Yours Truly, Thomas

I enjoyed going back to Azure Springs in Yours Truly, Thomas. The residents of the town are welcoming to newcomers. It is like visiting old friends. Penny Ercanbeck works in the Dead Letter Office where they try to get letters to their intended destinations. She is particularly taken with love letters and dreams of having a man write to her one day. When Thomas’s letters to Clara come across her desk, they touch her heart. She feels like she knows Thomas and wants to help him. Penny ends up traveling to Azure Springs where she takes up residence in Margaret Anders yellow boarding house. What follows is a sweet story that will touch your heart. I thought Yours Truly, Thomas was well-written, and it progressed at a gentle pace. I enjoyed the letters that were interspersed throughout. Lettering writing is a lost art today which is such a shame. I remember looking forward to getting correspondence when I was younger (pen pals). Penny’s dog, Honeysuckle (aka Honey) is a sweetie who provides comfort to Penny as well as a listening ear. Honey’s antics in Azure Springs had me chuckling (and happy my dogs do not like mud). Penny’s first encounter with Thomas as well as her second provided plenty of giggles. I always enjoy a book that brings out a variety of emotions as did Yours Truly, Thomas. I like how Thomas’s backstory was slowly revealed. As I got to know him, I understood why God led him to Azure Springs and why Penny was sent to aid him. Friendship, understanding, love, forgiveness, grief, family drama, heartache and humor in one thoughtful, heartfelt story called Yours Truly, Thomas.

Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham Since discovering a bundle of letters as a child Penny Ercanbeck has had a love of letters and dreamed of the day when she would have her own bundle to love and cherish. But working in the Postal Services' Dead Letter Office has her reading other people's mail - mail that can't be delivered as it is addressed. Some letters that describe day-to-day life, some that hold great joy and yet others that are filled with heartbreak. When a series of letters from some named Thomas arrive at the office Penny is determined that she'll deliver the letters. But what she discovers finds her on a journey that will give her time to decide which path her life will follow. But when she arrives in Azure Springs, Iowa, she finds something unexpected - a sense of belonging. But can she call someplace so far from what she has known home? Her savings, which have brought her this far won't last forever and she's faced with a decision - return to DC and the Dead Letter Office, move into the life her mother dreams of for her, or remain in Azure Springs solely on the desires of her heart. This book reacquaints the reader with several of the characters who were in The Hope of Azure Springs but this book can be read as a standalone title if you have not yet read this previous work by Rachel Fordham. Penny and Thomas's stories are revealed throughout. And as Penny so lovingly puts it, "And don't you just feel like a letter is a special gift?" I must say I agree with this statement I've always loved getting a personal letter in the mail. This is a lovely book and the characters are ones that can be empathized with as they work through their pain and regrets. The written word has so much power in how it can affect a life - it can heal, it can hurt, and it can protect. Get ready for a return to Azure Springs a town that isn't perfect but one with a big heart that is willing to accept a stranger into its midst. You just might want to stay for a while too. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

I have recently read two other books about a Dead Letter Office. This one by far is my favorite. The book cover is beautiful and makes you want to pick up the book. Rachel Fordham came out as a debut author last year with her first book The Hope Of Azure Springs. I fell in love with this small western town and this very talented author. After you finish reading Yours Truly, Thomas, if you have not yet read her first book, it is a must read. They both are stand alone books, but you will enjoy being shown around the town and meeting some of the other town characters. For three years Penny has worked in Washington, D.C. at the Dead Letter Office. She has become very involved emotionally with letters that keep coming in from a gentleman named Thomas. She is one of the best at her job and can solve almost any puzzle. She has one of the highest numbers for letter returns. Our heroine and hero in this story, Penny Ercanbeck and Thomas Conner both have lost a loved one and are looking for a new start. Out of all the people from Azure springs, Margaret a middle age lady who owns and operates the bright yellow boarding house is my favorite. She is full of spit and vinegar, but house a heart of gold. I have only one negative thing I can say after finishing Rachel's latest book. I will have to wait a year for the next one. I received a complementary copy from Revell Publishers through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.