I'm certain that there are readers out there who will love this book; however, that reader is not me. I found the humor off-putting and the couple to be annoying. And don't get me started on the townspeople, who managed to be unrealistic, unintelligent, and to remind me why I no longer live (or have any desire to live) in the small town I grew up in. ( )

First sentence: Henry grimaced, not sure which irritated him more--the persistent ache in his knee or the relentless voice in his ear.

Dear Henry, Love Edith is a premise driven contemporary romance. Is it merely clean or is it distinctively Christian? It is published by Tyndale, a Christian publisher, but I think it falls into merely clean. (I do enjoy reading clean romance novels. It's a GOOD thing, but, from a Christian publisher I expect a slight bit more. Again, nothing wrong with the novel as is. So what is the premise of this premise-driven novel? Edith is coming to stay with a stranger; she thinks he's an older gent, being the uncle of one of her acquaintances (online perhaps?). Henry reluctantly has agreed to play host at the behest of his niece; he thinks the woman, Edith, is an elderly widow. They meet early on but don't exchange names. He thinks she looks like Goldie Hawn, I believe. She thinks he looks like Paul Newman, I believe. There's instant attraction but they don't know each other or even how to get to know one another. At the house, these two don't meet for quite a long time. They don't keep the same hours. They just write chatty notes back and forth. (Each thinking the other is elderly and that there is a BIG age gap between them).

Of course there is conflict in this one...which allows for some pretending and such.

I definitely enjoyed this one. I would say I loved the beginning, enjoyed the middle, and was indifferent to the end. The last fifty pages or so was a bit of a let down--personally. But I definitely enjoyed almost all of this one. ( )

I found myself smiling as I read the first page, where readers meet a nurse named Edith, who is excited to finally go on an adventure to South Africa. She’s waited for this trip her whole life. The only thing slowing her down is her passport. While she waited, Edith pit stops at a small-town in Illinois. She will be volunteering at a crisis nursery. Lodging plans change at the last minute and Edith ends up staying at Henry’s Hobbs house. Henry and Edith don’t meet each other because they had originally set things up and communicated through Henry’s niece. It also didn't help that Edith worked the night shift and Henry works days. So, they start leaving notes on the kitchen table for each other to read.

They strike up a friendship through these notes, hoping to meet sometime soon. Surprising and fun, situations arise that made me smile. I loved the witty dialogue that made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed the mistake in identity, as they come to grips with the truth and what they will do about knowing it.

Furthermore, I loved this charming romance filled with heart, and a community of fun-loving characters that make you want to go live there. Likewise, I felt that the town’s people were just as much a character in this crazy, loving, humorous novel that talks about genuine love, friendship, forgiveness, second chances and shows two people getting brave enough to chase their dreams.

I enjoyed every minute I spent with Henry, Edith, and the local folks. You don’t want to miss this heartwarming story or this author. She’s one to watch.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/ ( )