Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley
Penguin Publishing Group – NAL
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Date Read: March 19, 2016
Source:First to Read
★★★★☆
Two sisters share the highs and lows of social media fame, when their private thoughts go viral in this fresh and funny debut novel.
Cassie Sunday can’t seem to make her life work as a Manhattan wife and mom to twin toddlers, while her big-hearted sister Sid lives an ex-pat’s life of leisure in far-off Singapore. Since Sid doesn’t do social media, she challenges Cassie to reconnect through old-fashioned letters.
Soon, the letters become a kind of mutual confessional that have real and soul-satisfying effects. They just might have the power to help Cassie save her marriage, and give Sid the strength to get her life back on track.
But first, one of Cassie’s infamous lapses in judgment comes back to bite her, and all of the letters wind up the one place you never, ever want to see them: the Internet…
I really enjoyed this story of two sisters reconnecting with each other through letters. I found myself relating to this book a lot more than I expected. I remember the joy of getting a hand written letter even though it has been years if not decades since I received one. I am from a family of girls so the focus on the sisters really appealed to me. I was completely entertained by this story and once I really started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down.
Cassie and Sid are sisters who are separated by a lot of miles. Sid is living in Singapore with her family while Cassie is in New York. At their family Christmas gathering, their grandfather reads them some letters that their grandmother sent to him when they were young. This sparks an idea between the pair and they decide to reconnect through letters. In the process, they both end up learning a lot about themselves.
The book is told from Cassie’s point of view. Cassie is the mother of 3 year old twin boys. She was a working mother before losing her job but now she spends her time taking care of the household and her family. She isn’t really at her best mentally. She is really struggling and looking for something more in life. I can completely relate to Cassie. I wouldn’t do some of the things that she does in this story but I can understand what she would have been feeling. I know how easy it is to lose yourself in the needs of your kids and family and how important it is to take care of your own needs.
Sid is dealing with her own set of problems but we learn about them from the letters that she writes to Cassie. I loved reading the letters that they wrote to each other. It was such a nice way to tell a story and it really gave Sid a wonderful voice in the story. After reading all of their letters to each other, I kind of want to write a few myself. I liked watching both of these women grow and come together when things start to fall apart.
I thought the writing style was wonderful. Cassie had such a authentic voice and even when she did things that made me cringe, I still wanted to root for her. The letters helped tell the story at just the right moments and really worked to help control the pace of the story. I loved how the story was really about real problems that people I know have gone through.
I would recommend this book to women’s fiction or chick lit fans. I actually haven’t read anything in that genre for a long time but this book has me wondering why that is. I am very impressed by Lisa Beazley’s debut novel and look forward to her future works.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin Publishing Group – NAL via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
About the AuthorLisa Beazley worked in journalism and public relations for more than fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction. Keep Me Posted is her first novel.
I still love the old fashioned correspondence through letters with friends and family so this book sounds great especially the way the sisters use it to reconnect.
I am really not very good at sending letters or even cards for that matter but I love the idea of it.
That is such a great premise! I love writing letters – I wish people did it more often. I'm glad you enjoyed this book!
Also – don't you love First to Read? Such a great program! I can't wait for Penguin to upload more books. 🙂
Fabulous review, Carole!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
First to Read is a wonderful program. My only problem is deciding which books to read. I always want them all.
Letter writing is a near lost art, one I used to take part in much more than I do today, sad to say. This sounds like a book I might really enjoy. I am glad to hea ryou enjoyed it!
I haven't wrote a letter in decades. I remember how much I used to enjoy receiving them and I wonder why I stopped.
Writing letters is a lost art, isn't it? I love receiving postcards from all over the world, but I'm too shy to ask anyone. This book sounds like a good read for those who can relate to missing people who lives far away from you. I mean, social media makes reconnecting easy nowadays, but there's nothing quite like receiving actual letters in the mail.
Social media is a strange thing in many ways. I feel like I know people but do I really? I know what they post but is that really who they are? I do miss the way things used to be.