I know I don't read contemporary romance all that often, but I like mixing up my genres every once in a while and there was just something about The Missing Letters Of Mrs. Bright that made me want to read it instantly. I think it was a combination of the blurb itself and the comparison to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove; two of my favorite books with characters I absolutely adored. And the blurb definitely sounded like main character Kay was going to have the same vibe, so I was superexcited to finally meet her. I might have set my expectations a tad too high, because somehow I didn't end up enjoying this story as much as I thought I would... I'll try to explain why.

First of all I have to stress that The Missing Letters Of Mrs. Bright is by no means a bad read, and the rating reflects my personal reaction to this story and its characters rather than the quality of the story. There is a lot to love in The Missing Letters Of Mrs. Bright, and depending on how you react to the main characters your reading experience might just be completely different from my own... First of all, we have the bookish elements. Not only does main character Kay's husband own multiple bookshops, but we see other references as well throughout the story. I always love those little references in my books, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Another element I loved was travel related; not only that Kay wants to spread her wings and start seeing the world, but also those descriptions and chapters set in Australia and especially those in Venice. This Italian city really came alive for me in the descriptions and was one of the highlights of this book for me.

I also loved the idea behind the letters, and some actually being incorporated into the plot between chapters. This most definitely added an original touch! The plot itself is intriguing enough and uses multipe POVs to help us understand how different people react to Kay's decision to leave her husband of twentynine years and start doing things she has always wanted to but never has. There is the underlying worry and mystery around Bear of course as well, and it was interesting to see things develop and secrets slowly coming to light. The writing was easy on the eye and superfast to read, and in many ways this is the perfect contemporary romance read.

What went wrong for me then? I still can't put my finger exactly on the why, but part of the reason is pretty clear: the main characters. Sadly, I wasn't able to connect to the characters as I thought I would. I had issues with various decisions and personality traits of more than one character, and this really put a damper on things... I won't go too much into details to avoid spoilers, but I wasn't a fan of Kay and her selfishness after her decision. I fully get she has the right to a life of her own, but she truly only thinks of herself and doesn't seem to care too much of what her children and friends are going through... And that was not the only thing that annoyed me about her. I wasn't able to warm up to Stella,Edward or Richard either, although I did like Newland, Rose and even Piet. What I absolutely detested was the whole cheating angle, but that is just a personal reaction as I never respond well to this element in a story...

I did love the food element in The Missing Letters Of Mrs. Bright though. The descriptions of the food really made me crave those dishes and I actually prepared my curry recipe as a result afterwards. There were a lot of other things I enjoyed as well, like mentioned above, but as a whole something just didn't click for me and I ended up having mixed thoughts about this story. Fans of the contemporary romance genre might just have a fantastic time with The Missing Letters Of Mrs. Bright though! Definitely give this story a chance if you think it might be your cup of tea, because it seems like I'm in the minority with this one.

Wow.

The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright by Beth Miller is a can't put down story about first loves, loss and wondering if it's ever too late to start over and live that life you always thought you'd have but never got around to living.

From the beginning of her marriage Kay Bright has always out family first. Working alongside her husband and the father of her children day in and out Kay's life becomes nothing to write to one of her nearest and dearest friends. When she stops receiving letter from her Kay is forced to take stock of her life and really think if this is something she wants to continue with or go out into the world and really experience life for the first time.

I really recommend this book. It's got everything you'll ever need and have you laughing and crying at some point in the story.

Beth Miller has hit one out of the park!
5/5 Stars 🌟

I loved this. It's one of those books you never want to end. Loved the letters. Loved all the characters. Great story and I liked the fact the ending was left realistic. Poignant at times, but ultimately uplifting. I liked the fact the story was told by a mother and daughter, as well as the letters. Clever. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"People are always saying that, as if they had no control over a situation. One thing led to another. But how did it?"

I received this beautiful ARC of The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright by Beth Miller from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The journey of Kathlene Bright from being in a dull and monotonous marriage of 29 years to being an independent divorced woman who wants to fulfill all her dreams on her own, gripped me to the book till the end. Often in long marriages people tend to forget their individual dreams. What once was a top priority in your to-do list, now moves out of the list altogether. But it takes courage to recognize that and make a move. Life is too short to lock your dreams in some dark corner.
If you already don;t know it, this book will make you realize that. The story is told from Kathlene Bright’s perspective as well as from her daughter Stella’s point of view. Will Kathlene get a divorce from her nearly dead marriage after 29 years? Will she set out to follow her dreams? What havoc this uncertainty of divorce will bring in the children’s lives? Will she have enough time? Grab a copy of this marvellous story which is getting released on Jan 9, 2020 to find out. Its never too late to look for happiness.
The writing style is simple and easily read. I loved the slight punches author throws in after every few lines. A beautiful story of freedom, dreams, friendship and loss. I would definitely recommend this book to all my reader friends.
The best thing that i like about the story is that it tells me how easy it is to find your way through complicated situations in life. You just have to name the feeling. If you can name the feeling, you can work through the feeling.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Just let me say, I adored this book. In the chaos of Thanksgiving week, this cozy little novel was just what I needed. I love it when a book is so good that you actually hurry the things that you HAVE to do just to get back to it. This was one of those books. Kay is the protagonist and is lifelong friends with Bear (Ursula). They have written each other every other month since they were teens. With major life changes going on with Kay, she is distraught when Bear starts skipping her letter writing. Kay decides to go visit Bear and their adventure begins. Stella, Kay's daughter, is at a crossroads in her young life and navigates friendships, heartache and love while attending university. Supporting characters were very well developed. It was easy to fall in love with Kay, Bear, and Stella and it made me appreciate the lifelong friends I have. Curl up with this little gem and just enjoy.

Kay Bright is a married mother of two grown up children. For all of her adult life, she has worked in her husband's chain of stationary shops, paid her bills on time, and written to her best friend in Australia like clockwork. Kay's life is quiet, normal, and regular. Which is why it comes as such a shock to her family when she tells her husband she's leaving, sets her wedding ring on the table, and heads off to visit Ursula in Australia, whose last three letters have been MIA. 

Ursula is the only person who knows Kay's darkest secret, but when Kay arrives in Australia unannounced, it seems like Ursula has been keeping secrets of her own. And that after this trip, nothing will be the same again...
I found this book heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. It's beautifully written, and I loved that we got to explore the fallout of Kay's actions through the perspectives of her children and husband. I did feel that after all the secrets and lies and consequences, everything was wrapped in very neatly at the end - I'd have liked to have seen a little more uncertainty I think. But that's a personal preference, and I understood why the author wanted to give it a happy ending. 

This is a lovely novel, exploring how the choices we make define us (or don't), the importance of friendship, and ultimately how we are responsible for our own happiness. 

Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely book. I found it dragging at some points & I didn't totally like all the characters, but I enjoyed Kay & Stella & their growth.
I didn't really like Bear, there was all that leading up to her & then she was kind of awful to Kay. Telling her that writing her just wasnt a priority anymore. If I was sick I would want my closest friends to know.
I found myself continuing to read this because I just had to know what became of Stella & Kay. I liked their outcomes & I liked how real they were in having doubts & second thoughts about all of it, but really pushing through to where they wanted to be.

An interesting story, as we wait for it to unfold. A little meandering but this allows the story to be revealed bit by bit. The foil of Kay’s letters to Bear/Ursula provides an insight into the backstory but also help to provide a little more gritty realism and think about what’s not been said.

When all is told, the outcomes are not that startling and as I had predicted. That said it was still a heartfelt book that kept my interest going.

Finally this book is marketed as one for fans of ‘Ove’... as I’ve previously stated I detested Ove but I actually quite enjoyed this. Perhaps it’s being compared to Ove for its meandering ways and gentle style but I’m glad I didn’t know that beforehand or I probably wouldn’t have read this book.

4*

What happens when your childhood friend (who moved to Australia) stops writing monthly letters to you? Kay and Bear have been friends for ages, but now Bear isn’t writing back. What I didn’t expect is that Kay would walk out on her 29-year marriage, her job, and head to Australia at long last.

There’s quite a bit of drama around how Kay could just leave her marriage, all those around her expect the usual suspects – infidelity or escaping a violent situation. I think Kay finds herself just wondering about everything in her life and decides she doesn’t want to be married.

This book has a great pattern of mother-daughter alternating narration. I enjoyed both Kay’s part and her daughter Stella’s part. They both are trying to figure out what life has in store for them. I definitely rooted for them both to find happiness in their love lives and careers. There are some fun adventures in Venice and I’m dying to eat at the Gritti Palace now. Stella was a fun character and I wanted to remind her to stay strong!

I did enjoy this one, but I was not completely drawn into in emotionally. It has been compared to “Eleanor Oliphant” and “A Man Called Ove” – I agree that if you like those, you would enjoy this one, it just didn’t pack the emotional punch of those in my opinion. It’s definitely filled with friendship, secrets and drama, and even a few moments when I laughed out loud (especially with Kay’s mother-in-law and Stella’s friend Piet).

Thank you to NetGalley, Beth Miller, and Bookoutre for an early copy of this one to read and review.

This book instantly jumped out to me as one I must read. The blurb was exciting and I had such a good feeling about it. I wasn’t disappointed at all. This book is everything you’d expect and more. It has great characters, the plot line flows well and it’s excellent to read.

This was such a heartwarming read. I really enjoyed the two different perspectives of Kay (the mom) and Stella (the daughter). The author did a great job at keeping the same reading pace with each chapter, and it was easy to remember where each story had been left off. I liked that there was a maturity to the separation between Kay and Richard. It allowed the readers to understand what might be going through their minds after such a long marriage and the kind of respect they must have had for each other. It also emphasized the aspect of life is short and to try and make the best of it instead of looking towards the future or past. I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the little tidbits of different generations.

Where it fell short for me was the mystery of Edward and his behaviour. It was fairly obvious what it was but I wish there would have been a bit more focus on the relationship between Edward and Kay and Edward and Stella, since this was the big secret that Kay was hiding. I also felt like the portions of Bear and Kay were a bit rushed and I would have loved to read a bit more about that relationship.

Overall a very quick and endearing read. I will definitely be picking up more Beth Miller books!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, and the author Beth Miller for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is about Mrs Bright who, one day decides apparently out of the blue to leave her home of 20 years. It's a story of second chances, sorrow, love, friendship. The tone is always light and easy to read, and I enjoyed it, I liked the idea of reassessing our skills and wants/needs and be happier as a result, despite life set backs and keeping a positive, non judgement view. I recommend it as a light reading on deep topics.

I really enjoyed The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright, it was fast paced and I liked the authors writing style. I’m still quite not sure why Kay left like she did, and I was hoping for a bit of a different ending. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

A great read that really does show you that we only live once so need to grab every opportunity to be happy and do all the things we want to!
I have read several books recently about middle aged/ pre menopausal women and the choices they make at this stage of life now that they are older and their children are less dependant upon them!it really does illustrate the fact that this time is for you so live it the best way you can!This book also celebrates female friendship and relationships through the ages and what a source of love laughter and support they can be as you go through the phases of life!
Brilliant characters Kay’s story and the repercussions it has on her husband and children is told realistically and sensitively, a great enlightening read that will appeal to all but especially women of a certain age!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Wow, well that was a hugely enjoyable read. A bit off piste for me. Having spent the last three years or so reading almost exclusively thrillers and horror stories, this was a real departure and, as a middle aged man a bit of risk as it’s described as “women’s fiction”.

Kay has been married for 29 years. In her early 50s with two grown up children she has been unhappy for a long time.
When her best friend Bear moved to Australia 30 years ago they wrote to each other religiously. One month Bear to Kay, the next Kay to Bear. When Kay doesn’t hear from Bear for three months in a row she becomes concerned and it makes her make a life changing decision. Not only is she going to travel to Australia to see what is up with Bear, she decides to leave her husband for good.

This is just an incredibly readable book. A beautifully told story of life, love, regret, secrets, friendship, self discovery. I could go on. The story is told from two view points, Our main protagonist Kay and her daughter Stella.
Both worlds are equally as intriguing and entertaining as each other and the changing between the two throughout is beautifully judged.

I laughed out loud, I cried, I stayed up well into the night reading just a little bit more. I just loved this book so much.

I’m marking this 4.5 stars. I was so close to marking this 5 stars but there was one thing that happened in one of the characters lives about half way through the book that just didn’t sit right with me and felt a bit clumsy, a device to move the story along. It seemed quite out of place. I won’t say what it was of course as it would be a spoiler.

Despite that I really really loved this book. Maybe it was the change from my usual genre that made it stand out or maybe “women’s fiction” is a genre that was made for me!
Either way, the book in itself was an absolute joy to read. So many of the characters are so vividly sitting in my mind a day after finishing it.
Highly highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Beth Miller for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book synopsis: “You’ve met Mrs. Bright. She’s that nice woman who lives three doors down and always smiles at you in the mornings. She’s planning her thirtieth wedding anniversary with her husband. She wants to travel, read endless books and take beautiful pictures. She’s been waiting for this forever.”

At least, that is what you thought she was doing.

In reality, Kay Bright has been going through the motions of being a happy wife and mother, while wondering what her life might’ve been like if she had made some different decisions along the way. The only friend who knows what decision she questions most, is Ursula (Bear), the friend she confides in through an “old fashioned” handwritten letter sent every other month.

She counts on Ursula’s reply.

So, when Ursula’s letters stop arriving, Kay decides to leave behind a life that feels stagnant, and go talk with Ursula in person, instead of by Airmail, to sort it all out.

Told in the alternating perspectives of Kay, a woman wanting to REDISCOVER her younger self, and her daughter, Stella, a young woman JUST discovering her adult self, the story is one filled with wry humor and observations. I enjoyed both women equally.

Both handled their challenges with much more maturity and diplomacy than anyone I know would!
Perhaps that is why everything worked out so neat and tidy? 🤔 Or, maybe it’s just because this is fiction!

Recommended by the publisher for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Man Called Ove, and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (three of my favorites in the literary fiction genre) I just HAD to request this!

Would I agree with the comparison?

Well, all of those books made me cry and this one did not...so, YES that is the right audience for the book, and YES I can recommend it, BUT this book, though enjoyable, did not pack the same emotional punch for me, as those it was compared to, so that is why I am going with 4 stars instead of 5 !

Thank You to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Beth Miller for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released on Jan. 9, 2020.

I had a hard time connecting to this book, probably because I didn't like how Kay was portraited. She's a coward for just leaving everybody behind and don't even answer her phone when her children calls. Every thing she has done and do are just shallow actions for me. She talks about her best friend Rose, that she loves ,but it turns out Kay doesn't even know what's going on in her life, because it's all about Kay.

I'm not a fan of the dialogue either, it felt unbeliveable and stiff. Unfortunately, this is not a book for me.

Thanks so much to Beth Miller for the opportunity to read and review this book. The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright was a good light hearted read for a cosy night in. It follows the story of a middle age woman who decides she wants more from life than her marriage and working in his shop. When she suddenly stops receiving letters from her friend in Australia she decides to go find out why. A book that will take you through the emotions.

Kay Bright finds herself discontented in middle age. when she finds a list she wrote as a young woman of things she wanted to do before she was 30, she realizes how much she has compromised to be a wife and mother. She leaves her husband and sets out to see an old friend who lives in Australia. But finding her friend is bittersweet and Kay realizes that to be happy she must change much of her life. Meanwhile, her daughter Stella is facing struggles of her own. when she finds that her business partner has been sleeping with the man she thought she would marry, Stella too has to take a hard look at her own life and find a way forward. THE MISSING LETTERS OF MRS. BRIGHT is a lovely exploration of what is means to be human and alive. It is both charming and thought-provoking and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was a lovely light hearted read. A book telling the life of Kay as she decides after almost 30 years of marriage to walk away from her husband and travel to Australia to see her childhood friend who hasn't been in touch for a while.
To be courageous and brave to make those choices really stood out in the book, as we discover Kay's journey of discovering herself, and also how it affects those left behind.