The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright by Beth Miller
Published by Bookouture
Publication Date 9th January 2020
Womens Fiction, Humour
Book Description:
Sometimes it takes losing something to see where you truly belong.
For the past twenty-nine years, Kay Bright’s days have had a familiar rhythm: she works in her husband’s stationery shop hoping to finally sell the legendary gold pen, cooks for her family, tries to remember to practice yoga, and every other month she writes to her best friend, Ursula. Kay could set her calendar by their letters: her heart lifts when the blue airmail envelope, addressed in Ursula’s slanting handwriting, falls gently onto the mat.
But now Ursula has stopped writing and everything is a little bit worse.
Ursula is the only one who knows Kay’s deepest secret, something that happened decades ago that could tear Kay’s life apart today. She has always been the person Kay relies on.
Worried, Kay gets out her shoebox of Ursula’s letters and as she reads, her unease starts to grow. And then at ten o’clock in the morning, Kay walks out of her yellow front door with just a rucksack, leaving her wedding ring on the table...
For the past twenty-nine years, Kay Bright’s days have had a familiar rhythm: she works in her husband’s stationery shop hoping to finally sell the legendary gold pen, cooks for her family, tries to remember to practice yoga, and every other month she writes to her best friend, Ursula. Kay could set her calendar by their letters: her heart lifts when the blue airmail envelope, addressed in Ursula’s slanting handwriting, falls gently onto the mat.
But now Ursula has stopped writing and everything is a little bit worse.
Ursula is the only one who knows Kay’s deepest secret, something that happened decades ago that could tear Kay’s life apart today. She has always been the person Kay relies on.
Worried, Kay gets out her shoebox of Ursula’s letters and as she reads, her unease starts to grow. And then at ten o’clock in the morning, Kay walks out of her yellow front door with just a rucksack, leaving her wedding ring on the table...
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My Thoughts:
First of all I would like to thank Sarah Hardy for the invitation to be part of the blog tour for this lovely book. I like a catchy title and this one certainly stood out for me.
The book starts with Kay Bright, wife, mother, bookshop assistant, packing a rucksack and leaving her husband of almost 30 years. Nobody has had the least hint that Kay hasn't been happy in her marriage so it's a bombshell which leaves chaos in its wake. Accusations and assumptions are made, as is the way when these things happen, but for Kay there is no affair with another man - possibly a midlife crisis of a kind, but not the way people are thinking.
Kay has something on her mind. Ever since her friend Ursula emigrated to Australia in her youth the two women have written to each other monthly to keep each other up to date with their daily lives. But the letters from Ursula have stopped and Kay can't help but think that something is wrong. Plus, Ursula is the only person in the world who knows Kay's secret. She needs to know all is well for her friend.
We follow the turbulent patch of Kay's life as she tries to explain to her nearest and dearest what has made her walk away from her home and family. None of them understands, tempers flare and as Kay sets off on her quest to put her mind at rest the relationship between her and her daughter is left out in the cold.
This is an interesting analysis of what people's reactions are when a marriage breaks down. None of Kay's family seem to be listening to her reasoning or valuing how she feels in all this. I enjoyed reading about how she decided to tackle the emotions she was feeling and the travels she went on to find her peace especially when she met up with Ursula and discussed their shared history. Ursula has her own secrets these days though, and with those secrets come words of advice for her oldest friend. You can't beat a story of true friendship, and while it wasn't all happy endings I felt the book came to a satisfying conclusion in the end.
Beth Miller writes from the heart and although there are some gems of wisdom scattered through the story I never felt I was being patronised or preached to. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - but be prepared to shed a couple of tears along the journey with Kay as she sets off in search of the life she was destined for.
About the Author:
I have been told that I write like a tall blonde, so that's how I'd like you to picture me.
I've published three novels, with one more about to be born, in January 2020. I've also published two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.
Before writing books, I did a lot of different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students' unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I've been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens, bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won't really be a cucumber). I taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on cucumbers.
Throughout this, I always wrote, and always drank a lot of tea. I'm now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.
I've published three novels, with one more about to be born, in January 2020. I've also published two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.
Before writing books, I did a lot of different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students' unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I've been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens, bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won't really be a cucumber). I taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on cucumbers.
Throughout this, I always wrote, and always drank a lot of tea. I'm now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.
Social Media Links:
@drbethmiller
Follow the Tour:
I am new to this author and adored this book
ReplyDeleteI haven't read her work before either but will definitely be seeking her out in future. I like her writing style.
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