The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

Ginny Blackstone thought all her European adventures were over. She thought they ended when her backpack and the last little blue envelope from her deceased aunt were stolen. She’s almost content to stay at home and force herself to write her college admissions essays—almost. Part of her is not ready to give up this freedom, so when a stranger in London contacts her regarding the whereabouts of the last letter, Ginny doesn’t hesitate to jump on a plane across the Atlantic. More than anything, Ginny just wants to find out where the last letter takes her and preserve her connection with her beloved aunt. But what’s in store for her is so far from her expectations. Ginny’s new journey will be like no other.

Though 13 Little Blue Envelopes was originally intended as a standalone novel, I enjoyed its follow up The Last Little Blue Envelope very much. I’m usually annoyed when standalones turn into long, drawn out series, because I then feel obligated to read all of them if I enjoyed the first. However, with Johnson, I would be more than happy to read another one of Ginny’s European adventures. This just goes to show the immense skill of Johnson’s writing and storytelling. Even though it takes a little while to get into The Last Little Blue Envelope, I kept reading on because I loved the depth and realism of Ginny’s character and because I knew my persistence would be rewarded. Johnson never fails to create a diverse and believable set of characters who find themselves in unique situations yet still much deal with basic themes such as family, friendship, and love. I think this is the reason why I have loved every book that I’ve read by Johnson. Her stories are both exotic and perfectly ordinary, and the writing is always consistently beautiful and satisfying.

Fans of 13 Little Blue Envelopes will not want to miss its belated sequel in The Last Little Blue Envelope, nor will readers who enjoyed Suite Scarlett, also by Maureen Johnson, and North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from NetGalley