SPLENDID EXPERIENCES

1. The Correspondent – Virginia Evans

• Cathartic
  • 5 Stars

A lot has been written and said about The Correspondent, and yes, it’s worth all the hype – I couldn’t put it down.

The story centers around Sybil Van Antwerp, she’s in her 70s, divorced, and living alone. The story unfolds beautifully through letters she writes to her family, friends, and even strangers. These letters are filled with humor, regret, guilt, love, and forgiveness, but they also contain moments that leave you with a lingering sense of melancholy.

Virginia Evans has written a modern classic. Reading the letters filled me with nostalgia, taking me back to my boarding school days when we used to write letters ourselves. I also loved the way books are shared between Sybil and some of the other characters. Needless to say, my TBR list continues to grow.

I’m already looking forward to the movie adaptation, with Jane Fonda cast as Sybil. They couldn’t have chosen a better person for the role.

2. Into The Blue – Emma Brodie

• Tumultuous
  • 4.5 Stars

A beautiful, messy, emotional love story.

“Your scene partner is your life.”

That quote perfectly sums up the relationship between AJ and Noah, who meet by chance while working at a video rental store in Massachusetts.

AJ Graves is ambitious and determined. She dreams of becoming a writer for Saturday Night Live (SNL). Noah Drew comes from a famous acting family. He’s charming, talented, and complicated. They are initially drawn to each other by their shared love of sci-fi shows and theatre. What begins as an unlikely friendship grows into a tumultuous relationship that spans decades.

“Time is of the essence, so you should never waste it!”

Emma Brodie truly made the most of this story. I felt every emotion, every moment of tension, and every ounce of yearning between AJ and Noah. She also masterfully explores their complex family relationships, adding even more depth to their journey.

The writing is beautiful, and the story is deeply heartfelt. This is one of those books I simply couldn’t put down. 

Even after I turned the final page, AJ and Noah stayed with me long after I had finished the book.

3. The Midnight Library – Matt Haig

• Illuminating
  • 4 Stars

In The Midnight Library, we meet Nora Seed, who is going through an incredibly difficult time. Besides being deeply unhappy, she’s estranged from her family, and just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she loses her job. Feeling that she has nothing left to live for, Nora decides to end her life.

But life has other plans. She doesn’t die. Instead, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, where she meets Mrs. Elm, her former school librarian. Mrs. Elm explains why Nora is there and reveals that each book in the library represents an alternate life she could have lived based on the choices she might have made.

“Every life contains many millions of decisions. Some big, some small. But every time one decision is taken over another, the outcomes differ. An irreversible variation occurs, which in turn leads to further variations.”

The Midnight Library is filled with thought-provoking moments and valuable lessons about life, choices, regret, and learning to truly live. Another great read.

4. The Missed Connections – Tia Williams

• Melodramatic
  • 3.5 Stars 

This is my third Tia Williams book. I’ve read A Love Song for Ricki Wilde and Seven Days in June. After reading The Missed Connection, Seven Days in June is still my favourite.

I started reading The Missed Connection on a plane. There wasn’t a hot Italian man sitting next to me, but the book kept me great company throughout the flight.

In The Missed Connection, we meet Sasha Cruz, a casting director who is flying to Paris for a work assignment. On the flight, she meets a handsome Italian man in Seat F. They share an undeniable connection, and Sasha can’t help but wonder if she’s just met the love of her life.

When the plane lands, they don’t exchange numbers. Instead, Sasha is left trying to track down the mysterious Seat F – her missed connection.

To help with the search, Sasha hires her former private investigator, Wesley Dane – the two share a complicated past. As they work together to find Seat F, long-buried feelings and new feelings begin to resurface.

I was Team Wes from the moment he appeared. I found the Italian man a little too smooth for my liking. (That guy was a walking red flag)

The Missed Connection was thoroughly entertaining – a delightful read if you’re looking for a light, feel-good rom-com with a bit of drama. This would make for a good rom com movie.

5. It’s Complicated – Nivashni Nair Sukdhev

• Lighthearted
  • 3.5 Stars 

It’s Complicated is the second book in the Rally Series and you can read it as a stand alone. The fact that I read Pillow Talk it made it such a delight when characters from Pillow Talk became part of the story. 

Kaavi Archary, a former international model settles for a simple life in Rally – she’s made friends and has acclimatised to an easy life. The only problem is that Kaavi’s ‘simple life’ is far from simple, it’s actually ‘complicated’ – she is estranged from husband Neel who has now tracked her down to finally end things. The only other problem is that he still feels they have unresolved issues. The other complication in Kaavi’s life is her relationship with her parents which she can no longer run away from. 

It’s Complicated is an easy, light, heartfelt and at times heartbreaking read. It delivers on the second-chance romance trope. I did find the cat and mouse game that Kaavi and Neel were playing about the divorce towards the end of the book a little frustrating. Even in fiction books, it grates my carrot when people who love each other, never say how they feel. Nivashni writes beautifully and I loved getting to imagine Rally again.