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The Last Letter
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 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
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 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
426 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2019
About the author
Rebecca Yarros
36 books9,247 followersRebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.
Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.
Want to know about Rebecca’s next release? Check her out online at www.rebeccayarros.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,603 reviews
February 24, 2019
This book slayed the hell out of me.
A couple of things you should know about me and reading:
1. I do most of my reading on a treadmill or just before I go to sleep.
2. I cry at pretty much every Disney movie. I also cried all the way through the movie Wonder.
As someone who writes primarily romantic comedy I enjoy a good angsty read that makes me tear up. That being said, I cried through a good 50% of this book, which as you might have guessed, makes running and reading nearly impossible and also slightly dangerous. Also, crying in public as an adult is embarrassing.
Hence the reason I had to stop reading on the treadmill. Instead I found myself staying up way too late, trying to silent-cry beside my blissfully oblivious and happily snoring husband so I could finish the heartbreakingly gorgeous story.
I’ve tried to talk to no fewer than half a dozen people about this book and I’ve choked up every time and done that flaily hand thing where I wave it in front of my face as if that’s going to help keep my emotions from leaking out of my eyes.
The Last Letter isn’t just a romance, although there are certainly all the romantic elements that get your heart racing, starting with Beckett Gentry who is absolutely gorgeous and also absolutely broken. He’s the most swoon worthy hero in the history of Alpha(ish) heroes.
But beyond the hero you will most definitely fall in love with, is a story that is so heartbreaking I often had to read a chapter and set the book down so I could just . . . breathe for a minute. Ella, our heroine is just as broken as our hero, she’s lost her entire family, her brother and as if she hasn’t been through enough already, she’s dealt yet another blow that could devastate her entire world.
I don’t think I’ve read a story with so many threads crossing over each other, such an intricate series of lives and events that have brought these two lost souls to each other. I’ve never been so gutted, so heart wrenchingly devastated and just so mesmerized by the incredible storytelling, and the emotional knife that I was balanced on so precariously throughout the entire story.
The Last Letter is so much more than a romance. It’s a testament to the strength of bonds forged from trauma and loyalty. It’s an exploration of motherhood and the importance of family. But above all, it’s a story of survival, forgiveness, and the healing power of unconditional love.
It's been nearly a month since I finished reading The Last Letter and I still tear up when I think about it. I'm forever changed by this story. Arm yourself with tissues and some chocolate and I'll hold your hand through the experience.
A couple of things you should know about me and reading:
1. I do most of my reading on a treadmill or just before I go to sleep.
2. I cry at pretty much every Disney movie. I also cried all the way through the movie Wonder.
As someone who writes primarily romantic comedy I enjoy a good angsty read that makes me tear up. That being said, I cried through a good 50% of this book, which as you might have guessed, makes running and reading nearly impossible and also slightly dangerous. Also, crying in public as an adult is embarrassing.
Hence the reason I had to stop reading on the treadmill. Instead I found myself staying up way too late, trying to silent-cry beside my blissfully oblivious and happily snoring husband so I could finish the heartbreakingly gorgeous story.
I’ve tried to talk to no fewer than half a dozen people about this book and I’ve choked up every time and done that flaily hand thing where I wave it in front of my face as if that’s going to help keep my emotions from leaking out of my eyes.
The Last Letter isn’t just a romance, although there are certainly all the romantic elements that get your heart racing, starting with Beckett Gentry who is absolutely gorgeous and also absolutely broken. He’s the most swoon worthy hero in the history of Alpha(ish) heroes.
But beyond the hero you will most definitely fall in love with, is a story that is so heartbreaking I often had to read a chapter and set the book down so I could just . . . breathe for a minute. Ella, our heroine is just as broken as our hero, she’s lost her entire family, her brother and as if she hasn’t been through enough already, she’s dealt yet another blow that could devastate her entire world.
I don’t think I’ve read a story with so many threads crossing over each other, such an intricate series of lives and events that have brought these two lost souls to each other. I’ve never been so gutted, so heart wrenchingly devastated and just so mesmerized by the incredible storytelling, and the emotional knife that I was balanced on so precariously throughout the entire story.
The Last Letter is so much more than a romance. It’s a testament to the strength of bonds forged from trauma and loyalty. It’s an exploration of motherhood and the importance of family. But above all, it’s a story of survival, forgiveness, and the healing power of unconditional love.
It's been nearly a month since I finished reading The Last Letter and I still tear up when I think about it. I'm forever changed by this story. Arm yourself with tissues and some chocolate and I'll hold your hand through the experience.
May 24, 2023
The tragedy in this story is overkill. I expected it to be emotional and even upsetting. Her brother, a special ops soldier, had just died during his assignment, she grew up without her parents - they'd died when she was a toddler, her grandmother has passed away only a short time ago. Then another strike - she learned that her daughter had cancer. This all in itself is a lot to deal with for a single mom. And I would have been fine with Ella dealing with her lot.
But: in the last ten percent she had to deal with another loss, one that totally blindsided the reader - it came completely out of no-where and added nothing to the story or the character growth. And that made me so freaking mad, I can't even. This last tragedy was added only for tragedy's sake, for it to become a sobfest and I really think it was a cheap shot only for the benefit to make more money.
I also didn't think it was realistic. I know nothing in life is guaranteed but this really went overboard with tragic themes. Did Rebecca Yarros have a list she could check off the tragedies?
I know there will be people who will enjoy The Last Letter but I wasn't one of them.
This book should come with a trigger warning. There are mothers out there who have to deal with the loss of a child or whose children are battling cancer. They shouldn't go into this book without knowing what to expect.
But: in the last ten percent she had to deal with another loss, one that totally blindsided the reader - it came completely out of no-where and added nothing to the story or the character growth. And that made me so freaking mad, I can't even. This last tragedy was added only for tragedy's sake, for it to become a sobfest and I really think it was a cheap shot only for the benefit to make more money.
I also didn't think it was realistic. I know nothing in life is guaranteed but this really went overboard with tragic themes. Did Rebecca Yarros have a list she could check off the tragedies?
I know there will be people who will enjoy The Last Letter but I wasn't one of them.
This book should come with a trigger warning. There are mothers out there who have to deal with the loss of a child or whose children are battling cancer. They shouldn't go into this book without knowing what to expect.
February 22, 2019
4.5 stars
Wear waterproof mascara while reading this book. Seriously, waterproof mascara and tissues. If you need a good cry, read this book. Anyone remember seeing Tammy Taye Bakker cry with mascara running down her face on TV? That was pretty much me while reading this book. Cry-a-rama occurred at my house today.
So yeah, I bawled. I also really enjoyed this book that ripped my heart out. Plus, this was a romance book folks. Geeze Louise is all I can say. This one had heart and soul. The long and short of it is that Ryan and Chaos (Beckett) are best friends serving in the military. Ryan decided to have Beckett write to his sister Ella (and vice versa) as Beckett did not have any family and received no letters. So, a pen pal relationship began. Beckett is used to being alone but loves receiving the letters as he learns that being connected to another person is not a bad thing. That it is possible to connect with someone he has never met.
Ella is a single mother to twins who is devastated when her daughter is diagnosed with Cancer. She is trying to hold it all together, take care of her children, fight with insurance, run a business and write to Chaos (Beckett). She is used to doing everything on her own, but maybe this time, she might need someone to hold her up and lessen her burden.
WOWZA! Is all I can say. This book is told in the present and each chapter also has a letter either written to Chaos from Ella or to Ella from Chaos. When Beckett shows up at her door, the reader knows he is Chaos, but Ella does not. As I stated this is a romance, but it is also so much more.
I inhaled this book and I am so glad I did not mull over too many reviews before reading this. The reviews are mixed, and I get it. This is an emotional book which leaves the reader wondering, just how much more can one person take? The main characters in this book are extremely like-able and I rooted for every single one. Which is what pulls on the heartstrings during this book. Their actions and reactions felt real and believable. Ella and Beckett are both good people, the kids are adorable and Havoc, the retired Military dog could warm anyone's heart. Yarros knows how to write characters that will steal the readers heart, right before she rips it out, then places it back in your chest.
The writing was also wonderful and pulled me into this story and deposited me in Telluride next to the lake. So, I mentioned the crying, but it's not all sad. There are happy moments and fun moments. Moments I wanted to cheer with the characters and moments I was happy that good things were finally happening. But this book is about the good times and the love that can come out of heartache. It is about loss, family, love, falling in love, responsibility, grief, heartache and hope. The Author tackles may heavy subjects in this book with grace. This is a gritty, soft, warm, emotional, devastating, sad, hopeful, heartbreaking, sweet and riveting book. I could not put this book down.
Loved this book. I have a feeling I will be thinking about this book for some time. Romance/women's fiction/cry fest...call it what you want. I thought it was fantastic and boy did it pull at my heartstrings.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wear waterproof mascara while reading this book. Seriously, waterproof mascara and tissues. If you need a good cry, read this book. Anyone remember seeing Tammy Taye Bakker cry with mascara running down her face on TV? That was pretty much me while reading this book. Cry-a-rama occurred at my house today.
So yeah, I bawled. I also really enjoyed this book that ripped my heart out. Plus, this was a romance book folks. Geeze Louise is all I can say. This one had heart and soul. The long and short of it is that Ryan and Chaos (Beckett) are best friends serving in the military. Ryan decided to have Beckett write to his sister Ella (and vice versa) as Beckett did not have any family and received no letters. So, a pen pal relationship began. Beckett is used to being alone but loves receiving the letters as he learns that being connected to another person is not a bad thing. That it is possible to connect with someone he has never met.
Ella is a single mother to twins who is devastated when her daughter is diagnosed with Cancer. She is trying to hold it all together, take care of her children, fight with insurance, run a business and write to Chaos (Beckett). She is used to doing everything on her own, but maybe this time, she might need someone to hold her up and lessen her burden.
WOWZA! Is all I can say. This book is told in the present and each chapter also has a letter either written to Chaos from Ella or to Ella from Chaos. When Beckett shows up at her door, the reader knows he is Chaos, but Ella does not. As I stated this is a romance, but it is also so much more.
I inhaled this book and I am so glad I did not mull over too many reviews before reading this. The reviews are mixed, and I get it. This is an emotional book which leaves the reader wondering, just how much more can one person take? The main characters in this book are extremely like-able and I rooted for every single one. Which is what pulls on the heartstrings during this book. Their actions and reactions felt real and believable. Ella and Beckett are both good people, the kids are adorable and Havoc, the retired Military dog could warm anyone's heart. Yarros knows how to write characters that will steal the readers heart, right before she rips it out, then places it back in your chest.
The writing was also wonderful and pulled me into this story and deposited me in Telluride next to the lake. So, I mentioned the crying, but it's not all sad. There are happy moments and fun moments. Moments I wanted to cheer with the characters and moments I was happy that good things were finally happening. But this book is about the good times and the love that can come out of heartache. It is about loss, family, love, falling in love, responsibility, grief, heartache and hope. The Author tackles may heavy subjects in this book with grace. This is a gritty, soft, warm, emotional, devastating, sad, hopeful, heartbreaking, sweet and riveting book. I could not put this book down.
Loved this book. I have a feeling I will be thinking about this book for some time. Romance/women's fiction/cry fest...call it what you want. I thought it was fantastic and boy did it pull at my heartstrings.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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July 10, 2021
No Rating
*******SPOILERS DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW******************
Sorry. I can't do it. DNF at 9% That's right 9%. Why you ask at only 9% would I quit on a book. Well let me tell you. I signed up for a heart melting and maybe a little breaking book about two army friends and one dying and the other taking care of the dead one's sister. I knew going into this the brother would die. But 7% into it and I could already see where this book was going and I didn't like it. Still I held out hope. At 9% when the drs tell Ella that her 5 year old daughter has a very aggressive and advanced cancer, I stopped reading and headed to goodreads for some spoilers. Because I knew, I just KNEW that a child was gonna die. Sure enough Three spoiler reviews later and I knew I could not finish this book. NOPE! I can read dark, dark books. I can handle rape, torture, murder, death, sadness you name it but I can't do children's deaths. I just can't it's a hard red line for me. I don't want to read a book that makes me depressed.
I'm a mom of a child who has lots of health issues. I remember sitting in the hospital waiting as my son at one years old, got MRIs CAT scans to see if a brain tumor was causing his seizures and it was one of the worst time of my life. Thank the Lord he didn't have a tumor, but he still has PVL, epilepsy, and mild CP. I don't want to be reminded of that time in my life when I sat around wondering what was wrong with my baby. Doing the what ifs. I don't want to live that kind of sadness. Also I want to just add a small note to all authors. I understand that no one wants to give away spoilers in their books, and I am not a reader that thinks everything should have a trigger warning but when it comes to child death I think there should be a small warning on the synopsis. I don't know how it can be worded so that it doesn't give away major plot lines, but as a reader I felt blindsided by this book. I have to say that if I had read the whole book I would have been mad. If I had known there was a child's death in this book I would never had requested it from netgalley. I hate DNFing books, but I just can't with this subject!
February 24, 2019
”You don’t really value something until you’ve lost it.”
OH MY WOW!!! OH MY FEELS! Oh my tears! So many tissues from tears of the heart, tears from ugly crying, tears from Rebecca Yarros’ THE LAST LETTER. Tears still fresh and still real from one of the realest stories I’ve met. A story that still dances in my dreams. The best and most moving military romance I’ve ever met. A heartbreaker in the best of ways. The Last Letter took me on the biggest emotional journey, bringing words like honor, sacrifice, duty, and courage—the creed of my soldier and all soldiers—to life. I LOVED this romance and emotional journey so much!
As both a military wife and mama, I felt a deep and indescribable connection to these characters and this story, a military romance with one of the best heroes and heroines ever written. A story where I fell hard in love with the hero, Beckett, and heroine, Ella. A story of a hero and heroine saving each other. A story so raw and real. A story that stripped me bare where I was broken and bleeding, nearly brought me to my knees.
”I would take on armies for her, kill for her, or die for her.”
My heart was ripped out of my chest—yet my soul swooned in a romance that touched every part of me. The pain became almost unbearable to read at times, feeling all too real, but that pain brought immeasurable pleasure too. I caught myself smiling through the tears, and holding my breath again and again. I was DESTROYED ... DECIMATED! I cried my way through this book as my heart both shattered and soared. I felt every word. I FELT EVERYTHING!
He used both hands to hold my head and kissed me until I couldn’t remember my own name—only that I belonged to him.
The writing? It’s off-the-charts powerful. I was so in awe with this author’s superb storytelling. Rebecca Yarros has set the bar so high for military romance that you’d be hard-pressed to find another writer who gives you a bird’s eye view of the battlefield, the aftermath of war, the employment of courage and sacrifice, the fragility of friends and family, and what it truly means to love a soldier. Yarros pulls out all the emotional stops—delivering big time in a DEVASTATINGLY BEAUTIFUL BOOK that shows the bravery among the broken.
”In case no one ever told you—you’re worthy. Of love. Of family. Of home.”
ACHINGLY EMOTIONAL and EXQUISITELY RAW, The Last Letter is a rip-open-your-heart roller coaster of a romance with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. An epic story of love and loss with substance and soul. TRULY EXTRAORDINARY. Unequivocally beautiful. Unparalleled. Unforgettable. Unlike anything I’ve ever read. I’ve never met a more stunning and soulful military romance.
”Just be my happy, and let me be yours.”
There aren’t enough stars in the universe for this heartfelt and soul-striking story. Prepare to be blown away by this tear-jerker of a tale told in passionate and poignant love letters. The Last Letter is THE best military romance and Rebecca Yarros’ best book yet!!! A heartbreakingly beautiful book that I will forever feel. I just want to read it and feel it again and again.
A must-read, top 2019, and lifetime romance!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 soul-striking stars but worth all the stars in the universe
▶️ https://amzn.to/2Xh13yB
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February 26, 2019
*I'm still having such a hard time with this book, weeks later. I originally wasn't going to give this a star rating, or post my review on any retail sites, but that honestly goes against everything I'm always preaching about when it comes to reviews. I think it's unfair to other readers if all they see is glowing praise. And yes, everyone will relate and react to a book in different ways, but that's exactly why we shouldn't be afraid to post our thoughts, even if they are the complete opposite of everyone else. Just because someone adored a story doesn't negate the fact that I, or other readers, will have the complete opposite reaction. While I will not be posting what's under my spoiler tag on any of the other sites, I will be sharing some of my thoughts and feelings, and that this book was a journey I wish I had never taken.
Nope, nope, nope.
I'm about to go drink a big bottle of wine to try and block this book from my memory.
Days later and I'm still so angry about this book. I wish I could delete it from my memory as easily as it was deleted from my Kindle.
Nope, nope, nope.
I'm about to go drink a big bottle of wine to try and block this book from my memory.
Days later and I'm still so angry about this book. I wish I could delete it from my memory as easily as it was deleted from my Kindle.
February 25, 2019
THE LAST LETTER: Is a full length romance novel by new to me author Rebecca Yarros. Spoken in ‘Dual POV’s. MY REVIEW: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
Chaos is a special ops with his trusty Labrador retriever Havoc by his side, being abandoned by his mother he bounced from foster home to foster home most of his life, until he was of age to enlist, having no family of his own his best friend Ryan also serving time in the military convinces his younger sister Ella to write deployment letters to Chaos since he receives no letters from the outside world. Ella MacKenzie is a twenty-four year old single mother of two five year old twins (a girl Maisie and Colt a boy One soul split between two bodies), and owner of a quaint B&B with fifteen secluded cabins on a vast two hundred acre property called Solitude in Telluride Colorado, which she took over when her Grandmother died.
It was via these letters that these two connected, by words alone they became each others confidante, which Ella needed more than anything in the on coming months when things get turned upside down as she confesses all her highs and lows to a man she has never even seen a photo of and only given his call name Chaos.
Somewhere between letter number one and letter number twenty-four, I'd fallen in love with her. Fallen for her words, her strength, her insight and kindness, her grace under impossible circumstances, her love for her children, and her determination to stand on her own.
As the synopsis divulges, Ryan is killed in active duty where he leaves his last letter to his best friend Beckett pleading that he look after Ella and the kids which sees Beckett staying in one of Ella's cabins for the next seven months where he slowly infiltrates himself in Ella's and the kids lives. Beckett is a godsend, he steps in and becomes her pillar of strength during a time of need, because she's going to have to lean on him to get through what life has thrown at her.
I’m a sucker for military reads, they always tend to hit the heart hard. This book was one of my most highly anticipated books of February, from a new to me author. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down, I devoured it, inhaled it, gobbled it up like I’d not eaten for years, loving the words this author shared with us.
Reading through this I knew that I was going to be in a world of pain, and then just when I thought we'd put all that behind us I was hit with a whammy, the pain that shot through my heart was unbearable, it made for hard reading, the tears came quickly, my heart broke in half, how much could one character endure because this book was brutal, it took no prisoners, just loved ones. It definitely put me through my paces, threw everything it could at me, all the feels and heartbreak walked hand in hand as it brought me to my knees, nothing prepared me for this book.
I cried, I sighed, I swooned, I raged, I loved..
This is just the beginning for me when it comes to this author, I can’t wait to read more by her.
* Teaser is off the authors facebook page *
��
February 27, 2019
★ 3 STARS ★
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MY GOD!
It's been a long time since I've cried so much.
Livros envolvendo militares são os que eu mais gosto de ler! Eu estava à espera deste há meses, por isso assim que pude, comecei a leitura.
Ella e Beckett foram personagens da qual senti simpatia logo de início. Embora entre os dois, o meu preferido tenha sido ele. Personagem maravilhoso, que mesmo com seus defeitos, falhas e culpas, ainda assim ao meu ver de modo geral, foi perfeito.
Não que eu não tenha gostado da mocinha, pelo contrário, como mãe, foi impossível não me colocar em seu lugar ou sentir suas dores, seus medos e suas lutas. E mesmo me conectando com ela, em alguns momentos senti uma breve irritação pelos seus atos e o modo como lidou com alguns acontecimentos.
Eu gostei bastante de como o relacionamento deles iniciou e como foi progredindo ao decorrer da trama. Especialmente em acompanhar a interação do Beckett com os gêmeos.
Apesar de eu ter curtido muito a história de maneira geral, ficou difícil de ignorar os pontos que me incomodaram. A escrita e narrativa em si são boas e livro tem um ritmo razoavelmente bom. Entretanto, pra mim, houve uma certa repetição, por exemplo, muitos pensamentos internos repetitivos e isso acabou tornando a leitura um pouco cansativa.
E eu não sei se é exatamente por esse motivo que achei que a história se arrastou demais em partes relativamente desnecessárias, enquanto que nas que eram e seriam realmente importantes quase não há muita elaboração.
Eu gosto de um bom drama, mas aqui eu tive a sensação de que um drama foi se empilhando em cima do outro. Sabe quando estrapola e fica exagerado?
Mesmo depois de muitas lágrimas, inúmeros soluços e mais lágrimas. Mesmo após meu coração ter ficado estraçalhado e em mil pedaços, ainda assim, não concordo e aceito o motivo que me fez sentir tamanha dor.
Pra mim não houve lógica ou coerência. Não era necessário. Claro que a autora teve seus motivos e nem todo livro é de fato do jeito que esperamos ou queremos, porém até agora eu não consigo digerir isso.
Se esse livro foi especial? Não sei ao certo dizer até que ponto ou o quanto foi. Foi uma leitura que ao finalizar não me deixou aquele sentimento feliz, sabe? Me deixou em conflito e dividida... Não detestei, porém não amei tanto quanto imaginei que iria.
A única certeza que tenho é que alguns personagens se tornaram preciosos e ganharam um espaço enorme no meu coração.
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“I didn’t know how to trust the appearance of sunshine after living in a perpetual hurricane.”
MY GOD!
It's been a long time since I've cried so much.
Livros envolvendo militares são os que eu mais gosto de ler! Eu estava à espera deste há meses, por isso assim que pude, comecei a leitura.
Ella e Beckett foram personagens da qual senti simpatia logo de início. Embora entre os dois, o meu preferido tenha sido ele. Personagem maravilhoso, que mesmo com seus defeitos, falhas e culpas, ainda assim ao meu ver de modo geral, foi perfeito.
Não que eu não tenha gostado da mocinha, pelo contrário, como mãe, foi impossível não me colocar em seu lugar ou sentir suas dores, seus medos e suas lutas. E mesmo me conectando com ela, em alguns momentos senti uma breve irritação pelos seus atos e o modo como lidou com alguns acontecimentos.
Eu gostei bastante de como o relacionamento deles iniciou e como foi progredindo ao decorrer da trama. Especialmente em acompanhar a interação do Beckett com os gêmeos.
Apesar de eu ter curtido muito a história de maneira geral, ficou difícil de ignorar os pontos que me incomodaram. A escrita e narrativa em si são boas e livro tem um ritmo razoavelmente bom. Entretanto, pra mim, houve uma certa repetição, por exemplo, muitos pensamentos internos repetitivos e isso acabou tornando a leitura um pouco cansativa.
E eu não sei se é exatamente por esse motivo que achei que a história se arrastou demais em partes relativamente desnecessárias, enquanto que nas que eram e seriam realmente importantes quase não há muita elaboração.
Eu gosto de um bom drama, mas aqui eu tive a sensação de que um drama foi se empilhando em cima do outro. Sabe quando estrapola e fica exagerado?
Mesmo depois de muitas lágrimas, inúmeros soluços e mais lágrimas. Mesmo após meu coração ter ficado estraçalhado e em mil pedaços, ainda assim, não concordo e aceito o motivo que me fez sentir tamanha dor.
Pra mim não houve lógica ou coerência. Não era necessário. Claro que a autora teve seus motivos e nem todo livro é de fato do jeito que esperamos ou queremos, porém até agora eu não consigo digerir isso.
Se esse livro foi especial? Não sei ao certo dizer até que ponto ou o quanto foi. Foi uma leitura que ao finalizar não me deixou aquele sentimento feliz, sabe? Me deixou em conflito e dividida... Não detestei, porém não amei tanto quanto imaginei que iria.
A única certeza que tenho é que alguns personagens se tornaram preciosos e ganharam um espaço enorme no meu coração.
February 13, 2019
The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is as much a heartbreaking as it is heartwarming contemporary romance. For anyone not familiar what the title, The Last Letter, is referring to the book is about a soldier who was killed in duty leaving a letter to be read after his death.
Beckett and Ryan were best friends serving together in the military with both men not having much in the way of family. Ryan did have his sister back home though and seeing Beckett with no one to communicate with he set up Ella and Beckett as pen pals. When Ryan was killed in active duty he left his last letter to his best friend asking him to take care of Ella.
Ella is a single mother to twins, a boy and a girl that she lives her life for and would do anything to protect. Having been left alone and pregnant and her only family left in her brother that joined the military Ella has had to fight to get where she is in life. Now Ella is also fighting for her daughter’s life when she’s diagnosed with cancer.
The story in this one actually begins with briefly showing Beckett and Ryan serving and the letters to Ella beginning but then heads to Beckett’s arrival in Telluride in the present time. As the chapters begin happening in the present readers still get to read the letters written in the past between the chapters to get the backstory of how Beckett, Ryan and Ella all came to know one another.
The title alone hints of this being an emotional story but even with that hint I wasn’t prepared for just how emotional it really was. Needless to say a box of tissues needs to be on hand while reading this book and each time you think the roller coaster of emotions is going to end it heads back up the hill to come crashing down yet again. I was hooked on every single page of this one and would highly recommend buckling up for the emotional ride.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Beckett and Ryan were best friends serving together in the military with both men not having much in the way of family. Ryan did have his sister back home though and seeing Beckett with no one to communicate with he set up Ella and Beckett as pen pals. When Ryan was killed in active duty he left his last letter to his best friend asking him to take care of Ella.
Ella is a single mother to twins, a boy and a girl that she lives her life for and would do anything to protect. Having been left alone and pregnant and her only family left in her brother that joined the military Ella has had to fight to get where she is in life. Now Ella is also fighting for her daughter’s life when she’s diagnosed with cancer.
The story in this one actually begins with briefly showing Beckett and Ryan serving and the letters to Ella beginning but then heads to Beckett’s arrival in Telluride in the present time. As the chapters begin happening in the present readers still get to read the letters written in the past between the chapters to get the backstory of how Beckett, Ryan and Ella all came to know one another.
The title alone hints of this being an emotional story but even with that hint I wasn’t prepared for just how emotional it really was. Needless to say a box of tissues needs to be on hand while reading this book and each time you think the roller coaster of emotions is going to end it heads back up the hill to come crashing down yet again. I was hooked on every single page of this one and would highly recommend buckling up for the emotional ride.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
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March 4, 2019Rating Pending...
93 percent of the book was AMAZING - 5 Star read - favorite shelf. Then the last 7 percent happened and I didn’t like the turn of events and I’m on the fence what to rate and quite honestly I’m left with the why’s of why the author would do this and why would her Betas would give a green light on it.
93 percent of the book was AMAZING - 5 Star read - favorite shelf. Then the last 7 percent happened and I didn’t like the turn of events and I’m on the fence what to rate and quite honestly I’m left with the why’s of why the author would do this and why would her Betas would give a green light on it.
February 27, 2019
I finished this book nearly 2 weeks ago. Fourteen days and my heart is still shattered, yet so full of love for this story. It is so hard to put into words what this book is for me. And the love that I have for this author. I have followed Mrs. Yarros for years, read her books, loved them, and followed her blog on her life adventures. Let me say this, if you haven’t read this author, you are truly missing out. There is so much heart in her stories, she lays her heart out in her words. And this book, by far my favorite so far.
I fell in love with words just like Beckett and Ella did. I fell for these characters, all of them. They all play and hold such an important part to the story. Beckett I love your commitment, i adore your love and passion. You stand true with your words, and do what you need to do to make up for your one mistake. I envy your patience and absolutely love your heart. Now Ella, I can say I’ve never loved the strength of a character as much as I do yours. You have so much strength, your heart is huge, it’s battered, broken, shattered, yet it’s so strong. So very strong that you still love with a light that is breathless. Keep finding your happy Ella♥️
In this book my heart was always on Maisie & Colt. Innocent, sweet, so lovable, and so deserving of a full life and loads of love.
It’s hard to write a good review of this book without giving anything away. So let me end this little review with saying this, I am a mom to three beautiful children. I’ve learned from personal journeys that life is indeed short, to cherish every moment, and to never leave my children mad. Live for today and dream of tomorrow.
Well done, Mrs. Yarros you did so damn well, I’m in complete hangover mode 😍♥️😘 Hands down a book I recommend to all of you that love a good romance. Some angst, lots of love, and yes loads of sobbing, but that once in a lifetime love that carries you.
January 14, 2020
4.5 STARS!
Beckett and Ryan became best friends since joining the Army together 10 years ago. ✌
Beckett grew up in the system and has no one waiting for him at home, so Ryan convinces him to write letters to his sister during their service abroad. Beckett agrees because of the loneliness and boredom, but signs his letters with his nickname, Chaos. ✉
Ella's life was never easy, she experienced lots of tragedy's that made her who she is... 💔
She runs a local B&B and is a single mother to 6-year-old twins, Maisie and Colt. Ella enjoys writing with Chaos. Shes honest with him because of the physical distance that makes her feel safe to share her deepest secrets but Chaos (AKA Beckett) have deeper feelings for her. ❤
📚 "𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐈'𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬..." 📚
When Ryan, Ella's brother, dies in a military mission, he leaves a last letter to Beckett, asking him to help his sister during her difficult time. 😟
Filled with guilt over his death, Beckett doesn't hesitate to fulfill his best friend's last wish and moves to Colorado to find Ella, but he won't tell her who he really is to not deviate from his promise. 😱
Ella is in no hurry to get help from the (former) soldier who lives in her guest house, but Beckett doesn't give up... He slowly becomes the man she didn't know she needed - for her and her kids, who never had a father figure. ❤
📚 “𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?” 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?” 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝.
“𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐝?" 📚
However, the lie is still hovering over them... Beckett is chaos and knows her a lot more than she thinks. When romantic feelings begin to develop, he feels trapped by the secret that can destroy everything. ✉
Will Ella forgive him for hiding his identity? And after everything she went through, will her tragedies finally stop...? 😱
📚 ”𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.” 📚
I loved the touching story, the deep characters, the connection that two strangers created through letters and the realistic way in which their relationship progressed after they met. 😘
Beckett and Ella are broken characters who deal with loss and remorse, grief and loneliness - but this is not just a story about two people falling in love, it's about FAMILY and the way they deal with the good and bad, together. 💔🙏
What I didn't like is the amount of tragedies the author "threw" on the heroine. While in real life we have no control over that, it felt like she was trying too hard to make us cry - and between us? One or two tragedies were completely enough for that... 😭💔😂
(Oh yeah, make sure you have Kleenex near by - because the road to happiness is full of obstacles, but it's totally worth it!)
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯ ᗰE Oᑎ IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩᗰ: 🎉 https://www.instagram.com/the_romanti...
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴOᖇ ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ: https://books-romance.com/
Beckett and Ryan became best friends since joining the Army together 10 years ago. ✌
Beckett grew up in the system and has no one waiting for him at home, so Ryan convinces him to write letters to his sister during their service abroad. Beckett agrees because of the loneliness and boredom, but signs his letters with his nickname, Chaos. ✉
Ella's life was never easy, she experienced lots of tragedy's that made her who she is... 💔
She runs a local B&B and is a single mother to 6-year-old twins, Maisie and Colt. Ella enjoys writing with Chaos. Shes honest with him because of the physical distance that makes her feel safe to share her deepest secrets but Chaos (AKA Beckett) have deeper feelings for her. ❤
📚 "𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐈'𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬..." 📚
When Ryan, Ella's brother, dies in a military mission, he leaves a last letter to Beckett, asking him to help his sister during her difficult time. 😟
Filled with guilt over his death, Beckett doesn't hesitate to fulfill his best friend's last wish and moves to Colorado to find Ella, but he won't tell her who he really is to not deviate from his promise. 😱
Ella is in no hurry to get help from the (former) soldier who lives in her guest house, but Beckett doesn't give up... He slowly becomes the man she didn't know she needed - for her and her kids, who never had a father figure. ❤
📚 “𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?” 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞?” 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝.
“𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐝?" 📚
However, the lie is still hovering over them... Beckett is chaos and knows her a lot more than she thinks. When romantic feelings begin to develop, he feels trapped by the secret that can destroy everything. ✉
Will Ella forgive him for hiding his identity? And after everything she went through, will her tragedies finally stop...? 😱
📚 ”𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.” 📚
I loved the touching story, the deep characters, the connection that two strangers created through letters and the realistic way in which their relationship progressed after they met. 😘
Beckett and Ella are broken characters who deal with loss and remorse, grief and loneliness - but this is not just a story about two people falling in love, it's about FAMILY and the way they deal with the good and bad, together. 💔🙏
What I didn't like is the amount of tragedies the author "threw" on the heroine. While in real life we have no control over that, it felt like she was trying too hard to make us cry - and between us? One or two tragedies were completely enough for that... 😭💔😂
(Oh yeah, make sure you have Kleenex near by - because the road to happiness is full of obstacles, but it's totally worth it!)
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯ ᗰE Oᑎ IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩᗰ: 🎉 https://www.instagram.com/the_romanti...
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴOᖇ ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ: https://books-romance.com/
December 25, 2019
This book, or I should say this author, made me really upset. The Last Letter is one of these books where the writer puts their characters through every horrible thing they can think of to make the story very dramatic. And when you think that after everything the characters endured they will get a happy ending, they don't! I feel so cheated!
I was actually enjoying this book despite all the tragedy that was happening to Ella and her family because it was an interesting and emotional story. I was looking forward to Ella and Beckett getting their HEA after all they've been through. And around 90% of the book things finally started to look up for the couple but instead of ending it on a happy note, the author decided (for an added shock value) to dump another unnecessary tragedy on them. It really pissed me off. This book went from 4-5 stars to 2 stars in a span of few pages. I enjoy heartbreaking books and I can accept tragic endings when they make sense within the story. It wasn't the case with The Last Letter. I feel cheated because this book is marketed as romance and I expect a romance to have a happy ending. This book does not!
So if you want to read a romance where characters get their HEA after going through hell, avoid this book like a plague. But if you want to read a tragedy where bad things happen to characters over and over, you may proceed. Also this book has a lot of glowing reviews so maybe don't listen to me!
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
I was actually enjoying this book despite all the tragedy that was happening to Ella and her family because it was an interesting and emotional story. I was looking forward to Ella and Beckett getting their HEA after all they've been through. And around 90% of the book things finally started to look up for the couple but instead of ending it on a happy note, the author decided (for an added shock value) to dump another unnecessary tragedy on them. It really pissed me off. This book went from 4-5 stars to 2 stars in a span of few pages. I enjoy heartbreaking books and I can accept tragic endings when they make sense within the story. It wasn't the case with The Last Letter. I feel cheated because this book is marketed as romance and I expect a romance to have a happy ending. This book does not!
So if you want to read a romance where characters get their HEA after going through hell, avoid this book like a plague. But if you want to read a tragedy where bad things happen to characters over and over, you may proceed. Also this book has a lot of glowing reviews so maybe don't listen to me!
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
July 31, 2018
This book is indescribably beautiful. The sheer genius of how Rebecca weaves the letters into the story to match up w/the poignancy of the corresponding chapters... I have no words. None that would do it justice, anyway. This book will most definitely rip your heart out. But then it puts it back in & sweetly sews you back together. It will leave its mark on your soul, as Rebecca intended, & hopefully you’ll be all the better for it. I know I am. 💕
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July 8, 2021⭐️⭐️⭐️ S P O I L E R • F R E E • R E V I E W ⭐️⭐️⭐️
REVIEW: How do you rate heartbreak on a scale of 1-5?
"Funny thing about broken hearts - only the living have them."
I feel like I need to preface this review by saying that even though the teasers show romance, and the romance community spread this book around and embraced it, this is not a romance. This will not read that way either. There is a romance element, and it is beautifully romantic in hindsight, and in truth, and in reality.....but it's a very painful, sorrowful read.
I just finished this book and I will never be the same. This is a spoiler free review straight from my emotionally broken and torn heart, but it's going to be jumbled and raw and honest. For that, I apologize in advance. Only two other times have I audibly cried like I did with this one. It's rare, but I'm exhausted now...
I can honestly say I feel depressed.
I'm staring out the window.
The snow is falling.
I'm sitting on the couch, letting the tears fall down my cheeks untouched. Why stop them when more will come?
Staring off....not focused.....not even sure where to begin.
I know I always say I'm not a crier. I don't cry and I am usually strong enough to get through most subjects. But as cold-hearted as I pretend to be and as strong as I try to be while reading, this one broke me. The one recommendation I got for this book was to FEEL. And FEEL I did. I am pretty sure I swore I'd never read a book with this subject matter, and I'm confident it was because I was too afraid to FEEL this heartfelt pain. But the way Rebecca wrote this journey, the way her words invited me along to FEEL, I had no other choice but to cry it out. To suffer through the agonizing emotions. To FEEL. But I'll never willingly read a book with this subject matter ever again, though. Ever. She either set the bar really high, or scarred me very deeply....either way, never ever again.
I had to take a few breathers while I was reading this. Heartache, pain, and crazily enough: fear. Those are just some of the emotions I felt in spades, and they were accompanied by more, you guessed it - tears. The notes I took while reading this one now seem so inconsequential in comparison, after it's all said and done. But while I was reading it, I was sad, then happy. Angry at Ella and sad for Beckett. I was fuming because her rationale was way off. Yet, if I sat back and thought about it, I could understand where she was coming from because I am just as stubborn as she is. Her courage was beyond anything I have ever read and could imagine dealing with. Beckett's strength was probably the best book boyfriend material I've ever read. His allegiance and his honor, his truth in his understanding of love and loyalty. He was perfection, but he had a very selfishly-stubborn, or stubbornly-selfish, side to him that was admirable and I loved it. Moving. Painful. Heartbreaking. Compelling. The emotions I felt ran the gamut, of that I can't lie. I fell in love with their love. I cried when they hurt. I was angry at the universe and shocked at 'fate'. I have no words.
I can't recall the last time I wanted to DNF a book so late in the game, but I couldn't put it down because I was too freaking invested. There was a sad reality to the guilt, the regret, and the requirement to push through. I'm not sure I was willing or even ready to face the guaranteed heartbreak I was sure to receive. But I can't lie and say that the place that Rebecca came from, and the story that she gave me? That is why I read the heavy stuff. That is why I like the deep reads. The intricacies in the story, the love that is unwavering, the pain that is indiscriminate....it was all dished up with a healthy dose of reality.
But if I could emote the beauty in her words, and how well she flowed, I'd be proud to have been able to share that much. With a fractured soul and a broken heart, I can tell you I won't recover from this one anytime soon. It's almost a hollow, sad feeling in my chest - resigned....as if I went through this entire ordeal myself, and I have no recourse. I'm tired and I feel like I could sleep for a week straight. But again, the power in Rebecca's words are written with the tears falling down my face.
I want to be mad, but I'm sad.
I want to be sad, but I'm angry.
I want to be angry, but I can't stop crying.
I can't.stop.crying.....
This is NOT a romance, but that love story was so beautiful.
This is NOT for the faint of heart, and I'm not sure I'm going to ever be the same.
I'm not sure I can recommend this book to many people in the romance community without a heavy warning. Again, it's not a romance and it's not something I would willingly spring on anyone without a warning, but I can't ruin the journey for someone who understands that this is Contemporary Fiction. I likened it to Contemporary Depression.
These aren't the kind of emotions I enjoy from a book. These aren't the kind of tears I enjoy from reading a book. But, having said that, I am glad I weathered through it. I'm glad I felt it. And if I'm honest with myself, I loved the journey. But again, never will I ever read this subject again.
This story was a lesson on living in the now. This was a lesson on seeing the truth in a love destined to withstand life's curveballs. But most of all, this was a lesson to never take anything for granted. Hindsight is always 20/20.
To borrow your words, Rebecca: You don't know me, but you touched me.
"You can't reason with the universe, no matter how sound your logic is.
~BEE
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2TkuC3D
APPLE BOOKS: https://apple.co/2MFt5xT
KOBO: http://bit.ly/2OAOjxz
B&N: http://bit.ly/2MKazEu
The first thing I ever read of Rebecca's was a blog post she posted on Twitter recently. I came across it and after reading it, I knew that not only was this story going to be an emotional one, but it was going to be told with intimate knowledge of many of the scenarios and circumstances that came into play in this book. My hats off to her. Much respect to her. My thankfulness knows no end.
ENTER HERE TO WIN AN ECOPY: http://bit.ly/2XFYZQJ
REVIEW: How do you rate heartbreak on a scale of 1-5?
"Funny thing about broken hearts - only the living have them."
I feel like I need to preface this review by saying that even though the teasers show romance, and the romance community spread this book around and embraced it, this is not a romance. This will not read that way either. There is a romance element, and it is beautifully romantic in hindsight, and in truth, and in reality.....but it's a very painful, sorrowful read.
I just finished this book and I will never be the same. This is a spoiler free review straight from my emotionally broken and torn heart, but it's going to be jumbled and raw and honest. For that, I apologize in advance. Only two other times have I audibly cried like I did with this one. It's rare, but I'm exhausted now...
I can honestly say I feel depressed.
I'm staring out the window.
The snow is falling.
I'm sitting on the couch, letting the tears fall down my cheeks untouched. Why stop them when more will come?
Staring off....not focused.....not even sure where to begin.
I know I always say I'm not a crier. I don't cry and I am usually strong enough to get through most subjects. But as cold-hearted as I pretend to be and as strong as I try to be while reading, this one broke me. The one recommendation I got for this book was to FEEL. And FEEL I did. I am pretty sure I swore I'd never read a book with this subject matter, and I'm confident it was because I was too afraid to FEEL this heartfelt pain. But the way Rebecca wrote this journey, the way her words invited me along to FEEL, I had no other choice but to cry it out. To suffer through the agonizing emotions. To FEEL. But I'll never willingly read a book with this subject matter ever again, though. Ever. She either set the bar really high, or scarred me very deeply....either way, never ever again.
I had to take a few breathers while I was reading this. Heartache, pain, and crazily enough: fear. Those are just some of the emotions I felt in spades, and they were accompanied by more, you guessed it - tears. The notes I took while reading this one now seem so inconsequential in comparison, after it's all said and done. But while I was reading it, I was sad, then happy. Angry at Ella and sad for Beckett. I was fuming because her rationale was way off. Yet, if I sat back and thought about it, I could understand where she was coming from because I am just as stubborn as she is. Her courage was beyond anything I have ever read and could imagine dealing with. Beckett's strength was probably the best book boyfriend material I've ever read. His allegiance and his honor, his truth in his understanding of love and loyalty. He was perfection, but he had a very selfishly-stubborn, or stubbornly-selfish, side to him that was admirable and I loved it. Moving. Painful. Heartbreaking. Compelling. The emotions I felt ran the gamut, of that I can't lie. I fell in love with their love. I cried when they hurt. I was angry at the universe and shocked at 'fate'. I have no words.
I can't recall the last time I wanted to DNF a book so late in the game, but I couldn't put it down because I was too freaking invested. There was a sad reality to the guilt, the regret, and the requirement to push through. I'm not sure I was willing or even ready to face the guaranteed heartbreak I was sure to receive. But I can't lie and say that the place that Rebecca came from, and the story that she gave me? That is why I read the heavy stuff. That is why I like the deep reads. The intricacies in the story, the love that is unwavering, the pain that is indiscriminate....it was all dished up with a healthy dose of reality.
But if I could emote the beauty in her words, and how well she flowed, I'd be proud to have been able to share that much. With a fractured soul and a broken heart, I can tell you I won't recover from this one anytime soon. It's almost a hollow, sad feeling in my chest - resigned....as if I went through this entire ordeal myself, and I have no recourse. I'm tired and I feel like I could sleep for a week straight. But again, the power in Rebecca's words are written with the tears falling down my face.
I want to be mad, but I'm sad.
I want to be sad, but I'm angry.
I want to be angry, but I can't stop crying.
I can't.stop.crying.....
This is NOT a romance, but that love story was so beautiful.
This is NOT for the faint of heart, and I'm not sure I'm going to ever be the same.
I'm not sure I can recommend this book to many people in the romance community without a heavy warning. Again, it's not a romance and it's not something I would willingly spring on anyone without a warning, but I can't ruin the journey for someone who understands that this is Contemporary Fiction. I likened it to Contemporary Depression.
These aren't the kind of emotions I enjoy from a book. These aren't the kind of tears I enjoy from reading a book. But, having said that, I am glad I weathered through it. I'm glad I felt it. And if I'm honest with myself, I loved the journey. But again, never will I ever read this subject again.
This story was a lesson on living in the now. This was a lesson on seeing the truth in a love destined to withstand life's curveballs. But most of all, this was a lesson to never take anything for granted. Hindsight is always 20/20.
To borrow your words, Rebecca: You don't know me, but you touched me.
"You can't reason with the universe, no matter how sound your logic is.
~BEE
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2TkuC3D
APPLE BOOKS: https://apple.co/2MFt5xT
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The first thing I ever read of Rebecca's was a blog post she posted on Twitter recently. I came across it and after reading it, I knew that not only was this story going to be an emotional one, but it was going to be told with intimate knowledge of many of the scenarios and circumstances that came into play in this book. My hats off to her. Much respect to her. My thankfulness knows no end.
ENTER HERE TO WIN AN ECOPY: http://bit.ly/2XFYZQJ
March 13, 2019
“If I ever hide something from you, it’s because I’m terrified to risk losing you. That whole roller-coaster thing? I’ve never felt like this. Never had my heart leave my body and belong to someone else. I don’t know how to have a relationship, and I’m bound to screw this one up.”
I should've known better after reading the dedication at the beginning of the book that tough times were coming. Yet, I was not prepared for the heartache I felt after reading The Last Letter. My heart was broken in tiny pieces.
The Last Letter was so well written that it felt real. The emotions, the characters, the military romance were all "possible". They had a ring of truth to them.
What's The Last Letter about?
Ella lives in Telluride, Colorado. She runs a Bed and Breakfast place. She's divorced but has a pair of twins, Maisie and Colt. Her brother Ryan is overseas. She doesn't know where he's at but when she asks him if any of the guys in his team needed some mail, Ryan told her to send letters to "Chaos", one of his teammates.
Not too long after establishing a pen pal relationship with Chaos, Ella learns that one of her children is very sick but she doesn't have time to be shocked. She needs to do whatever is necessary to help her child. Then, more devastating news is given to her.
Beckett (Chaos) didn't have a happy childhood. He joined the military and Ryan became his friend but his best friend is his special ops dog. He would do anything for her. After the death of a teammate, Beckett is ready to leave the military and go in search of Ella. When he gets there he doesn't want to tell her he's Chaos. At first, Ella is not happy with someone coming to "watch over" her but after a while, she starts trusting him and caring for him. Her children also get attached to him.
So what could go wrong?
For Ella, lying is not forgivable and as the reader you know, Beckett has been lying to her. It won't be pretty when she learns the truth.
The Last Letter is more than a military romance. It's about loss, regret, sickness, grief, hope, and forgiveness.
Cliffhanger: No
A complimentary copy was provided by Entangled via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
February 26, 2019
A beautiful, heartfelt story with surprising depth. Grab tissues and settle in for the long haul because you won't be able to put this one down, and I guarantee you'll finish it crying. But please don't let that stop you from reading this beautifully written, emotionally charged story that now sits on my Favorites Shelf. It's truly an experience - a deeply rooted, character-based story that pushed all my buttons. The title, The Last Letter, is woven into the storyline in more ways than one. I found myself sitting long after I finished - thinking about this story and its relevance. Please avoid all spoilers and read this book. I don't think it'll be the same if you know how the story plays out when you begin.
I'll briefly set up the story by saying that Beckett and Ryan are friends serving in the military - hard-core special ops service men. Ryan suggests to his younger sister Ella that she should write deployment letters to Chaos (Beckett's call name) because he has no one. She begins sharing the highs and lows of her life through letters to Chaos - without ever knowing his real name or seeing a picture of him. Eventually, events lead Chaos to start writing her back, and a life altering connection is gradually forged. As you can tell from the synopsis/blurb, Ryan doesn't make it home, but he leaves a letter for Beckett asking him to take care Ella and her five year old twins, Maisie & Colt. It's complicated as Beckett/Chaos is carrying a lot of guilt and baggage. I'm not going to say more about the story that develops. It has so much more depth and meaning than I first imagined as it explores love, loss, perseverance, survival, heartache, and the trust and courage it takes, in yourself and others, to accept what you can't change and search for a way out of the darkness when your load becomes too heavy. It's a story with great passion exploring the many different connections between people, and the lasting effect they have on their lives - including the rich rewards and high price of loving with everything you've got. I know I'm being vague, but as I said earlier - there's a reason for that. Read the book. I'll share one quote:
"I'd forgotten what this feels like."
"Being hugged?" My voice was sandpaper-rough.
"Being held together." (Quote from The Last Letter)
I don't want to leave the impression that The Last Letter is all sadness and tears, it's not. There's so much love and laughter in heart-touching scenes with a broken but strong hero and heroine, adorable, scene-stealing children, a protective but lovable military dog named Havoc, passionate romance, and a support cast that lends so much to the telling of the story. The writing is beautiful and the tie-in of the letters, revealed to readers at the beginning of each chapter, is genius. Souls are bared, hearts are lost, tears are shed . . . and hope springs eternal. In my opinion, Yarros does a brilliant job of handling the difficult subject matter thus bringing awareness to a subject near and dear to many parents' hearts. I highly recommend this book. It is on my Favorites Shelf. An undeniable Must Read!
*Many thanks to Entangled: Amara for an arc of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
I'll briefly set up the story by saying that Beckett and Ryan are friends serving in the military - hard-core special ops service men. Ryan suggests to his younger sister Ella that she should write deployment letters to Chaos (Beckett's call name) because he has no one. She begins sharing the highs and lows of her life through letters to Chaos - without ever knowing his real name or seeing a picture of him. Eventually, events lead Chaos to start writing her back, and a life altering connection is gradually forged. As you can tell from the synopsis/blurb, Ryan doesn't make it home, but he leaves a letter for Beckett asking him to take care Ella and her five year old twins, Maisie & Colt. It's complicated as Beckett/Chaos is carrying a lot of guilt and baggage. I'm not going to say more about the story that develops. It has so much more depth and meaning than I first imagined as it explores love, loss, perseverance, survival, heartache, and the trust and courage it takes, in yourself and others, to accept what you can't change and search for a way out of the darkness when your load becomes too heavy. It's a story with great passion exploring the many different connections between people, and the lasting effect they have on their lives - including the rich rewards and high price of loving with everything you've got. I know I'm being vague, but as I said earlier - there's a reason for that. Read the book. I'll share one quote:
"I'd forgotten what this feels like."
"Being hugged?" My voice was sandpaper-rough.
"Being held together." (Quote from The Last Letter)
I don't want to leave the impression that The Last Letter is all sadness and tears, it's not. There's so much love and laughter in heart-touching scenes with a broken but strong hero and heroine, adorable, scene-stealing children, a protective but lovable military dog named Havoc, passionate romance, and a support cast that lends so much to the telling of the story. The writing is beautiful and the tie-in of the letters, revealed to readers at the beginning of each chapter, is genius. Souls are bared, hearts are lost, tears are shed . . . and hope springs eternal. In my opinion, Yarros does a brilliant job of handling the difficult subject matter thus bringing awareness to a subject near and dear to many parents' hearts. I highly recommend this book. It is on my Favorites Shelf. An undeniable Must Read!
*Many thanks to Entangled: Amara for an arc of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
February 2, 2019
Review posted on Les Romantiques – le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review copy by the publisher
Be careful this review contains spoilers!!
Let’s begin with a rant. I read romances for the certainty that it will end well, and if I can accept a lot of things to get there, there are a few things I don’t want to read about. So when at only 10% of the book the heroine learns her 5yo daughter has an advanced stage of cancer with only 10 percent chance of surviving the year, I can say I was very tempted to close the book, when I can count on the fingers of one hand the books I didn’t read entirely. So yes it exists in reality, even with younger kids, and yes we’re in a romance so I was almost sure everything would be alright, but I read to relax, not to feel depressed. I also think to all those who have gone through this or are currently going through this, I don’t think they want to read about the same ordeal. Some warning in the synopsis would be a good thing.
Second point that I didn’t like: it’s written in the first person POV, and those who know me know that I don’t like that. Here we alternate between the hero and the heroine, at a rate of one chapter each in general, with one of the letters they exchanged during the months before their meeting as a chapter opening. The name of the character who’s going to speak may be written as a chapter header, it took me several lines to determine who was “I”.
There are a lot of repetitions in the main characters’ thoughts. Bennett feels guilty for Ella’s brother’s death, and he often thinks if she learns who he is and what he’s done she would send him away and he couldn’t help her anymore. Ella as for her thinks he will leave at the first opportunity like all the men in her life (that is her father, her ex-husband and her brother, not a flock of guys). She tells him the same several times.
Both seem likeable, but I must admit I missed out on their love story. I was more interested in the relationship between him and the twins, and mostly my attention was monopolized by the little girl’s illness. It has to be said that the author doesn’t spare us anything: diverse medical examinations, chemotherapy, hair lost, vomiting, general infection, surgery… not to forget awkward reaction by random people. I hope for the author her knowledge comes only from research.
When things progress between them, there’s first Ella discovering Bennett is the one she wrote to for months, so she ditches him after saying he lied to her and she will never trust him again, when he’s been bending over backward for her and her kids for months. It takes six months for him to gain her trust again, but we only know about it through a chapter header reading “6 months later” and two or three sentences summing up what happened. To see the couple’s evolution it’s tough.
And most of all, when everything seems to get better for the couple and for the little girl’s health, the author decides to have them live the most horrible ordeal by killing Ella’s second kid in an accident. WHY? What’s the point of this? Didn’t they suffer enough? It’s a gratuitous death and that made me rage (after I finished crying my eyes out).
So as I said at the beginning, I read novels to relax, and especially I read Romance for its promise of a happy end. The Last Letter doesn’t keep its promises, I will avoid this author from now on and I don’t recommend this book to anyone.
One star is too much for what I feel.
Reviewed by Rinou
Review copy by the publisher
Be careful this review contains spoilers!!
Let’s begin with a rant. I read romances for the certainty that it will end well, and if I can accept a lot of things to get there, there are a few things I don’t want to read about. So when at only 10% of the book the heroine learns her 5yo daughter has an advanced stage of cancer with only 10 percent chance of surviving the year, I can say I was very tempted to close the book, when I can count on the fingers of one hand the books I didn’t read entirely. So yes it exists in reality, even with younger kids, and yes we’re in a romance so I was almost sure everything would be alright, but I read to relax, not to feel depressed. I also think to all those who have gone through this or are currently going through this, I don’t think they want to read about the same ordeal. Some warning in the synopsis would be a good thing.
Second point that I didn’t like: it’s written in the first person POV, and those who know me know that I don’t like that. Here we alternate between the hero and the heroine, at a rate of one chapter each in general, with one of the letters they exchanged during the months before their meeting as a chapter opening. The name of the character who’s going to speak may be written as a chapter header, it took me several lines to determine who was “I”.
There are a lot of repetitions in the main characters’ thoughts. Bennett feels guilty for Ella’s brother’s death, and he often thinks if she learns who he is and what he’s done she would send him away and he couldn’t help her anymore. Ella as for her thinks he will leave at the first opportunity like all the men in her life (that is her father, her ex-husband and her brother, not a flock of guys). She tells him the same several times.
Both seem likeable, but I must admit I missed out on their love story. I was more interested in the relationship between him and the twins, and mostly my attention was monopolized by the little girl’s illness. It has to be said that the author doesn’t spare us anything: diverse medical examinations, chemotherapy, hair lost, vomiting, general infection, surgery… not to forget awkward reaction by random people. I hope for the author her knowledge comes only from research.
When things progress between them, there’s first Ella discovering Bennett is the one she wrote to for months, so she ditches him after saying he lied to her and she will never trust him again, when he’s been bending over backward for her and her kids for months. It takes six months for him to gain her trust again, but we only know about it through a chapter header reading “6 months later” and two or three sentences summing up what happened. To see the couple’s evolution it’s tough.
And most of all, when everything seems to get better for the couple and for the little girl’s health, the author decides to have them live the most horrible ordeal by killing Ella’s second kid in an accident. WHY? What’s the point of this? Didn’t they suffer enough? It’s a gratuitous death and that made me rage (after I finished crying my eyes out).
So as I said at the beginning, I read novels to relax, and especially I read Romance for its promise of a happy end. The Last Letter doesn’t keep its promises, I will avoid this author from now on and I don’t recommend this book to anyone.
One star is too much for what I feel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2019
4,5 “you'll need tissues” stars
Emotional rollercoaster!
The kids were fantastic, Ella was an incredibly courageous mom, Beckett was just perfect (no way such devotion and dedication exist else where can I meet such fine male specimen?), Havoc was my doggy superstar and my box of tissues is now empty!
This was a very quick rundown of what my thoughts were while reading this beautiful and dramatic story.
Now let's give some meat to that review without spoiling your fun.
From the synopsis you've guessed that someone has asked Beckett to take care of Ella. That someone is her brother.
He told Beckett she would fight him even if she needed him.
Well Ella did. Fight him. And need him.
Because what Ella had to go through was the most awful things that could happen
And she went through it for months! And no woman or man should be alone to face that ordeal. Yet Ella did and she was so strong!
Anyone would have crumpled.
But not her.
And when Beckett wanted to help her she pushed him away. Because why bother relying on a man when they all left her right?
Yet Beckett was nothing if not persistent! He would have run through fire for Ella or the kids. In this story Beckett danced to Ella's tune.
He came second. Always.
And that’s why I was sometimes mad at Ella. Because as good as her reasons for mistrusting I still thought she was frozen in her resentment. Yet I knew she was simply still grieving all these losses. She was afraid to be hurt again. And she wanted to protect her kids.
But hey, what can I say?
I was team Beckett all along. And I hated to see him hurting. That man who carried so much guilt. That man who had always been alone. That man who did not think he was loveable. That man who ...
Beckett was just fantastic and each time he protected and cared for the kids my heart just fell for him further. Gosh! So many time did it feel like my heart was caught in a vise when Beckett wanted acted like a dad to these fantastic and brave kids!
I don’t know you but I am a sucker for single parent stories. And when the kids are “done” just right, all cute, honest, blunt and brave I JUST MELT!!!!
And don’t start me on the “graduation scene”!!! I cried in the train (yes once again) and did all that I could to hide my tears behind my semi long hair!!!!
This book teaches that you don’t need to be a soldier to be a warrior. Moms can be brave and spectacular.
Kids can be the bravest of superheroes.
Don’t read this expecting fluffy and light. Because it tells you that life can be a b*tch sometimes and there is no rhyme no reasons.
Recommend it? Absolutely if you are looking for gorgeous stories bashing your little heart again and again. If you hate angsty reads …abstain!
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
“Sometimes bad things happen. And there’s no blame to be placed. You can’t reason with the universe, no matter how sound your logic is. And we can either breathe through the pain or we can let it shape us.“
Emotional rollercoaster!
The kids were fantastic, Ella was an incredibly courageous mom, Beckett was just perfect (no way such devotion and dedication exist else where can I meet such fine male specimen?), Havoc was my doggy superstar and my box of tissues is now empty!
This was a very quick rundown of what my thoughts were while reading this beautiful and dramatic story.
Now let's give some meat to that review without spoiling your fun.
From the synopsis you've guessed that someone has asked Beckett to take care of Ella. That someone is her brother.
He told Beckett she would fight him even if she needed him.
Well Ella did. Fight him. And need him.
Because what Ella had to go through was the most awful things that could happen
And she went through it for months! And no woman or man should be alone to face that ordeal. Yet Ella did and she was so strong!
Anyone would have crumpled.
But not her.
And when Beckett wanted to help her she pushed him away. Because why bother relying on a man when they all left her right?
Yet Beckett was nothing if not persistent! He would have run through fire for Ella or the kids. In this story Beckett danced to Ella's tune.
He came second. Always.
And that’s why I was sometimes mad at Ella. Because as good as her reasons for mistrusting I still thought she was frozen in her resentment. Yet I knew she was simply still grieving all these losses. She was afraid to be hurt again. And she wanted to protect her kids.
But hey, what can I say?
I was team Beckett all along. And I hated to see him hurting. That man who carried so much guilt. That man who had always been alone. That man who did not think he was loveable. That man who ...
Beckett was just fantastic and each time he protected and cared for the kids my heart just fell for him further. Gosh! So many time did it feel like my heart was caught in a vise when Beckett wanted acted like a dad to these fantastic and brave kids!
I don’t know you but I am a sucker for single parent stories. And when the kids are “done” just right, all cute, honest, blunt and brave I JUST MELT!!!!
“Is this what it feels like?” he whispered so quietly that I leaned down. “What it feels like?” I asked. “Having a dad?”
And don’t start me on the “graduation scene”!!! I cried in the train (yes once again) and did all that I could to hide my tears behind my semi long hair!!!!
This book teaches that you don’t need to be a soldier to be a warrior. Moms can be brave and spectacular.
Kids can be the bravest of superheroes.
Don’t read this expecting fluffy and light. Because it tells you that life can be a b*tch sometimes and there is no rhyme no reasons.
Recommend it? Absolutely if you are looking for gorgeous stories bashing your little heart again and again. If you hate angsty reads …abstain!
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
April 24, 2019
Get out your box of tissues romance readers...this one destroyed me over and over. It is amazing when an author can write something that conjures up so much emotion - I truly enjoyed the “ugly cry” ride...
Jump on an Emotional Rollercoaster with Romance and Heartache and Let Your Tears Flow with The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros.
If you like a story that rips your heart out over and over, grab a box of tissues and a copy of The Last Letter. Special ops officer, Beckett, grew up in foster care and went into the armed services to run away from his difficult, transient life. His best friend was killed in action but before he died, he wrote a last letter, asking Beckett to take care of his sister, Ella if anything happened to him. She had been married and pregnant at 17, her husband left her to raise twins on her own. One of the twins was very sick and needed treatment, and without her beloved brother, she really could use some support. Will Beckett leave the military to follow up on his buddy’s last request?
The book is a back and forth exchange of letters, where we not only learn the day to day happenings and the past leading up to it, but also the deep feelings, insecurities, hopes and dreams of Ella and Beckett. Through the eyes of a military family, Yarros has mastered the tugging of heartstrings and created complete characters who fight their own demons and exercise restraint, while at the same time explore love and loss, worry and hope, with physical chemistry that rivals 50 Shades of Grey at times. Life’s mix of emotions is experienced in this sorrow-filled, yet beautiful love story. One day at the beach or on a plane with this book is all you need to become immersed, absorbed and drained! Add The Last Letter to your list for a quick and emotional read. Don’t forget the tissues!
Jump on an Emotional Rollercoaster with Romance and Heartache and Let Your Tears Flow with The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros.
If you like a story that rips your heart out over and over, grab a box of tissues and a copy of The Last Letter. Special ops officer, Beckett, grew up in foster care and went into the armed services to run away from his difficult, transient life. His best friend was killed in action but before he died, he wrote a last letter, asking Beckett to take care of his sister, Ella if anything happened to him. She had been married and pregnant at 17, her husband left her to raise twins on her own. One of the twins was very sick and needed treatment, and without her beloved brother, she really could use some support. Will Beckett leave the military to follow up on his buddy’s last request?
The book is a back and forth exchange of letters, where we not only learn the day to day happenings and the past leading up to it, but also the deep feelings, insecurities, hopes and dreams of Ella and Beckett. Through the eyes of a military family, Yarros has mastered the tugging of heartstrings and created complete characters who fight their own demons and exercise restraint, while at the same time explore love and loss, worry and hope, with physical chemistry that rivals 50 Shades of Grey at times. Life’s mix of emotions is experienced in this sorrow-filled, yet beautiful love story. One day at the beach or on a plane with this book is all you need to become immersed, absorbed and drained! Add The Last Letter to your list for a quick and emotional read. Don’t forget the tissues!
February 18, 2019
2.5 Stars
The Last Letter is well written and emotional, however it just puts too many issues into one book. Ella is a young single mom of twins (aged 5-7 throughout the book), she owns a B&B in Colorado, her parents are deceased, and her brother is in the military overseas. We open to that, which is already a handful for a person, but Ella's problems and tragedies keep growing. Within the first few chapters her brother is killed in action and Maisie, one of her kids, gets diagnosed with a rare cancer, which of course her insurance covers little of the treatment. To top it off, she's developed an intense pen pal relationship with a comrade of her brothers and she believes he died with her brother since his letters abruptly stop around the same time.
Enter Beckett. As readers, we know he is Chaos, the same man that Ella has been writing to. But he doesn't tell her that. Instead he shows up at her door with a letter from her brother saying that he is here to take care of her. Of course, they fall for each other, and of course, Ella's biggest peeve/unforgivable curse is lying. Which is exactly what he is doing by not telling her who he really is. While this is going on, they are dealing with Maisie's illness, running the business, and trying to keep involved with Colt, her other kid's, life. Beckett also has a few issues- he grew up in foster care and his time with the elite military team he was on causes nightmares, etc.
After Ella and Beckett fall in love, the truth about him being Chaos comes out and Ella ends things. Months pass (in which we are not privy to what goes on) but they reconcile eventually and get back together. But this book is not made for happy moments. Immediately after this happens, tragedy strikes again.
At this point, I can't even conjure up the required emotions for all that has happened. It's too much. It's too unrealistic. How can anyone survive this many tragedies in such a short period of time? I'm too busy trying to calculate the probability of all of these things happening and I'm pretty sure you have a better chance winning the lotto than to have this many, and this rare, of things happen to just one person in this little of time.
The problem is, I really liked the writing. I thought (for the most part) that the characters were well-written and developed. Sure the kids seemed older than their age, but maybe circumstances forced that. And while there were times that Ella annoyed me, she felt human. But I just couldn't get over the amount of catastrophic events that happened to her. It's surprising she didn't become catatonic.
I would still recommend this to people. I think someone who doesn't need their romances based soundly in reality and those who love tragedy with their romance will like this. It wasn't a bad book, just too much for me.
The Last Letter is well written and emotional, however it just puts too many issues into one book. Ella is a young single mom of twins (aged 5-7 throughout the book), she owns a B&B in Colorado, her parents are deceased, and her brother is in the military overseas. We open to that, which is already a handful for a person, but Ella's problems and tragedies keep growing. Within the first few chapters her brother is killed in action and Maisie, one of her kids, gets diagnosed with a rare cancer, which of course her insurance covers little of the treatment. To top it off, she's developed an intense pen pal relationship with a comrade of her brothers and she believes he died with her brother since his letters abruptly stop around the same time.
Enter Beckett. As readers, we know he is Chaos, the same man that Ella has been writing to. But he doesn't tell her that. Instead he shows up at her door with a letter from her brother saying that he is here to take care of her. Of course, they fall for each other, and of course, Ella's biggest peeve/unforgivable curse is lying. Which is exactly what he is doing by not telling her who he really is. While this is going on, they are dealing with Maisie's illness, running the business, and trying to keep involved with Colt, her other kid's, life. Beckett also has a few issues- he grew up in foster care and his time with the elite military team he was on causes nightmares, etc.
After Ella and Beckett fall in love, the truth about him being Chaos comes out and Ella ends things. Months pass (in which we are not privy to what goes on) but they reconcile eventually and get back together. But this book is not made for happy moments. Immediately after this happens, tragedy strikes again.
At this point, I can't even conjure up the required emotions for all that has happened. It's too much. It's too unrealistic. How can anyone survive this many tragedies in such a short period of time? I'm too busy trying to calculate the probability of all of these things happening and I'm pretty sure you have a better chance winning the lotto than to have this many, and this rare, of things happen to just one person in this little of time.
The problem is, I really liked the writing. I thought (for the most part) that the characters were well-written and developed. Sure the kids seemed older than their age, but maybe circumstances forced that. And while there were times that Ella annoyed me, she felt human. But I just couldn't get over the amount of catastrophic events that happened to her. It's surprising she didn't become catatonic.
I would still recommend this to people. I think someone who doesn't need their romances based soundly in reality and those who love tragedy with their romance will like this. It wasn't a bad book, just too much for me.
March 3, 2019
This book was so much more than a romance. It is very emotional and heartbreaking. Great writing!
The story of Ella and Beckett. Two lost souls who find each other. Ella's brother, Ryan is a soldier and his best friend is Beckett. When Ryan dies in combat he leaves a last letter to Beckett. He wants him to go and help his sister, Ella through a very rough patch in her life. Ella, is a single young mother of 6 year old twins. One of them is very sick and needs treatment.
Each chapter begins with a correspondence between Beckett and Ella that began before Ryan died. I thought this was clever and really added to the story. The romance is strong and heated and very emotional. I went through many tissues while reading this book. So much heartache and grief. Parts of this book were very sad (especially if you are a mother.) It is also a book about love and acceptance and battling through hardships and coming out stronger.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for granting me the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time. I could really see this one being made into a movie.
The story of Ella and Beckett. Two lost souls who find each other. Ella's brother, Ryan is a soldier and his best friend is Beckett. When Ryan dies in combat he leaves a last letter to Beckett. He wants him to go and help his sister, Ella through a very rough patch in her life. Ella, is a single young mother of 6 year old twins. One of them is very sick and needs treatment.
Each chapter begins with a correspondence between Beckett and Ella that began before Ryan died. I thought this was clever and really added to the story. The romance is strong and heated and very emotional. I went through many tissues while reading this book. So much heartache and grief. Parts of this book were very sad (especially if you are a mother.) It is also a book about love and acceptance and battling through hardships and coming out stronger.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for granting me the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time. I could really see this one being made into a movie.
February 14, 2019
This book really slayed me. It was emotional and super layered. I found myself unable to stop reading. I definitely recommend it.
January 29, 2019
If you've read this book then you know that the last 10% are garbage.
September 4, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Fiction
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Ella MacKenzie had to face harsh reality at a young age with a life full of challenges. As a single mother of two and a business owner, her life was hectic, but she managed to do her best. Beckett Gentry came into her world without her realizing how much she needed him. But he was bound by a promise with a truth that could change everything.
Whenever I saw someone asking for a sad book recommendation, this book usually popped up. After reading it, I can definitely say the book earned its place on the list.
In a way, Beckett and Ella were similar with the emotional baggage they carried but with the opposite effect. I absolutely love him for his loyalty and selflessness. With Ella, while I understood her fear, sometimes she was too selfish to realize what she did. I adored the kids and the bond between them intensified everything.
I love when characters were put through the wringer and watching them made choices through adversity. And this book contained a subject matter that is one of my biggest weaknesses. Suffice to say, I enjoyed every moment of it.
The Last Letter is a story of sacrifices and resilience. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a heavy, emotional ride.
🔸📃🔸. . . F (BR) With Twinsie CC & Loyda . . . 🔸📃🔸
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Ella MacKenzie had to face harsh reality at a young age with a life full of challenges. As a single mother of two and a business owner, her life was hectic, but she managed to do her best. Beckett Gentry came into her world without her realizing how much she needed him. But he was bound by a promise with a truth that could change everything.
Whenever I saw someone asking for a sad book recommendation, this book usually popped up. After reading it, I can definitely say the book earned its place on the list.
Man, I hated hope. Hope fooled you, gave you the warm fuzzy feelings just to yank them away again. And right now, Beckett was a big slice of warm, fuzzy hope, and I hated him for it.
In a way, Beckett and Ella were similar with the emotional baggage they carried but with the opposite effect. I absolutely love him for his loyalty and selflessness. With Ella, while I understood her fear, sometimes she was too selfish to realize what she did. I adored the kids and the bond between them intensified everything.
“Sometimes bad things happen. And there’s no blame to be placed. You can’t reason with the universe, no matter how sound your logic is."
I love when characters were put through the wringer and watching them made choices through adversity. And this book contained a subject matter that is one of my biggest weaknesses. Suffice to say, I enjoyed every moment of it.
The Last Letter is a story of sacrifices and resilience. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a heavy, emotional ride.
🔸📃🔸. . . F (BR) With Twinsie CC & Loyda . . . 🔸📃🔸
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 26, 2019
A million stars!!!
“Sometimes you have to leave so you can know what it is you left. You don’t really value something until you’ve lost it.”
“I’d always been big, but something about how fragile she seemed made me feel huge, like I could put my body in front of the storm headed her way and protect her…even if the storm was of my own making.”
“I loved this woman. I would take on armies for her, kill for her, or die for her. There was no grater truth than that, and no other truth that I could give her. Because where she was honest and strong, and kind, I was a liar who had already hurt her in the worst possible way. I had no right to hold her like this, but even worse–I wasn’t going to move a muscle.”
“Because from the moment I saw your face and heard you speak, you were the only one I wanted. You ruined me for anyone else before you ever knew my name.” She ruined me from the second she’d said she regretted writing in pen. She’d had every ounce of my soul when I finished that first letter. “Now that I’ve had one night with you, I don’t want only one. I want them all, and I’m willing to take whatever you want to give me.”
“Hope is good. Feel it. Because you have no idea what’s coming around the corner. You have to take the good when it comes, because the bad isn’t going to give you a choice.”
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.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
“Sometimes you have to leave so you can know what it is you left. You don’t really value something until you’ve lost it.”
“I’d always been big, but something about how fragile she seemed made me feel huge, like I could put my body in front of the storm headed her way and protect her…even if the storm was of my own making.”
“I loved this woman. I would take on armies for her, kill for her, or die for her. There was no grater truth than that, and no other truth that I could give her. Because where she was honest and strong, and kind, I was a liar who had already hurt her in the worst possible way. I had no right to hold her like this, but even worse–I wasn’t going to move a muscle.”
“Because from the moment I saw your face and heard you speak, you were the only one I wanted. You ruined me for anyone else before you ever knew my name.” She ruined me from the second she’d said she regretted writing in pen. She’d had every ounce of my soul when I finished that first letter. “Now that I’ve had one night with you, I don’t want only one. I want them all, and I’m willing to take whatever you want to give me.”
“Hope is good. Feel it. Because you have no idea what’s coming around the corner. You have to take the good when it comes, because the bad isn’t going to give you a choice.”
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.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
February 3, 2019
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. ~ Shelly, 3.5 Stars
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. ~ Shelly, 3.5 Stars
February 25, 2019
The Last Letter blew me away. It’s a story of love, lust, courage and heartbreak. It's about how love can heal and how loss and challenge make us stronger and more resilient. I really liked both the main characters in this, Beckett's got the tough guy attitude but there's also a really loving side to him that had me swooning a little. Ella is a great strong female lead, with everything she's been through; the fight in her is far from lost.
The author has such a way with words. It was interesting how she created a link between the past and present using the letters. I also loved the pace of the story telling. It allowed for great character development for Beckett and Ella and a good build up of the relationship between them. The story is very rich and layered with a complicated plot. I would definitely recommend it.
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 3/5 | Romance 5/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 4/5 | Humor 0/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 4/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 3/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
The author has such a way with words. It was interesting how she created a link between the past and present using the letters. I also loved the pace of the story telling. It allowed for great character development for Beckett and Ella and a good build up of the relationship between them. The story is very rich and layered with a complicated plot. I would definitely recommend it.
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 5/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 3/5 | Romance 5/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 4/5 | Humor 0/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 4/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 3/5
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2019
I just finished this book, and I am a crying, slobbering mess, and I don’t think I can write a review. Maybe in a few days, or weeks or maybe never.
Highly recommended, just make sure you have a mega box of tissues!
Highly recommended, just make sure you have a mega box of tissues!
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