Seven Letters: J.P. Monninger (A book published in 2019)

I was so excited when I won this book. I love books about or in Ireland and about or with Irish people. They just make my heart so happy, so I was really excited to win an ARC of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway. This book will be published in October, 2019.

My favorite part of the book was reading the landscape descriptions of Ireland. Every time the Monninger introduced a new landscape, I had to Google it so that I could fully visualize the location, and while that was fun, it made me yearn to visit Ireland all the more, which isn't super helpful...

I enjoyed the first half a lot; I really enjoyed watching the relationship of Ozzie and Kate, and I remember being so confused when they get married and it's not even halfway through the book. I was thinking, "What else can possible happen during the rest of the novel?" Then lots more happened, which was nice.

I struggle to explain how I feel about this book. I had a lot of thoughts in different directions. Yes, I loved watching the romance bloom, but it happened too fast to be believable in any way. There were never conversations (at least, no conversations for the readers to be a part of) that helped grow the relationship to the point we were to believe it was at. They spent a lot of time together, sure, but I never understood how they grew to be in love to the point of marriage.

Which is why I wasn't surprised at all when the marriage ended in the separation. They had no depth to the relationship. It was built on hormones and lust. I can't imaging that works well.

However, even the separation caused me much confusion. They are sailing, they hit a storm, and all of the sudden, Kate realizes that she married a monster, is how I interpret her feelings. So she runs from him. And she never looks back. And that's the part where Monninger really lost me. I didn't understand why she just left without even contacting Ozzie, without even trying or communicating with him at all. She just leaves. And part of the confusion is that I don't understand why she leaves in the first place. Maybe it's because she finally starts to understand how little she actually knows him.

But even then, they never actually get divorced. It seems like all along, Kate is hopping and thinking that Ozzie will come running to her again and they can start fresh. But she never does anything for the relationship, and starts dating other men, never actually letting go of her relationship with Ozzie. Again, for reasons that are confusing to me.

But of course. The book can't end there.

Death strikes, and Kate has to go on this soul searching adventures to find answers for her husband, and I guess along the way heals from the loss? But again, I don't understand this. There relationship seemed surface level at best. There was no depth. There was nothing to support it. Why did she travel the world for answers? Who knows.

Then Ozzie returns, of course, and they live happily ever after... together. What? Why? How? I have no idea.

So to summarize.

I loved the book because I love all things Ireland. I loved the landscapes and the sights and the sounds and the smells that Monninger evokes through the detailed writing. I love the cute doggie. I hate everything else.