The Summer Letters

by Elyse Douglas

When Vanessa finds a rusty coffee can filled with old letters hidden away in a summer beach cottage, she learns of a haunting and secret affair dating back to the 1950s.Determined to find the woman whose life parallels her own in many ways, Vanessa searches for the woman and her lover, uncovering past and present secrets that finally reveal a shocking truth.Over the course of the summer, Vanessa’s own life is transformed by the possibilities of love and new beginnings, even as she confronts the lingering pain of her own past.The Summer Letters is a celebration of the enduring promise of hope and the unbreakable bonds of love.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Love Story, Adult

372 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2017

About the author

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the husband and wife writing team of Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse began writing poems and short stories at an early age and graduated with a Master's Degree in English Literature. Douglas grew up in a family of musicians, astrologers, and avid readers. Some of Elyse Douglas' novels include: "Time Change," The Summer Letters," "Daring Summer," The Christmas Eve Series" and "Time Stranger." They reside in New York City.

Reviews

[Nose In A Book]

The year is 2017 and the place is Brandy Beach in Massachusetts, a mix of sun and rain as vacationers and residents alike take walks along the water, enjoying the natural features and the summery atmosphere there. Our heroine, Vanessa Collins is in town to write her novel and relax from a recent divorce that left a mark on her. One day, as she was returning from a Yoga class and a brief swim in the ocean, she collides with Matt Bennett who was riding his bike along the same path Vanessa was taking to get home. This then became the beginning of a romantic relationship that would carry on for the rest of the book.

One day when Vanessa was trying to clean up the interior of her rented beach cottage there at Brandy Beach, she discovered a coffee can with a bunch of love letters from the 1950s. She reads most of them and thus begins an interest and a search for the writers of the letters themselves. This is a very bittersweet and romantic book that was concise and smooth and easy to read. I found myself liking all of the characters except a few of them who were unfair and antagonistic throughout and made me want to do something about them, lol. I felt so sorry for the authors of the summer letters and the way things went for them in life. I saw myself in Vanessa as I am a writer myself and am trying to muster up the drive to begin a novel of one’s own. It is true what this book said about writers that one has to have the patience to write a book-length manuscript for I am indeed a busy person and am currently in the middle of three writing obligations that has taken up all my creativity and intelligence leaving no inspiration and imagination for writing a book, lol. This book brings back the old-fashioned notion of writing letters and mailing them via the postal office. It made me want to sit down and write letters to my family overseas, and decorate the envelopes with stickers as I did years ago as a kid.

I recommend The Summer Letters to those who are looking forward to the summer time as it is a very fit book for beach reading or pool reading, does not matter. I previously said that it is an easy read and it will hold your attention while you are sunbathing. I finished this book in four days and was satisfied by the last page. The writing is excellent and if there was a classic author I could compare it to it would most definitely be my romance novel idol, Danielle Steel. Sorry, I just love books where there is minimum sex as that lowers the merit of a book and its author(s). So with that being said, go ahead, buy this book from Amazon now before going to the beach to make memories for years to come.

[Lori Downs]

This story was heartwarming; it was heartbreaking at times, but a wonderful story of true love. I liked how it went back between present day and the early 1950’s; the author did a great job describing how life was during this time period. I liked all the main characters and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the places in the book. There was a little mystery of what happened to Hal and Rhonda that I was anxious to find out about. Reading the letters was quite interesting. The modern day story was good as well; as well finding out all the similarities between Rhonda and Vanessa, the woman who finds Rhonda’s old letters. Overall, it was an enjoyable story. I would like to read more from this author.

[Annette Gillis]

A good read

This was an easy, comfortable and heart warming read. The story flowed nicely from present to the past. The characters were engaging and mostly likeable. The ending perhaps was predictable but one that made the book complete.

[Bookie Wookie]

I want to start by saying I love stories like this, where the bulk of the adventure is told in “the past” while the modern day person recants/reads/enjoys a bit of something they didn’t get to experience themselves.

The action here doesn’t pick up right away, and since this is a romance story it doesn’t get a ton of it. However, the story does pick up quite a bit. It’s hard not to get enthralled in the love. It felt real, as though this truly happened. This story inspires one that there really is true, forever love out there.

The story does go back and forth between the past and present quite a bit. It’s nice to see that some things are constant, and do not change (even if the people, time, setting, etc. do).

The journey starts with Vanessa (modern day) finding some old letters in a cabin. It ends with showing us how love really permeates our lives in great and unexpected ways.

If you want to feel great, and have a good story to cozy up to for a night or two, this is the book for you.

[darlene]

Enjoyed

I enjoyed every second of this book. With all the twist and turns. I will be recommending this book to all my friends. Thank you for another great read.

[Donadee's Corner]

Hello, everyone! I'm so thrilled to share an amazing book I just finished by Elyse Douglas.

You know how much I love their books, right? I realized I had missed some of their earlier work, so I decided to go back and catch up on them. And let me tell you, I'm so glad I did! The first one I picked up was 'The Summer Letters,' it was such a captivating and emotional story that I couldn't put it down. I was so engrossed in it that I forgot to make dinner until it was almost midnight! Here's a peek…

Vanessa felt like running away from everything when her husband dropped the bombshell that he wanted a divorce. She booked a cozy cottage by the sea, hoping for peace, healing, and time to work on her novel. After noticing a musty smell while using one of the towels, she decided to give them and the bath a good scrub, but while cleaning, she noticed the loose screws on the vent. The screws reminded her of her grandmother telling her that the vents were used for hiding places back in her day. Vanessa removed the vent cover and looked in, and that's when she discovered a hidden treasure: a coffee can with 10 letters inside. She couldn't resist opening them and reading the stories they contained. She was so fascinated by the letters that she decided to return them to the person who wrote them. So her search began! Little did she know that this would lead her to a journey of self-discovery and redemption. And maybe, just maybe, a chance to love again. Pick up your copy today of 'The Summer Letters.' to discover Vanessa's fantastic adventure with tons of surprises that will tear your heart out!

• ASIN: B072NXS175
• Publisher: Broadback
• Publication Date: 4/21/2017
• File Size: 1250 KB
• Print Length: 374 pages
• Genre: 20th Century Historical Romance, Saga Fiction

[Shannon]

This story starts in the present with our main protagonist, Vanessa. A writer who has recently divorced and is looking for some quiet time to lick her wounds and work on her next book. Essentially, find some closure. Instead, she finds a mystery, and her writer’s nature refuses to let it go until she finds out what happened.

I love books that jump back and forth from the present to the past. Sometimes, they can be confusing, but a good writer will know how to do this effectively, so the reader can easily follow the timeline. In this case, the author(s) knew what they was doing.

I really enjoyed this book. The circumstances Vanessa investigates are shrouded in so much mystery, it’s actually pretty difficult to predict the ending. Which of course, is wonderful! The characters are interesting too and they really run the gamut. Some you will love, and some you feel, get exactly what they deserve.

Obviously, a good book can be read any time, anywhere, but The Summer Letters is a fabulous choice for the beach or cottage this year, so you can live and breathe the same feelings and smells as the characters in this wonderful story.

Rating… B+

[Michelle Davis]

Reader Review — The Summer Letters Summer Letters pulled me in with the simple discovery of a coffee can filled with old letters, but what stayed with me was the way the story connects the secrets of the past with the possibilities of the present. Vanessa’s search for the woman behind the letters becomes much more than a mystery—it becomes a journey of self-discovery and a chance to confront the pain she has been carrying.

I especially enjoyed the contrast between the 1950s love story and Vanessa’s own life. The old letters create a sense of longing and mystery while gradually revealing how love, loss, and unfinished stories can echo across generations. The revelations kept me curious about what Vanessa would uncover next, and the emotional side of her journey gave the story real depth.

What I appreciated most was its hopeful message about second chances and new beginnings. It’s a touching reminder that the past can shape us without having to determine our future. A lovely, emotionally engaging read for anyone who enjoys romance, secrets from the past, and stories about finding hope when you least expect it.

[No Shelf Control]

The Summer Letters by Elyse Douglas is a romance that is built around a series of letters discovered in a summer cottage by Vanessa. The year is 2017 and Vanessa has rented a cottage on the beach, only to almost be run over by a handsome bicyclist, and to discover a bunch of love letters in the cottage dated about 50 years prior. As she begins to read the letters, she is amazed how they seem to mimic her own life in a way, with the promise of new love and new beginnings. A fascinating love story that spans time and two different couples, the author writes convincingly, describing feelings that lay dormant, and how romance can transcend time, circumstances, and take on new meaning. A unique story with a wonderfully sentimental message, you will thoroughly enjoy being transported back in time, and fully relate to the current time frame, with a story that is not only filled with romance, but a bit of mystery. Highly recommend for a great beach read, or any time book, The Summer Letters is a book not to be missed.

[Elizabeth Fellows]

The Summer Letter

This story begins in 2017 with the main character Vanessa who decides to rent a cabin on the beach in Massachusetts for the summer after her brutal divorce. While she is in the cottage she finds a coffee tin full of letters that goes back to life after WWII in 1953. She starts reading these letters and gets very involved in the two main characters who wrote the letters. In the meantime she meets a chap called Matthew who actually runs into her on his bike. While she is busy reading the letters, she herself starts to date, and gets so involved in the worrisome letters that she gets Matt her new friend to see if the characters in the letters ever stay together, and how their lives turned out. The story goes back an forth between 1953 and 2017. This book keeps you on your toes as the reader just gets into the facts of 1953, then you are bounced forward again to 2017. I would give this book a 4 star. The outcome of the book is interesting.

[Fiction Addiction]

This is such a charming book, the kind I used to read years ago but sadly no longer seem the vogue in the modern literary climate. It’s one I would describe as a perfect summer read, and suitably that’s how the story starts at the beginning of the summer.
The characters of Vanessa and Matt are written very well, and there’s an immediate warmth you feel towards them as their story begins to unfurl. Not satisfied with leaving readers only with this story there is another wrapped up in the past about another couple, Rhonda and Hal. Obviously I won’t give away any spoilers about how things come about, in the current day or the past, but it is a really great read to treat yourself with a glass of wine and putting your feet up on a lazy day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will read more by this formidable authorial partnership soon.

[Reeca Elliott]

First off let me say...I love this cover! So inviting.

Vanessa finds old letters in a coffee can. They are love letters suggesting a arduous, secret love affair. Little does Vanessa know...these letters lead to a shocking revelation of hidden secrets of her own past.

This is such a sweet read. Vanessa needs her life transformed and the letters give her a new purpose to find the lovers. This creates many opportunities for her. It also opens up a new world for her to experience.

This book states the obvious, repeats a few phrases, and is overly dramatic in places. The story does keep you interested. The mystery surrounding the letters is very creative and moving!

Great for a beach read!

[Sage Adderley]

I have a special place in my heart for stories that jump from the past to present in a smooth and meaningful way. When done right, it can add so much depth to the story. Elyse Douglas did just that in The Summer Letters. I found the story to be lovely and I became caught up in the passionate relationship between Hal and Rhonda. Their romance is told through 60-year-old letters that are found in a cottage by its current resident, Vanessa. The character development was great, I remained intrigued, and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys an emotional love story.

[Kathy]

I loved this book..It was emotional, romantic and I couldn't put it down..I'm from Massachusetts so that was another thing that drew me into this delightful read..The characters were wonderful and the story just kept me mesmerized..The time lines were interesting and I felt like I was back in 1953 with Rhonda and Hal.....I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading more from this author..Actually, I didn't realize it but I had read one of her Christmas time travel books last year and it, too, was a very good read...
I almost hated for the book to end.

[Germaine Knowlan]

A truly must-read book

This lovely storyline has left me speechless. Every line was a page turner. There wasn’t anything in the storyline that I did not like. It was magical, heartwarming, very sad at times and so beautifully written. I have read every one of Elise Douglas’ books; all have been excellent especially the time travel books but “The Summer Letters” is by far my top favorite.

[Melissa]

The Summer Letters

When Vanessa moved into a beach house she started cleaning and came upon a tin can with letters in it. After reading them she wanted to find out what had happened to the couple from 1953 that loved each other so very much. After some digging she finally found the lady 87 years old in an assisted home. Her husband had died but she was very great full to get her letters.

[lindi]

Book reviee

The book caught my attention quickly, but then became very repetitive and drawn out. Some things made no sense. If someone has been ruled deceased,why did the spouse follow-up with a divorce? I was initially with the impression that Karen and Vanessa' s lives were linked, but, that was not the case. It was not even remotely close. Had it not been for the last chapter in this book, I would have felt even more disappointed.

[Kathy Holmes]

A Wonderful Romantic Read

This is my fourth Elyse Douglas romance and once again I am thoroughly delighted with this book. This book is So sweet, So sentimental and written in such a flowing manner that even with some unexpected twists, it keeps one fully engaged as the story moves right along. I LOVED IT!

If you like Romance novels, definitely give this one a try. I think you'll love it too!

[Clara Irizarry]

The Art of the Written Word

Thank you for this novel. I think it is truly special to take pen to paper and write a letter to the person you love. It’s a lost art and I hope and pray people start writing again to each other. I truly enjoyed the stories of Rhonda and Hal as well as Vanessa and Matt. I think I will start to do so. I used to write poems to my love. The first was the “The Kiss”.

[Ann]

Loved the storyline and really did not know until the very end how the story would conclude. Could not put it down. However, I was disappointed because there were editing issues (name misspelling, date discrepancies) toward the end. I would have given this book 5 stars if it wasn’t for the lack of editing care.

[Holly]

I loved this story! There were two love stories but the one that will pull your heart strings is between Hal and Rhonda. So good! I won't say what happened but the book ends with is a HEA.

My one criticism was the over use of each other's names when speaking to each other. People just don't talk like that.

[Judy Archer]

Oh my goodness!

This book held me in its grip until midnight on a work night. I could not rest until I read the last word. Love, love, love this story and how it paralleled with the past and present. I felt like I knew these folks. Great read, I would give it ten stars of Ixould

[Tonia]

I've still got sentimental tears in my eyes as I'm writing this. Summer Letters is a journey to the past, a mystery, and a double love story. As someone who loves exploring the past by doing genealogy, I understood why Vanessa was so curious about the story of Hal and Rhonda. It was a bittersweet tale, but more sweet than bitter. I'll be recommending it.

[Sharon Samms]

💜MY NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR💜

I've read 6 of their books now, most all of the time travel ones ~ which I thought were my favorite until I read this book! They're all wonderful and leave you wanting more! The characters are strong and you want to learn more about them as you route for the underdog and wish you could kill off the bad guys yourself.

[STEPHEN E DANGELO]

Yes it was good for the most part. I worked in the legal field for many years and NO attorney would of talked down to a woman and spoken the way your character did. I couldn't even read for several days as your stupidity bothered me that much. I won't read any more of your books not that it will matter.

[Pam Pantell]

Two Beautiful Live Stories Woven in the Fabric of Time

Another wonderful
Elyse Douglas story to fill your heart. You will grow to love the characters and hate to see the book end, you suffer with them, you rejoice with them them, and you share in their sorrows and victories. You can’t go wrong with this one!

[Kim Defusco]

Feel good book

I thought the book had good characters and the setting is good for a summer read. I loved the comparisons between the 2 couples. True love, what can I say, it’s magical.

[Debby Mason]

A beautiful story!

I often do not like movies or stories that flip back and forth between past and present, but Ms. Douglas made the transition easy in this novel.
Writing love letters is such a lost form of communication, I'm so glad to have found and read this book!

[Kathy Crowe]

Romantic

I really loved the story. So romantic. The back and forth between the fifties and today are like my life. Then and now, so much love, so much happiness. Thanks for sharing these wonderful characters with the reader.

[Stacy]

This was a very heartwarming story. To me it kind of reminded me of a cross between something that Nicholas Sparks or Fannie Flagg would write. Though I enjoyed it very much, I did not like reading the strong language. It was completely unnecessary. The story also contained a vivid sex scene.