“The Last Letter is a haunting, heartbreaking and ultimately inspirational love story.”–InTouch Weekly 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 was any chance you could have saved me, you would have. I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride. My little sister Ella’s … army and get to Telluride.
My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.
And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.
So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. 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.
Ryan
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Once again, I’m swept away by Rebecca Yarros. I’ve always been a fan of her books, and I couldn’t wait to read The Last Letter. I was immediately hooked and didn’t want to stop reading. This book was beautifully written and the story was so good. I loved Becket the most followed closely by Ella’s son, Colt. This book was a tragic, yet uplifting and will be one of my top recommendations for 2019.
The Last Letter is the best book I’ve read in ages. It was beautifully written, heartbreaking, and healing all in one exceptional package. The ride Rebecca Yarros took us all on in this book was everything I could have hoped for, and I will hold a special place in my heart for this story and these characters.
The Last Letter starts on a fairly bittersweet note and keeps that melancholy tone throughout the novel. Even in the happiest moments of the book had been colored by all the things Ella and Beckett had experienced in the past. Neither of them had idyllic childhoods; they’d both lost more than most people could even imagine and, while they did have vastly different experiences after those losses, they’d both been deeply hurt and molded by it. Ella and Beckett both needed someone who understood the pain they carried around, and it was apparent from their first letters to one another they’d found that in each other.
There was nothing easy about reading The Last Letter. At every turn my heart was shredded, then patched up, only to be destroyed again. There were moments in the book when my chest physically ached because of the emotions brought out by Ms. Yarros’ sublime prose. This book encapsulated all of the things I love about romance, the selflessness, the love, the heartache, and the healing. Ella and Beckett’s relationship wasn’t easy, but it was beautiful. It was consuming and passionate, and just everything I could have hoped for. There was never any doubt in my mind, even in the most tenuous parts of their relationship, that they were soulmates.
Rebecca Yarros completely blew me away with The Last Letter. I am new to her writing, and I don’t know how I haven’t picked up her work before. If this book is indicative of her other work, she is precisely the kind of author I love. Her writing was gorgeous, her plotting was en pointe, her characters were sympathetic and well-developed, and her storytelling was amazing. I was so thoroughly impressed with her work; I can’t wait to read through her backlist and continue to devour everything new she releases.
The first thing you should probably know is that during my initial reading of this book, I had a sort of visceral reaction to it.
Like, panic reaction. Like, slam the book shut, mark it as DNF, send a note to the publisher apologetically explaining all the reasons my heart couldn’t handle this story right now – emotional reaction. It hit me hard, y’all – from nearly the very beginning of the book and I was afraid to keep going.
Then I stepped away and took a breath.
Lots of breaths.
And a little time.
I came back to the book over a month later and was sucked in immediately. I had my big girl pants on, and I rolled with the punches. I’m no stranger to this author. I know she doesn’t hold back on the emotional hits, and I love her all the more for it. And for me, there was enough lightness and beauty in the storyline to make enduring those hits worth it.
Mostly.
Until the end.
Y’all, I don’t know what to tell you about this book. Objectively speaking it is amazing. It is so beautifully written and so brutal in its honesty. But it left me feeling…bereft. Despite the fact that the ending is technically “happily ever after”, there is no emotional high here. I have no giant beaming smile. No warm fuzzy feeling. The ending is more bittersweet than happy, and I’m left feeling wrung out and sad.
So, what does this mean?
It means I have a whole bunch of mixed emotions about this story. Was it beautiful? Yes. Absolutely. This story was so much bigger than a romance. The love in this story was all-encompassing and incredibly powerful. The writing was stellar. The storytelling was compelling. It was gritty and emotional and my heart attached itself completely to Ella and Beckett and every primary and secondary character that surrounded them.
But it hurt. And as someone who reads to escape the hurt, someone who reads to feel good, I’m having a hard time processing it. So, bottom line? If you’re not afraid of some intense emotional punches, then do not hesitate to grab some kleenex and pick this one up. Ms. Yarros write a heck of a book, even if this one might not have been for me. ~ 3.5 stars
Beckett is Ryan’s best friend, the boy he met upon entering the army, the friendship is so strong that when Ryan’s younger sister asks if she can write to any of his mates, Ryan points to Beckett.
Beckett is a suffering man who has moved from foster home to foster home all his life. He is closed his heart, not having friends or wanting to bond.
When the worst happens to Ryan, he feels the need to help the girl and take care of her and her kids for his friend.
Ella is a strong woman, has become a mother very early and takes care of her children with all dedication, besides taking care of the B & B that her grandmother left for her.
Even with everything that is going on by herself, she does not want help from Beckett and rejects him, but Beckett is an enchanted prince, gentle, patient and careful and will gradually break down his own and Ella’s walls.
Their love story is very sweet, painful and strong, Beckett does not give up on Ella and proves to her his worth. I loved almost all the book, I was only sad with the ending chosen by the writer, for me erased almost all the brightness of the plot and I really saw no need to add this drama to everyone’s life.
As I read the synopsis and see the cover I already knew that it would be a very strong drama that the reason I was not so angry, but I confess that it irritated me enormously instead of being moved. This left the ending less warm and without the vibration of a good Happily Ever After .
3,5/5 stars
Rebecca Yarros changes the standards of what a romance should be with The Last Letter. Be prepared to swoon at what a true hero will do for love.
It took me a while to read this book, because it’s as emotionally devastating as it is amazing. I think I cried throughout most of the story. And while the author stomped on my heart, and left it lying on the sidewalk, there was a depth to the story, and a sincere, meaningful connection to the characters that is seldom seen in a romance novel.
The basic story is pretty simple. Two men serve in the military together, forming a bond. One has family, one does not. Since he doesn’t have family, Beckett forms a “pen pal” type relationship with his buddy’s sister back home. Seems pretty uncomplicated, right? WRONG! Beckett comes home, after loosing his friend, broken and alone. He has a letter from his friend, urging him to go to Ella, saying she will need him. Here is where the tears start. Ella has been dealt a hand that few can come back from. She has a strength of character that shows in everything she does, every choice she makes, every word she says. My heart hurts for her. I cried copious tears for her. And at the same time, I look up to her for her amazing grace handling life’s devastating blows.
This book is absolutely one you will either love or hate. There is no in between. It is amazingly well written, a beautiful example of love, loyalty, and support. But it is also an emotional roller coaster that will not soon leave the reader. It isn’t a light read, but rather a serious, slow burn romance that will stick with you long after you close the book.
MAJOR TISSUE ALERT!
Rebecca Yarros’s work is new to me, so when presented with the opportunity to review her latest novel, The Last Letter, I jumped. I reached out greedily, making “gimme hands” and grabbed that ARC. I’ve read the story twice, and I’m still reeling about it—not necessarily in the best way.
The Last Letter begins with the usual military trope—a rugged, handsome soldier who’s a bit of a loner except for his one comrade. In this instance, the soldier is Beckett (Beck) Gentry, and his buddy is Ryan MacKenzie. Ryan has a sister, Ella, who is a single mom of twins, Colt and Maisie. Ryan sets up Ella and a reluctant Beckett as pen pals, complete with the proverbial shipments of delicious cookies. Through their letter exchange, Ella and Beck bond. When tragedy happens, Beck finds himself (along with his black lab, Havoc) headed to Telluride, Colorado, home to Ella and her twins. Beck is following the last wishes of Ryan, as laid out to him in Ryan’s “Last Letter” (i.e., “if you’re reading this the worst has happened).
This reader wishes she could say that the death of a character’s sibling was the singular tragedy in The Last Letter, but it’s not, and to say more would spoil the rest of the story. However, I would be failing as a reviewer if I did not add that I think the plot twist towards the end of the story was almost gratuitous, and for some, could be a severe trigger.
Rebecca Yarros writes beautifully—I could not put this book down. Told in alternating POV’s, Beck and Ella are solidly written characters. All the major characters in this book are well-fleshed out—the reader connects immediately with Beck, Ryan, and Ella. It’s the abundance of tragedy (even with the HEA) that makes recommending The Last Letter such a difficult call. Just keep the tissues handy.
1/2
This is a beautiful emotional book that pulls at your heart. The Last Letter was everything I hoped for and more. Words cannot express how much I loved this book!
Ella has lost everyone she loves and is now doing everything she can to save someone special. While her brother was deployed she became a pen pal with a stranger and slowly fell in love with him. They are open and honest with each other and Ella is sad when the letters stop.
Beckett is such an amazing hero. He did not have an easy life at all and had no family. Once joining the military he got a family. Now after losing someone important to him he does the last thing he asked of him, to help his sister. Beckett did not realize how much he would grow to love the small town life and Ella and her kids.
This was such an emotional read that had in tears at time and then happy the next. I could not put this book down once I started and still think about it. The Last Letter has made my top read list of 2019. I highly recommend this book! You don’t want to miss this beautiful journey Rebecca Yarros takes you on.
There are books that you read, and you completely forget them once you come to the end. And then there are books like this one. Books that embed themselves deep within you. Books that stir up all of your emotions and you just know that reading this book is going to change your life. The Last Letter is that kind of book. It’s the kind of book that just calls out to your soul and demands to be read. It’s the kind of book that you think you’re prepared for, but you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s the kind of book that destroys you, yet fills you with hope all at the same time. It’s the kind of book that will have you crying all of the ugly tears you can summon up. This is the kind of book that I can’t imagine never getting to experience. It’s completely and totally unforgettable and one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life.
As I sit here thinking about The Last Letter, I am a total loss for words. I’m having the hardest time trying to sum up all of my thoughts and feeling into coherent sentences. It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a book make me feel this way. How do you write a review for a book that obliterated your heart? When the writing just slays you, leaving you utterly speechless with tear filled eyes? I don’t know if I have the words to do this review justice, but I’m going to try my best.
The Last Letter grabbed me from the very first page. I loved the idea of this story and felt an instant connection with the characters. At 10% I wanted to cry. Little did I know that wouldn’t be the last time that tears would fill my eyes. This story and the characters felt so real. I felt like I knew them. I felt like I was right inside the pages with the characters and living each moment along with them. There were moments of bliss and happiness. Moments of rage and heartache. Moments where I just wanted to scream and walk away from my kindle. Moments I never saw coming, but even in their sadness, it filled my heart with the biggest love. Never, ever has a story ever touched my heart the way that this one has. I’ve never had a group of fictional characters ingrain themselves like this. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t one single character in this story that didn’t run away with a piece of my heart. From Ryan to Chaos to Ella and her beautiful kids: Maisie and Colton. Each one of them consumed me and stole a piece of me that I never want to get back.
The Last Letter is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful books that I have ever read. The writing will not only slay you, but take you on the most incredible journey. The characters will consume you and you won’t be able to put their story down. The Last Letter was everything that I never knew I needed and can’t imagine my life without. Even now, hours later, I still have tears in my eyes thinking about this book. There aren’t enough words to describe just how special this journey is that Rebecca Yarros has taken me on. The Last Letter isn’t always an easy read. In fact, there are moments that are going to hurt, maybe even break you. Rebecca Yarros broke my heart. She made me cry. She left me an emotional mess. Yet, at the same time, she reminded me how precious life is. How important those small, little moments are. She reminded me to appreciate each moment and to never give up. To love with each and every breath. Books like this are the reason that I read. It’s stolen a piece of me and I know I’ll never be the same again.
In the end, all that’s left to say is I hope you will read this book. If it’s not already on your radar or to-read list, stop what you’re doing. Run and add this book to your list. I hope you will take a chance and experience the beauty of it. I hope you will experience all that I have and I promise you, Rebecca Yarros will make all the pain and hurt worth it in the end.
This has been a very difficult review for me. See, I’ve been following Rebecca Yarros since her first book and I’m a fan of her stories. So it hurts a little to say that I wasn’t bowled over by The Last Letter.
When Beckett promises his best friend Ryan that he would take care of his sister Ella if he didn’t make it home from their military service, it wasn’t a hard choice. Through the letters Beckett aka Chaos has shared with Ella and vice versa, he’s pretty much in love with her by the time he gets to her. And she really does need him. I adored how each chapter started with one of their letters.
After being abandoned by the father of her twins, Ella is raising her twins alone. She also runs a resort. She’s got her hands full, and her cup runeth over so to speak with bad news. Ella gets so much thrown at her and my heart was very heavy for all she goes through in this story. It’s a good thing Beckett is there, even though they don’t really accept each other at first.
The romance and love story between Beckett and Ella was sweet and one of the best parts of this book. They have a bit of a rocky road getting together and a few trust issues to work out, but I did love how Beckett took care of Ella even when she pushed him away. The issues I had with this book centered more around the content outside of the romance between these characters.
The sad parts of this story shredded me. I’m talking buckets of tears and boxes of tissues here. Normally that would be okay for me, but there was so much sad in this book that it didn’t balance nicely with the good and I was left feeling sad at the end, even with a very inspirational ending. There just wasn’t enough page time to recover from the things that happen toward the end of the book. So for that reason, I can’t give this five stars, even though the writing and way the story is told is superb. Rebecca Yarros clearly put her heart and soul into this book, which is exactly why I struggled with this review.
So in a nutshell, if you are in the mood for a good cry, this might be the book you are looking for. There’s a nice love story in there too.
An ARC was provided for review.
I think I very much love/hate Rebecca Yarros after reading this. I have never, not once, in my sappy tear up at commercials with puppies life sobbed the way I did reading this book. I’m talking your heart is ripped out,ugly, snotty, loud, tissues can’t keep up crying here people! It was not a pretty sight and thank god my only witness has paws and can’t speak. That said, The Last Letter is a thing of beauty. I’m sure you can gather from my sob fest just how powerfully moving this story is, there’s no amount of words that could begin to explain the emotions Rebecca’s writing will pull out of you.
My heart feels like it’s both overflowing with love and a bit sore at the same time after finishing this. There’s no way to prepare yourself for the complete roller coaster that is The Last Letter so my suggestion is grab tissues, lock yourself away, strap in and enjoy the ride because you will never be the same after reading this.
**5 I LOVED THIS BOOK Blushes**
Beckett Gentry and Ryan MacKenzie are best friends. Soldiers in an elite military troop where even their location is secret. Mac (Ryan) introduces his sister, Ella, to Chaos (Beckett) through a pen pal relationship. The letters open something in each of their hearts and start to take on an importance neither one of them could have imagined. Then Mac dies and his last letter is to Chaos asking him to take care of Ella. She needs him – something is going on and Ella will need someone to lean on. Except that Ella thinks Chaos died during that same mission. How the hell is he going to explain showing up on her doorstep?!
The letters….you will laugh, cry and you will swoon as we take this journey with them. It would be too simple to say this is a love story. Or that this is a story of a haunted soldier. Or of a single mom. It is all of those things and so much more. It’s also about friendship, about blood not being the only thing that makes you family and how the human spirit is an indomitable thing.
The Last Letter will take you from the heights of happiness to the depths of despair and everything in between. It broke me down and then put me back together again in a way that I could not describe to you. There are no words that would do the beauty of Rebecca Yarros’ writing justice.
Long after I turned the last page, I thought about Beckett and Ella. I promise so will you.
Even though The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is just now coming out, it was still 2018 when I read it and it was honestly the best book I read all year. This book was written from the standpoint of someone who knows, who has been there and it shows.
At first glance, this appears to be a story about a single mom who loses her last bit of family to war and the buddy who was asked to watch over her small family. The more I read, the more I realized that this was more Beckett’s journey than Ella’s, especially the last half of the book.
I am going to attempt to tread carefully here because I do not want to spoil anything, however, you will definitely want to have your tissues near you as you read. I am not a crier, but I had ugly tears at one point of this book. I was at work and was pretty inconsolable for a short while. Because it is sad, yes, but also because it is just so stunning and beautiful.
Ella’s journey is filled with rocky uphill battles but she demonstrates the strength of the human spirit. Ella and her children, Colt and Maisie, are such incredible human beings. This whole book is packed with their resilience and indomitable joy in the face of overwhelming adversity. The reason I say that this is more Beckett’s book than Ella’s is because he is there to witness and learn from this small family.
After all the horrors of war and losing his best friends, Beckett really has little drive to do much more than fulfill his friend’s last request. It is through watching Ella and her children spread joy and continue to pursue their dreams despite roadblocks, that Beckett begins to come alive. He realizes that life does go on and that he can have a hand in how it is experienced. He begins to see that he can have joy in his own life, even after the his incredible loss.
I do not approve of the way that Beckett hides some truths from Ella. I do appreciate that it needed to be done, but I just had to say it.
I loved this book from beginning to end and I’ll recommend it until my dying day. This book is life-changing and I’m a better person for having read it. Thank you, Rebecca for sharing this amazing gift with us.
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is one of my top read for 2019 to-date. It was emotional and heartbreaking and completely consumed me. I am not even sure where to begin, except that this book left me drained in all the best ways possible. I cried and then cried some more and yet I could not stop reading.
Beckett and Ryan are best friends in the military. Ryan knows Beckett has no one in his corner, so he encourages Beckett to become pen pals with his sister. At first Becket is reluctant, but with time, he comes to enjoy the back and forth. When tragedy strikes, can Beckett step up as Ryan wants him too?
Ella is a very strong and determined and doesn’t like to ask for help, but sometimes a person needs it. She is raising her twins, trying to run a business and deal with some heavy personal issues all while trying to maintain her communication with Beckett. How much can one person take before it all becomes too much?
The emotional journey in The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros was raw and gritty and captivating. I felt the author’s heart and soul with every word I read. This book is so much more than a romance. It was about loss, heartbreak, family, and love. Two lost and broken people who might just be what the other needed. But can they survive everything hat life throws at them? I cannot recommend this book enough.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is an emotionally heart-wrenching tale about strength and courage that has managed to consume me whole body and soul. This phenomenal story has completely obliterated my heart and I find myself still struggling to control my emotions hours after reaching the last page. Seriously make sure to grab a box of tissues because if you are anything like me you are going to desperately need them as tears will be streaming down your face.
Loss…Tragedy…Heartache…those are just a few words that I would use to describe this story and that doesn’t even begin to grasp the entirety of the journey that these characters experience. Ella and Beckett’s love will take you places you never expected to go and leave you breathless. One moment you will feel joy and happiness, but in the next breath you will be weeping and full of sorrow. This is just one of those stories that will leave you guessing until the very end. There is no way to anticipate the twists and turns that will be thrown our way, but that is what makes it so worth it.
This book. Sigh. This book. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve known about this book for a while. I’ve known it was going to be emotional. Which all of Rebecca Yarros’s books are, truth be told. But I love them anyway. I knew this one was going to be one to truly rip my heart out, shatter it into a gazillion pieces…yet somehow put it back together in the end. I wasn’t wrong. But I was NOT prepared for this book At. All.
Beckett and Ella are two very broken people, for very different reasons. He’s never really had a family, she’s lost almost all of hers. And now, losing one very precious member of all that is left is a very real possibility. They fall in for each other through penpal letters while he’s deployed. And as the reader, you fall in love with them through the letters as well. It’s a very uniquely written story, with subplots that are complicated, and multiple themes throughout the book.
I’ve loved this author’s writing from the second I started reading Full Measures and fell headlong in love with Josh Walker. So far, none of her male characters have made me love them more. Until Beckett. And maybe it’s just me, but Beckett is everything I hoped Josh would grow into at his age. Strong, caring…loyal to a fault. Ella is just fierce. But she struggles with so much guilt. When Beckett reminds her, “You are enough,” he’s not just giving her words and platitudes. I think all of us moms struggle with feeling like we’re never enough for all the people in our lives that need us. That we’re pulled in too many different directions and there’s just not enough of us to go around.
I read this book over 3 weeks ago and it gutted me to the point that I still don’t have the right words to tell you how wonderful, how amazing, this book is. I knew it was going to be amazing. I just didn’t know it would be THIS amazing.
So…do yourself a favor and grab it TODAY. And then don’t read it until you have enough time to read it in one sitting. Because you are NOT going to want to put it down until you reach The End!
NICUnurse’s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars for sure!
I don’t have the words to describe what Rebecca Yarros did to me. I just finished The Last Letter and I am not ok. My eyes puffy, my pillow is wet and my chest hurts. I’m rubbing my sternum with one hand and trying to type with the other.
I liked the idea behind this book. I even liked both characters. Flawed and lonely and struggling with their own pain and loss and life. But at times I felt like the author pushed too much with the suffering. Especially were Ella was concerned. But the backbone of steel on that woman was one to admire. She had more than her fair share of the ugly side of life thrown her way and with all the courage and grace she could muster she dealt with it. Not just for her but for her kids too.
A big part of that was thanks to Beckett. Who had never had a real home. And the only family he knew were his brothers at arms. But with Ella and her kids, he found something he never thought he would. Family. Love. Home. However, it was only a matter of time before his secret blew up in his face. He knew it would cost him everything but he did it because it was what Ella needed. His selflessness and bravery and sacrifice went beyond guilt and duty. It was who he was down to his core. A good guy who just needed someone to see that side of him.
Everything was moving forward in a positive way. The twins were thriving. The business was doing well. Then the bottom dropped out from under them again. And this is where it gets harder for me because that last tragedy this family had to endure slayed me. I found it senseless and unnecessary after they had already suffered so much.
As you can see, The Last Letter was hard for me to read. I had to put it down and walk away a few times. I have to commend Rebecca Yarros for making this book hard to swallow. For making it painful and showing the ugly side of illness and loss. But it wasn’t all sadness and grief. There were some moments of carefree joy and sheer bliss. And you could feel the love jumping off the pages. Ella and Beckett’s journey was hard and it hurt more than it was happy but it was also real and theirs.
With The Last Letter Rebecca Yarros creates a world wherein their exists much need for love and forgiveness. This is such a beautifully book but I have to say it was incredibly hard to read at times. It’s the book that makes for the feels. At one point I found I was reading page by page and I’d have to stop to wipe the tears from my face. I thought at one moment it might be never ending – and indeed it mostly was. So against conventional thought about loving a book and gobbling it down, I read this at a snails pace (thereby extending the sadness and angst I felt).
When Beckett Gentry, a.k.a. Chaos, shows up at Solitude in Telluride he knows the uphill battle he’ll face with Ella, once his pen pal and sister to his now deceased brother in arms Ryan MacKenzie. With the letters Ella sent to Chaos, and vice versa, we’ve got a good picture of Ella and her life in Telluride and her children, twins Masie and Colt. Ella is enduring a mothers worst nightmare and is forced to make choices that will weigh on her for a long time. Neither Ella or Beckett have family outside of themselves and I LOVED watching how the relationships formed between Beckett and the family. As Beckett endears himself to the MacKenzie family he proposes a solution to help ease the burden that Ella carries and complicates their relationship.
As their relationship deepens, there are some full on “ovary” explosion moments. Becketts regard for Masie and Colt gives Ella the confidence she needs so that she can begin to relax more in his presence. We know Beckett has a secret that he is sure will put a major wedge between them and he is right because there is one thing Ella won’t tolerate and it’s lies, even of omission.
“I don’t know what parts of you— parts of us— are lies or truths. I want to be strong and say that we’ll get past it, because we love each other so much, but I don’t think that’s possible. Not now, anyway. I don’t have enough strength left in me for this. Ryan’s death took it. Maisie’s diagnosis took it. I should have known you’d take it, too, but I trusted you, and now I don’t have anything left to give.”
There is one really major plot twist near the end that left me heartbroken. Honestly I couldn’t really read through the situation the first time through. I skipped parts and even when I went back to re-read it I sped through. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so confused by the direction the story took. But authors make choices for their story and it took me a few days to come to terms with it. That said, Yarros’ writing is first rate. The characters are all well developed and everything is wrapped up with an epilogue that left me with a smile. I HIGHLY recommend this as a #MustRead!
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros will take you on an emotional ride you will not soon forget. Few books will touch your soul like this book will. I unquestionably and completely fell in love with this book and at the same time struggled with it. It will pull at your heart until it is completely shattered and then put it back together. I will remember The Last Letter for a very long time, and it may be one of the few books that I would read more than once.
The Last Letter is very well written in such a unique way. The story is told from a dual point of view, but what makes this book stand out is the letters. The two main characters, Beckett and Ella, write letters to each other and those letters are flawlessly woven into the story thus becoming the heart and soul of the book. The Last Letter would be categorized as a romance, but it is so much more than that. Of course, it has an incredibly strong and silent type alpha male, who I completely fell for — and I have a feeling you will too. Beckett is broken, but watching him transform into an amazing man is a sight to behold. The best way I can describe Beckett is, he is a man who fears a life with love and family and longs for it at the same time.
Ella, our heroine, is an independent, and beautiful but also broken. She has been dealt with some tough losses in her life, but she is also blessed with her twins, Maisie and Colt. Her whole world revolves around making a life for her twins, keeping the family business afloat, and the letters from Chaos. These letters are just for her. And through these letters, Chaos works his way into her heart, and at the same time, her letters work their way into his heart. Until tragedy strikes. It’s best for me to stop there, no spoilers for this review.
I found it very hard to review this book, I feel that I just don’t have the words to do it justice. The range of emotions I experienced while reading this book went from happy and joyful to sobbing with big fat tears rolling down my face. The author takes us on a journey from the harsh and cruel battlefields of Afghanistan to the beautiful town of Telluride Colorado. The main themes of family, unconditional love and forgiveness are so very beautifully intertwined throughout this book. The incredible pilgrimage the author takes these two lost, broken souls on decimated me to my very soul, but the faith and love they were able to find in each other, in turn, left me with a sense of hope. When I finished this book and stopped sobbing, I felt an overwhelming need to hug both my boys and never let go. Ms. Yarros is an incredible storyteller. I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned you will definitely need a box of tissues, and maybe some comfort food nearby.
***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .**
The Last Letter is definitely not a traditional romance story and is not a light read. There are beautifully romantic elements that keep the story from becoming as sad and dark as it could be.
“This isn’t one of your Christmas romance movies where they fake-marriage themselves out of a conundrum, break into snowball fights, and fall in love. There’s no happy-ever-after here.”
Of course that knowledge hadn’t stopped me from falling for him, anyway.”
I don’t know what to say about this story. I absolutely loved it but at the same time hated it. It was the first book by this author that I’ve read and I will 100% surely be reading more books by this author immediately.
“Don’t you dare lie to me. The men in my life have a habit of promising with one hand and packing with the other.”
If you prefer a nice tidy happily ever after, my only suggestion would be to read about three quarters or so of this book and then stop and make up your own HEA. This book stabs you in the back and then hands you a little bandaid!!! Have LOTS of tissues at the ready!
-4 Stars!-