YA, romance meets historical fiction, Bridgerton & Austen vibes
Best friends Tirzah, Sophia, and Polly have left boarding school and returned to very different lives; Polly is teaching in an orphanage, Sophia is in the midst of the London Season, and Tirzah is stuck as an unpaid companion to her grandmother. They keep each other updated through letters, all searching for happiness and love in 1896 Britain.

Yours from the Tower is a light and easy read, with a relatively unique premise and execution. Nicholls’s focus on meaningful feminine friendships throughout this book was refreshing to see from a genre that too often falls victim to the patriarchal ‘women as enemies’ trope. Whilst not the most historically accurate, the blend of fairytale happily-ever-after with late Victorian Britain worked well to create something different enough to be exciting and familiar enough to be cosy and comforting. The epistolary form is very well executed, furthering the sense of familiar escapism that many readers desire.

In my opinion, Yours from the Tower could’ve benefitted from a little more character depth, as I didn’t finish the book feeling like I intimately know Tirzah, Polly, and Sophia quite in the way I was hoping to. I don’t feel this hinders the book too much though as the unique plot, epistolary form, and easy-to-get-lost-in nature still shine through, making this a 3.75- to 4-star read for me.

All in all, I would recommend Yours from the Tower to anyone looking for an easy, comforting read about feminine friendships in a romanticised late Victorian Britain. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another brilliant historical novel from Sally Nicholls. Three Victorian girls with very different situations write to each other in this epistolary novel for 11+. A a reader you pick up a lot of historical information whilst being carried along by the teenage drama of the three protagonists. It's fun yet educational. Great stuff.

Set in late 1800s Britain, the book follows Tirzah, Sophia and Polly, just as they finishing boarding school.
Determined to keep connected they send letters to each other.
These letters reveal the trial and tribulations of coming of age and entering into adulthood - leading to the realisation that they can shape their own reality and not be locked in a tower of their own making.
Although at times the continuous letters felt at bit repetitive, overall I loved the unique basis of the book, recounted purely in letters and telegrams.
It’s a heartwarming historical narrative - well worth the read.
Thanks @sallynicholls, @andersenpress & @netgalley for the eARC

A lovely, wholesome epistolary novel told entirely through letters between three young women, Polly, Sophia and Tirzah, having recently gone their separate ways after graduating from boarding school at the age of 17.
Tirzah is desperate to get out of the remote Scottish house she shares with her strict grandmother, Polly is revelling in her new job as a teacher at an orphanage, and Sophia has been lucky enough to get a place on the prestigious London Season thanks to her rich aunt’s benevolence, in the hopes of winning herself a suitable (suitably wealthy) husband.
The three firm friends write to each other to keep each other up to speed with their very different lifestyles, and that makes this book such a quick and entertaining read.
The three distinct voices are easy to recognise once you get into the story. I read this during a Tandem Collective readalong. Before starting the readalong, Tandem shared a mostly As, Bs, Cs quiz, which is linked in my YFTT read long stories highlight, to find out which character they were most like. I got matched with Polly, the practical, optimistic do-gooder who just wants to be useful. As a teacher myself, I could indeed see certain aspects of her in myself as the book went on!
Sophia is similar to Polly in that she comes from a big family, but as they’re all sisters , the parents pin their hopes on Sophia as the eldest to find a good, lucrative match and support the rest of her sisters in the future.
Tirzah is the most dramatic of the three, and sometimes came across as overemotional and volatile, but as the story unfolds we understand a lot more about her past and her behaviour makes more sense.
Other correspondence is interspersed when appropriate from different characters in the story, which lets the reader understand things we wouldn’t from the girls’ letters alone.
I’ve read a fair bit of historical fiction set in the Victorian age, it’s one of my go-to genres, but mostly books that focus on the more downtrodden members of society. This instead let me get a glimpse across the various classes, and the lives of teenagers before the idea of ‘teenagers’ really existed, young women choosing their paths in life.
There is a quaintness in the antiquated phrasing and way the girls write to each other, a formality to the letters we’ve all but lost these days, but what will be instantly recognisable and familiar to the modern reader is the very timeless frame of female friendship.

A nostalgic tale of three young women in 1896 returning to their very different lives after boarding school. Told in letters, with a modern slant.

With a glorious cover there is a nostalgic feel with a modern slant. For readers aged twelve upwards, it's a story of three young women told in letters.

It's 1896 and three friends have left boarding school and returned to their very different lives.

Polly is teaching in an orphanage. Sophia is looking for a rich husband at the London Season. And Tirzah is an unpaid companion to her grandmother.

In a series of letters, they share their hopes, their frustrations, their dramas and their romances.

It's a delightful book where the spirited young women really come alive, so much so that you feel you are joining in their friendship group and might start corresponding with them yourself! And there's an energy to the story too, so this would be a great book for a young reader who struggles with long chapters.

'Yours from the Tower' is another brilliantly written and constructed work of historical fiction for young adults by Sally Nicholls. This epistolary novel explores the lives of three young women in the 1890s who have recently left boarding school and are embarking on very different adult lives: Polly is working as a teacher in a Liverpool orphanage; Sophia is seeking a rich husband during a London season; and Tirzah is stuck up in Scotland with her grandmother.

This is a really well-plotted story which is full of romance and humour, but also very moving as it explores some of the darker and grittier aspects of this period. I found myself caring very deeply about the main characters and was very pleased with the ending, which felt satisfying without being contrived.

This is a great read for 11+ - perfect for fans of Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, and a great gateway to other epistolary novels and fiction about this period.

A DELIGHT of a novel about the friendship and courtships of three teenage girls in Victorian England, as told through letters to each other. This is the perfect cosy read that warms your heart. It’s like a cross between ‘I Capture the Castle’ and ‘Little Women’. Thank you to the publisher for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I thought the epistolary style of this book worked perfectly for the story Nicholas wanted to tell. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between the 3 girls develop and thoroughly enjoyed the book as a whole.

I haven't read many epistolary novels, so I wasn't sure how well I'd enjoy this - how well will I follow the story without descriptions? Given my historical difficulty telling characters apart, how will it go?

Answer: It went very well. The girls are different enough that, even in writing, they're easy to tell apart. The handful of letters and news articles from other people stand out, too. As a Regency romance, it's not hard to tell where the story is going, but the joy is in watching them get there, working together to overcome obstacles even though they are miles apart.

The side characters are fantastic as well, and I was quite reluctant to leave them by the end! If we're very lucky, Sally might continue the series (I hope, I don't have any information). I didn't cry quite as much at this as I did at certain other novels by her, but there were definitely a few tears here and there.

A fantastic read: I'm so glad I tried it out and I can't wait to recommend it to other people.

Sally Nichols’ latest offering is a warm-hearted read, told in epistolary format and offering us an insight into the lives of Victorian women. Our three characters are personable and thoughtful, challenging the conventions of the time while not doing anything that would prove awkward for them.
The story, such as it is, is about their attempts to get on in life after leaving their boarding school. We learn - amongst other things - about the quest for a husband and the attempt to reconcile three ‘orphans’ with their father.
There’s drama and exploration of social conventions, but it’s presented in a way that seems very safe.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this exploration of women and their role.

4.5 Stars
One Liner: Adorable!

1896-97
Trizah, Polly, and Sarah are eighteen-year-old best friends who left the boarding school to go back to their families/ lives. Trizah is in Scotland with her grumpy Grandma. Polly is home and enjoying being a teacher at the local orphanage. Sarah gets a chance to debut the Season and find a rich husband, thanks to her aunt.
Over the months, the trio sends each other letters about their frustrations, hopes, dreams, confusions, dilemmas, love, adventures, etc. They also interact with others through letters. What does the future have in store for these lovely young ladies?
The entire story is presented in letters between different characters.

My Thoughts:
I knew I had to read this when I saw the cover and the title. It gave me quirky vibes with a touch of fairytale and loads of laughs. The book delivers the same and almost met my expectations.
The main characters – Trizah, Polly (Mary), and Sarah, have distinctive personalities that make it easy to keep their voices separate. There’s no confusion about who is who (I even tried reading a few letters by ignoring the salutations, and it still worked).
The book is described as an epic Victorian teenage drama (in the author’s note), and I agree. The characters don’t always sound like they belong to the era, but they do work within the constraints of the period.
Various topics are dealt with here, ranging from gender bias, social conditions for the common folk, marrying rich to support one’s family, the conflict between mind and heart (love vs. duty), lack of parental love, yearning for affection, loneliness, greed, etc. We even have a mini-mystery of sorts related to some kids at the orphanage.
It does seem like a lot, but nowhere does the book feel overwhelming. Maybe it does get emotional at one point, which is necessary for a character’s growth. Even that is balanced by light-hearted supporting scenes and some drama. However, there are a couple of triggering mentions (check TW at the end of the review).
Despite being an epistolary novel, the book manages to offer enough character development not just for the leading ladies but a few side characters too. I really enjoyed how it provides entertainment while presenting enough elements to think about. Be it the running of orphanages or the apparent differences between rich and poor, each element is tackled with the right amount of seriousness.
The letters between other characters enrich the book and provide a more rounded perspective. I loved knowing Mr. Thompson and Sebastian’s thoughts. Their letters provide the necessary backstory into their lives, which makes them feel real rather than being uni-dimensional.
Of course, I’d have loved it more if the book managed to include an epilogue with a letter or two. I always want to know if the characters have HEA. Still, the ending is apt and provides good closure (aligning with the characters’ arcs).
The writing is easy to read despite having quite a few characters. The letters are of varying lengths and keep the momentum going. I hated taking a break, but I needed my sleep more. It’s a quick book and doesn’t feel like I’ve read 350+ pages.

To summarize, Yours from the Tower is a cute, sweet, adorable, and delightful entertainer set in the Victorian era. With quirky and loving characters, it is light-hearted, fun, and enjoyable. Pick it up when you want something cozy and happy. Do check the triggers, though.
Thank you, NetGalley and Andersen Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Links to GR and Amazon reviews will be updated after the book's release.

I loved this ingenious epistolary novel following 3 best friends from boarding school who, after they finish school, go back to their respective homes to face very different circumstances, dependant on their socio-economic status. The "chain mail" system of communication that is the foundation of the novel creates a truly original format which offers a really fun and dynamic reading experience and is a very clever way to explore the challenges faced by young women at the turn of the 20th century. It's unlike any historical novel I have read before. Highly recommended

I really loved this book. Perfect historical fiction for me set in one of my favourite time periods and told via letters. I didn't want it to end

I really enjoyed this book, it was so well written and is a great book for both the young adult and adult market, I didn’t feel like this had to be exclusively marketed at young adults. The writing was great and I really liked the setting and the story idea. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A lovely novel in letters that is just the warm cosy autumn read that everyone loves. Evokes something of time gone by in a fun fast paced read.

I adored this. I wasn't sure initially about the entire novel being in letters but once I got a little way in, I loved it. And I loved Polly, Terziah and Sophia.

A fun epistolary novel that through the medium of letters gets to explore many ideas and issues but for me it just wasn't quite deep enough and I wanted more - especially from Polly!
I liked spotting the books that I loved set in the same timeframe that Nicholls' had obviously also enjoyed but I just came away wanting a bit more meat

This was such a lovely read! Very heartwarming and the friendship between the girls was so sweet. You really get a sense of their characters reading their thoughts through the letters to each other. I really enjoyed seeing the address at the top of each page too which gave a nice feeling of knowing who was writing the letter before you even got to the content, and it also gave that feeling of when you’re waiting for the post to arrive! To me, it’s the kind of book that a grandmother could buy for a granddaughter, and then read herself afterwards! Really very lovely.

The epics of Victorian teenage dramas? Yes please. What a great idea for a book.

Conversing solely through letters, the three friends Tirzah, Polly and Sophia keep each other informed on the goings on and ins and outs of their lives as they try to find their ways in the world. With Tirzah forced into a companionship role to her grandmother, Polly working in an orphanage and Sophia turned out for the season in hope of finding a husband, these three woman are more than confidants to one another. The friendship is so heartwarming and the whole book was just a joy to read!

I found is so easy and entertaining. It was always a delight to go back to it and found the pages disappear into nothing. And can I just say, Sebastian’s letters *swoon*.

I loved getting to know the girls through their exchanges and see moments in their lives tick along as we share Christmases, romances and big life events with them. I honestly could have continued reading forever and it’s a format of a book I never thought I’d enjoy so much! If there was a sequel or more books of its kind from now, I’d snap them up in a second, without hesitation!

I was left feeling so fuzzy and happy and it was a pure joy from the very first letter!