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addiesbookshelf_'s review against another edition
4.0
This book was so much fun! I loved the way it was inspired by Mamma Mia but still felt like it's own unique story, and really loved the dual timeline between Mia and her mom.
I read the audiobook thanks to Libro.fm's ALC program and thought it was the perfect way to consume the book. Hearing the two different narrators felt like they were telling me a story, and I really loved that.
I read the audiobook thanks to Libro.fm's ALC program and thought it was the perfect way to consume the book. Hearing the two different narrators felt like they were telling me a story, and I really loved that.
yourstrulyalyssa's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
roygbiv_books's review against another edition
4.0
The Last Love Song is a beautifully written small town big dreams romance packed with charm, young queer love, and a little mystery. We meet Mia as she’s escaping the awkwardness of breaking up with her boyfriend by climbing out of his second story window. She’s an emotionally messy 18 year old who’s just graduated and has a vast future stretching out before her. Her grandmas (who doesn’t love an older queer couple?
bellaso's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thebookishnarwhal's review
5.0
This debut novel is a lyrical and heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the melodies that shape our lives. Set against the backdrop of Sunset Cove, “The Last Love Song” by Kalie Holford is a queer YA romance that brings together music, mystery, and the bittersweet ache of growing up.
Meet Mia Peters. After high school graduation, she faces a summer of farewells. Songwriting becomes her refuge as everyone she knows moves on, leaving her behind in the small town of Sunset Cove. Her biggest supporter (and kind-of-sort-of girlfriend) pushes her to dream bigger, but Mia clings to the familiar. She refuses to follow in the footsteps of her late mother, a country music star who abandoned her family to chase her dreams.
Desperate for a sign of what lies ahead, Mia discovers a mysterious letter from the past, written in her mother's hand. It's the first of many, leading her on a scavenger hunt through a hidden Sunset Cove. Each discovery brings Mia closer to her mother, but time is running out. Mia must decide if she can face the present, confront her feelings, and forge her own destiny.
Holford's prose is like a haunting melody, evoking the raw emotions of youth. Mia's struggle to find her voice as a songwriter and as a young woman, is beautifully portrayed. The author captures the ache of longing, the sweetness of first love, and the pain of letting go. The small-town setting feels authentic, and the supporting characters add depth to the narrative.
The heart of the novel lies in its exploration of grief. Maternal absence looms large, and Mia grapples with the legacy of a mother who chose fame over family. The scavenger hunt through Sunset Cove becomes a journey of self-discovery, as Mia unravels the layers of her mother's past. The book's emotional core is its portrayal of love in all its forms.
The main relationship is tenderly rendered. Their banter, shared dreams, and stolen moments create a palpable chemistry. Witness encouragement push Mia beyond her comfort zone, urging her to embrace life beyond Sunset Cove. Their love story is both sweet and achingly real, capturing the uncertainty of youth and the courage it takes to leap into the unknown.
The mystery of the letters adds intrigue, and Holford skillfully balances the past and present. As Mia uncovers her mother’s secrets, readers are drawn deeper into the emotional landscape. The pacing is steady, with revelations unfolding at just the right moments. The book's climax is poignant, leaving a lingering ache that resonates long after the final page.
This book is a celebration of music, memory, and the power of finding one's own voice. If you've ever tried to decode the clues in the lead-up to a new Taylor Swift album, this book will strike a chord. Holford's soulful debut invites readers to listen closely; to the notes of love, loss, and the last song that echoes in our hearts. It is a moving portrait of love, wrapped in the warmth of nostalgia and the promise of new beginnings. Holford's talent shines through, and I eagerly await her next composition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Meet Mia Peters. After high school graduation, she faces a summer of farewells. Songwriting becomes her refuge as everyone she knows moves on, leaving her behind in the small town of Sunset Cove. Her biggest supporter (and kind-of-sort-of girlfriend) pushes her to dream bigger, but Mia clings to the familiar. She refuses to follow in the footsteps of her late mother, a country music star who abandoned her family to chase her dreams.
Desperate for a sign of what lies ahead, Mia discovers a mysterious letter from the past, written in her mother's hand. It's the first of many, leading her on a scavenger hunt through a hidden Sunset Cove. Each discovery brings Mia closer to her mother, but time is running out. Mia must decide if she can face the present, confront her feelings, and forge her own destiny.
Holford's prose is like a haunting melody, evoking the raw emotions of youth. Mia's struggle to find her voice as a songwriter and as a young woman, is beautifully portrayed. The author captures the ache of longing, the sweetness of first love, and the pain of letting go. The small-town setting feels authentic, and the supporting characters add depth to the narrative.
The heart of the novel lies in its exploration of grief. Maternal absence looms large, and Mia grapples with the legacy of a mother who chose fame over family. The scavenger hunt through Sunset Cove becomes a journey of self-discovery, as Mia unravels the layers of her mother's past. The book's emotional core is its portrayal of love in all its forms.
The main relationship is tenderly rendered. Their banter, shared dreams, and stolen moments create a palpable chemistry. Witness encouragement push Mia beyond her comfort zone, urging her to embrace life beyond Sunset Cove. Their love story is both sweet and achingly real, capturing the uncertainty of youth and the courage it takes to leap into the unknown.
The mystery of the letters adds intrigue, and Holford skillfully balances the past and present. As Mia uncovers her mother’s secrets, readers are drawn deeper into the emotional landscape. The pacing is steady, with revelations unfolding at just the right moments. The book's climax is poignant, leaving a lingering ache that resonates long after the final page.
This book is a celebration of music, memory, and the power of finding one's own voice. If you've ever tried to decode the clues in the lead-up to a new Taylor Swift album, this book will strike a chord. Holford's soulful debut invites readers to listen closely; to the notes of love, loss, and the last song that echoes in our hearts. It is a moving portrait of love, wrapped in the warmth of nostalgia and the promise of new beginnings. Holford's talent shines through, and I eagerly await her next composition.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
elsarochelle's review against another edition
3.0
**I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC via NetGalley and will now share my honest thoughts.**
While scavenger hunts aren't typically my thing, I was definitely intrigued by the idea of reading a story in dualling perspectives between the daughter who is trying to discover the truth about her mother and the mother herself as she tells her origin story (so to say).
While I was mildly curious about Tori's side of this story, overall I didn't feel particularly engaged with any part of it and I felt even less engaged by Mia's story. After a point I just sort of skimmed my way to the ending.
I have decided to rate this book 3 stars because I find the idea of a daughter finding herself through letters left behind by her mother to be a beautiful and potentially interesting one; I just didn't find what I was looking for in this particular book.
Thank you again to NetGalley and Kalie Holford for allowing me to read the ARC!
While scavenger hunts aren't typically my thing, I was definitely intrigued by the idea of reading a story in dualling perspectives between the daughter who is trying to discover the truth about her mother and the mother herself as she tells her origin story (so to say).
While I was mildly curious about Tori's side of this story, overall I didn't feel particularly engaged with any part of it and I felt even less engaged by Mia's story. After a point I just sort of skimmed my way to the ending.
I have decided to rate this book 3 stars because I find the idea of a daughter finding herself through letters left behind by her mother to be a beautiful and potentially interesting one; I just didn't find what I was looking for in this particular book.
Thank you again to NetGalley and Kalie Holford for allowing me to read the ARC!
loonieslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mari1532's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I would like to thank Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Brief Summary: Mia Peters is stuck. She can feel the pull of a bigger life as she writes songs in secret, but she is also the daughter of Tori Rose, a famous country singer tragically taken at the height of her fame. As Mia prepares to start her life after graduation she looks around the town that has raised her and immortalized her mother wondering what her next move should be. Luckily she has a rainbow of clues pointing her in the right direction.
Thoughts: This book is a slow burn. It took at least five chapters before this book really hooked me.
How Holford was able to not only write a book, but all of the songs included in this book is impressive. Although it was a bit of a slow start, the way that Holford was able to integrate two coming-of-age stories, two love stories, and two musical worlds ended up bringing me to tears.
This is a love story, but I would not call it a romance novel. Mia and Britt do have friends to maybe lovers vibe throughout the endearing book, but the real focus of this book is Mia and Tori and their relationship as mother and daughter. The way that Holford writes Mia as a confused teenager trying to grapple with her grief is breathtaking. So many times throughout the book I just wanted to hug Mia and tell her it would be okay and I felt joy at her every success and sadness at every failure.
Tori was a little more difficult to read throughout the book. We only catch glimpses of her from the stories people share with Mia and letters, but I could never really say I understood her...at least the younger version of her. Tori chases her dreams and finds herself in a love triangle. The mystery surrounding her drives the narrative of the story. I did wish that there was a little more explanation of Tori's relationships with the women she was friends with throughout her life. I feel like with her bandmates and classmates we just see snippets of Tori's relationships with her friends. The love triangle had me hooked and I had a favourite, but her friends made such big sacrifices for her and it was a little hard to understand why.
Holford's writing made me feel and I truly did cry at the end of the book. I found Mia to be such a dynamic character even though she was a teenager. I read somewhere that this book is similar to Mamma Mia. In many ways, I agree with that description, but it feels more like the sequel rather than the original because Mia is just surrounded by a shrine of her mother. I do wish that we had been able to see any part of the town that was not some roadside attraction to draw fans of Tori Rose. It felt a little weird that this was all the town offered, but maybe that is supposed to make us feel the oppressive weight that Mia must feel having grown up there.
I would recommend this book, but I do think that you should go into it understanding two things. First, this is a book about a mother-daughter relationship. Other relationships are described in its pages, but this is the central focus of the book. Second, the music is going to guide you through the book. If you are a fan of puzzles and how song lyrics help you answer those puzzles this is the perfect book for you. I would also recommend having a tissue handy for the tears at the end.
Brief Summary: Mia Peters is stuck. She can feel the pull of a bigger life as she writes songs in secret, but she is also the daughter of Tori Rose, a famous country singer tragically taken at the height of her fame. As Mia prepares to start her life after graduation she looks around the town that has raised her and immortalized her mother wondering what her next move should be. Luckily she has a rainbow of clues pointing her in the right direction.
Thoughts: This book is a slow burn. It took at least five chapters before this book really hooked me.
How Holford was able to not only write a book, but all of the songs included in this book is impressive. Although it was a bit of a slow start, the way that Holford was able to integrate two coming-of-age stories, two love stories, and two musical worlds ended up bringing me to tears.
This is a love story, but I would not call it a romance novel. Mia and Britt do have friends to maybe lovers vibe throughout the endearing book, but the real focus of this book is Mia and Tori and their relationship as mother and daughter. The way that Holford writes Mia as a confused teenager trying to grapple with her grief is breathtaking. So many times throughout the book I just wanted to hug Mia and tell her it would be okay and I felt joy at her every success and sadness at every failure.
Tori was a little more difficult to read throughout the book. We only catch glimpses of her from the stories people share with Mia and letters, but I could never really say I understood her...at least the younger version of her. Tori chases her dreams and finds herself in a love triangle. The mystery surrounding her drives the narrative of the story. I did wish that there was a little more explanation of Tori's relationships with the women she was friends with throughout her life. I feel like with her bandmates and classmates we just see snippets of Tori's relationships with her friends. The love triangle had me hooked and I had a favourite, but her friends made such big sacrifices for her and it was a little hard to understand why.
Holford's writing made me feel and I truly did cry at the end of the book. I found Mia to be such a dynamic character even though she was a teenager. I read somewhere that this book is similar to Mamma Mia. In many ways, I agree with that description, but it feels more like the sequel rather than the original because Mia is just surrounded by a shrine of her mother. I do wish that we had been able to see any part of the town that was not some roadside attraction to draw fans of Tori Rose. It felt a little weird that this was all the town offered, but maybe that is supposed to make us feel the oppressive weight that Mia must feel having grown up there.
I would recommend this book, but I do think that you should go into it understanding two things. First, this is a book about a mother-daughter relationship. Other relationships are described in its pages, but this is the central focus of the book. Second, the music is going to guide you through the book. If you are a fan of puzzles and how song lyrics help you answer those puzzles this is the perfect book for you. I would also recommend having a tissue handy for the tears at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Cursing and Gaslighting
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
ascher3's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
libraryofthieves's review
DNF @46%
This book had potential but unfortunately had so many things that could have been better.
Firstly, the entire plot was just so contrived. The town is basically a memorial to Mia’s mother and yet nobody can, or will, tell her anything of substance about her mother. Instead her mother leaves her a scavenger hunt to find pages of her old diary when she graduates high school. Why her grandmothers would refuse to tell her anything about her mother, who knows.
The emotional turmoil of Mia’s relationship to music and performing also felt very artificial. At almost halfway through the book, I still have no idea what was holding her back aside from some mysterious incident the last time she performed.
The entire book just lacked emotional depth. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters because everything was just so overdramatic and unrealistic. The plot of discovering who her mother was on a personal level should have been really heartfelt and instead I was just frustrated the entire time by how little sense anything made. Oh, she also doesn’t know who her dad is for some reason.
Aside from the plot, the writing was just bad. Repetitive descriptions, overly dramatic dialogue and purple prose really pulled me out of the story. And if I have to read about ‘the music’ one more time…
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.