The story focuses on three daughters, who are living very different lives: Jeannie is living over in America with her cosmetic surgeon husband, Ruth is trying to balance a moody teenager with a distant husband and Beatrice has decided she needs more in her life than just her dog.
Their mother; Martha, has never played a huge role in their lives, always too focused on her own career as a midwife.
Their nanny; May, has always been there for them – for their tears, for their achievements and for the every day activities that form such a big part of your childhood.
Knowing this, it’s hardly surprising that the girls are absolutely devastated when Nanny May passes.
Martha can’t understand why her girls are so emotionally affected by a woman who was just ‘staff’ in her opinion… May wasn’t part of the family; she was just ‘paid’ help.
So when Martha sees letters addressed to her three daughters and an open letter to her husband; Jim, she’s furious. Why on earth is this woman trying to impose her thoughts on them all when she’s passed? Martha then does something very foolish and as each day passes, she contemplates whether the damage of her actions is increasing or not. The only way she can know the answer is by telling the truth to her family. But will she?
Martha’s got her secrets, but she’s not the only one, there are plenty of secrets bubbling away in this plot. The girls promised that they’d tell each other everything no matter how big or how small, except they are still hiding things from one another…
Emma has created such individual and uplifting characters. Each of them are going on their own unique journeys, making this story an instant page turner, as you’re eager to find out how each story will develop.
What I loved most about this book was the realistic conclusions, yes this is fiction and it’s light hearted so you can lose yourself in the magic of it all, but the sugar coating is not too thick, the outcomes are realistic.
The depth of Emma’s writing is award winning, it’s not just the emotions of the characters, it’s the descriptive nature of the settings – I could really visualise each house, the locations, the atmosphere in them… truly fantastic.
This book is beautifully written and it was Emma’s last gift to us bookworms, I had tears in my eyes as I read the final few pages.
Thanks to Becky over at Headline for sending me an advanced copy, I’m truly grateful and this review is my way of saying thank you!
Letters to My Daughters is out now in Ireland and will hit the UK stores at the end of this month (June)
Until next time, Chloé x
Reviews by Chloé 