This week I am reviewing Love Unforeseen by Penny Zeller. This is her latest release and book two of the series.
Book Description
Will a best friend’s matchmaking scheme be successful?
Tillie Waller finds her life’s purpose in molding young minds as a teacher in Ellis Creek in the late-1890s. While she claims contentment, there is a part of her that longs to marry and be a mother, like her sister, Meredith, and best friend, Lula. But no matter. With her students and books, how could she ever be lonesome?
Willard “Will” Fairbanks has longed to return to Ellis Creek since the day he left the town with his family twelve years ago. When a job offer at Ellis Creek Mill beckons his return, Will eagerly embraces the opportunity. An added bonus? He hopes to reconnect with Tillie Waller, the girl he has always loved—the girl who never felt the same about him.
When Tillie encourages her pupils to write to pen pals in another town, she can’t possibly foresee how such an assignment will impact her own future. Her best friend, Lula, concocts a plan, unbeknownst to Tillie, for Will to become Tillie’s pen pal under a false name. Tillie forms a connection with her pen pal and even dares herself to fall in love.
When she falls in love with both Will and her pen pal, which one will she choose?
Will love unforeseen become a reality for Tillie and Willard?
Book Review
This is the second book in this series and features Tillie and Will (Willard). We also see some other characters from the first book in her sister Meredith and husband Gabe and Tillies best friend Lula.
Tillie is now a school teacher who still loves words and using them in descriptive ways. Her students are about to become pen pals with another school where her friend works. Will has just come back to Ellis Creek and Tillie still sees him as the annoying boy from school. Lula suggests he become Tillies pen pal and get to know her more.
As in book one there is the writing of letters but this time its done with the help of a local who does deliveries to a nearby town.
The book wouldn’t be complete without out the jawbreakers that both girls still love. I enjoyed this story and I think Will is my favourite character. I can understand how its hard to change perceptions of people. When you grow up in a town you are often remembered as you were and people forget you change. Will has been away for many years and has matured.
Seeing the love of letters and how they learn so much about each other was fun. I also love how perceptions slowly change. I won’t say much more but I did enjoy this story and am looking forward to the next one to come out. I can see two characters who are crying out for their own stories.
What a beautiful book cover. Yes, I had an extended, and very formative, “postal conversation” with the author Elswyth Thane. I kept all her letters and many years later incorporated them into The Flame Ignites, book 1 in my Elizabeth and Richard literary suspense series. I have donated the original letters to the Writers’ Archive at Boise State University.
Hi Donna, Oh that is so fun.
I had many penfriends and still am in contact with a few 40 years later. I did write to Gilbert Morris and he and I replied twice.
Thank you so much for your review of Love Unforeseen. I really appreciate you!
In answer to your question, yes, I’ve had a pen pal. Years ago in junior high, I became pen pals with a friend across the country. We became fast friends and later found each other on Facebook and reconnected.
That’s nice about your penfriend. I met one of mine from America when she came to work in New Zealand and then visited Australia. I have met a few from Australia and its always fun.