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katie_lacour's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I’m really mad because this book could’ve been a 5 star read. However, the execution just didn’t happen, leaving me frustrated and sad.
Things I would change:
1) The ending. It was absolutely unnecessary to the plot, and I feel like if the author didn’t want to make it a complete happily ever after she could’ve discussed their ongoing struggles with mental health (ptsd), learning to trust, etc. But instead I feel like she tried to go for the shock factor and break the reader’s heart. It did nothing to contribute to the plot in my opinion, and it felt rushed and not even fleshed out. The characters processing the ending doesn’t even occur.
2) There were some weird lines in this book that bordered on racist or problematic. “I knew he liked his coffee like he liked his women, Black and strong.” This just rubbed me the wrong way for multiple reasons. First, no characters in the book are diverse whatsoever, so this line just felt like the author was trying to check diversity off the list, almost with tokenization. It also felt weird to compare Black women to coffee. Like I know how he liked his women how he liked his bread, stale and white? Idk. It seemed a bit to me like objectification/when people see value in BIPOC because they’re “exotic.” Maybe the author meant for it to be empowering for strong Black women, but that’s not how it came across. The author also used the term “Indian summer” which has racist origins. Again, not the end of the world, but when there’s no diversity in the book it makes you wonder. Finally, the author has the FMC talk about abortion like it’s murder. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on abortion and women certainly should make choices on their potential pregnancy and birth without pressure from others, this portrayal came across as slightly problematic to me, especially in today’s day and age. It’d be one thing for the FMC to say “Oh I didn’t want to have an abortion, that’s just not something I’d be interested in/I want to keep the fetuses.” But for her to call it murder is sus, and combined with the rest it just rubs me wrong. The glossing over of special ops too without acknowledging that they can cause harm was a bit off-putting to me. This book just felt like it was written ten years ago instead of recently and has me wondering who this author really is. It also has me questioning if I want to read Iron Flame if the author is going to include stuff like this in it too.
3) I think the whole not telling her who he was the whole entire book was dumb. I get it at first, but the fact he kept it from her for so long was so irritating to me and I would have written that storyline differently.
4) There were so many parts that weren’t believable. Her not getting child support?? Her ripping up the check for the kids?? Like say what you want about your pride but not taking half a million from a complete douche bag is the LEAST he can do for your kids. She’s a bad mom to refuse that money on their behalf instead of putting it towards things that benefit them like college savings. The school giving her crap about the child’s attendance is ILLEGAL. I was literally in Children’s Hospital of Colorado for two weeks and I had a social worker there going to bat for me with the school district to help me make up my schoolwork. Not only that but they 100% followed through with it. No school would be that stupid or insensitive. Also love how the daughter can’t be around the customers but she’s fine to go to school and run around with kids all day who pick their noses and don’t wash their hands. At the very least her and her family would likely be going around wearing masks/disinfecting since she’s immuno-compromised.
Overall, I liked the premise and the characters for the most part, but I’m really disappointed because it could have been so much better and the author really got in her own way with this. The more I think in this book, the less I like it. No book is perfect but I cannot see past these flaws.
Things I would change:
1) The ending. It was absolutely unnecessary to the plot, and I feel like if the author didn’t want to make it a complete happily ever after she could’ve discussed their ongoing struggles with mental health (ptsd), learning to trust, etc. But instead I feel like she tried to go for the shock factor and break the reader’s heart. It did nothing to contribute to the plot in my opinion, and it felt rushed and not even fleshed out. The characters processing the ending doesn’t even occur.
2) There were some weird lines in this book that bordered on racist or problematic. “I knew he liked his coffee like he liked his women, Black and strong.” This just rubbed me the wrong way for multiple reasons. First, no characters in the book are diverse whatsoever, so this line just felt like the author was trying to check diversity off the list, almost with tokenization. It also felt weird to compare Black women to coffee. Like I know how he liked his women how he liked his bread, stale and white? Idk. It seemed a bit to me like objectification/when people see value in BIPOC because they’re “exotic.” Maybe the author meant for it to be empowering for strong Black women, but that’s not how it came across. The author also used the term “Indian summer” which has racist origins. Again, not the end of the world, but when there’s no diversity in the book it makes you wonder. Finally, the author has the FMC talk about abortion like it’s murder. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on abortion and women certainly should make choices on their potential pregnancy and birth without pressure from others, this portrayal came across as slightly problematic to me, especially in today’s day and age. It’d be one thing for the FMC to say “Oh I didn’t want to have an abortion, that’s just not something I’d be interested in/I want to keep the fetuses.” But for her to call it murder is sus, and combined with the rest it just rubs me wrong. The glossing over of special ops too without acknowledging that they can cause harm was a bit off-putting to me. This book just felt like it was written ten years ago instead of recently and has me wondering who this author really is. It also has me questioning if I want to read Iron Flame if the author is going to include stuff like this in it too.
3) I think the whole not telling her who he was the whole entire book was dumb. I get it at first, but the fact he kept it from her for so long was so irritating to me and I would have written that storyline differently.
4) There were so many parts that weren’t believable. Her not getting child support?? Her ripping up the check for the kids?? Like say what you want about your pride but not taking half a million from a complete douche bag is the LEAST he can do for your kids. She’s a bad mom to refuse that money on their behalf instead of putting it towards things that benefit them like college savings. The school giving her crap about the child’s attendance is ILLEGAL. I was literally in Children’s Hospital of Colorado for two weeks and I had a social worker there going to bat for me with the school district to help me make up my schoolwork. Not only that but they 100% followed through with it. No school would be that stupid or insensitive. Also love how the daughter can’t be around the customers but she’s fine to go to school and run around with kids all day who pick their noses and don’t wash their hands. At the very least her and her family would likely be going around wearing masks/disinfecting since she’s immuno-compromised.
Overall, I liked the premise and the characters for the most part, but I’m really disappointed because it could have been so much better and the author really got in her own way with this. The more I think in this book, the less I like it. No book is perfect but I cannot see past these flaws.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, War, and Child death
Minor: Medical content, Racism, Grief, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry
zanazy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was not prepared for all the tears. Going into this, I knew it would be emotional, but wow… the story between Beckett and Ella is beautiful. Ella is a single, young mother of twins, and she has lost nearly everyone in her immediate family. Beckett grew up never really having a family outside of his Army brothers and never feeling worthy of love. Through letters, they find love and companionship and a deeper relationship than either one of them thought possible.
What Ella goes through as a single mom is heartbreaking and emotionally gut wrenching. Her daughter is diagnosed with cancer, she loses her brother, finds herself in financial distress and completely guilt ridden from not being there for her son. Beckett comes to her to honor his best friend’s last wish, and to meet the woman who he has fallen in love with via letters.
Beckett is hot, both in the outside and inside. He gives 1000% and he gives his whole heart and everything he has. The way he showed up for Ella and still respected her boundaries was beautiful. His connection with Ella’s children and the way he fell in love with them was magical. As a mom, knowing he was willing to be a father without forcing marriage on Ella yet being her “husband” in every way that matters was incredibly beautiful to read. The ending of the book and Colt’s unexpected and heartbreaking death was beautiful, and I shed many tears, but knowing Colt got to spend his last minutes with his dad… ugh it was just as it should be.
The story has both predictable and surprising twists and it was a beautiful story of love, family, forgiveness, and friendship. Definitely a quick read which you will not want to put down.
What Ella goes through as a single mom is heartbreaking and emotionally gut wrenching. Her daughter is diagnosed with
Beckett is hot, both in the outside and inside. He gives 1000% and he gives his whole heart and everything he has. The way he showed up for Ella and still respected her boundaries was beautiful. His connection with Ella’s children and the way he fell in love with them was magical. As a mom, knowing he was willing to be a father without forcing marriage on Ella yet being her “husband” in every way that matters was incredibly beautiful to read. The ending of the book and Colt’s unexpected and heartbreaking death was beautiful, and I shed many tears, but knowing Colt got to spend his last minutes with his dad… ugh it was just as it should be.
The story has both predictable and surprising twists and it was a beautiful story of love, family, forgiveness, and friendship. Definitely a quick read which you will not want to put down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Cursing, and Death
antidietleah's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Abortion and Abandonment
chulaisreadingromance's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm not the type of reviewer who demands authors to write their stories in a specific way. As an aspiring author myself I know how difficult it is to connect dots and close the plot of a story as neatly and tight as possible, but I am so very conflicted about this book.
Let me star with this, I really loved the story. I loved the couple and I loved their journey towards each other. I think it was as splendid premise and the emotional roller coaster for 80% of the book was just right up my alley. I fell in love with Beckett and Ella at the same time they fell in love with each other. My heart broke for Maisie and her battle. That little girl made me feel so much hope and the way she and Colt bonded with Beckett made my heart soar and flutter in so many ways. Ella was such a strong woman, I really loved reading her and I understood her 100%. I didn't really love how Beckett kept her in the dark for so long but at the end I understood why he did it. He was after all, a veteran who had never had a sense of normalcy in his life and had never really had a family. As the story continued I was able to empathize with him and my reader heart forgave him for the lie. Especially because his relationship with Ella and the kids felt so natural on page. They were the perfect family.
Now, my biggest issue with this book. For starters, this book should come with a trigger warning (which I couldn't find anywhere the author's website). That takes one of my stars down. There are so many heavy topics in this book that are not suitable for everyone. Not everyone can handle it no matter how much they love an author and no matter how much they love the genre. Second, (and this is what I was talking about me not being a reviewer who demands books to be written a certain way) I wholeheartedly agree with all the reviewers that think that Colt's death was unnecessary. It didn't feel right. It didn't make sense to me at all. While the scene was incredibly touching and Colt's final moments had a lot of meaning and a heavy weight for Beckett's character growth, I think the book could've been emotional enough without them having to lose a child. I get that the purpose was to highlight the existence of fait and how everything that happens has a connection with it, but in my opinion it was tragedy for the sake of tragedy. It served no purpose. If the issue was the book being shorter, 350 pages are not that short for a romance novel. I'm so glad a friend spoiled it for me, warning me about it before I got to that part, otherwise it would've caught me off guard because it happened all of the sudden and again, with absolutely no purpose. There goes the other star.
I'm going to say though, the very ending was touching and very romantic. The epilogue made me sob my eyes out. In general it would've been such a beautiful book if it wasn't for that. I really loved this couple and the family they formed. They went through enough together, they didn't need more. That said, I'll keep reading Rebecca's books because I think she's a brilliant author and her stories are right the emotional roller coaster I usually go for, but this book disappointed me a lot.
Let me star with this, I really loved the story. I loved the couple and I loved their journey towards each other. I think it was as splendid premise and the emotional roller coaster for 80% of the book was just right up my alley. I fell in love with Beckett and Ella at the same time they fell in love with each other. My heart broke for Maisie and her battle. That little girl made me feel so much hope and the way she and Colt bonded with Beckett made my heart soar and flutter in so many ways. Ella was such a strong woman, I really loved reading her and I understood her 100%. I didn't really love how Beckett kept her in the dark for so long but at the end I understood why he did it. He was after all, a veteran who had never had a sense of normalcy in his life and had never really had a family. As the story continued I was able to empathize with him and my reader heart forgave him for the lie. Especially because his relationship with Ella and the kids felt so natural on page. They were the perfect family.
Now, my biggest issue with this book. For starters, this book should come with a trigger warning (which I couldn't find anywhere the author's website). That takes one of my stars down. There are so many heavy topics in this book that are not suitable for everyone. Not everyone can handle it no matter how much they love an author and no matter how much they love the genre. Second, (and this is what I was talking about me not being a reviewer who demands books to be written a certain way) I wholeheartedly agree with all the reviewers that think that Colt's death was unnecessary. It didn't feel right. It didn't make sense to me at all. While the scene was incredibly touching and Colt's final moments had a lot of meaning and a heavy weight for Beckett's character growth, I think the book could've been emotional enough without them having to lose a child. I get that the purpose was to highlight the existence of fait and how everything that happens has a connection with it, but in my opinion it was tragedy for the sake of tragedy. It served no purpose. If the issue was the book being shorter, 350 pages are not that short for a romance novel. I'm so glad a friend spoiled it for me, warning me about it before I got to that part, otherwise it would've caught me off guard because it happened all of the sudden and again, with absolutely no purpose. There goes the other star.
I'm going to say though, the very ending was touching and very romantic. The epilogue made me sob my eyes out. In general it would've been such a beautiful book if it wasn't for that. I really loved this couple and the family they formed. They went through enough together, they didn't need more. That said, I'll keep reading Rebecca's books because I think she's a brilliant author and her stories are right the emotional roller coaster I usually go for, but this book disappointed me a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, War, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Cancer
feed_them_books's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Cancer
Moderate: Violence, Grief, and War
Minor: Medical content, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Pregnancy
geekygraceelyse's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'“Say it. I need you to say the words.”
My call sign is Chaos. I miss you and your letters so damn much. I crave your words more than oxygen. I’m so sorry about Ryan. I don’t deserve to be here. He does.
The options played through my head. Instead, I steered to the safest truth I could give her without ripping her to shreds or blowing the most important mission of my life.
“Ryan sent me.” '
The Last Letter is heart wrenchingly wonderful contemporary romance by Rebecca Yarros.
Ella Mackenzie is raising twins alone while trying to keep her Bed and Breakfast afloat.
With her parents and grandparent’s dead, her ex-husband who walked out on her the moment she found out she was pregnant, and her brother Ryan serving in a special ops team in a classified location overseas, the last thing she needs is the knock on the door saying her brother has been killed in action.
Ryan Mackenzie was one of the only people Beckett Gentry, call sign Chaos, cares about. That is until Ryan’s sister Ella starts writing him letters. Initially reluctant to take part in Ryan’s Pen Pal set up, Beckett soon finds that Ella’s letters bring light into his otherwise dark life.
Although he had made plans to visit Telluride, Colorado with Ryan when they were stateside, those plans change when Ryan is killed.
No longer is he going to Telluride with his best friend, to meet the woman who he’d fallen for through the written word, but to look after his battle buddy’s little sister and help her through one of the most challenging times of her life.
Because not only is Ella facing the challenge of losing her brother, she’s at risk of having the remainder of her family torn apart by even more tragic circumstances.
When Chaos stops replying to her letters around the same time as her brother’s death, and the army refusing to answer any of her questions due to the classified nature of their work, Ella is left with no other choice but to assume Chaos was also killed.
Little does Ella know that Beckett Gentry, the man who just booked a cabin at her Bed and Breakfast for seven months, who served in her brothers’ unit; is also Chaos - the man she had been writing to and even starting to fall for.
"Beckett,
If you’re reading this, well, you know the “last-letter” drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there were any chance you could have saved me, you would have.
I need one thing from you: Get your ass to Tellurid...
… If I’m gone, that means I can’t get home in January like we’d planned. I can’t be there for her. I can’t help Ella through this, or play soccer with my nephew, or hold my niece. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family…
Please don’t make her go through it alone. "
The Last Letter is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel with writing and characters so spectacular it’s like the story lifts of the page and comes to life.
This book is a rollercoaster that will have you laughing one moment and reaching for the box of tissues the next, before realising that you’ve used them all already and now need to open another new box.
As emotionally bruising as The Last Letter is I LOVED everything about it.
I have been a fan of Rebecca Yarros’ since the moment I read her debut novel Full Measures back in 2014, and I was so excited about reading The Last Letter.
The Last Letter is spread over a period of about two years, and combines the letters between Ella and Chaos, with present day narration from both Ella and Becketts point of view.
I loved the pacing of this book, which allowed the characters to work through their grief in a realistic manner. It also allowed for their relationship to develop without rushing into it which really allowed the chemistry to build between Ella and Beckett, as we saw them go from a strained meeting, to friends, and to a couple.
'“Don’t let go,” she whispered. Her hands were still between us, but she wasn’t pushing me away, they were simply resting on my pecs. If anything, she leaned in. “I’d forgotten what this felt like.”
“Being hugged?” My voice was sandpaper-rough.
“Being held together.” Never before had a single phrase brought me to my emotional knees.'
There is so much more I want to say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone (and partly because I can’t actually put into words just how much I love this book) so I’ll just leave it at this: The Last Letter is a tragically transcendent story about love, loss, and family that will make you feel such a chaotic mix of emotions it leaves you wondering how you’ll ever move on from what you’ve just read, but loving absolutely everything about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Medical content
geekygraceelyse's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Say it. I need you to say the words.”
My call sign is Chaos. I miss you and your letters so damn much. I crave your words more than oxygen. I’m so sorry about Ryan. I don’t deserve to be here. He does.
The options played through my head. Instead, I steered to the safest truth I could give her without ripping her to shreds or blowing the most important mission of my life.
“Ryan sent me.”
The Last Letter is heart wrenchingly wonderful contemporary romance by Rebecca Yarros.
Ella Mackenzie is raising twins alone while trying to keep her Bed and Breakfast afloat.
With her parents and grandparent’s dead, her ex-husband who walked out on her the moment she found out she was pregnant, and her brother Ryan serving in a special ops team in a classified location overseas, the last thing she needs is the knock on the door saying her brother has been killed in action.
Ryan Mackenzie was one of the only people Beckett Gentry, call sign Chaos, cares about. That is until Ryan’s sister Ella starts writing him letters. Initially reluctant to take part in Ryan’s Pen Pal set up, Beckett soon finds that Ella’s letters bring light into his otherwise dark life.
Although he had made plans to visit Telluride, Colorado with Ryan when they were stateside, those plans change when Ryan is killed.
No longer is he going to Telluride with his best friend, to meet the woman who he’d fallen for through the written word, but to look after his battle buddy’s little sister and help her through one of the most challenging times of her life.
Because not only is Ella facing the challenge of losing her brother, she’s at risk of having the remainder of her family torn apart by even more tragic circumstances.
When Chaos stops replying to her letters around the same time as her brother’s death, and the army refusing to answer any of her questions due to the classified nature of their work, Ella is left with no other choice but to assume Chaos was also killed.
Little does Ella know that Beckett Gentry, the man who just booked a cabin at her Bed and Breakfast for seven months, who served in her brothers’ unit; is also Chaos - the man she had been writing to and even starting to fall for.
Beckett,
If you’re reading this, well, you know the “last-letter” drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there were any chance you could have saved me, you would have.
I need one thing from you: Get your ass to Tellurid...
… If I’m gone, that means I can’t get home in January like we’d planned. I can’t be there for her. I can’t help Ella through this, or play soccer with my nephew, or hold my niece. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family…
Please don’t make her go through it alone.
The Last Letter is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel with writing and characters so spectacular it’s like the story lifts of the page and comes to life.
This book is a rollercoaster that will have you laughing one moment and reaching for the box of tissues the next, before realising that you’ve used them all already and now need to open another new box.
As emotionally bruising as The Last Letter is I LOVED everything about it.
I have been a fan of Rebecca Yarros’ since the moment I read her debut novel Full Measures back in 2014, and I was so excited about reading The Last Letter.
The Last Letter is spread over a period of about two years, and combines the letters between Ella and Chaos, with present day narration from both Ella and Becketts point of view.
I loved the pacing of this book, which allowed the characters to work through their grief in a realistic manner. It also allowed for their relationship to develop without rushing into it which really allowed the chemistry to build between Ella and Beckett, as we saw them go from a strained meeting, to friends, and to a couple.
“Don’t let go,” she whispered. Her hands were still between us, but she wasn’t pushing me away, they were simply resting on my pecs. If anything, she leaned in. “I’d forgotten what this felt like.”
“Being hugged?” My voice was sandpaper-rough.
“Being held together.” Never before had a single phrase brought me to my emotional knees.
There is so much more I want to say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone (and partly because I can't actually put into words just how much I loved this book) so I’ll just leave it at this: The Last Letter is a tragically transcendent story about love, loss, and family that will make you feel such a chaotic mix of emotions it leaves you wondering how you’ll ever move on from what you’ve just read, but loving absolutely everything about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Blood
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