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. I am so blown away. This book is absolutely fantastic. Such emotion. Happy tears, sad tears. This story has it all. Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland never fail to prove what amazing authors they are. Their stories are filled with so much, always satisfying their readers. My heart breaks for Luca and how she lives her life because of her fears. Griffin is incredible. The bond these two share even after all these years is what makes their love story so incredible. Their road to happiness hasn’t been easy but that’s what makes them so special.
There aren’t enough stars in the sky for this story. One of t h e best books I have read this year if not ever. One no reader should miss.
A new story created by the duo Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward takes on the tale of a woman afraid of the world who hides herself away, never venturing out unless under the cover of darkness, who has let fear rule her life for eight long years. Her only companion is her therapist, her rock and one true friend. Until the day she finds a letter from her old penpal from England and it all comes back again. He is angry she just stopped writing, no explanation. It broke his heart. But what he doesn’t know is why? Why did she stop? She owes him that much atleast. Thus begins another chapter in her life, one where she must be brave and let herself feel again, concur her fears and just maybe find an epic love story at the end. Hopefully you will love this one as much as I have. It was heartfelt, emotional and real and I could not put it down!
I’d like to applaud these 2 authors, for writing a book that tackled some pretty serious issues and doing so without sugar coating and miraculous recoveries. It was hard to read at times, emotional and heartbreaking but the connection between Luca and Griffin is strong and well developed throughout the book. I especially enjoyed Doc. Overall, a really good read.
This is another collaboration of Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. This duo is famous for their flawless co-write.
This book discuss in depth of a mental disorder that can be found all around the world today. Hell, it could even happen or is happening to your friends or family. One of the reasons I love about this book is that it gave us an insight of what it is and how to deal with it. Of course let’s not forget the sweet love story between Luca and Griffin. I mean, childhood pen pals from different country? How sweet is that? I love that Griffin’s love was so strong and he never gave up. Not even once. He’s unconditional love and patience is what drove Luca to take the leap of faith.
I can’t wait to see what Vi and Penelope will come up with in their next collaboration!!
„What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long won’t come easy.”
I’m a big fan of this writing duo and I was really excited about Dirty Letters. I was enchanted from the moment I saw this beautiful cover and I’ve read the blurb. That’s why I am very pleased to say that this book met all my expectations and became my favorite read from Vi and Penelope! Dirty Letters is an extremely romantic second chance story that warms the heart and causes butterflies in the stomach.
I love Griffin and Luca. From their unusual meeting, to the amazing and sincere friendship that united them. Vi and Penelope have beautifully shown that no distance can threaten the closeness that connects two people as long as they both want it. The letters they were sending to each other since childhood made me laugh, smile and swoon. Unfortunately, one day Luca didn’t reply to Griffin’s letter and their contact froze for 8 years. Until Griffin on impulse grabbed the sheet and poured out his disappointment and frustration. Despite the fact that a lot has changed in recent years, the unusual bond that connects these two is still in place. It’s even stronger because, despite the trust that Luca and Griffin have for each other, it’s charged with electrifying chemistry and longing. Unfortunately, not everything is as simple as it looks and these two have a big issue to overcome to be together and live happily. But is love enough to come face to face with your biggest fears?
Book Boyfriend alert! Griffin will make you crazy about him. This British rock star is so caring, understanding and swoon-worthy that I want to hand him my heart on the silver platter. And given his career and surroundings, this is a total surprise. He is also funny, devilishly sexy and he wants a commitment from the heroine. See? SWOON!
Luca is my hero. Despite the issue that makes her life miserable, this girl is strong and brave. It was a real pleasure to watch her fight day by day to finally get what she wanted. I was sorry about her past and I was cheering on her with all my strength, because she and Griffin complement each other so well that I didn’t allow myself thinking about them not being together.
This book is adorable, heartwarming and steamy. I loved everything about it- great storyline, brilliant characters, the right amount of sexy moments, a speck of humor and perfect writing. Dirty Letters became my favorite novel from Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. Highly recommend!
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review from Montlake Romance via NetGalley.
I’ve been meaning to read a book by these authors for awhile now and finally got the chance. Dirty Letters has a pretty serious vibe right from the start, as Luca deals with serious anxiety, panic attacks, can’t handle crowds. Griffin was her pen pal back in school, and him randomly sending her a letter years later sparks the habit back up.
I love Griffin so hard. He’s so real, and honest with his feelings, and will bend over backwards to make things work. He just deserves so much happy. And all he wants is Luca and a bit of normalcy.
Their journey isn’t easy, but it’s fate. I was rooting for this couple. Also, I loved the cover. This won’t be the last book I read by Vi and Penelope.
Time and again Penelope and Vi prove that they are totally at the top of the romance genre, and their new book Dirty Letters reinforces this once again, what an incredibly well thought out story! Once you start this it is impossible to put down (but then what else is new from these two!)
Luca and Griffin have been penpals since childhood and have shared all their secrets both as kids and teenagers then suddenly Luca stopped writing to him as she experienced a tragic event which changed her life. When her father dies she has to clear out his apartment and comes across an angry letter from her childhood friend and knows that she has to set the record straight with him.
As they start to write to each other again things between them quickly escalate and become passionate to the point that Luca wants to meet him, but Griffin is reluctant, he has not told her that he is a famous musician, but at the same time he has hired a private investigator to watch her and take pictures.
Luca suffers from terrible anxiety issues resulting from the experience she went through when she was younger though she is recovering slowly with the help of her friend and doctor “Doc” and she decides to go outside her comfort zone so she can meet Griffin. With the help of the awesome, wise and hilarious Doc she makes a cross country trip in a dilapidated RV and turns up on Griffins doorstep, and at that point things really take off between them.
As we cheer Luca on for her bravery, and applaud Griffin for the lengths he will go to to try and make their lives come together you have to wonder if there will be a happy ending for these two, but you have to root for them. Is their love strong enough to overcome everything?
Don’t miss this gem from Penelope and Vi it is truly one of their best efforts.
To say I loved this book that would be an understatement! Vi and Penelope have an undeniable talent that is portrayed in their books. I found this book to be an emotionally but heartwarming story. The story is different and original! The story grabs your attention and refuse to let it go! Luca is this beautiful soul who has had a lot of heartbreak and trauma in life and it has shaped her daily routine. Griffin is a beautiful, kind, patient soul. I loved how fate seemed to constantly followed Luca and Griffin. Their was so beautiful. The chemistry was undeniable. I loved how Luca had issues she needed to overcome and Griffin had patience through the process and wasn’t pushy. I loved the development and time line of their journey. Beautiful story that is an absolute must read!!!
**I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***
I was thrilled to see another co-written book by Keeland and Ward and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. These two are one of my favorite writing duos and as I read Dirty Letters, I was reminded why.
Luca lives a fairly sheltered life. I’m not going to reveal the circumstances surrounding it, because that would spoil things, but she’s chosen to live the way she does after tragedy struck years earlier. On a trip to her late father’s Manhattan apartment, she discovers a letter from Griffin, the British penpal she began corresponding with as a child. It’s been years since she last heard from him and, judging by his words, he’s not very happy with being ghosted.
Griffin, now living in the states, has no idea what happened to his penpal. He also has no idea if she’ll write him back and is shocked when she does. The two start sharing letters again and what starts as getting to know one another evolves into something sexy, fun, and naughty. But, Griffin has a secret … a pretty significant one … and that could destroy everything between him and Luca.
The characters in this book are pretty amazing. I could legit spent the whole review raving about them. Luca was completely relatable for me. She’s been through hell and back, she has mental health struggles, and she’s got plenty of flaws. She’s also smart, witty, devoted to those she cares about, and so so strong. I felt like I found a kindred spirit in her. Despite all she’s been through, she’s still willing to take chances and she looks for the best in people. Her character development came in baby steps but it was done well.
Griffin was the picture perfect book boyfriend. He’s driven, successful, filthy rich, and smoking hot. As soon as Luca’s first letter arrives in his mailbox, she’s the only woman that matters in his world. He’s fiercely protective of Luca and is willing to do anything to make their lives blend together as seamlessly and safely as possible. One thing I noticed when reading was that Griffin was just a little too perfect. It was difficult to find flaws in him, honesty, whereas Luca’s were so apparent. But, that didn’t detract from the story for me and I loved him as a character nonetheless.
The secondary characters played important roles in the story, and they were terrific to read. Doc might be my favorite secondary character I’ve read. He’s quirky and funny but he loves Luca and that’s clear throughout the story. Doris is also funny. She’s basically the only friend Luca has, outside of Doc, when the story opens, and I really enjoyed how Keeland and Ward were able to express the bond between her and Luca in a subtle way, with the treats Luca gives her and the banter they share.
The letters themselves in this book are hot, hot, hot! Once these two break the ice the sexual energy is there, so thick you could cut it with knife. I loved the banter between Luca and Griffin. (The Furby … LOL!) Once Luca was able to explain the lapse in her writing, the two were able to pick up right where they’d left off.
This book made me feel so many emotions. It’s filled with romance, angst, tragedy, swoon worthy scenes, and white hot sex. Keeland and Ward took hold of my emotions instantly with this book. There were times where my heart hurt for these two, and other times where I wanted to jump out of the chair and cheer for them.
What made this a 4 vs 5 star review for me was the ending honestly. Not the way the story as a whole ended, but the way Luca’s portion ended. I would have liked to see more development for her and to have gotten a better taste of the changes she made and how those impacted her and Griffin’s life. I hope that these authors considering giving us a second novel or novella with these characters.
Dirty Letters is a wonderfully constructed second-chance romance that’s sure to set your sheets on fire and leave you wanting more of everything this story has to offer.
Four stars to this novel!
Another hit from the fabulous duo of Ward and Keeland!
The story between Griffin and Luca span many years, it’s what a love story should be. You will get all the feels, heart wrenching, sweet, sexy and swoon worthy. You will cry and laugh and fall so deeply in love with these characters and their story. Definitely a very emotional read.
Having lost her best friend Izzy in a fire at a rock concert, Luca (yes, she is a girl!) was left emotionally injured and unable to confront large crowds, confined places and more. Agoraphobic is a fancy name for high anxiety to situations you feel you cannot control.
When reconnects to her British pen pal Griffin after years of silence, Luca can only admit she has been very lonely without this kind of connection to another human being. He was always her friend. One who she could turn to and express her most intimate thoughts. Little did either of them realize both their worlds were about to be altered and more than a new beginning would be affecting their lives.
Can a reclusive girl and a glamorous and famous guy ever hope for romance and happiness? How do you bridge two separate and distinctive worlds in order to pursue a forever love? This is their emotional and adventurous journey. Loved the book. Loved the characters. Loved the feeling I had when I finished this book.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the authors for sharing a copy with me.
What a unique storyline that will grab you from the first letter. I absolutely loved Griffin and Luca, both with their own obstacles try to navigate through life and learn to build a relationship. I loved their banter and their chemistry is equally as hot. Another fantastic read by this duo.
4.25 stars–DIRTY LETTERS by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward is a contemporary, adult stand alone, erotic romance story line focusing on twenty five year old author Luca Ryan Vinetti and rockstar Griffin Quinn aka Cole Archer.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Luca and Griffin) DIRTY LETTERS follows the relationship between twenty five year old author Luca Ryan Vinetti and rockstar Cole Archer aka Griffin Quinn. Luca and Griffin have been pen pals since second grade, and embarked on a long-distance friendship ever since but eight years ago Luca’s life imploded and she all but disappeared from family and friends. Fast forward to present day wherein Luca’s father has died, and while cleaning up his apartment, she finds a letter from Griffin Quinn, a letter that forces Luca to re-engage with the past. Enter Griffin Quinn aka Cole Archer, and the man with who Luca will fall in love. What ensues is the long distance relationship and romance between Luca and Griffin, and the potential fall-out as Luca continues to struggle with the past.
Following the devastating loss of a friend, Luca Ryan battles a debilitating emotional disorder that prevents our heroine from living her life to the fullest but discovering there was still a connection between herself and Griffin, Luca along with her friend and confident Chester Maxwell, embarks on a cross country journey in an effort to officially introduce herself to the man that she loves. Griffin Quinn is a man on a mission when it comes to the girl he is unable to forget. As the British rockstar and musician known as Cole Archer, Griffins leads a lifestyle that would further aggravate our story line heroine but Griffin is desperate to pull Luca into his life, a life that will send Luca spiralling out of control.
The relationship between Luca and Griffin spans twenty years in the making. From seven year old pen pals to lovers, Luca and Griffin have secrets that have yet to be revealed, secrets that may affect the future, going forward. Griffin accepts that Luca struggles with a paralyzing and emotional disorder but our hero never expected to be pushed out of her life. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
The secondary and supporting characters are limited as the story line focuses on our leading couple. We are introduced to Dr. Chester Maxwell, Luca’s friend, confident and counsellor, a man who takes Luca under his wing, allowing her to test her love for a man she barely knows.
DIRTY LETTERS is a story of guilt and grief; tragedy, acceptance and love; a story of loss and heart break. The premise is emotional and captivating; the characters are colorful, dynamic, broken but healing; the romance is seductive and hot. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward pull the reader into an impassioned, thought-provoking and tender love story between two people pulled apart by grief and despair.
I probably say this after every book that i read of a Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland but this has to be my absolute favourite this story was unique to me and beautiful and i loved every word that was written.
The thing i loved most was the connection between Luca and Griffin from the start and how thier story started and how it progressed. Luca’s story was so interesting and the strength that she showed to over come her fears but she will never be perfect and I love that. I also loved her relationship she had with Doc he was such an amazing characters and i loved his love for birds and how supportive he was of Luca
The one thing i loved about this book was i didn’t expect Griffin to have the job that he had as its one of my favourite genres. Griffin was such a good character and i loved his determination and his fight he had for Luca he never apologised for who is was but with the way Luca was he knew that it will be difficult for there relationship to grow but I loved how patient he was
I loved the letter writing it made for such a good read and i would be racing through the book to get to the letters, i laughed at something’s and i cried mostly cause this book gave me the feels and i loved the journey of what Luca and Griffin have and what they went through
This book deserves all the sun, moon and stars
Where to start and can my mere words do this very emotional read justice !!
This book has to be the read of 2019 and this writing duo have certainly seen out the year with a bang.
Griffin and Luca were pen pals since childhood, they shared everything as they poured their hearts and deepest secrets out on paper to each other they became best friends but one day Luca’s letters stopped without any warning. Griffin continued to write to his best friend not knowing what he had down to make her stop all correspondence and he never got an answer back but 8 years on when Luca is clearing out her fathers apartment she comes across a final angry letter from her childhood best friend and that’s when the emotions really kick in. Luca makes a decision to reconnect with Griffin so she writes to explain why she cut him off all those years ago and once again the best friends become adult pen pals and all I’m going to say now is you really need to read these letters……
I’m not going to write a review that tells you the whole story because I believe you need to read this book with no preconceived ideas, you need to go in without any expectations and feel all the feels first hand because there will be feels, there will be tears and there will be laughter as you join the emotional journey of Griffin and Luca’s love story. Dirty Letters is a must read for all romance lovers but be warned you won’t want to put this book down and you certainly won’t want it to end so make sure you have time and tissues to hand. Griffin and Luca have to be my favourite couple of the year.
Dirty Letters. ARC
Vi Keeland Penelope Ward
Once again Vi and Penelope tackle a difficult potentially debilitating subject anxiety with honesty, integrity and understanding while not minimize the potential debilitating consequences.
Luca and Griffin are childhood pen pals that loose contact when Luca’s best friend is killed in a concert fire and Luca survives. This traumatic experience leaves Luka suffering from severe panic anxiety. Luca is paralyzed with anxiety and she shuts herself off from everyone and everything except her Doc an older psychologist who makes house calls and becomes Luca’s doctor and friend. On a trip to New York to clean out her deceased fathers apartment she comes across a new letter from Griffin her long lost pen pal and the two start corresponding again rekindling there connection. Griffin is now a rock star and lives a very public life but does not reveal his true identity to Luka. This is a fabulous story of reconnection learning to trust to love to deal with fame and anxiety. This is the story of two soul mates and how they face and conquer some impossible obstacles as they find and define love.
This is a five star plus read that you will devour in one sitting..a story to be reread and enjoyed time and time again. Bravo to Vi and Penelope and thanks for addressing this issue.
Every time i pick up a book that’s written by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward , it’s like Christmas! You never know what exciting things are in store!!Well, Dirty Letters was just that!! Brilliantly written!! Such an unusual story with so much insight! Heartwarming and funny!! I laughed out loud and my heart warmed at the trials that were attempted! The struggles and emotions were so vivid! Another phenomenal story that will leave you euphoric!!
When Ward and Keeland get together, I don’t even have to read the blurb because I know their dual-penmanship is going to get more than a laugh out of me. Seriously, this read stirs all the feels and has everything I look for in a romance. It’s different, refreshing and super entertaining. But saying that, the storyline has an incredibly sensitive touch to it, making me root full out for the heroine.
‘Stopping our communication was probably one of my biggest regrets in life.’
What the heck do you do when crowds make you come undone? It’s not an easy feat for Luca to handle her anxiety. She wants to. She just doesn’t know how to go about it. In steps her eccentric but adorable shrink and bestie who will make you giggle, listen to his solid advice and bowl you over with his hobby. Less said about this the better since you’ll find out that birds of the feather haven’t got as much to do with the plot…or do they! Okay, what is it about these two authors obsession with animals! They introduced us to the fainting goat in Cocky Bastard. Here, ladies, we have a PIG! An adorable squeaky, oink-oink creature which if you’re that way inclined, will make you want one, or at the very least, give it a hearty cuddle!
‘In my next life, I want to come back as a pig and be adopted by you. Is that weird?’
With made-up names, penpal letters had been the only way they’d communicated as youngsters. They’d become close friends and figuratively speaking, held each other’s hand in times of need. Suddenly, there was no news but then years later, a letter is received out of the blue. One conveys their grudge on paper without knowing the whys and wherefores of the other’s years of silence. Nonetheless, interests are piqued.
‘My mum used to say I hold grudges. But I prefer to think of it as I remember the facts. And the fact of the matter is, you suck.’
These two wasted no time getting to know their adult likes and dislikes. The Furbies…remember them? Once you find out what Luca told Griffin, I can see you all shopping online ‘cause they worked a steamy dream for her! Now then, I’m not really into reading so many subparagraphs but they are so enthralling that I couldn’t wait for either of them to receive each other’s reply. Naughty isn’t in it. Just wait until these two get together!
“Anyone I have to murder?”
“Not unless it’s a Furby.”
Griffin is to me like white chocolate. Not at all bitter and when its creamy flavour melts in your mouth, all those tastebud sensations rage for more. That is he! Nope, I’m trying not to swoon but honestly, he’s learning how to get to know this gal and being awfully considerate to boot. So how can a long-distance relationship work for them with so many handicaps? For sure, if it weren’t for the constant flow of letters and texts between these two, the whole story would have fallen flat.
“Just because something is easy doesn’t make it better. We have our issues. But being with you still feels better than anything in the world…”
Flirtatious banter is something Vi and Penelope have always given their readers. I also loved the music references and although Luca is happy for Griffin’s success, it’s short-lived because the mere fact is she knows if she can’t overcome a past happening, she’ll never fit into his world. She has the means, so why it’s such a struggle kinda caught me off balance. That being said, I have no personal reference to compare her fear factor with. You’ll have to read the book to see if she’s capable of grabbing the bull by the horns and doing something about it.
“We’re just so different, Griff. You’re a round hole, and I’m a square peg. We don’t fit.”
Low on angst but great one-liners, character development and a plot with a difference make for a worthy read. Bravo ladies!
Dirty Letters is a great book from beginning to end and I always appreciate how Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward think outside the box with their plots. Luca was a quirky and unique heroine and Griffin was a talented, kind hearted and all around amazing hero. The idea of them exchanging letters which seems to be a foreign concept nowadays, really intrigued me. I was pleasantly surprised and I couldn’t help but fall in love with their story. If you are looking for a emotional and hopeful read, then this is definitely the book for you!
The dynamic writing duo has done it once again. I absolutely loved this original story from start to finish. A story that I hated to put down from time to time to “adult”.
In second grade, Luca and Griffin became pen pals through a school program. The wrote to each other religiously, becoming the others confidant. There was nothing that they couldn’t discuss with each other. Until the letters stopped altogether.
Eight years latter, Luca receives a letter from Griffin, basically asking ‘what happened?’. Luca has a lot of explaining to do and so they pick back up where they left off, only a lot has changed for both Luca and Griffin.
The rekindling, budding romance, the power of the written word, the feeling of safety, love, attraction…. its’s all in this book and more. Definitely one-click this now. You will not be disappointed.