This one really picked up! Four people are left abandoned on the sea and find out they’re part of a sick reality show. Omg this book had me so immersed halfway through and I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publisher for the ARC of this title! I am so grateful to be auto-approved for this title!
I look forward to reading and reviewing.

Okay, nope. This was ridiculous and I hated it. I'm sorry, I just simply cannot accept this. And 450 pages of this? That was too much.

This was a fantastic story, that had the misfortune of being a 4.5 star book with that terrible ending. This book was so addictive, and I loved that for the longest time, I had zero idea what was happening aboard the ship. It starts off very ambiguous, and slowly layers are revealed, which reminded me very much of Hunger Games. I felt like there was a lot of back story, including the child she gave up, which didn't ever find closure. Part of me hoped that one of the passengers competing was her daughter, and that there was a reason why she was placed on this ship. The last couple pages were just so unbelievable and frustrating that it dropped from an almost 5 star read down to 3. I thought this book could have done without that last chapter. I was obsessed with Will Dean's first book and raved about it on my channel. It was a gripping 5 star read with unbelievable twists and turns.

I am a victim of thriller blurb betrayal pretty regularly. Almost every single thriller has a blurb that makes things sound very suspicious and mysterious and dangerous and of course make us all wildly curious from the get go as to what is going to happen. And this thriller was no different, I read the blurb about somebody going on a dream vacation cruise and first waking up to find her boyfriend missing, then discovering that everybody on the entire ship was missing and she was essentially floating on a deserted ship alone.

I personally loved this premise, the idea of being trapped on some sketchy mysterious ship out on the middle of the ocean is incredibly claustrophobic and freaky to me, two things that play on some of my biggest fears. I knew the author was a traditional thriller writer, so I knew not to expect anything supernatural a la 'Into the Drowning Deep' which was an utterly amazing ride. So I was hooked immediately, because the abandonment happens nearly right away.

But from there everything just went downhill. The entire premise of the book, the concept of the mysteriously deserted ship, the thing that brought me to this book and caused me to pick it up, basically was revealed/undone almost immediately. So once that reveal hit me I was already drastically less interested, & one of my pet peeves in books is when there's overly modernized language or storyline. I don't want to read about girls being bullied on facebook, or so and so's podcast, or some twitter war, it takes me completely out of the story and comes of like a middle aged mom trying to use the gen z slang and saying that her meatballs are "fire." I didn't dig that element of the story at all.

Another thing that I greatly dislike is when books are just downright unbelievable. I'm not talking fantasy or sci fi or anything supernatural, I'm talking about when the storyline is based in reality and should at least have some semblance of believability but in actuality every single significant plot point is some completely unrealistic that-would-never-happen situation.

I can normally overlook a lot when we have great characters and character development, but that was absolutely stagnant as well. Our MC was supposedly stuck in the trauma of her life, which not to downplay people with real life trauma but there is no growth or moving on from dramatic events if we do nothing but think of them incessantly. Her dramatic but unnecessary backstory (sister is a gambler, father is a degenerate gambler) really did nothing to add or detract from the story and did not pose as an obstacle nor did it serve to spur her towards success. It was just a pointless nothing background that we had to hear about way too much.

The ending was absolutely absurd and undid a lot of what had been written and it basically gave me the impression as some books do as a writer who did not know what story he was going to tell and just wrote himself into corners he couldn't get out of, vs other authors who feel collected and purposeful every step of the way. I wanted to rate this higher but I can't give it more than 2 stars,

Suspend all disbelief in this Squid Game meets The Truman Show novel. Still, it's such a fun ride. Caroline (Caz) and her boyfriend Pete decide to travel to NY via the largest, most glamourous ocean liner out there, The Atlantica. Pete upgrades them to a luxury cabin and they spend the first day exploring the ship, meeting new people at dinner, and settling down for the night in 900+ thread count sheets.
When Caz awakens, Pete is gone. She gets up to go outside, and all the cabin doors are open, beds are made up, everyone is gone, with no trace that they'd been there at all in the first place.
She explores every inch of the ship and realizes she is the only person on board. At first I thought, it must be something supernatural going on here, because how would you disembark hundreds of people in the middle of the night?? Just wanting to know what has happened will propel you along as it gets weirder and weirder.
When it's revealed what is going on it's shocking, clever, and unique. I was imagining the movie playing out in my head. There is great character development, and you are rooting for Caz and others, but disturbed by the predicament they've found themselves in, and at how far it goes. If this is any indication as to how our society is transforming by entertainment like this, we're in big trouble. Just when you think things are about to be resolved, and all the loose ends tied up, boom, an ending that will blow your socks off. It's highly implausible, but clever, and queues the book up for a sequel or series. You certainly want to know how Caz will navigate this next challenge and I hope Mr. Dean takes the time to extend her story in a second book.

There was a lot about this book that I really enjoyed but there was some stuff that I felt could have been left out. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters and actually found a couple of them completely unlivable.. I did love the action and the suspense. The twists and turns were amazing and I didn’t see them coming at all. This book has definitely made me rethink any trips on a cruise ship.

Imagine going to sleep on a cruise ship and waking up completely alone with no clue where the other passengers and crew have gone. As someone who cruises a lot, the basic premise did intrigue me. There are some interesting twists, I will give them that. But did I love it? Not really. Don't get me wrong, some people will love it. But for those of us that happen to go on cruises a lot, there are a lot of inconsistencies that just don't make sense. Plus the big reveal is pretty far fetched to grasp in the real world as something that could really happen without your consent. I'm trying really hard not to give any spoilers away, so I will just say this, I would sue someone if this scenario happened to me.. The emotional trauma alone just seems more than the characters should have to endure in this type of scenario.

The book does flow pretty quickly so I finished it in a day and a half, which is always a plus. It is one of those rushed endings where everything is just wrapped up quickly. The final scenes do hint at a possible part 2 at some point, that I doubt I would read at this point.

What an original idea! I loved this fast-paced thriller. The characters were compelling; fleshed out just well enough to be invested in their lives but with enough vague details to keep you guessing. I could not figure out what was happening the entire time, which is not a feeling I’m that familiar with anymore! I absolutely loved this book and hope Dean will write a sequel! 4.5 stars.

The Last One by Will Dean was my first book by him and most definitely not my last! This book was action packed from the first very few pages and it has more twists and turns than I can count!

Chaz and her boyfriend Pete set foot on the stunning RMS Atlantica in hopes of enjoying a relaxing luxurious vacation for two. When Chaz wakes up after the first night she finds herself alone on the ship and Pete is missing. Once Chaz explores the ship in hopes of finding the answers to all of her questions she comes across three others who also find themselves in the same situation. They have no food, no water and no power. The four remaining passengers find themselves on a dark web gameshow filled with heart pounding challenges, dangerous survival situations and some big decisions to make. What happened to all the other passengers, will they ever make it off the ship and will all four of them survive?

This book is super thrilling and mysterious. I did find that by the end I had some unanswered questions and felt as though I missed something at some point near the end. There is definitely room for a sequel and I can see it happening for sure. I loved the short chapters and found my self saying “one more chapter” over and over again. This was a great novel that was not only captivating but also thrilling, mysterious and heart pounding. Overall this gets a 4.5 from me as a locked room mystery is so my jam.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and Will Dean for this advanced copy. It is expected to hit shelves on August 8th and if you’re planning on traveling on a cruise this summer… maybe save this one for after your voyage.

Wow! This one was definitely a page turner. The whole premise of this book is utterly terrifying. Can you imagine waking up on a luxury cruise and finding out you’re the only person there?! Caz is stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with no crew steering the boat, no food, and no idea what is happening. Honestly, one of my worst nightmares. I was just as confused as Caz about what was happening on this boat. Where is her boyfriend? How did everyone leave without her noticing??
This book got dark FAST! I wouldn’t say this story is for the faint of heart. About halfway through, everything does start making more sense, but it is not comforting whatsoever.
While I totally loved this book, I did have two complaints. First, I thought the backstory about Caz’s family was repetitive. The author went into more detail than necessary and brought it up constantly. I personally didn’t think it added much to the story.
My second complaint was the ending. WHAT IN THE WORLD!? that’s all I’m going to say about that.
Without these two things, this easily would have been a five star read, but I had to dock it a half star.
Still an absolutely thrilling read that I recommend to almost everyone. If you’re easily triggered, please read the trigger warnings, as they are extensive.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria for the eARC in exchange for a review.

While I loved the premise of this book, when I figured out what was going on and why they were alone, I completely lost interest. It was hokey and unbelieveable.Then that ending?!? I appreciate the opportunity to read and review but this was just not the story for me.

Wowza! This was epic, enthralling, tense, mind-bendy! Our main character is going on a cruise with her boyfriend. She goes to bed that first night and when she wakes up, reality has changed. Everyone is gone from the ship. We're talking a thousand people. Passengers and crew - simply vanished. What the heck could have happened? Aliens? The Rapture? Alternate reality? Psychosis? Yeah - it's none of those things! And it turns out she isn't alone, there are three other people on board. But no electricity, no phone service, no water, no food. No one is running the ship...but it is still moving along. To where, they don't know. How long will they be at sea? How will they survive? What the heck is going on? I was captured and mesmerized trying to solve this puzzle...and you will be too!

I woke up in the middle of the night to keep reading. What a page turner! Well done, Will Dean! I enjoyed the suspense and the characters aboard the ship. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars!

It has been a long time since I've read a book that was COMPLETELY unpredictable. I went in cold, only knowing "she wakes up alone on a ship". Nothing else. And this book was an absolute wild ride that I finished in 24 hours. It's not great literature, but it sure is FUN. This book is the perfect beach/pool/airplane ride read, where you just get lost and cannot stop turning the pages.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good! What a wild ride.

We follow Our main character Caz as she goes on a cruise ship with her boyfriend. The first day/night go well, and when she wakes up the next morning, she is alone. She is terrified, and has no idea what is happening. She finds 3 other people on the boat with her, and the story goes from there.

I loved the way this story was told. Nearly every chapter had some sort of cliffhanger that made you want to keep turning the pages. The twists were so good! And that ending!! I loved this book. Definitely pick it up when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This locked room thriller is about Caz, who steps on to a cruise liner called the RMS Atlantica heading from England to New York with her fairly new boyfriend, Pete. She's nervous, but tries to make the most of it. After their first night aboard, exploring the ship, eating, drinking and meeting new people, she wakes up to find that the ship is completely empty. No one is on the ship, except her.

I can't believe how unputdownable this book was. I literally finished 'The Last One' by Will Dean in less than 24 hours. From the very beginning so much was happening, the book is full of twists and turns and more turns. Do not go into reading 'The Last One' thinking you'll be able to guess what the twists are, because you'll be shocked over and over again. And the ending...whew! It's a good one. I've already been really skeptical about going on a cruise, and though this is fictional, I for certain don't want to go on one now. I have not enjoyed a book this much in a very long time.

Thank you Atria Books, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 8, 2023

This is the first book I've read by Will Dean and I'm sure it won't be the last!
I absolutely loved The Last One and I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

Caz and her Pete are taking their first trip together, an ocean crossing to New York. The morning after the ship leaves port, Caz awakens to find that she's the only one on board!

I envy those readers who still get to experience it for the first time, highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this digital ARC.

While I did ultimately enjoy this thriller, I had real problems overcoming my suspension of disbelief required to fully buy into the plot. It was definitely an entertaining and unique story, and I did enjoy it as long as I ignored all the questions that kept popping into my head.

It’s been a long time since a book had me turning pages as deliciously as this one!

As a locked-room thriller about a woman who wakes up as the only person left on a luxury cruise ship in the middle of the desolate Atlantic Ocean, this book has a fascinating and fresh premise that hooked me from the start and kept me going all the way through to the jaw-dropping final two pages. The author provides a wonderful and unsettling sense of place and I was completely immersed. I couldn't put it down!

I do feel that the story wrapped up too quickly and with some frustrating loose ends regarding her partner and the other characters. I understand this leaves room for a sequel (which I would definitely read,) but I would’ve preferred a little more information. And while her father’s history gives Caz a bit of emotional depth, I found her inner monologues about his gambling to be somewhat grating and repetitive, pulling me out of the story with no real purpose.

Having said that, this is a book that takes a look at modern day society’s very real underbelly with a deft hand, and the twists and turns had me guessing the whole way through. Such a fun ride! I’m already telling people I know to add it to their lists!

This is the first book I’ve read by Will Dean and I’m looking forward to picking up another. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance read. Happily enjoyed!