Book Review: Nineteen Letters By Jodi Perry

Nineteen Letters

Author: Jodi Perry

Publisher: Hachette Australia

Release date: 29/08/2017

R.R.P: $32.99

Pages: 381 pages

                                          

A love story that spans decades

The 19th of January, 1996... I'll never forget it.

It was the day we met. I was seven and she was six.

It was the day she moved in next door, and the same day I developed my first crush on a girl.

Then tragedy struck. Nineteen days after our wedding, Jemima was in an accident that would change our lives forever. When she woke from her coma, she had no memory of me, of us, of the love we shared.

That's when I started writing her letters. The stories of our life. Of when we met. About the happier times, and everything we'd experienced together.

What we had is far too beautiful to be forgotten...

My review

Thoughts on the book: What happens when your perfect life turns upside down? This is exactly what happens to Braxton and Jemma. 19 is a special number for this couple and just 19 days after they are married it turns out to be not so lucky, Jemma is involved in a serious car accident and is place in a medically induced coma to help her recover. Braxton never leaves Jemma's hospital bedside as soon as he is told the news and is there when his beloved wife awakes from her coma, the only problem is his beautiful wife doesn't even know who he is. Jemma has lost all of her memories and so has no idea who she is, who the people surrounding her are or even her past. This is a massive blow for the couple who everyone strived to be like, but especially for Braxton who has lost the love of his life even though she is right infront of him. But Braxton fights to win his wife back and so decides to start writing her letters about their past together to remind her of his memories of their time together. He also includes a memory charm bracelet that gets a new charm or two with each letter. Slowly Jemma discovers who she was but is it who she really wants to be now?

What a fabulously surprising new read from Jodi Perry. Nineteen Letters is so very different from her previous books (Bastard, Jax, Hooker) especially on the sex side of the story, but don't let that disappoint you because the romance level is high and you will defiantly fall in love with our male lead character, Braxton and want to find one of your own. In saying that I think Braxton is the ultimate boyfriend/husband and every girl in the world would want one of these forever boys for themselves. The lengths he goes to not only before the accident that occurred but more so after the accident are incredible. I can't imagine that a lot of people would stick around and be as devoted as he is, although your properly sitting there thinking of course I will be there. I think it's a case of you'll never know unless your in that position. 

In saying that though I don't know how I would cope being Braxton, let alone Jemma. I would hate to lose my memory and not be able to recognise anyone around me or even know who I was or what certain foods taste like. The fact that you've lost all those memories though means that you have to relearn everything, the good and the bad. Imagine having to go through the emotions of learning that not only your grandparents died but the circumstances that they did, or the fact that you parents got divorced over one little incident or multiple other things. But you also get to relearn the good things like the things you loved doing reading, gardening, jogging and the people that were your friends, the foods you liked. It's kind of a double edged sword.

But this is where the amazing parts of the story come into play. The letters that Braxton writes to Jemma to remind her of their past and the love they shared. These letters are heartbreakingly raw, funny at times and emotionally written and while reading make sure that you have the tissues handy because you will need them. There are also so many funny moments within them and for me they would have to be the moments where the Boy Scout torch is mentioned. I couldn't stop laughing at these moments and then when Jemma replies with a Girl Scout comment I went into overload. Thank you so these amazing moments Jodi. I hope you write more books like this because you have a real talent.

If you want to read the greatest love story ever told look no further than Nineteen Letters by Jodi Perry. It's so much better than Romeo and Juliet and The Notebook, really people shouldn't even compare it because it defiantly holds its own. Rush out and buy a copy now because you certainly won't be disappointed.

Rating: 5/5