This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Zoe Lea
Carol is stuck in an unhappy life. Married to a man she no longer loves and suffering a hostile relationship with her daughter who she no longer understands, she is looking for escape. Ready to leave and crippled with guilt at her decision, she vents out her feelings by writing it all down in a letter addressed to no one. A letter she thought would never be read, detailing her most inner thoughts and emotions, addressed with just a smiley face for direction.
Albert is a lonely postman on the verge of retirement, widowed with only his cat for company, his job is his life and that is sadly coming to an end. For his last days at Royal Mail he is left to sort out the mail which is undeliverable. It is then that he spots a number of letters with a smiley face drawn where the address should be and intrigued, he opens them and begins reading. So begins the relationship between these two strangers, the novel detailing how Carol's letters influence Albert and how she finds her own direction from writing down her feelings.
I loved this book. The writing is tremendous, witty and captivating and I found myself laughing aloud at the fist chapter – something that rarely happens for me. I adored the characters, both Carol and Albert, as the book rotated between each, with their own quirks and takes on life. It's a book about relationships, family and regret and had me laughing in places and crying in others. As each character rises to the challenge of their own struggles, the more I read, the more I became attached to them and felt a little lost myself when it finished. I would highly recommend this book, it's a great read and will have you laughing throughout – even when the subject matter is serious.
10/10
Tom Winter's Website