Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy for my honest opinion.

This wasn’t my favorite. I did like Evelyn and her letters, but this book was slow to start. I think the author tried to do too much with too many issues and subplots and that made me lose interest. I didn’t care for Hannah either. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t for me.

Hannah’s boyfriend cheated on her, she lost her job and after dealing with depression, leaves Chicago for Senatobia Mississippi to care for her grandmother.

Hannah takes a job at small newspaper and doesn’t get a real assignment. Her boss, Monty, then tasks Hannah to clean out the archives in the basement of the newspaper office. Hannah then finds letters written to the newspaper by Evelyn, and it tells a mysterious tale.

I absolutely got sucked in and could not put this book down!

RECOMMEND

Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Thanks to #Netgalley for an advance copy of #WhatsLeftUnsaid in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book by Emily Bleeker, I have read quite a few of her books and this one didn’t disappoint.
If I’m being honest it did start a little slow but once we got into the nitty gritty of the story it kept me quite engrossed in the story of Hannah and her mamaw.
I had no idea this was a true story until I got the the acknowledgments which I’m not going to lie I don’t usually read. I’m glad I did today.
This story is heartbreaking, it touches on so many subjects. Sexual assault, coercion, abuse, racism, injustice and equality.
It’s a sad story but needed to be told. In the end it was good to have the closure.
Please snag this one on the Publication day, you will not be disappointed!!

First oh my goodness. This book was mindblowing and I'm sad it's finished. I was impressed how Ms.Bleeker weaved issues of today into such an amazing story.
I particularly loved our Main Character Hannah because she was soo relatable. I'm everyone can relate to her life and the things and emotions she battled with throughout this book. I'd definitely recommend this to everyone and anyone looking for something new to dive into. You won't be disappointed.

A beautifully written plot.

A reminder of happiness always exist but with tinge of hardships in life.


Whilst reading Evelyn's story, Hannah compares her life with that of Evelyn. Hannah life is turned complicated by the death of her father and the post breakup trauma. Wheras, Evelyn's life is crippled since her mother's death. Evelyn is seperated from her younger brother and one sister and they being brought up by strangers. Evelyn and Martyl lives with their father and their step mother who tortures Evelyn. Evenly later on in life being crippled by the gun shot. The truth is what Hannah struggles to expose and find out how Evelyn turned crippled and why was she shot.

I liked reading it. Hannah trying to compare herself with Evelyn as both have similar experiences with life.

This is another one I just didn’t love. I had trouble getting into the story and wanted it to move faster and get to the point. I also found the writing a bit too preachy (seems to be a recurring theme of the reviews I am writing tonight). I will say I did remain a bit curious in regards to the mystery which is why I finished the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I would give this southern drama/mystery 3.5 stars.
I am a big fan of Emily Bleeker's work and the premise of this story prompted me to request this NetGalley ARC. Typically her stories suck me in and don't let go until the end. With this one I was intrigued but not fully immersed until the last few chapters.
I struggled to connect with the protagonist, Hannah, through the first two-thirds of the book. Hannah came to stay with her grandmother after a series of events left her broken. Hannah goes through the motions of healing, yet her actions annoyed me instead of making me feel empathy for her. My favorite character was Guy and his daughter Rosie.
What kept me invested and turning the pages, was the mystery Hannah uncovers, surrounding letters written by the mysterious Evelyn. This part of the storyline was compelling and even though Hannah's actions irritated me, I wanted to know about Evelyn as much as she did.
I must note that I appreciated the manner which Bleeker handles some difficult subject matter. One of those is the issue of racial prejudice both historically and in current times. Another important topic was depression. Both topics were handled with care and the characters conversations were authentic and important.
Overall this was a decent story, but lacked the flow and depth of Bleeker's previous novels.

I've read other books from this author and enjoyed them, but this was not that. It felt like everything took forever to develop and I kind of slogged through it. It was super predictable and I felt at one point like we were never going to get to the big reveal. The main character was also terrible. I hated her and felt like she talked in circles throughout the book. Definite miss for me.
I would not recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Emily Bleeker knows how to tell a story about family and lost connections. Her historical fiction aspect in this book is spot on. I love the chapters with the letters written by the young girl. I like that Hannah recognizes and works through her insecurities and issues with the reader, feels real and like you’re talking to a friend. I really enjoyed this story and think it would be perfect for book club discussion with all the different subject matter in the book. Emily ties it all in beautifully.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of What's Left Unsaid by Emily Bleeker.

Hannah is working at a small town newspaper while taking care of her aging Mawmaw, and none of it is ideal. However, after her long term relationship came to a screeching halt, it's the distraction that she really needs. But her job is wildly unfulfilling and she is desperate to sink her teeth in a real story.

But after stumbling across a bundle of letters written to the agency, she finds a very promising story. Young Evelyn was shot in the 1930's, but who shot her, and why?

As Evelyn digs more and more into the story, she also learns more about the people in the town, her Mawmaw, and herself.

First off, solid premise. Good character development, I liked the mystery, wrapped with the friendships, romance, and family. My biggest complaint, it's very long winded. Like, I get it! It did not need to take as long as it did to get there. Also, the dialogue is a bit saccharine and OTT.

Amost interesting story, especially after I discovered it´s the retelling of a real one. There are so many mysteries in life and I believe the one that is told in this book is one of them which puts things right. There´s the beautiful way of southern ways of life and speaking, the challenges faced by someone who was not raised within those boundaries of cordiality and good manners, the need to find things, places and memories in common to enable people to move on forward. Life in the beginning of the 20th century, for sure, was much tougher on women than nowadays and I´m so glad to read a recount of a personal real story so full of color, details and no regrets just joy. Emily Bleeker did a great job and I thoroughly enjoyed her journey to the past. Really, really entertaining!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book to read and review.

I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy reading this book as much as I did. Hannah is a journalist from Chicago who, after a series of rough events, has moved to stay with her elderly grandmother in small town Mississippi.

She has lost her partner, her job, her father and is hiding out in a small town newspaper covering the local spelling bee competition when she finds a letter from the 1930’s written a mystery woman Evelyn.

As Hannah sorts through the old paperwork to archive it, she finds more letters from Evelyn. Each letter seems to speak directly to Hannah’s own situation.

Set in Mississippi gives the story the backdrop where Hannah starts developing feelings for mixed race single father Guy. A big mistake on her part trying to find out more about Evelyn puts everything about her relationship with Guy and his future at risk.

Iloved how Evelyn’s story intersects with Hannah’s family story and the author’s own family history. Such a special aspect to this deep and personal story. It’s a beautiful read! 👍

There are so many books to read in this world that if one doesn't grab me pretty quickly or if the story is told at a slow pace, I tend to move on to something else. I realize that my doing this means I will overlook some amazing treasures but that is a risk I take. The premise of this book and the fact that it is based on a true story is most intriguing and makes it worth a look. Thank you Emily Bleeker, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Solid Work of Fiction. This is a difficult one. There is *so much* "white people are evil" "racial discussion" through the first 2/3 of the book that at the time it looked like it would be my first *ever* 4* review for this author (and I've reviewed *all* of her prior books, either after publication or, as in this case, as advance reader copies). That noted, it *did* have a couple of moments of calling out the white guilt in ways I've often wanted to scream myself. Between these moments and the back third largely dropping these discussions in favor of more deeply diving into the substance of the tale at hand, the latest 5* review was indeed saved, as the story overall is in fact that strong - particularly that back third, when the various discussions and plot threads are woven together quite remarkably... and explosively. Indeed, while it is not known if the *exact* resolution of everything is real, one could very easily imagine it being so. I read for escapism, and if you're looking for that particular goal in the current environment... maybe wait a few years to read this one. But realize that this one was effectively finished (minus the polishing and publication mechanics) right as the race wars of the summer of 2020 were exploding, which alone provides a degree of context for much of those discussions. Overall a truly strong book for what it is, and still very much recommended.

This was the first Emily Bleeker book that I have read. I was surprised and enjoyed the twists and turns of this story. Like a few others, I had no idea until the end that parts of this were based on a true story.
The story of Evelyn, Hannah and her Mammaw, Hannah and Guy, Hannah and her Mom and finally the closure of Hanna and Her Ex are so interesting and relatable. It was a lovely read and I recommend this book 100%!
#whatsleftunsaid #netgalley #emilybleeker

First, allow me to say I enjoy Emily Bleeker’s work. That is the primary reason I requested this ARC. If I didn’t know better, I might think What’s Left Unsaid was written by someone else. It seemed a bit of a left turn for Bleeker. That is not to say I didn’t enjoy it, but there was an element of Southern racial history. A bit of an educational line paralleling the plot.

There were some southern stereotypes clearly portrayed in some of the characters, Hannah’s grandmother’s helpless, hapless eyelash batting overlaid a tough caring center that served her well living in Mississippi for her 90+ years.

Hannah’s boss at the local newspaper another sort of cliche-the big strong man to the rescue, couldn’t help but condescend with his “huns, Missies” and unasked for advice. He only aggravated an already precarious situation for Hannah.

Even Hannah was a shadow of herself - hopeless after her relationship break up, lost job, death of her father. A grown woman with no idea how to cope. She was sent to “help” take care of her incapacitated grandmother in small-town Mississippi. To recover herself and get over her ex.

Working as a reporter in the local newspaper office Hannah stumbles on a mystery article never printed. The comparison EB makes between Hannah’s life and the mysterious Evelyn’s seems awfully far fetched. 90 year’s between.

Paralleling Hannah’s failed relationship feelings and her brother’s reaction against her feelings about her family’s history of racial prejudices. Really? Odd.

Hannah’s budding friendship with a black man, Guy, and his daughter causes her grandmother some consternation which was difficult for her and maybe the reader to understand, but is explained near the end of the book.

Guy told Hannah a Magnolia tree metaphor concerning his father’s thoughts on racism - and work toward change or run away. Be looking for that. Nice work.

Hannah seems a bumbling, can’t do anything right mess. She makes many impulsive decisions in her pursuit of the truth about Evelyn’s story and the newspaper’s hiding of the letters received from her. Her bad decisions end up causing Guy some serious consequences, but ultimately she sets things straight and between the two they reveal the long-held secret.

Strong, different type of story for EB.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a great story of self.forgiveness and perseverance. I will admit I did not like Hannah at first, but I came around. This book is so timely and relatable.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will for sure be reading more! This is a book full of suspense, intrigue, heartache, and pain. Definitely a good read that will keep you wondering!
A definite surprise ending I never expected!

Hannah Williamson, a promising young journalist living in Chicago, is at an all-time low. She is at a crossroads in her young life; her boyfriend has deserted her after cheating on her and is already planning his wedding, then her beloved father has died way too young. All the losses and disappointments she has suffered have made her lose her self-confidence, ambitions and joie de vivre so she needs a new beginning where she will be loved and welcomed, but the local community does not know what she has been going through. She has completely lost her way and needs time to regroup. She plans to go to her father’s home town of Senatobia in Mississippi and look after her much loved paternal grandmother who is unwell and confined to her bedroom. She knows this will be the best way to recover.
Upon arrival in Senatobia Hannah acquires a job in the offices of the local newspaper. The work is boring and dusty as she is isolated in a basement room charged with organising and photocopying the archives of newspapers from way back, even before she was born and the current editor had taken on the job when his father had retired. However she soon becomes engrossed in her menial task when she comes across some letters that had been sent to the editor of the local rag in the 1930’s by a young lady called Evelyn who had detailed her life from just before the age of fourteen. Hannah immediately identifies with her because she sees the similarities with her own life. They had both been unlucky in love and had suffered loss.
Work soon becomes an obsession. She cannot wait until she finds another letter in the archives from Evelyn, because it soon appears that Evelyn is telling her story in as a serial. She wanted to record what had happened to her so the burden of knowledge was off her chest and she could get on with her life, knowing that the truth would be told at the discretion of the Editor. Hannah is astonished when at last the truth is revealed. The truth was that she had become paralyzed at the age of fourteen when she miraculously survived a horrific shooting in her home, which resulted in her disability and made her wheelchair bound. Hannah was hooked; she wanted to find out who had shot Evelyn, already knowing that Evelyn would keep writing to the editor until her story was completed. She was appalled that the shooting had not been reported and decides to make further investigations of her own, encouraged and helped by Guy Franklin, a friend of her grandmother’s.
‘What's Left Unsaid’ is the story of Hannah’s obsessive investigations underlining the fact that the letters were rejected and never went into print. What makes it so special is that the story is based on true life and factual information divulged by one of Emily Bleeker’s close relatives. It is a story she has felt compelled to write, a mystery story of long buried wrong-doings, secrecy, love and loss, racism, abuse and suppression of a crime, profiteering and much more. I liked the premise of the storyboard, but I found the storytelling lacked pace and I did not take to Hannah as a character at all. I thought she was self-serving and acted beyond the limits. She caused so much trouble for others as well as herself as she continued acting rashly.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Lake Union Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy. These are my own honest opinions, without any outside influences. This novel posed so many questions that were very uncomfortable. Clearly Evelyn did not receive the support that she so obviously needed. I was shocked that her family were complicit and felt very sad, especially when I read that the story was based upon true events. 3.5*

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Why This Book? I chose this book to read based on its description. I was curious to know how the author would weave articles about the life of a fourteen year old girl (Evelyn) who lived in the 1930's with the life of a modern day journalist (Hannah). By the time I finished reading the book, I had my answer. I was impressed by the method the author used to switch from Evelyn's articles to Hannah's life. It was done in a way that wasn't confusing or overly done.

Writing Style. I feel the author's writing style flowed nicely for me. I connect most with books that keep it simple. So, this was an easy read. The story was told in a way I could envision and get immersed into the plot without being lulled to sleep or skipping pages due to long winded explanations or overly done descriptions. And, I didn't need to interrupt my reading flow to Google any of the words!

The Plot. What I liked most about this book was: 1) Hannah's character, particularly her curiosity, tenacity, vulnerability and sense of humor (yes, even her occasional cursing) that she brought into every interaction with the other characters; 2) the author did a nice job of character development in that I knew enough about each character to understand their tie in to the story; and 3) the plot twists the author dropped into the story were pleasantly surprising.

What I liked least about the book was the stereotypical role that the only African American woman (Carla) was given, which was housekeeper/maid. She was a third generation housekeeper for Hannah's grandmother's family who owned a plantation once upon a time. Although the story takes place in a small town in the South, giving Carla that role just seemed a bit cliché.

Bottom Line. I liked this book. It is a memorable story. I particularly appreciate the honest and straightforward way the author shows the power of conversation when it comes to difficult topics like depression, family secrets, and racism; and she carries that theme through most of the character interactions in the story. My favorite line, which seems to sum up the lessons each of the key characters learned in their own way is: "It seemed that standing firm, telling the truth, and making amends were the key..."