chaptersofchase 's review for:

Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins

4.0

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Book Review ✨ || Berkley Books {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 9.9.2020
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

“Love didn’t have to be romantic to encircle you in its arms. It didn’t have to make your heart race or your toes curl. Love could be just this, the sound of laughter on a warm night, the absolute comfort of being exactly who you were with the person who knew you inside and out.”

Always the Last to Know marks my third Kristan Higgins book, and I genuinely believe she is an underrepresented author in the bookstagram world. Last year I read Pack Up the Moon, and it ended up being one of my favorite books of 2021. I seriously don’t think I’ve ever cried that hard over a story.

While I can’t say that Always the Last to Know had me shedding buckers of tears, it was still a profoundly moving look into the Frost family and how everything seemingly falls apart for them one day after the patriarch of the family has a stroke.

I may not have been fond of Sadie Frost, but I did appreciate the growth that her character experienced throughout the book. And while discussing characters I didn’t care for, John Frost is one that gave me pause. I disagree with his decisions regarding his marriage to Barb, but reading the chapters after he had his stroke truly broke my heart. I can’t imagine being aware of what happened, the secrets discovered, and not being able to articulate an apology.

I enjoyed the intricate relationships created in this book and how slowly the author revealed all of the ways that a family could break without the crack being obvious. Higgins has a beautiful way of creating stories about love and loss but still gives you a little hope.

If you haven’t had a chance to read anything from Kristan Higgins, please add her to your reading list. My favorite is Pack Up the Moon, but I also enjoyed Life and Other Inconveniences.

Which author would you love to see featured more on Instagram and why?


______
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookend.diner/
Follow my blog: https://thebookenddiner.com/
Follow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/thebookenddiner