Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham
Sarah Grace's Rating: 4 out of 5 bookmarks

Rachel Fordham's sophomore novel, Yours Truly, Thomas, is as delightful as her debut, The Hope of Azure Springs! From cover to interior formatting to the story itself, this historical fiction novel is a beautiful journey. This is not a sequel to The Hope of Azure Springs although the setting is the same and some characters overlap.

Penny and Thomas are wonderfully realistic and charming characters. I must admit, I struggled to get into the story in the beginning, but just a few chapters in and I was hooked. Penny is a bit naive, but I think that only adds to the attractiveness of her character. Thomas is running from his painful past and is finally ready to put it behind him when he reaches the small town of Azure Springs. These characters are quite the opposites, which brings about an engaging story.

Fordham's writing style is very simplistic and perhaps a bit unsophisticated, which is not usually my favorite style to read, but I think it lends a great deal of charm to the historical setting of her novels. And her descriptions are nonetheless beautiful and enjoyable. The small town of Azure Springs and its people that she has created (which is also featured prominently in her debut novel) are so darling and enchanting, I wish it were a real town I could visit. The supporting cast of characters from Margaret, Abraham, the twin girls, Dinah, and even Jeb and Eliza is unique and colorful, lending diversity to the story.

There is a bit of a mystery thread to the story that had me very intrigued, and the action towards the end wrapped up the story well. I won't lie, I'm a sucker for a sweet romantic storyline, and while it was not the main feature, the romance was incredibly sweet, pure, and realistic. I think that romantic storylines may be Fordham's greatest strength. I also enjoyed the inside look into the United States Postal Service's Dead Letter Office. That is a subject that has always fascinated me, and in this historical setting, even more so.

All in all, I highly enjoyed Yours Truly, Thomas and recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction and sweet romance. This book is appropriate for any age.




Sarah Grace is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called “Life”, she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a woodstove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things, and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. When not reading, spending time with her ever-growing family, or buried in a textbook, she can be found painting, playing the piano, producing music and audio dramas, web designing, fangirling with her sisters and friends, or discussing technology with her brothers. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.


Disclosure: The publisher provided us with a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. This post contains affiliate links.