Google review: Every so often a love story comes along to remind us that sometimes, in our darkest hour, hope shines a candle to light our way ... Tina Craig longs to escape her violent husband. She works all the hours God sends to save up enough money to leave him, also volunteering in a charity shop to avoid her unhappy home. Whilst going through the pockets of a second-hand suit, she comes across an old letter, the envelope firmly sealed and unfranked. Tina opens the letter and reads it - a decision that will alter the course of her life for ever ... Billy Stirling knows he has been a fool, but hopes he can put things right. On 4th September 1939 he sits down to write the letter he hopes will change his future. It does - in more ways than he can ever imagine ... The Letter tells the story of two women, born decades apart, whose paths are destined to cross and how one woman's devastation leads to the other's salvation.

The idea for ‘The Letter’ by Kathryn Hughes is enticing; the lives of two women, forty years apart, linked by a letter found in the pocket of an overcoat at a charity shop. What follows is a dual storyline – about an abused wife and her road to freedom, and a young woman in love for the first time as war breaks out.
This is a story about two couples. In 1974, Tina Craig works in an office during the week and on Saturdays she volunteers at a charity shop to get out of the house, away from her abusive husband Rick. Staying, though she knows she must leave, Tina listens to the advice of friends but continues to excuse and forgive Rick’s behaviour. Until a mysterious letter found in the pocket of coat sets her off on the trail of the people involved. The letter is sealed and stamped but never posted. Why. When she opens and reads the letter she starts to think about Billy, who wrote the letter in 1939 as war broke out, and about Chrissie, the woman who never received his letter.
In the summer of 1939, Chrissie and Billy fall in love in the last days of peace. As Billy is called up, Chrissie faces the cultural judgements of the day combined with her bullying father.
Tina’s pursuit for the truth of the letter leads her across Manchester and to Ireland. Hughes tackles heart breaking subjects – forced adoption, Irish nunneries, bullying parents, domestic abuse – perhaps too many. The ending is predictable via a number of coincidences, facts fall into place and old hurts forgotten. Despite its frustrations, I enjoyed this story though I did long for more showing and less telling.
If you like your endings neatly tied up, you will enjoy this. A good read for holidays.
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This is a story of two women living in Manchester decades apart but both with heart wrenching stories.

Chrissie meets Billy in 1939 and just as war breaks out, she finds out that she is pregnant. Billy reacts badly to the news and decides to write Chrissie a letter. Before Chrissie receives the letter she is packed off to Ireland by her strict parents.

Tina is married to Rick and is a volunteer at a charity shop in 1973. Rick is an alcoholic and Tina is a victim of domestic violence. Tina finds Billy's letter in a donated suit and she sets out to find Chrissie to deliver the letter.

Part Two of the book focuses on William, Chrissie's son, who was born in a convent in Ireland and adopted by an American couple. William has travelled to Ireland and then Manchester to find his birth mother and joins forces with Tina when he finds her searching for Chrissie to deliver the letter from his father.

The story of Rick and Tina is disturbing at times due to the depths of the abuse and violence and the story of Billy and Chrissie is heartbreaking as Chrissie is ultimately forced to give up her son. I was close to shedding a tear on more than one occasion and I would recommend that you read this book with a few tissues by your side. Kathryn Hughes really brought the characters to life and gave a voice to the story of thousands of women who have given up their babies in convents across Ireland.

I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The story of two (2) women who have suffered abuse in different ways and are brought together unexpectedly by a letter left in the pocket of an old suit donated to a charity shop. The novel is at times heart wrenching, at times inspirational, and most of all a compelling, page-turning, riveting read that has an enduring message of hope, friendship, and love. In that way, it reminded me of all the emotions felt as I read "The Baker's Daughter" by Sarah McCoy and particularly one of the quotes from that novel as follows:

“I've never been fooled by the romantic, grand gestures. Love is all about the little things, the everyday considerations, kindnesses, and pardons.”

After reading this novel, it is difficult to perceive that this is the author's first novel. One can only hope that Kathryn Hughes will never stop writing.

Following the author's acknowledgements, there is a section entitled, "Bonus Material" which is a "Conversation with Kathryn Hughes," a series of questions and answers which give meaningful glimpses of the true 'art' of the writing and background of story development. This is followed by a brief biography which again adds to the reading experience in a heartwarming and satisfying way. ( )

1973, Tina Craig is married to Rick. Married life is not bliss as Rick is an abusive husband. Tina works all hours she can and volunteers in a charity shop where one day she comes across an unopened letter in a suit pocket. 1939, Billy Stirling writes a letter to his girlfriend Chrissie hoping to put things right.

Sometimes I enjoy reading a book like this as it makes a nice change. The story follows Tina as she uncovers the story behind the letter and the reader goes back and forth between the two time periods. The story itself is quite engrossing and really held my interest. Saying too much more would really give the whole storyline away.

These type of books for me are comfy reads and the sort of story to get carried away in. This one for me I enjoyed. At times the story was raw with the subjects it touched on but at other times I felt it was a little sugary. This for me was the case with the ending. Overall I quite enjoyed the book. ( )