From Publishers Weekly
Unlike Patterson's Alex Cross thrillers, this sentimental tale does not translate well to audio. The plot twists seem all the more absurd when read aloud, and the audiobook's maudlin music, inserted during the story's poignant moments, is as distracting and disturbing as a TV laugh track. Jennifer, a newspaper columnist who's grieving the death of her husband, has more reason to mourn when her beloved grandmother, Sam, falls into a coma. Jennifer rushes to Sam's home in Lake Geneva, Wis., where she finds a packet of letters addressed to her. The letters detail her grandmother's life story, including an affair she had with a mysterious man. Jennifer takes comfort in the letters, and at the same time, embarks on her own romance with Brendan, an old friend. Heche's thin, mousy voice is perfect for the perpetually worried Jennifer, but she rarely varies her intonation, not even for Brendan's dialogue. Alexander does a better job as Sam, conveying the elderly woman's concern for Jennifer, but her performance isn't sufficient to elevate this flawed audiobook. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From AudioFile
Anne Heche drives the emotion of this book, deftly delivering a roller coaster ride of plot twists and turns. Two romances wind through the chapters, each as important as the other, and though they bounce back and forth, the shifts are smooth and seamlessly presented. After Jennifer reads the nearly 100 letters from Sam, she observes, "How many of us know the true stories of our parents and grandparents? What are we but our stories?" Anne Heche is delightfully whimsical overall, but when her voice falters with emotion, listeners will grab for their tissues. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
After the success of Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (2001), it should surprise no one that Patterson is trying his hand at another romantic tale, and this one is every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor. Jennifer, a Chicago Tribune columnist who's still mourning the death of her beloved husband, Danny, is jolted out of her lonely life when she receives news that her grandmother, Sam, has taken a fall and is now in a coma. Racing up to Lake Geneva to be by her grandmother's bedside, Jennifer discovers a packet of letters at Sam's house, which are addressed to her. They are from Sam; in them, Sam tells Jennifer that her husband was not the great love of her life. Instead, Sam was swept off her feet by a man she calls "Doc," whom she still loves to this day. As Jennifer learns some shocking secrets about her grandmother, she finds herself falling under the spell of a handsome neighbor, Brendan. Jennifer is surprised to find she is able to love again after Danny, but just when you think Jennifer's life can't be touched by any more tragedy, she learns a sad secret about Brendan. Patterson is infamous for surprising his readers, though, and the ending to this novel is unexpected, touching, and satisfying. Another winner from Patterson, sure to draw the same audience as Suzanne's Diary. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Laced with mystery, Sam's Letters To Jennifer combines two unforgettable love stories in a novel that's absolutely impossible to put down.

Jennifer returns to the resort village where she grew up to help a beloved relative--and ends up experiencing not one but two of the most amazing love stories she's ever known.

The first is completely unexpected. In a series of letters that Jennifer finds, her relative reveals that she has concealed a huge secret for decades: Her great love is not the man she was married to for all those years. As Jennifer reads about this passionate partnership, she learns more about love's imperatives and secrets than she ever dreamed possible.

And then comes the biggest surprise of all. At a time when she thought she could never love again, Jennifer lets her guard down for a moment--and is suddenly caught up in the greatest flight of exhilaration she's ever known. But, just as suddenly, she learns that this new love comes with an unbearable cost. Jennifer doesn't think she can survive the pain--but the letters she's been reading make her think that love may help her find a way.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Unlike Patterson's Alex Cross thrillers, this sentimental tale does not translate well to audio. The plot twists seem all the more absurd when read aloud, and the audiobook's maudlin music, inserted during the story's poignant moments, is as distracting and disturbing as a TV laugh track. Jennifer, a newspaper columnist who's grieving the death of her husband, has more reason to mourn when her beloved grandmother, Sam, falls into a coma. Jennifer rushes to Sam's home in Lake Geneva, Wis., where she finds a packet of letters addressed to her. The letters detail her grandmother's life story, including an affair she had with a mysterious man. Jennifer takes comfort in the letters, and at the same time, embarks on her own romance with Brendan, an old friend. Heche's thin, mousy voice is perfect for the perpetually worried Jennifer, but she rarely varies her intonation, not even for Brendan's dialogue. Alexander does a better job as Sam, conveying the elderly woman's concern for Jennifer, but her performance isn't sufficient to elevate this flawed audiobook. Simultaneous release with the Little, Brown hardcover (Forecasts, June 7). (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Jennifer, a workaholic journalist from Chicago, receives a call from Lake Geneva, WI, with news that her beloved grandmother Samantha is in a coma. Jennifer rushes to be with her, but finds that waiting is all she can do. In her room at her grandmother's house, Jennifer finds a stack of letters addressed to her that reveal the story of Sam's life, with some surprises. Down at the lakeshore, Jennifer falls in love with a childhood friend, now a doctor, who has secrets of his own. The inevitable crisis strikes, but with the help of her loved ones, Jennifer struggles through. Patterson's use of a series of letters to convey his story is not new, and his rationale is fairly flimsy. However, it helps to facilitate the development of the parallel love stories. Well read by Anne Heche and Jane Alexander; recommended for large listening collections.-Joanna M. Burkhardt, Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Providence Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile

Anne Heche drives the emotion of this book, deftly delivering a roller coaster ride of plot twists and turns. Two romances wind through the chapters, each as important as the other, and though they bounce back and forth, the shifts are smooth and seamlessly presented. After Jennifer reads the nearly 100 letters from Sam, she observes, "How many of us know the true stories of our parents and grandparents? What are we but our stories?" Anne Heche is delightfully whimsical overall, but when her voice falters with emotion, listeners will grab for their tissues. K.A.T. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews