A couple of things.

1. I truly loved this book. I couldn't put it down and I read 70% of it in one day.
2. I'm a fan of Ms. Yarros and I truly believe this is the best book she has written.
3. I loved all of the characters, not one single thing wrong with any of them for me. Beckett is definitely one of my favorite male MCs ever and Ella...well how can you not love her. She's a strong and loving warrior momma. Colt and Maisey? LOVED them to bits.
4. I would've rated this book 5 stars easily except for one thing that just absolutely broke me and I can honestly say that I haven't felt that gutted in a very long time. At this point, I feel the need to tread very lightly but this plot point definitely took away some of my overall enjoyment of the book.

It's taken me quite a while to figure out what to say about this book and frankly, I'm still thinking about it...

Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse at Kindle Friends Forever

I am lost for words! Very occasionally, do I come across a read which simply takes my breath away; this one did much more than that. The prose in certain sentences and paragraphs was of such exquisiteness, I couldn’t have possibly moved on in the story without rereading them. This stand-alone romance is for me, women’s fiction at its very best. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful, compassionate and emotional, getting through the book without shedding tears I found impossible. My warning ladies; a man-sized hanky is a must because otherwise, you’ll find yourselves wiping your sniffles on your sleeve!

Letters from the heart are written. Whether they’re all received, read or even replied to remains to be seen. One of them will change a man’s life and here is where I stop. I want you to enjoy this book as much as I did, so I’ll try my hardest not to go into too many details. What I can say is Rebecca Yarros’ characters are stunning, ridiculously easy to connect to and if it were ever possible, I’d want them in my life. Having not had the pleasure of reading this author’s works and even though I’d read the synopsis, never did I expect Beckett Gentry and Ella MacKenzie’s journey to be so soul-searchingly crushing.

‘How much damage had been done to him through the years?’

Beckett is a man of few words. Not such a good communicator at the best of times, what I adored about him was he had no use bad language because all said and done, other words in the dictionary exist to express one’s feeling. And his efforts to do the honourable thing literally bowled me over. With a heart of gold and righteousness that goes above and beyond, he had me sitting back and thinking about how one can lose track of simple actions like thoughtfulness, making us a better person.

“I was good with confidence, but arrogance was a deal breaker. Arrogance got men killed...kids, too”

If there were ever an award for the best mum to be had, I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for Ella. Hardworking and strong-willed, her unwavering commitment to her twins is nothing less than exceptional. Honest to the core, lies have no place in her life. Unfortunately for her, they exist and when they come to light, the consequences are devastating. Questions arise and go unanswered so why then, is Beckett there by her side through thick and thin? Why so much secretiveness, who is he and where did he come from? I got the impression that the timing was all wrong at the beginning of their story; certainly, the geographics didn’t help matters.

“You’re not a big people person, are you?
“That obvious?”
“Absolutely.”

All unravels at a steady pace, but this is not to say I was overjoyed with what was happening. In fact, I was left speechless. But not in the respect that I felt saddened by anyone’s actions because in this story there is no room for judgment. Just the whole poignant past and present sorry state of affairs none of them had bargained for.

“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.”

Not only did I fall hard for Beckett and Ella, but my goodness me, the children. They stole the show, they squeezed my heart and Havoc! Dog lovers, you’re in for a real treat here. Given moments of sheer joy, I was fooled into believing that all was not lost when in fact, that safety net the author had shrewdly conjured up in my mind simply disappeared into thin air. Perseverance to overcome what was thrown the protagonists' way will make even the most hardened reader bawl their eyes out. But above all, the benevolent affection, the emotion that I literally lived from the first page to the last, showed me that true love has no boundaries whatsoever.

‘But the lies were woven in with the love, and that was the killer.’

Corner-cutting delicate health issues Yarros most certainly hasn’t done. She’s told it as it is with a frankness that’s quite alarming and at times, even before turning the next page to see what was or wasn’t going to transpire only seemed to add to my anxiousness. Every imaginable blow hits intensely. She’s woven a tale I, for one, will never forget and despite the ugly cries leaving me spent, her beautifully written words were narrated with the utmost graciousness.

‘I hadn’t been lying when I said I could kiss her forever. She was a thousand different kisses in one woman, the soft and tender, the deep and passionate, the hard and desperate. I never knew who I was taking in my arms, and yet they were all Ella.’

Five stars aren’t enough! That simple. Read this book; you won’t regret it. Bravo to the author and so looking forward to reading more of her works.

“Someone once told me that swearing is a poor excuse of a crap vocabulary. It makes you look low class and uneducated. So I stopped.”

Rebecca Yarros you are a truly talented writer. You ripped out my heart and put me back together again. I laughed, cried, smiled, swooned. Rooted for, cried some more, fell in love with this little family. Cheered, held my breath, and sobbed my eyes out all in the span of this novel. And a little piece of my heart was left behind with this book after I closed the last page.

Beckett and Ella are amazing, I have so much love for them. The twins, Maisie and Colt. Havoc. Ryan. Each one of theses characters and more made reading this story, worth every minute of my time.

This family, the love through each page, the unknowns and twists, the emotional ups and downs The Last Letter brings, make for a story you need to read. It was a constant struggle between never putting my kindle down and speeding through, to having to set the book aside for a few moments to take a breath, compose myself and jump right back in.

I have never cried reading a book as much as I did while reading The Last Letter. My heart hurts from the beautiful and painful journey this story has taken me on. But I will look back on this book for years to come and never forget each heartfelt, raw, deep, emotional poetic word that graced the pages of a novel that I am so glad to have read.

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is one of my top read for 2019 to-date. It was emotional and heartbreaking and completely consumed me. I am not even sure where to begin, except that this book left me drained in all the best ways possible. I cried and then cried some more and yet I could not stop reading.

Beckett and Ryan are best friends in the military. Ryan knows Beckett has no one in his corner, so he encourages Beckett to become pen pals with his sister. At first Becket is reluctant, but with time, he comes to enjoy the back and forth. When tragedy strikes, can Beckett step up as Ryan wants him too?

Ella is a very strong and determined and doesn’t like to ask for help, but sometimes a person needs it. She is raising her twins, trying to run a business and deal with some heavy personal issues all while trying to maintain her communication with Beckett. How much can one person take before it all becomes too much?

The emotional journey in The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros was raw and gritty and captivating. I felt the author’s heart and soul with every word I read. This book is so much more than a romance. It was about loss, heartbreak, family, and love. Two lost and broken people who might just be what the other needed. But can they survive everything hat life throws at them? I cannot recommend this book enough.

Future Reader of The Last Letter,
I want you to imagine a book that will change your heart forever. I want you to imagine a book that will open your soul wide open, and burrow itself within you in the most honest way. I want you to imagine a book with a story that will move and touch and evoke every single emotion you have. I want you to imagine a book that provides you with a reading experience that will physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally affect you on the deepest of levels.
I want you to imagine a book that will sear itself and its characters to you forever.
I want you to imagine a book that will immediately become one of the best books you’ve ever read.
I want you to imagine a book that is quite unlike any other you’ve read before.
Can you see it?
Can you feel it?
Can you imagine it?
Are you ready for it?
Because The Last Letter is that book I just described. Honestly, it’s more than just a book. It’s a full bodied experience. One you will live and breathe and feel every ounce of through Rebecca Yarros’s exceptional writing. From start to finish this book and its characters will take ahold of you with all that they have, and they will never let you go.
They will own you, they will move you and break you and build you up again, and in the end they will shatter you in the most eviscerating and wonderful way with their emotional power, their meaning, and their heart.
This book is one that you NEED in your life, it is a book that I will never forget reading, and it is hands down one of the BEST books I have EVER read. I can’t say any of those things enough. And if there’s something you take away from this review, besides that you should read this book, I hope it’s knowing that this book is unlike any other. It is in a true league of its own and deserves every accolade you can think of because what Rebecca Yarros creates and brings to life within the pages of this book is truly everything.
And I mean everything.
When I finished this book I did so with an ache in my chest and tears streaming down my face, which is how I actually spent much of my time while reading this incredible story. And you know what? I LOVE that that is the level of affect this book had on me. I love that this book made me cry until my tear ducts actually hurt. (I didn’t even know they could do that.) I love that this book, its story, and the emotional journey with these characters made my heart and chest literally ache for them. (Honestly, it’s still aching as I write this review.) I love that every word of this book and so many of the moments I got within it left me literally breathless at times. (That is not an exaggeration. Read this book, and you’ll understand what I mean.)
I love that this book tore me apart in ways I didn’t know were even possible, and how in the same breath it put those broken pieces of myself back together again.
There were times when reading The Last Letter that I felt broken. That I felt an insurmountable amount of pain with what was unfolding on the pages in front of my eyes. There were moments when I couldn’t even see the pages of what I was reading because I was crying so hard. There were times that that was because I was so happy or so moved, but there were also times that that was happening because I hurt and felt so much for these characters. There were so many times when reading The Last Letter where I wanted to jump in and hug these characters fiercely.
And you know what? I loved that. Because those were just some of the many things that showed me how extraordinarily and deeply connected I was to these characters and their story throughout this entire journey with them.
I felt this book. I lived it and breathed it too. Every word, every sentence, and every single page because of what Rebecca Yarros so thoughtfully and magnificently created with her writing.
Now I know I’ve gone on about the feels of The Last Letter, and I’ve probably scared you a bit (take a deep breath and don’t be scared!), but there’s something else I want you to know about this book….
It. Was. Beautiful.
Heartbreakingly, authentically, viscerally, touched every single piece of my soul, beautiful.
And I know there are many people who have read this book that might not agree with that particular adjective to describe it, but I honestly think it’s the most perfect adjective to describe The Last Letter. Because this book, its story, its characters, and every dynamic emotion it gives you are beautiful…because life is beautiful.
This book presents a love story that is authentic, real, messy, complicated, and layered, but it also simultaneously presents the most exceptional story of family, of friendship, of realities we never want to have happen, and of circumstances that sometimes come to be. The Last Letter is as much about the incredible love story of Beckett and Ella, as it is about their own struggles, their fears and doubts and worries, and the many overarching effects of what happens when life puts you on a path you never wanted to be on in the first place. It highlights the interweaving nature of life itself and how the connections that might threaten to tear us apart, might be the only thing that actually keeps us together.
This book is all of that and more, and it is beautiful.
So yes this book will bring you to your knees, it will make you ugly cry and question everything that comes to be for these characters and their love and their lives, but in the end it is gloriously beautiful because it is real. It is probably the realest story you will ever have the chance to read.
It is real and flawed, unfair and sweet, affirming and honest, amazing and crushing, shocking and debilitating, and everything in between.
It is life. And it is beautiful.
And you will feel that and know that and believe in that with this book every single step of the way.
Rebecca Yarros so eloquently and meaningfully captures the many dynamics of the realities and lives and loves she gives you in The Last Letter. Her words bring this world and her story to life in such a vivid way that will connect you so deeply and truly to her characters, their experiences, and everything that unfolds in this book. From start to finish you will be wholly consumed with what comes to life on the pages of this book and what it evokes in you and in these characters along the way.
If you haven’t caught on yet future reader, this is the part where I tell you that I won’t be telling you much more about The Last Letter. There are many reasons for that. I don’t want to spoil a single second of what you get in this book or take away from the phenomenal reading experience it will give you. I also honestly don’t feel as if I can do this story, these characters, or the events of this book the justice they deserve. My words just aren’t good enough.
But you know whose words give The Last Letter the justice it deserves?
Rebecca Yarros.
Her words make this book the exceptional thing that it is. Her words give you these characters and every facet of who they are. The good, the ugly, the broken, the trauma filled crevices and the cracks that are yearning for love and for more. Her words let you live the life of this book, and I promise you you have never lived like you will when you experience The Last Letter with Ella, Beckett, Maisie, Colt, and every other amazing character of this story.
So dear future reader, as I prepare to leave you, I want to say goodbye with a few parting thoughts.
The Last Letter is a book that will give you everything. And I do mean everything.
This book will shake you to your core, have you believing in endless power and meaning of all kinds of love, and will have you in the thick of glorious, unadulterated emotion with its characters through every word.
This book will most likely make you cry. It will make you feel. EVERYTHING. It’ll definitely have you feeling what these characters are going through on the most authentic of levels, and you will absolutely love it because it will have you in the heart of this book.
This book will give you one helluva love story. It will show you every up and down and in between of what Beckett and Ella share, and you will be beyond enamored with those two. Their journey together isn’t easy, but it is beyond worth it.
This book will give you a world and a story and a group of dynamic characters that you will never want to leave, but when you ultimately reach that end, just remember…every end is a beginning and nothing as remarkable or special as this book, ever truly ends.
This book will remind you that you are enough, that you can triumph over the many obstacles and struggles life may throw your way, and that life may break you and throw you through the wringer, but it can also bring you the most amazing joy and meaning if you let it and if you’re open to it.
So are you ready future reader of The Last Letter?
Are you ready to be amazed? To be made breathless? To feel it all and then some?
To live the life of this extraordinary book with these characters?
Are you ready to leap into this book heart first with an open mind and soul?
Are you ready to take that leap?
Don’t worry even if you’re not ready now, you will be. Just like I was. And when you take that leap, when you open those pages of this book, and when you begin to experience the literal amazingness of The Last Letter, it will be one of the most incredible reading experiences of your life.
So take a deep breath future reader. Open your eyes, grab some tissues while you’re at it, and fall into this book.
Heart first, soul open, and mind ready.
It would be wrong not to.
It would be wrong to miss out on The Last Letter and all it is waiting to give you.
Trust me.
One of the best books you’ll ever read is waiting for you…and that book is The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros.
With all my love and a heart that is still overflowing with love and feels from this book,
Megan

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros was the most beautiful, heart shattering book I have read in a very long time. A story of struggles, hope, lose, joy and appreciating all the little things in life.

I am not going to go into the plot line of this book any more than the synopsis does. Beckett accepts his last mission in life from his late best friend to help his sister with the poor hand her and her two children have been dealt. Together they go through bond forming situations that will change all their lives in some way.

Rebecca Yarros' writing is wonderful. emotion and feelings pour from the pages, you feel the characters joy and devastation. Ella is strong, brave and an absolutely amazing mother. I am not sure I would have been able to keep it together the way she did, she was the definition of inspiring when it came to her children. Beckett was loyal, caring, and for a man who didn't feel worthy of love sure knew how to give it to those who mattered. The twins, Maisie and Colt, held the story together like glue bringing some adorable and cherished moments to the story. These characters became family and I have nothing but good things to say about them.

The Last Letter is a story that will stay with you. There is honestly not one thing I disliked about the novel. Beckett, Ella, Maisie and Colt will burrow their way into your heart and stay there. A must read that I am going to recommend to every reader I know

I decided to not give this book any stars because I did not finish reading it. I would say that I've had this book since December and every time I tried to read it I simply could not get into it. I would force myself to pick it up, read it for a few minutes and then put it down to pick something else. I just couldn't connect with Ella or Beckett and I wasn't a fan of how the hero wasn't completely honest with the heroine. Then I decided to read the last few chapters and I'm happy I didn't become invested in the story as I would have been very disappointed with what I read (I still was). I won't say more because I don't want to spoil it for people and I hope this doesn't deter you from reading it because you may like it.

Overall I have been disappointed with Rebecca's last few books, I just loved the Flight & Glory series and they don't compare.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first book by Rebecca Yarros and all I can say is WOW!!! This book keeps you turning the pages and has twists you will never see coming!!! I look forward to more of her books!!! Read and enjoy!!!

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros was a story unlike any other book I have ever read before. It was so heartbreaking you will need tissues from start to finish. Beautifully written, Yarros delivers an emotionally riveting love story that will make your heart ache. 

“Thank you,” I said quietly, knowing he couldn’t hear me. “Thank you for her.” 

The Last Letter teaches you to never give up, even when there is only darkness. That no matter how many hurtles life hands you, you keep moving. It's also a story on friendship, knowing that you are worthy of love. 

Beckett and Ryan are best friends serving in the military together. Knowing that Beckett has no one back home, Ryan sets up his sister Ella as his pen-pal. Not long after Ryan is killed in action, and left one final letter to Beckett . . . take care of his sister. 

Ella is a single mother, struggling to find ends meet. Now that her supportive brother passed away, she is finding it hard to keep going. And life seems to want to keep throwing hurtles in her way, when her daughter is diagnosed with cancer. 

Beckett and Ella's friendship turns to love. He was there for El's when she had no one. He was her soft place to land, and a shoulder to cry on. He understood her pain, heartache, and softened the blow. 

This love story is not for the faint of heart. It's real. You see and feel what two people who have lost everything. It's raw, beautiful, and utterly captivating.

6 stars
My poor heart. My stinging eyes. This book tore me up! The blurb barely scratches the surface of this story. There is so much more involved. Anything could really be considered a spoiler so I am not going to address any of the plot. It is kind of a long book, but the pacing works well. It is a slow burn romance and there are time jumps throughout making it feel realistic. And as I sit here gathering my thoughts, I feel like I am in a book hangover and it is going to be hard to move on from this one.

Beckett Gentry has never felt good enough. He identifies himself with the term chaos who self destructs and destroys anything he touches. So he tries to remain detached and focused which is important in his special ops job. But one letter changed everything for him.

Ella is a young woman who has known struggle and heartbreak. And she is fighting every day for the things most important to her. She has never really had anyone she could count on so she is stubborn and fiercely independent. She has abandonment and trust issues. And she has priorities that do not include romance.

How they come in contact and what develops is just the springboard for an amazing, poignant story. It is about trust, hope, acceptance, love, family, and fate. It is not an easy journey. There are situations that cause pain, fear, hopelessness, and anger. And there are those that show how important it is to live each day with purpose and show those you love that you care.

I was full of tension through so much of the story. There are twists and turns...some I was anticipating as secrets were revealed and others that totally blindsided me. There is heartbreak and joy. It is truly a roller coaster of emotions. Before I knew it tears were coming from me, sometimes in happiness and other times in pain...and I am not usually one that cries in books.

I liked how their letters were weaved into the story giving even more insight. I was so captivated by these characters and this story that I hated to put it down. They are so well developed that they truly feel real. I experienced every bit of emotion along with them, and those feelings were all over the place.

This is about life. It can be wonderful, and it can be brutal. All you can hope is that the good outweighs the bad, and that you might be able to find someone to share it with.

I just adored Beckett and seeing the changes in him over the course of the book. I admired Ella even though she could also frustrate me at times. They were two people who had been broken down and were in need of trust and faith, but so afraid of believing in it. There were some definite scene stealers in the form of Maisie, Colt, and Havoc. And despite the sad situations, there is also love, laughter, and true connections. The dynamics of all of the relationships is a big part of what makes this book so special. I can't stop thinking about it. It will definitely be one of my top reads of 2019.

NOTE blog and social media links go live 2/26/19 at 645 am cst and links will be updated

This book. Sigh. This book. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve known about this book for a while. I’ve known it was going to be emotional. Which all of Rebecca Yarros’s books are, truth be told. But I love them anyway. I knew this one was going to be one to truly rip my heart out, shatter it into a gazillion pieces...yet somehow put it back together in the end. I wasn’t wrong. But I was NOT prepared for this book At. All.

Beckett and Ella are two very broken people, for very different reasons. He’s never really had a family, she’s lost almost all of hers. And now, losing one very precious member of all that is left is a very real possibility. They fall in for each other through penpal letters while he’s deployed. And as the reader, you fall in love with them through the letters as well. It’s a very uniquely written story, with subplots that are complicated, and multiple themes throughout the book.

I’ve loved this author’s writing from the second I started reading Full Measures and fell headlong in love with Josh Walker. So far, none of her male characters have made me love them more. Until Beckett. And maybe it’s just me, but Beckett is everything I hoped Josh would grow into at his age. Strong, caring...loyal to a fault. Ella is just fierce. But she struggles with so much guilt. When Beckett reminds her, “You are enough,” he’s not just giving her words and platitudes. I think all of us moms struggle with feeling like we’re never enough for all the people in our lives that need us. That we’re pulled in too many different directions and there’s just not enough of us to go around.

I read this book over 3 weeks ago and it gutted me to the point that I still don’t have the right words to tell you how wonderful, how amazing, this book is. I knew it was going to be amazing. I just didn’t know it would be THIS amazing.

So...do yourself a favor and grab it TODAY. And then don’t read it until you have enough time to read it in one sitting. Because you are NOT going to want to put it down until you reach The End!

NICUnurse’s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars for sure!

This is such a heartbreaking and wonderful story that got me hooked from the very beginning.

I very much like the author's writing style.

I do highly recommend.

I don't have the words to describe what Rebecca Yarros did to me. I just finished The Last Letter and I am not ok. My eyes puffy, my pillow is wet and my chest hurts. I'm rubbing my sternum with one hand and trying to type with the other.

I liked the idea behind this book. I even liked both characters. Flawed and lonely and struggling with their own pain and loss and life. But at times I felt like the author pushed too much with the suffering. Especially were Ella was concerned. But the backbone of steel on that woman was one to admire. She had more than her fair share of the ugly side of life thrown her way and with all the courage and grace she could muster she dealt with it. Not just for her but for her kids too.

A big part of that was thanks to Beckett. Who had never had a real home. And the only family he knew were his brothers at arms. But with Ella and her kids, he found something he never thought he would. Family. Love. Home. However, it was only a matter of time before his secret blew up in his face. He knew it would cost him everything but he did it because it was what Ella needed. His selflessness and bravery and sacrifice went beyond guilt and duty. It was who he was down to his core. A good guy who just needed someone to see that side of him.

Everything was moving forward in a positive way. The twins were thriving. The business was doing well. Then the bottom dropped out from under them again. And this is where it gets harder for me because that last tragedy this family had to endure slayed me. I found it senseless and unnecessary after they had already suffered so much.

As you can see, The Last Letter was hard for me to read. I had to put it down and walk away a few times. I have to commend Rebecca Yarros for making this book hard to swallow. For making it painful and showing the ugly side of illness and loss. But it wasn't all sadness and grief. There were some moments of carefree joy and sheer bliss. And you could feel the love jumping off the pages. Ella and Beckett's journey was hard and it hurt more than it was happy but it was also real and theirs.

It took me a while to read this book, because it's as emotionally devastating as it is amazing. I think I cried throughout most of the story. And while the author stomped on my heart, and left it lying on the sidewalk, there was a depth to the story, and a sincere, meaningful connection to the characters that is seldom seen in a romance novel.

The basic story is pretty simple. Two men serve in the military together, forming a bond. One has family, one does not. Since he doesn't have family, Beckett forms a "pen pal" type relationship with his buddy's sister back home. Seems pretty uncomplicated, right? WRONG! Beckett comes home, after loosing his friend, broken and alone. He has a letter from his friend, urging him to go to Ella, saying she will need him. Here is where the tears start. Ella has been dealt a hand that few can come back from. She has a strength of character that shows in everything she does, every choice she makes, every word she says. My heart hurts for her. I cried copious tears for her. And at the same time, I look up to her for her amazing grace handling life's devastating blows.

This book is absolutely one you will either love or hate. There is no in between. It is amazingly well written, a beautiful example of love, loyalty, and support. But it is also an emotional roller coaster that will not soon leave the reader. It isn't a light read, but rather a serious, slow burn romance that will stick with you long after you close the book.

Even though The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is just now coming out, it was still 2018 when I read it and it was honestly the best book I read all year. This book was written from the standpoint of someone who knows, who has been there and it shows.

At first glance, this appears to be a story about a single mom who loses her last bit of family to war and the buddy who was asked to watch over her small family. The more I read, the more I realized that this was more Beckett's journey than Ella's, especially the last half of the book.

I am going to attempt to tread carefully here because I do not want to spoil anything, however, you will definitely want to have your tissues near you as you read. I am not a crier, but I had ugly tears at one point of this book. I was at work and was pretty inconsolable for a short while. Because it is sad, yes, but also because it is just so stunning and beautiful.

Ella's journey is filled with rocky uphill battles but she demonstrates the strength of the human spirit. Ella and her children, Colt and Maisie, are such incredible human beings. This whole book is packed with their resilience and indomitable joy in the face of overwhelming adversity. The reason I say that this is more Beckett's book than Ella's is because he is there to witness and learn from this small family.

After all the horrors of war and losing his best friends, Beckett really has little drive to do much more than fulfill his friend's last request. It is through watching Ella and her children spread joy and continue to pursue their dreams despite roadblocks, that Beckett begins to come alive. He realizes that life does go on and that he can have a hand in how it is experienced. He begins to see that he can have joy in his own life, even after the his incredible loss.

I do not approve of the way that Beckett hides some truths from Ella. I do appreciate that it needed to be done, but I just had to say it.

I loved this book from beginning to end and I'll recommend it until my dying day. This book is life-changing and I'm a better person for having read it. Thank you, Rebecca for sharing this amazing gift with us.

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros will take you on an emotional ride you will not soon forget. Few books will touch your soul like this book will. I unquestionably and completely fell in love with this book and at the same time struggled with it. It will pull at your heart until it is completely shattered and then put it back together. I will remember The Last Letter for a very long time, and it may be one of the few books that I would read more than once.

The Last Letter is very well written in such a unique way. The story is told from a dual point of view, but what makes this book stand out is the letters. The two main characters, Beckett and Ella, write letters to each other and those letters are flawlessly woven into the story thus becoming the heart and soul of the book. The Last Letter would be categorized as a romance, but it is so much more than that. Of course, it has an incredibly strong and silent type alpha male, who I completely fell for — and I have a feeling you will too. Beckett is broken, but watching him transform into an amazing man is a sight to behold. The best way I can describe Beckett is, he is a man who fears a life with love and family and longs for it at the same time.

Ella, our heroine, is an independent, and beautiful but also broken. She has been dealt with some tough losses in her life, but she is also blessed with her twins, Maisie and Colt. Her whole world revolves around making a life for her twins, keeping the family business afloat, and the letters from Chaos. These letters are just for her. And through these letters, Chaos works his way into her heart, and at the same time, her letters work their way into his heart. Until tragedy strikes. It's best for me to stop there, no spoilers for this review.

I found it very hard to review this book, I feel that I just don't have the words to do it justice. The range of emotions I experienced while reading this book went from happy and joyful to sobbing with big fat tears rolling down my face. The author takes us on a journey from the harsh and cruel battlefields of Afghanistan to the beautiful town of Telluride Colorado. The main themes of family, unconditional love and forgiveness are so very beautifully intertwined throughout this book. The incredible pilgrimage the author takes these two lost, broken souls on decimated me to my very soul, but the faith and love they were able to find in each other, in turn, left me with a sense of hope. When I finished this book and stopped sobbing, I felt an overwhelming need to hug both my boys and never let go. Ms. Yarros is an incredible storyteller. I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned you will definitely need a box of tissues, and maybe some comfort food nearby.

***I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion .**

Hands down one of the best books I have read in recent years. Full of romance, action, and even some suspense. Prepare yourself though. The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is going to take you on an emotional rollercoaster that will change you forever.

I had never heard of Rebecca Yarros and I don’t typically lean towards romance, even though I’m not against it. I usually prefer young adult or mystery. I try to spread my wings every once in a while and take in something I wouldn’t typically pick up and The Last Letter struck my eye.

It follows the story of Beckett Gentry and also that of Ella Mackenzie. Ella is a single mom of twins, runs a resort lodge in the mountains of Telluride, and has faced countless tragedies in her life. Beckett Gentry is special ops in the military alongside Ella’s brother, Ryan. He has no connections. No family. No where to call home. Just his ops group in the military, the closest thing he has to family. But when tragedy strikes, he finds himself going to Ella to follow through with a promise. What comes next is an emotional smack to the face.

First I want to point out the writing. Rebecca Yarros writes so well, I have zero negative things to say about her. The story flows smoothly with no moments of “boredom” I tend to find in a lot of books. Even if the books are great, there is always a lull. Never a lull in The Last Letter. Her characters are relatable. Ella is my spirit animal. As a single mom I felt bonded with her from the beginning. Beckett is basically a dream, but he has his darkness inside as well, which makes him even more interesting to read. All the supporting characters in this story bring it to life even more and play their own role. It would not be what it is without them. Throughout reading this story I found myself laughing out loud, chuckling quietly, getting angry, talking to the book (Yes, I told Beckett not to do something more than once.), and then downright sobbing.

That is my only warning. If you are not good with emotions, don’t read this book. When I finished, I put it down and sobbed for a good five minutes. Yarros crushed my soul and then pieced it back together, and then did it again quite a few times in this book. I was emotionally spent after and had to go watch a RomCom on Netflix to stabilize my emotions.

If you want a book that has a little of everything and will reach out and brush your soul a bit, then pick up The Last Letter. One of the best books I have read in recent years and I cannot wait to read more by Rebecca Yarros. She’s been added to my new favorites list. Pick up your copy and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, knowing he couldn’t hear me. “Thank you for her.”

Sometimes our reading mood demands a real tearjerker, a highly emotional story we hope will deliver those heart-wrenching emotions we ache for. So there’s nothing more rewarding than picking up a book that delivers the exact emotions we’re craving. What’s even more rewarding is picking up a new to us author and falling completely in love with their story. Yes, The Last Letter shredded our hearts, yes it left us sobbing wrecks, but there’s no denying we felt every single moment of Rebecca Yarros’ story.

“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.“

The Last Letter is a testament to love, a tribute to the strength of the human spirit to overcome the most painful and tragic of circumstances, and it’s a story of friendship, loyalty of knowing we are all capable and worthy to love and be loved and to never take a moment for granted. It’s a story that’s exquisitely told in its brutal honesty and execution by an author who, we can only guess, bled these words. Yes, it’s sad, yes it had us in a flood of tears, yes it left us reeling from the feelings it elicited in us because Rebecca Yarros ensured we were so connected to these characters the pain we experienced was authentic and monumental.

“We fight. She fights. And when she’s too tired to fight, then you do what you can to fight for her, because this is an all-out war.”

Twenty four-year-old Ella MacKenzie, a single Mum at nineteen to gorgeous five-year-old twins Maisie and Colt, has known a lot of heartaches and waged many internal battles in her short years, but nothing would prepare her for the long gruelling and painful fight ahead of her. Being left to bring up her babies on her own, establishing Solitude, her B&B in Telluride, young Ella hasn’t had it easy.

“You miss it.”
“Every day.”
“Then why are you still here? Why did you leave.”
He rolled his head toward me with a sad smile. “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.”

Twenty eight year old Beckett Gentry is used to a life of solitude. Passed through the foster system after being abandoned by his mum as a child, Beckett has avoided emotional ties, preferring to live a nomadic existence with his military buddies, the only family he has ever known. He’d lay down his life for them, and the only thing he is committed to his dog, Havoc. Oh, and what a man Beckett was! He was everything! Strong, commanding, resilient, reliable and handsome as hell with a giving and loving heart.

‘In case no one ever told you – you’re worthy. Of love. Of family. Of home.’

Coerced by his army buddy Ryan, Beckett begins corresponding with Ryan’s sister Ella never realising how deep their bond would go, or how Ella and her children would become the sole focus of his life. For Ella and Beckett, the letters provide an outlet, a place to expose their fears, feelings, hopes and dreams. For the reader, the letters provided the backstory as we live in the present, and relive the past through their correspondence and hell, didn’t these letters have us in tears. We felt the excruciating pain from both, we fell in love with the tenderness revealed within their words and the way in which they unashamedly poured their hearts out to one another. Two souls linked before they’d even met.

‘She was a thousand different kisses in one woman, the soft and tender, the deep and passionate, the hard and desperate. I never knew who I was taking in my arms, and yet they were all Ella.
Everything was Ella.’

We don’t want to reveal any more of the story as the author has chosen to be vague with the synopsis and we believe the moments we didn’t predict held the impact they did because we were unprepared for, and unaware of the heartbreak we were about to experience, just as a real tearjerker story should.

‘Being scared means you have something to lose, and I’ve never really had that.’

The Last Letter is a life story as much as it is a love story. It’s an experience as much as it is a read, a journey as much as it is a soul searching and provoking message. We shared every moment with characters who were flawed, real, and whose story was told by an author who really understood what it means to be honest in her storytelling, no matter how painful it is. The military scenes spoke of an author who knows the effect this life has on the soldier and their loved ones, of that there is no doubt. Rebecca Yarros made us believe every word she wrote, with the underlying secrecy between Beckett and Ella creating a potent shroud around the story which only added to the tangible unease we felt throughout.

‘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.’

If you’re in the mood for a story that will have you experiencing an agonising, hopeful, beautiful and intense rollercoaster of emotions, The Last Letter is a book you need to grab now!

A woman who's lost almost everyone she loves, Ella MacKenzie is fighting and doing everything she can to not lose another. She fell in love with a stranger over letters and now with her brother gone, she’s more than likely lost him too. He doesn’t show up on her doorstep like he promised but the man who does show up threatens to steal her heart. As much as she doesn’t want to be attracted to Beckett Gentry she finds herself being pulled more and more towards him. He’s everything she could want and need and her children are also falling for him just as hard; but Ella’s been burned before by the right words by the wrong guy and the men in her life never seem to keep their promises.

“We’re three months into this, and I’m half in love with you without ever having been in the same room.”

Ella fights an internal battle of holding out hope that the man she fell in love with via letters just might show up and letting herself have feelings for the man that did actually show up.

Every soldier has that letter, the last letter to be delivered should he not return home and Beckett Gentry just received his best friend’s last letter.

“Beck, If you’re reading this, blah, blah. You know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know you, and if there were any chance you could have saved me, you would have. If there were any way you could have changed the outcome, you would have. So whatever deep, dark hole of guilt you’re wallowing in, stop. I need one thing from you: Get your ass to Telluride. I know your ETS date is right with mine. Take it. Ella’s all alone. Not in the alone way that she has been, but really, truly alone. Our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much to ask her to endure. It’s not fair. But here’s the kicker: Maisie is sick. She’s only six, Beck, and my niece might die...... I can’t be there for her. I can’t help Ella through this, or play soccer with my nephew, or hold my niece. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family. Do whatever you can to save my little Maisie.”

A man who’s never had anyone to love finds himself head over heels for a woman and her children. Beckett promised him best friend, Ryan, that he’d look out for his sister. Ella is stubborn and determined to not let herself trust another man who can very easily leave her alone but Beckett finds himself drawn to her not just by the promise to Ryan but the desire to be everything that Ella and her kids need. With Ella carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and caring for a sick child she needs someone to help carry the load and he’s not going to let her push him away. Unfortunately, Beckett has secrets that could not only have Ella push him away but destroy everything he’s come to know and love.

Okay, that’s all you get and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of this book. This is one of those books where you can’t say too much because you’ll give away too much. It’s one where you want the reader to not know what’s coming, be it good or bad.

This isn’t just a romance novel where the girl meets the guy and they fall in love and at the end everything is wrapped up at the end in a nice pretty bow. Nope, this is a love story, and we all know, love is not nice and neat and perfect. It’s hard and challenging and messy and downright heartbreaking, but with the right person it’s a fight worth fighting for.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. There was laughter, tears, uncertainty, shock…you name it, this book gave it to you.

The connections with the characters came immediately, although I didn’t think I was going to like Ella at first because she was just uber independent but that “I can do it all” attitude just sucked me in. The connection wasn’t just with Beckett and Ella. The twins, Maisie and Colt, tugged at your heart and made you smile.

“He stopped midfield, and I had to backtrack a couple of steps. “Colt, what’s wrong?” He looked up at me, blocking the sun with a hand, and then glanced around to the other parents walking back to their cars. “Is this what it feels like?” he whispered so quietly that I leaned down. “What it feels like?” I asked. “Having a dad?” He tilted his head slightly. Words fled at the same rate every emotion assaulted me. His question flayed me open, leaving me raw and exposed in a way I’d never felt before. I crouched to his level and said the only thing that came to mind. “You know, I’m not sure. I never had a dad.” His eyes widened. “Me, either.” I’m here now.”

Seriously, how does that not tug at your heart?!

Beckett was the dad he never thought he would or could ever be.

Even before Ella admittedly allowed Beckett into her heart, they were a team. They fell into this sort of parenting roll with her twins that just seem natural and seamless. When Ella faces the unthinkable, Beckett is there by her side experiencing it too.

Rebecca Yarros has a way of making the emotions jump right off the page. Her writing sucks you in from the start. When the characters are happy, you’re happy. When they cry, you cry. When they are at a loss, you find yourself thinking of ways to help them through their darkest hours. The writing is so tight that for me, I could picture the movie reel in my head the entire time I was reading. I could picture the trees, the sky, even the facial expressions. I could hear the characters' voices in my head with emotion. I suggest you set aside at least two days because once you start this book, you won’t want to put it down until you are done; and once you’re done, you’re going to need another day to pull yourself together.

As a reviewer, I try had to write my reviews as soon as I finish reading each book. Giving it my complete attention until the end. This time around I have had to leave it for a day or so and let my emotions subside so my thoughts can hopefully give this book the words it deserves. This was my first Rebecca Yarros book and I will most definitely be finding time to read more of her writing.

I honestly don't think I have read a book in a long time that has brought out this many emotions while reading. I had my first cry in the first 10%, and probably cried for the entire last 15%. All that said it was a wonderful romance with such an amazing level of loyalty, healing and experiencing a different type of family.

I loved Beckett/Chaos, Elle and her beautifully smart twins Maisie & Colt. Watching this entire group grow throughout the book was something you must do for yourself. The will suck you in and you will be flipping pages and ignoring your duties/or sleep to who they fair in the end.

Looking for a soul altering read, this is the one for 2019. Don't miss the chance. I am so glad I took the leap on a new to me author.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***