Dear Henry, Love Edith

by Becca Kinzer

After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?

Henry Hobbes isn't exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he'd do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes--short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.

By the time Henry realizes his mistake--that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town--their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry's roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Christian, Clean Romance

373 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2023

About the author

Becca Kinzer lives in Springfield, Illinois where she works as a critical care nurse. When she’s not busy taking care of sick patients or using up all the storage on her phone with pictures of her dog, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. She is the author of multiple titles including Dear Henry, Love Edith, which won the 2024 Carol Award for debut novel, and Love in Tandem.

Reviews

[Oceana GottaReadEmAll · Rating 5 out of 5]

I READ THIS IN ONE DAY PEOPLE. ONE DAY.

Funniest cutest sweetest funniest clean Christian rom-com ever.

YOU MUST READ IT.

Edith needs a place to stay and Henry has an extra room. Both think that the other is elderly, so sure why not live together for the summer? They have opposite schedules anyway and never actually meet in person. To communicate, they leave notes on the kitchen counter to each other and it's adorable.

Meanwhile, they meet each other in town and start to develop crushes. It's hilarious, trust me.

If you want to laugh, read this.
If you want to swoon, read this.

New favourite book of all time.
Totally clean, no language. Some kissing, but it is mild.

[Becca Kinzer]

I wouldn’t have written this story if I didn’t love it. So… yeah. I’m giving it five stars.

[Nicole Williamson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first 11 ish chapters of this book were surprisingly fun. Like fluffy, cute, make me giggle fun 🦄🌈☁️🍭 And the letters added so much!

But… spoilers (angry spoilers)

Then it got a little weird when creepy side character showed up (with no explanation of how he could have found Edith), and then Henry when he finally figures out who Edith really is has a big moment to tell the truth, but what does he do? He decides to lie 😡😡😡 and THEN it takes him forever to come clean about lying!

“He could see his lies snowballing in front of him. But it was worth it, right? To protect her from Steve? He’d do a little soul-searching later on whether that was his real motivation.”

Also, he kisses her while he’s still in a relationship with another woman. Sure, she’s kinda annoying, but he doesn’t have the guts to end things with her. And even though he’s pretty sure he wants to break up with said girlfriend…CHEATING is NOT ROMANTIC. 😡😡😡

Other irritating things: I didn’t love that Edith had to wear an immodest dress to feel attractive, that old married men were flirting with her and talking about their wives in like the same sentence, and that “young, hot-blooded” Henry kind of had inappropriate thoughts and they pretty much just had an instalove.

This could have been 3 or even 4 fluffy cute ⭐️, but the cheating and lying made this a DNF for me and left it at one angry star.

How is this Christian romance??

If this author writes something without lying or cheating or instalove then I would consider trying her work again. I appreciate the smiles and laughs it did give me! I rarely like modern Christian romance, but I actually got farther than the first chapter in this one.

My recommendation: just read the first 10 ish chapters and make up your own ending.

[ari [semi ia] · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐

now playing: pointless - lewis capaldi

spoiler free

11+

romance: 3/10 (the most we get is a few kisses, mentions of the mc’s having relations with others in the past (ie. she was married fresh out of highschool and his girlfriend got pregnant and had a miscarriage), the mc jokes about getting at it like spring rabbits once they’re married)

cursing: 0/10 (absolutely nothing)

violence: 1/10 (henry gets into a fight more than once, but nothing bloody is described)

other: mentions of drinking, a character drinks iced tea out of a shot glass and acts as if it were whiskey

tw: mentions of past infertility

tropes: forced proximity, anonymous identities, roommates, fake dating

third person, past tense

dual pov

“from all my airs and graces


– OVERVIEW –

What you WON’T find in this book
✗ smut
✗ off page sexual relations
✗ pick me fmc
✗ lgbt representation

What you WILL find in this book
✓ swoony banter
✓ likable characters
✓ small town vibes
✓ epilogue wedding
✓ big romantic gestures
✓ laugh out loud moments
✓ missionary fmc
✓ sweet make out scenes

This book was so enjoyable, I loved every moment of it.
It was cute and funny and just what I needed to get out of a slump. The side characters are all amazing, I especially loved Gabby lol she was an icon

“to the little things I do”


– PLOT –

They both think the other is an old person, and they exchange letters kinda sorta falling for the other while also meeting in town and having wild chemistry 🤭

“everything is pointless without you”


– CHARACTERS –

Edith
⤷ she was amazing and so sweet but a little stupid at times but that’s okay bc me too 😭✨

Henry
⤷ my mans. He’s mine, I staked claim to him

Julie
⤷ such sage wisdom *nod nod*

Peg
⤷ she’s literally my grandma, they even have the same name lol

Lance
⤷ underrated king

Gabby
⤷ i’m afraid of her

“of all the dreams I’m chasing, there’s only one I choose”


– CONCLUSION –

You should read this *nod nod*

“everything is pointless without you



post-read

that was beautiful 😭😭😭
rtc

pre-read

i just bought this for myself as an early birthday present 🤭

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Henry, Love Edith - Becca Kinzer - New FAV Christian Rom-Com! 5 Stars!

Ya'll, this is the CUTEST Christian rom-com!! I finished it in less than 24 hours! This would make the best movie too! So heartwarming and funny!

We have Edith who needs somewhere to stay and as circumstances would have it, Henry has an extra room available but they each think the other is an elderly person! They never have the chance to really meet due to schedule conflicts so they start writing notes back and forth in the kitchen for each to read -- SO CUTE. The letters were the best. I loved how genuine, open and honest they both were!

The best part is they end up meeting, not knowing who the other is, while they each in town and they start to like each other. It is SO funny to see how it all plays out and the side character misunderstandings made me laugh out loud so many times! LOVED that!

I appreciate how these characters were in their 30s (like myself) and they were so relatable. The small town was so great - I love a good small town since I grew up in one myself. It really felt like a character in itself with all the funny characters and gossip going on - hilarious.

This is a book that I needed this week - one of those books that when you pick it up, you will NOT want to put it down and it will put you in the best mood.

I loved the ending and I think anyone looking for a cute, clean, sweet and funny rom-com will LOVE this!

[Cathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m surprised more people aren’t commenting on the fact there was so much continuous lies and deceit in this book and also the hero kissing the heroine while still having a girlfriend . I get it, it’s supposed to be a zany rom com. And it is. But I guess I expect more from Christian fiction. Some of the situations dragged on too long and were crazy over the top. However, if you like misunderstandings resulting in funny over the top situations and zany townsfolk and can overlook the hero’s actions and non actions, you’ll enjoy this book.
P.S. it’s 2023. Even in CF, the woman doesn’t need to be “saved” by men all the time.

[Milena Bookish❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never laughed so hard while reading a book. Sweet, heartwarming adorable RomCom, there is a case of mistaken identity, a lot of miscommunication, and confusion. The town was a character itself from jumping to crazy conclusions and making wild accusations, sometimes felt over the top and silly, but I loved it, put a smile on my face, maybe this story is what I need to read.

Dual POV, both characters are stuck, Edith is a widow looking for adventure, and Henry is bored and recovering from a knee injury, both live in the same house, but never bump into each other, Henry works days, and Edith works night because some miscommunication they both thought the other person was old, so they start living notes for each other to read. loved the witty dialogue.

The faith thread was present. few pause for personal reflection by the main characters, as they struggle with finding their purpose in life. is not about making a difference, the place or the people is about God changing you. FUN- Entertaining Read!

I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Chautona Havig · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Becca Kinzer ever starts writing rom-com screenplays, I'll become a movie devotee, going to opening day showings of every one. Because seriously, this book should be a movie. It reads like one--you see every scene in vivid, vibrant color. Not only do you have a cast of delightful characters you won't want to miss, that cast grows with every page of the book (or so it seems) and not once was I confused as to who said what (unless I was supposed to be).

Look, I've never laughed so hard while reading a book--never. In fact, Kinzer is guilty of terrifying my dogs because of how often I busted out in cackles and woke them up.

Not only is the book sweet, funny, and adorably romantic (although I'm a bit scarred for life on the spring rabbit homefront), it has mood-lifting qualities that have earned it a permanent spot on my bookshelves (rare for a rom-com). Because seriously, if I'm EVER having a bad day, I suspect I'll just go over, flip it open, and start reading until I crack up. I doubt it'll take me long, and I hope it involves an epi-pen. Just sayin'.

If all that wasn't enough, the book has both subtle and overt faith elements that offer Biblical encouragement as well as a swift kick in the butler a time or two.

This year is starting out well, and this book is at the top of the list for the year.

[Bethany Turner]

READ FOR ENDORSEMENT

With her debut romantic comedy, Becca Kinzer has established herself as a connoisseur of the genre—and an instant favorite of mine! Mistaken identities, love at first sight, friends to more, and even a delicious tease towards marriage of convenience come together to create a rom-com treat for readers to devour. Simultaneously a sweet romance with the perfect amount of heat and a laugh-out-loud comedy with a surprising dose of depth, Dear Henry, Love Edith is a witty and heartfelt gift from first word to last.

[Jocelyn Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read contemporary romance but I'm so glad I read Dear Henry, Love Edith. What a charming, witty debut from Becca Kinzer! Five stars for creating a town peopled with characters that made me laugh out loud, and for keeping me riveted to the end of the story. (Some of the little interactions between minor characters were so hilarious they were my favorite parts.) I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Keisha | A Book Like You · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sharing an updated, more detailed review: I chose this book for my Christian book club pick for May. At that time, I had heard nothing but good things about this one. Unfortunately, none of my expectations were met upon reading it.

1. This book is marketed as Christian fiction, and while I don't always need faith elements to be a huge part of the story to enjoy it, I felt like God was just "sprinkled" into this story. If this was not marketed as Christian, I wouldn't have had a clue that Henry and Edith had faith. Upon discussing the book, I also couldn't remember any God moments for either of the characters. Some were brought up by participants, but they were very glazed, unmemorable scenes.

2. I believe the author intended for the town/townspeople to have a Gilmore Girls, cozy and comical feel. This fell flat for me, personally. I find the ignorance of not one, but all of the community to be more unbelievable and annoying that anything. The medical scene that they perceived to be acting and the pepper scene at the grocery store were "extra" to say the least.

3. Henry and Edith were a mess. And I'm not saying that you can't read a book about messy people and still enjoy it, but the amount of lying, emotional and physical cheating (unless you perceived the characters to truly be on an established "break" - even though this was also very glazed over!), and immaturity of the main characters at this stage in their lives did not provide a fun reading experience for me.

These were my main qualms with this book, amongst others. I'm so glad that there are people out there that truly enjoy this book and find it funny and endearing. I, however, am not one of those people.

[Lovely Day]

DNFd at 12% because I just felt the male character was so unrealistic

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I laughed so much in a book. What a sweet and funny rom-com from an incredible debut novel.

Edith is a young widow who moves to Illinois for the summer to volunteer. Her place that she was supposed to stay at isn't available, so she moves into the ladies uncle's house. Who she thinks is an elderly gentleman, and her uncle thinks she is an elderly lady. But that's definitely not the case. What follows is a downward spiral of chaos and laughs.

I especially loved the towns people, their antics and gossiping ways just had me giggling throughout the entire book. I honestly wouldn't mind at all if there was to be a sequel to this book 😉.

[Rachel McMillan]

read for endorsement:


Rarely have I read a romance with such sparkling personality. Everything about Kinzer's vibrant voice and freshly told love story tugged at my heart strings and widened my smile. Henry and Edith's quirky story as told with a dash of mistaken identity and peppered with epistolary flair is deepened by a cast of colourful supporting characters, zippy dialogue and resonant themes of loss and hope. Fans of Katherine Reay and Pepper Basham will be enchanted.

[Carmen Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a generous 3 stars for me. I enjoyed the first several chapters and was really invested in the story. But as it went on I became a little frustrated with the plot line : the initial premise of them not knowing who the other was and both thinking the other was elderly ended too quickly/early for me. Once they both knew who they were and knew they both liked each other, I kept looking at the percentage left in the book and thought, “how long is this going to go on?” But I’ll blame it on my dislike for contemporary romance, and apparently rom-coms? 😅 So don’t go by me : most everyone loved this one and if you enjoy good clean rom-coms I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
As some others have mentioned, I didn’t like the lying/deceit in Henry whether or not his reasons are justified (I didn’t think so✌🏼). Also. Why do you choose to still live in the same house when you know it’s not just an old lady living in the upstairs but a young woman you are clearly attracted too? Bad idea 😅 nothing happens. Thankfully. But I still wasn’t comfortable with the scenario. Again as others mentioned, Henry does technically cheat on his current girlfriend although one could argue they were on a “break”. I don’t know. Overall a fun story, and I enjoyed most of it, even if I never really connected with the characters and thought a lot of the scenarios with the towns people a little over the top, mostly because of misunderstandings and miscommunications. But it is a romcom, after all, and that’s usually how things play out in these. And again, it’s more the mood I’m in at the moment that this book just didn’t meet my expectations. This review may be a little unfair for that reason.
But also, now I really want to eat an entire carton of butter pecan icecream. 😅

[Caryn Block · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sigh. I really wanted to love this book! The premise sparked my interest right away: two strangers are staying in the same house but work opposite shifts and never see one another/ meet in person. They begin leaving notes for one another, and each comes to the wrong conclusion that the other is an elderly person etc etc. In separate circumstances, they run into each other repeatedly around town - not knowing one another's names, but each growing in their attraction for the other. It sounds so cute!

But, it never worked for me. The whole book is full of miscommunication and childish decision-making that continually ruins their relationship's chances for success. It was also too long. In the end, they do get their HEA, but by then, I just wanted the book to end already. Also, the narrator for the audio was NOT a good fit, especially for the female voices. Again, sigh. 🙁

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book book struck me as very 1950s does romance. The amount of miscommunication both between the characters and then with the community at large is almost too much. I found the town's involvement endearing and generally funny but that neither Henry nor Edith could properly communicate (as in not form full sentences) in any interaction got really old really quick.

The main issue I have with this is that it is Christian Fiction, which is a personal no-no, and while that is my personal preference, that it wasn't mentioned in the blurb or in categorization makes it feel like they were trying to hide that which rubs me the wrong way.

I'm sure within the genre these are fine, but the plots about going to South Africa to volunteer as well as the foster care plot lines both felt tone deaf in the current landscape (as both institutions are rife with colonization and white supremacy overtones that aren't really addressed). There are other problems, but those felt intrinsic to the genre rather than this book.

Review of Netgalley eArc

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, I laughed out loud, the characters were outrageous, the romance was sweet.

BUT there was SO. MUCH. INNUENDO. And this is supposed to be a Christian book!?!?! I just finished a non Christian book that was cleaner than this. 😭

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giggling out loud, a few tears, and a total mix-up, led to a great read that I enjoyed.

[Bethany Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just perfection. I mean, for me, right now, it’s just stinking cute perfection. Yes, it has some miscommunication which I am NOT typically a fan of. But it works so well that I forgive it. Yes, some of the scenes are maybe a little over the top. But they are so hilarious and adorable that I just love it.

Even though this is set in the Midwest, it reminds me of the area I grew up in. A small town and corn fields. Tight-knit community and gossipy grapevine.

The humor just had me rolling. The dialogue. The banter. I didn’t want to put this book down. I was waiting just to see what would happen next.

My fave Rom-Com!

[LaurenLoveReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! I really enjoyed this one! The humor was so good and I loooooved the quirky side characters of the town. I did have a few problems with the how the romance played out in certain aspects, but overall it was very good! I love that there is clean (no sex or language) romance out in the world.

To hear all of my thoughts (spoiler and non spoiler) watch this: https://youtu.be/mRPTwM1Omgc?si=rrIZh...

[Janssen]

This was cute

[Shelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is so bad it’s almost unimaginable. Especially disappointing since it started off ok, with lots of promise. The slapstick misunderstandings are so over the top it’s not funny but annoying. Not recommended. Can I give negative stars?

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up Dear Henry, Love Edith as a palette cleanser type of read since I'd been reading heavier books as of late. Did it deliver? Yep- it sure did.

I'm a sucker for a books that have characters corresponding via letters in it in any capacity so that alone was a big draw for me. Also, thank youuuu Becca Kinzer for including main characters that were in their 30s in this book! It's refreshing to see characters in that age bracket in a romance & not only that, but they were written so well. Plus, who doesn't love a good small town setting?!

Dear Henry, Love Edith was exactly what I needed at the time I picked it up. I listened to this one on audio (if you're an audio lover- the narrators were great and I highly recommend it) and will definitely be getting a physical copy for my shelves to revisit in the future when the need for rom com escapism calls.

If you're looking for a quick read that will make you smile, laugh and provide some romance check this one out!

[Dana Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this hysterically funny book again and I stand by my original review below...

Wonderful production of a super cute and funny story. I laughed out loud many times throughout. The narrator was fantastic. He had every quirky character coming to life. I loved it.

[Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a funny, sweet rom-com! I hope there is a sequel because I didn’t want to leave that group of characters.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, sweet contemporary romance

I enjoyed this book but after hearing so many reviews where it was the favorite book of the year, I expected more. But that’s the problem, right? Unrealistic expectations. It IS a good book, funny in places, with a cast of great characters. I recommend it.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m flabbergasted! And gobsmacked. And besotted over Becca Kinzer’s incredible comedic gift. She gets the ‘beats’ just right and the way she creates mass confusion out of a simple sentence uttered by the hapless Edith…or Henry…reaches new levels of hilarity. Helped, I think, by the sublime performance of narrator Liam DiCosimo. He gets all the voices right — and there are a ton of small town neighbours who aren’t shy about sticking their oar in at the most inopportune time. I laughed so hard! Hardy guffaws in the grocery store which got me all kinds of wary looks. (I usually stop listening to an audio book when I’m out in the masses but I couldn’t leave myself dangling at a pertinent point in the story.)

So, if you are looking for a light-hearted read, this is it. But there’s depth too. In the characters and their situations. Their back stories and the issues they wrestle with. But it’s the kind of angst you can chuckle through as well as wince over.

I thought the faith thread was so relatable. Edith is searching for an adventure through mission work. She’s determined to make a difference, do something significant with her life only to discover that those she serves actually serve her best. Henry is battling with feelings of not measuring up to his family name. He’s significantly younger than his older brother, hence the niece who is a mere two years younger than him. Both hero and heroine battle with self-doubt and their journey towards trusting God…and themselves…with the future He plans for them is inspiring.

And then there’s romance and witty banter and toe-curling kisses. I mean, really, can you ask for anything more from a rom/com?!

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2023/02/06/d...

[Lou Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story Enjoyment Rating: 8/10 Christian Faith Rating: 1.5/3

Dear Henry Love Edith by Becca Kinzer is a contemporary romance. It is a clean rom-com with some Christian content.

This book follows Edith, who is a widow. She wants to travel to South Africa to help with a charity. While she waits for her passport to arrive, she spends the summer helping at a crisis centre. She ends up living with Henry, who she thinks is an older guy with a bad leg. Henry believes Edith is an older widow. They work different shifts so they keep missing each other. Instead, they end up communicating by writing notes.

The book was funny. I cringed on behalf of the characters during some of the awkward situations they got into! The main characters seemed normal and well fleshed out, but many of the side-characters were eccentric and almost caricatures of themselves, which added to the humour.

Edith and Henry made some decisions that I would not consider wise for a Christian. Some of those choices had consequences, but some did not.

The plot was a bit messy and haphazard at times. However, I enjoyed a large part of the story.

In terms of Christian content, the book read like a clean fiction for most of the time, but there was some good content near to the end.

[sky • thebookgreenery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, this book didn't really work for me.

At the start, I would say I was mostly interested and engaged. Until about the 40% mark. A fair amount of miscommunication started to occur from there that was frustrating and felt unnecessary. I really wished those issues had been resolved sooner. Also, some of the shenanigans of the townspeople felt overdone - they were entertaining at first before they became these long extended scenes that pulled me out of the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tyndale House Publishers and Becca Kinzer for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.