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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This was such an intense book! I loved Griffin so much; he made me laugh, which I needed while reading their romance. I was seriously cursing the authors near the end of the story (I laugh about it now because it ended well) and when things turn around for Griffin and Luca – the relief I felt was incredible. My favorite quotes: “You might not be where you want to be, but you’re also not where you were yesterday. Each day is a baby step.” and “Money impresses the lazy girls. Smart girls are rich when they have something they can’t buy.”
Sexy, mysterious, funny and sweet. I didn’t want to put it down. I love the struggle of the main characters, their completely different lifestyles contrasting and making the relationship impossible. The growth and strength in the end that it took to overcome the differences was incredible. Definitely recommend!
This book is just….. in don’t even know how to explain it.
I laughed and cried (more then once). So much emotion and true love. Not just true love but real true love, like I would die for you love.
Amazing writing. I listened while working and didn’t want to go home.
Standalone with no cliffhangers.
I own this book in Kindle and listened to it on Audible.
I always a enjoy a book by these two authors and this one is no different. I really felt for Luca and what she was going through; think at some point we can all relate to her. I also enjoyed the other characters in this book and the way it was written. A great enjoyable read!
Griffin and Luca have been penpals for years but when Luca experiences something traumatic, the letters stop and they lose contact. After quite some time Griffin reaches out again and Luca decides to take the plunge and write back. They seem to reconnect like they were before but when Luca needs more, Griffin keeps his distance although he bares his heart in the letters. When the truth finally comes out about him, it’ll change everything for their future but now that they know each other on a whole other level, it’s not easy to let go anymore and their relationship changes. But will it be enough for Luca to change her way of life?… Will both get the happy ending they both deserve?…
I was really entertained and into the characters and the romance. It was a good story and a fun escape from reality.
AN UNFORGETTABLE READ
I don’t know why I hadn’t read this one before, and I can’t believe it took me so long to get to it, because it is the most exposed, vulnerable, humbling, honest, raw, and emotional read I’ve ever had the privilege to read.
This will forever be my favorite read by you and Griff will forever be in my soul.
That song at the end was everything.
Thank you so much for the incredible gift of actually being able to hear it.
It was truly special. The most special gift an author has ever done, in my humble opinion, for it’s readers.
I downloaded it and is now in my “Favorites” Playlist.
Thank you so much
What a touching and heartfelt story. It was truly a delight.
Heads up… you will cry.
Wow did I love this one! The character are great but the letters REALLY stole the show! I loved Dr Maxwell, Luca and Griffin. Luca and Griffin each had some growth to accomplish and Dr Maxwell is a beyond awesome secondary character! I would love to have him as a friend. Those letters though! I loved them! What they wrote to each other and the little things (ABBA songs, 3 questions) really drew me in and made me sad about this forgotten art. Do they even do Pen Pals in school anymore?
I did listen to this on audio. Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan did a wonderful job. Andi is alway amazing and Jocob is just delicious as Griffin!
Outstanding.
I have had this book on my kindle for a while now I never seemed to have enough time to read it and I could punch myself in the face…Because why in the hell did I wait so Long.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED every single part of Griffin and Luca’s story.
It was a very emotional book for me to read as I felt so much empathy for Luca…actually I could be Luca we have so much in common,except for the tragedy she experienced when she was younger.Which caused her mental health problems, preventing her from really living a healthy full life just like mine do.Alls I need now is my very own Griffin..lol..He is perfection and I loved the way he cared for Luca and went above and beyond to accomodate her and her troubles.He was so undertanding.But being a big Rockstar it was difficult for their worlds to come together without spooking Luca.
His world was busy and crowded he was in the spotlight ,her world was quiet and calm and she stayed in the shadows…How could this ever work.
They began their friendship when they were 7 years old as penpals oceans apart..until they lost touch after Luca went through a traumatic event.Then years later after finding an angry letter from Griffin at her belated fathers house,she had to write back to him to explain why she lost touch with him….and this is were an unfolding of events happened and a touch of fate bringing them together.
It was bloody Fantastic
I could not get enough of this story,it was just so beautiful and touched my heart and soul and I actually think this could possibly be my favourite book so far from this magical duo.
Superb….Loved it.!!!!.
more than 5 stars
“Our fears are temporary—they come and go throughout life. But regret is permanent—we carry it with us forever.”
Griffin is… Amazing! Dare I say, perfect?! I absolutely loved his character from the start. He’s sweet, charming, funny, and incredibly swoony! Like, I legit wanted to cry from how swoony and selfless he was. His love for Luca runs so deep, and he would literally do anything to make her happy and comfortable. If you’re going to read this book, I recommend listening to it, because Jacob Morgan with a British accent… helloooo Andi Arndt narrates Luca, and is amazing as always.
Luca is incredibly broken; the fears from her traumatic past hold her back tremendously. Even though she’s been working on overcoming the anxiety her fears and PTSD bring, she experiences setbacks. It was amazing to see everything she was able to overcome, even though things were never perfect, and with Griffin always by her side. Doc, Luca’s therapist, was a great character and father figure to Luca. I really loved the relationship the two had, and how much he helped Luca see that there is more to life, when you don’t let your fears rule it.
Griffin and Luca’s letters back and forth to each other were hilarious, and in fact… dirty. I’ll never look at Furby’s the same again… The two have such great chemistry, banter, and are just so great together. They were constantly surprising each other, and even though Luca thought she could never change and would be holding Giffin back, she let go of her fear, and began to believe that what she had with Griffin was worth it.
That epilogue though… Oh. My. Heart. It was one of the best epilogues I think I’ve read! It melted my heart, made me cry (and I don’t cry), and it just made me so happy.
So I’ve read a fewPenelope Ward and Vi Keeland books last year as well but I have to say this is the first book by her that brought tears to my eyes even though this has a HEA. Ok a tiny spoiler there but oh well. We all know how it ends, always!
So this is basically a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story. Not sure using the word “enemies” would do the justice since they technically won’t start hating each other BUT fall apart for a long time and the male protagonist writes a sort of a hate note / letter to the female lead. So hear me out and decide for yourself!
So overall it was an easy, light read, the writing was good and as usual Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland did not disappoint us!
I listened to the audiobook and felt the narrators could have done a better job though, especially the male narrator who’s emotions didn’t come through his voice in my pov. Also I’m not quite sure whether the title of the book Dirty Letters do justice to the whole story. True, they exchange a lot of letters for quite sometime and the letters they write as adults are quite steamy. But naming the books after those letters, well I don’t know. Feel like it doesn’t do justice to the whole fairytale like story of Luca and Griffin!
Until we meet again with another review, hang tight!
Yours Truly,
Bookish Lankan – instagram.com/bookish_lankan
PS: I’ve voluntarily read and reviewed this book
h: Luca
H: Griffin
(Dual POVs)
Luca and Griffin were pen pals ever since Luca was seven years old. Unfortunately, Luca had a tragic event happen to her at seventeen, which caused her to not only have strong anxieties and fears, but also caused her to stop writing to Griffin. Fast forward eight years later and Luca receives a not-so-kind letter that ends up rekindling their friendship and more!
I can’t believe this is my first book by this author duo! Having read a handful of books by them individually, I wasn’t surprised that this book ended up being so much deeper than a dirty pen pal relationship (and boy, did the letters get dirty fast!) I laughed out loud at some of the originality these authors brought to the book, like a pet pig named Hortencia, and the unusual use of a furby keychain I very much appreciated the authors featuring a main character suffering from a mental illness such as anxiety, agoraphobia, and even some signs of PTSD.
Luca suffers from anxiety and fears so strong that it is debilitating at times. I can’t imagine living with the anxiety and fears Luca had on a daily basis and I was so proud of her for the huge steps she made towards fighting her anxieties and fears. I love the authors for making Luca’s progress realistic, cause these things take time and it’s not always a straight line.
Griffin. He is literally the most perfect hero I have ever read about. He’s so smitten with Luca and the fact that she knows the real him and isn’t after him for alternative reasons. He’s accepting of Luca’s mental illness and is so patient with her. He thinks of ways to help her experience life without putting her in a situation where her anxieties or fears would be triggered. He considers every small detail to ensure her safety and comfortability in every situation she may be in.
I could not be happier with the epilogue! These two deserved everything they had and then some! Again, I appreciated the realistic steps of progress Luca made and that she was still working through and fighting her fears. Also, if you haven’t listened to the song Griffin wrote Luca, you should! It’s worth a listen!
Favorite Quotes:
”You might not be where you want to be, but you’re also not where you were yesterday. -Doc
”Because I had a crush on the boy who wrote me letters all those years ago, but I started to fall for the sweet man who seemed to like me for who I am- broken or not- and I needed to see if maybe we could have a chance if we met in person finally. -Luca
”There are just times in life when love isn’t enough, and being strong means being able to see that and making a decision that hurts. -Luca
Griffin and Luca were pen pals for years they were each other’s best friend. Luca went through something and stopped writing Griffin. Eight years later she’s cleaning out her father’s house and finds a letter from Griffin after reading it she decides to respond. They start to write to each other again. As they get to know each other they both have strong feelings for each other. Can love be enough when their very different worlds come together? Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. Amazing book.
If you have ever wanted to know what it’s like to love someone who lives with debilitating anxiety, this is the book. They start as childhood pen pals and then reconnect as adults, each with pasts they haven’t shared with each other. He’s now a famous musician loved by the masses and her past trauma is so haunting that she can’t leave her house most of the time. They’re determined to make it work. When it does it’s steamy, passionate, and a love most people only dream about.
I always love to read stories by Vi and Penelope. They come alive when I read/listen to them. Loved the journey of Luca and Griffin. Especially the friendship with Luca and Doc. Such a sweet story.
“Dirty Letters” is absolutely amazing.
I needed to read a book like this now and these two authors made an incredible job in this story.
One of my favorite things is the pen pal experience they created between Luca and Griffin.
The letters are my favorite in this book. My favorite letter was with “Abba” songs. I’m a huge fan of this band. I loved to see how Luca had a good taste in music.
Griffin is a hot singer. Unfortunately one night he was so angry that he decided after 8 years to write a new letter to his pen pal girl.
Luca never had a normal life since her best friend died. She was afraid of traffic and big crowds. Sadly her father passed away and she needed to clean his house. She never thought she would find a new letter by her pen pal boy from England in her mail box.
The love they shared is beautiful and will conquer your heart.
This story deserves so much more than 5 stars. Oh Luca, Luca, Luca, you beautiful woman dealing with so much. And Griff you gorgeous man (perfect book boyfriend). They were perfect for each other. Let’s not forget Doc, he was the glue for Luca and then even for Griffin. I laugh, hurt, cried, swoon with them. My heart felt so full in the best of ways at the end of this beautiful listen. Andi Arndt you were awesome with this narration, switching seamlessly from one accent to the other with no issues. And Jacob Morgan narrating almost your entire parts in a British accent, perfection. I wish it didn’t have to end, can’t recommend this book enough!
This is a hard review to write. I know how I felt about the book and characters, but I am finding it hard to put those feelings into words.
The book started out great. The letters were entertaining and fun. The in-between the letters was good… then it wasn’t so good. Somewhere, the book slowed down and fell for me. I found myself disinterested in how the book ended.
The characters, separately, were okay. They weren’t characters I loved or characters I didn’t like. I am very indifferent to each character on their own. And together? Well, even though the authors tried to make a strong connection between them, it just didn’t work for me. I didn’t feel it.
Luca was the hardest sell for me. I get they tried to convey her mental state and anxiety, but it felt like they over played her. I was so annoyed with her. It felt like they gave her a crutch to hold on to. It didn’t feel like she actually wanted to overcome her fears. The way she was portrayed felt like they wanted people to feel sorry for her and give her a pat on the back. It was almost a campaign for severe anxiety in the context of staying in place instead of moving forward. (I’m not doing a good job with my words here. I apologize.)
In the end, things work out for these characters. It’s a bit unbelievable though. If you read the book, you will most likely get what I’m trying to say. I was glad the guy got the girl and the girl gets her happy ever after. The book wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as good as it could have been? I don’t know. I’m just sitting here wishing I had gotten more of something and less of other things.
An emotionally beautiful, enjoyable, and heartwarming journey to go on with Luca and Griffin. Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward never disappoint, they wrote about grief, anxiety, and mental illness respectfully, and sincerely heartfelt. I enjoyed this book.
* A review copy was provided by the authors/publisher via Netgalley *
If you loved Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward, then you HAVE to read Dirty Letters!!
This book is exactly what I have come to expect from this writing duo. It was a fun and entertaining read but it also had all the feels you want in a romance book.
I loved the storyline of this book. They covered a subject not usually seen in books and also added a new take on already seen genre. I thought the storyline was fresh and original and I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading it.
Dirty Letters is a standalone novel that is told in Dual POV. You don’t have to read any other book to thoroughly enjoy this one, but let me tell you, if you haven’t read this duo before, after reading Dirty Letters, you are going to want to read all their books!! I thought the flow and pace of the story was perfect. This story will sweep you off your feet.
Dirty Letters is the story of Griffin and Luca. It is about a friendship that spans over a decade, but only through letters. See Luca and Griffin first met through a pen pal connection when they were in elementary school. They continued to write every week until something tragic happens and Luca cuts off all communication. Now we fast forward to them in their 20’s and Griffin has reached out again but this time the letter isn’t all that friendly. Can Luca explain what happened all those years ago?? Will Griffin be able to move past it and rekindle their friendship? What happens when their letters turn towards the sexy, flirty side?? Can these two get their HEA even if they are both hiding some secrets that could change things once they are revealed?? Read this wonderful story to find out all the answers and more.
I absolutely LOVED Luca and Griffin. I thought they were witty, fun and totally relatable characters. Griffin made my heart pound and my panties melt 😉 Luca was a strong heroine in her own way. She had some serious hurdles to overcome, but I loved watching her character grow as the story went on. These two are my favorite co-written couple that Vi and Penelope have given us.
I would 100% recommend this book to all romance readers. It is a story about love, healing and overcoming ones fears. Proving that sometimes love is enough!!!! READ THIS BOOK!!! You won’t be sorry.
Loved this one!!
Griffin & Luca started as pen pals at age 10 and continued until the age of 18. He lives in the UK, so the chances of them ever meeting are slim to none. They shared their likes, dislikes, crushes, their deepest darkest secrets. I loved, loved, loved the reading of their letters – past and present. Their inside jokes, their fears, their complete honesty. The furbies!
Then suddenly, the letters stopped coming from Luca.
Eight years later, Griffin & Luca are, once again, reunited – via a letter. An angry letter from Griffin.
This story is so well-written, though not surprising with this writing duo. It’s emotional and funny and at times, super sexy.
So many parts broke my heart, bringing tears to my eyes. Griffin and Luca have been through a lot. Many scenes made me laugh and smile big, and many parts left me breathless, making my heart flutter a bit faster. Following their journey gave me ALL the feels.
They both have secrets.
Both have regrets.
Yet they both forgive easily and pick up where they left off. Their bond is a strong one that can’t be broken. The love and respect they have for each other is heartwarming. And the lengths they will go to for each other was so touching.
They face their fears,
they jump over hurdles,
they reveal their secrets,
and they STILL love and care for each other fiercely.
They do whatever it takes to be together.
One thing I know for sure after reading/listening to this:
Griffin.
Is.
Everything.
Could I BE any more in love with him?? (that was my Chandler Bing voice)
The narrators are two of my favorites and they did a fantastic job.