Introduction

“Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley kept me up until 2:00 a.m.; I simply couldn't put it down." —Eloisa James, New York Times best-selling author of Once Upon a Tower

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

“Dear Mr. Knightley is a stunning debut—a pure gem with humor and heart.” —Serena Chase, USA Today

Includes Reading Group Guide

Plus Bonus Material: Q & A with Katherine Reay and Sam’s Reading List

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

APRIL 2

Dear Sir,

It has been a year since I turned down your generous offer. Father John warned me at the time that I was making a terrible mistake, but I wouldn't listen. He felt that by dismissing that opportunity I was injuring not only myself, but all the foster children helped by your foundation. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1) Sam found a safe haven in her books, but Hannah accused Sam of hiding in her books. Knowing Sam’s past, her retreat may seem justified. What do you think? Do you ever hide? Are there places you naturally gravitate toward when you feel afraid, hurt, or vulnerable?
2) Father John believed that the best thing for Sam would be to find her way around the “real world and its people.” Do you agree?
3) Did Father John take away Sam’s right to choose by selecting journalism for her graduate studies? Was it her right to choose or was it a gift to accept or reject as offered?
4) How hard is it to recognize a “Josh” – a Wickam, a Willoughby, a Henry Crawford? Why do we let these real-life characters impose on us? Injure us? Is there a difference in the two?
5) Sam said that Kyle would need “more courage to learn to surrender” than he’d needed to survive his abusive childhood or write about it. What does surrender mean? Do you agree with Sam?
6) Alex told Sam that he doesn’t like to disappoint people. Is that a failing or a virtue? How would Alex answer?
7) Sam wrote that the Muirs dropped “hope and hints like bread crumbs” regarding their faith. What does that mean? Do you think this was the right approach for the Muirs to take to introduce love and Christ to Sam? Could Sam have heard or understood a more overt approach? What stands in your way when hearing and absorbing such messages?
8) Was Mr. Knightley right to continue in his anonymity? If not, at what point did it go too far? Is it justifiable to withhold the truth from someone when you believe it’s in that person’s best interest?
9) Sam stated that Austen was brilliant partly because she so accurately reflected human nature and “human nature doesn’t change.” Do you believe that? Can our natures change? If so, what might change them?
10) So many characters change in this story: Sam, Alex, Kyle, Ashley. This suggests the notion that we are all constantly changing, defining, and redefining ourselves. Do you believe that? If so, at what point, does it end?
11) At the end of the story, the professor told Sam she could walk away, that she had the right. Did his advice surprise you? Why? Why did he give her that advice? Was he unfair toward Alex?
12) In the beginning of the story, Sam declared that she does not forgive but in the end she forgave Alex. What changed for her? What barriers to forgiveness do you struggle with?

Weblinks

»	Author Katherine Reay's web site
»	Publisher's Book Info

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