This is not a love letter

Title: This is not a love letter

Author: Kim Purcell

Publisher:  Disney-Hyperion

Genre: Contemporary

Release Date: January 30th

Pages: 368

Format: eARC via NetGalley

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*I wanna thank Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't effect in any way on my opinion on book*

 

This is not a love letter is a book about Jessie. It's about Chris. It's about racism and depression. But above all,it's a book about love.

One week. That's all Jessie said. A one-week break to get some perspective before graduation, before she and her boyfriend, Chris, would have to make all the big, scary decisions about their future--decisions they had been fighting about for weeks.

Then, Chris vanishes. The police think he's run away, but Jessie doesn't believe it. Chris is popular and good-looking, about to head off to college on a full-ride baseball scholarship. And he disappeared while going for a run along the river--the same place where some boys from the rival high school beat him up just three weeks ago. Chris is one of the only black kids in a depressed paper mill town, and Jessie is terrified of what might have happened.

As the police are spurred to reluctant action, Jessie speaks up about the harassment Chris kept quiet about and the danger he could be in. But there are people in Jessie's town who don't like the story she tells, who are infuriated by the idea that a boy like Chris would be a target of violence. They smear Chris’s character and Jessie begins receiving frightening threats.

Every Friday since they started dating, Chris has written Jessie a love letter. Now Jessie is writing Chris a letter of her own to tell him everything that’s happening while he’s gone. As Jessie searches for answers, she must face her fears, her guilt, and a past more complicated than she would like to admit.(source:goodreads.com)

It's really hard to talk about this book. It's raw,emotional,gripping,it leaves you breathless. Also,it's hard to talk about it without giving away anything.
Kim Purcell wrote this book with so much sadness and heart in it. It talks about important things in unusual way: through a letter. Now,letters are not new writting style. But,I assure you,you never read a book written like this. It's amazing how much this book feels realistic and I had a feeling like I was reading someone's personal letter.
Also,apart from writting style,characters felt realistic too. They all felt like real humans with real problems. And that's the part I liked the most.
The whole mistery around Chris's disappearance has a sad background,but I can't talk about it really much,because it will spoil things for you.
Jessie though,is a likable character. You can see how she struggles with her anxiety and guilt but you also can see how much she fights for Chris. She wants to be heard,she wants that anybody listens to her about racism. It's hard to talk about it,but she will do anything for Chris. And that's what made me like her. She is strong,brave and amazing.
Also,all the other characters were written amazing. Chris's best friends,Jessie's mom,Chris's family... amazing.
Kim Purcell poured hers heart in this book,and it was worth it because she created masterpiece.
There is no a single thing I didn't like this about this book. It had everything a good book needs and I enjoyed it.

Does love have to end in heartbreak?

 

Overall, if you love books that will make you cry,but also have a cast of amazing characters,well crafted story with a pinch of mistery and a book that deals with serious subjects - then this is the book for you. It will stay with you forever and I'm sure this is the book you will return to.

Rating: 5 ladybugs

                                                                About author

 

 

 To find about author,go to http://www.kimpurcell.com