The Wednesday Letters

They died in each other's arms. But their secret - the letters - did not die with them. True love keeps no secrets.

Jack and Laurel have been married for 39 years. They've lived a good life and appear to have had the perfect marriage. With his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his last breath, he scribbles his last "Wednesday Letter."

When their adult children arrive to arrange the funeral, they discover boxes and boxes full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother each week on Wednesday. As they begin to open and read the letters, the children uncover the shocking truth about the past.

In addition, each one must deal with the present-day challenges. Matthew has a troubled marriage, Samantha is a single mother, and Malcolm is the black sheep of the family who has returned home after a mysterious two-year absence. The Wednesday Letters has a powerful message about forgiveness and quietly beckons for readers to start writing their own "Wednesday Letters."

I read this book a few days ago, and I've been putting off writing my thoughts on this book. I can't seem to express my thoughts coherently. I have mixed thoughts on this book.

I love the concept of the story. A couple whose love is enduring and forgiving, who die in each others arms. They leave their children a amazing gift, love letters written each Wednesday night during their marriage. Beautiful thought, isn't it. Anyway these letters are read by the children, within a day or two, which I found to not to be realistic, and the letters jump back and forth in the years. Maybe it's just me, but I like the idea of reading letters chronologically.

Each one of the children deals with the grief and the reveal of the "secret" differently, which makes perfect sense. But the issues and the resolve just seemed to be rushed in my opinion.

The book comes down to love, acceptance and forgiveness. And the author does a good job on showing it in the book, but (and it's a huge one) is was just so rushed. Personally I would have wanted more information on the children lives, the couple's everyday life in B&B, you get the point.

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright (3.5/5) Fiction; Published: Shadow Mountain (2007); New Author; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (25); 2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge (20);