Sadie Bisset is a writer for a popular magazine. Her current assignment is a lifestyles and dating column which often puts her in the middle of the New York City dating scene. She creates online profiles on dating sites, attends speed dating events, and has random hook-ups with men. All her crazy experiences are excellent material for her articles. Unfortunately, they also make her believe that all the good men are taken.
Once a year, Sadie also writes the “Dear Santa” holiday column. It is her favorite assignment because she finds ways to help kids who write her. It is the Dear Santa column that changes her life in ways she couldn’t imagine.
Sebastian Maxwell is a single dad still mourning the loss of his wife. She lost her battle with cancer four years ago. Sebastian can’t let go of his grief or the belief that he failed his wife. To compensate he keeps busy at his successful restaurant working way too many hours. He has the occasional hook up with women to meet his physical needs. He makes sure any woman he meets knows that he not interested in a relationship. He isn’t ready for that step. Not only because he is worried what his wife thinks, but he doesn’t want his daughter to experience another loss if the relationship fails.
Birdie Maxwell is Sebastian’s daughter. She loves her dad and worries that he is not
happy anymore. She can’t talk to him
about her mother because he is working so much and talking about her makes him very
sad. She has a housekeeper/babysitter in
her life but she wants a woman as a special friend. Not a mother, she has a mother, but someone
like a mother. Birdie decides to write
to Santa even though it is June. Birdie is not sure she believes in Santa
anymore though. Santa let her down in the past; regardless she is going to give it a try.
What a beautifully crafted story! At first, I thought this was going to be a Sleepless in Seattle story transplanted to New York City, but it isn’t. Sadie and Birdie connect on a personal level that neither expect. Sadie lost her mother at the same age as Birdie. Birdie takes comfort in what Sadie shares with her. Sadie’s honesty and kind soul are what Birdie and Sebastian need at this point in their lives.
Like most books by the writing duo of Keeland and Ward, Happily Letter After is a feel-good, slow-burn story. I love the characters. They each grab my heart and hold it even after the story ends. In addition to the three main characters, Sadie’s dad, her best friend Devin, and the housekeeper Magdalene, all add dimension and in sight to the story
This character driven story, told from Sadie and Sebastian's point of view demands the reader to cheer them forward. Even though the story touches on some sad topics there is very little angst. It is the happiness and love that begins with Sadie and Birdie then reaches my heart that makes the story one of my new favorites.
I highly recommend Happily Letter After it will make you laugh, make you teary, the characters become your friend, and it surprises with an unexpected twist. I love it. I cannot wait for the audio. I’m sure I will play it on repeat like so many others by these authors.
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