SAM'S LETTERS TO JENNIFER by James Patterson
James Patterson is the author of the highly successful Alex Cross series of mysteries. Lately however he has been tuning in to his feminine side and creating sweet, but sappy love stories. His most recent was SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS, as treacly a story as you could ever hope to avoid. That novel did not bode well for his new ""sweet story" SAM'S LETTERS TO JENNIFER, but life is always full of surprises.
This new novel is a sweetly told story but somehow it manages to keep the sugar content reasonable. Jennifer is the central character of the story and the letters she receives are from her grandmother Samantha (Sam) who has had a stroke. Jennifer has gone to be by her bedside in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Jennifer is a damaged soul as she has recently lost her husband Danny in a freak accident. Still grieving over his death she is desperate for her grandmother to recover. While she keeps her vigil she finds a stack of letters that are addressed to her from Sam. She begins to read them and they not only tell her grandmother's story, but they reflect and impact on her life as well.
Patterson writes in brief, to the point chapters. He paints in bold strokes so you get to know the characters quickly. His plot is simple and moves quickly and deliberately. There are no diversions into side stories, you are on one path all the way to the end.
Patterson is definitely in Nicholas Sparks' country as he weaves a love story full of drama and tragedy. Still he is such a skillful writer that it never gets maudlin or overly sentimental. It is a tearjerker for sure, but one with a purpose.
It is hoped that Patterson will stay with his Alex Cross stories for some time to come. But if he has to stray from that path for a while then this book is a good place for him to go.
SAM'S LETTERS TO JENNIFER is published by Little, Brown. It contains 272 pages and sells for $24.95.