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Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary
Synopsis:
Teddy Phillips never thought she'd still be spending every day surrounded by toys at almost thirty years old. But working at a vintage toy store is pretty much all she has going on in her life after being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend. The one joy that she's kept is her not-so-guilty pleasure: Everett's Place, a local children's show hosted by Everett St. James, a man whom Teddy finds very soothing . . . and, okay, cute.
Teddy finds the courage to write to him, feeling slightly like one of the children who write to him on his show. He always gives sound advice and seems like he has everything figured out--and he pretty much does: Everett has a great support system, wonderful friends, and his dream job. But there's still that persistent feeling in the back of his mind that something's missing.
When a woman named Theodora starts writing to Everett, he is drawn to her honesty and vulnerability. They continue writing to each other, all the while living their lives without meeting. When their worlds collide, however, they must both let go of their fears and figure out what they truly want--and if the future they want includes each other.
Thoughts:
This book is a delightful mix of You’ve Got Mail, a dash of Mr. Rogers (who just so happens to be a dashing workaholic cinnamon roll) with a heaping spoonful of an all-too relate-able going-on-30 life crisis.
I really enjoyed Winfrey’s Waiting on Tom Hanks duology and consider her a must-read author now. Her characters are so heartwarming and flawed and you just want them all to be happy. Such is the case with Teddy and Everett.
I did find myself more invested in Everett’s story than in Teddy’s though. They both had some growing pains in their lives in terms of how to handle relationships and general life-stress but also how they can each lead healthy and fulfilling lives. I felt that this was more apparent with Everett since he looks like he has it all figured out from the outside, but his issues with being a workaholic are so well written and unique for a leading man. There was also an important event that he missed due to this and it felt like a gut-punch because you knew it wasn’t intentional but it also made it hurt more because of that. Everett also had a stand-out line for me near the end that honestly had me laughing out loud. Loved his character!
Teddy I had more issues with because of her personality type but also her, frankly, weird obsession with Everett’s show. There could have been other options to have her cross paths with his character but a grown woman watching a children’s show just sits weird with me. I get that it is innocent and kind of like therapy for her but she would be better off going to an actual therapist… but then we wouldn’t have this story… so it’s conflicting. Teddy being a people-pleaser who had the rug pulled out from under her is very relate-able but her child-like worldview was not my favourite. Yes our own life plans can be placed on hold and we eventually need to find our way back to them sometimes, but it felt like Teddy was perpetually 13 while trying to figure things out in the body of a 30-year old. And maybe that’s another reason why her obsession with the show was awkward for me.
The side characters are also a staple with Winfrey’s writing that I always enjoy and the wonderful nod to the characters from the Tom Hanks books was perfect. I really liked both Teddy and Everett’s friend groups and while the familial struggles for Teddy felt a little forced, it definitely added to the story.
All in all I really did love this book and know I will always pick up Winfrey’s books and have a good time. She is probably the only author that I willingly read who tends to have aspects of fame that I enjoy.