Rachel Fordham has written a book that is sweet, mysterious, and has enough detail to envision living during that time in history. The setting is in Buffalo, New York. I would say this book is a nod to Shakespeare,... with Romeo and Juliet vibes about forbidden love. I really enjoyed the story and I think anyone who loves history and romance would enjoy it also.
*I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and this is my honest opinion.

The wealthy Bradshaw and Campbell families have been feuding for years, but no one knows exactly why. When Laura Bradshaw discovers who has been leaving her letters in a tree near the city zoo, will the mystery finally be solved? Find out in this intriguing work of historical fiction with a touch of mystery and romance set in the Prohibition years.

This was an outstanding read by Rachel Fordham, I couldn't put it down. Loved it! #netgalley #rachelfordham

What a wonderful love story! This is a Romeo and Juliet/You’ve Got Mail story set in 1924 Buffalo.

Rachel Fordham has woven a beautiful story of forbidden love between members of two feuding families. It starts with anonymous letters exchanged in a tree in the park and continues for seven years as they share their hopes and dreams and ultimately love blossoms.

I loved the process of finding out who the other actually was and it kept me turning pages to find out how they would resolve their families’ differences.

If you like:
the 1920s
Young love
Feuding families
Animals
Fairytales
A Mysterious Letter providing clues to unknown family situations
Pineapple upside down cake
…And more you will love this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a beautifully written story that grabs your heart.

The Letter Tree is just a perfect book for anyone that loves animals, historical fiction, family dynamics mystery and/or romance. This book hooks you in the first few pages and it is hard to put down. The story is set after WWI during the roaring 20's. Reading about the clothing, dancing, drinking, and everything else is really interesting. This is during a time in America when the role of women is changing fast..

The idea of a letter tree is just so original. Letters that go back and forth between two people and mean so much to both of them. I love the setting of the tree in the zoo. They both spent time with the animals on the way to and from the letter tree.

This is my first Rachel Fordham book and it will not be my last. I enjoyed this book so so much.

The Letter Tree
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From Publisher Thomas Nelson:
Buffalo, NY, 1924
Laura Bradshaw adores stories with happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless takedown of his competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a reprieve: a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters.
As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that, Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined.
When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart.
******************
My review:
Again, historical fiction is a big draw for me. I enjoy a glimpse into another time and this peek into the 1920's was fabulous. Laura is sheltered and almost ignored by her angry widowed father. She's pushed towards Abel, a businessman that her father wants in their orbit. Abel seems great...at first.
The back and forth between Isaac and Laura and and their shared need to find out the history of their families was intriguing. The mystery of the two families grabbed me and I had to know the source of the feud. I imagined many things and finally it all came together. Occasionally the story was overly simple but then again, maybe that was the time period as well. I rooted for Laura the entire novel.
And they all lived happily ever after...4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for an advance digital copy of the book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @ThomasNelson for this ARC. Laura Bradshaw can spend all day in the Buffalo Zoo. When she finds she is short on time, she stuffs the hollow tree with her poetry so she can get home before her father arrives. Isaac Campbell is looking for respite under a tree at the zoo and finds Laura's poetry. In turn, he leaves a note. This starts a decade long friendship through letters. Little does each know, they are children of rival shoes company owners. They aren't even allowed to speak each others names at home or public. Can their relationship look past all the hate? This was a really cute book with a mystery thrown in and reminded me a lot of "You've Got Mail". #TheLetterTree #RachelFordham #ThomasNelsonPub #Oct2023

“There are so many people in this city, and somehow, we manage to find someone who stands out from the crowd. Love is an odd thing.”

I absolutely adored this newest book from Rachel Fordham!

Somehow she managed to give us both enemies-to-more and friends-to-more in the same story. Add in some Romeo and Juliet vibes, ‘You’ve Got Mail’ vibes, forbidden love, a family feud, secret letters, mysterious unknowns, all set in the roaring twenties and you’ve got a recipe for a fantastic story with a sweet happily ever after.

The Campbells and the Bradshaws were once friends and business partners, but a rift tears the two families and their business apart.

When Laura Bradshaw loses her mother at the tender age of 14, she grieves through writing. Circumstances cause her to leave her letter in a tree in haste.

Isaac Campbell, heir to the Campbell shoe factory and sworn enemy of the Bradshaw family, happens to find Laura’s writings hidden in the tree.

Intrigued, he writes back and a secret friendship begins between the two young people. The ‘letter tree’ is their mailbox and while they never sign their names, they begin an unlikely friendship that will be tested.

This story was fantastic. I loved how the story unfolds and how the friendship between Isaac and Laura changes from expressing themselves through their writing to face-to-face.

There are some mysterious elements too and the full story unfolds bit by bit.

If you’ve seen the movie You’ve Got Mail, you are going to love The Letter Tree and the similarities it holds. I can’t leave this review without mentioning how much I loved the Mrs. Guskin. She was the sweetest housekeeper, friend, and motherly figure to Laura.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored this book!

I loved it so much, I would say it is one of my favorites of the year - and I read a LOT of books!

The characters are likeable and really draw you into the story. I found myself running back to sneak in a few minutes of reading every chance I could get.

I will be purchasing a copy for my home library to reread over the years. HIGHLY recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

1924 Buffalo, NY…a beautiful, old city on Lake Erie with two competing/feuding shoe companies. Seven years before, they used to be one company but in 1917, several sad things happened that split the company in two and turned the two company owners into “mortal enemies”. Now, the children of the owners are young adults who were once playmates but have been caught up in the hatred and rancor of their parents, Laura and Issac don’t know what caused the feud and have inherited their dislike and distrust of each other’s family. Both have had a secret pen pal for those same seven years…trading letters left in a large beautiful tree on the grounds of the Buffalo Zoo. They’ve each shared their hopes, dreams and feelings in these anonymous letters and finding out that they’ve been writing to each other comes as an unexpected and unwanted surprise. What they each do with that knowledge and how it have a profound impact on them and their families is sweet, charming but bumpy. Romeo and Juliet but without the double death at the end. The book is a little predictable but a lovely read, nonetheless.

I loved it! The setting in the Roaring 20s, the slow build romance, the allusions to Romeo & Juliet, and the happy ending warmed my heart. There was a bit of mystery in there, too, but nothing violent. I highly recommend it!

I want to give this all the stars! I devoured it in one sitting and my entire day has been delightful. Rachel Fordham has carefully crafted the perfect mashup of You’ve Got Mail and Romeo and Juliet, and I am so satisfyingly happy.

Laura and Isaac are the perfect combination and watching their story unfold was captivating. But I have to brag on Mrs. Guskin and Mr. Shaffer—two of the most wonderful background characters I’ve had the pleasure of meeting!

And then there’s Big Frank, and Tybalt, and so many other characters you’ve just got to meet. This is one of the best stories I’ve read this year and I plan on reading it again.

My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy. My review is true and honest and unsolicited.

Laura Bradshaw wrote a poem after her mother died and hid it in a tree. When she tried to retrieve it, she withdrew a letter from the person who found the poem. For seven years, they’ve exchanged letters tucked into the maple tree.
Laura inherited her love of books from her mother, especially fairy tales. She adores animals and getting her hands dirty in the garden. She had been friends with Isaac Campbell before their fathers, owners of Bradshaw-Campbell Shoes, had a feud and insisted that everyone in their families hate the others.
Neither Laura nor Isaac understand why the feud began. Neither is happy with their relationships with their fathers. Isaac wants more responsibility at the shoe factory, but his father insists he go out and enjoy life. Why won’t he groom his heir? Isaac’s friend Charlie helps him stay sane.
Then they both make shocking discoveries about who they’re writing to.
This is a great book, although it did start slowly for me. I almost skipped ahead, but I’m glad I didn’t.

I haven't read fiction in several months, but because I love this author, I took a break from my non-fiction binge. Comparing this novel to Rachel's other works, I have to give it three stars. This felt surface level and lacked the heart and drama of her other books, in my opinion. I am still a faithful Fordham reader. I believe I've given every one of her other books five stars.

Content: this is a squeaky clean histfic with an innocent, slow romance. No faith element which is very typical for this publisher despite them being a Christian publisher. No violence, etc.

Set in Buffalo, NY in the 1920s, this story was a fun mix of You've Got Mail and Romeo and Juliet with a few extra mysteries mixed into the plot to keep you wanting to turn the pages.

The Letter Tree is a delightful young adult story about the different stages of a friendship. In this storyline, Laura and Issac were besties as very young children but were pulled apart as their families feuded. After her mother died, Laura was kept on a tight leash by her father. But she found an outlet for herself by writing letters to an unknown person delivered through a tree in a zoo.
The point in history is 1924: after WWI, the 1917 flu, and before the 1933 depression and WWII. This is a period of manufactory increase and growth. Both families prospered but were mostly driven by greed and competition of each other's business.
Both characters are young adults from families who require marriage to be based on alliances in business, money, and social standing while love is not considered to be the basis of a successful marriage or important.
Young adult readers and others will enjoy the unveiling of the mystery of the authors of the letters and the chase involved to find answers to the family feud. It is not surprising that denial of communication and miscommunication plays a pivotal role in the lives of the letter-writer friends.

Judging by all of the 5-star reviews on NetGalley, I am definitely in the minority about this book but it was just too slow moving and did not capture my interest. The Letter Tree tells the story of Laura and Isaac, children of rival shoe company families, and their meeting through correspondence in the big tree at the zoo. I saw it as a Romeo and Juliet kind of novel and although it was an easy read, I did not find myself invested into any of the characters or the story line.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Such a sweet, clean romance, complete with great, imperfectly relatable characters.

If you're me, and you passionately dislike Romeo and Juliet, The Letter Tree does an exceptional job of using the trope intelligently. First, it allows the characters to have more depth than just being attracted to each other, despite their family's feud. Secondly, they are friends first-and-foremost, also slightly more mature. They put aside their feelings and focus on trying to heal the rift between their families.
To all Romeo and Juliet fans out there: I know it's supposed to be one of the greatest love stories of all time, but to me, they will forever be immature kids who knew practically nothing about each other and who end up dead, painted as victims of their families not being able to make peace. Not at all my idea of a romantic ending.

Laura and Isaac are also caught in a 1924 family feud. They were close growing up, but a secret puts a wedge in their dads' friendship and splits their shared shoe factory into two competing separate companies. As collateral damage of this, Laura's mom dies and Isaac's parents become overprotective of him. Both kids are taught to hate each other as part of their new family dynamics, but they find a way to keep their souls connected through the letters they exchange in the nook of a tree.

Their love story is a tale of friendship, mutual support and respect. Laura is smart, kind and forgiving. Her most inspiring trait is her compassion towards her father, even when he hurts her, although her independence and love of animals and a simple life is also in the top 3. She trusts that happiness and the good in people can endure and push away the pent-up anger and pain.

Isaac longs to be seen as more than a care-free, untrustworthy youngster who should make sure he makes the best out of his youth. With Laura's help, he eventually grows up into an independent man, deserving of respect and the love he spent years yearning for.

Reading this book was like a drink of hot cocoa on a rainy day.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for the ARC.

This book is well-written and kept me highly engaged from about the 1/3 mark on. It is somewhat a retelling of the “You’ve Got Mail” premise, but set in the 1920s with some fun variations, twists, and turns. It is a sweet romance with nothing inappropriate (although I did question the ethical ramifications of one character breaking & entering another’s hotel room to secretly gather information).

I liked how Laura didn’t fit in with the cultural norms of the day and eventually grew unafraid to be her authentic self. The supporting characters were great, especially Mrs. Gunskin.

It is worth noting that unlike Fordham’s earlier books published by Revell, this one by Harper Collins is not Christian fiction, nor is it being marketed as such. The underlying worldview is broadly Christian with some overtones of believing in yourself / following your dreams/ you’re stronger than you know. The main characters have strong arcs of becoming braver and choosing the life that they want. The message of forgiveness and reconciliation is truly beautiful and presented believably and gently.

Recommend for anyone who loves a good, clean enemies to lovers story and especially 1920s fans.

The setting is the 1920s in Buffalo, NY. The author does an excellent job of writing a book that breathes the atmosphere of the 1920s through and through. It gives an insight into the lives of the privileged (and their struggles) at that time. The Letter Tree is a novel idea and well used in the story. Ms. Fordham patterns different activities, schemes, incidents and situations after true events, which makes it an enjoyable novel. The integration of real life events into the lives of the main characters, reminds me of Downton Abbey, but in book form. Very pleasant main characters. Pure entertainment of the wholesome kind. Wonderful vacation read that offers more than just romance. I wasn’t familiar with this author, but will definitely check out more of her books.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.