The Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds

Perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Ruta Sepetys, this sweet, summery romance set in Nantucket follows seventeen-year-old Abby Schoenberg as she uncovers a secret about her grandmother's life during WWII.

Seventeen-year-old Abby Schoenberg isn't exactly looking forward to the summer before her senior year. She's just broken up with her first boyfriend and her friends are all off in different, exciting directions for the next three months. Abby needs a plan--an adventure of her own. Enter: the letters.

They show up one rainy day along with the rest of Abby's recently deceased grandmother's possessions. And these aren't any old letters; they're love letters. Love letters from a mystery man named Edward. Love letters from a mansion on Nantucket. Abby doesn't know much about her grandmother's past. She knows she was born in Germany and moved to the US when she was five, fleeing the Holocaust. But the details are either hazy or nonexistent; and these letters depict a life that is a bit different than the quiet one Abby knows about.

And so, Abby heads to Nantucket for the summer to learn more about her grandmother and the secrets she kept. But when she meets Edward's handsome grandson, who wants to stop her from investigating, things get complicated. As Abby and Noah grow closer, the mysteries in their families deepen, and they discover that they both have to accept the burdens of their pasts if they want the kinds of futures they've always imagined. 

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published June 15th 2021 

by Razorbill

4.5/5 stars

The Summer of Lost Letters was such a delight to read.  Right from the beginning I enjoyed this book.  Hannah Reynolds is a new to me author, this being her YA debut (she also writes as Allison Parr).

I loved the location, Nantucket, it was descriptive with that quaint island setting.  Abby was such a likeable character, searching she gets more than she bargains for.  This book was mysterious as Abby sets out to discover her grandmother's past. Without giving too much of the story away, I loved the historical elements, it's something I was unfamiliar with. so thank you Hannah Reynolds for educating me.  Abby worked in a bookstore which had those bookish vibes with some title droppings.   

The Summer of Lost Letters is a story of betrayal, family and friendships.  Though it was a slower paced story, and a couple parts didn't really add much to the story, it was the writing that stands out for me.  With its one liners easy banter  and an ending that I didn't see coming I was entertained.

My thanks to the Instagram reading community for bringing this book to my attention.

This book was part of my 2021 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge.