Twenty-Six Letters

by Charlotte Nash

Wilhelmina Mann can never seem to get anything right: her work, relationships and family are all on the rocks. But when she suddenly receives a stack of letters from her long-dead mother, everything she's ever known begins to change.
On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Wilhelmina Mann is already dealing with more than enough problems, so a birthday misadventure landing her in the lock-up is hardly even a surprise.

But that mistake leads to Wil receiving a packet of old letters; letters to Wil from her mother that were written just before she died, back when Wil was a small child.

Suddenly, Wil's life is thrown into a new kind of turmoil as she discovers the mother she lost. And while the letters begin as tales of growing up, they soon become a great love story, almost as great as the bond between mother and daughter. Caught in old, unexpected emotions and unresolved hurts, Wil risks everything to journey back to the tiny English village in which her mother grew up, searching for answers in another set of letters she is meant to find there.

But secrets are kept for a reason. Will she find the last letters? And will she want to know what they contain?

Twenty-Six Letters is a captivating novel entwining family, place and identity, the shame of keeping secrets and the liberation of finding them out.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Australia

411 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2022

About the author

Charlotte Nash was born in England and grew up in the sunny Redland Shire of Brisbane. Before becoming a writer, she spent time building rockets and working as an industrial accident investigator (she swears the two were not related). Somewhere in that time, she acquired a penchant for motorbikes.

She now writes women's fiction, romance, science fiction and fantasy, teaches in some semesters, and works in technical writing with fascinating people. She has degrees in engineering and medicine, and a PhD in creative writing from The University of Queensland. She swears she is still fun at parties.

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until then, be brave, my darling girl.

Love,

Mum.

I really loved those lines that appeard many times throughout this unusual novel!

Wil, short for Wilhelmina, is a funny character. Funny in a mostly likeable but not in a flouncy way. I love her full name, and really liked it shortened to Wil. Although, for reasons slowly revealed, she prefers Mina. I do love stories containing names I like, I feel bonded more, in a way. Poor Wil, she was even lumped with ‘Willy’ by the men in her life. She just couldn’t win!

This 31 year old finds herself living not a life that is her best; she’s stuck. Stuck and broke. A fractured relationship with her dad, a gruff Aussie bloke that really doesn’t give her the time of day. Suffering a few humiliations, with one of them being as a chippie demolishing the wrong kitchen for refurb.

Wil works for her dad – so this further deepens the chasm between father and daughter, and her feelings of lack grow. Now, I really do understand this mistake. My husband is a fencer, and my brother pulled the wrong fence down. It happens!

Broke but determined, she rights this wrong but wipes out any tiny cash reserve she had. Will then receives a pile of old letters from her long-deceased mother – withheld by her father. Yet more fuel to the fire! Letters written for every year of Wil’s life, meant to have been given out each year. Her father did not allow this to happen.

Thus commences this epistolary novel, and a slow burn familial story reveals itself all the way from the Gold Coast to England to the western suburbs of Sydney (where I have a tiny gripe of struggle street maybebeing depicted in this way). Or I may be taking this the wrong way? This was the only mention of the western suburbs and it seemed to have a negative slant (to me).

Wil discovers herself, a love and her family roots in this feel-good story. Wil’s mother’s communication via these letters were insightful and heartfelt, I found these to be extremely well written and poignant. These letters in the book were presented in italics, in a font that was too light. This differentiated the letters from the text but were not great on the eye.

Wil’s story was refreshing, I enjoyed very much, which was provided to me by Allen & Unwin via an uncorrected proof copy to read and review, with thanks.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilhelmina Mann had lost her mother when she was only a toddler and didn't remember her much at all. But the day her father's solicitor handed Wil some letters, which were from her mother and should have been given to her every birthday from age six - Wil's life altered its trajectory. She was angry with her father for withholding the letters, and she wondered if all her mistakes and troubles throughout her life wouldn't have happened had she received them when her mother had wanted her to.

As Wil read each year's birthday letter, her heart felt like it was broken. The beautiful letters from her mother told of her mother's life when she was young in a small village in England, and as she reached the end of her letters, Wil knew she had to go to England, to the little village of South Bandinby, to discover her mother's past and find more letters that were in keeping for her. What would happen when Wil discovered the secrets that were from the past? Could she face them, face her mother's past and find herself at last?

Twenty-Six Letters by Aussie author Charlotte Nash is another wonderfully written family novel which captivated me from the start. Wil was a fragile character who gradually found her true self, and the side characters - Kate, her older sister, Colin, her half brother, and the people in England - were well-crafted. I've always enjoyed this author's novels, and this one was no exception. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful, feel-good read that kept me invested the entire time.

The plot sees aimless Wil searching for more info about the past of her deceased mother, after belatedly receiving a stack of letters written before she passed.

Wil's a bit of an unintentional train wreck - she doesn't quite know what she wants from life, and her choices always seem to end badly for her, no matter how innocent her intentions. I loved that she wasn't intentionally a black sheep - things just kind of ended up like that for her.

The mystery of her mother's words takes her to an English village which I really loved. It was such a cosy setting, and the writing really drew me there. I loved how fanciful her mother seemed - despite the fact that we only hear from her through letters, she holds a strong presence in this book - and how that is echoed in Wil without her really noticing it.

The characters drew me in easily, and I love how naturally the relationships developed. I could so easily picture these characters, and I felt everything they did. It was easy to sympathise and yet really understand all the layers to each character. Even Wil's father, Cameron, had a good side, despite very much seeming a 'bad guy' to begin with. I really appreciated that these characters weren't just 2D cliches; there was a depth to each that showed multiple facets of their personality.

The mystery of the letters is fun, and we get enough of them to keep us hooked. You can tell the story Wil's mother is telling has quite a lot of twists and turns, and it makes you eager to see where it's all heading. At the same time, we get satisfaction from Wil's investigations - the tidbits she gets from locals, and the info she digs up herself. There's plenty here to keep us entertained for the entire duration of the novel.

A little predictable, but most books are for me these days! There's not a lot I read now that hasn't been done before, so for me it's more about the delivery of the twists than the actual twists themselves. I loved how this whole story unravelled, so there was no loss for me in guessing at what would happen.

This book kept me entertained the entire time, and had me really immersing myself in Wil's emotions. I became quite invested in her story, and I generally enjoyed how this story warmed my heart.

A wonderful, light read with a mystery to keep you hanging for more. Highly recommend.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about Wilhelmina Mann, who goes by the name of Wil, Willy although not happily and Mina, she has a sister Kate and two half- brothers Colin and Tony. Wil lost her mother when she was four years old and sadly doesn’t have a lot of memories of her, but when the family solicitor hands her an envelope when she is thirty one that contains letters that she should have been given on her birthday each year till she was eighteen, Wil starts an adventure to find out some truths.

Wil lives on the Gold Coast of Queensland with her father and two half- brothers she works as a tradie’s assistant for her father’s building company but life has been very up and down for Wil over the years and her father is sick of bailing her out of trouble. But with these letters Wil makes her way to the small village of South Bandinby in England to where her mother Ann grew up and with the help of the letters she knows a bit about the people who live there and is doing her best to fulfill the request that her mother has asked of her.

The secrets these letters uncover are big ones and Wil struggles with what to do with them, will she keep them or turn a lot of people’s lives upside down, meeting handsome TV presenter and ex footballer David Hunter in the village allows her to have someone to confide some of the things that happened in the past but poor Wil is struggling but also the bond between her mother and her seems to be growing even without her there.

I loved this story it is so well written with so many emotions throughout Wil is the best character, I felt her pain and felt her growing with each letter and seeing her find herself was so moving, Wil seemed to have a few problems with relationships but perhaps now with the truth and the love she knew her mother had for her Wil will find the happiness that she deserves. I do highly recommend this story it is moving and wonderful, Charlotte Nash is a wonderful author.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Wilhelmina Mann lands in serious trouble. This event is the catalyst to other events. Wilhelmina, known most commonly Wil, receives a package. They are letters addressed to Mina, which was her mother’s pet name for Wil, and they are from her mother who died near Wil’s fifth birthday. These letters are one for each birthday from six to eighteen. They are letters she should have received years earlier. Wil hopes they will reveal more about the mother she barely remembers. And she learns a lot about her mother’s life and love. Not all of it is what Wil wants to hear. Searching for answers, Wil ends up leaving her home in Australia and making a trip overseas to find out more. Her brother Colin lends her money for the trip.
In South Bandiby, England, she meets David Hunter, a former famous footballer who now has a TV show, Saving History. David Hunter is an interesting man with a chequered past. And she also meets Lord Elston. He is less than thrilled to meet her. What changes will her encounters with these two men make in her life? And what changes does Wil need to make in her life? How will what she learns affect her fractured relationship with her sister Kate and father Cameron,
Initially Wil is an accident waiting to happen. Trouble seems to gravitate towards her like metal to a magnet. Sometimes it is well and truly her own fault. Other times it is a number of unfortunate accidents. Wil is likeable if somewhat clueless and self absorbed. Other characters are well developed.
Many thanks to Allen& Unwin for for my ARC which I won and was excited to have the chance to read and review. I loved the story, the characters and the setting but I had two issues with this book. The letters from Mina’s mother are in italics which I hate reading and not just in italics but the typeface is very faint which I found irritating and hard to read for any length of time.
Still, the story is a heartwarming read and just the type of feel good read I wanted after my previous book. Great to see such a lovely story published. But a shame about the issues I mentioned.
.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Twenty-Six Letters is a heartfelt mother/daughter relationship that plays out posthumously as Wilhelmina (Wil) gets to know her mother through letters she wrote before she died.

The story opens with a 30 year old Wil. She is a bit of a mess, partying too hard and unreliable. She always seems to be in some sort of trouble and her father has had enough. He threatens to kick her out if she messes up one more time. Well you can guess what happens here.

I felt sorry for Will who had lost her mother at a young age and she felt that she didn't fit in with her family. But I could also understand her father's frustration.

When Wil comes into possession of the letters, which were supposed to be given to her one a year but somehow got misplaced, the story moves to her mother and her life growing up.

I didn't really connect with the letters and how each year the mother presumed she would know how Wil felt and what she was going through. I really didn't like how the mother kept putting down Wil's father in the letters. This was the man that had brought her up since she was five and patiently put up with all her nonsense. It made me quite angry.

Wil follows her mother's letters back to a gorgeous little country town in England where her mother grew up. I loved this part of the story with the Lord of the area and all the country folk knowing exactly who was coming and going and what was happening. The ending was predictable, but I do love a happy ending!
*I received my copy from the publisher

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-Six Letters is the fifth stand-alone novel by British-born Australian author, Charlotte Nash. When she’s about to turn thirty-one, Wilhelmina Mann is handed a bundle of letters by her family’s solicitor. Each addressed to Mina, they were written by her late mother, one meant to be given to Wil on each birthday until she turned eighteen, but they were withheld by her well-meaning but ever-critical father.

As she reads them, she begins to wonder if she might have led less of a train crash life with the benefit of her mother’s words. Might she have become the sort of admirable person her mother was convinced she would by now be? The final letter inspires a mission to recover a further set of letters left for her in the tiny Lincolnshire village where her mother grew up, something she is only able to do courtesy of cash from her kind younger half-brother.

In South Bandinby, Wil is a little surprised that the locals are less than friendly, suspicious even, believing her an associate of “that man”. Then she has a very embarrassing encounter involving nettles and a pond, with an attractive man of whom the villagers strongly disapprove and are openly hostile towards. Apparently David Hunter, who lives in the cottage by the church, hosts a TV history program, but the local Lord has made it plain that his interest in the village church is unwelcome.

When the letters are not where she expects to find them, Wil is ready to give up, but reluctantly allows David to help her research her mother’s past. But someone in the village clearly knows about the letters, and makes sure that Wil gets the first, whetting her appetite to know more about her mother’s young romance. Wil is in no way prepared for the explosive secrets those letters hold.

When an author can have the reader empathising with her protagonist to the point of tears welling up in the early pages, she must be doing something right. How and why Wil’s life has progressed in the manner and to the stage that it has, is gradually unravelled as the family’s history is revealed through her mother’s letters.

Nash gives the reader appealing characters, endows them with wise words and insightful observations and involves them in a wholly credible plot. Comedy, tragedy, romance and a heart-warming, uplifting resolution: what’s not to love?
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-Six Letters is the fifth stand-alone novel by British-born Australian author, Charlotte Nash. The audio version is narrated by Ayesha Gibson. When she’s about to turn thirty-one, Wilhelmina Mann is handed a bundle of letters by her family’s solicitor. Each addressed to Mina, they were written by her late mother, one meant to be given to Wil on each birthday until she turned eighteen, but they were withheld by her well-meaning but ever-critical father.

As she reads them, she begins to wonder if she might have led less of a train crash life with the benefit of her mother’s words. Might she have become the sort of admirable person her mother was convinced she would by now be? The final letter inspires a mission to recover a further set of letters left for her in the tiny Lincolnshire village where her mother grew up, something she is only able to do courtesy of cash from her kind younger half-brother.

In South Bandinby, Wil is a little surprised that the locals are less than friendly, suspicious even, believing her an associate of “that man”. Then she has a very embarrassing encounter involving nettles and a pond, with an attractive man of whom the villagers strongly disapprove and are openly hostile towards. Apparently David Hunter, who lives in the cottage by the church, hosts a TV history program, but the local Lord has made it plain that his interest in the village church is unwelcome.

When the letters are not where she expects to find them, Wil is ready to give up, but reluctantly allows David to help her research her mother’s past. But someone in the village clearly knows about the letters, and makes sure that Wil gets the first, whetting her appetite to know more about her mother’s young romance. Wil is in no way prepared for the explosive secrets those letters hold.

When an author can have the reader empathising with her protagonist to the point of tears welling up in the early pages, she must be doing something right. How and why Wil’s life has progressed in the manner and to the stage that it has, is gradually unravelled as the family’s history is revealed through her mother’s letters.

Nash gives the reader appealing characters, endows them with wise words and insightful observations and involves them in a wholly credible plot. Comedy, tragedy, romance and a heart-warming, uplifting resolution: what’s not to love?

[Marles Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Allen and Unwin for gifting me a copy of Charlotte Nash’s new book! This is the book to read when you need an emotional recharge. I cried as I read parts of this book, and it was the perfect companion in my week of covid isolation. It was touching, funny, and it was genuinely warm and engaging.

Poor Wilhelmina Mann seemed like a walking catastrophe. She had no luck in life, and if anything could go wrong, it already did. She is treated like one of the boys by her brothers, with the name “Willy” sticking like mud.Yet this wasn’t who she was – she didn’t really know who she was at all. Even her sister and father hold her at a distance, and never seems to have one positive word about her. From the moment she is called to meet the family lawyer, and given a pile of letters from her mother who does many years ago, the wheels are set in motion to change life as Mina (her preferred name and the name her mother referred to her) has known for the last 29 years. Mina finally finds a connection after feeling so disconnected from her family and their lives for so many years.

The disconnection that Mina felt for so many years of her life was sad and heartbreaking: the decision to travel back to the town where her mother came from, on a quest to find out more about her mother and these letters was a decision made on having nothing else to lose. Mina becomes entangled with the folk in the small town of South Bandinby, and in the secrets in the next lot of letters she starts to receive. The connection to another outsider, David, caught up in the whim of history and nostalgia of the town was a great moment for Mina to realise her place, find her voice and be the woman she wanted to be. Loved this book!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilhelmina Mann is a character you’ll warm to straight away and one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished this book. You know when you pick up a book based on handwritten letters being discovered that the story is going to take you on an intriguing and sometimes emotional journey and that’s exactly what this book did.

Twenty-Six Letters by Aussie author Charlotte Nash is a heartwarming and captivating novel that I loved from start to finish. Highly recommended.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Allen & Unwin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Charlotte Nash charms and elates the reader with her latest smash Twenty-Six Letters.
Wilhelmina Mann is a mess.
Dealing with so many problems, her job is becoming a disaster, missing her mother, her boyfriend is a waste of space and now she has just ended up in the police lock up.
But all this leads to a selection of letters left behind, written by her mother just before she died.
Now her life is an even bigger mess.
Soon Wilhelmina is packing her bags to travel halfway around the world to seek the truth and unravel the secrets.
Will the letters reveal all?
An established writer that started with medical rural romances and moved onto contemporary fiction with ease, she continues her success with another well written and crafted tale.
I am a loyal fan of Charlotte’s work and was very excited to navigate through a new story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I had high expectations and knew I would be satisfied and on both counts I was very pleased.
A tale that entertains massively filled with emotion, tenderness and happiness.
I devoured it, had a few laughs and gobbled up the plot.
Twenty-Six Letters has the many ingredients I seek in a great read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Wilhelmina Mann is already dealing with more than enough problems, so a birthday misadventure landing her in the lock-up is hardly even a surprise.

But that mistake leads to Wil receiving a packet of old letters; letters to Wil from her mother that were written just before she died, back when Wil was a small child.

But secrets are kept for a reason. Will she find the last letters? And will she want to know what they contain?

A really interesting book! It’s very much a coming of age story as Will tries to work out her place in the world, while learning more about her mother and the secrets that her father kept from her. All with a touch of romance (my favourite).

The way that you get parts of the present day story, mixed in with the past (through the letters) works really well and helps to fill in all parts of the jigsaw as you read. I really did love watching Wilhelmina grow as she read each one.

[Sharyn O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Happy and sad all at once" pretty much sums up how I felt many times while reading this book.
A delight to listen to (audio book).
Although I knew, for the most part, where it was going, it was a pleasure to be part of the journey. Loved it.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of family, travel and finding oneself. I loved it

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars .. an interesting book that kept me wanting to know more

[Rafaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! The mystery of the letters gripped me from the beginning. Wil's journey and growth felt authentic. She is a relatable character who is easy to empathise with. Charlotte Nash weaves together ideas of loss, family, identity and love, making for an emotionally satisfying read.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review and all my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wilhelmina Mann is a hot mess. She can't seem to get anything right. Her boyfriend is a hack, her sibling relationships virtually don't exist, and her relationship with her father in on the rocks, the boat ready to capsize at any minute. When a birthday mishap lands her in the lock up, her father isn't surprised, giving her one more chance to get it together. The birthday mishap however, ends with Wilhelmina being given a stack of letters, letters written by her deceased mother. As Wil reads through the letters, her life is turned upside down; while the letter begin as a tale of growing up, they soon turn into a story of love. Realising the hurt and the unresolved emotions surrounding her mother's death, and finding out that these letters are just the beginning, Wil risks it all to journey back to the tiny English village where her mother grew up. Once there she starts to unravel the mystery of her mother's life, but some secrets are kept secret for a reason. Can Wil find the last of the letters? And when she does, will she really want to know what they contain?

This book is not something that I would normally pick up. I was browsing through the catalogue of available books, and something about the cover caught my eye. Once I read the blurb, I needed it. I don't know what it was that drew me to this story, but I am so glad that it did, this is sitting as one of my top reads for the year thus far.

Wil is a mess, and I absolutely loved her character. She can't seem to do anything right, and it's not from lack of trying. I think she's just one of those people who bad luck follows around like a tiny storm cloud, forever hovering above her head. She wants nothing more than to make her family proud, but it's just not something that she's been able to do thus far, and I really felt for her. At first I thought she was a little bit air headed, and I was preparing for a protagonist that I was not going to connect to in the slightest, but it quickly becomes evident that that is not the case. She is a character that is drifting through life, having not found her calling and just desperate to not be a disappointment anymore. My heart truly ached for what she had lost and what she felt like she was slowly destroying. She is such a well rounded character and is so believable and real, I felt like I knew her. I enjoyed all of the characters in this story, Nash has shown considerable talent for being able to write a well rounded cast that have such distinct personalities and voices. Something I would like to point out, is how Nash was able to write a character and make them so well rounded, without them physically being in the story - Wil's mother. We get to know her character through the letters that she left her daughter, and I think it's amazing that for a character that isn't even there, she was so real.

I loved the exploration of the character relationships in this story. Wil's relationships with virtually everyone in her life, is severely strained, and I loved getting to explore why. Even though her father frustrated me a lot, (especially with mishaps at work that made me want to throttle him because he just wouldn't give her a chance) I found that I was really rooting for them. I could feel Wil's heartbreak each time she disappointed her father, and even though she felt like it was a lost cause, she still wanted him to realise that she was trying. She didn't want him to give up on her. I really felt that. I actually got a bit emotional in the last part of the book. Seeing the growth that Wil experienced throughout the story as she learned about where she came from and got to know who she is, was beautiful, and I felt every second of it. I love a story where you get a chance to see a character really grow organically, both in themselves and in their relationships.

I didn't realise initially, but this story is actually set in Australia - the Gold Coast to be exact. So that was a nice little surprise. And while half the story is told in Australia the other half is told against the backdrop of a quaint English village. Nash's ability to set the scene and describe the village had me feeling like I was there. There was no over the top descriptions and yet I swear I could smell that English country air...and feel the nettles burning my skin. Nash has a superb way of being able to really drop the reader into the world shown on the pages effortlessly.

I find this story hard to categorize, it has a bit of a feel of slice of life, a hint of romance, a dusting of mystery and a story of the discovery of one's self. I can't even tell you what hooked me, but from the first chapter I was incredibly invested in the dumpster fire that is Wil's life, and I found that I was backing her from virtually the word go. I wanted to see her succeed and I wanted her to find herself, to be true to herself and to really get out there and prove that she could do it. The added mystery surrounding her mother's letters was a wonderful addition and it really kept the pace moving and the need to know what was going to happen was incredibly strong. I could not put it down. While I did have one of the twists picked from early on, this didn't detract from the story at all, and I didn't see another twist coming which was fantastic.

All in all, this was a wonderful amalgamation of different genres that really tugged at my heart strings and kept me on the edge of my seat. Nash has such a wonderful voice that really makes the story fly by, and characters that you can't help but get behind. I'm definitely keen to check out more from this author in the future. If you want a story that has well rounded and defined characters, with a story that is just an absolute joy to read, give this one a go. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Twenty-Six Letters” by Charlotte Nash is an immensely enjoyable read, but it’s difficult to discuss the plot without spoilers. It’s also a novel that edges across genre lines without quite crossing them.

Wilhelmina Mann has just entered her thirties, and feels that she should have her life together. But as her father is all too ready to point out, she doesn’t. She’s living at home, her relationship barely deserves the name, she keeps screwing up at work, and she’s just been arrested (again).

After a cataclysmic few days, Wil is single, broke, homeless, and unemployed. One good thing comes out of this: the arrest exposes an error at her father’s solicitor’s office. They have a bundle of letters for Wil from her long-dead mother. Wil was supposed to have received one each year; but she only received the first of them.

Wil has always felt her mother’s absence, and wondered how her life might be different if she’d lived. The existence of the letters stir up a potent mixture of emotions. As Wil reads them, she finds a picture of her mother – and indeed, Wil’s own past – that doesn’t match Wil’s memories or what she’s been told over the years. Wil is drawn into finding out more about her mother.

I really fear that if I tell you more about the plot, I’ll spoil a strong story. The plot sounds straightforward, but combined with strong characterisation, it’s complex and layered. I found it very difficult to put down.

Wil’s quest is compelling. At times the need to know what happens next is so strong that it veers into the kind of pull I expect from a thriller. And although Nash calls herself a romance writer, that element is subservient to the relationship between Wil and her absent mother. I wouldn’t call this a romance novel. Essentially, this is a contemporary novel with elements of a number of different genres, none of them dominant.

I was drawn to the different characters in different ways. I empathised strongly with Wil’s mother. I understood Wil. I wanted to know more about David Hunter, the architect who gets involved in Wil’s quest. I wanted to smack Wil’s father for his poor parenting. I was intensely irritated by Baron Elston and the others who seem intent on impeding Wil’s efforts to find out about her mother’s early life. And I really, really wanted to drop kick Rob (you will too. Don’t worry, you meet him early in the novel). In other words, every character generated a strong emotion or reaction in me.

This is an emotional and intelligent read, one that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers. I recommend it if you’re looking for something with a lot of emotional depth, but which is written in an easy reading style. This will suck you in quickly and keep you till the last page.

If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.

An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Charlotte Nash’s most recent novel, Twenty-Six Letters (Allen and Unwin 2022) has a little of everything: mystery, family drama, romance, secrets, endearing characters, humour and a page-turning plot. I adored the premise of this story, the gradual release of information through found letters and the interesting family dynamics played out by the characters. I especially loved Wilhelmina, who is a Flea Bag kind of 30-something woman, a bit lost in the world, drifting without a plan, prone to accidents and disasters, and suffering an inner turmoil as to the meaning of life and her place in it.

The book opens with Wil finding herself locked up, an experience not predictable but not entirely surprising, either. At 30, she has been taking these sorts of knocks her whole life. But then she receives a packet of old letters written to her from her mother who died when Wil was very young, letters she was supposed to receive earlier but for various reasons on par with the turmoil in her life, she didn’t. The letters reveal to her the mother she barely remembers, writing of her early life. The letters also tear open the wounds Wil has held shut for so many years, emotional grief and unresolved tensions. In a feisty move, she travels on a whim to the small English village where her mother grew up, hoping to find more answers in another set of letters apparently hidden in a secret spot. Will she find the letters? Will they still be in place after so many years? Might others have found them first? And if she does find them, will they contain anything she wants to know, or only information she was better off not knowing?

Wil is a fantastic character – wilful, funny, spontaneous, accident-prone, untethered and often unemployed. She has a distinctive and delightful dry sense of humour which shines through even the most moving and sensitive parts of this story. And it is a warm and captivating novel, one that explores identity, family connection, our origin stories, shame, secrets and place.

Nash’s writing is accessible, page-turning and authentic, with quirky dialogue and lovely descriptions. If you enjoyed Michelle Upton’s debut Terms of Inheritance, or if you love English villages, Antiques Roadshow, Grand Designs or quick-witted and fabulously irreverent protagonists, then Twenty-Six Letters is for you.

[Rhoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to review!

Wilhelmina is making a bit of a mess of her life. Despite now being thirty-one, she just can’t seem to get anything right. When she finds a letter from her long-dead mother and realizes there are many more that she has never received, she heads off to her mother’s hometown in England to try to piece together her mother’s life, as no one else seems willing to tell her.

What Wil/Mina discovers is the mother she never really knew and an old secret that throws her life into even more turmoil.

This was an easy read and I enjoyed the letters that were written by Mina’s mother and establishing the person that she was. The concept was quite lovely and makes you think about what legacy you could leave for your children if you knew you were going to pass while they were young. This part of the story was moving.

I wasn’t convinced by the love interest and found some of the storyline a bit predictable. Also not fond of so many “snorting” characters (I hate seeing this in books 😆). Otherwise this story was a pleasant way to pass some time reading in the sunshine! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

[Senali · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first picked this up I had no idea that this would turn out to be such a great read. Twenty - Six Letters is a perfect melange of love , fun , sorrow and mystery. It was as if I was reading two stories at once. I love how Wilhelmina's character progressed from Wil to Mina with the impact of her mother's letters and her new experiences accomponied by them.

The first thing that instantly grasped my attention was the dedication of this book. Ann's story was my favourite to read despite agonizing end. I can't describe in words how much her story affected me . Having said that , I will be rereading her last few letters again in the near future.

Read this if you love ,

💕 Character growth
💕 Romance , Love
💕 Letters
💕 Mystery - secrets
💕 Chick-lit
💕 Heart touching characters

I would like to thank team Allen and Unwin for the gifted review copy.

[Renee Hermansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilhelmina lost her mother when she was a young child and never really found her way in life. Until one day when she was given letters her mother had written to her before her passing. These letters lead her to England to the land her mother was born and raised on.
She uncovered many secrets her mother had kept and many truths that had never been told.
Along this journey Wilhelmina finds herself and learns how to fit in life.
Wilhelmina gets herself into all kinds of strife along the way which made me laugh but this book also touched on life and death and how we cope along the way.
Great read and I would recommend. I will be looking out for Charlotte Nash books in the future.
Thanks to Allen and Unwin for my copy to read and review.

[Norah Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. It did take me a little while to get into it, but it was worth perservering. While I didn't find the main character Wil very endearing at first, she became more likeable and I became more engrossed with her life story and impressed by her growth as the novel continued. Her use of the name Mina (both Wil and Mina short for her given name Wilhelmina) made her transformation complete and I was left happy with what she'd become and curious about the next stage of her life. It was a very satisfying conclusion to her story.
It's a story of taking charge of one's life and turning oneself around.

[Zsofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I liked this novel, it didn't start out that interestingly for me personally, but I don't regret sticking to it.

The complexities of the character really bothered me (as they lacked explanation for way too long imho), and how her family was treating her also really bothered me.

I'm surprised that she didn't get told that her mother had ADHD (as I felt it was implied throughout the novel) and that she might want to consider herself having it.

I did like the story in the end, but it had a lot of awful people in it.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 would be a better rating. 30 year old Wilhelmina Mann’s life is a mess and gets more complicated when a package of letters arrive from her mother. As Wilhelmina’s mother died when she was a small child; the letters send her to England in hopes of finding more letters and answers to many questions.
This novel is a lovely read, especially the letters. There is humour, joy, sadness and a few surprises.

[Kate thebooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wholly crap what an emotional ride, I was halfway through and I’d only intended to read a few chapters before bed, instead I found myself compelled forwards through the chapters tears flowing on several occasions.

Gosh I was a mess, the next morning I was not only tired 🤣 but I had super puffy eyes. Damn this book for gripping my heart and not letting go!

I might go as far to say that this might just be my favourite book of the year so far!

[Marypi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilhelmina Mann is a mess. She's always in trouble, she hangs out with the wrong people and doesn't know what to do with her life.

On the eve of her 30th birthday, she receives letters from her mom, who passed away when she was little. These letters will guide her, give her purpose and a quest.

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, because while I thought the plot as a whole was good, the story in itself was very boring.

[Jaime Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It gave me Monica McInerney vibes with the Australia/England connections and contemporary family drama with a hint of romance.
I found that it took a little while to get started however by about half way through I just wanted to sit and read it to figure out where the mothers story was going.
Initially Wil seemed to be a little too blasé about her life and her choices but when she reached England it seemed that the book was a little more centred around her mother and Wil seemed to be a secondary character for me which I enjoyed more.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

You get to a certain point in this book that you cannot put it down easily …. this one had me from the start I just loved reading about Wil, her family and her struggle to find answers from the past. I couldn’t read fast enough to see if she was going to get the closure she needed and find her footprint to follow in life. A real joy to read, following the letters keeps you enthralled long after you know you should put the book down but just have to read one more page….

[Isabel Galea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. When I describe it to others I would say there were too many different ideas happening with a lot of common tropes so it bordered on predictable. It also felt like it went on forever.

That said, I listened to it on audiobook and had to stop everything I was doing to listen to the end. So very engaging, with lots of cliff hanger chapters that prevented me from turning it off and doing work