Dear Mr. Knightley

A Novel

By: Katherine Reay

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Samantha's only friends were characters in books, but her real life takes an extraordinary turn when a mysterious "Mr. Knightley" offers her a full journalism scholarship—on the condition that she write to him regularly. Will their long-distance friendship unlock her heart?

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is that both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor calling himself Mr. Knightley offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

Sam’s letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional as she begins to share everything from her painful childhood memories to her growing feelings for eligible novelist Alex Powell. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Katherine Reay’s debut novel follows a young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

Praise for Dear Mr. Knightley:

“Katherine Reay’s Dear Mr. Knightley kept me up until 2:00 a.m.; I simply couldn’t put it down.”—Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Tower

“Sprinkled with classic literary references and filled with poignant characterizations, Katherine Reay’s modern retelling of Jean Webster’s Daddy-Long-Legs is both reverently crafted and delightfully surprising.”—Lauren Ann Nattress, Austenprose.com

“Katherine Reay’s touching debut novel made me cry in all the right places. For joy.”—Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

• Sweet, stand-alone contemporary romance
• Includes a Q&A with the author and Sam’s reading list

Enjoyable

Loved the story and the narration. Didn't figure out the ending until near the end.

Life Can Get Better

I really liked the perseverance of the main character. She wanted to give up sometimes but kept trying to move forward.

Sweet and predictable

The story was good and predictable and the narrator
Was good. Alex’s reveal
Was too sudden but she set it up with Scrooge

Quotes to live by!

Refreshing and transporting to the reasons as to why I love all the great literature… they are so worth quoting in real life!

Sweet, emotionally engaging story.

Written in the style of Daddy Long Legs, the reader follow the protagonist's life through a series of letters. This book made me laugh and cry as the author shed light on some of the more seedier sides of the foster care system, but shows that God's love follows us through every circumstance. I would highly recommend.