Friday, March 31, 2023

First Line Friday #85-Dear Mr. Knightley

Welcome back to First Line Friday hosted by Carrie at Reading is My SuperPower!!  I am also linking up with Gilion on Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings. This is where you share the beginning of the book that you are reading. To join in the fun grab the book you are reading and leave a comment with the first line (or your link). This week I am finally reading Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay.  

It has been a year since I turned down your generous offer.

Book Beginnings:

April 2

Dear Sir,

It has been a year since I turned down your generous offer. Father John warned me at the time that I was making a terrible mistake, but I wouldn't listen. He felt that by dismissing that opportunity I was injuring not only myself, but all the foster children helped by your foundation.

I hope any perceived ingratitude on my part didn't harm anyone else's dreams. I wasn't ungrateful; I just wanted to leave Grace House. A group home is a difficult place to live, and I'd been there for eight years. 

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.
  

Your turn! Grab the current book you are reading and post the first line (or your link) in the comments! Then, click on the icons below and join the fun there too!

 

22 comments:

  1. Sounds like a very good read. Have a great weekend, Cindy 😊

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  2. I have this book on my TBR, being an EMMA fan. But I have vacillated between wanting and not wanting to read it. It is always hard to compare books to Austen's they usually pale in comparison. I'll wait for your review.

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    1. Anne, I had heard it is based on Daddy Long Legs, so I set it aside and started reading it first. I am loving it. I don't think I have read Emma either...but will be reading this one next.

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  3. I'm currently reading and LOVING My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh.
    "If we're going to look like a couple and convince people we're really together, we're probably going to have to kiss.
    I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  4. I love epistolary novels, and this one sounds especially fun! :D

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  5. My first line comes from a brand new one coming up by KimberleyWoodhouse: 26 Below
    Chapter one
    50 above Zero. October 1–2:00 p.m. Fairbanks
    First official day on the job as Emergency Center director, and Darcie Phillips found herself wanting to play hooky.

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    1. Paula, I just recently started hearing about this one. It sounds so good, I hope you enjoy it!

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  6. I've had this one on my TBR list for awhile. I hope you enjoy it! Have a great weekend! :)

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    1. Ashley, I have owned this one for quite a while and was supposed to read it last year for a book challenge, I am making myself read it now, LOL!

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  7. So many things to like in this book. I hope you enjoy it

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  8. I've heard good things about this one! I hope you enjoy it!

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  9. This is such a good book!!! I hope you enjoy it thoroughly :-)

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    1. Rachel, I wasn't sure at the beginning, but I did enjoy it.

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