What an incredible book! When I started it, I had no idea what to expect, other than the fact I had seen people talking about it wherever I turned on social media. By the end of the book I was completely broken by a book that will stay with me for a very long time.

This book takes the form of a series of letters and emails, sent through the military system, and then eventually via regular email. Agatha Braithwaite and Rosie Hughes were inseparable friends throughout their childhood, but an incident in early adulthood ended their relationship until Rosie is deployed to Kuwait as a reservist in advance of the war in Iraq in 2003. When Agatha finds out that Rosie is off to war, she writes to Rosie, and both women are overjoyed to reconnect. Their correspondence focuses on their current issues, Aggie is plagued by a difficult mother, and writer's block for her ghost-writing career, Rosie is facing a divorce she regrets, whilst worrying about the impending war. The issues that tore them apart, and the deeper issues both women have are eventually revealed in their letters to one another. Interspersed between their letters and emails are additional correspondence with Rosie's parents, her soon-to-be ex husband Josh, a troubled boy in their old primary school, and a growing friendship between Aggie, and Rosie's friend in Kuwait, Gethyn, a military doctor.

As the book progresses, Aggie runs away from her issues to help run a cafe in a remote location in Scotland, and her experiences with the new people she meets are shared in her letters to Rosie, with much hilarity.

There were so many funny moments in the book, that I spent far too much of my time giggling out loud, although I did not anticipate that the book would leave me with tears streaming down my face as I tried not to wake my sleeping husband at the side of me!

I know that some people are not fond of books that consist entirely of correspondence, but I found it created the perfect balance, and if anything, it was possible to form stronger opinions of who Rosie and Aggie were as people, based on witnessing their complete openness with one another. I really did not expect to be so moved by this book, but it is going to be a strong contender for my favourite book of the year.

Many thanks to Melanie Hudson, Harper Impulse and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow where do I start, I picked this book up after hearing fab reviews and I literally couldn't put it down.

Rosie Hughes has had a really tough few years and has signed up for a mission to Iraq hoping to find some closure, this story is an exchange of letters to her friends and family during her 6 month posting.

I loved this book from the very first letter, the insight it provided to being a woman on the frontline and the emotional rollercoaster experienced for both Rosie and her family. A story full of love, where Rosie rebuilds relationships and stripped away from the daily grind establishes the direction she wants her life to take.

A beautiful story from start to finish that I highly recommend and left me bereft when I had finished.

I usually love an epistolary novel, but I just didn’t enjoy this one. I found most of the characters to be irritating, there were several dropped plot threads, and I truly hated the ending.

Truly beautiful. There are not enough words for how I feel about this book. Funny and poignant in equal measure, I think a certain part of this book actually broke my heart a little.

I must buy a paperback copy of this book to keep on my bookcase to read again.

Rosie Hughes and Aggie Brathwaite are childhood friends who for reasons only known to them fell out fifteen years previous to the novel. However, when Rosie volunteers to go to the front line in Iraq as a Meteorologist, Aggie feels the need to get back in touch, mainly to ask what the Hell Rosie is actually playing at! And so it begins.

Melanie Hudson is extremely clever in the way she has approached this book. Rather than the normal prose that we expect, the whole manuscript is set out as letters and emails between the two female leads but also between Rosie and her parents, a fellow solider, a schoolchild and a soon to be ex-husband.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this at first but soon I was loathe to put this down. My morning and evening commute from the day job has seen me so absorbed in this book I almost missed my stop!

The words flow as do the giggles, the emotions and everything else that goes with it.

The only reason I gave this book four stars was THAT ending! My poor fragile heart!

Thank you so much to Harper Collins and NetGally for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Aggie and Rosie used to be friends but haven't spoken in 15 years (due to a man and a misunderstanding!). When Aggie learns Rosie has been deployed to Kuwait as the Army Met Officer, she knows her best friends needs her now more than ever, so writes her a letter. Soon the pair begin exchanging their hopes, dreams and everything they have missed through the years.

I adored the format of this novel entirely written through letters. Hudson's characters are so well-drawn you can't help falling in love them and rooting for them to get their happy endings. The ending is predictable but you become so invested you are hoping and keeping everything-crossed that you are wrong, and Hudson couldn't possibly end it like that, could she?! - I was reading the last few pages with an uneasy feeling of dread in my stomach. This novel is a little gem, heart-warming and heart shattering in equal measure - laughing and crying along with this cast of wonderful characters is not to be missed!

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Impulse & Killer Reads for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

I love books written in letter form, I find them so easy to read and get into the character's heads.
I thought that their friendship was lovely, friends from school are precious.
Such a lovely book and incredibly easy to read.

Aggie’s friendship with Rosie Hughes was shattered fifteen years ago. However, after hearing that Rosie is stationed in Kuwait as a weather forecaster on the the eve of the Iraq War, Aggie buries the past and writes to her. What follows is their series of correspondences and the comforting words they provide as they navigate their different, unpredictable worlds.

There’s something magical about this second-chance friendship. In the opening letter from Aggie, it’s understood that her relationship with Rosie ended badly, but there isn’t an immediate explanation as to what happened. Aggie appears to have just had a moment of spontaneity, but Author Melanie Hudson expertly drops hints in each subsequent letter, peeling back the layers of the connection between these two women.

Hudson deserves praise for how she handles this format. Letters and emails can be intensely personal forms of communication, but they also require a bit of familiarity of the subjects in order to achieve full appreciation. However, as Aggie writes about missed deadlines and writer’s block and Rosie responds with the tensions of war, Hudson uses this rekindled friendship to her advantage— she drops backstory and new complications with ease. It reads as chatty, rather than as the stilted ramblings they could. Even more remarkably, Aggie’s complaints of working as a ghost writer hold up against Rosie’s apprehensions of fitting in in a war zone. These sections are of two friends needing to depend on one another for support, whether that’s venting when a rucksack is too heavy or if a cake isn’t spongy enough.

All of this is aided by the addition of correspondences with other characters. Aggie writes to her mother, Rosie writes to her parents, and a charming doctor who works with Rosie, Gethyn, takes up chatting with Aggie. It’s interesting reading as the same information is disseminated to different individuals— not everyone is offered the same perspective, sometimes complicating their interactions. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s heartbreaking, but it’s always insightful as to what these characters actually believe.

At its core, this is a story of a friendship that feels so real, so true. There’s hope and intense joy, but also devastating pain— everything that comes with loving another person. We should all have what Hudson describes within these pages— a friend that we can turn to, even after fifteen years, and keep on as though time never passed.

Perfect chick lit! I loved the premise and the characters were well developed! I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

Rosie and Aggie used to be best friends but then fell out of touch after something happened before they went to university. Fast forward 15 years and Rosie signs up to go to the Persian Gulf as a meteorologist and Aggie is a ghost author, suffering from a writer's block. The two women start to write to each other and in a series of letters and emails we can see the strength of their friendship, as they explore their dreams, hopes and regrets.

I absolutely adored the way the book was written. The letters were sometimes able to tell us more than a conversation, the characters opened much more on the pages than face to face and it made the reading so captivating and interesting. The two main characters were totally different but it was easy to see why they used to be best friends, and also why they lost touch. Rosie's relationship with her parents was beautiful and I loved their letters to each other, and how they tried to protect the other one. We see Rosie, after all the drama in her life, adapting to her new life in the desert, watching the results of war and the horrors of it. Aggie is the larger than life in this friendship, has brilliant sense of humour and doesn't treat herself too seriously and is not afraid to laugh at herself. Her dating adventures were hilarious. But there was also a hidden depth to her, the other side - the vulnerable one. She was colourful and there was nothing stopping her, while Rosie wanted just to blend in - but it doesn't mean that she wasn't a great character, because she was. Learning about her life, of her losses, of everything that happened to her was heart - breaking. There were of course other lovely characters - Gethyn, Rosie's parents, Aggies's new friends at the cafe - even though they were not completely introduced to us, I still had a feeling that I know them, that they are simply good people. They all added tons of depth and humour to the story.

The letters between the characters were mostly short but they contained all the information that we needed, and the informal way of them made the book so easy to read and - actually - really chatty. You don't always need all the details, I liked that there was room for imagination left to us. The author writes in such a way that you can identify with all the feelings and emotions the characters experience. You feel pain, fear, hope and joy - it is so perfectly captured.

So now. My problem. I loved this book, it was beautiful. Until almost the end. But at the end the author has made a decision that I've simply couldn't agree with - it was a "no" from me. If I were a "normal" reader, and not a reviewer, who also appreciates thousands of other details that made me fell in love with this book, I probably wouldn't give the book the 4 stars - it would be much, much less, simply because I can't agree with the decision. I know it wasn't my decision but still, it crushed me. It left me in pieces. For me, it wasn't necessary. I appreciate it but don't understand it. Now I'm going to shut up. But let me repeat that it was a beautiful, poignant, moving story about love, friendship and family, about new beginnings and second chances. About the value of friendship, about making the most of every day. It was charming and emotional, full of different kinds of feelings and emotions and I adored it. Highly recommended!

Told solely through letters and emails, Dear Rosie Hughes is an uplifting and heartwarming story about the power of friendship. Discard any preconceptions about the style of storytelling as I can assure you it still packs the same amount of emotion that a traditional novel would. When it comes to this book, there is more to it than what meets the eye and I think it will take a lot of people by surprise – in a good way! Even though the story primarily focuses on the letters between Rosie and Aggie, we also read letters from Rosie’s parents, brother and even her medic colleague Gethyn… and many more. *mysterious music* I also want to say that I loved that the story was set in a small Yorkshire village. More books set in God’s Own Country, please and thank you!

One of the (many) things that I enjoyed very much about Dear Rosie Hughes was how easy it was to get into, and how it flowed so well. Don’t you just it hate when you need to read 50 pages of a book before it gets going? I raced through this book, grumbling at any time I had to set the book aside for adulting and other life commitments. When will I find a job that pays me to read all day? #seriousquestion

From the first chapter, Aggie’s unique voice leapt off the page and into my heart. I immediately fell in love with her as a character, and after I finished the book I desperately wanted more Aggie adventures. A spin-off, please? I also have to give a special mention to our heroine Rosie, who was such a deliciously complex character. Her story, and what she had been through, made my heart physically ache and added nuance to the overall story. I wasn’t aware that Melanie Hudson had actually personally served in the British Armed Forces, so her experience ensured Rosie’s story was told in a genuine and authentic way without unncessary military jargon.

This book is set out in "eblueys" and emails sent between Rosie and her friend Aggie, as well as her colleague Gethyn and her family and neighbours. They introduce the fact that Aggie and Rosie haven't spoken for some time as they catch up on the missing years as well as discuss their current adventures and woes, including divorce, family, and being deployed in the lead up to the Iraq War.

The lack of proper chapters was a bit of a trap, as it was just a little bit addictive to keep reading and reading long after I should have put it down to do important stuff! I was really gripped by the funny, sentimental and nostalgic way the correspondence between the characters unfolded and it was a clever concept done well.

I loved getting lost in the memories of the friends; the sense of loss, family dynamics, and how their lives evolved to their present situations. I particularly felt real emotion reading Rosie's Dad's emails to her, they were so full of love and worry partially hidden behind gossip and village drama.

Aggie's adventures off to Scotland provided stunningly peaceful and tranquil scenery in comparison to Rosie's existence in the unsettled desert. However, both characters had found a peace in the basics of living with very little luxuries, and though both had fled in many ways to escape their realities, they both are on a path of self discovery, assisted by new friends, and each other, across the miles.

With a strong sense of sisterhood and a poignant finish, this book is definitely one to easily get lost in and enjoy.

I’d heard a lot of positive reviews about this book, so I was interested in reading it. The cover is a bit misleading, as it had me assuming it’d be a sweet little book, but it was more than that. The book is a series of letter between friends Rosie and Aggie, as well as a few other characters. In doing this, the story stayed on point without any unnecessary narrative. The beauty of friendship is clearly displayed as the story unfolds. The reader is able to connect and feel a part of the characters’ lives. This is an emotional, heartfelt tale.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

OMGoodness! What an absolute delight. Rosie and Aggie were best friends until they weren't- largely due to Rosie's brother Simon. Now Rosie has found herself on the brink of divorce and in Iraq predicting the weather with the British Army while Aggie, a novelist, is at loose ends. Aggie moves to Appledart, Scotland to care for a friend's cafe and her world changes as much as Rosie's. The two begin corresponding- and the story of their friendship spools out. You'll also read letters and emails from Rosie's parents, her soon-to-be ex Josh, young Oliver the foster child, and best of all from Geythn, a physician serving with Rosie. Hudson doesn't sugar coat Rosie's time in Iraq (there's some terrific imagery.). I truly enjoyed this novel- fell completely head over heels with all the characters- and cried at the end. Yes, I did. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Highly recommend this. It's much much more than it might seem from the cover.

I am going to be honest, this was a solid 5-stars for me UNTIL the 98% mark. Hudson made a decision, that I sort of understood, but just could not accept. Sorry. I know there will be people, who will be ok with it, but it crushed me.

That said, I actually really enjoyed this book. It was a beautiful story about the power of friendship and connection. It was about beginnings and endings, starting anew and saying goodbye.

Aggie and Rosie had been childhood friends, but stopped talking after a falling out before they went to university. Fast forward 15 or so years, and they reconnect via letters after Rosie was deployed to the Middle East. It was in these letters, that we see the embers of this friendship start to glow brighter and brighter, as these women become reacquainted with one another. I have to say, this was a fine piece of women's lit in that they explored their hopes, dreams, and regrets, but they also cheered each other up and cheered each other on. Seriously, cue "The Wind Beneath My Wings".

Aggie was absolutely hilarious. She was colorful and had no filter. I absolutely adored her. Rosie was just trying to "keep her head down", and get through her time in the Middle East with the Army, and when I learned of the losses she had suffered over the years, I obviously cried. Aside from two fantastic MCs, Hudson filled out the story with some wonderful side characters. I loved getting to know Rosie's mum and dad and Gethyn and all the fine folks at the Cafe. They added a lot of fun to the story, and also, additional points of view, which helped me see the bigger picture.

The tears I am shedding as I write this review are a testament to my affection for these characters. Do I wish a few things would have played out a little differently? Yes, but I have no regrets about taking this journey with Aggie and Rosie.

Often I find myself writing about how much I “love” a book and how terrific it is – and it is – because it is rare that I don’t thoroughly enjoy a book with its power to transport me to a different place or another time, to escape for just a little while. So when a book comes along that genuinely surprises me, catches me off-guard and completely rocks me to my core, often I am left speechless. Such was the case with Dear Rosie Hughes, a beautiful book written by Melanie Hudson. I finished this book very early on Christmas morning before anyone else was awake. The family woke to find me sitting in front of the fire bawling my eyes out wondering what, on earth, was the matter with their poor old mom! It has taken me several weeks to compose myself and my thoughts well enough to write this review and even now I know I will not do it justice.

When I received Dear Rosie Hughes I assumed it was a sweet, cozy read. The cover is cute, the premise is precious. Two adult women who have been lifelong friends since childhood fell out of touch over something that happened in their early adulthood. When Rosie signs up to go to the Persian Gulf as a meteorologist, she and Aggie begin writing to one another again – just to pass the time while Rosie is away. The book itself is a series of letters between Aggie and Rosie, Rosie and her parents, Rosie’s fellow soldier and Aggie, and various other peripheral characters that come in and out of their lives throughout the story. As the book unfolds we learn more about each of the women, their relationships with one another, with their parents, their town, with Rosie’s husband whom she may or may not be divorcing, the child Rosie lost and Aggie’s myriad of interesting dates. We watch as Rosie first adapts to life in the desert, then becomes dejected as the truth is revealed about why they actually are there, her horror as the war begins, her struggle as one of the few women in the camps. We read about Aggie who uses humor, hysterical, laugh-out-loud humor, to cover her pain of rejection that she has suffered throughout her life and we see her growth as she takes on the responsibility of writing her own book as well as running a café in Scotland. The growth in friendship and maturity for everyone involved is a beauty to read and behold as it unfolds.

As I began reading, I was somewhat dismayed that the entire book was nothing except correspondence between various people but as I continued reading I realized that this truly was one of the most intimate methods of communicating thoughts and feelings that I’ve ever come across in fiction. By the time I concluded the book, I was so completely and utterly invested in these characters’ lives that I felt as though they were my friends, my daughters, my son, my town. Perhaps it is because my husband was in the military and we were involved in the Persian Gulf, the first one not the second, and we had friends who fought and who died there. Perhaps the relevancy was so close to me that I identified with the hope, the joy and the pain. Or, perhaps, Hudson captured it all so perfectly that we all can identify with these women and their friendship, their family, and their loss. Regardless of why this book affected me so deeply, I only know that it did and it is, by far, one of the very best books I have read in a long time. If you don’t read another book that I recommend in 2019, please read this one. Rosie and Aggie’s story are waiting for you.

My eternal gratitude to @Netgalley, @HarperImpulse and @Melanie_Hudson for allowing me the honor of reading #DearRosieHughes

I have a love hate relationship with this book. I love the premise and the characters. I hate the format of a narrative in e-mails and letters. It's like it takes so long to read anything this way. On the plus side reconnecting of old friends is nice. Their relationship weathered many things. I enjoyed seeing the personality of each coming through clearly. The story line felt a bit slow at times. Overall, the pace was okay and the story well written. I have no opinion about the end. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Taking place during the Iraq invasion, two childhood friends reconnect by sending letters. Other letters followed from parents, villagers, and a fellow soldier.

It was an emotional, funny, enjoyable read. It was great insight to female friendships.

This book could have been an interesting read but when I finished it, I felt cheated and manipulated.

Among the problems I had was that throughout the novel, I had to really pay attention to which character is sending e/mail to which other character. The book just never flowed at all because of this. Also there was too much navel gazing. The plot never felt spontaneous but rather as if it was ticking off boxes on an outline.

I felt that there were perhaps a few too many characters. It seemed odd that Rosie and Aggie reply to each other usually within a day but there is other correspondence which they don't respond to until I've already forgotten that those characters even wrote to (usually) Rosie.

Midway through and book started to drag for me although since the war had finally got underway, I would have thought it would be the opposite.

If it had remained a "women discovering their inner strength" story I would have enjoyed it more. But instead I slogged all the way through only to get the ending. I loathed the ending. After the promise of "feel good" and "wonderful" I felt as if I'd been kicked in the teeth.

Thank you NetGalley for the early read of Dear Rosie Hughes by Melanie Hudson. This story of two friends that quit speaking to each other and then found their way back to each other was wonderful. I often found myself smiling at the witty banter back and forth in their letters and e-mails. I will be recommending this novel to all my bookish friends.