The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft

 

"Since the night Adey had vanished into the blizzard, her life had borne all the hallmarks of the worst, most sensationalised and unbelievable of soap operas. But, unfortunately, that's what she had to deal with. And so she would".

The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft is a moving story of love, deception and sacrifice that will tug on your heart strings.

Blurb:

A secret romance was just the start of the story.

Tucked into a crook of the Norfolk coast lies Nelson's Bar - an idyllic village where time seems to stand still. Maddy Cracey has called this beautiful spot home all her life, as has her husband Adey - until an epic row sent him storming out into a blizzard, with no sign of him since that fateful night.

Six years on, and Maddy's life in the village has settled into a gentle pattern with her younger daughter and Great Aunt Ruthie. However, when handsome stranger Raff turns up with a handful of long-forgotten love letters, their quiet life is upended as family secrets from the past are unearthed.

As Raff and Maddy get to know each other, they grow closer and a love story of their own seems inevitable. But when Maddy receives a mysterious message, she can't help but wonder whether her own past is as distant as she's thought it was...

The festive new novel about love, family and the power of words from Sunday Times bestseller Sue Moorcroft, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Phillipa Ashley.

Maddy Cracey is a single mother who lives with her six-year-old daughter Lyla, and great aunt Ruthie, who is visually impaired and needs a live-in carer. As she walks along the cliff one November day, she thinks about her missing husband. 

"Adey Austen had done a vanishing act one snowy December night nearly seven years ago, and since then, Maddy's life had been defined by a secret and a lie".

Adey was great fun at the parties and on holidays. A man-child without responsibilites who enjoyed spending money. Enjoyed too much, as it was revealed later. 

When a stranger turns up at Ruthie and Maddy's cottage and introduces himself as Raff, the women are apprehensive. Raff mentions that he is a self-employed writer who has moved to Noforlk a few months earlier. His arrival with a bunch of love letters written many years ago, upsets the equilibrium. The old lady is clearly upset, and Maddy quite forcefully bids farewell to the unwelcome guest.

As the past secrets come unravelling, there is more mayhem and emotional turmoil to follow. 

With Maddy and Raff's affection for each other growing stronger, they have to find the fine balance between family loyalty and a new relationship. 

When Maddy receives a text from the withheld number, she is in for a shock. Is it a hoax? Suddenly, the new love seems less of a priority. Is there room in her life for a new relationship, when the past is interfering in her present life and poses a threat?

Maddy's a spirited woman, who cares deeply for her closest family, her little girl and elderly Ruthie. Their mutual love and affection shine through every page. Three generations of women under one roof, who enhance each other's lives.

I was very sad for Ruthie, she has wasted her life pining for the man who was not worth it. Having sacrificed the most precious thing in her life, she had still continued her love affair for many years. Ruthie's excuses that her lover's marriage was a sham are her ways of coping with her conscience. After all, being an OW for many years is rather demeaning, being fed with the crumbs of affection, rare meetings and letters which profess love but ultimately don't change anything. She is still alone, and has to live with her sacrifice. "...sad, sweet Ruthie had ended up with nothing she'd wanted".

Maddy who reads Nigel's old letters to Ruthie, thinks he "seemed a lovely man, despite his duplicitous life". Yet while he could be utterly romantic and loving in correspondence, in reality Nigel has ruined lives of two decent women. 

He totally didn't deserve the devotion from Ruthie. Despite the circumstances and the social attitudes of the times, he could have changed his life if he truly wanted, even if "divorce would have been a proper mess". Sindy certainly deserved better, and perhaps could have found someone who would have loved her rather than tolerated her company for the sake of children. 

I'm afraid I found the doomed lovers' story rather dispiriting.

Sue Moorcroft's depictions of nature are very visual. I have mentioned that already in previous reviews of Sue's books, that in a few masterful strokes she manages to create a vivid image. 

"The wintry afternoon turned the sea to gunmetal and the gulls complained as they rode the icy wind". Just one sentence, and you're transported to the cold seaside. "Maddy gazed at the glittering pavements, and the lampposts wearing white caps. "How pretty. It's like icing sugar". Again, a few outlines, and the picture is perfectly sketched.

I was glad to revisit the Norfolk landscapes on the pages of the book. Maybe one day I will go back there in person.

The descriptions of food are deftly rendered too, and truly make one hungry. I was aghast amazed though that Maddy wanted to skip roast potatoes in favour of the bread sauce and Yorkshire puddings, who does that?! 

The Christmas Love Letters is a heart-warming and poignant read in equal measure.

Full of secrets and passions, this tale is utterly compelling. The family dynamics, relationships between different generations, parallel love stories, evocative setting - all these elements create an engaging romance story.

This review is part of the blog tour for The Christmas Love Letters.

Many thanks to Sue Moorcroft and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Love-Letters-gorgeous-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B0C7GDGBFX/

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Love-Letters-gorgeous-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B0C7GDGBFX/ 

Author Bio – 

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author, and her books have been #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada and Italy. She writes two books a year for publishing giant HarperCollins and has won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, a HOLT Medallion and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and past vice-chair.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Social Media Links – 

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