I was super excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. I related to the main character so much, and I have many of the same thoughts she expressed throughout the book. I feel like I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, and this book let me know that’s okay! This book has elements of You’ve Got Mail and the Muppets, and you can’t make that up! Or replicate the magic of the story in this book, either, because the magic is real. I thought the story was sweet and really heartfelt throughout, and I thought the characters were written to represent people in my real, everyday life. I love when I can see people I know in stories, and I picked out several of my friends in this story. I thought the chemistry between the characters was well-written and believable, and that was probably my favorite part of the story. I believed the relationships in the book, and I rooted for the characters. Overall, very well-done!

Another five-star read from Kerry Winfrey. Fans of this author will be 100% pleased with this newest addition to her body of work. The characters are three-dimensional and relatable. The romance is sweet and sexy while facing a conflict that might actually happen in real life, along with a realistic resolution. All together, this is a solidly written narrative of two people who figure out how to both set boundaries and let people in, all while being not totally perfect. You know, like humans actually are. As contemporary romances go, this one was perfect (for me anyway!).

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this ARC!

I was very excited for this book after reading Kerry Winfrey’s last book, Not Like The Movies, and Very Sincerely Yours did not disappoint. Teddy is expecting her boyfriend, Richard, to propose to her, but instead, she gets dumped. She begins emailing Everett, a children’s television show host, asking for his advice on how to find her passion in life. They form a friendship over email that soon turns into a relationship.

This book started a little slow for me, but I loved Teddy and her development throughout the book. Her relationship with Everett was very cute, and I couldn’t help but love Everett and his love of puppets. It wasn’t my favorite book by Kerry Winfrey, but I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.

Kerry Winfrey has done it again, and this might be her best yet! Her characters feel SO real, her setting SO vivid that I have a hard time closing the book at the end. Everett was such a fantastic hero; I loved his emotional journey. Kerry's books feel like the spiritual sisters of all Nora Ephron's movies, in that I just want to return to them again and again.

Kerry Winfrey is fast becoming the US version of Sophie Kinsella: with her quirky, well-meaning and layered characters and meaningful themes and dialogues, Winfrey's latest three romantic novels are books that readers must stop and read immediately, no matter what they are doing at the moment.

WAITING FOR TOM HANKS was a delightful, entertaining addition to the rom-com world and now VERY SINCERELY YOURS is the next must-read.

Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with this wonderful digital ARC.

Approaching 30, Teddy feels like she hasn't figured out her life. So she writes to Everett, her celebrity crush who hosts a children's TV star, for advice. Everett's heroes are Mr. Rogers and Jim Henson. So yeah, he's the greatest book boyfriend. Both of them need to learn for themselves what they want out of their jobs and how to balance it with their personal lives. 

I love my best friends, so I don't mean this to put them down in any way. But I need best friends like Eleanor and Kirsten. They have an entire freezer filled with nothing but ice cream available to support Teddy when she needs it. To my BFFs reading this, where is my freezer? All of the secondary characters in this book are so well-written and amazing.

This book had lots of great laugh out loud lines. There were so many beautiful moments and perfect scenes. It is a sweet story that could make me believe in fate and meet cutes.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. These are my own opinions.

4.5 stars

Have you ever smiled throughout an entire book while you read it? Well this book was it for me. The entire story brought joy to my heart from Teddy’s pursuit of becoming a better person to all the quirky characters. Everett is kind and thoughtful while Richard is selfish and arrogant. Everett’s family are unique and the sister is precocious, and her roommate are wonderful non judgmental friends who gently push Teddy to try new things. Even her sister and mother care a great deal about her, but Teddy sacrifices herself for everyone else’s happiness. This story is about Teddy being in pursuit of finding herself and getting her life back, but in the end, will she fall back into her habits to live someone else’s dream?

I highly recommend this story along with all of Kerry Winfrey’s books. Thank you for the advance copy.

This book feels like the book of my heart and I didn’t even write it.

Teddy Phillips thought she was getting engaged, but instead she gets dumped. Hard. After six years together, and a super nice condo, her boyfriend ends things, causing Teddy to do some reevaluating. Why not start by writing to Everett St. James, the host of a local children’s show that just so happens to be Teddy’s guilty pleasure. Everett’s advice is always pretty spot-on and his life seems totally together, so who better to help her figure out her true passion in life and stop living for others and start living for herself.

I LOVE this book. I have been a fan of Kerry’s for quite some time and have enjoyed every book she’s written, but this one is by far my favorite because I see so much of myself in Teddy. Teddy is almost 30 years old and works at a vintage toy shop. She’s been in a long-term relationship with a man where she basically made her whole world about lifting him up and making sure he had everything he needed to succeed, while her own wishes and desires were left unfigured out. I turned 30 this year, and while my relationship status is not the same as Teddy’s, and I feel like my job is the right one for me, there are other areas of my life where I want to grow and explore, but always have that small voice in the back of my head questioning if it’s too late. This book is here to show that it is never too late to explore your dreams and wishes and desires, and figure out what truly makes you happy.

I love the relationship between Teddy and Everett. Everett is unlike any romance hero I’ve read before. He is described as looking very large and alpha-like, but he is the softest, sweetest soul. His love for his show and the people he works with and his family is a part of everything he does. He’s a really hard worker who knows what he wants in life and has no problem pivoting and making things happen any way he can. The way Teddy and Everett’s relationship starts is so beautifully portrayed in an epistolary format and when they meet up in person the high jinx that ensue are hilarious.

I love the growth in Teddy throughout the novel. She has such an amazing support system in her two best friends who encourage her to try things that scare her. Her ex made her feel insecure, and to see her take her life back and discover that she’s awesome was really nice to read. She gains confidence and has fun, takes chances, and learns new skills. It’s great.

Very Sincerely Yours is just so very sincerely perfect. As a fellow Ohioan, it gave me so much nostalgia for when I lived in Columbus for college. I loved the setting and the atmosphere, the characters, and the romance. Definitely pick this one up for a cozy, warm cardigan feeling!

*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

It's not too often that a book makes me want to laugh, cry, and immediately re-read sections of it, but "Very Sincerely Yours" managed to hit all three notes for me.

Very Sincerely Yours is the story of recently dumped Teddy Phillips, not-so-proud new owner of a break up bob, and the children's show host she writes to on a whim, Everett St. James. St. James comes across as a hipster crossover between Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers, but in a way that is endearing.

Teddy and Everett become email pen pals, revealing more of their true selves to each other than they do to the people in their outside lives. Will this new comradery pave the way to something real? You're definitely going to want to find out!

Theodora, aka Teddy, has just been dumped by her boyfriend of 6 years. And she did everything for him; they were happy… weren’t they? To help her get over the breakup, she decides (with a little help from her friends) to do something new that scares her every day. Enter Everett St. James, a puppeteer children’s show host, whom Teddy watches for comfort. A quick email asking for advice turns into a lot more.

The first few chapters of this book had me cringing and wondering if I could even finish it, but I stuck with it and am glad I did. An almost 30 year-olds obsession with a kids show was rather strange, as was Teddy’s seemingly eccentric personality at the beginning, but yet she was described as an introvert. Also, grown men on kids shows is always awkward, but maybe it was more the show than the adult men who starred in them (think Blues Clues, Yo Gabba Gabba, and the Wiggles). Yet, Mr. Rogers and Reading Rainbow were great!

The story ended up being really, really cute! Almost inspiring me to try something new that scares me every day. Both characters, Teddy and Everett, are complex and show a lot of development and there are some fantastic side characters (Gretal, Josie, Teddy’s roommates, etc.) Also, the characters must have grown up at the same time I did because The World of David the Gnome was my favorite TV show growing up (who didn't want a pet fox called Swift)! It was fun understanding all the late 80s, early 90s pop culture references. Overall, a lovely story and I am glad I stuck through the cringey beginning because everyone grew on me and the book was a really cute, clean romance.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. Looks like a good one to share with our book clubs! Maybe it will encourage all of us to step outside our comfort zones and try something new.

This book was a very sweet, slow burn book with cute and loveable characters. I did find that Teddy was quite naïve and a little annoying at times. She was constantly going on about how she didn't have a purpose in life or didn't know what she liked. It got a little redundant at times. Everette was very sweet and really liked his character a lot. They had a very sweet story and the relationship was fun to read. Overall, I quite liked this sweet story, I would recommend it if you are looking for a slow burn, cute love story. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC and really enjoyed reading this one!

An absolutely adorable You've Got Mail meets Rainbow Rowell's "Attachments" mash-up featuring the beguiling Teddy with all of her insecurities, a new "do things for me" bucketlist and a break-up bob and the charming and somewhat clueless Everett, a children's TV host a la Mister Rogers and just as kind.


This is a warm and whimsical over-sized cardigan of a novel that only breaks through its cinnamon-scented blend of cozy to weave a strong statement on the vulnerability of dreams and standing up for your own and the complexities of relationships that inspire you to be a side-kick to someone else's life.

And there are definitely shades of F-O-X and Shopgirl here: in the knowing and wonderful children's toyshop owner Josie, in Everett's precociously adorable bookworm sister, Gretel, and in the way that setting becomes a canvas for seasons where hope and small festivals over take neighbourhoods with a colour that only acts as a spotlight for this burgeoning love story.


This was an absolute delight of an epistolary-flared novel told with such poise and grace and aching heart I could tell the author loved writing it. Each ingredient is lovingly sprinkled like a pie that just fills up the entire house. A wonderful supporting cast and a treatise on purpose versus relationships balance out a delicious romantic comedy that is worth all of the hype its been getting.


Pick it up.


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Another classic-feeling rom-com from Kerry Winfrey. This one was a bit slower for me, particularly since it took a while for Everett and Teddy to actually cross paths. I loved the Mr. Rogers vibes and Teddy's journey to re-find herself. Sweet, with great side characters.

Berkley is hands down one of the best publishers of contemporary romance around. A recommended first purchase for collections where the genre is popular.

Kerry did it again, I enjoyed her past two books but this one surpassed my expectations. Both characters were ridiculously likeable, having both their perspectives had me rooting for them from the first few pages

This was so delightful! Winfrey's books always feel very cinematic and Nora Ephron-esque, but Very Sincerely Yours read the most like a movie to me. After her boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her, Teddy is left reeling about where her life goes next. On a whim, she emails local children TV's host Everett, seeking advice on what to do when she struggles to find a passion. Over the course of email exchanges, she and Everett form a bond, and Teddy gains confidence in her life while workaholic Everett begins to see the flaws in his ways.

I enjoyed the first half of the book, before Teddy and Everett meet, more than the second half in which they've met, which felt a little anti-climatic and rushed. But Winfrey's writing is so cozy and enjoyable, and the plot's glitchy points didn't deter me from loving this!

Teddy is expecting a proposal from her longterm boyfriend, but instead is dealt a breakup. Not only does she lose her relationship, but her home, her safety net, and what little (*very little*) confidence she has. Teddy takes inspiration from the host of a local children's show, Everett St. James, (think young Mr. Rogers) and decides to email him for some advice. They strike up an email relationship and develop a friendship through their back and forth correspondence.

While both Teddy and Everett had some endearing moments and admirable qualities, I didn't find either one of them to be particularly likable. They were both very immature and just kind of...wimpy (for lack of a better word). Teddy had zero backbone and stayed in what could be considered an emotionally abusive relationship because she didn't think she deserved any better. Everett constantly had his head in the clouds and I couldn't decide if his role as a puppeteer was charming or creepy (but leaned more towards the creepy side). I found their emails to be the most interesting and likable parts of their relationship/personalities. I did enjoy the epilogue and thought it was a sweet addition, which helped with my overall feelings towards the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Teddy is an interesting heroine in the sense that she is not at all interesting. She changed her entire personality for her boyfriend, and now that he’s broken up with her, she has to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with the rest of her life. The novel follows Teddy as she gradually becomes the woman she's meant to be. Her best friends Kirsten and Eleanor take her in and help her on this journey. They insist that she does one thing a day that terrifies her. This is to get her out of her shell and hopefully shed the fears that keep her from truly living her life. Of course, one of the things she does that scares her is write to a certain handsome host of a children’s TV show.

Everett St. James is an incredibly sweet character.  He's good-looking, thoughtful, funny, smart, and he’s always known what he wanted to do with his life. But he isn't quite perfect. His friends and family are constantly telling him that he spends too much of his life engrossed in his work. There’s more to life than puppets, Everett. 

I loved how Everett and Teddy complemented each other in their personal character arcs. Teddy is just now trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. Everett has known his career trajectory since he was a child, but he’s being forced to take a step back and reassess what truly matters.  
This is a delightful book that can be enjoyed on both a superficial and a deeper level.  There is a “readers guide” at the end of the book that provides discussion prompts. I can definitely see this book being a fun and inspirational read--perfect for a book club to discuss over wine and bagel bites.

The interactions between side characters and the protagonists are also extremely well developed. Teddy’s best friends are hilarious and witty. They have a dynamic and clever banter that seems to leap off the pages. Despite this book not being characterized as a "rom com", it had me in stitches laughing on more than one occasion.

This book is chock full of pop culture references. They added another element to the reading experience that I personally loved so, so much. Winfrey casually mentions the millions of Old Navy emails that you get if you’re a subscriber (I died laughing--so true!), the joys of the McDonald's quarter pounder (LOVE them), and Bath and Body Works’ pumpkin pecan waffle scented candle (which I just so happen to have lit on my shelf as I write this review). While these references might end up eventually dating this book, I appreciated them so much and they helped me to dive even deeper into this realistic world that Winfrey has created.

One thing that did bother me a bit about the book was just how long it took Teddy and Everett to start writing to each other. As is expected with pen pal romances, they don’t meet right away, and I was relieved that the author didn’t use the pen pal ruse (my FAVOURITE trope) for only a few chapters. However, I was surprised by just how much of the book took place before Teddy finally put pen to paper (figuratively speaking--she sent an email!). That’s generally a “no no” in romance books. While I did find the early parts of the book slow paced primarily for this reason, the book eventually picks up speed.  I couldn’t put the book down once I got into the meat of the story.
I recommend this whimsical and light book to those who want a humorous pen pal romance with substance.
*This review will be posted on April 13, 2021 to https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/2021/04/13/very-sincerely-yours/*

“Waiting for Tom Hanks” is one of my favorite rom-com books, and I was so excited when I saw that Kerry had a new book coming out, but I don’t think it lived up to its predecessors. I enjoyed this book for the most part but I did struggle a bit with both of the main characters. Paige was such a doormat for her boyfriend and I really did not enjoy that aspect of her character and how she allowed herself to be treated by her boyfriend. I know that was the point at the beginning so she could grow, but it was still hard to read. I was happy that as the book progressed she became much stronger and stood up for herself and what she wanted. Overall I enjoyed Everett, but again, I did not enjoy how much of a workaholic he was. He didn’t seem to even realize that he was this way even though multiple people in his life pointed it out. He felt like it was fine and that there was nothing wrong with it. As the book went on, he realized that he needed a work/life balance to be happy, but it took almost all of the book for him to realize this. I actually preferred their email interactions over their in-person ones. The email correspondence has a playfulness that was somewhat lacking in their conversations in person.

My favorite part of this book were all the side characters. Eleanor and Kristen were so hilarious. I would love to read a book with them as main characters, or even standalone books featuring them and their search for love (although in Kristen’s case she has “Viking” already, but it would be very interesting to see how their love story began). I liked them more than the two main characters. I thought all the characters at the vintage toy store were great and I loved Everett's family, especially Gretel. She was an adult trapped in a child’s body and was so funny. Her relationship with Everett was perfect. I enjoyed how she teased him and all her sarcastic comments. I do think that many people will enjoy it and if they haven’t read other books by Kerry Winfrey, I highly recommend checking them out! The little sneak peak of her upcoming book seems like it’s going to be very good.

As someone who ALSO finds herself surrounded by toys all the time, I found this book to be relatable and thoroughly enjoyable. The romance is sweet, not too steamy, and will appeal to rom com fans.