Trail Mail

by Ada Stone

Not only is Lia backpacking the sixty-mile Timber Loop trail for the first time, but she’s also hiking it alone. Lia has backpacked solo plenty of times, so she starts the hike much more excited than nervous — that is, until she discovers an eerie note in the first trail shelter she passes. The following day she discovers another. Though the notes are clearly meant not for her but for someone named Andi, Lia fears what might happen if she runs into the author all alone in the woods. But beyond her own trepidation, she worries about what might become of Andi. Determined to warn this woman she has never met, Lia formulates a plan that risks putting herself in danger’s path. When she finally locates Andi, an unexpected friendship begins to form, even under their disturbing circumstances. But Lia feels herself wanting more. Does Andi desire the same? And will Lia get up the nerve to find out?

Genres: Audiobook

Audiobook

Published June 30, 2020

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars for Trail Mail (audiobook) by Ada Stone read by Elaine Stone produced by Bryant Street Shorts.
I really wish this story was about the relationship that appears on the book cover. I thought it was going to be about a relationship that builds while hiking and camping. I sadly was wrong. It’s mainly about the bad part of a relationship, not the good part.

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alone together, Lia thinks, cherishing this moment of peace in the mountains.

I have to give this story props for a really interesting and meaningful setup that was written with a lot of heart. Lia is hiking on a trail and discovers notes written to an Andi from Andi's ex-boyfriend, begging for a reunion. The notes rub her the wrong way, and she ends up trying to orchestrate a meeting between her and Andi, to warn her away from her ex, and things take off from there. This is a story about abuse, recovering from it, and confronting misogyny, and I really enjoyed the way the author talked it about it plainly and succinctly. But it's really tough to have such a short story take on such heavy topics; I ended up really really wanting more from the narrative on this. I ended up tagging this as 'contemporary romance', but it's really more just 'contemporary', since the romance doesn't really happen until near the end. And even so, I thought it was too quick; it seemed weird for a romance to blossom so abruptly after everything that the characters discussed/the things that happened. It was cute, no doubt, but my heart was never sold on it.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Elaine Stone, which I really liked! The voice/narration, at least. The production/editing wasn't the best. I could frequently hear the narrator taking breaths, and that's something that really bugs me. Sometimes I was able to ignore it, but not all the time. Thankfully, this was pretty short, and I mostly got used to it. I enjoyed this overall! This is an author I could see myself coming back to for sure.

Content warnings: physical and emotional domestic abuse.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! a solid little novella. It's about a woman who is going hiking and sees notes left for another person from their ex and those notes are sketchy and threatening and toxic. So the woman waits and tries to find the person herself and protect her from her toxic ex bf. The romance in this was weird though. Like super weird. One minute they're strangers talking about their toxic abusive exes and the next they're jumping each others bones? it was just weird. Beyond that, I was here for it.

[Ana Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia bonita que ocurre en escenario natural mientras la protagonista se va a una excursión de senderismo. El relato resulta creíble (en un país como Estados Unidos). La chica toma su mochila y se va por días a despejar de la rutina mientras su intención es sanar también una relación tóxica con su novio. Mientras avanza por la senda, se va encontrando con mensajes que la inquietan desde el principio. Quien los escribe es un varón que quiere encontrar a su ex-novia en el sendero y para ello le hace saber que la está buscando y que quiere reunirse con ella. El tono de los mensajes alertan a la chica y se propone proteger a la desconocida de lo que supone es un hombre con sentido de depredador. Para ello, se lanza a la búsqueda de los mensajes y luego se somete a una situación de riesgo. En un giro de destino, las chicas llegan a conocerse e intercambian sobre el muchacho y otras cuestiones de vida. Así que esta es una historia en la que la acción se centra en evitar el peligro a la par que aprenden a protegerse y desarrollan una amistad profunda.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the story was kind of meh but once we learn the backgrounds of the two women, it became more interesting and heartfelt. A decent short story and a fun ending. It's about domestic abuse and rediscovering your identity and worth.

4/5

[mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine book. Basic storyline, but a good “get lost in” book.

[Seta OcultaVida · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read, and I actually enjoyed it! It has a good plot where the FMC find a trail of notes, that leads the reader through. However, I was interested in knowing the story of the relationship we are seeing on the cover.