Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

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Book Review

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers / HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Publication Date: November 5, 2013

Format: Paperback - 336 pages / Kindle - 1205 KB / Nook - 2 MB

ISBN: 140168968X

ASIN: B00C5QA78M

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

BUY THE BOOK: Dear Mr. Knightley

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.

Book Description:

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Growing up orphaned and alone, Sam found her best friends in the works of Austen, Dickens, and the Brontë sisters. The problem is that she now relates to others more comfortably as Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Eyre than as herself.

Sometimes we lose ourselves in the things we care about most.

But life for this twenty-three-year-old is about to get stranger than fiction, when an anonymous benefactor (calling himself “Mr. Knightley”) offers to put Sam through the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s program and peers force her to confront her past, she finds safety in her increasingly personal letters to Mr. Knightley. And when Sam meets eligible, best-selling novelist Alex Powell, those letters unfold a story of love and literature that feels as if it’s pulled from her favorite books. But when secrets come to light, Sam is – once again – made painfully aware of how easily trust can be broken.

Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.


My Book Review:

In her debut novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, author Katherine Reay uses Austenesque inspiration to weave a wonderful contemporary epistolary novel that is a delightful treat for Jane Austen fans.

Samantha Moore survived living in the foster care system by hiding behind the literary words of characters from her favorite Jane Austen novels. An anonymous benefactor, Mr. Knightley, offers Sam a full scholarship grant to earn her graduate degree at Northwestern University's prestigious Medill School of Journalism. But there is one stipulation: Sam has to write frequent letters to her benefactor detailing her progress.

Written in the first person narrative, the reader follows Sam's journey of self-discovery through her one-way conversations with her mysterious benefactor Mr. Knightley. It is an emotional and inspirational journey that will bring Sam out of her protective shell and teach her to embrace the woman that she is meant to become.

As a Jane Austen fan, my interest was peaked by this delightful story that was crafted in the form of letters, and by the author's literary references from classic literary novels like Austen, Dickens, and Bronte. The readers will be easily drawn into following Sam's life as she records her thoughts and experiences in her letters to Mr Knightley.

Sam's journey of self-discovery brings struggles to overcome and life lessons that will teach her about writing, opening herself up to people, learning to trust, and finding love. It is an emotional and inspirational documentation of Sam's coming of age that will ultimately reveal Sam's true self and what kind of person she can become.

Dear Mr. Knightley is a moving and enjoyable story that should be made into a Hallmark TV movie! Kudos to author Katherine Reay on a wonderful debut novel.


RATING: 5 STARS *****

About The Author

Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. After earning degrees in history and marketing from Northwestern University, she worked as a marketer for Proctor & Gamble and Sears before returning to school to earn her MTS. Her works have been published in Focus on the Family and the Upper Room. Katherine currently lives with her husband and three children in Seattle.

Dear Mr. Knightley is her first novel.


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Dear Mr. Knightley - Book Trailer

Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay | Favorite Austen Moments KINDLE HDX Giveaway, Pinterest Contest and Facebook Party!

Debut author Katherine Reay is celebrating the release of her delightful novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway, a fun Favorite Austen Moments Pinterest contest, and an Austen-themed Facebook Party.

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
• Handmade Austen-themed items (scarf, mug, bracelet, and necklace) 

Two ways to win! Enter today by clicking one of the icons below or participating in the Pinterest contest (see banner below)—or BOTH! 

But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Dear Mr. Knightley" Austen-themed Facebook Author Chat Party on the 3rd. Join Katherine (and Austen fans) for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Katherine's next book.

So grab your copy of  Dear Mr. Knightley and join Katherine on the evening of December 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST. Hope to see you on the 3rd!