The Last Sailor: A Historical Novel of Cape Cod

by Sarah Anne Johnson

"There is real life in Sarah Anne Johnson's new book, and genuine family drama too, all grounded in an authoritative evocation of old Cape Cod's waterways, marshes, and waterfront towns. The Last Sailor is memorable, clearly seen, and deeply felt."―Jon Clinch, author of Marley and Finn From the author of The Lightkeeper's Wife comes a poignant and powerful historical novel about grief, redemption, and brotherhood set on the shores of Cape Cod. Cape Cod, 1898: All that Nathaniel Boyd wants is to be left alone. His hopes of marriage died years ago, not long after the storms and the seas and the sails took away his youngest brother. He'd rather be in the marshes of Cape Cod, with their predictable rhythms and no emotion. The Cape doesn't blame him for the accident. The other Boyd brother, Finn, dives headlong into his fish trading company, trying to prove something to himself. When their father asks the brothers to sail a schooner down from Boston to their harbor village, he didn't expect them to bring back a young girl fleeing her home, much less a girl who slips off the boat and nearly drowns. The Boyd men take Rachel to the nearest home to the harbor―that of Nathaniel's first love, Meredith. As Rachel's recovery brings Nathaniel back into Meredith's world, nothing will be the same. And when their father dies and upends the world as they know it, Finn spins into a violent rage. Nathaniel will be forced to sail his own ship, taking command of his family and of his future. For fans of Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris and Lost Boy Found by Kirsten Alexander, The Last Sailor is the painful, but hopeful story of two boys scarred by the loss of their brother, and the men they know they must become.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2020

About the author

Sarah is the author of The Lightkeeper's Wife, The Very Telling, The Art of the Author Interview, and Conversations with American Women Writers. Her interviews appear in The Writer's Chronicle, Glimmertrain Stories, Provincetown Arts, and The Writer where she is a contributing editor. Her fiction has appeared in Other Voices, and she is the recipient of residencies in fiction from Jentel Artists' Residency Program and Vermont Studio Center. She has taught the Art of the Author Interview Workshop at Bennington College Writing Seminars MFA Program, Leseley University MFA Program, and at literary conferences.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Sailor take places in Cape Cod, 1898 and tells the story of brotherhood, grief and love. Nathaniel Boyd wants nothing more than to be left to himself and lives in the marshes of Cape Cod. After the loss of his youngest brother Jacob, the heartbreak that followed and the end of a serious relationship with a woman named Meredith, Nathaniel is in a bad head space. His brother, Finn Boyd runs a fish trading company and hopes to impress his father with his business sense.

Nathaniel and Finn's father asks his sons to sail a schooner from Boston back home. The brothers meet Rachel, running away from home and needing transport. Bad weather on their journey causes Rachel to go overboard. She suffers an injury and requires care. Her recovery ultimately brings Nathaniel back into Meredith's world.

I enjoyed this book. It was a slower read but I found the storyline an interesting one. Well written and very heartfelt. The family dynamics definitely had my attention though heavy at times.

Trigger warnings: rape

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my copy! The Last Sailor is now on shelves.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all deal with death in our own way and in a way it changes us. Changes who we are,our personality,our whole being.
This is a book of relationships. Relationships between a father and sons,brothers,sons,families.
Feelings come out,come to a head,it's about the cycle of grief disbelief,sadness,rage,mistrust,acceptance,trust,love. Things come full circle when peace arrives along with acceptance.

Pub Date 01 Nov 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nathaniel Boyd lives a solitary life on the marshes of Cape Cod after the death of Jacob, his youngest brother, years earlier. Nathaniel feels responsible for not being able to save Jacob when the storm hit the boat. Guilt and feelings of unworthiness lead him to walk away too from Meredith to whom he had been engaged. His other brother Finn, is aiming to prove himself to his father so he will invest in Finn’s planned shipping business. When their father asks the brothers to sail a schooner from Boston to their harbour village Nathaniel, though reluctant to be on a boat again, is finally convinced. Events take a very dramatic turn when they bring home Rachel, a seventeen year old girl and encounter difficulties at sea. Through the rescue of Rachel, Nathaniel comes back into contact with Meredith. But Meredith is married, so what hope is there of a future for them? When Nathaniel and Finn’s father dies, events spiral out of control in ways that affect not only them so many other people.
This is a story of family and tangled relationships. Not a fast moving story by any means but enough character introspection and interact to interest those who like character driven books. Pace does pick up towards the end, although I did feel the ending was a bit too abruptly resolved after the rest of the book. Trigger warning this book does include violence toward women and a rape scene.
An interesting atmospheric read about guilt, loneliness , love and family. Would be interested to read another book by this author.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt emotional drama on so many levels, between father and sons, between brothers, between families. The author blends and intertwines the story between the various relationships and characters perfectly; meshing grief, fear, love, anger, rage, longing, forgiveness, and finally peace.

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 1 out of 5]

You ever want to read something so much, then you get to it and it bores the britches off of you? Here it is!
I should add a star just because it out me to sleep.
Since I can't rare at zero stars, then that is where the 1 star comes in!

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cape Cod. 1898. Three brothers take their father's sailboat out into the bay, and the unthinkable happens. Jacob, the youngest one doesn't return with his brothers, and the effect of that death on a circle of people is the stuff of this novel.

There's Nathaniel, who becomes a hermit on a remote island. Phineas [Finn], pushes headlong into a fish market, hoping to convince their father that he has enough business sense to buy a fleet of ships. Nathaniel has loved Meredith since childhood, but she is now married to Theo. Rachel, a castaway who is saved from drowning by Nathaniel. Their father, who overshadows everything.

I read this EARC courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark and Edelweiss. pub date 11/17/20

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Sailor by Sarah Anne Johnson is a heartfelt historical novel of family, healing and love.

Nathaniel Boyd Sr. has high expectations of his sons Nathaniel and Phinneas "Finn".  Ten years ago, the death of his youngest son, Jacob, devastated their family.  In the intervening years, Nathaniel Sr. has become even more successful in business but his relationships with Nathaniel and Finn are strained.  He continues to hold out hope Nathaniel will finally take up the reins of his businesses. At the same time, Nathaniel Sr. continues to dismiss Finn's requests to help him begin a new business. After convincing his sons travel to Boston and sail back in an associate's schooner, all of their lives take startling turns.

Nathaniel retreated after Jacob's death. He broke off his engagement to his childhood sweetheart Meredith. He then moved onto the marsh and spends most of his time by himself. Nathaniel is content to earn enough money to live on and he sells fish to Finn. His relationship with Finn is strained and their only interactions take place at Finn's fish shop. Nathaniel rarely sees his father due to the pressure to return home and join Nathaniel Sr.'s businesses.   He reluctantly agrees to accompany Finn to Boston and he is very uneasy when his brother agrees to bring a stranger on board the schooner.

Finn is married with three young children.  His marriage is faltering under the stress of his long hours at work. He is constantly trying to prove himself to his father and he is resentful of his dad's refusal to help him with his dream of owning a fishing fleet. Everything becomes even more complicated after Finn takes on seventeen year old Rachel as a passenger on the schooner he and Nathaniel are sailing home.

Rachel is eager to start a new life after escaping from her miserable home with her father.  She is enjoying her journey on the schooner when the trip takes a decidedly dangerous turn. Safely rescued but injured,  Rachel is nursed back to health by Meredith.  During her recovery, she delights in spending time with Meredith and Nathaniel, whose love has not waned during their years apart. After leaving Meredith's house, Rachel tires of Finn's refusal to return her property. Rachel's final altercation with him is just the beginning of his rage-filled and increasingly violent attacks on those around him.

The Last Sailor is a family drama that is quite engrossing. The characters are well-developed with all too human frailties. The setting is richly detailed and springs vibrantly to life. The storyline is engaging and flows at an even pace. With a few unanticipated twists and turns, Sarah Anne Johnson brings this deeply affecting historical novel to a very satisfying conclusion.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow read, but don’t let that deter you because this book will keep plunging you into the depths of its pages! The male protagonist, Nathaniel shares his pain and grief, but his elation for the ocean and the Cape will resonate with your heart! He talks of his family dynamics and like all families one can relate.

Lost love, grief, protectiveness, hate, and emotional journey that will keep you turning the pages is what the author has done within the book. Her writing style has great flow and the characters have such depth of feeling that each sentiment is felt. There perspective and emotional state may be a written word, but you the reader are having that deep feeling.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a good drama!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

[Emily Hill · Rating 1 out of 5]

One Star because No Star isn't an option. One star acknowledges the book exists.

Here are my reviews as I posted them as I read:

This book crumbled apart faster than a Nature Valley granola bar in the bottom of a busy mom's purse.
__________

I no longer think this is one author but three, as the book has 3 parts and has gotten shockingly worse and disconnected with each new section.

•Sarah, author of Part I: Establishes enjoyable world, pretty scenery, interesting-enough plot to want to keep reading, despite the somewhat stunted/blunt writing. A writing style which I came to appreciate during a storm-at-sea scene, in which I had very little idea what was happening but the choppy writing made me feel the full effect of.

•Anne, author of Part II: Does not have a background in writing, but gave it her best shot. Was unclear on some of the specifics Sarah established in Part I world-building, did not care to refresh memory. Does not use pronouns, full-names only.

•Johnson, author of Part 3: Clearly has never written or read a book, including the first two parts of this one he's now been assigned (under desperation, I imagine) to write. Can not, will not read first half of book. Presumes he is commissioned to finish the end of a very bad romance, which, if likened to a style of art, would be "Tommy, age 6, Kindergarten (held back a year)".
__________

New drinking game: take a sip every time one of the 3 aforementioned authors uses the word "long" to describe a body part or body in entirety.

*drunk after 3 pages*
__________

I get that it's New England but between 3 authors you'd think one of them could come up with a different word from "pale" to describe EVERYONE'S skin. And "Meredith" was admiring her own "pale" arms in one scene, but was disgusted by her husband's "PALE PALE" skin, so evidently there are acceptable and unacceptable levels of paleness.

You might say her husband's skin was....beyond the pale.

__________

I was prepared to give this book 2 stars. I am now prepared to give it none stars.
__________

At this point I stopped leaving reviews just to finish the book and see if it redeemed itself in any way.

It did not.

The story became more bizarre and Johnson seems to be an expert in writing unnatural and unrelatable human reactions.

The character development, if it can be called such, felt shallow and bizarre. I feel no connection to any of the characters and felt weird whenever I was placed into any of their minds, the writing was so disconnected from anything relatable.

There were a few bits where the scenery was described well and I got glimpses of beauty of the setting in which the characters resided, but lack of description of character movements or unrealistic positions soon took me out of it (e.g. in one sentence a character was sitting at the table, and the very next sentence she was standing in the middle of the room).

Overall, the setting had potential that was not met, and the plot suffered more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese, and my mind had a hard time relating to any of the story or making any of it fit together.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Sailor by Sarah Anne Johnson
This was a very well written heartfelt story. I loved this book, so much more than meets the eye. The love, hate, greed, and loss felt by several of the characters was brought out in feelings and descriptions. I would not consider this a fast easy read, it is a slow simmering cup of coffee to be savored and enjoyed, not rushed.
The writing reminds me of William Kent Krueger, so much story to tell and you feel like you are right there walking beside the characters. I consider this a family saga of how misunderstandings and assumptions can go badly so quickly when anger takes over. Highly recommend for anyone that enjoys a slow burning story that reminds us of the true enjoyment of reading.
I want to thank Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest unbiased opinion. This is a 5-star review. Highly recommend.

[Mrs W Woodruff · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good read. Gave it a 4 because I did not like the ending.

I found the book because I needed to read a book with a Sailor…so this book fit the task.

It is a historical fiction, although not sure why, but it was a good read.

Nathaniel and his brother were sailors. They had lost their younger brother on the water. Nathaniel held himself responsible for not saving him and closed himself off to family and friends. He lived on the marsh alone. One day his father summoned him to sail with his brother Finn. It was during this trip he started to return to civilization and his first love.
But could he really ever forgive himself?

[Carolyn Russett · Rating 2 out of 5]

i was interested in reading the book since I live on Cape Cod . And I did appreciate the setting. The book fell short for me. It was avery slow start, and i didn't really feel connected to any of the characters. Rachel was indeed flirting with Finn while on the boat and I'm not sure how she wouldn't have thought he would have responded back (although he should have indeed taken her no's). Finn's character really flipped into bad behavior, that was hard to comprehend. None of the characters for that time period seemed to be logical. So just a so so read for me. sorry

[Rachel B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the setting (late 1800s in Yarmouthport) and this story started out strong. The feelings of bereavement and guilt over the death of a younger brother and how that impacted the older brothers’ relationships felt real. However, a little over halfway through things went amiss. The characters started acting in ways that made no sense and the story arc took an unrealistic turn. This could’ve been a really good book but missed the mark for me.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an exploration into relationships . . . a myriad of relationships. There are a lot of emotions experienced. You will feel grief, fear, anxiety, anger, and loss. While you travel through the pages with these emotions, the boat will finally come into port with forgiveness. A slow read that did not keep my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Clara Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading, because the setting is late 19th century Cape Cod, but was disappointed to learn little of the history of Yarmouth Port.The plot was intriguing , but at times details were unrealistic for the time period. The characters could have been more closely drawn.It was a light historical romance-a pleasant read.

[Karen Fong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathanial lost you get. Either in boating accident
Blamed himself and changed the course of his life.

Good read Couldn’t put down.
I can’t decide if it’s a “great” book though
Maybe lots of loose ends

Maybe just people hurt people
I guess this is about those who are finally able to move past that

[Norah Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: SA, Physical Attacks

The landscape of the novel is so vast and beautiful. The cape backdrop for a story full of loss, grief, found family, love, and fear of the unknown.
You come to be apart of the messy Boyd family and everyone they come in contact with.

This is definitely one of my favorite books of 2025.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story felt very dark to me, depressing in a bleak winter of COVID. If the guys could just crack a smile once and a while, talk to each other, and whistle or sing, let alone flirt with the girls, that would help!

[Ya'Lore Valim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the way the author described the scenery and emotion of this novel. It truly painted a picture in my mind as if I were amongst the world in which the characters inhabited. Seeing their interactions firsthand. It was a great read.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading books set on Cape Cod. I wanted it to be better.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! Loss, grief, love. A short historical fiction.

[Bree Janelle]

June 22, 2023

DNF- I couldn’t get past the many POV and time changes within one chapter. And then on top that the writing style was too poetic for me.

[Mary Mcintyre · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Too "nautically" for me. I gave it a one because it is well written. I am just not interested in reading it.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully and simply told