An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes an unexpected love story that started with a boy and girl and heats up when the man and woman reconnect.I’d never forgotten him—a man I’d yet to meet.Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldn’t have been more different from me. Over the years, through … been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break.
Until one day it did.
Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one—one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing.
Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person.
Only Griff didn’t want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more—more Griff, in the flesh—so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love.
But what I found could change everything.
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Wow! This story was nothing I was expecting from the title. Dirty Letters is so much MORE! The story is complex and deeply layered. Full of love, anxiety, joy and heartbreak, a bit of a roller coaster of emotions to experience. Griffin and Luca are an incredible match and a gift of fate.
Griffin and Luca start out as kids, pen pals in grade school. Neither knows each others real names, just the connection that they share. Fast forward 20 years, they’ve lost touch, life has thrown them both into a whirlwind. Now they’re reconnecting and the chemistry is fiery. There’s so much to discover, so much to unravel. The discoveries, on both side, will change everything but both are never willing to walk away again.
Luca is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read. Although delicate like a flower, she’s overcome so much already. Griffin, he’s got some seriously swoony moments. The times when Griffin and Luca are together gave me all the tingles. I wish there was more to the book, I couldn’t get enough of these two. This was one read that I couldn’t put down until the final tear was wiped, and the last page turned.
Remarkable read from two of my favorites. Griffin and Luca stole my heart from the very beginning. The topics dealt with in this book are tough to read. Especially, if you live with anxiety. I highly recommend this book. Bravo ladies
I’m a fan.
I think the first Penelope Ward book I read was Stepbrother Dearest—-No, it was Jake Undone. I loved both of these novels and most of the other Ward books I have read since. I won’t lie, though; I always feel emotionally exhausted on the last page because this woman writes trauma earnestly. She’s excellent at delicately, but honestly, depicting the mental health and mental illness challenges her characters must face. But I don’t find it emotionally comfortable to get though. I love the stories—-but I’m wrung out and exhausted by loving characters like Sevin, Jake, and Channing, which is why I love when she and Vi Keeland write together. I can take Penelope’s punches while Vi holds my hand. Yeah.
“I blinked a few times. No one had ever asked me such a direct question about my mental health. “Um. I have a fear of crowds and confined places.” She set the kettle down on the stove and lit the burner. “That’s okay. I don’t like clowns.”
Luca is struggling to survive, crushing social anxiety as a result of PTSD. Shutting herself off from the world, she is in a war against herself. It’s a tricksome conundrum when you think you want to get better, but you hold tight to your sickness, so you don’t have to change. With social anxiety, you live with misery as your closest companion, and you are perversely content because you know how safe being alone feels, and how tiring it is to budget the energy needed for being in unknown places with unknown (and sometimes known) people. And yeah, I’m speaking from experience with crushing social anxiety. Luca’s attached to her victimology. There is the pre-loss Luca, and present-day nothing-but-loss Luca; two different people entirely.
“I write about serial killers, have a pig for a child, and drove cross-country to stalk you … safe to say, nothing should creep me out.”
While going through the belongings of her recently deceased father, Luca unexpectedly comes across a letter. It’s from someone who intimately knew pre-loss Luca, a childhood friend who once was the keeper of her every secret. This letter isn’t from her youth, it’s something written only months ago, and the message is clear. Luca sucks.
Life has been kind to Griff. He’s not a kid from England penning anonymous letters to an American girl he’s crushing on. It’s been years since Luca stopped writing him back. He’s wealthy, successful, and girls stand in line to have a chance to meet him. It’s hard to complain, but fame is lonely. And in a moment of weakness and with the help of some damn fine scotch, he writes his old pen pal a letter to let her know how much he doesn’t care about her abandonment. And how her rejection never even crossed his mind. Much.
“How exactly was I supposed to explain to Luca that I’d written my most successful song—-more like a rant—-in honor of her while I was drunk and pissed one night.”
The quest Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland give these two characters is overcoming who they are despite themselves. Life is a series of heartbreaks, joys, successes, failures, loves, and deaths. Luca and Griff once had a friendship that allowed them to share those things, making their accomplishments and setbacks easy to balance. Now two alienated adults need to find their way back to the safety of the friendship they once treasured.
I can tell the parts Penelope Ward wrote because my heart was ripped out of my chest and danced over. You should anticipate tears. But you will also chuckle about Doc’s search for tits and his whole campaign to see Luca’s life and heart set to rights. I loved the old goat as much as I loved Luca. And yes, I gladly take her as my bookcrush because she is fantastic. Ali + Luca 4ever .
“Ummm … Doc. There’s no more paved road. The left is only dirt.””Well, then I guess we drive on dirt for a while.”
Dirty Letters is a beautiful ode to grief. It’s also a rallying cry for healing. And it might be a love song written from Griff to us.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.
Ok let me just say that as usual, you can’t go wrong with a book by these two authors-so I knew going in that it would be good. But I certainly didn’t expect to love it just as much as I did!! Luca and Griffin were pen pals since grade school when something horrific happens and Luca just stops writing. Fast forward to them as adults and they reconnect after she reads the last letter from him and realizes how angry he was when she cut him off. For months they write back and forth and getting just as close as they ever were, even without having met in person. Luca wants to finally meet in person but Griffin has his own secrets and issues and asks to wait.
I absolutely loved this one!! Luca has so many issues that have followed her from one horrific thing into her adulthood. But she still tries everyday in order to get better and move on. She has not only a backbone of steel but she has a heart of gold!! Griffin has followed his dreams and become a star but he also learned the hard way that most people will use you for those same things that he has now. And it has left it’s own scars. But he is still this stand up guy who while he is cautious, he still has the capacity to love and be a great guy. I loved these two! As usual, the writing was great and the characters make you fall in love with them right from the start!!
Dirty Letters is a fantastic new romance from Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward!
The premise is complicated and original – “friends-to-lovers” with a twist. Luca and Griff were pen pals as children – starting when they were young all the way through high school, when Luca stopped writing back after tragedy struck. As adults, Luca suddenly receives a letter from Griff, who is still upset that she stopped writing back years later, and it starts their pen pal relationship all over again. But they both have secrets now, and Luca suffers from severe fears that may get in the way of them having a real relationship.
This book definitely tugged on the heartstrings, and it was so amazing to see their relationship develop through letters. Yes, some of the letters get a little bit naughty, but that’s a small part of the story, and the major content is how they get to know each other again after all of these years.
The audio is great, too, narrated by Jacob Morgan and Andi Arndt. Highly recommended – they are both masters at conveying true emotion and are two of the best narrators in the business.
Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland have done it again!
Luca and Griffin were pen pals when they were younger. Through a tragedy in her life, Luca stopped contact with Griffin and tried to never look back. When Griffin contacts her out of the blue, she knows she has to explain what happened, and why she stopped contact at the time.
Now that their lines of communication are open, they pick up right where they left off. Sort of. Their innocent conversations are still there, but the adult side of it is ramping both of them up.
Fun characters, a wonderful story, and a view into how mental issues effect a life and relationship, this is yet another amazing tale I’d love to be able to read again for the first time!
Once again the amazing duo did not disappoint!!
The story line is original
The characters are relatable and endearing and DOC is just my fav!
Griffin and Luca are without a doubt one of my favourite couples by the authors. I was engrossed by their story from the very first page and it had all the feels and more! I’m now going to hunt down my penpal !
A must read!
I LOVED THIS BOOK HARD!
My heart hasn’t calmed down yet from how much it hurts from this book. And it hurts in such a good way and the love I feel for both Griffin and Luca is just out of this world.
Luca suffers from anxiety and a condition where she can’t be around people because of something that she experienced in her late teens. She lost a friend at a concert and ever since she just can’t get over it and refuses to be around people otherwise she loses her sh*t.
I LOVED THIS BOOK HARD!
My heart hasn’t calmed down yet from how much it hurts from this book. And it hurts in such a good way and the love I feel for both Griffin and Luca is just out of this world.
Luca suffers from anxiety and a condition where she can’t be around people because of something that she experienced in her late teens. She lost a friend at a concert and ever since she just can’t get over it and refuses to be around people otherwise she loses her sh*t.
Griffin and Luca were pen pals since they were in grade school. To have kept in touch for so many years and from two different countries, I found that extremely cute. To have such a friendship the way they did and continued it on for so many years is just amazing.
But when Luca experienced that horrible tragedy she lost her will to continue to write to Griffin and just stopped. For 8 whole years they lost communication until one day Griffin decides to write her a hate letter while in a drunken haze and that’s where their reconnection began. From that point on this book took a turn that I was unable to unglue myself from my kindle. I finished this book in one sitting and I have to say that my heart is so content with the way their story evolved.
I am so in love with Griffin and besides him having fame, that didn’t change him, it didn’t make him a different person. He might have changed his name to Cole Archer, but he was always the same Griffin Quinn and that’s what made him such a beautiful man.
I think Dirty Letters is the best book yet by these magnificent authors.
It took me a few days because my sinuses were so bad that my eyes were itchy. Try reading this story while sneezing and having watery, itchy eye’s. No fun!!
Sweet where pen pales actually meet in person and they pick up where they left off. Not sweet getting a drunk written letter from your pen pale almost 20 some yrs later.
Luca is such a sweet, caring person. It was sad to see the phobias she had. Griffin he’s hilarious, loving and well hawt!!
What’s also amazingly cool is that each has an alter ego and they had no idea.
Love how these two authors take an every day problem and twist it into a beautiful, witty love story. If I could read this book for the first time all over again, I’d jump on the Griffin/Luca train!!
Once again Penelope & Vi have given us an amazing story. This one was so unique and I couldn’t love it more. 5 stars just isn’t enough. All the stars wouldn’t be enough.
Luca and Griffin were pen pals when they were younger. They wrote to each other for years. Until one day Luca stopped writing back. Griffin was so hurt and angry that she stopped writing back.
Luca’s life completely changed one night eight years ago. Now she is surrounded by fear and uncertainty. She wants to put these fears behind her but it’s a work in process. One day she stumbled upon a letter Griffin had sent recently. She decided to take the plunge and write back. Once again, they became re-acquainted and learned new adult things about each other.
Griffin was keeping something from Luca. He knew the life he led now would be too much for Luca to handle. Luca knee Griffin was hiding something. She embarks on a cross country road trip that will change both of their lives forever.
Luca and Griffin were completely different people but they were so incredibly perfect for each other. This story (like all the others) pulled me in from the first page. I didn’t want it to end.
I swear this dynamic duo is unstoppable with the amazing words they bring to us.
This book was absolutely brilliant, oh so emotional, and endearing.
What I really love is that the duo brought to life a very real, very common, and very distinct mental health issue in such a way that allowed you to connect with the character.
The characters in this book experience real issues, real concerns, and real love.
The book had plenty of funny moments – showcased in the unique and quirky characters. This book takes friends-to-lovers into a whole new category.
Seriously… I can never look at a Furby the same way.
One thing that I always enjoy from this duo is their ability to bring the perfect combination of angst, laugh out loud moments, steamy passion, and beautiful love into one book.
Griffin and Luca’s story is different but unbelievably captivating.
This is one you don’t want to miss.
And as always from my reviews, my top quotes of the book:
“In my next life, I want to come back as a pig and be adopted by you. Is that weird?”
“As if his gorgeous face, flawless body and sexy voice weren’t enough – God seriously pulled out all His tricks when He made this man.”
“I’ve been in a relationship with pieces of f***** paper and words for the past several weeks.”
“We all have light and dark inside us, love. We try to hide the darkness from others because we’re afraid it will scare them away. But your dark doesn’t scare me, Luca. It only makes me want to hold your hand and be your light until you can find your own again. That’s what people do when they’re in love. I won’t always be able to give you your light back, because sometimes you need to find that within yourself, but I’ll stand by your side and hold your hand in the dark so things aren’t so scary.”
This was such a unique love story as the two main characters are childhood friends but have never actually met until years later. And when they meet, both Luca and Griffin really have to fight hard to overcome personal challenges and obstacles to reach their happily ever after. I felt every emotions they went through and there were some really sad parts but they also have some very romantic sexy times.
Besides Luca and Griffin, I really love Doc. He was quirky and protective of Luca and he made me want to take up bird watching.
DIRTY LETTERS by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward is one of the best contemporary romances I have read this year! This romance has a swoon worthy rockstar hero and a heroine who is battling severe anxiety after a life altering event eight years ago.
Luca and Griffin became pen pals from the age of seven when Luca’s teacher set her class up to write to children in England. Luca’s life in New York could not have been more different than Griffin’s life in England, but they became best friends. They told each other their deepest fears and secrets and formed a bond that lasted over years, until Luca stopped answering Griffin’s letters.
Out of the blue, eight years later, Luca finds a letter from Griffin as she is cleaning out her deceased father’s apartment. His letter is full of anger over her breaking their connection.
Luca reconnects by letter with Griffin, who now lives in California. Luca explains to Griffin the reason for her discontinued writing and when he learns the cause he forgives her. The spark and deep connection is still there and soon the letters go from the flirty childhood connection they had, to an adult connection full of their wildest sexual fantasies.
Luca wants to meet in person, but Griffin is afraid that when Luca meets him, everything will change. Neither go by their real last names in their correspondence or professional lives. Luca is willing to take a huge leap and go find her friend, but what she finds is not what she expected. Can two such different people find a way to be together forever?
This is one of those romances that pull you in and when you reach “The End”, you do not feel any time has passed and you do not want to leave Luca and Griffin’s world. I had all my emotions yanked, tossed and pulled and believe me, you better have tissues for the last few chapters, some for sad tears and ultimately for happy tears. The parts of the story told in written letters between the H/h had me laughing out loud, squirming in my seat (explicit and sexy hot) and crying like a baby. There is just something so much more in a written letter than today’s emails, texts and phone calls. Griffin definitely made it to my book boyfriend list. Luca is written with empathy and is a wonderful portrayal of living through the good and bad days with an emotional anxiety disorder.
This is one of the most emotional, heartfelt and just plain romantic books I have read this year. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward have “knocked it out of the park” with this collaboration! I highly recommend this romance!
5 Furbalicious Stars
Penelope and Vi are at it again. I am always amazed how they always top themselves with every new book they write, but somehow, they do. Dirty Letters tells a story of childhood Pen Pals who formed a bond and continued to write each other until their late teens. Tragedy struck Luca and she stopped every good think that she had due to her fears and anxiety. Years later, living a life at home as a writer with her pet pig and her friend Doc, Luca receives a letter from her old pen pal Griffin. Visibly hurt, Griffin took his anger out on paper to his old pen pal. The rest is a beautiful telling of how two friends end up reconnecting with each other and how they both over come their own obstacles to form a deep friendship and love.
Dirty Letters while sad and emotional at times, will also have you crying tears due to banter between Griffin and Luca. “CBFS” a treatment Griffin proposed to Luca to help her anxiety during a scene and a Tofu joke will having you cracking up. Can’t wait to now listen to this on Audible as I am not ready to let these two go.
Congrats Penelope and Vi for another superb collaboration!! Can’t wait till the next!!
Dirty Letters was unlike any other story I have read this year! It was angst, sweet, terrifying, beautiful, and so real. Vi and Penelope really brought Griffin and Luca to life and their story is unique. I absolutely love these two came about writing letters to each other since they were kids. Luca is going through something really difficult and is having a hard time to get out of the situation. It was hard to see her struggle but at the end she gain so much strength that it brought me to tears. She is fierce, sweet, and beautiful! Griffin is the best hero I ever read about so far! Griffin is struggling for his place and been betrayed but still a good man. He goes way and beyond for Luca to show her how much he is committed. He is strong, loyal, sweet, and handsome. I love their banter and how easy their relationship blossom into.
This story grip me like no other! Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward y’all really freaking outdone yourselves in this book! This is my favorite thus far! The writing on the page was devoured and have me wanting so much more. Y’all gave me two beautiful souls and a whole lot of things that I’m going to spoil for any other reader!
If you haven’t already got the book you should it’s totally worth time and money!
Great work ladies on this new release
Happy Release Day Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward have done it again, this book was AMAZING!!! This was not your typical instant love to relationship story, this took it’s time, it made strangers turn into friends, friends turn into feelings, and feelings into love.
This was a story about a woman who was struggling with anxiety. I loved Luca. She was someone I wanted to hug and protect. She was living trapped, not knowing what to do or how to be happy. She was living in the dark, until Griffin came into her life. Griffin was AMAZING, I loved him so much!!
This starts with a letter, a letter that became so much more. What I loved most about this was that it goes deep, this is a story that was more than just a love story, it was about friendship, life, and freedom. I loved how Vi and Penelope added the letters to this story, it made the story so much more perfect. This is a must read, you will love every single second of it.
Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward is a complex, emotionally charged and brilliantly written 2nd chance at love/ friends to lovers romance that has all the feels and romance and with all the heartache and angst to go with the feels and heat and heart.
Luca and her Griffin will have you rooting for them and their long due HEA. Luca is so sweet and all she’s been thru- my heart hurt for her. Griffin is swoon-worthy and is the one who can be all that she needs- if she lets him and he lets her. Their love journey was quite the emotional ride and the chemistry between them was sweet and beautiful. The plot was on point, chemistry was sweet and steamy, with funny and at times, teary moments…overall just an amazing read!!!
My Rating: 4.5 stars *****
I loved this book so much! You’ll love Luca and Griffin (aka Cole). Childhood pen pals, but tragedy happened and they lost contact. What’s happens if they reconnect years later? Will these 2 who live totally different lives be able to merge their lives together. This book touches on agoraphobia. Most have no idea what that is. I on the other hand know it all too well. My 15 year old daughter has it. Maybe this isn’t a mental health book, but it still puts mental health issues out there!!!! One day I’ll share it with my daughter. And maybe just maybe she will realize she’s not alone.
Wow I have so much love for this book! Griffin and Luca begin their story in the most innocent way – childhood pen pals. Living an ocean apart they become best friends able to tell each other anything as they realize the odds of meeting in person likely will never happen. But Griffin is left wondering what possibly could have gone wrong when they are about to graduate high school and Luca’s letters just abruptly stop. The next eight years have left him in a state of anger and loss, so one drunken night he sends Luca a scathing letter letting her know his feelings. Luca is so surprised and thrilled and devastated all at the same time to realize how much her absence has hurt Griffin and she has to admit the absence has hurt herself as well. Luca decides that she is going to be honest with Griffin and tell the truth about what happened and ask, no beg for forgiveness hoping they can resume their friendship. That is how this remarkable love story begins.
Griffin is incredible in his ability and willingness to try and understand the debilitating anxiety Luca lives with and Luca finds the courage to try to break free from the chains that bind her so that she can experience life with Griffin.
I loved their banter, conversations, honesty, even the harsh realities both Griffin and Luca had to face because they were able to get unconditional comfort from each other. Their path is not an easy one. Luca has incredible support from Doc and he is fabulous, but ultimately she finds that to make the decisions she wants to make she needs to do them on her own. I cried for both of these characters and was so happy with their hard earned HEA. Your easiest 1 click!!!
I love when this amazing author duo comes together and delivers a story that is all heart. One thing you can always count on when you pick up a Vi Keeland/Penelope Ward book, is that the story is going ooze real and raw emotions. Griffin and Luca’s story is what romance readers live for. Best friends that become lovers. All the angst! Super steamy scenes. Heart break and forever. Dirty Letters has it all and so much more. I highly recommend!
Review by Lys