Sometimes it takes losing something to see where you truly belong. For the past twenty-nine years, Kay Bright’s days have had a familiar rhythm: she works in her husband’s stationery shop hoping to finally sell the legendary gold pen, cooks for her family, tries to remember to practice yoga, and every other month she writes to her best friend, Ursula. Kay could set her calendar by their letters: … her calendar by their letters: her heart lifts when the blue airmail envelope, addressed in Ursula’s slanting handwriting, falls gently onto the mat.
But now Ursula has stopped writing and everything is a little bit worse.
Ursula is the only one who knows Kay’s deepest secret, something that happened decades ago that could tear Kay’s life apart today. She has always been the person Kay relies on.
Worried, Kay gets out her shoebox of Ursula’s letters and as she reads, her unease starts to grow. And then at ten o’clock in the morning, Kay walks out of her yellow front door with just a rucksack, leaving her wedding ring on the table…
This emotional and heart-warming novel is for anyone who knows it’s never too late to look for happiness. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, A Man Called Ove and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will fall in love with this feel-good and moving story that shows you that the best friendships truly last forever.
Readers are falling totally in love with The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright:
‘Absolutely beautiful! I finished it late last night – I knew I couldn’t stop once I started – with happy tears running down my face! Just beautiful and thought-provoking! A wonderful, heart-warming, life-affirming tale from this fantastic author. Everyone should be reading this… Outstanding. Five stars do not do this book justice… Thank you Beth Miller for this exquisite treasure of a book!’ Bestselling author Renita D’Silva ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A story that drew me in from the first pages. With tissues clutched in my hand and tears running down my face, I read this book in one sitting. A story that will stay with me.’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow, well that was a hugely enjoyable read… I laughed out loud, I cried, I stayed up well into the night reading just a little bit more. I just loved this book so much.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘I was teary-eyed… A book to truly fall in love with! I couldn’t seem to read this book fast enough. I stayed up way, way too late to finish it. There were parts that actually had me laughing out loud. I haven’t read such a warm-your-heart type of book in a very very long time. I totally recommend it.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A poignant read and an emotional one. Beautiful doesn’t do it justice. If you read just one book about life make it this one. 10 stars if I could.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Such a touching, heartfelt book; tears a few times. Couldn’t put this one down and finished it in one day… Great, great book!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Oh, what an absolute gem of a book… At several points I definitely had something in my eye, and towards the end, well… All I can say is that it takes a lot for a book to simultaneously make me laugh and need to clear a lump in my throat. This one did it in spades. Highly recommended.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A very heart-warming, emotional read. Get your tissues ready as you might need them; I certainly did.’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘I stayed up way too late reading this book. My 2 a.m. novel. I laughed out loud and I cried while reading… I cannot wait for more novels from Beth Miller.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐more
This is such a wonderful novel of going through struggles of life and trying to make the best of them. I related quite a bit to things that Stella went through as an adult child of divorce and the only child helping with a fathers needs. It felt like the author knew my feelings of resentment toward a selfish brother that could care less of my sacrifices while he left all responsibilities and caregiving to me without a care. It was also nice to know that my feelings of pain as I am still the child of my parents no matter how old I am, have a right to affect me as an adult. I just wish there was a support group here like the one in the book! I also relate to Kay as a mom of a grown child that now feels alone and needing a life change.
Some people, when they reach a certain age, start to reflect on past years. Some remain happy where they are; others decide they need a change. Kay falls into the latter category, and she remedies her unhappiness in a big way. While I thought her decision was a bit on the drastic side, I could understand her wanting more out of life. I thought the parallel story of Kay’s daughter, Stella, was interesting but sometimes didn’t fit. Along Kay’s journey, she realizes that while rose-colored glasses tint memories, there is still much to learn from the past. She also learns lessons that people may recognize in their own lives. For more thoughts, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.
Favorite Quotes:
My rational brain pointed out that this was kind of irrational, and my irrational brain said, ‘Yeah, so?’
It was a folded piece of yellowing paper, and in my childish writing, with hearts dotting the i’s, I had written at the top: ‘Things to do by the time I am thirty.’ This was underlined twice in red biro. The date: 5 June 1982… Teenage Kay must have assumed she’d better get everything done by thirty; for afterwards, there’d be nothing but senility and the grave.
Once again, I’d have to amend my mental list of the top ten things I wished I’d never seen.
I looked at him, appraising him with an objective eye. There were always little things one didn’t like about one’s boyfriends. You tended to overlook them, prioritise other things as more important. Leon, for instance, had patches of awful acne on each cheek, and treated any mild suggestion that he speak to a pharmacist as an infringement of his human rights. Now, with Theo standing in front of me, fake-beaming, I realised that with his thin face and shifty eyes, he looked exactly like a weasel.
I had a bath and did all the woman -going-on-a-date things I hadn’t done for years… and had a little trim of the old lady-garden, not that I was planning to sleep with him, obviously not, he was clearly a café-lothario, but just in case… In case what? I heard Rose say. In case there was a freak accident that involved your pants coming off in public?
My Review:
This was my introduction to the stellar stylings of Beth Miller and I was an instant fan. Forgive my exuberance and probable abuse of exclamation marks but I reveled in this book! The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright was thoughtfully written and gently chronicled and may be best suited for those of us more mature beauties on the other side of fifty, but being on that side of the age stick I found it flawless. The writing was as profoundly insightful and perceptive as it was cleverly entertaining. I was fully engaged from page one and adored Beth Miller’s witty prose, seamless writing style, enticing and quirky characters, and ample servings of clever levity that were skillfully woven in all the way through. The storylines and writing were easy to follow and continually poked and prickled my curiosity. I was enjoying the tale so much I would have gleefully continued on for several hundred more pages. Beth Miller has a new fangirl and I have a new favorite author at the top of my list.
‘A woman in her prime,’ Piet said, ‘has many layers.’
Kay Bright married young and has been married 29 years. Their two children have finally both left the nest and she works daily at one of her husband’s four stationery stores in England.
It comes as a total shock to everyone (even herself) as she packs a backpack, hands her wedding ring to her husband and walks out the door.
This is a story of a 51 year old woman trying to find “more” in her life. It’s a tale of long-time friendships, relationships with your children, husband and friends, and it’s about rediscovering yourself.
Kay has written to one of her best friends in Australia for 30 years. Every other month she writes her friend and every other month she gets an answer back. But her friend hasn’t answered her last three letters and one of the things Kay wants to do with her new freedom is fly to Australia to see if there is anything wrong.
I enjoyed this story of difficult choices and moving forward. It goes to show it’s never to late to become the person you’re supposed to be.
I received this book from Bookouture through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
Twenty-nine years in the same routine, with the same man and the same job, have taken its toll on Kathleen (Kay) Bright. The only thing breaking it all up is her monthly letters to her long-distant best friend; but those have unexpectedly stopped, leaving Kay sucked into the business of her everyday life, living for everyone but herself. She decides it’s time to make a change. Saying goodbye is just the beginning as Kay travels the world outside and journeys within on her own path to self (re)discovery.
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Do you remember hearing that phrase coined by Marie Kondo, ‘Does it spark joy?’, over and over about a year or so back? I sure do. I remember getting the family on board and tidying up our whole house together. I only wish that I had a physical copy of Beth Miller’s new book, The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright, so that I could hold it in my hands and bring it close while answering that all too familiar question with a, ‘Yes, THIS sparks joy!’. Cuddling with my Kindle will have to do. This, right here, is just how earth-shatteringly remarkable I find The Missing Letters of Mrs.Bright. This right here is Women’s Fiction at its finest. Beth Miller has brought me joy. I cried I laughed, I cheered and I just didn’t want it to end. Kay’s story, and that of her fellow co-stars (if I may label them as such), extends well beyond the promised tale of love, loss, and taking chances.
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This was my first time experiencing the sheer brilliance that is Beth Miller, but it for sure won’t be my last. She takes her readers on a journey that they will never forget. I know that I undoubtedly will keep this one with me for quite a while. Miller has already become a new favorite of mine in the Women’s Fiction genre, right up there with Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth. I would recommend this book to anyone in search of what I predict will be one of the most ‘unputdownable feel-good’ novels of the year.
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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and the author Beth Miller for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. #Mistyscornerreviews
The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright is a charming story of love, family and friendship.
When Kay leaves her husband after 29 years she starts out on a journey of discovery of not only herself but others.
Wasn’t sure I liked Kay at first , but that was the charming part, as I got to know her I became her biggest fan.
Well worth the read and will definitely read another book by Beth Miller.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for another delightful read.
This is a fun, easy read about a mid-life evaluation.
This is the kind of book that gently makes you think about how you view the world. It is a treasure as well as a lovely read. Highly recommend.
This book was a slow starter for me but then all of a sudden it was really good and I enjoyed it. Kay decides to leave her husband, Richard, after almost 30 years of marriage and two grown children. Kay has a good friend, Bear (Ursula) who she has exchanged letters with for years up until about six months ago. The story is told from different POVs to go along with the different story lines within this book. This is a very poignant story of love, loss and hope. Thank you NetGally and Bookouture for the ARC of this very touching book in exchange for an honest review.
“You go through life, you make choices, they lead to other choices, ad before you know it, you’re in a place you wouldn’t have started from. It was time to make new decisions, and change the story.”
Talk about a mid-life crisis where you wake up and finally decide that the priority is ones own HAPPINESS!
How is it that it took Kay 29 years to realize that she had to start moving on that bucket list?
Kay moved along as we all do in life.
Wedding, kids, job and then empty nest, grand-parenting, and then……?
I loved this novel!
It often takes that WAKE UP call from a friend or loved one to make the light bulb go off and realize that time is precious and too short! A very relatable novel!
Excellent story with wonderful characters! I love Kay, Bear and Rose!
*I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Everyone thought that Kay was a happily married woman, happy in her job, and happy with life. She and her husband, Richard, have two grown children, Stella and Edward. The children are both moved out and life should be great, right?! So they all thought until the morning that Kay got up, got dressed, packed a rucksack and gave Richard her wedding ring. She had decided that life is too short and it was time to do all of the things that she’d always wanted to do but that Richard never had the time to do.
Enter Bear, Kay’s childhood friend. Bear had moved to Australia with her parents as a teen. She and Kay had written religiously since. However, Bear had stopped writing and Kay decided that one of her stops would be Australia to check on her dear friend.
Back home, Stella is trying to pick up the pieces that her mom left laying about as well as deal with her own chaos. Edward doesn’t seem to want to help. Everything is in an uproar. Did Kay have an affair, is she having a midlife crisis, has she gone insane?
This book is full of beautiful friendships, love and loss, endings and new beginnings. Secrets are let out of the bag, truths are told, and relationships mended. I laughed out loud and I cried a bit.
I have never read any other book by Beth Miller but she is now on my list of authors. Thank you Net Galley for this amazing read!