Yours Truly, Thomas

Our Review

YOURS TRULY, THOMAS is set in the late 1800’s, first in Washington, D.C. and then in Azure Springs, Iowa. There are a series of letters from Thomas to Clara as well as others that find their way to the Dead Letter Office where Penny works. It is an interesting premise for a story and although slow in spots, the story did flow smoothly and gave insights into the characters.

Penny can’t get the letters from Thomas out of her mind and breaks regulations when she takes it upon herself to find Clara. What takes place from there sets the stage for most of the story. The characters have a depth to them and all seem to have secrets.  Penny’s life changes upon the death of her father, and while she tries to make the best of the situation and keep a roof over their heads, her mother does nothing except complain. I loved Penny’s strength. She seems to live life better when she follows her father’s wise advice, imparted during her childhood.  

While there is some violence in the story, most of the plot is sweet. There are a lot of stories going on, but they are woven together nicely. Penny and Thomas have chemistry but aren’t as they seem to the other, so they need to be truthful with each other before they can move forward. Both are trying to change their lives for the better without continually looking back.

There are vivid descriptions of the small town and time period. The prologue sets the stage and the epilogue gives closure, tying up the story nicely.

Ms. Fordham is a new-to-me author. I hope to read her debut novel, THE HOPE OF AZURE SPRINGS, which is also set in Azure Springs and has some of the same characters. I hope we can be reunited with them over and over again since there are so many characters with stories waiting to be told.