I Wanted To Tell You by Anna Mansell
‘Sometimes I think that if I’d found a way to talk, we’d be together now…’
When Helen finds a bundle of unsent love letters, tied with a red ribbon, and signed only ‘the love you wished I could be’, she wonders who they could belong to.
The same day, however, her husband Alex announces he’s leaving. She’d believed their love would last a lifetime, but now he’s gone and she hadn’t even realised there was anything wrong.
Desperate to understand, Helen doesn’t know where to look for answers. But the letters keep drawing her back. As she reads the words of loneliness, loss and regret, something in them helps her start to make sense of it all… Even as she realises someone has been keeping heart-breaking secrets.
But who do the letters belong to? Can the sender ever be reunited with the one they love, or is it too late? And when Helen finds out the truth about Alex, can she find it in her heart to forgive him, or will he never be the love she wished he could be?
An emotional, unmissable read, exploring the devastation of loss, the power of love to heal, and the truths that bind us all together. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Diane Chamberlain and Daniela Sacerdoti.
When Helen finds a bundle of unsent love letters, tied with a red ribbon, and signed only ‘the love you wished I could be’, she wonders who they could belong to.
The same day, however, her husband Alex announces he’s leaving. She’d believed their love would last a lifetime, but now he’s gone and she hadn’t even realised there was anything wrong.
Desperate to understand, Helen doesn’t know where to look for answers. But the letters keep drawing her back. As she reads the words of loneliness, loss and regret, something in them helps her start to make sense of it all… Even as she realises someone has been keeping heart-breaking secrets.
But who do the letters belong to? Can the sender ever be reunited with the one they love, or is it too late? And when Helen finds out the truth about Alex, can she find it in her heart to forgive him, or will he never be the love she wished he could be?
An emotional, unmissable read, exploring the devastation of loss, the power of love to heal, and the truths that bind us all together. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Diane Chamberlain and Daniela Sacerdoti.
My review
I hope you have your tissues to hand when you dive into this beautifully heartbreaking story because believe me you are going to need them. It has been a while since a book has physically taken my breath away with such heartfelt emotion. I was drawn into the plot at the first word and didn't come up for air until the concluding pages and what a journey it was indeed. The writing is open and honest and emanates a sense of loss that can be overwhelming at times but I felt that every word was heightened with a love and emotion that radiated off the pages. I loved the mysterious letters that laced a journey throughout the book like an unfinished story haunting the pages and adding that element of wonder as to who the sender and recipient could be and creating additional layers throughout the book.
The characters were created with care and precision and I loved each and every one of them. Now, where do I start when describing Geoff and Connie? I don't want to go into to much detail as I don't want to give away any hints or spoilers but I will say that they're childhood sweethearts with a lifetime full of joy and love that has been left delicate and fragile over time with life's cruel twists of fate. What comes across in their relationship is a love to strive for, it's not perfect but it's true, honest and emotional. Geoff's fierce protection for Connie is both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time and I hung onto his every thought of love for her. I've never shed so many tears over characters as much as I did for Geoff and Connie. Helen's story faces several trials and tribulations and provides many moments of comic relief. But there's also heartfelt emotion to be found in her journey throughout the book. She is an instantly likeable character with a personality that shines brightly and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way hoping for that happy ever after. But I must say that a true highlight of the book came in the form of James who added an additional depth of truth and emotion to the storyline that was both surprising and heartwarming.
I loved everything that this book stands for and I can't praise it highly enough. The level of love and emotion that this book gives out is on another level and truly special. I urge each and every one of you to grab your nearest copy and start reading and please whatever you do, do not forget your tissues.
Amazon: http://geni.us/
About the author
Anna had a brush with 'fame' as a magician’s assistant back in 1977. She later decided that being sawn in half by her magical performing father, at barely 6 months old, was too submissive a role. She vowed to channel the trauma in to something much more pro-actively creative. Having failed at acting, singing and professional murder mystery parties (she was always the one to die!), she fell to something much more solitary: writing. How To Mend a Broken Heart was her first novel and her life was not on the line in order to write that or her second: The Lost Wife. Anna lives on a dairy farm in Cornwall with her two children, her husband, and her ex-racing greyhound, Olive Dog.
