This book was SO cute. Rosie is the definition of what it feels like to be in your 20s. All the trials and tribulations she went through in this book shaped her decisions to get her to where she needed to be. Jaclyn Westlake is easily an auto read author for me now.

I was surprised to learn this was a debut novel for this author. And I truly loved it. It was the exact breath of fresh air that I needed in between my heavy hitting historical fictions and romance novels I tend to gravitate towards the most. This was such a sweet, touching and at times funny read.

Rosie is taking life one day at a time with no real vision of what she wants it to look like for her. She suddenly feels everything spiral out of control when she loses her great-Aunt Dotty. Feeling like an outsider in her family for most of her life, Dotty was always the one person in Rosie's life that she could go to when she needed advice or swift kick in the pants. She was the only person that Rosie felt was really in her corner.

As the days after her aunts death pass, she begins to learn that she didn't know Dotty nearly as well as she thought she did. After accessing her aunts laptop, she sends an email to ALL of Dotty's contacts to notify them of Dotty's passing and requests that they share a memory of theirs with Dotty. As the emails come pouring in, Rosie is able to see the impact her aunt had on so many people. In learning more about her aunt, Rosie begins to learn more about herself and gains the confidence to begin living life on her terms. With her trusty sidekick Bug, the loveable dog she inherited from her Aunt, and her family and friends, she starts to make plans that will shape her life into what she was always too afraid to want.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, Dotty. We all need a Dotty in our lives, and if we are the Dotty in our life? Even better! I liked this one so much. I really felt for our main character as she was pulled in so many directions without being asked what she actually wanted. I think we can all relate to that! I enjoyed the interludes between each chapters with letters about, or from, Dotty.

This is a grief book. Very much in the vein of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, though more on the serious side. It took me a long time to warm up to Rosie and based on the description I was hoping for more epistolatory sections. A heartfelt coming-of-age story.
3.5 stars

Dear Dotty is just a lovely book! It is a perfect summer read...flowing easily from one chapter to the next. Not only is this the story of Rosie and Dotty's relationship, but also the growth of both characters, though Dotty's is told after her death. This was a great debut novel by Jaclyn Westlake and I look forward to see what she has for us in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

This is a very sweet story. I really liked the characters and the premise. It was slow moving at times and in the middle, it was a little hard to hold interest. But it picked up again and I did really like the way it ended. Dotty is a particularly amazing character and the thing I like best is how she told it straight, but made sure everyone knew she supported them in what they really wanted to do. I did want more of Dotty and Rosie's actual relationship - maybe more flashbacks?? 3.5 stars

I really loved this heart felt book! We should all be lucky to have an Aunt Dotty! Rosie learned so much from her aunt long after she’s gone. Rosie learns to navigates her own life and trying to figure out her friendships, love life, and career.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I am highly recommending this one to my friends.

THANK YOU, NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC


This book was so, so sweet!! I loved it so much. It’s a beautiful homage to the power of family and the power of independent women. The characters are well developed and they all hold their own kind of sweetness (excluding Nadine, of course).

There was a lot of conflict in this book, but I would’ve enjoyed a little more being added to the plot so that this can be a true page turner. That’s my only qualm with this book, otherwise I love love loved it :)

Twenty-four-year-old Rosie Benson is still figuring out what she wants from life. Stuck in an unfulfilling job, she doesn’t want to disappoint her parents or her best friend/roommate whose career is thriving. The only person she can share her insecurities with is great-aunt Dotty, who has always lived life on her own terms and who encourages Rosie to pursue her own dreams. When she is fired from her job, Dotty is the only person Rosie confides in, especially after her parents announce their divorce after thirty years of marriage leaving the whole family in shock and she has a falling out with her best friend. Rosie does manage to find another job and embarks on a new relationship, but remains conflicted over the choices she is making. When Dotty suddenly dies, Rosie loses the only person she believed had been in her corner and who understood her. Rosie, alone and grieving, conveys the news of Dotty’s passing to everyone in her great-aunt’s contact list and requests them to share their memories of Dotty. The stories shared by Dotty’s friends and acquaintances not only shed light on aspects of Dotty’s life she never knew but also inspires Rosie to take stock of her life, rethink her priorities and follow her heart.

Revolving around themes of family, friendship, grief and healing, self-acceptance and hope,Dear Dotty by Jaclyn Westlake will touch a chord in your heart. Rosie is an endearing protagonist – a tad immature at times and though we might not agree with all of her choices, let’s admit that most of us learn from the mistakes we make, as does Rosie. I was invested in her journey – I laughed with her and cried for her - and didn’t want to put the book down until I was sure she would be okay. I adored Dotty and loved getting to know more about her through the stories shared by those who knew her. The characters were well thought out - flawed, realistic and relatable. I appreciated the maturity, insight and humor with which the author depicts adult relationships and how our dynamic with the people close to us can change and evolve – be it family, romantic relationships, lifelong friendships or professional relationships – how important it is to give one another the space to grow and to know when to let go. I loved the segments with the animals at the sanctuary. I wish we had more scenes with them!

Beautifully written and full of heart, wisdom and humor, this is the kind of story that leaves you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart.

Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a cute story about a woman’s relationship with her aunt and how her death changed her life. Nothing unexpected happens, but the book does well at reflecting the highs and lows of life, challenges in relationships, and how the choices we make inform who we are. The heroine came across a little immature, but I think this book probably skews towards the interest of “new” adults. A cute read overall. Round up to 3.5. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

This book has now been out in the world for a week!!!
If you haven’t yet, go pick it up!
It gave me all the feels of working in downtown San Francisco, the dating, that atmosphere, even the kickball. It felt so familiar to me. I pulled some pictures from Pinterest that reminded me of the vibes, it was hard to get too specific but I tried.
There was so much about this that I loved! I love letters or messages or in this case emails. Rosie has such a great relationship with her Great Aunt Dotty and she is a buffer against her family in a way. A buffer it turns out she didn’t need. But in losing her and trying to learn more about this amazing woman she learns about herself and her family. She becomes closer to her unattainable brother and her parents' impossible standards.
Rosie tries for outwardly successful jobs only to be unfulfilled as she ignores the opportunities of the jobs that she has always wanted but are less pay or far from where her friends are.
I loved her best friends secret and what it did to her relationship, I enjoy reading tension like that. The person her friend ended up with is exactly what would happen in a small town in a small industry anyways.
Romance wise this one is closed door and I liked who she ended up with. Sometimes the dream isn’t as good as you expect we are all just people. Sometimes you need someone more like you.

“You never know how big or small of a role someone will play in your life.”

This book was a wonderful collection of stories of the life of a free spirit great aunt. Mixed with family trauma, good and bad decisions, growing up and taking on new challenges. This book was adorably sweet and beautifully moving. I cried several times throughout the book and I know I’ll think about this one for a while. It really felt like I could feel how the character were feeling in that moment, whether it be grief, disappointment, excitement or anxiousness.

This book hits home for me as I had a great aunt Ruthie that I was extremely close with. Unfortunately, she passed when I was in middle school so I didn’t get as much time with her. My great aunt and Dotty were so similar in many ways and I pictured her throughout the book. I wish I were able to get as many stories about her life as Rosie did about her great aunt.

This is not my usual genre that I read, but I tore through this book and highly recommend it. I am so very grateful to have received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books, Harper Voyager, and Jaclyn Westlake for this incredible novel.

3.5 stars - this was a sweet book (sometimes too sweet) that was a bit slow in the middle. The message was nice but I doubt I will remember much about it a couple of books from now. ARC from Netgalley.

Dear Dotty serves as a reminder that one person has the ability to impact and influence countless people. Rosie is relatable, authentic, and someone you can’t help but cheer for as she struggles to figure out what she wants and who she is. By the end of the book, my heart felt lighter 💛

Rosie is a happy twenty-something finding her place in the world when her Aunt Dotty dies. Dotty was her confidant and something of a role model and now Rosie feels lost. As she navigates the next chapter of her life she writes a series of emails to her deceased Aunt’s friends and lovers that that give her a glimpse into her Aunt’s life. Dotty has a lot to teach Rosie even after her death.
I liked this sweet and funny coming of age story! Dotty is the aunt we all would have liked to have. The stories from Dotty’s past are eye-opening and entertaining. I enjoyed this book, 4 stars.

From the publisher:
What’s a twenty-something gal to do when her parents announce a divorce after thirty years of marriage, she finds out her best friend has cozied up to her archnemesis, and she accidentally sleeps with the Wrong Guy? Turn to her great-aunt for advice, of course.
Rosie Benson has always struggled to fit in with her over-accomplished family, type-A roommate/best friend, and workaholic boss. But she’s nearly losing herself as she strives to become everyone else’s idea of perfect. When Rosie is abruptly fired from her job at a tech start-up where her boss was way too enthusiastic about synergy and company swag, the illusion that she has life figured out is shattered. Knowing she needs a push, her great-aunt Dotty—a globe-trotting, martini-swilling occasional nudist, and the only person Rosie has ever truly felt herself around—challenges her to pursue a long-buried dream, others’ expectations be damned.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow, there’s a lot to unpack and say about this one and I’m almost scared that I’m not going to remember to say it all. There’s so much I want to say.

For starters, I think we all need a Dotty in our life. Our FMC, Rosie, is a bit of a mess. But honestly, it’s not that out of the ordinary than any other 20 something year old trying to figure out what they want to do with their life. Her great aunt, Dotty, was a free spirit and did whatever. She was very supportive of Rosie and all of her endeavors, leading her to be someone Rosie felt she could tell anything to. But then Dotty passes, and Rosie feels lost.

I think this book has a lot of moments that exemplify that the little things people say can leave a last effect on a person and they may not even notice. Like her parents essentially telling her to grow up (on their end they want what’s best for her), but Rosie takes it as she is doing everything wrong. So she makes even more mistakes in her stumble to try to do right, and then suffers alone in her own misery because she doesn’t feel like she can tell anyone. There’s a moment with her sister-in-law that I thought important, where she tells her that being a grown up doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help.
I also really loved the emails sent about peoples’ experiences with Dotty. It really framed Dotty’s life, and helped Rosie learn from her great-aunt, even after she passed. Dotty still ended up being a guide for her, through the memories and impacts she left on other people.

Rosie is trying to conform herself and fit in a box— a career building job, the boyfriend—- but it doesn’t feel right to her. Nothing is wrong with Donovan. On paper he’s perfect, and he’s actually a really nice guy. But he’s not for her. She didn’t realize that her having her hesitations, or not including him in her regular plans and thoughts was her body’s way of telling her that.
This book takes us through Rosie’s journey of growing up through the aftermath of her great aunt’s passing. It’s sad, its heartwrenching and it’s also joyful. This was a beautiful book and I immensely enjoyed it.

If you don’t have a Dotty in your life, hopefully you’ll let this fictional one guide you to be your most authentic and happiest self.

Thank you @jaclyn_writing @avonbooks and @harpercollins for the read!

Such a sweet, adorable book! I find it hard to believe this is a debut novel - it just reads so well. This is a coming of age, finding yourself kind of book. There is a good deal of humor her too and I found myself laughing in places. Throughout it is told from Rosie's point of view. We get to know Rosie closely - what she is going through at work, with her family, with her roommate. She is dealing with a lot. And then she has to deal with the loss of her great-aunt Dotty. We get to know Dotty through Rosie's eyes and through her research into her life. Dotty taught Rosie a great deal and is still teaching her, even after her death. I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about family, coming of age, or just a sweet story.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager through Netgalley for an advance copy.

This is a stellar read that encapsulates how the loss of a family member can impact all parts of life and how truly important it is that we learn to leave a positive impact on each person we meet.
Can’t wait to read another book by this author!!

Happy Publication Day!

Rosie is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She’s long admired her Aunt Dotty who was confident and independent; she seemed to know all of life’s secrets and was the one Rosie reached out to in times of trouble.

But when Dotty unexpectedly passes away, Rosie’s devastated. Per Dotty’s request, no funeral is held yet Rosie still wants to let her aunts friends know about her passing. Upon emailing them, Rosie finds herself emailing Dotty to continue to share her thoughts and feelings as she struggles to find her path in life.

Dear Dotty was a wonderful coming of age story that I highly recommend!

I adored this book! I loved following Rosie and her ups and downs through life, and I love that she had her Aunt Dotty to help guide her through it. This book was very heartwarming!