choice of an epistolary style gives all of the characters their own voices and allows their perspectives to shine through the book. Instead of focusing on dialogue and descriptions, the reader must rely on the characters’ perspectives and memories of the world around them, forcing the reader to look at the world from the characters’ limited perspectives. Mitchell’s style reflects the challenges of communication (and miscommunication) during these two time periods (World War II and COVID-19) and the need for written communication in the absence of physical conversations. Mitchell’s characters are lively, well-written, and emotive, and the many key relationships are equally well-written and developed. Mitchell’s prose and writing style make this book unique and interesting.

Dear Reader,

What a beautiful, heartbreaking and yet heartwarming tale! I stayed up in the wee hours of the morning just to finish this as I didn't want to put it down. It has to be one of the best books I've had the pleasure to read. It is so unique in style and format, told in the form of letters and diary entries, emails and text messages that it gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of the writer in a way that seems so private it is almost voyeuristic. We are taken on a journey throughout the ensuing messages between the parties and we miss out on nothing.

LETTERS TO A STRANGER is a dual timeline tale that is cleverly woven in which the author is adept enough to leave nothing to the imagination as we are given a complete picture in such a unique narrative. It is such a personal style that it makes the reader feel as if the letters are written to us as the writer unveils their hopes, dreams, fears and overall impressions. You may think you would miss out in the various nuances that the usual format would provide but, believe me, you don't. Mitchell has very cleverly woven every nuance into each of the narratives that should we miss them at first, they are revealed to us further on. It is the second book in a row that I have read in such a format with the previous one being a psychological thriller and much different in content, but still very cleverly done.

Cassie is a twenty eight year old mother of six year old Noah who, we soon learn, has been ill though with what exactly isn't revealed until later but what we do glean from the little Cassie reveals in her messages is that it was serious. Serious enough for her to pack up in the dead of night at 2am, bundle Noah and their belongings into her car and make the five hour long journey to sleepy Norfolk at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Despite being in lockdown, Cassie breaks the rules by travelling to the remote area by the sea in an attempt to keep her vulnerable son safe. Should he contract the dreaded virus, his body may not be able to fight it or survive.

It is while they are staying in this little caravan on the Norfolk coast that her partner Stuart forwards on some mail, one of which details a letter writing scheme between students and residents of a local nursing home. Cassie is puzzled as Noah hasn't the ability to maintain a pen-pal programme, having missed so much school, but fearing the recipient awaiting his reply may feel somewhat left out should they not receive one, Cassie decides to respond in his place. And so begins the narrative between the two women as they each form a bond with the other.

Ruby is 96 years old and has lived a fulfilling life despite the heartache of the war years, now seemingly such a distant memory but with it a guilt that is real as it was yesterday. She begins exchanging letters with Cassie as they each slowly reveal parts of their lives to one another in what turns out to be a cathartic experience for both women. While her letters to Cassie are in the present, she decides to send Cassie letters and diary entries dated 1939 and 1940 which then tell her story in the past.

Seventeen year old Ruby lives in a Norfolk village and has been stepping out with Edmondo, whose family run the local grocery shop, for the past year. No one has had a problem with this...until war broke out and it soon became clear that Mussolini (Italy's fascist leader) would side with Germany, thus making them clear enemies of Britain. Despite the fact Edmondo was born and raised in Britain, nor that his family had lived here since the end of the Great War. Suddenly they were seen as enemy aliens and soon found themselves targeted. Ruby, a highly intelligent young woman who had dreams of going to Cambridge to study science, soon found herself in the most awkward of positions. Especially when she was placed there by someone very close to her who held the promise and the power to change her life. But could be betray those she loved?

Such a unique and creative way of telling a story, the letters give us a peek inside the hearts and minds of these two women at their most vulnerable and the impact is heartwarming. I loved the little texts between Cassie and Stuart, Cassie and Austin then building to emails which soon also become letters. While some of the texts were short and to the point, we are still able to see the bigger picture that is being painted around it...it is all so very clever.

LETTERS TO A STRANGER bring back the dying art of letter writing. There really is nothing like receiving a letter that someone has taken the time to write to you. These days it's all about text messages and chats, even email has been left in social media's wake. There is nothing quite so personal as an actual letter. I can go days without anything ever being delivered in my mailbox which is quite sad. And then when I do, it's political or advertising leaflets. Even utility bills are online now! That's what makes this book so special. So heartfelt.

I was intrigued by the premise but I never envisioned the format the story took or how invested I would become in each of the characters' stories. I loved every single minute of this book that I never wanted it to end. But when it did, everything was woven together seamlessly to give us a more than satisfactory conclusion and leaving us with the tendrils of those emotions firmly wrapped around our hearts. It is one of the most endearing and beautiful stories I have read. My only complaint was that the anonymous writer was never revealed. I would have been interested to discover who that may have been...but in the grand scheme of things, it was of little importance anyway.

I did find a few inconsistencies, mostly editting issues with the wrong date applied or a change in name, but the biggest I found was with Ruby's age. At the beginning of the war we learn that she is 17 years old. And yet in 2020, she is 96...when in actual fact, her age would have been 98. Maths isn't my strong point but the only reason I know this is she was the same age as my grandmother in 1939 and therefore would have been born in 1922.

The other thing of note was that this book tackled the pandemic and lockdown, and the emotions that ran high amongst everyone at the time. And while COVID does feature in part, it is the focus on lockdown being something of a blessing in disguise. It enables those involved to discover, or re-discover, the art of letter writing and really seeing the world around us and counting our every blessing.

There are many things that come to light through the course of what is said, and what isn't said, that I did pick up on a few clues here and there. Some reveals that came weren't a surprise but the final one was a lovely one to savour. It was indeed a most beautiful, heartbreaking and heartwarming tale that both sweeping and all-encompassing.

Overall, LETTERS TO A STRANGER is a wonderful sweeping tale that delivers a beautifully happy ending. A well deserved 5 stars. If I could give more, I would.

Love
Stina

PS...I would like to thank #SarahMitchell, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #LettersToAStranger in exchange for an honest review.

PPS...This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.