I Wanted to Tell You by Anna Mansell is a beautiful story of love, loss, friendship and forgiveness. When Helen finds a bundle of indent love letters she wonders who they could be from and to. The same day her husband announces he’s leaving and she’s devastated and desperate to understand what happened. The letters keep drawing her back and she wonders and she hopes they will help her find answers.

This book is well written with some gorgeous characters and I can highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Such a fun story told in letters. Interesting read.Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

Helen is the local bus driver. She’s soft hearted and compassionate. She lets homeless Glaswegian James ride on her bus for free and drops elderly Geoff off at his door, even checking up on him if he is not waiting on his usual ‘bus taking’ days. She’s at the heart of her community and is happily married to Alex who is currently out of work. They were soul mates and really meant to be together. Then, falling into a deep depression Alex leaves home telling his wife he needs space. She is so worried about Alex and imagines every possible scenario that could explain why he feels he has to move away from her.
Geoff lives with his wife Connie. He is the salt of the earth, a wonderful husband and father. But at the moment he is troubled about his wife’s progressive illness. He’s in denial and doesn’t want her to go into care even though the authorities have a place for her as her care needs are escalating. Geoff takes his wedding vows seriously – he wants to care for Connie whatever the authorities say. He thinks he can be the best for her. He has not told his friends and neighbours how much he is struggling. He wants to keep his wife safe under his care.
James is keeping a secret. He is also caring and kind. He notices Geoff is distracted and not his usual chatty, cheerful self. He has no idea about Geoff’s struggles and worries. He enquires whether Geoff is okay and he assures James that he is just fine. He is ashamed to admit the truth. James also notices that Helen looks tired and worried. Just like Geoff, Helen assures him that everything is going well. Meanwhile she is feeling guilty about some lost property she has found on the bus at the end of her shift. It’s a journal and she opens it at first to see if she can identify who has lost it. It is full of anonymous love letters from a man to his wife. She cannot help herself reading one at a time when she has a few moments spare. The letters are comforting to Helen and the messages in the letters give her a powerful message and confidence. They seem to fit her current position exactly and although she feels guilty keeping them she cannot bear to part with them. She wonders who wrote them and I felt exactly the same sense of wonder. I thought I had guessed correctly but I was wrong.
This novel is an absolutely beautiful read and is full of insight, empathy and love. I haven’t enjoyed a novel so much for ages. It totally enthralled me and kept me reading avidly because I was so full of sympathy for these main characters with their different problems, anxieties and feeling that made them believe that they were in an impossible position. I really cared about the outcome of their problems, problems that are relatively common in our modern life, such as mental health issues, lack of self confidence, marriage problems, misunderstandings and fragility. I was impressed with Anna’s understanding and her gorgeous writing – I was totally invested in their resolutions. I loved the ending as well. It was the pièce de résistance of the novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an exceptionally good read and an all-round 5* review from me. Unmissable.

I’ve loved Anna Mansell’s previous books, but this is a cut above.
So beautifully written and some serious topics tackled perfectly by the author.
I feel it was a perfect time for me to read it. It shouted out to me as I turned the pages, enveloping me in the story, which at times seemed like it was talking about me or people I know.
I was so sad to finish it, but so happy too.

A book that will touch your heart from beginning to end. There is strength from both the characters and the storyline. Thank you to both NetGalley and Bookouture for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

Loved the book!! It was beautifully written and dealt with love and loss. I'm pretty sure I shed a few tears, especially when reading about Geoff and Connie. I felt bad for Helen and Geoff because each one watched their loved ones disappear, in different ways and had no way to stop it. I loved Helen. I could see how much she loved Alex and wanted to help him any way she could. The problem was Alex didn't want her help and never talked to his wife about what was wrong or what he needed. I never warmed up to Alex. I know he was dealing with his own issues, I still didn't like him. When Helen was in the accident he never even asked if she was alright. How can he get mad with her for going to lunch with someone else when Alex show up an hour late? He neglected to tell her where he was for a week or never answered her calls or texts. At least Helen had her friends. They were always there for her and hilarious. I loved Zoe's attempt at throwing a birthday party for her godson. James was also a big help to Helen and was there to just listen. I loved how Geoff wanted to be there for his wife.

Helen is going through a rough patch with her husband Alex. He's been out of work for awhile and eventually he decides to leave. Helen still loves her husband and doesn't know how to get him back. Helen finds a bunch of unaddressed letters on the bus and decides to read them. The letters help her get some perspective on her relationship with Alex. Ninety year old, Geoff is still loves his wife Connie after seventy plus years and wants to continue taking care of her. The problem is Connie suffers from advanced Alzheimer's. She no longer remembers her friends or daughter and at times even Geoff. Geoff is having a hard time letting Connie go to care facility because he wants to do everything without the help of others.

Definitely recommend the book. I loved everything about it- the story, characters and writing style. Look forward to reading more books by the author. I loved the cover of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author, Anna Mansell, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

A beautiful novel that follows the paths of two couples at different stages of life who are going through difficulties in their relationships - both physical and emotional. When bus driver Helen finds a collection of letters, she knows she should try to find the owner, but on reading them, she wonders if they might contain the answer to her problems, and is therefore reluctant to relinquish them. Perhaps they could be a way to reconnect with her husband...

I felt that this was more than just a novel, and could be read on many levels, almost as an insightful self-help guide for anyone struggling with the complexities of life. As well as being a romance, it delves into the modern-day pressures of self-esteem, aging, relationships and anxieties. Yet the whole story is laced through with humour and love.

I've rarely read such an honest novel. It seemed so personal. And, for me, that's what made it shine. Five beautiful stars!

This is a book that pulls you in and doesn't let go of you until your soul overflows with emotions. The prologue took a piece of my heart and it was there that I knew that I would devour this book right away. I fell for the characters and the heart-wrenching story of love.

What a fabulous novel!!! I have read and enjoyed Anna Mansell before, but oh my goodness, A Letter for My Love just tugged at my heartstrings! This novel is about a woman named Helen who is a bus driver, married to her husband Alex, and they have a late-teen/young adult son, Tom. Since losing his job, Alex has withdrawn from Helen more and more, eventually resulting in his leaving. Meanwhile, Helen has found a notebook on the bus full of love letters to an unnamed person and signed, "from the love you wished I could be," a younger man is expressing his affections towards her, and her elderly neighbor Geoff is dealing with his wife's worsening Alzheimer's. 

This was such a beautiful novel that I'm not sure where to begin. Helen is a fantastic character, pushing forty years old, driving extra shifts as a bus driver, and her husband Alex is sitting in his recliner constantly messing around with his phone. Much of the novel focuses on the decline of their relationship as Alex communicates less and less, eventually leading to his leaving her. Helen struggles, of course, torn between the shock of him leaving, how to fix things, and then finally, the realization that things had reached the point that time apart was probably a good idea. Through the mysterious love letters that she finds on the bus, she starts to see different perspectives of her and Alex's situation and wonders what, if anything, she could have done differently. Thrown into the already emotional and chaotic time in her life is the younger man, Martin, who serves as a symbol of possibility and what else could there be out there, while also reminding Helen of her love and desire to be with Alex.

Geoff is in his nineties and is dealing with his wife Connie's failing health, as well as, battling with social services, caretakers, and his daughter about putting Connie into a facility full-time. There are a lot of inner thoughts and flashbacks with Geoff reflecting on his and Connie's marriage, their love for one another, and how her love for him was the foundation of the life he had led. Geoff's portions of this novel are absolutely heart-wrenching and Kleenex is required several times.

James is a sweet, but mysterious soul that Helen allows to ride the bus for free to stay out of the cold. In the second half of the novel, James starts opening up to Helen more, encouraging her to do the same, leading to several revelations about James and the life he has led. This underdog of the novel ends up being not only an inspiration but a huge catalyst of acceptance and then change for Helen.

Anna Mansell's imagery, dialogue, and emotion in this novel is outstanding. A Letter for My Love is happy, funny, sad, regretful, and hopeful all wrapped up into one incredible package. I think that the most important theme in the novel is that, to a great extent, we can't hold ourselves responsible for the happiness of others. As spouses, family, or friends, we can do our bests to love and support those that are important to us, but ultimately, we can only claim responsibility for ourselves. Although we are stubborn, we can't fix everyone and every situation, but we can treasure each day, make sure the important people in our lives know that we love them, and just hope for the best!

Bravo the incredibly talented and honest Anna Mansell for this beautiful novel that is and will remain fresh in my mind and heart for quite some time.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was emotional and riveting. It really pulled at my heart strings. I cried so much! I didn’t want to put it down!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

What an emotional read! I was really touched by the stories of the couples involved. It was sad at times but very moving. Very well written too.