Yours Truly, Thomas

I loved the concept of following up on letters that find themselves in the Dead Letter Office, and Penny does it with such compassion. Azure Springs is a delightful little town, and I didn't realize until I read Laura's review that I'll be able to read more about the town and its characters in another book - I look forward to that. If Penny was curious and compassionate, Thomas was downcast and determined. These characters were portrayed with such depth, especially through the clever use of letters, which added to our involvement in their lives, their growing love, and their growth as Christians. It was comforting to have a good, old-fashioned bully we all love to hate, and see him get his comeuppance. Overall, I very much enjoyed Yours Truly, Thomas, and I think you will too.

This novel is mostly set in the same town as """"The Hope of Azure Springs"""". It can be read as a stand alone story, but I did like hearing a little more about the characters from the other book. I love the dead-letter office plot as you get a little mystery there and the main character is so relatable wanting a happy ending for people she doesn't even know. This is a fast read (read in one sitting) and the story line moves along at a good speed. I love the themes of forgiveness and freedom from the past and changing/ growing into better people. Caring for others is a strong theme throughout. I'm glad Thomas started reading his Bible and was talking with God again. It's always a relief when the characters finally get the whole truth out in front of them. The way this was done surprised me a little but it was true to character. I hope to hear more from this town in another book!

Yours Truly, Thomas took a long time to get going. The nature of the story-the dead letter office-meant it had to start with Penny and Thomas in different places, and for there to be a reasonable period of time before they met. But I found the opening dragged as a result. The story picked up pace and got a lot more interesting once Penny arrived in Azure Springs and met Thomas-and some of the other townspeople. \\n\\nThere was a mystery around Thomas and Clara's relationship. We know something happened between them, and Penny tells him Clara died, although doesn't say how. Also, I wasn't entirely sure Clara was dead, and we don't find out what happened until close to the end of the story. I don't think it would have affected the overall story to know the truth of that earlier, and it would have meant the story ran more smoothly in the beginning. After all, this mystery wasn't central to the plot. There was also a light suspense thread, as someone appears to be trying to sabotage Thomas's farm. \\n\\nI enjoyed watching Penny's developing relationship with Thomas. I loved Penny's rambunctious dog, Honeysuckle, and I enjoyed revisiting some of the characters from The Hope of Azure Springs. Yours Truly, Thomas does work as a standalone novel, and there is no need to read The Hope of Azure Springs first. (Although I still think The Hope of Azure Springs is a better novel). \\n\\nThanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.