Love Letters for Other People, Shaylin Gandhi (Review by Kristin Kurek)

I was immediately hooked on this book from the dedication page which reads: “For the readers who like their heroes dangerous, broody, and emotionally available.” That’s me! That’s me! Someone get the rights to this book and make a Hallmark movie!

Aubrey MacLean is a successful mathematician in New York City. When her intellectual property is stolen by a coworker, she finds herself without a job and unable to support a life in New York. She has no choice but to move home to a small town in rural Indiana until she can put the pieces of her life back together. But, as soon as she arrives, she runs into the man who broke her heart, Nick Thacker. Though they have never stopped caring about each other, they have both moved on. Aubrey has her career, and Nick has a daughter whom he dotes on. Will they be able to untangle their painful past to re-develop a friendship… or more?

My reading mood has been hyper focused on romance book as escape from the stresses of reality. This book was a perfect, romantic distraction. I found the dialogue to be hilarious, and the forced proximity scenes were crackling with intensity. I deeply enjoyed that the characters put emphasis on the things that were most important to them such as career, commitment, friendship, and family. They moved through the development of their romance with the understanding that some items cannot be compromised. They must approach priorities as a team.

Could the conundrum have been untangled if the adults in the book engaged in clear and concise communication? Sure. But, then I would not have been able to experience this fun, laugh-out-loud, romantic break from my day-to-day. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys feel-good romance books, especially ones that feature intellectual, career-focused females.