After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the first paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?
Henry Hobbes isn’t exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he’d do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes — short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.
By the time Henry realizes his mistake — that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town — their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure rapidly approaching, and Henry’s roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.
My Review:
I’m flabbergasted! And gobsmacked. And besotted over Becca Kinzer’s incredible comedic gift. She gets the ‘beats’ just right and the way she creates mass confusion out of a simple sentence uttered by the hapless Edith…or Henry…reaches new levels of hilarity. Helped, I think, by the sublime performance of narrator Liam DiCosimo. He gets all the voices right — and there are a ton of small town neighbours who aren’t shy about sticking their oar in at the most inopportune time. I laughed so hard! Hardy guffaws in the grocery store which got me all kinds of wary looks. (I usually stop listening to an audio book when I’m out in the masses but I couldn’t leave myself dangling at a pertinent point in the story.)
So, if you are looking for a light-hearted read, this is it. But there’s depth too. In the characters and their situations. Their back stories and the issues they wrestle with. But it’s the kind of angst you can chuckle through as well as wince over.
I thought the faith thread was so relatable. Edith is searching for an adventure through mission work. She’s determined to make a difference, do something significant with her life only to discover that those she serves actually serve her best. Henry is battling with feelings of not measuring up to his family name. He’s significantly younger than his older brother, hence the niece who is a mere two years younger than him. Both hero and heroine battle with self-doubt and their journey towards trusting God…and themselves…with the future He plans for them is inspiring.
And then there’s romance and witty banter and toe-curling kisses. I mean, really, can you ask for anything more from a rom/com?!
GIVEAWAY OPPORUNTITY:
This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy, winner’s choice.
If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Dear Henry, Love Edith, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you leave your email in a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw vie email, please add the book title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday February 11 2023. Offer open to International Readers.
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