Book Synopsis:
Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.
Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.
When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.
My Review:
5/5 stars. I discovered this book through a Youtuber I watch - this was one of her favorites she recommended to her viewers - and I'm glad I did, This book was so moving and heart-wrenching. I loved both of the main characters’ stories and pasts and was so immersed in the whole story, I really felt for them. It’s one of those books that’s so captivating that you just have to keep turning the pages.
The two main characters, Juliet and Declan, are both incredible characters. They're flawed, they make stupid choices sometimes that annoy the reader, but they're still wonderful people you can't help but root for and want the best for them. All the characters, not just the protagonists, feel like real people, not just book characters. Both Juliet and Declan are full of grief and have demons in their lives that weigh them down, you feel so attached to them within just a few chapters.
I love the friendships in this book, between Declan and his best friend, Rev; and Juliet and her best friend, Rowan. While we don't learn as much about Rowan as we do Rev, she still seems like a great friend for Juliet, even during a point in the story where they seem to be straying away from each other. Declan and Rev's friendship is amazing, they're always there for each other and can communicate without words. The sequel book to Letters to the Lost has Rev as the main character, and I'm definitely going to read that one to learn more about his character.
This book is categorized as a romance, but it's also much more than that. While the two main characters do fall in love, there's a lot more focus on dealing with loss, grief, and finding yourself. Declan and Juliet have such a strong connection because they share that feeling of loss, and they help each other find themselves.
The plot is very fast-paced, there wasn't any point in the book where I was bored or felt a scene was going on for too long, even from the very first page. I constantly found myself wanting to keep reading at the end of a chapter but would have to stop because I needed to go to bed. While I was able to predict some of the plot twists, that didn't make them any less shocking or make the story any less enjoyable.
This book is probably not good for elementary school aged kids or immature middle schoolers. It deals with a ton of heavy topics like alcohol addiction, family members dying, and abusive parents. In terms of language, there is some infrequently, but there aren't any F-bombs or anything that bad. If you can't handle all that, don't read this book.
Will be reading