dear mr. knightley {review + giveaway}

"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, 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.
As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. 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."

(synopsis from amazon)

This book is the best I've read all year, second only to The Great Gatsby. A book composed of diary-like letters is not my usual cup of tea, but once I started reading this, I could not put it down. I felt a connection to Sam--we read the same books, watch the same BBC period dramas, speak fluently in book and movie quotes, and obsess over the same favorite characters. Any book that frequently references Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Bronte has to be amazing, right? And so it is. It's wonderfully written, with strong characters and a good story. I did guess the ending, but only because I read the author's inspirations for the book before reading it. And even knowing the ending, I still loved it. I'm currently torn between wanting to relive it and wanting to force every one of my friends to read it so we can talk about how amazing it is.

{This book was sent to me by Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.}

Debut author Katherine Reay is celebrating the release of her delightful novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway, a fun Favorite Austen Moments Pinterest contest, and an Austen-themed Facebook Party.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay
• Handmade Austen-themed items (scarf, mug, bracelet, and necklace) 

Two ways to win! Enter today by clicking one of the icons below or participating in the Pinterest contest (see banner below)—or BOTH! 

But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Dear Mr. Knightley" Austen-themed Facebook Author Chat Party on the 3rd. Join Katherine (and Austen fans) for an evening of book chat, prizes, and an exclusive look at Katherine's next book.

So grab your copy of  Dear Mr. Knightley and join Katherine on the evening of December 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST. Hope to see you on the 3rd!