Cover Image: The Last

The Last

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was a fun read! It's a somewhat familar story...two friends promise that if they aren't married by 30 that they will marry each other. Watching Nolan and Sarah try to figure out if they can do this...without love...was a fun read! I haven't read the first 2 books in this standalone series but will go back and read them now!

Was this review helpful?

The Last is the third novel in the List series by Tawna Fenske.

These two characters made a drunken deal with her bff that they would marry each other at the age of 30 if they arr not married already.

It is fun, steamy and heartbreaking, i liked it but didn't love it, i didn't not realise at the time that it was part of a series. A series that have characters from previous books in this one.

Was this review helpful?

I devoured this amazing story. Captivated and totally enthralled I did not put this book down. Tawna's writing is flawless and the story she spilled out onto the pages was from the beyond. Holy nuts it's that good.
The story is about Sarah and Ian who have been friends forever and in college made one of those drunk deals that if neither were married at 30 they'd marry each other. Right. Sarah never saw herself unmarried with her 30th approaching but she's got a job she loves, she's independent and tired of bad dates. Ian's successful and a sworn bachelor, no emotions and on total lockdown. When he comes to see Sarah around her birthday she's a little surprised and even more surprised that Ian has come to collect on their bet. He's got his own reasons and offers Sarah a deal. Ian needs an arm charm. He's trying to land a contract with a company that has a strong base in the stability of their workers. Ian sees marriage as the final nudge that will get him this job he really wants. Sarah is put off at first, after being handed a file folder of papers from Ian... she waffles. And wow does she waffle.
Ian isn't pushy or obnoxious and he's honest. There's something to be said for that. They know each other well and their own issues. Through some of the finest writing I've seen a a long time, the story unfolds with emotion, ups and downs, a twist or two and plenty of steam to generate a small city.
I am leaving this hang here. This book is an absolute must read and I can't babble enough about how much I loved it. I didn't want it to end. I just didn't.
Thank you Tawna! Freaking amazing!

arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

The Last is adorable. I love the pact between Ian and Sarah. They have amazing chemistry that you can't deny. Ian is a little broken and through most of the read you wonder if he is ever going to change. Sarah is so caring. I love that she works with adults with Down Syndrome. She fits right in with Cassie, Lisa and Missy who you've met in the previous two books. You feel for Ian and hope he can open his heart fully. Sarah and Ian are so amazing together. You will giggle a bit through this one. This is one amazing romcom filled with heart. I love that Junie is apart of every book. You really need to read not only this book but this whole series.

Was this review helpful?

I was waiting for this book and I was soooooo excited! I really tried to read this book but the text to speech didn't work?! I sat down numerous times to read but I'm so used to reading and listening that it was just to hard to do! sorry I'm sure it's a great book from what I've read! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

Was this review helpful?

**Copy Provided by Netgalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for an honest review**

I have really enjoyed this book even through i have not read the previous books in the series, you can certainly read it as a stand alone.

Both Sarah and Ian were friends college and made a pact that if they were still single when they are 30 they would marry each other. On Sarah's thirtieth birthday she is single and having a small part with her close friends she texts Ian only to have a surprise. Instead of being in New York he in only 10 minutes away and turns up at her door.

Both come from broken homes, but after the death of his brother, Ian has hardened his heart and feels he cannot love in the way most people do.

After Ian introduces a contact marriage, where the only thing missing is the love aspect they embarg on a small trial period before they decide to tie the knot. Friendships deepen and we see more of the Ian he thinks is not there until Sarah drops a bomb.

We get a happy ending and good friendships along with good supportive characters. I really enjoyed this book.

Was this review helpful?

Favorite Quotes:

For the record, it’s a bad sign when the guy you’re having sex with buys you sleepwear that suggests you should cover up more.

I’m grinning like a girl who just unwrapped Barbie and the Barbie Dreamhouse…

“You just had a big birthday, am I right?” Glenda’s sympathetic cluck would be more appropriate if she offered it to someone who just lost a limb. “Best get to it, sweetheart. Those eggs are drying up.”

He stretches up and pulls back the cover on the car’s sunroof. It takes me a few seconds to figure out what I’m staring at. “Is that a butthole?” Ian nods solemnly. “Yep. The feline variety.” … The cat stays seated with its stink-star pressed against the glass… “I’d just appreciate him removing his cheerio from our line of sight… Well, fiancée… I can’t promise you romance, but I can promise you laughs.” “And cat buttholes,” I add.

He squirts some canned cheese onto a cracker and hands it to me. “Keeping it classy.”

My Review:

I mirthfully smirked and periodically fanned myself throughout this fun and wickedly humorous tale featuring a pair of past college friends who had missed their chance at a deeper connection due to unfortunate timing and circumstances, but were back in touch ten years later while circling that big three-o celebration of their birth, and recalled they had jokingly made a pact to marry at that particular milestone if both were still single.

Ian thought he was taking a practical route of leaving love out of the mix by establishing a legal contract for a relationship of mutual attraction and benefit. Sarah was agreeable and determined to see the common advantage to deem it acceptable to settle for less than true love, but was having some minor difficulties in getting there. If not in total simpatico, they were more than compatible in most ways that counted, and then some. The plot seemed far-fetched yet the storylines were so smoothly engaging and gleefully entertaining, the premise became reasonably convincingly. And oh my, sizzle and snap, this couple of dirty talkers needed to keep a fire extinguisher handy as they were atomically hot and sensually matched well enough to leave scorch marks not only on the sheets but also on the ceiling, floor tiles, walls, and car seats. I had greatly enjoyed the previous books in this series and was instantly enamored with these endearing and cleverly crafted characters as well.

Was this review helpful?

Ahhhh…Tawna! You just keep amazing me!!! Such a wizard of the Rom-Coms!!! The Last is the 3rd book in The List Series by the hilarious you-will-not-want-to-put-your-book-down Author, Tawna Fenske.

When Sarah Keating turns 30 (and is still not a Mrs.) she thinks back to the college drunken agreement made with her bestie, Ian Nolan, who’s birthday is just a couple days before hers. They jokingly made a deal that if they were both single at 30, they would get married! When her yearly birthday text to Ian brings him to her door…(I am not going to tell you! Read the book!!!)

This was a very funny, romantic comedy that just flowed so nicely! I LOVED the hilarious texting scene between Ian and Sarah. I LOVE the characters in this series but really loved Ian and Sarah! This one was my VERY favorite of this series! I love the characters the author has written into this series and how she included them in this book as well (Junie, Cassie, Lisa…)! This book adds Ian and his brother Shane (who had Down syndrome but passed away a couple years prior), as well as the owners of Ian’s potential new employment.

There is a fantastic storyline, some hot “es-eee-ex”, some drama, love, heartbreak, and I LOVE how Author Tawna Fenske puts Junie (a character with Down syndrome) as such a fun, uplifting, inspiring character!!! I have worked with students with Down syndrome, and she just warmed my heart with Junie’s personality!

I am highly recommending this one…you will be so glad you read it!!!

Was this review helpful?

This is an interesting twist on the second chance romance. Sarah and Ian were best friends in college until Ian left after his brother died their sophomore year. Ten years have past and they have kept in touch via Facebook and their annual birthday messages. Sarah is celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her friends when she tells them about her pact with Ian that they would get married to each other if they were both single when they turned thirty. Her friends encourage her to text him, which leads to them reconnecting. Ian has changed since college, he has locked his heart down so he can never be hurt loving someone again. He suggests a marriage of convenience with Sarah, and she agrees. Problem is, love is not always convenient. I loved this book, it had the right amount of humor and angst. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

When Sarah and Ian were in college they made a pact that if they reached 30 still single they would marry each other. Now that they have both left their twenties behind and are back in touch can they make a marriage based on compatibility and not love work? Ian sure thinks so and after a scorching night together Sarah cannot help but be intrigued.

This book was a winner. Who doesn't want to fall in love with their best friend? Great chemistry, laughter, tears, a fun premise and lots of heat made me sad to see this book and series end.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I adored this sweet, hot and funny romance. Sarah has great friends, a job she loves and just happens to still be single as she turns 30. When she confesses her “pact” with her college friend Ian that they’d get married if they were both still single at 30, her friends encourage her to get in touch with him. The fact that he’s a hottie who runs triathlons certainly doesn’t hurt their enthusiasm. Ian has been harboring feelings for Sarah since college and jumps on his chance to reconnect with her. Of course, being a character in a romance novel, he also suggests they follow through on their original pact.

What could be trite and formulaic is actually a heartfelt and fun story. Both characters struggle with romantic relationships for different reasons, and their baggage feels genuine instead of simply acting as a stumbling point on the way to happily ever after. I enjoyed Ian and Sarah together, and they bring heat to their sex scenes too. All the characters are well developed, and I really liked Sarah’s moments with her gal pals. The Last is the third book in this series, which includes the fabulous books The List and The Test, but can be read as a stand-alone. If you’ve read the other books, though, it makes the wedding scenes that much more fun. I highly recommend them all!

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

Was this review helpful?

4.5⭐
The Last gave me so many feels and it had me hooked throughout. Not to mention it was quirky, entertaining, sexy and fun! Plus, it was full of great characters, including the wonderful Junie and I couldn't help but have a big smile on my face by the end. Would happily recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Sarah Keating is celebrating her 30th birthday with her besties. She isn’t quite where she thought she would be at 30 as far as a relationship goes. She loves her career and she owns her own home and has great friends but she is lacking in the love department. She has tried but the right one just hasn’t magically appeared. Upon much girl talk, it comes out that her college bestie, Ian Nolan, shares a birthday close to hers and that they always send a text to wish the other a happy birthday. After her friends encourage her to send said message Sarah is surprised when Ian actually shows up at her front door. In college, they vowed if they were not married by 30 they would marry each other and well here was Ian still single like her and he actually proposed they get married. Totally a marriage of practicality, no love to get in the way of things. Can these two do that, get married and not have feelings for each other?

I love this series for many reasons. The characters are all lovable and the stories are well written and original. This is book 3 and the final in this series but it can be read as a standalone, however you may wish to read the first two because they are equally as good. This book shows us the hurt Ian feels from his past and how Sarah opens his eyes to a better future than he ever thought possible. It is funny and smoldering hot from the sparks these two have as well as sweet and loving. You get a sense where they are the description and attention to details take you there with these characters. I also loved that it crosses into another series, The Ponderosa Resort series and pulled a few of those characters into this one. I love when authors do that.

I received an advanced readers copy from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley to read and review and give my honest opinion. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

The Last is the third - and final - book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
I have read other books by Tawna Fenske (including the first in this series, The List), and The Last showcases all the things I love about her writing:
Her characters feel real, not only Sarah and Ian, but also their friends and family. Speaking of which: Junie is probably one of my favorite characters in the series! <3
And besides Tawna Fenske's unique sense of humor, the story also has quite a lot of heat - and an equal amount of heart.
I had *all* the feels, from snickering to laughing out loud to swooning to crying (that epilogue... gah!).

Disclaimer: ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher - this is my voluntary and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I've read a few of Tasha Fenske, and was excited when I heard about The Last since it features my favourite trope which is a friends-to-lovers contemporary romance. What I particularly like about this book was Sarah's job as a social worker who works with adults who have Downs Syndrome. It was interesting to see how both Sarah and Ian interacted with Junie as well as the others in the group home. Ian and Sarah were perfect together, and I love how their romance was both sexy and sweet. The Last was the first book I've read in this series, but after finishing it, I'm very tempted to go back and read the rest of the series. A heartwarming read that I highly recommend, especially if you're a sucker for a friends-to-lovers story.

Was this review helpful?

Sarah is turning 30 without any prospects of the husband and kids she always thought she'd have. While celebrating with friends, she reveals how she and her best friend in college made a pact that they'd marry each other if neither were married by 30. With Ian's birthday two days before hers, she texts him. His response is "let's get married". Watching these two come together was fabulous. Ian struggling to never love another and Sarah discovering that she loves him even though this is supposed to be a marriage of convenience. Tawna has once again written a novel that is surely going to the top of the charts. Characters were great and the storyline even better. I would highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

I have read several books by Ms Fenske and I have enjoyed all of them. I liked this one but it wasn’t my favorite. This book is about college best friends Ian and Sarah. They made a lack that if they were married by the age of 30 they would marry each other. Even though Sarah and Ian went their separate ways after graduating college they still kept up with one another on Facebook.

The books starts with Sarah’s 30th birthday and her wishing Ian Happy Birthday via Facebook messenger becuase his birthday was 2
Days earlier. They message back and forth and she tells him to come see her. Sarah laughs it off and 10 minutes later Ian shows up. He failed to mention he was in town. Her friends are over having a PJ party. Sarah’s friends leave and Ian and Sarah celebrate cross the platonic friends line. After they sleep with each other Ian brings up he pact.

This book moved at a good pace and had a dual POV. It was just centered around sex to much for me.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was the 3rd book in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone. The book is about Sarah Keating and Ian Nolan.
They met in college and became great friends, but even though they tried to stay in touch afterwards the years and life struggles kept them apart.
The story starts with Sarah celebrating her 30th birthday with friends and this gets her thinking about Ian again since most of her friends are in relationships. This gets her thinking of the pact her & Ian made. The Pact was- if they are both single when they turn 30, they will get married.
Sarah then reaches out to Ian and wish him a happy birthday with a flirty/ risqué text brings Ian to her door, which was surprise to Sarah because she thought Ian lived out of town.
This begins the friends to lovers relationship. And these two can’t get enough of each other!
But unfortunately life and hurt will let him feel emotions, especially love.
Love Tawna Fenske’s books, there’s humor, hurt & healing. And whoa did not expect the reveal and love, loved the epilogue! Great story!

Was this review helpful?

This book triggered a series of reactions in me. I went from laughing until I reached the peak of emotional turmoil. Firstly I was a little taken aback because the male character was not what I’m used to reading so this marks a first for me. Yep, Ian is a sexy redhead so in my devilish imagination I tried to picture this man and I must say I wasn’t at all displeased. Beyond this what really caught my attention is the sensitive subject of the disabling world, because Sarah works among people with disabilities and Ian had a brother who had Down sindrome. Owing to the terrible loss of his brother, Ian seems forever condemned of not feeling anymore that is of banning love from his life but when he reconnects which Sarah (they were college buddies) he starts feeling again. The story flows magnificently, what they have together is what is called amazing chemistry not only on the physical point of view but before realizing how perfect they are for one another, they will go through a series of events that will leave the reader wanting for more. A heartwarming read that I highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I'm a sucker for the whole we'll get married by a certain age if we both haven't gotten married yet.
The Last follows both Sarah and Ian and the book switches perspective every few chapters. Sarah works with adults with down-syndrome, and Ian is a businessman. This is also the third book in the series but it works perfectly as a standalone as well.
This book is a fairly typical storyline until we get to Sarah and Ian trying to figure out how to go about a relationship. Sarah wants one thing, and Ian says he can't really be that because of things from his past. This causes a lot of conflict between the two but they still try and make it work.
We get to see them do very nice couple things, and how they are actually good for eachother. Ian needs her to help balance him out, and Sarah needs him in her life because she loves him and he's everything she's wanted in a partner it seems. Sarah's job and passion is also something that's important to Ian because of his brother. That whole part of the story was really nice to see in a book and was just my favorite part of it because of how it was done. Everything was very well presented and it was just very normal and like it should be. Please more of this in books!
Overall I did find myself enjoying this book. Sarah was a character that I loved and Ian was one that wasn't the typical over bearing guy that so many new adult/ adult books have that are in the romance genre. I am now interested in seeing the other books in the series now to meet the other couples.

Was this review helpful?