Letters To My Mother [NOOK Book]

( 36 )
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Overview

We were reaching the Student Union when Dr. Rosenau broke the silence. "You know, I never eat young ladies on Fridays. Only on Tuesdays."
I couldn't help laughing. "Do I look that apprehensive?"
"Yes, rather." He opened the door for me. "But I have just the cure for you. It's David Rosenau's patented shyness remedy, strawberry shortcake garnished with whipped cream, to be taken at least once weekly in charming company. Doctor's orders."

Kate is a college junior, a gifted student who skipped two grades in school, a naval officer's daughter who's lived in more places than she can ...
See more details below

More About This Book

Overview

We were reaching the Student Union when Dr. Rosenau broke the silence. "You know, I never eat young ladies on Fridays. Only on Tuesdays."
I couldn't help laughing. "Do I look that apprehensive?"
"Yes, rather." He opened the door for me. "But I have just the cure for you. It's David Rosenau's patented shyness remedy, strawberry shortcake garnished with whipped cream, to be taken at least once weekly in charming company. Doctor's orders."

Kate is a college junior, a gifted student who skipped two grades in school, a naval officer's daughter who's lived in more places than she can remember. Shy and bookish, she's never had a boyfriend, let alone been kissed or gone on a date. Kate thinks falling in love is something that only happens to other girls.

David is a college professor, a sailor, a brilliant scientist trapped in a failed marriage; aloof and reclusive, he buries himself in teaching and research. David's convinced he'll go through life with an empty heart.

When Kate gets a campus job as David's typist, they discover they're both mistaken. Letters To My Mother is a May-December romance set in 1950s Seattle.

Product Details

  • BN ID: 2940000803967
  • Publisher: Rebecca Heath, via Smashwords
  • Publication date: 1/7/2010
  • Sold by: SMASHWORDS - EBKS
  • Format: eBook
  • Sales rank: 5,198
  • File size: 751 KB

Meet the Author

I began writing "Letters To My Mother" in 1978 when the events that inspired the story were fresher in my mind than they are now, more than 30 years later. As the novel was nearing completion, I got busy with other projects, put the manuscript in a box and forgot about it. In 1996 my husband and I moved aboard our boat and the box went into storage, where it remained until March 2008; when our household goods finally caught up with us, I discovered the manuscript and went into a frenzy of rewriting.

"Letters" is listed as a romance, but it violates a number of taboos usually associated with this genre: David, a university professor, is 28 years older than Kate, the student he falls in love with, and the ending, while certainly not unhappy, does not conclude with the marriage or engagement of the protagonists.

Knowing how few novels sent to literary agents and publishing houses survive the slush pile, I am not sufficiently masochistic to consider submitting my book for publication, nor am I willing to make the changes which would be required to market my book as a conventional romance; that is not the story I wanted to tell. Hearing from readers who have been touched by the book is reward enough.

Biography - oh, that's right; I'm supposed to say something about myself. I'm an alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, retired after 30 years in data processing, and I enjoy bicycling, traveling and sailing.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 36 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(13)

4 Star

(12)

3 Star

(4)

2 Star

(3)

1 Star

(4)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 36 Customer Reviews

  • Posted July 22, 2010

    Poignant May-December Novel

    Letters To My Mother is the bittersweet story of a love affair between a college professor and the student he hires as his typist. Kate is 19, gifted, naive and shy; David is a renowned biochemist stuck in a loveless marriage. While Kate is immediately infatuated with the older man, David is doubly cautious: he's unwilling to take advantage of Kate's innocence and he realizes, too, that in falling in love with Kate he runs the risk that she will eventually meet someone her own age, leave him, and break his heart.

    A great age difference between the main characters is generally taboo in romance writing but, in the case of Letters, the relationship between Kate and David evolves from friendship to love so naturally that the reader is hardly aware of the disparity. Set in 1950s Seattle, the book is touching, realistic and provocative - I highly recommend it.

    11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 7, 2010

    WOW!!!

    I wasnt so sure about this book as it was downloading but I thought, "Ill try it out, after all it is free" and I am so glad I did. This book has got to be one of the best books Ive ever read! It had me crying, it had me laughing and was so real...

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 8, 2012

    Fantastic!

    Not a run-of-the-mill romance novel! Beautifully written...the language of the story just flows. A roller coaster ride of love between teacher and student that literally had me holding my breath at times...I mean, who hasn't had a crush on a teacher at one time or another? But what if the teacher reciprocated? WOW! Well done, realistic, and classy not trashy. So glad I gave this one a try, and will purchase more by this author. (600+ pages, too!)

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 19, 2011

    Worth Reading

    This was one of the best books I've read. I was so sad after I read it even though the ending wan't unhappy it was still heart breaking. It was one of those books that I couldn't stop thinking abou for a long time. I know the age difference was great but the way the events went I wanted so bad for them to be together. Love is bitter sweet sometimes...Great story!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 6, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Good read

    I enjoyed this book but i cant help but were people really that well read? If so im living in the wrong era. The plot was very good but i was annoyed with one part...i dont want to give anything away so i will just say this...did condoms not exist in the 50's? Im sure they did!

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 13, 2010

    Kind of slow

    I had a hard time finishing this book -- it just didn't grab my interest long enough -- in fact I was glad when I was finished.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 15, 2012

    MAY-DECEMBER

    Can't get into it....not willing to give it a try. And he's married...not my cup of tea. Nothing about cheating is romantic or justified.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 15, 2011

    Eh... Not bad, not great.

    Not too bad, overall, but there were some very slow parts which were hard to get through. All the sailing jargon bored me to death and I found myself skimming several pages for this reason. I had a difficult time liking any of the characters, so I was somewhat indifferent about what happened to any of them.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 10, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Long and drawn out

    Good story but it was too long wouldve been better shorter

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 9, 2011

    Loved it

    i have to say its one of my favorites..it waas touching, tender, and romantic in a way...definately have a tissue box reafy worth the read....

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 7, 2012

    WORTH THE READ

    I ENJOYED THIS VERY MUCH - THE TITLE DOESN'T EXACTLY FIT THE STORY BUT A GOOD BOOK.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2012

    Good read

    This was a good read for being free.. it was a bit rambly at times but overall worth the time.

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    Posted April 16, 2012

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    Posted August 27, 2010

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    Posted August 13, 2010

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    Posted October 7, 2010

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    Posted November 15, 2010

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    Posted July 31, 2011

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    Posted August 26, 2011

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    Posted June 28, 2010

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 36 Customer Reviews
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