This was a very emotional, heartbreaking and heartwarming story. It was wonderful.. I thought about it for days after I finished it and really, really wish the author would consider a sequel. The characters are engaging and the story line, while a bit on the sad side, was completely engrossing. There is lots of potential for a sequel.

Kara is a single mom of twins in Telluride, Colorado, running a resort she inherited from her grandmother. Ryan, Kara's brother, is Special Ops and away most of the time. Their parents are both dead and they only have each other and the twins as family. When Ryan is killed in battle, Kara is devastated as she deals with her grief and her daughter Maisie's cancer diagnosis at the same time. But Kara has a pen pal, Chaos, a fellow Special Ops friend of Ryan's, who will do anything to help his best buddy's sister out.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Rebecca Yarros and the publisher Entangled Publishing for a free ARC. I loved this book and strongly recommend it. This is my honest opinion.

This novel is very well informed about all the medical matters that form a background to the story of the lovers, family and friends of the narrator. Very emotional..

An engaging, emotionally charged book that truly does give the reader a romp through every emotion they have!

Het moment dat ik zag dat ik dit boek kon aanvragen heb ik het meteen gedaan! Helaas ging er hier en daar wat mis met de communicatie en had ik hem pas afgelopen donderdag. Maar dit boek is echt niet weg te leggen!

De achterflap:
Maar voor mij was het genoeg om te weten dat dit boek een ugly cry boek zou worden, dat dit boek prachtig zou zijn en dat ik het absoluut wilde lezen.
Deze geeft natuurlijk niet heel veel weg, je weet dat er een last letter is geschreven, dat degene die hem ontvangen heeft gevraagd wordt om de zus van de overledene te helpen en that’s it. Maar voor mij was het genoeg om te weten dat dit boek een ugly cry boek zou worden, dat dit boek prachtig zou zijn en dat ik het absoluut wilde lezen.

Mijn mening:
Ik heb hier wat uurtjes slaap voor ingeleverd….maar dit boek was het echt dubbel en dwars waard! Wat een ongelooflijk mooi boek. Ik had natuurlijk best verwacht dat het een heftig boek zou zijn, maar de heftigheid waarmee dit boek mijn leven binnen raasde had ik niet verwacht.

Het verhaal begint heel mooi, met brieven en een blik in het leven van de twee hoofdpersonen. Beide hebben ze het niet makkelijk en beide hebben ze al een verleden. Het enige wat je als lezer hoopt is dat de twee bij elkaar komen, want de brieven aan elkaar zijn zo mooi!

Bij 10% zat ik al te huilen, zo heeft dit boek mij geraakt, er was maar zo weinig nodig om mij te laten huilen. Wat ik mooi vind aan de schrijfstijl van deze auteur is dat het heel echt voelt, natuurlijk is dat bij het militaire stukje omdat ze zelf een man in het leger heeft. Maar wat betreft de andere verhaallijn is dit ook gewoon zo. Ik twijfel nergens aan het feit of wat ze schrijft wel klopt.

je voelt een glimlach op je gezicht komen…..En dan BAM wordt je van je roze wok gemieterd en man wat heb ik gehuild
Het middenstuk van het boek is ook echt een rollercoaster aan emoties, je lacht, laat een traan en wordt boos. Je ergert je aan de manier waarop de twee hoofdpersonen om elkaar heen draaien maar je slikt het. Want je weet gewoon zeker dat het goed gaat komen! Uiteindelijk kom je dan bij die laatste 10 procent, het leven is mooi, je voelt een glimlach op je gezicht komen…..

En dan BAM wordt je van je roze wok gemieterd en man wat heb ik gehuild, ik durf met recht te zeggen dat ik nog nooit zo gehuild heb bij een boek als bij dit boek. Het einde is zo rauw, zo hartverscheurend en zo goed!

Ik heb eigenlijk alles al gezegd, hartverscheurend mooi dat is wat dit boek is!
Tot slot moet ik het even over Beckett hebben, want ik heb al een heel aantal bookboyfriends verzameld, maar ik geloof dat ik nu wel de ultieme bookboyfriend heb gevonden! Misschien is hij niet perfect maar man hij heeft echt mijn hart veroverd. En de meeste mannen waarover ik gelezen heb, verbleken bij deze hoor!

Mijn conclusie:
Ik heb eigenlijk alles al gezegd, hartverscheurend mooi dat is wat dit boek is! Zodra je aan dit boek begint weet je dat het je gaat breken maar je neemt dat voor lief! Zorg er in ieder geval voor dat je heel veel zakdoekjes bij de hand hebt als je dit boek gaat lezen!

The Last Letter is such a heart wrenching and beautiful novel. It’s a novel of love and loss. I soaked up every minute of this and I’m so thankful to have read it.

OMG--this book. It absolutely killed me. It's a beautiful story about inner strength, grieving, moving on, second chances, and love in all its forms. This review is going to be light on details--but trust me, you're going to want to find them all out for yourself in real time, and I don't want to take that opportunity away from you.

All I'm going to say is I cried almost as much as I laughed out loud, and I swooned just a little more than I sighed in despair. Ms Yarros definitely knows how to tug at your heartstrings, and she does it over and over again here. There were times I had to put the book down for a few minutes--sometimes because my heart was just too full, and other times because I was afraid she was going to go there. (Spoiler: she did, at least once. It's brutal.)

The letters--all of them, last or otherwise--are brilliant; perfect complements to each chapter.

Do yourself a favor: read this one ASAP...but not until you buy yourself an extra-large box of tissues (or two. Or seven..)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I was too excited for this book and it wasn't in the end what I expected!It was emotional most of the time, an I find the way the story was told brilliant!With the letters so unique and original.

“Is this what it feels like?” he whispered so quietly that I leaned down. “What it feels like?” I asked. “Having a dad?”

The ending is more bittersweet than happy an this was my biggest problem!

Wow!!! I knew The Last Letter was going to be emotional but it gutted me. I love Rebecca and her writing, she makes you feel like your actually living the story right along side the characters. I sobbed for every single character in this book. I don't my eyes ever dried while reading. Amazing book!!

I loved The Last Letter! Set in Telluride, Colorado, present day. Beckett has come to honor the request that his best friend, Ryan, made in his “last letter” (see book description).

First off, I loved the main characters, Ella and Beckett! Ella is fiercely independent and has already suffered a lot in her life. Beckett is extremely loyal. If he says he’s going to be there for you, nothing is going to stop him. I love strong, loyal men! He’s also very handsome, and an all-around good guy.

Second, I adored Ella’s kids, Maisie and Colt! The cutest kids ever. But sadly, Maisie has cancer, a rare form. She is incredibly brave through it all, and Colt is so good to his sister. They have that twin bond that can tell when something is wrong with the other.

Ella and Beckett are made for each other! Their romance is nicely paced, and trust is built. I really like that they don't meet and jump into bed. But there are some mature scenes if you’re not into that.

Oh, and how can I forget to mention Havoc! Havoc is Beckett's military special ops dog. She retired with Beckett because she wouldn't work with anyone else. They have a special bond. Havoc is a cool dog and is fantastic with Maisie and Colt.

The Last Letter was definitely an emotional read. So grab your tissues because it has all the feels!

4.5 Stars

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

Before you even crack up this book, go wash off your makeup, get an entire box of tissues, and don’t read in a public place. YOU WILL BE CRYING. Within the first fifty pages I was already a heartbroken mess on my bedroom floor covered in used tissues. Be prepared!

The Last Letter is one of those emotionally gripping books that will stick with you for a long time, after its rendered you speechless and tore your heart from your body in the most amazing way possible. I’m not going to lie. I’ve always been a sucker for these types of books. As a kid, I was always the first to dive into the latest release from Lurlene McDaniel, even though I knew it would give me a book headache, and big puffy eyes the entire next day at school. I craved the emotions that lay between the pages, and was so impressed that an author could bring out those types of feelings with her words. Rebecca Yarros is no exception to that rule.

The Last Letter is the story of Ella, a young mother of twins who is fighting the battle of a lifetime, while grieving over her the loss of her brother. During her brother’s time in the military, she wrote letters to not only him, but his fellow soldier, Chaos. When Ella’s brother dies, he sends Chaos one last letter to have him look out for his sister. However, Chaos is so caught up in his feelings of betrayal and defeat for the death of Ella’s brother, that he doesn’t tell her who she really is, instead letting her believe that Chaos is also gone.

This book is so much more than a romance. It will pull you into the pages, and wrap around the pieces of your heart, and make you feel down to your very soul. Rebecca Yarros has truly written a masterpiece, and deserves every bit of praise that she receives for this book. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved this book, even as it left me in shambles. This is a book that EVERYONE needs to read, whether you’re a reader of romance or not. I cannot gush about this book enough, and everything that I feel for it. In order to truly understand, one needs to read The Last Letter!

Excellent book. This is a top favorite for this year. It's heartbreaking AND beautiful. It's a book that just because you finish it, it still will stay with you. I was engrossed from beginning to end. I give it 6 stars and a strong recommendation. A definite must read!

Grab your tissues. This one rips your heart out when you least expect it. Being a military sister a spouse and a mother made this story resonated within my very soul. The charcters became real to me and I felt their losses and rejoiced in their accomplishments, I smiled through tears as miracles formed. I did not expect the story to be so real and to hit so close to real life. I loved everything about this story. And I can not wait to read more from Rebecca. This story for me should come with a trigger warning. I was not prepared for the huge military trigger it had on me. However I kept reading. I was so enthralled with the plot and story line, that I didn’t go to sleep until I finished every single page at 3 a.m. I recommend this book whole heartedly.

Fans of Nicholas Sparks will enjoy this romance, definitely a tear jerker twist which was not predictable. The characters were well developed as was the progression of the story.

I finished this book not to long ago and I have to say I have the absolute worst book hangover as a result. This book will pull at all of your emotions a thousand times over.

I have to say, I am actually pretty speechless right now because I have no idea how to adequately share my feelings for this story without spoilers. I want people to be able to go into this one by only reading the blurb and nothing else. Trust me, going into this book with very little storyline details will only add to the reading experience. Rebecca really took the time to make this story beautiful and believable. She gave her characters so much depth, and as each layer peeled away, it was harder to put the book down. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find a discussion group for this book pronto.

3,5 Stars

The excitement of reading a book all your book buddies are reading is a feeling only a true reader would understand so when my wish was granted to read this I was beyond thrilled! The reviews I’d heard said it had all the emotions of a book I love as well as heartbreak, beautiful friendships and brilliant character development. I haven’t read this authors work before so I’m was keen to jump right in!

I do love a strong, independent female protagonist and Ella does not disappoint. Wow, this girl has been through it and some! She’s currently bringing up two young children on her own and running a business she inherited from her grandmother. She’s suffered the loss of family members, abandoned by her husband and yet she still manages to do the very best she can by her children wanting to offer them the very best. You can’t help but love her. However, just when life seems to be turning a corner she suffers yet another loss and devastation. In steps, Beckett, a friend of her brothers who has been sent to help. But is Beckett just what she needs or yet another disappoint?

“Sometimes I think I don’t really know you,”
“You might not know much about my past, but trust me, you know me, and that’s more important.”

Beckett like Ella has suffered throughout his life but he finds solitude in army life. He’s been bounced around the foster care system as a child but builds a successful career as a dog handler. The army has provided structure and routine to a life he didn’t have before. He’s mentally strong, loyal, kind and trusting but can Ella allow herself to rely on what Beckett is offering? We certainly can’t blame her knowing how much she has been let down before. What I adored about Beckett is he never stopped trying! He made a promise to his best friend and nothing was going to stop him fulfilling it.

‘Although I couldn’t’ tell her, I loved this woman. I would take on armies for her, kill for her, or die for her. There was no truth greater than that.’

My tears started to fall reading the letters interspersed throughout the story; hence the book name. They provided such emotion and feeling from Beckett and Ella. They gave insight into their thoughts and also their deepest fears. This story is ultimately about life and just how cruel it can be but also how love can make such a difference to lives. All credit to the author too with her detail about army life, she certainly has done her homework as it comes over authentic.

Towards the latter part of the book I felt an eerie feeling which made me somewhat nervous reading on and it wasn’t long before my fears were confirmed. At this part the story felt like the characters had suffered enough and I couldn’t help but feel let down. For me, it just felt unnecessary. I love highly emotional reads and do not shy away from any kind of story arc but this for me felt way too much. If you looking for a story that has all the feels then I think this will be the story you can immerse yourself in until the very last page!

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:

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.

Reading this book was like getting punched in the stomach, over and over and over again. Surprisingly enough, I liked it anyway thanks to delightful characters and adept storytelling.

The premise of this book has been done before: tortured war veteran goes home to take care of the family of his military buddy/best friend. Only this time, there were more layers, and a more compelling story.

Ryan MacKenzie may have had a grand plan in mind when he talked his younger sister into writing his buddy “Chaos” - it was equally as beneficial for Ella to have someone to write as it was for Chaos to receive. When Chaos writes her letters in return, they share their thoughts and feelings, freely and without judgement, and a deep, long-distance friendship is formed.

When Ryan dies, Chaos - Beckett Gentry - receives Ryan’s last letter asking him to go to Colorado and take care of Ella and her six year old twins. So he does, but as expected, his arrival isn’t initially welcomed. But Ryan was right. Ella had far too many heavy things in her lap for someone so young, and desperately needed someone by her side.

Beckett was the absolute best part of this story. I loved how the author didn’t take the usual route with his characterization. He was definitely manly, but wasn’t over-the-top “alpha” in his behavior. When he explained he didn’t swear because “Someone once told me that swearing is a poor excuse for crap vocabulary. It makes you look low class and uneducated. So I stopped.” I started loving him. He was gentle, kind, and OH SO patient with Ella (and I’m not gonna lie, his forays into dirty talk made my knees weak). His love for Colt and Maisie was heart-meltingly sweet, and his determination and commitment to love this family unconditionally - that wasn’t even his - was unbelievably heartwarming.

I loved Ella as well. She was strong and determined, but best of all she didn’t act like a dolt just because Beckett was incredibly good looking and nice. Sometimes it was a little frustrating how much she pushed Beckett away, but I could understand it. The author did an excellent job not pounding that point to death and moved the story along at an almost breathtaking pace, which is quite a feat for such a long book.

I also loved how Ella and Beckett's relationship progressed at a realistic pace (no insta-love here, HOORAY!!!), without them letting hormones rule their behavior. The conflicts between them were also dealt with realistically without unnecessary angst or drama. Really, there was nothing about their relationship that wasn’t romance story perfection. From Beckett’s patient pursuit, to Ella’s acceptance of his love, their love story was beautiful.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how cute Maisie and Colt were. They provided much-needed levity in a book that was otherwise crushing in its seriousness.

Because at its root, The Last Letter is a story about learning to love and lean on those who have been placed in your life to help you deal with the trials life throws your way. This book starts with Ryan’s death, and things just keep getting piled on higher and higher. Not only do both the hero and heroine have baggage from their pasts that affect how they deal with each other, but Beckett has the expected issues from combat and Ella is a single mother, has a struggling business to run, and then has another extremely stressful situation heaped on her and her children.

Then, as if the whole book wasn’t heartbreaking enough, the author decides to give the reader one last swift kick - with steel-toed boots - in the gut just as the book is getting to the end. Having read reviews I knew something devastating was coming, but I wasn’t truly prepared for it. And I didn’t like it. Seriously, have these sweet, wonderful people not experienced enough???

The book could have completely recovered with a five star rating, though, if we’d had a more extensive epilogue. Don’t get me wrong - I liked the epilogue. But after all Ella and Beckett went through, I would have liked to see more of their happily-ever-after - a LOT more - than just being told everyone moved on and was healed and happy. I feel like after surviving the gut wrenching forced on the reader, it’s the least the author could have given us as a reward for making it through!

This is SUCH an exceptionally well-written story, and I don’t believe I’ve ever said that about a book that took me over a week to read. But I couldn’t ever read more than a couple chapters at a time. I read to escape from life, and there was just too much real on those pages. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. But know you’re gonna be emotionally shredded by the story. Know you’re gonna need lots of Kleenex. Brace yourself and wade in. As long as you know what you’re in for, I don’t think you’ll be sorry you did.

* thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC/Entangled: Amara for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review

I was struck dumb by the incredible story that Rebecca Yarros has put together. Speechless. So much so that it’s taken me months to form my thoughts into words. Here’s why you really MUST read The Last Letter.

The old adage “write what you know” definitely applies to Rebecca Yarros and her writing. She has created some of the most supremely real and heartbreaking stories I’ve ever read, and this one is no different. In fact, I’m pretty sure its her masterpiece.

The Last Letter is the story of Ella MacKenzie and Beckett Gentry and the people they both call family. He is her brother’s best friend and brother in arms. When the war claims Ella’s brother, Ryan, Beckett finds himself doing everything he can to fulfill his best friend’s wishes. Ella needs someone to lean on as she keeps everyone and everything else going full steam ahead, and all Ryan asks is for Beckett to go be a solid force for her to find strength.

I first discovered Rebecca Yarros’ writing with Wilder and the Renegades, so I’m still making my way through all the great books that make up her back catalog, but the one thing I know about her writing is to always prepare for tears. Especially if there’s a military man involved. Little did I know that she had her most emotionally traumatic story still up her sleeve.

The Last Letter has stuck with me since the day I finished it. I’ve spent a LOT of time thinking about its hero and heroine and all the things they endure as the book goes on. Every time I thought she had broken my heart for the last time, Rebecca came back with one more gut punch. But that’s what a good book is supposed to do. It’s supposed to make you feel.

And there is absolutely zero shortage of feelings associated with this book. I have been through all the stages of grief, along with about 1,000 stages of happiness, and also anticipation and worry and disbelief and pure, pure joy. This is the kind of book you start on a rainy Saturday morning and spend all day cuddled up with. Just make sure you keep a cozy blanket and the tissues handy. You’re gonna need them.

Ella is a great heroine. She’s a little stubborn, a lot independent, and a fierce and ferocious mama bear, desperate to keep her little ones safe from anything that could do them harm. That includes any man that shows up with intentions of wooing her. While Beckett’s initial motive is to fulfill Ryan’s last wish, Ella is too much of a force of nature for him to resist her pull. He enters her orbit and is lost to her gravity, even if she pushes him away with equal fervor.

Beckett is kind of the perfect man… with a flaw or two, of course. He is ready to uphold his end of the bargain and be there for Ella and the kids even after things don’t go his way. He betters their lives in infinite ways. I honestly kept reading his chapters and falling more and more in love with him. Ella never stood a chance. Hell, I’m impressed she resisted him for as long as she did.

I hope all the talk of tears and sadness doesn’t keep anyone from reading this story. There’s so much hope and laughter in The Last Letter, and while the sad parts do pack a punch, so does the happiness. I love that no matter what comes their way, neither Beckett nor Ella ever say quit. They both know what it’s like to lose, so their determination is all the more heartening and reassuring.

I can’t wait to see this book explode onto the scene. It’s an absolutely fantastic read and a heartbreaking, realistic portrayal of romance, military life, and the things that life hands you that you are never quite prepared for. I can’t imagine a world without this story.

The Last Letter is available now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, and Book Depository. Don’t forget to add it on Goodreads, too!

“I’d forgotten what this felt like.”
“Being hugged?” My voice was sandpaper-rough.
“Being held together.”
***

THE LAST LETTER was one of those stories I couldn’t wait to get back to and one I hated being away from. It stole what ever free time I had. THE LAST LETTER was absolutely amazing, 100% heart wrenching, and had me finishing it with probably the biggest ugly cry a book has brought me to in years.

I won’t say this book ends with a happily ever after, but it does end with an ending that you will never see coming. And ending that will leave you remembering it’s tale long after its done. My heart couldn’t handle the last few pages as I struggled to read through the tears. But I finished with a sad smile on my face and hopeful happiness in my heart. So while it wasn’t fully happy, the ending left me with hope that all would be fine for these wonderful characters in time.

Yarros, you are a brilliant woman and your words have taken my breath away. This story of yours is a beautiful favorite on mine now and I know my heart will never be the same. I can only imagine the emotions you stumbled through as you created this incredible read had to be doubled. So thank you for writing it.

5 Gut Wrenching, Heart Breaking, Love Inspiring Stars!

CW: pediatric cancer, grief, death of a loved one

There are three things you need to know about this novel:
1. It has a major pediatric cancer subplot. Since you probably want to know: <spoiler> the death of a child. However, it's not the child with cancer. It's her twin brother.</spoiler>
2. If you like Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picoult novels, you might like this.
3. This was marketed to me as a contemporary romance and while it technically meets those requirements, I’m not convinced it is or that the Happily Ever After is real because of what happens in this story.

Additionally, before I address why this book did not work for me, you need to know I would not have agreed to an advanced copy if I’d known there was a pediatric cancer storyline in it. I used to be a pediatric oncology/hematology social worker. I have also walked alongside dear loved ones whose children have had cancer. This is a world I know very well and most authors get it so wrong. This was proved true once more with this book.

I wish so badly Yarros had given us what I thought I was getting: a military romance with an epistolary literature framing device. That part of the story was strong. The letters Ella and Beckett exchanged while he was deployed were touching, banal, funny, real. We get the letters out of order, which was a nice touch. If the story had simply been Beckett coming to help Ella out after her brother is killed in action, I might have enjoyed this one. Although it’s just as possible I might not have, as Beckett decides to hide his true identity from her and I tend to hate lie of omission plots. Indeed, I really struggled with his decision.

But for me the hardest part by far was the misinformation about pediatric cancer and the emotionally manipulative plot. In the acknowledgments, Yarros says she based Maisie’s cancer timeline on her friend’s child’s experience and she also discussed following cancer blogs and forums. Let me say two things about this. First, if what happened to Maisie is exactly what happened to this other child, their pediatric cancer team failed them. I highly doubt that. No team is perfect but I can’t imagine any children’s hospital not rising to the occasion, just as my own team did.

Second, and this could get dicey so I’m using my words with care, pediatric cancer blogs and forums are not the best source of information. There’s a reason I’m leery of most family fundraisers unless I personally know the child or family. It’s not clear whether Yarros interviewed any medical professionals—they’re not thanked in the acknowledgments.

My guess is she heightened and dramatized these experiences because she thought it would make a better story. However, this is why she lost me. I abhor being emotionally manipulated. There’s a world of difference between authors who ask themselves “How can I tell the best story?” and those who ask “How can I make readers cry?”

There were so many medical inaccuracies, it’s not worth examining them all. A diagnosis and prognosis conversation would have never happened that way. School attendance would have already been addressed by Maisie’s team. Ella would have talked with the school liaison and a plan would be in place. I can’t imagine any principal behaving the way this one did. Most schools are understanding and accommodating, especially when the child is in kindergarten. Any financial concerns would be addressed by the social worker at Children’s. And the hospital would also have people who could help Ella figure out the insurance issues. Treating cancer is expensive, no doubt about it. But there are better options than Ella and Beckett committing insurance fraud.

Speaking of Ella’s financial woes, it made even less sense that she never received child support from Jeff. No matter how brief the marriage was, he was responsible for those kids and he should have at least paid up. And then when Beckett essentially strong arms money out of Jeff, Ella goes ahead and rips up the half million dollar check. This made no sense. All she does is worry about her debt and she rips up the check because of misplaced pride?

This book is like a Hallmark or Lifetime version of grief. Packaged and in no way approximating reality. But also infuriating because after the spoiler events occur, Ella essentially says, “Maybe it was always supposed to happen this way.” No one who has ever lost a child would ever say this. It’s an insult to grieving parents everywhere.

The death of a child is incredibly stressful on even the most committed relationship. Given the ups and downs of Ella and Beckett’s new relationship, I’m not confident they’ll stand the rest of time. And giving them an HEA so soon after the death of a child is insensitive at best, offensive at worst.

CW: pediatric cancer, death of a child, death of a loved one, grief, references to war, killing, and violence, past foster care experience, past death of parents, problematic discussion of unexpected pregnancy/abortion, problematic line stating: “I knew he liked his coffee like he liked his women, black and strong.”