I had to let this one set for a day or so before I could write my thoughts down. This story grabbed me from the start and I had to keep going even when I really should have been doing more productive things. The main characters, Jane and Adam are both going through some tough times and Jane has some difficult family history that becomes more difficult when she discovers a secret about her father after he passed through letters he left behind. This book delves into body image, how families can hurt one another and forgiveness. Letters from Strangers was really well done and I definitely recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: May 27, 2025

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the digital ARC and author Susan Walter for the gifted physical ARC!

I have loved all of the thrillers I have read by Walter, and in Letters From Strangers she does a big genre switch-up. This can sometimes be a risky move for thriller authors but Walter stuck the landing. 10/10, no notes.

First, there are some heavy topics discussed in this book and I don't feel it's a spoiler to share them: disordered eating, infertility, and grief. I cried my little eyes out several different times throughout, and even though this isn't a thriller, there is a pretty big twist I didn't see coming that was very well-executed. A very impressive genre change-up, in my opinion. Kudos!

I will be anxiously awaiting whatever Susan Walter comes up with next! Letters From Strangers pub date is May 27.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an early copy of this emotional book. This review is my honest opinion.
After the death of her father, Jane finds letters that were written from a woman who had a relationship with her father that resulted in perhaps Jane’s half sibling.
Across the country another letter affects an adopted teenager. Adam is struggling with his appearance and understanding that he is not like other teenagers. He reads a letter from his birth mother and starts a quest to find out who she is.
You know when you begin to pull that thread and it begins to unravel? That is what happens to Jane and Adam.
Out of letters of secrets and painful decisions becomes an awareness of self worth and courage to acknowledge your past to find your future.

This story touches on some very touchy subjects and the secrets that are hidden within a family. From addiction to self sabotage, no one really knows what's lurking behind closed doors.

After the death of her father, Jane discovers her father is keeping secrets that threaten to destroy her. But not all is as it seems as we dive into the letters discovered and the secrets they all have been keeping.

A few moments of I didn't see that coming, and I kept me on my toes. I was roped in from the start.

In the wake of her father's death, Jane is left to clean out a drawer of letters from her father's mistress.... a mistress everyone in her immediate family knew about except her. Dealing with this information paints the father she's always adored in a totally different light. In addition to shocking her, the letters also force Jane to confront some less than perfect details of her own personal history.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought that getting the story from two different perspectives and also from letters going back and forth might be confusing, but I've read this author before I should have known she would handle it beautifully in a way that weaves a story you can't put down. It's hard to explain the things I loved about this story specifically without sharing spoilers, but I can say that this is a totally different genre than I'm used to with Walter and I hope it introduces her to new readers; for example, fans of Jodi Picoult would absolutely love this story and the way it's told. Absolutely loved it, highly recommended across the board!

Emotional and heartbreaking, yet rewarding, Letters from Strangers captures teen and adult angst very realistically. The level of understanding of and compassion for some of the specific issues (eating disorders, teen pregnancy, adoption, sexual orientation) are remarkable in one story. A captivating book…

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Letters from Strangers b Susan Walter was a thoughtful and emotional read. I enjoyed how the story unfolded through letters and the way both Jane and Adam’s paths slowly came together. It did a good job showing how complicated family relationships can be, especially when secrets come to the surface. There were definitely moments that pulled me in, and I appreciated the different perspectives. It wasn’t overly dramatic, it had the right amount of shock value but still felt real at the same time. This was definitely a character-driven book that readers will connect with it. I’m giving it 3.5 stars and would recommend it if you’re in the mood for something reflective, heartfelt and at times a bit heavy. All in all good read.
Good book.

WOW. What a tender read. Thoughtful and raw. Adam and Jane’s story is a journey and has so much self reflection. The writing is beautiful and so relatable to people trying to find their familial roots.

Letters from Strangers by Susan Walter is a beautifully woven tale of loss, discovery, and unexpected connections. The story pulls you in from the very first page, blending heartbreak and hope as it explores how past secrets shape present lives. If you enjoy character-driven stories filled with emotion and intrigue, Letters from Strangers is a must-read. It's a poignant reminder that our pasts don’t define us, and it’s up to us how we move forward.

No good can come from secrets! This book explores the impact of grief and the damage secrets create. The book is set around a secret found out after a death and how past perceptions can be altered by the truth. The author handles many topics with great sensitivity. This was a very interesting read.

I love this book! This keeps you page turning all through the night. The suspense, the heartbreak, you feel like you’re right alongside them all. A perfect heart wrenching summer read!!

Really loved this book. The writing style kept you engaged in their stories. All the characters felt real and genuine. I was rooting for them. There is a bit of a twist in the end but the ending was very satisfying. Would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read this intriguing book.

Be still my heart! Why? Because this book had SO MUCH HEART! It was heartbreaking, heartaching, heartwarming, heart-throbbing, heart wrenching…..I think you get the picture.

In California, as thirty-four year old Jane and her husband Greg grapple with infertility issues, her father suddenly dies, leaving Jane broken hearted and completely grief stricken. As she’s cleaning out her father’s desk, she comes across a stack of letters revealing a secret life that her father led. In Boston, adopted seventeen-year old Adam is grappling with body image issues and an ongoing struggle with his father who has different dreams for his son when his parents present him with a stack of unsigned letters from his birth mother. In this emotional and poignant story that examines adoption, eating disorders, infidelity, infertility and family secrets, we come to better understand the strength, resiliency and courage of the human spirit.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the experience of reading this beautiful story in exchange for my honest opinion. Publication date: May 27

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this story. It was so beautifully written even though it included heartbreaking decisions that had to be made. The story follows Jane who is happily married and in her 30s. The only thing missing is a child that she so desperately wants. As her and her husband go through the steps of trying to conceive and go through life, her father unexpectedly passes away. While Jane helps her mom go through his papers, she comes across a stack of letters to another woman who may have had a baby by her father. Does Jane have an unknown sibling out there, how can she not investigate this to try and find out the whole secret life of her father? Another part of the story involves 17 year old Adam struggling with is body image and trying to fit in with his family and friends. What they both have in common is that they are look for a woman who may or may not want to be found. Great writing, great characters, this one touched my heart and I felt the pain when these characters had to make their painful decisions!!! Enjoy!!

In "Letters from Strangers," protagonist Jane confronts the abrupt passing of her father, an event that evokes a profound interplay of sorrow and revelations. As she meticulously examines his possessions, she stumbles upon a collection of letters that unveil her father's concealed existence, including the startling possibility of a half-sibling stemming from an extramarital relationship. This unexpected revelation propels Jane on a journey to locate the woman linked to her father's clandestine past while she navigates her own challenges, notably issues of infertility and familial estrangement.

Concurrently, sixteen-year-old Adam, residing on the opposite coast, embarks on a path of self-destructive behavior in his quest for identity. His adoptive parents unwittingly present him with unsigned letters from his biological mother, which ignite a fervent desire to uncover the truth about his origins. Despite the geographical separation between Jane and Adam, both are inexorably drawn together by their mutual search for a woman who appears intent on remaining elusive, compelling them to confront the truths of their familial legacies and their own identities.

Spanning two decades, the novel delves into themes of grief, identity, and the intricacies of familial relationships. It evolves from a mystery into a poignant coming-of-age narrative, emphasizing the emotional odyssey of both characters. With intricately developed personas and universally relatable struggles, "Letters from Strangers" ultimately illustrates how individuals can discover resilience and healing amid the remnants of their past, culminating in a profound conclusion that lingers long after you’ve finished the novel.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

Letters from Strangers starts as a mystery and eventually evolves into more of a coming-of-age story. features two perspectives. Jane discovers hidden letters after her father’s death that suggested he had a second family; as such, Jane wants to find her supposed half-brother. Meanwhile, teenage Adam receives letters from his adoptive parents, which fuel his desire to find his birth mother.

Aside from family, the novel also covered numerous themes, like gender identity, eating disorders, grief, infertility, and more. It felt like a lot at times, and I do wonder if a smaller, focused set of themes would have brought greater impact.

While reading, I felt this was an emotional and thoughtful novel. At first I struggled to stay engaged, but later got into the flow with Adam’s YA-esque perspective. Overall, quite comforting and sweet, and certainly a nice break from the chaos of romance/drama and psychological novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC!

I enjoyed reading this book. There were several sets of letters that were, to me, a little confusing at times. The book was mainly about Jane and her family which was a little dysfunctional but in a normal way. I will recommend this book and I will read another from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.

A well paced reading. The novel begins as a mystery but unfolds a mix of feelings and emotions. While the characters personal struggles add depth and emotional
Impact the mystery surrounding the letters kept me engaged and eager to discover the truth .

Jane’s father Richard has died, her discovery of letters that he had a secret life has led to opening a Pandora’s box.
This was a thought provoking novel by Susan Walter that really hit home for me in so many different ways.
I found myself totally engrossed in the story and the characters.
The story pulled in from the very beginning and I did not want to put it down. I was up very late finishing the book in one day.
So many emotions, and feelings from these characters.
Adoption, abortion, sexual identity, anorexia, grief, infertility, searching for the truth, made this a compelling novel.
A story that truly resonates with me and tugged at my heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

i was invested in this story before i had even begun reading it. the story is about family, loss and emotion. it was the perfect read for when you wanna feel all of the emotions, loved it