Samantha's only friends were characters in books, but her real life takes an extraordinary turn when a mysterious "Mr. Knightley" offers her a full journalism scholarship-on the condition that she write to him regularly. Will their long-distance friendship unlock her heart?

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is that both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor calling himself Mr. Knightley offers to put Sam through Northwestern University's prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

Sam's letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional as she begins to share everything from her painful childhood memories to her growing feelings for eligible novelist Alex Powell. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it's straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Katherine Reay's debut novel follows a young woman's journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

Praise for Dear Mr. Knightley:

"Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley kept me up until 2:00 a.m.; I simply couldn't put it down."-Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a Tower

"Sprinkled with classic literary references and filled with poignant characterizations, Katherine Reay's modern retelling of Jean Webster's Daddy-Long-Legs is both reverently crafted and delightfully surprising."-Lauren Ann Nattress, Austenprose.com

"Katherine Reay's touching debut novel made me cry in all the right places. For joy."-Laurie Viera Rigler, author of Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

• Sweet, stand-alone contemporary romance
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs, a Q&A with the author, and Sam's reading list

About the Author
Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author who has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books. She publishes both fiction and nonfiction, holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Chicago, Illinois, with her husband and three children. You can meet her at katherinereay.com; Facebook: @KatherineReayBooks; Twitter: @katherine_reay; Instagram: @katherinereay.

Awards
Winner of Carol Award (Contemporary) 2014 and INSPYs the Bloggers Awards for Excellence in Faith-Driven Literature (Debut Fiction) 2014. Commended for Christy Awards (First Novel) 2014.



Book Information
ISBN 9781401689681
Author Katherine Reay
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Thomas Nelson Publishers
Publisher Thomas Nelson Publishers
Weight(grams) 312g
Dimensions(mm) 213mm * 138mm * 33mm