A Little Too Much - Lori's Review of Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Title: Letters to the Lost

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Publication Date: April 4, 2017

Source: ARC from Publisher through Netgalley

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

BRIGID KEMMERER is author of LETTERS TO THE LOST (Bloomsbury; April 4, 2017), a dark, contemporary Young Adult romance; THICKER THAN WATER (Kensington, December 29, 2015), a New Adult paranormal mystery with elements of romance; and the YALSA-nominated Elemental series of five Young Adult novels and three e-novellas which Kirkus Reviews calls “refreshingly human paranormal romance” and School Library Journal describes as “a new take on the supernatural genre.” She lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and four sons.

This was an incredibly heart-warming story. I was captured from the very first words.

Juliet is struggling to find her bearings after losing her mother. She's lying to her father and her friends, saying everything is fine while she continues to write letters to her mother and leave them at her mother's grave.

Declan is working off some community service by landscaping at the cemetery. It is there that he first gets to know Juliet through her letters to her mother. He begins leaving her notes and they get to know each other without knowing who the other person is.

Juliet and Declan actually do know each other in real life, and their relationship is rather volatile. They both develop theories about who the other is, but Declan is the first to figure out who he is corresponding with.

As Declan and Juliet grow closer, they each have some personal demons to battle. Even before they realize how long they have been corresponding, they begin to rely on each other for a distraction from their troubles and for strength to face themselves.

I have read Brigid's books in the past and was a big fan of her Elemental series. I was so impressed with her move to contemporary novels. 

This story is powerful with stunning characters. I am especially interested in Rev and can't wait to learn his full story. 

Letters to the Lost is incredible. There is romance and loss. There is friendship and family relationships. There is character growth and acceptance of self and others. It's a terrific YA enemies-to-lovers romance. Letters to the Lost has it all. Congratulations Mrs. Kemmerer. You have secured me as a fan for life.

5 out of  5 stars

Shawn Mendes - A Little Too Much