I didn't really know much about this book before I started but, as always, the idea of a book featuring letters attracted me. Well, I just loved it! Nineteen had always been a significant number for Braxton and Jemma. They met when she moved in next door to him on 19th January 1996 and married exactly 19 years later. Many significant events seemed to happen for them on 19th throughout those years.  Nineteen days after the wedding, Jemma was involved in horrific car crash. Although seriously injured, she survived but with no memory of her previous life. She couldn't remember anyone she knew: not her parents, her friends and, most devastatingly, not Braxton. 

This was such an emotional book to read. It was heartbreaking to see what Braxton went through when this woman he has loved for years could not remember a thing about their life together. It was equally moving to read about how lost Jemma felt with no memories to look back on, no recollection of those who had been closest to her in her life and no idea even of simple things like her favourite foods or her taste in music. 

At first, and perhaps understandably, Jemma is reluctant to spend much time with Braxton, who is as good as a stranger to her. Braxton decided to write to her instead. Through the Nineteen Letters of the book title he looks back at their life together, telling her about significant events. To help her, he gives her a charm bracelet, to be a memory bracelet, and includes charms with every letter. The charms all relate to something covered in the letter. Braxton is obviously one of life's good guys. He is so patient and understanding even though he missed his wife and the relationship they had so much. From the earlier stories of their life, they were clearly soul mates. Could the letters help to rekindle that connection? I adored reading the letters which always ended with "What we had is far too beautiful to be forgotten."  They were so full of love.

Oh my goodness how much did I hope there would be a happy ending! You will, of course, need to read it yourself to see if everything works out for Braxton and Jemma or not. Nineteen Letters is a love story to lose yourself in.

What we had was far too beautiful to be forgotten.

From reading the blurb you know what is going to happen and probably have an expectation of the ending. What is still to be revealed is the journey of Jemma and Braxton’s relationship from their first meeting as children, told through the (nineteen) letters. Braxton is an absolute dream of a character and I was definitely rooting for him to get his ‘happily ever after’. This is a great contemporary love story with a cinematic feel to it.
My thanks to the publishers Sphere for the copy of Nineteen Letters received via NetGalley.

This was not my usual genre and whilst I enjoyed the story, it was extremely predictable. Girl and boy in love, girl has accident and loses memory, boy makes girl fall in love again.
The characters are lovely and I did feel for them but there was just not enough depth to the two main characters, Braxton and Jemma.
If someone's after a palate cleanser after a hard hitting read, something that isn't too taxing then this may be ideal. I like my reads with a little more intensity.

A beautiful love story that stay with me forever.

I wasn’t too sure about this book in the beginning but grew to love it very emotional and interesting story - a true love story beteeen Jemma who lost her memory following a car accident and Braxton her husband. What a an amazing idea to write letters to someone about their past to trigger memories - really enjoyable read if you love romance would highly recommend.

This was an absolutely beautiful read I love Jodi perry I’m so glad I read it ....it makes you ugly cry ...amazing

As soon as I saw the tagline 'The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks' I knew I wanted to read this book. Unfortunately I was disappointed by it. I couldn't warm to the characters and I found it too predictable and bit too sickly sweet for my liking.
It will appeal to people who like HEA's

5 - What we had is far too beautiful to be forgotten... Stars!

2018 has so far been a year of new discoveries on the author front for me, and right up there with the best is Jodi Perry.

There’s a part of me that knows my heart still belongs to him…

Nineteen Letters is a story about a couple working their way back to each other, after one of them suffers from amnesia. Braxton and Jemma Spencer, have known each other since they were young children, they have grown up together, dealt with loss, love and all the in-between as the years have progressed. What began as friendship, then morphed into a relationship in their teens, and then a lifetime commitment as adults.

He’s not only the love of my life; he’s my best friend, my soul mate, my forever boy…

So how do you deal with the loss of the person you loved, when they are still essentially right in front of you, but have no memory of you, or the life that you have built together. In Brax’s case, write letters. Letters that take you, and Jem in their reading back to their childhood adventures, the teenage discoveries, and the decisions and situations they have gone through in adulthood.

I hate that her face no longer lights up when she sees me… I hate that she no longer smiles that beautiful smile.

The path for them both isn’t easy, and being told in dual POV, really give you the opportunity to see the situation from both their perspectives. Jem, unwilling initially to entertain the fact that this sweet, charming amenable, albeit a little bit broken man, is the one she chose to marry.

Whether or not these letters lead you back to me, you need to know what we once shared… What our life was like for us.

Brax was the focus of this book for me, even though it was Jem who suffered the accident and resulting amnesia, because the author really took the time to explore how everything affected him, and not just how Jem was coping with it all.

"Even in the tough times I never gave up hope that you’d find your way back to me."

I found the end a bit cut and dried, and would have liked it to take a little longer to figure out things than it did, especially when you take into account the massive effort the author took to make the progression between the two of them back to a relationship really slowly, it was a bit of a shock to have it finish in ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ style.

I don’t want these letters to ever stop…

Stunning storytelling, and even though it’s only February, I have a feeling Nineteen Letters will be in my top ten for 2018. I cannot wait to read more from this author very soon.

What a powerful brilliant book. It's so very well described and we are taken on an emotional journey. Jemma and Braxton are soul mates, they met as children and have recently got married. Then Jemma has a car accident and when she wakes up in hospital finds out that she cannot remember her past. Her friends, family and most of all Braxton are devastated. Jemma goes to stay with her mum. So Braxton decides to write letters to Jemma about their past. The first one starts when they met as children and Braxton gives her an empty charm bracelet. He then encloses small charms which are relevant to each letter. Will Jemma ever remember the love she had for Braxton? Read on!

4.5 “What we had is far too beautiful to be forgotten.” Stars

Jodi Perry has conquered where others have failed, and whilst I’m not too proud to admit I had several emotional wobbles along the way, she made me fall in love with a story containing a trope which is my nemesis—memory-loss.

“He’s my one and only. He always has been, and always will be. He’s not only the love of my life; he’s my best friend, my soul mate, my forever boy.”

Whilst it does have an air of predictability and the odd moment that‘s a little saccharine, that mattered not because I was swept away by Braxton and Jemma Spencer’s journey. It’s not an easy journey for either husband or wife, but on the flip side nor does is fill you with anxiety, and the true, unconditional love that Braxton has for Jemma shines through on every page as, over nineteen letters, he shares his memories spanning the same number of years.

“Things are nothing like they used to be, and I don’t know if they ever will be again”.

My heart hurt for both—I can’t imagine how I would cope if, god forbid, I was in either of their positions—but with his patient support and her strong determination you’re willing this couple to once again find their HEA.

“I have the power to not only reinvent myself, but to write my own ending.”

This is a love-story within a love-story and whilst it’s not likely to lead to me rushing off to grab all the romances containing amnesia, it will have me rushing off to check out more of Jodi’s writing because if this is any indication of what she’s capable of, she’s snagged herself a new reader.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this truly lovely book. 'If the love of your life had no memory of you - what would you do? This pretty much sums up the essence of the book. We meet dreamy, made-for-each other, childhood sweethearts, successful and utterly in love newleyweds Braxton & Jemma on the nineteenth day of their marriage. Jemma sets off for work after taking time off for their wedding and honeymoon but has an accident on the way leaving her badly injured and unable to remember a thing.

Doting husband Braxton is torn apart and decides to help Jemma with her memories and rehabilitation by writing her nineteen letters (their 'special' number) starting with the day they first met as children, right up to the day of the accident. These are no ordinary letters, they are filled with love and are so heartfelt and beautifully written that Jemma finds herself falling in love all over again.

I am definitely not doing this book any justice with this review - it is a simple story of never ending love but it is so beautifully told and the characters are brought to life within each letter and you really feel all the emotions. I really need to go and read this all over again. A simply lovely read.

What an extraordinary book.
The subject matter is so very different from the usual 'romance' story.
It's a story of two people passionately in love. They've known ever since childhood that they were destined to be together. Nineteen days after Braxton and Jemma get married, there is a tragic accident, in which Jemma is badly hurt. On waking from a coma, she has absolutely no memory of her life before that moment. She moves back in with her mother, and Braxton remains alone in the house he built for her.
Then he starts writing letters, nineteen of them, because the number nineteen has great significance in their lives, describing memorable moments in their time together.. In every letter he encloses a meaningful charm for a bracelet.
The letters are poignant, beautifully written, and they give us, the readers, a chance to see something of the life they led together, their hopes and dreams.
You will have to read it to know how the ending works out.
My one and only negative feeling was that Braxton was almost too saintly!

What a beautiful story, built around the number 19 and childhood sweethearts Jemma and Braxton.
This book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming - from the tragedy of Jemma's accident through to the letters that paint a vivid picture of their story - this book will make you laugh and cry. It's simply written but beautifully penned - and the letters are at the centre of this tale.

Its a large step away from the usual crime/thriller/gritty novel, yet a very refreshing read. Highly recommended 5* from me.

I enjoyed this book and reminded me a lot of “the notebook” as it is a true love story. It is cheesy and fairly predictable, but enjoyable none the less and easy to read.

True love. 

Isn't that we all dream of? 

Well for Braxton and Jemma, their love was infinite, a real force of nature...until the accident that stole Jemma's memory of all that she loved, including the life she shared with Braxton.  The love he felt for her spurring him on, Braxton is convinced that he carries "enough love for both of us" (ch.6), so he starts writing letters to Jemma, telling the story of their love, experiences & lives.  

"Love with your entire heart while you have the chance, because life is far too precious to waste on any uncertainty." (Epilogue)

I know it's cliché to say it, but Nineteen Letters truly had me hooked from the beginning.  I couldn't put it down, and really didn't until 2am this morning! I got pulled in to the story, entranced by the love they shared - and that Braxton was determined to reignite - and touched by their tale.  I laughed, I cried, and I honestly loved every minute of this book.  

Life is full of uncertainties, and "we all have demons we hide from the rest of the world" (ch.7), but it's also full of love, laughter, and opportunities.  We have to live life to its full potential, and love with all we've got.

Nineteen Letters is a fantastic read, and one I highly encourage you to read, especially as tomorrow signals the start of 2018.  A chance for new beginnings, love and friendship.

***** stars from me!

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

https://cwtchupbooks.com/2017/12/31/cwtch-up-catch-up-2017/

I loved this book. It was written so well, I cried reading it. The storyline was very good and I adored the main characters. I was hooked from the first page. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Jodi Perry for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

I thought this book was very well written. Jenna and Braxton had known each other most of their lives. 19 days after their marriage, Jenna has an accident that leaves her in a coma and eventually without her memory. Braxton started writing her letters for every year they had known each other until when the very last (the 19th ) letter comes, she starts to remember things. The letters really gave the reader a very good glimpse of their lives together - the good and the bad. I didn't read it for a couple months and was sorry once I got into it. I enjoyed it very much. I've read other books by Jodi Perry and this one did not disappoint. I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

A touching story of undying love. When Jemma suffers memory loss after a car accident she is totally cold to those who love her. Braxton, her husband, carefully and patiently coaxes and wins her back through a series of letters. There are also peripheral stories of estrangement within their close circle of family and friends. Cosy but compelling tale of love and loss which maybe a liitle too sugary for some with almost too good to be true characters but nonetheless a feel good read.

4 Heart-breaking Stars!!!

I was given this book in turn for an honest review.

When true love is struck by tragedy, is it possible, for the love they once shared, to bring them together again? Can sharing their deepest, sweetest memories, rekindle the flame they once had?

This is the first book of J.L. Perry’s that I have read, and it won’t be my last. Nineteen letters is a sweet, and heart-breaking, love story. One that pulls at your heart, stamps on it a little and then slowly pieces it back together, giving you faith, that happiness and true love, always prevail. J.L. Perry has a fantastic talent for writing and her story narrating is outstanding. She truly pulls you into the story and has you invested in the characters 100%!

There were a couple of characters within this story that did wind me up a little. I wanted to slap them and get them to see how childish they were being, and that life is so short, that they really should be living it. This is my personal feeling and in no way, reflects on the story or the writing.

Although this story held a lot of emotion, for me, it was a story that didn’t have me physically crying, it was more mental emotions that I went through, emotions of how I’d feel if this was happening to me, and how inspirational I felt the characters were, for being so strong at a time that was so tragic.

With that said, it was a story that I had to put down and reflect on, because at times the feelings I had were so strong, I was scared that this could happen to me. The reflecting was equal measures torture as it was therapeutic, because not reading this book and discovering their story was as painful, as reading it and living it with them.

If you enjoy reading heart-breaking romances, full of emotion, this story is for you!