Friday, March 18, 2016

Letters for Scarlet by Julie C. Gardner

Letters for Scarlet will stick with me for some time.  It is the story of three friends who met in grade school, bonded as a trio, and tells what can happen when two of the three become a couple.

Scarlet is the one who is left out when Corie and Tucker fall in love.  On the night they graduate from high school Tucker and Corie tell Scarlet that they have fallen in love and also that Corie has decided not to go on to college with Scarlet.  Scarlet is, of course, devastated and they go their separate ways.

Ten years later Corie, who is unable to get pregnant, receives a letter a teacher makes them write to their 28 year old selves and also gets a call from Scarlet's (who is unmarried and pregnant) estranged mother who tells Corie that she needs to get Scarlet's letter to her.  Instead of getting Scarlet her letter, Corie starts to write Scarlet and pour out Corie's pain and sorrow, knowing that Scarlet will never get the letters.

This book touched me.  The characters are damaged and raw, they are all basically getting through life by putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to trip. I found tears in my eyes on several occasions as I was reading and it also brought back all those pains that most of us suffered with in high school.

There are many funny moments in the book, but for me it told mostly about how damaged people can be on the inside, while carrying on as if nothing is wrong on the outside.

I know these are characters in a book, but I can't help but wish them well. 

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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