I am back to my favorite genre again: historical fiction. This week, I am reviewing The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn, a work of historical fiction that could also be classified as a romance novel.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant toggles between two distinct eras: 1951 and 2018.
In 1951 Esther is depressed after the sudden death of her youngest son and her husband, John, does not know what to do to help her. Eventually he calls upon psychiatrist Richard Cresswell, who on the isolated island of Little Embers helps veterans recover from the trauma they experienced during war. Esther is his first female patient on the island.
Decades later, in 2018, marine biologist Rachel Parker is washed ashore during a violent storm at Little Embers. She recuperates with the help of Leah, the only inhabitant on the island. Rachel discovers a stash of love letters in a suitcase full of clothes Leah offers her. Rachel is determined to return the never mailed letters to “E” and determine the writer’s identity.
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting parsing between the two time periods and putting the pieces together. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or romance stories.
~Emma
Read it or Weep 