Letters From Home

“. . . a quick and fun novella, sure to satisfy . . .”

Being part of a big family is fun and exciting—and frustrating—as Elena Rodriguez can testify. An army doctor, Elena is home for the Christmas holidays after finishing a stint in Afghanistan. While overseas, Lena receives several anonymous letters from a man declaring his love for her.

Though Lena's life has been dedicated to school and the military and she hasn't been concerned with dating, she promises to meet the author of the letters on Christmas morning. She confides in her family about the correspondence, and they are all a twitter trying to guess the identity of the mystery man, reaching the point where Lena is sorry she disclosed any information regarding him or the mail.

Could it be Zack Benson, long time friend of Lena's older brother Mike? No one in the Rodriguez clan even considers Zack could have written the notes for he is considered a family member.

Zack visits often during Lena's leave, and she tells him about the letters. Though she's loved Zack forever, she believes he only sees her as Mike's little sister. Zack fears Lena is smitten with the man sending her the letters, which leaves him to think she will never be aware of his feelings. He realizes he should have declared his love for her long ago.

Zack and Lena are together a lot while she is on leave—after all, Zack is considered part of the family. Then, when Christmas day arrives Lena anxiously awaits her upcoming meeting. Will she be surprised to learn the truth? Can Lena and Zack show each other what's in their hearts?

Letters From Home is a quick and fun novella, sure to satisfy as a light read. Ms. Strasser offers a short tale that gets to the point without throwing in extraneous words or scenes to slow it down. The plot is predictable, though family dynamics intertwined with Spanish touches enhance the story.