Long before there were e-mail emoticons for love hearts and flirtatious text messages and photos sent via cell phone satellite, one had to actually try to articulate feelings of love and desire in real words and sentences. The love letter these days often seems like a lost art form, when even those of us who might wish to enclose sentiments in an envelope can turn to the assistance of Hallmark cards. But love letters are not just the made-up stuff of novels; once upon a time handwritten letters facilitated some of the most intimate exchanges between lovers. This beautiful book from the British Library celebrates two thousand years of love letter history, from ancient Egypt to the present day. Included here are facsimile reproductions of twenty-five letters, which are fully transcribed along with engaging commentaries about the correspondents and their circumstances and portraits of the writers and recipients. Love Letters includes correspondence by figures such as Henry VIII, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Brontë, Admiral Nelson, Oscar Wilde, and Mervyn Peake. The words of love letters allow us insights into the private relationships of people across centuries, cultures, and continents, and the original manuscripts of such letters grant the reader a direct connection with the author of such personal words. A perfect gift for any beloved, this charming book may inspire many to pick up a pen and record some passionate missives of their own.

When her bookshop closes its doors, Laura agrees to help organize a literary festival. Her initial excitement is followed by panic when she realizes that an innocent mistake has led the festival committee to believe that she is a personal friend of the reclusive writer Dermot Flynn. Even though Laura has been infatuated with Dermot since her college days, traveling to Ireland to persuade him to come out of hiding is not what she had in mind. Nevertheless, she sets off to charm her literary hero into headlining the festival. Unfortunately, Dermot is maddening, temperamental, and up to his ears in a nasty case of writer's block. But he's also infuriatingly attractive.... With all the warmth and wit that have made Katie Fforde's novels huge bestsellers in the U.K., Love Letters is an irresistible tale of love and literature and the quest for a happy ending.

Sir Phillip knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he'd proposed, figuring that she'd be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except . . . she wasn't. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet, and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth, all he wanted to do was kiss her . . . and more. Did he think she was mad? Eloise Bridgerton couldn't marry a man she had never met! But then she started thinking . . . and wondering . . . and before she knew it, she was in a hired carriage in the middle of the night, on her way to meet the man she hoped might be her perfect match. Except . . . he wasn't. Her perfect husband wouldn't be so moody and ill-mannered, and while Phillip was certainly handsome, he was a large brute of a man, rough and rugged, and totally unlike the London gentlemen vying for her hand. But when he smiled . . . and when he kissed her . . . the rest of the world simply fell away, and she couldn't help but wonder . . . could this imperfect man be perfect for her?

Lily, who has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Abelard, who has Asperger's, meet in detention and discover a mutual affinity for love letters--and, despite their differences, each other.

“Dear Ava, I loved your book.” —Award-winning actress Emma Watson For fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Amber Smith, Ava Dellaira writes about grief, love, and family with a haunting and often heartbreaking beauty in this emotionally stirring, critically acclaimed debut novel, Love Letters to the Dead. It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more—though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was—lovely and amazing and deeply flawed—can she begin to discover her own path.

From sweet nothings to the profound insights of a person's soul, love letters capture a rare glimpse of our innermost thoughts and desires. Here we see love as defined by literary greats of the last two centuries, including Franz Kafka, Anais Nin, Jack London, and Vita Sackville-West.

“Plenty of twists, flashbacks, and a dash of romance keep the suspense high. For anyone looking for a dose of palace intrigue or upper-crust scandal, Riley’s latest novel delivers on both counts.” —Booklist “Chock full of shocking...this gripping novel is sure to keep Riley’s fans and new readers alike turning pages.” —Publishers Weekly “Fans of mystery, royal family intrigue, and even romance will enjoy this novel.” —Columbia Missourian In this suspenseful and heart-pounding novel from New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley, an ambitious young journalist unravels a dangerous mystery that threatens to devastate the British monarchy. Note to readers: In the UK, this book is published under the title The Love Letter. Keeping secrets is a dangerous game. When Sir James Harrison, one the greatest actors of his generation, passes away at the age of ninety-five, he leaves behind not just a heartbroken family but also a secret so shocking, it could rock the English establishment to its core. Joanna Haslam, an up-and-coming reporter, is assigned to cover the legendary actor’s funeral, attended by glitzy celebrities of every background. But Joanna stumbles on something dark beneath the glamour: the mention of a letter James Harrison has left behind—the contents of which many have been desperate to keep concealed for over seventy years. As she peels back the veil of lies that has shrouded the secret, she realizes that she’s close to uncovering something deadly serious—and the royal family may be implicated. Before long, someone is on her tracks, attempting to prevent her from discovering the truth. And they’ll stop at nothing to reach the letter before she does. Full of salacious scandal, shocking twists, and captivating romance, and written in Lucinda Riley’s signature “vividly drawn and lushly atmospheric” (RT Book Reviews) prose, The Royal Secret is “a full-throttle escapist adventure” (Lancashire Evening Post).