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Don't Forget to Write
Impossible choices. Unforgettable love. A forever worth fighting for.
Trudy Kirchberger has always known what’s expected of teach, marry well, and live a life that looks respectable from the outside. With Henry, a polished young businessman who appears to be perfect, the path seems clear—until everything changes. In her first year of teaching, with the nation in shock after President Kennedy’s assassination, Trudy finds her world shifting in ways she never expected.
Caught between the polished life her parents want for her and a quiet, unexpected love that feels entirely her own, Trudy must choose which version of herself to fight for.
Inspired by a true story, Don’t Forget to Write is a sweeping, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about love, family expectations, and the courage it takes to follow your heart—even if it leads to heartbreak.
Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook, Marianne Cronin’s The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, and Anne Youngson’s Meet Me at the Museum, Don't Forget to Write offers a moving and unforgettable choice for their next book club discussion.
Trudy Kirchberger has always known what’s expected of teach, marry well, and live a life that looks respectable from the outside. With Henry, a polished young businessman who appears to be perfect, the path seems clear—until everything changes. In her first year of teaching, with the nation in shock after President Kennedy’s assassination, Trudy finds her world shifting in ways she never expected.
Caught between the polished life her parents want for her and a quiet, unexpected love that feels entirely her own, Trudy must choose which version of herself to fight for.
Inspired by a true story, Don’t Forget to Write is a sweeping, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about love, family expectations, and the courage it takes to follow your heart—even if it leads to heartbreak.
Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook, Marianne Cronin’s The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, and Anne Youngson’s Meet Me at the Museum, Don't Forget to Write offers a moving and unforgettable choice for their next book club discussion.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Laura DiTieri
1 book5 followersLaura DiTieri writes character-driven fiction rooted in hope, family, and resilience. Her debut novel is a heartfelt exploration of love and loss, infused with humor and heart. A lifelong reader who overcame early struggles with dyslexia, she went on to earn a double major in Early Childhood and Childhood Education with a minor in English, and later a master’s degree in Special Education. Her years of teaching deepened her belief in the power of words to connect people across generations. She lives on Long Island with her husband, their two energetic sons, and their beloved dog. Most often, she can be found with a book and a cup of tea, dreaming of the day she’ll finish it before it gets cold.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 13, 2025
What a precious, beautiful, heartbreaking story. I've sobbed like a baby and devoured every second. This story is a story of family, friendship and love, and it completely swept me off my feet.
The story follows Trudy as she takes steps in 1960's America to become independent, start a teaching job and follow her heart when it comes to men. Her family and society have expectations of her, but will she follow these rules or will she follow her heart?
I totally adored Trudy, her strength of character and the way she fights for what she believes in. I loved going on her journey with her as she took the step into teaching. Having undertaken teacher training in a primary school, her feelings and the way things pan out felt only too real for me. It also gives a fantastic insight into America at the time and what they were going through with the assassination of JFK and the after effects of war on its population.
The way this is written truly brings all of Trudy's thoughts and feelings to life. I experienced how hard and how deeply she loved, how she struggled with familial relationships and how important her friends were to her. I felt her anger, love, joy and every bit of her heartbreak - I laughed with her, raged with her and sobbed with her. It takes a very special book to make you feel all of these things, and this book does it perfectly. I adored that one whole chapter is dedicated to letters between Trudy and her love. It felt like I was genuinely reading someone's personal letters and it captured my heart. Honestly, this book will stay with me for a long time, and I'm truly honoured that I got to read this as part of the ARC team.
So if you're looking for something that will sweep you away and make you FEEL...THIS IS IT. This is truly deserving of 5 stars. An emotional, beautiful and poignant masterpiece.
The story follows Trudy as she takes steps in 1960's America to become independent, start a teaching job and follow her heart when it comes to men. Her family and society have expectations of her, but will she follow these rules or will she follow her heart?
I totally adored Trudy, her strength of character and the way she fights for what she believes in. I loved going on her journey with her as she took the step into teaching. Having undertaken teacher training in a primary school, her feelings and the way things pan out felt only too real for me. It also gives a fantastic insight into America at the time and what they were going through with the assassination of JFK and the after effects of war on its population.
The way this is written truly brings all of Trudy's thoughts and feelings to life. I experienced how hard and how deeply she loved, how she struggled with familial relationships and how important her friends were to her. I felt her anger, love, joy and every bit of her heartbreak - I laughed with her, raged with her and sobbed with her. It takes a very special book to make you feel all of these things, and this book does it perfectly. I adored that one whole chapter is dedicated to letters between Trudy and her love. It felt like I was genuinely reading someone's personal letters and it captured my heart. Honestly, this book will stay with me for a long time, and I'm truly honoured that I got to read this as part of the ARC team.
So if you're looking for something that will sweep you away and make you FEEL...THIS IS IT. This is truly deserving of 5 stars. An emotional, beautiful and poignant masterpiece.
November 5, 2025
Don’t Forget to Write by Laura Ditieri is the author’s debut novel and will be releasing November 11th.
Blurb:
Trudy Has always known what was expected of her teach, marry well, and live a life that looks respectable from the outside. Caught between the polished life her parents want for her and a quiet, expected love that feel entirely her own, Trudy must choose which version of herself to fight for.
If you were ever a fan of The Notebook or P.S. I Love you, this is a story you are going to want to check out. Trudy was a great character to follow and I loved the historical aspects that were woven into the tale. You felt like you were in the same time period as the character.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story it moved through nicely and the romance. The pining and writing letters to ones another. It added another layer to it that made it so special to these characters. What makes this story even more special is that it is based on real people. You feel that as you are reading the story too. The grief that the author tackles in the book was also well done. There were moments I found myself tearing up as I was reading it.
If you enjoy historical romances that tug at your heart strings and have you reaching for a tissue box, don’t miss out on this story!
Blurb:
Trudy Has always known what was expected of her teach, marry well, and live a life that looks respectable from the outside. Caught between the polished life her parents want for her and a quiet, expected love that feel entirely her own, Trudy must choose which version of herself to fight for.
If you were ever a fan of The Notebook or P.S. I Love you, this is a story you are going to want to check out. Trudy was a great character to follow and I loved the historical aspects that were woven into the tale. You felt like you were in the same time period as the character.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story it moved through nicely and the romance. The pining and writing letters to ones another. It added another layer to it that made it so special to these characters. What makes this story even more special is that it is based on real people. You feel that as you are reading the story too. The grief that the author tackles in the book was also well done. There were moments I found myself tearing up as I was reading it.
If you enjoy historical romances that tug at your heart strings and have you reaching for a tissue box, don’t miss out on this story!
November 17, 2025
Love, Love, Love this book..it makes you feel all the feels. This book is historical fiction, based in the turbulent and changing times of the 1960's. The main character, Trudy, has an independent spirit and will make choices that affect the rest of her life. The book explores family ties, love, grief and resilience all wrapped up in a funny, witty and heartwarming story. Highly recommend it.
November 13, 2025
If you need a good and healthy cry, this book is the one. Laura DiTieri's debut novel Don't Forget to Write is a beautifully written piece about love and loss. Caught between familial expectations and the wants of her own heart, our FMC Trudy will navigate what it means to be honest and true to herself. Trudy is entertaining the world as an independent woman during a time when those are far and few between. This work of fiction is inspired by a true story of the promise of everlasting love and grief. Heart-wrenching and beautiful.
November 21, 2025
A beautiful and touching story from start to finish! Grab a cup of tea, a blanket, and this book, and you’re in for such a treat. I was so moved by the love story between Trudy and Frank. This book is so well-written and addicting that you truly cannot put it down once you begin!
November 11, 2025
This was such a beautiful and breathtaking book. I loved how it read like historical fiction, and the use of letters added such a dynamic and emotional layer to the story.
I instantly fell in love with the storyline and with Trudy herself. What a fierce, strong-willed woman, especially for the 60s! I admired how she always stood up for herself and followed her heart.
There were heartbreaking moments too, but they were written so beautifully that they only made me love the story more.
As a teacher, I also loved that part of her life, the classroom scenes and the exhaustion before the holidays felt so relatable.
Overall, this is such a heartfelt story that I won’t stop recommending, especially since today is release day!✨
I instantly fell in love with the storyline and with Trudy herself. What a fierce, strong-willed woman, especially for the 60s! I admired how she always stood up for herself and followed her heart.
There were heartbreaking moments too, but they were written so beautifully that they only made me love the story more.
As a teacher, I also loved that part of her life, the classroom scenes and the exhaustion before the holidays felt so relatable.
Overall, this is such a heartfelt story that I won’t stop recommending, especially since today is release day!✨
October 23, 2025
Don’t Forget to Write is funny, touching, and dangerously easy to get sucked into. It pulls you in fast and keeps you there with its wit and charm. It’s absolutely the kind of book you look up from and realize you’ve just torn through the first half without meaning to. Truly a fantastic read!
November 28, 2025
What a powerful and emotional story this turned out to be—and all the more moving because it is inspired by a true story.
Set in the 1960s, Don’t Forget to Write follows Trudy Kirchberger, a woman in her late twenties who is ready to shape a life of her own. She’s preparing to move out of her parents’ home, begin her first year as an elementary school teacher, and step into adulthood on her own terms. Until now, everyone else has had a say—especially her father, who believes a “good match” and a comfortable life are more important than love.
Enter Henry. Polished, wealthy, respectable… and quietly, unsettlingly controlling. Trudy senses early on that something in his demeanor dims her spark. Still, with her father’s unshakable approval, the relationship continues—until something shifts.
Then she meets Frank.
Frank, a friend of her brother’s, arrives simply to help her move—and in one moment, everything changes. Their connection is instant, gentle, and full of possibility. What begins as a quiet curiosity between them becomes something tender and profound, especially as letters become the heart of their growing relationship. The letter-writing in this book adds a gorgeously intimate layer, grounding the story in emotion and authenticity.
The second half of the novel had me in tears more than once. This is a story of true love, sacrifice, and a woman struggling to claim her autonomy in a world determined to define it for her. Trudy’s choices are both heartbreakingly simple—because she knows exactly what she wants—and unbearably heavy, because of what those choices mean for her future.
What touched me most was how deeply relatable Trudy’s emotional journey felt. Her longing to choose love over expectation, joy over duty, and authenticity over appearances echoed the kinds of battles women still face today.
Don’t Forget to Write is a beautiful reminder that love—real love—is worth fighting for. Even when the cost is high. Even when the road is uncertain. Even when heartbreak is inevitable. The joy Trudy finds, fleeting or not, is worth every moment she dared to choose it.
This book is for anyone who wants a timeless, soul-stirring love story—one that honors the courage it takes to break from expectation and follow the voice of your heart.
Set in the 1960s, Don’t Forget to Write follows Trudy Kirchberger, a woman in her late twenties who is ready to shape a life of her own. She’s preparing to move out of her parents’ home, begin her first year as an elementary school teacher, and step into adulthood on her own terms. Until now, everyone else has had a say—especially her father, who believes a “good match” and a comfortable life are more important than love.
Enter Henry. Polished, wealthy, respectable… and quietly, unsettlingly controlling. Trudy senses early on that something in his demeanor dims her spark. Still, with her father’s unshakable approval, the relationship continues—until something shifts.
Then she meets Frank.
Frank, a friend of her brother’s, arrives simply to help her move—and in one moment, everything changes. Their connection is instant, gentle, and full of possibility. What begins as a quiet curiosity between them becomes something tender and profound, especially as letters become the heart of their growing relationship. The letter-writing in this book adds a gorgeously intimate layer, grounding the story in emotion and authenticity.
The second half of the novel had me in tears more than once. This is a story of true love, sacrifice, and a woman struggling to claim her autonomy in a world determined to define it for her. Trudy’s choices are both heartbreakingly simple—because she knows exactly what she wants—and unbearably heavy, because of what those choices mean for her future.
What touched me most was how deeply relatable Trudy’s emotional journey felt. Her longing to choose love over expectation, joy over duty, and authenticity over appearances echoed the kinds of battles women still face today.
Don’t Forget to Write is a beautiful reminder that love—real love—is worth fighting for. Even when the cost is high. Even when the road is uncertain. Even when heartbreak is inevitable. The joy Trudy finds, fleeting or not, is worth every moment she dared to choose it.
This book is for anyone who wants a timeless, soul-stirring love story—one that honors the courage it takes to break from expectation and follow the voice of your heart.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews