Diane Chamberlain has created a new fan. This book was fantastic. Great character development and pacing. I didn't want to stop reading it. The audiobook has a great narrator. She was pleasant to listen to and gave the reading the right amount of emotion. I look forward to reading more from Chamberlain.

This book was intense. It was intense, because I liked the characters and didn’t want to see drama in their lives or see them make choices that put them in harms way. It was interesting to see the perspective of the Civil Rights movement and the current timeline showing how things had changed. There was a couple of mysteries to be solved during the book and a unique way of joining both timelines together, which I really liked. I would recommend this book and it would make for a good discussion with other readers. I listened to this on audio and very much enjoyed the production!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the audio copy of this book.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* didn't read the description before reading this so i could go in blind, really good read! wasn't expecting any of the ending when i started it thats for sure lol

Over the years, I have picked up similar themed books, but this one is haunting. I had to take a minute to collect myself once it was finished. I am not sure whether my experience was enhanced because I was listening to it or for the writing itself.

I have been recommending people to read this book and I am doing it here as well.

This was a Audio book, Story is a very well written, and audio was well read . This historical is set in a duel timeline format. I don't always like this format, but it works well in this book. This story is in 1965/2010 and is set in North Carolina during the turbulent times of registering blacks to vote. Klan was active and "good" white girls did'nt mix with the "coloreds". This is Ellie's story of her choice to go against her family and join the Scope project to register blacks in North Carolina. The reactions of her family and community and well written and this story will stay with you long after you have finished reading/ or listening. Thank you to Net Galley, the Author and Publishers for this ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this one blindly. I've never read a book by this author, but saw that others were raving about it. I also don't typically read historical fiction. However, this book blew me away. I absolutely loved it, and couldn't stop listening. I thought the narration was fantastic, and easy to decipher between the two characters by the voices. I would absolutely recommend this book and plan to share it on my social media later today. An absolutely great story and narration!

This was a powerful book, one that reminds us of how much has changed and, at the same time, how little has changed. It’s told in two different time periods by two different women, strong, brave women, Kayla and Eleanor, each of whom suffers the loss of the loves of their lives. These women form a friendship, connected by a piece of property. A piece of property with a terrible history. This was a great mystery-thriller, a book that looks back to a time where just talking to someone of a different race could result in horrible consequences.

While building their dream house, Kayla’s husband dies in a freak accident. When Kayla and her young daughter finally move in, they begin to receive threats, urging them to move away. Kayla also finds a friend in Eleanor, a neighbor. But while Ellie is friendly, she’s also withholding something. As the details start to be revealed due to the threats Kayla is receiving, it turns out that sometimes hate is a long lasting horror, and people aren’t always who you think they are.

I listened to an audiobook version and thought it was a remarkable and riveting book. The writing is tight and sharp, the characters so perfectly delineated that I felt like I could reach out and touch them. The narrator offered a wonderful performance, hitting every character with the perfect voice. I especially loved the depiction of Kayla’s young daughter, Rainie.

I highly recommend this book. It will grab you, hold you, educate you, set you on the edge of your seat. A well-earned five starts for this book.

I received an advanced reader copy of this audiobook from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

‘“I’m just tired of seeing a wrong and doing nothing to make it right, that’s all,’ I said. ‘I wish you’d give me some support.’”

“It’s somethin’ my people learned early on. We learned to weigh and measure the cost of everything. You got to decide what’s worth fightin’ for.”

This book, told in duel timelines (2010 and the 1960’s), follows Kayla Carter after her husband tragically dies building their dream home, and Ellie as she embarks on a civil rights journey with the Scope Project.

Wow. I almost gave up on this one. I LOVED the Dream Daughter. Like could read it again loved it. So when I started this one I had super high hopes. And it was just very slow to start and I didn’t see how the time lines would intersect in any meaningful way. Whelp, I am here to tell you, if you are feeling the same way, KEEP GOING.

I audibly gasped while listening to this. The narrator evoked such emotion that I actually found it difficult to listen to at times, considering the subject matter. This is one of those books that stays with you. It changes you. It is heartfelt and raw and so emotional. Nicely done (yet again) Diane Chamberlain. Nicely done.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. "The Last House on the Street" is a well-written and engaging dual-timeline story. It is interesting and provocative, and I recommend it, although I was rather unprepared for the graphic violence. While it is not gratuitous, it is disturbing and heart-wrenching. The protagonists of the two stories--Ellie in 1965 and Kayla in 2010--are admirable and relatable. Both struggle with difficult situations, albeit very different ones. It took me a while to figure out the real intersection between their lives, but once I did the story became even more powerful. The audiobook is narrated well, and it was hard to stop listening. Be prepared for challenging content regarding the Civil Rights struggle of the 190s, and more than a few twists and turns. Ultimately, it proved a thoughtful and rewarding book.

Thank you Netgalley Macmillan Audio and St. Martins Press for the gifted book!

"I knew what was going to happen in this book. I could have told you in chapter 1. I have known what was going to happen the whole time and it just happened and WAAAHHHH. It's still so sad. Actually it's worse than I expected it to be." That was what I told a friend on Marco Polo as I was listening to this book. This book is a powerful picture of the Civil Rights movement in North Carolina in 1965. It also has a timeline set in 2010, but that timeline is only there to add a harmony to the melody of the 1965 timeline. And knowing this is a book about the fight for civil rights and the main characters are both white women, you know that something is going to happen that will inevitably be heartbreaking, but the way the story is crafted you still feel the tensions mounting even though it is missing the ultimate element of suspense and surprise. I thought though that it needed that element of foreshadowing to not completely rip your heart out. And even though you can fill out the outline for the big plot point, you won't be able to fill in all the details by guessing and that is the secret sauce to this book, the little details.

Content Warning: Racism, Hate Crime, Miscarriage, Murder

A wonderfully scripted novel that straddles two time periods, 1965 and 2010. The attention to detail dealing with the social injustices of the ‘60’s is spot on. And the harm that some white southerners put themselves in the way of, to right what they knew was wrong is shown in a way that makes you understand how and why someone would risk everything because others are not free.

Sadly, 2022 and this is still the way things are and this book not only shows where we were but the fact that we have not moved very far at all in the past 60+ years.

The characters are so realistic that it pains you when something happens to them. To me, making me care about a fictional character that deeply is a sign of a true artist.

I read the book and also listened to the audiobook. The Narrator, Susan Bennett, did an excellent job and kept you immersed in the story all the way through.

Thanks to @Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read and listen to this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Diane Chamberlain has been a go-to author for me for years. She writes engaging southern historical fiction that always leaves me hooked. ⁣
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In The Last House on the Street, we get a dual timeline between Kayla, present, who is reeling after the untimely death of her husband while they were building their dream house, and Ellie, past, who defies her family and friends and joins a volunteer team to help get potential Black voters registered in the 60's. ⁣
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As you can imagine the past timeline deals with a lot of social justice issues and blatant racism that sadly can still be felt today. ⁣
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Overall, I enjoyed listening to this one but it wasn't a favorite of hers. I liked the past timeline a whole lot more than the present; Kayla as a character kind of bothered me. I did like how the two storylines eventually connected and had some form of closure at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to the audiobook version for an honest review.

The audio version could really benefit from having two narrators, or the one narrator doing different voices for Ellie and Kayla. There have been multiple times when I was listening that I zoned out or missed that it went from past to present and the voice changes would really help to distinguish between the two characters.

The actual story alternates between past (Nellie) and present (Kayla), and each have their own story to tell until their stories combine into one. The story is loosely historical as Nellie's story includes her time working with the SCOPE Project. So much detail about her time working with SCOPE made me curious so I googled it and sure enough, it was real.

Per Wikipedia-The Summer Community Organization and Political Education (SCOPE) Project of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was a voter registration civil rights initiative conducted from 1965 to 1966 in 120 counties in six southern states. The goal was to recruit white college students to help prepare African Americans for voting and to maintain pressure on Congress to pass what became the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King announced the project at UCLA in April 1965, and other leaders recruited students nationwide.

I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but this is a truly heartbreaking story with some harsh truths about how things were in the not so long ago past. Some parts are inspiring and hopeful and other parts show how truly evil human beings can be. Long ago secrets will be revealed and mysteries will be solved.

Chamberlain’s book is a timely tale of prejudice, bigotry and the need for equal access to voting for all citizens. Set in two different time periods, the more contemporary plot involves Kayla Carter, a newly widowed architect who is moving into the dream house she and her husband had designed. But there are threats and harassment that make her wonder if she and her young daughter should move in.

The earlier story is set in the same neighborhood in 1964 North Carolina and centers on Ellie Hockley, a young woman who was inspired by her aunt to stand up for injustice. She volunteers to help sign up African American voters in her county. President Lyndon Johnson had signed the Civil Rights Act and was about to add the important Voting Rights Act that would prohibit racial discrimination. Ellie signed up as a SCOPE worker (also known as Freedom Fighters), much to the chagrin of her family. Her involvement in helping Blacks understand the importance of registering to vote causes chaos for her and her family.

Given today’s efforts to limit access to voting, this book will resonate as will the haunting behaviors demonstrating hatred of other ethnic groups. The connection between the two timelines merges nicely, although the story has a harsh resolution. Both central characters are women of strength and fortitude; they will not be cowed by threats. The mystery surrounds the property and why someone doesn’t want Kayla to move in, but it’s the historical timeline where the suspense intensifies for Ellie and the other Civil Rights volunteers. Chamberlain’s plot is a serious look at hatred and the monstrous behaviors of bigots.

The audio version was beautifully performed by Susan Bennett. She draws in listeners with her great rendering of Chamberlain’s powerful story. Her dialect switches perfectly and brings the characters to life. It’s a fabulous listening experience for fans of the author and all who enjoy mysteries and historical tales of social injustice.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the advanced listening copy of this book which is now available as of January 11th.

This book spans two time frames – we meet Ellie, age 20, who leaves her conservative town in the south to join SCOPE – an organization with the purpose of encouraging black voters to register to vote during the civil rights movement. I had not heard of SCOPE so as with other Chamberlain books, I enjoyed reading a little bit of history. Then there is Kayla in 2010. She is now neighbors with Ellie who is now 75. Kayla and her now deceased husband bought a piece of land and Kayla and her 3-year-old child are being toyed with and threatened because somebody doesn’t want her living there.

Many books have dual timelines and there is almost always a purpose and connection and there certainly was that here. I must say, however, that I LOVE LOVE LOVED the sections from 1965 and every time we came back to 2010 it was a little bit of disappointment…take me back! Take me back! Both parts were good but the 1965 storyline was SO GOOD. Susan Bennett is the narrator, and she did a PHENOMENAL job. There was one section in her performance (which would be a huge spoiler to talk about) had me gasping and tearing up – I was at the edge of my seat and had it not been so close to my bedtime, I could have easily stayed up to listen to the rest of the book.

I have a rule in how I rate my books when it comes to five-star ratings for fiction novels…I must emote. It could be a gasp, or I might cry, or yell into the pages…anything that will have my husband turning to me and saying WHAT? Are you ok? Yes, honey, it is just a really good book. And indeed, this was that. I just loved it.

I was so thrilled to receive this audio of Diane Chamberlain's The Last House on the Street! When I requested it I thought I would be getting a great suspense novel/mystery but I didn't realize the historical significance of this book! Especially now - at a time when voter's rights are being challenged everywhere - to learn about the SCOPE project and the passionate youth involved was amazing. I did not know the specifics of this before I read the book.

2010 - Kayla and her husband designed a beautiful house in the Shadow Ridge Estates in North Carolina, not far from where Kayla grew up. When her husband tragically dies in the house, Kayla is uncertain if she wants to move in but decides it is the best place for her and her daughter. But when a strange woman comes to her office and warns her about moving in - she becomes terrified for her daughter.

1965 - Ellie grows up in a upper middle class family in NC. She feels the confines of her small town life and against her parent's wishes - signs up to work take a summer job with SCOPE to educate southern voters on their rights and get them registered to vote. Her SCOPE experiences change her life.

2010 - Kayla and Ellie meet to bring the past and present together and solve the mystery of the haunted woods behind Kayla's new home. You will enjoy this well thought out and historically accurate book by Diance Chamberlain.

This one didn't;t work for me. It was slow to develop and the current story line was not of interest.

I was not able to finish, so I will leave this unrated and not review on social media.

Out of the three Diane Chamberlain books I have read, unfortunately this was my least favorite. It was it but slow for me. I did love the history I learned within this story. The last third of the book I was flipping pages to see what happens. There are parts that are difficult to read about.

Diane does it again. There hasn't been a book she's written that I haven't absolutely fallen in love with. Now, if we could just get someone to make her books into movies.

This is a story about civil rights, discrimination, voter right suppression, young 'forbidden' love, and dark family secrets. Kayla is a young widowed mother that moves into a home built and designed by her and her late spouse. In her time line, this is a dual time line story, she learns of the dark secrets buried on her land that relate to Ellie's storyline. Ellie, a young white woman living in North Caroline in the 1960's, joins the work of SCOPE project in memory of her late aunt. SCOPE is a civil rights group working to educate and encourage voter registration in North Carolina. Ellie was a wonderful character full of strength and courage. I enjoyed reading about Ellie's blossoming relationship with Win and was deeply saddened by it's outcome. I was also deeply saddened by Ellie's family and friends, I won't say more (spoilers). My criticism, the dual stories were not equal in measure or development, Kayla's story was more of a vehicle to Ellie's. I also felt that justice was not served in the end and I thought that was rather unbelievable. ⭐⭐⭐1/2