
Member Reviews

The premise and story of this book is really interesting and unique. The author's writing style is beautiful, and the translation is wonderful. I did enjoy the epistolary style!
However, with that said, on a personal level, I found it difficult at times to really connect with the characters. I found the storyline jumpy at times, and just didn't find myself drawn into the story in the way I was hoping to.
I hope that others will take the opportunity to read this book and decide for themselves, but, sadly this was just not a right fit for me.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley for this eARC.
I love an epistolary novel, and very much liked the sound of this one - about a book found in a hotel room that had been lost for 30 years and the group of people it had an effect on. Unfortunately, the execution didn't work for me. Some of this may have been the translation, because, for example, the different letter-writers did not sound that different. I also found some of the prose a little treaclely. This was a not-for-me book that may be more enjoyable for others.

The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan
Anne-Lise finds an old manuscript left in a night stand next to her hotel bed. Having forgotten to bring a book on her vacation, Anne-Lise reads the manuscript, was profoundly touched by it and is determined to find the authors, since it appears obvious that it was started by one author and completed by another.
Her journey on this quest is quite remarkable. New friendships are made and new places are visited, culminating in a surprising ending. The story line is a nice read and well written, but i thought the letter writing format was distracting. The characters lacked depth and became quite confusing.
4 stars

I so wanted to like this book once I realized it was epistolary book which means it was similar to Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I finished it but it was a chore and I think the difference between the two ad why I could not connect is the lack of description of the characters. Cathy spend little to no time to describe our characters or even their settings. She stuck to the letters at hand and what was going on. The whole book read like disembodied voices with no foundation. These characters all write actual letters in 2016 which I find hard to believe. Long, lengthy letters. It isn't until the end that a few emails come into play. I just find it hard to believe. And it started to get on my nerves that very letter had P.S. and P.S.S. I guess if I was going to give this book a grade I would give it C+. With some edits, it could quickly move to A/B range but there would need to some work done on her part. Maybe you will have a different reading experience than I did.

A Parisian woman, Anne-Lise Briard is on Holiday and while she's looking for something to read, finds an anonymous manuscript in the bedside drawer of the hotel. She falls in love with the story, but has no idea of the adventure she's about to take and the people she's going to meet. THE LOST MANUSCRIPT (StMartinsPress) by Cathy Bonidan is a story of nearly a dozen people, mostly strangers who come together and through letters become friends. It's a novel for readers who love the written word and believe letters and books can create magic and heal people.
Anne-Lise sends a letter and a copy of the manuscript to the enclosed address and discovers its the writer, Sylvestre Fahmer. He says he wrote the first half thirty years ago, but doesn't know who wrote the second half and the little poems in the margins. He apparently left it in the Montreal airport, gave up writing and is now suffering from depression. Anne-Lise and Sylvestre begin a relationship through letters and it gives him some hope. They will solve this mystery together.
Once they start sending letters and meeting others on the search, she discovers people have been touched by this manuscript. People involved discover long-lost love stories, intimate secrets, feel less alone in their loneliness and their lives are made better.
The authors of the second half and poems are eventually discovered at the end. THE LOST MANUSCRIPT will hook you at page one, so be ready to read straight through when you pick it up.
"Once we've reached the last page, we feel more vulnerable to beauty. We look at the people we pass with an unusual benevolence that extends to our own reflection. I understand that this story helps us to smile and to put perspective of those trivial things that have the power to weigh us down." The LOST MANUSCRIPT

The premise of THE LOST MANUSCRIPT was so interesting - a found manuscript is finished by an unknown author, and the story so moving that the finder leads a merry chase to track down the mystery writer! I found it to be a whimsical and eloquent tale.
What I missed, when I requested the book, was that it was told in epistolary format. While it's not one that I am generally fond of (because it is all tell, and no show), Bondian's characters are quirky and delightful, and they take us on an unusual journey. Anne-Lise Briard finds a manuscript in a nightstand, and whatever story it tells so moves her that she decides she MUST return it to the author. (Who, interestingly, does not want her to find, and who she reluctantly drags into her madness.)
Anne-Lise reminds me of my own mother-in-law, who can make friends with anyone and have them spilling their life story in minutes - only Anne-Lise manages to do this all via mail. The letters are heartfelt and earnest, and remind me what a dying art letter writing is. If you've ever had a pen pal, you'll be all the more impressed by that which she accomplishes solely by writing. As connection after connection is made, friendships form, romances bloom, all drawn into her hunt for the simple reason that the manuscript they read so profoundly touched them.
There are a few twists as Anne-Lise unravels the mystery of the unknown writer.
While the writing is beautiful, the format renders the characters a little flat at times. While their personality comes through in the writing, I feel like I didn't know much about them. As the characters accumulate, I confess it could be difficult at times to keep the minor characters straight, (but that could be a function of my foggy brain, in all honestly).
So while I didn't always love the format itself, the mystery and the characters kept me turning pages until the very end.
This book is a love letter (pun unintended) to the power of a good story.

A quick and cute read about a literary mystery. I didn’t love the format it’s written in - which is letters written between the characters - and I think it’s because it didn’t give the characters the depth they deserved, when we only get to hear their voices in letters.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. What would you do if you found a manuscript in the nightstand in your hotel room. Like most people I would read it. This book took on a journey that I enjoyed. I cant wait to read Cathy Bonadin's next book.

What a lyrical novel! Took us on a journey with Unexpected twists and turns. Characters, relationships and places were well developed and likable. Whatnot to visit all of the places described in this book.

What a wonderful book! The author's style is wonderful and easy to follow. She has created interesting, well fleshed out characters. I found myself connecting to them which made me very interested in the actual plot. It was a quick read and it moved fast. I personal enjoy novels with characters who write letters back and forth. It brings a realism to the book. I absolutely loved it and definitely recommend reading it.
I would like to thank Cathy Bonidan, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Lost Manuscript, is a beautiful story about a group of strangers who become a family while solving the mysteries of a 30 year old love novel.
This story has absolutely ruined me in the best possible way. I know a story told by letters is not for everyone but I devoured the book, and was completely heartbroken when it was over. I needed to read more about the characters and I’m trying to not spoil the book, but I was so invested in their lives that I just wasn’t satisfied for it to end. Also if this is truly based on a true story I need the name of manuscript, I would love to read the story that brought all those people together.

Sad to say, I struggled to read and finish this book. I did finish it but found it disjointed and lacking any great substance.

The book has promising story idea, but the pacing is slow. The characters need to be flushed out little more. Author could have explored more whatifs.

The premise drew me in right away. A secret/unknown collaboration of a book?! So cool! This story is told in a letter format and documents the journey as more and more people are involved or are involved again with this lost manuscript.
Honestly, this letter writing format, although sweet and made me want to be more with physically writing letters (ps: SAVE THE USPS), wasn't particularly my favorite style to read. It felt chunky, but I understand how it progresses this novel in a way that is more personal and more involved with each character's thoughts. This format was also great for slowly revealing each of the character's personalities and hardships, a much more realistic pace of understanding a stranger. Just not my cup of tea.
Otherwise, this story was definitely interesting in that it touches upon so many other facets of life that I didn't think would be involved in a seemingly lighthearted, contemporary fiction novel. From elderly loneliness to criminalization stereotypes, this story tackles so much more than a lost story. This story is also a fun mystery of sorts that you get to discover more of with every letter.

The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan
Longhand writing is going to become a thing of the past. Stationary is only going to be used as staying completely still, not as a piece of beautiful paper to write correspondence to a friend. It’s sad how our lives have become only a technological community. New generations don’t know how to socialize or look people in the face.
This book represents what we are losing and what we could gain by putting ourselves out there. Just the other day I had a wonderful conversation with a woman in South Africa and gave her my home address and she has already responded with her address and no it was not a scammer. I was having problems with a Amazon issue which she resolved with great aplomb.
Anyways, I have already sent a letter to her and hopefully she will respond in kind to tell me of her country.
This book is remarkable about trust and loyalty and opening up. It’s also about saying your sorry!
Needless to say I recommend this book and the author kept me turning the pages to see who read the manuscript next and how it affected them. I know the book has affected me!
Thank you to the authors and publishers who work so diligently for us the readers.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Such a sweet story. Loved this one!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

An absolutely beautiful book with pages upon pages of lyrical words and phrases winding through story after story. It’s all intertwined to solve a 30-year-old mystery and I was so sad to see it end! I would have loved more to the ending! Where are more details of Anne-Lise or David or Laura?! Highly suggest you take a chance on this one!
I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.
This is a book about a partially completed manuscript that was found 30 years later in a completed state and in a mysterious location.
The book was chaptered as handwritten letters between characters that had possession of the book at one time. I actually enjoyed how the story unfolded as we got to know each writer better through their letter and got clues about the manuscript’s journey.
This was much more interesting than I anticipated (and described). Book lovers should like this one.

I loved this mystery revealed in exchanged letters.
On vacation, Anne-Lise Briard looks for something to read in her hotel room and finds a manuscript left in a bedside drawer. She sends the pages to an address she finds halfway through, trying to locate the author.
The recipient replies, saying he lost the piece on an airplane decades ago. He confesses, however, that he wrote only half of what she sent him and doesn’t know who finished it.
We’re sent on an entrancing journey as Anne-Lise writes anyone who may have seen the manuscript, and finds it has impacted many lives in profound ways. The ending will truly surprise you as the unknown author is finally revealed.
THE LOST MANUSCRIPT is a charming read, especially for those who adore books, lovely letters, and romance. Why, that’s everyone I know!
4 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 12 Jan 2021
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheLostManuscript

DNF. This novel is written in a letter format and I just couldn't connect with the characters in a way that encouraged me to continue through the story. This was a bummer as I found the initial description of the plot to be incredibly interesting and unique. I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.