Book Synopsis:
REASON TO LIVE.
Still grieving the death of her best friend, Erin knows she needs to start living – but has no idea how. Then she loses her favourite book, a heavily annotated and containing her friend’s final words to her.
A REASON TO LOVE.
When James finds Erin’s note-filled book in his local community library, it sparks a life-changing conversation. He writes his own message back, and soon they are locked in an anonymous book exchange, with no idea who the other person in the margins might be.
A REASON TO FORGIVE?
But Erin and James have a shared history that neither of them realise. How will Erin react when she discovers the other writer isn’t a stranger at all – but the person she once swore she’d never forgive?
A story of second chances and new beginnings, this is a love letter to books – and a love letter to love.
My Review:
The Book is a thought provoking, romantic read that manages to be both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.
The story is told from the point of view of Erin who is still grieving her best friend and James an avid reader with a fondness for classics. I enjoyed following the two of them as the exchanged messages and slowly grow closer. I thought it was a very cute way to fall in love and although I was twitching slightly about the idea if people writing in books, I’ve always wanted to find a hidden note a book.
I was expecting this book to be a light romance but there are actually some quite serious topics such as grief and mental health mentioned which surprised me. I thought these were dealt with on a very sensitive and in a way that seemed realistic rather than just thrown in as an easy plot twist.
This book does start off a little slowly as the author sets the scene but I soon felt invested in the story and the characters budding relationship. There were a few twists that surprised me and, although I felt it was a bit sudden, I did like the ending. I do wish there had been an epilogue as I would have loved to find out what happened next – though maybe there is a sequel planned.
Huge thanks to Alainna from Hodder for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Tessa Bickers has always been fascinated by people. What makes them different and what makes them the same. Those universal experiences from grief and loneliness, to heartbreak and love. She’s always told stories, either through songs or the books she’s been writing since her teens. All those years of her brother telling her she was nosy, when he didn’t understand it was purely for research purposes!
Tessa lives in Brixton with her partner, their young but very loud daughter and their one-eyed ginger cat, Rocky, with his mean left hook.
Her debut novel, The Book Swap, will be published in 2024 by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Graydon House in the US.
Over The Rainbow Blog 