Review: Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey

Hey all, Dani here.

Wow, somehow I’ve managed to do a whole week of blog posts. Go me?! I might as well celebrate this small victory, since it’s been a couple months since I blogged, and it’s been closer to a year since I blogged with any sort of regularity.

Anyway today’s book review is for a book by what I consider to be a “local author.” By that I of course mean an author from Ohio, because that is where I was born and raised and still live. But more than that, this author has focused a few different books on the setting of Columbus, Ohio, and since I frequently go to Columbus—to go to the zoo or to go book shopping or whatever–this feels like a local book to me.

All right, let’s go ahead and get started.

A charming and heartwarming new romantic comedy by the acclaimed author of Waiting for Tom Hanks, Kerry Winfrey.

Teddy Phillips never thought she would still be spending every day surrounded by toys at almost thirty years old. But working at a vintage toy store is pretty much all she has going on in her life after being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend. The one joy that she has kept is her not-so-guilty pleasure: Everett’s Place, a local children’s show hosted by Everett St. James, a man whom Teddy finds very soothing . . . and, okay, cute.

Teddy finds the courage to write to him, feeling slightly like one of the children who write to him on his show. He always gives sound advice and seems like he has everything figured out—and he pretty much does: Everett has a great support system, wonderful friends, and his dream job. But there is still that persistent feeling in the back of his mind that something is missing.

When a woman named Theodora starts writing to Everett, he is drawn to her honesty and vulnerability. They continue writing to each other, all the while living their lives without meeting. When their worlds collide, however, they must both let go of their fears and figure out what they truly want—and if the future they want includes each other.

My Thoughts:

Rating: 5 stars

This was such a lovely read. I seriously had such a good time reading it. I definitely understood Teddy and her situation of being stuck in a rut when it comes to work and a bit of life in general, and then retreating into the comforting joy of something like a children’s show. I know I’ve spent many days or nights watching or re-watching a show just because watching it made me feel better.

Having Teddy and Everett’s relationship start off via e-mail was actually pretty adorable. I’m pretty much a sucker for the whole anonymous pen-pal “You’ve Got Mail” type story trope. Especially when the pen pals end up meeting in person without realizing that they are each other’s pen pals. I don’t know; I just find that adorable and amusing.

Anyway, I pretty much loved all of the characters in this story. They were all so well-developed and vibrant, and I loved the blend of different relationship types…as well as cameos from characters we know from other Kerry Winfrey books…which only makes sense as they all take place in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking of Columbus, Ohio, Teddy and Everett go on a date to the Columbus Zoo…….and (spoiler? alert) they end up making out in the reptile house (so is that a spoiler? It’s a romance novel, so don’t we all just assume that a non-ace/aro romance story will have kissing in it at some point?). I almost took my copy of this book with me to the zoo over the weekend just so I could take a picture of it in the reptile house. Hmm…maybe next time. I am a zoo member so I go there quite a bit.

The dates Teddy and Everett went on were cute and simple and I just loved how comfortable and casual they were. Not everything has to be fancy and extravagant.

I didn’t want to stop reading this. Yes, both Teddy and Everett have issues to face and problems to figure out. Their relationship isn’t all fun and light and cute and free of troubles, but I think the issues they have to confront felt very sincere and real. It’s not like there is a love triangle or cheating or secret child or some other surprise reveal that threatens to ruin the couple’s happiness. It’s past insecurities resurfacing or work changes, things that I think so many people can relate to.

Anyway, I just really loved reading this. I would actually love to see this adapted into a movie.

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All right, well that is all from me for today. Thanks for stopping by, and I will be back soon with more geeky content.