Sam's Letters to JenniferSam's Letters to Jennifer
Score Modern
What it's about
Jennifer, a Chicago newspaper columnist still grieving her husband, goes back to her grandmother's house on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin when her grandmother Sam falls into a coma. There she finds a series of letters Sam left for her, revealing a secret love story Jennifer never knew. And she meets Brendan, a man in the town with secrets of his own.
Why it's worth reading
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller. It's a short, gentle love story from Patterson, far from his thrillers.
You'll love it if you liked
The Wish
Every Summer After
Me Before YouGood to know
It's quick and sentimental. Illness and grief run throughout.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #89 of the 233 romances we rank
- #159 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #617 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1170 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Uplifting
More by James Patterson
1st to Die
Worst Case
Kill Alex Cross
CrossIf you like this, read next
Too Late
The Inheritance Games
At First Sight
Memories of Midnight
The Hawthorne Legacy
A Study in DrowningExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Sam's Letters to Jennifer worth reading?
Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller. It ranks #1,170 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Sam's Letters to Jennifer about?
Jennifer, a Chicago newspaper columnist still grieving her husband, goes back to her grandmother's house on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin when her grandmother Sam falls into a coma. There she finds a series of letters Sam left for her, revealing a secret love story Jennifer never knew. And she meets Brendan, a man in the town with secrets of his own.
How long does it take to read Sam's Letters to Jennifer?
About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Sam's Letters to Jennifer?
If you liked it, try The Wish by Nicholas Sparks, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune or Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.