I finished “Our Last Resort” by Clémence Michallon, and it was a good book with great writing.

It’s the story of a young girl and boy who are raised in a cult and they befriend each other during their turbulent times while in the cult. They learn to rely on each other to survive, yet as the years go by, their friendship wains.

This is the same author who wrote “The Quiet Tenant” and she’s very talented. Unfortunately the plot was a little flat for me, since it was a little predictable, but I would definitely read this author again.

This book earned 3.5 stars from me. This book publishes on July 8th. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I was obsessed with Michallon’s debut last year and needed this one! Immediately, I feel like I’m thrown into this story. There is drama right away and then the back story starts. The dual timelines were effective, informative and made this book addictive. The flashback timeline gave me WACO vibes and later the narrator makes the comparison. I was not expecting the ending and final twist! This is a great beach/summer thriller!

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this mystery thriller set to release July 8th, 2025. Frida and her brother Gabriel were raised in a cult and isolated from anyone and everyone except the leader of the Cult and the "Mothers" he has brought in to care for the children. We also find ourselves in the present day, where they are looking to begin again after having found a way out of the bondage they experienced there. They are both holding some secrets from the past and are healing from difficult experiences throughout their lives. Just as they seem to be settling into a nice vacation, a woman they both met has been found dead. Frida is concerned about her brother's possible involvement with the woman and sees evidence mounting all around them.

I really liked Frida and Gabriel very much and the characters were well developed. Most of the other characters in the book were not as relevant, but that worked for me. I found the switch between timelines did not disrupt my ability to stay with each experience. The novel is pretty evenly paced and kept my interest throughout. I did anticipate some of the ending, but it didn't bother me.

I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy a mystery thriller and especially one with two timelines. There are sensitivity warnings for child abandonment, death, sexual assault, cults, and violence.

The Quiet Tenant was one of my favorite books that I read last year, so I was really excited to receive the ARC for Our Last Resort. It has similar vibes with the dark themes of the story, but Our Last Resort goes deeper into the character's pasts and how it is impacting them now. I loved the suspense throughout the book and would absolutely recommend this if you enjoyed The Quiet Tenant!

I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant, so I was super excited when I heard Clémence Michallon had a new book coming out this summer. Our Last Resort had a really intriguing premise. Two siblings, who are also former cult members, trying to move on with their lives, end up at a fancy resort and get caught up in a murder investigation. Say less, right? I mean, I love anything dealing with cults, so this one was right up my alley.

The story had dual timelines but honestly, I was way more into the chapters about the past. I wanted more of that deep dive into their cult experience and the aftermath when they escaped. Those chapters had so much potential!

Saskia Maarleveld's narration on the audiobook was great, and that helped keep me engaged. But it didn’t hook me the way The Quiet Tenant did. That one was faster paced and had a more impactful and in-depth story.

Still, if you’re into slow-burn mysteries with a unique premise, it’s worth checking out. Just go in knowing that Our Last resort is more murder mystery-ish than a true thriller. Overall, it wasn’t bad, just….okay.

I really loved The Quiet Tenant last year, so I was super thrilled to read this early. Now, I won’t say this is a bad book per say. It just was NOTHING compared to Michallon’s previous work.

The cult aspect was done well, and I found it extremely interesting. I wish we had gotten a book JUST about that. Everything else was painfully slow, boring and obvious. I thought the MC’s to be flat and lacking depth. It was also wildly unbelievable. Normally that doesn’t bother me, but the cult aspect was done so well that it really highlighted the rest of its “meh” factors if that makes sense?! I will pick up her next work as I do think she has talent.

Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

Featuring both present and past timelines, I enjoyed the way this story and all of the various layers plays out.

Frida and her brother Gabriel escaped the cult they grew up in, and for years they were all each other had. Something horrible happened a few years ago and the relationship has been strained slightly, but the two have come together to Utah, to a beautiful luxury resort, where they can reconnect.

When a woman is found dead, another guest at the resort, police are looking at Gabriel. Frida is confronted with memories of their tragic shared past, parsing through things to finds answers.

I liked the dynamic between Frida and Gabriel even when it’s tense. These characters are the way they are because of how they grew up, the people who harmed them when they should have protected them, and the people who protected them when it was the right thing to do. I found it interesting how that shaped them.

I found both plot lines to be equally entertaining. Past and present are so intertwined, leading to some shocking reveals. I really enjoyed this and recommend it.

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon
Genre: Thriller
Length: 320 pages
Pub Date: July 8, 2025
🚨TW: cults, grooming, sexual assault
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (rounded up)

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for the advanced e-ARC of this book. The opinions stated here are solely my own.

Summary:
Frida and Gabriel are found family siblings, brought together as they were brought up in the same cult led by Frenchman in America, Émile. Able to escape when they were eighteen, their lives have been somewhat troubled for their past several adult years as they try to assimilate into normal lives.

The siblings book a 9-day vacation at a relaxing resort in Escalante, Utah, only for Frida to find one of their fellow young woman guests murdered by the pool. Frida has a nagging feeling that her husband murdered her, but Gabriel is acting very strange when the officer comes to interview each guest. Could the only person who has ever truly been her family also have something to do with the woman's murder?

Review:
This book had a lot of very disturbing parts in it that references growing up in a cult and how this affected the characters all throughout their lives, even after they were able to leave. It was kind of tough to read about Frida's experience specifically, as Émile (the leader) was grooming her and did unthinkable things to her and the other girls who lived there. I did enjoy how the novel played out, especially how the murder was solved (thanks to Frida's help), and how it showed what a strong bond people can form with their found family.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this advanced copy. I was incredibly eager to read Our Last Resort, as I loved Clémence Michallon's The Quiet Tenant. Frida and Gabriel made for two very compelling characters. I really enjoyed the cult elements and wish we had spent more time in that timeline.

A gripping psychological thriller about siblings confronting their traumatic past while unraveling a murder mystery at a remote resort. Michallon skillfully blends suspense with emotional depth, exploring loyalty and trauma.

Our Last Resort
By Clemence Michallon

Frida and Gabriel were born and raised in a cult compound in the Hudson Valley. They never knew their parents – families were not allowed. They were raised by a group of "mothers" under the control of Emile, the cult leader. They were taught that the outside world was corrupt and only by following the rules would they be safe.

But these two kids were smart. They had questions – unasked and unanswered. When Frida finally turned eighteen, she was raped by Emile. Something he did to each girl once they became of age. As a result, Frida and Gabriel ran away and tried to build a new life from scratch in an outside world they didn't understand.

Over the course of this story, three murders occur, all of which involve Frida and Gabriel. The who, how, and why keep the reader wondering right up to the end. The concept of being raised in a cult and then trying to adjust to the "real world" gives the story that extra twist that will keep you reading.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Our Last Resort
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Clémence Michallon
Publishing date: July 8, 2025

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. I am so grateful I got to read this book before the publishing date! Frida and Gabriel grew up in a cult that they later escaped from. Gabriel becomes the main suspect in a murder investigation for the second time in his life. Frida aims to mend the relationship with Gabriel as they take a trip to the desert at the Ara Hotel. A dead body turns up during their trip and tensions between Frida and Gabriel escalate. Is Gabriel a killer? Does Frida really know Gabriel the way she thinks she does? Will these two repair their relationship or has time and damage ruined it for good? I enjoyed this mystery and trying to guess what would happen next!

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon
⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5

Okay, I wanted to love this one. I expected to love this one. I was ready to scream about it from the mountaintops (or at least my Instagram stories). But after how obsessed I was with The Quiet Tenant… this one just felt like the quiet cousin who doesn’t bring the drama to family dinners. 😅

It’s not that the story was bad—it was actually beautifully written! Just… slower paced and the twists? Not exactly twisty. It's more like a gentle bend in the road.

It's still a solid read, just not what I was hoping for after such a strong debut.

Thank you, @netgalley and #knopf, for the #arc copy of this book.

📚 #qotd : Do you ever avoid an author’s second book because you loved the first one too much? Or are you an all-in, ride-or-die reader?

#Bookstagram #BookReview #OurLastResort #TheQuietTenant #ClémenceMichallon #ThrillerBooks #SummerReads #ReadingRecap #3StarRead #Bookstagrammer #BookLover #MysteryBooks #BooksWithATwist (or not 🤷‍♀️) #BookishHumor

3.5 ⭐️

I was super excited for this one as I loved and devoured her debut. While this definitely wasn’t my favorite thriller, it is entertaining and I found myself eager to know what happens at the end

I felt it started out a little slow, and while I enjoyed the alternating timelines and culty vibes, I was a bit disappointed by the ending

I would still recommend this to thriller fans for a fast, easy read

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Michallon's first book "The Quiet Tennent" was one of my favorite reads of 2024. Her new one is told with dual timelines, but in my opinion, only the "past" timeline was interesting. I found myself wishing the entire book was about this mysterious cult and its leader as opposed to a murder at a resort in Utah. I do think this author can write characters and story lines well. I will continue to read anything Michallon writes, but I was hoping this had a little more punch to it.

This was my first read by this author, although I have heard so many amazing reviews on The Quiet Tenant. I am a sucker for the sunset and a good cover and this one met all my expectations! It is set in Escalante, Utah, which we have been to and loved. The book is told from Frida’s POV in the past and present.

In the past, Frida and Gabriel grew up together in a cult, and even eventually escaped together. They consider themselves siblings and have a strong united bond. The book tells of their trauma in the cult, how they dealt with it and escaped from it. As an adult, Gabriel found love and marriage. Gabriel, his wife and Frida were best friends. Unfortunately, his wife has died and he is suspected of foul play. In the present, 9 years later, Gabriel and Frida haven’t seen each other much and reunite at a resort in Escalante. Soon after they arrive, one of the guests is murdered. Was it Gabriel? Was it her husband? Or someone else?

The relationship between Frida and Gabriel is so strong and inspiring. Their character development throughout the book is displayed in layers opening for you. You really want to trust Gabriel, especially because Frida puts so much faith in him. The pacing of the book is great, it kept my attention throughout the whole thing. I really enjoyed this book experience. Pick this one up for the perfect summer poolside or beach read!

This book is told in alternate timelines of the past and present. It is an entertaining read that took me a while to be invested in. I would consider this to be a mystery (not a thriller).

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To quote Papa Roach...."Cut my life into pieces, this is my last resort..."

I hate saying this but listening to that terrible song on repeat for 8 hours would probably be more enjoyable than reading this book. I've repeatedly talked about how I love a book/story about cults. I like split timelines. I like sketchy histories. This book had everything, but....failed to develop into anything that could keep me interested.

Frida and her "brother" Gabriel are at a secluded resort in Escalante, Utah. Their history of growing up in a cult, followed by strange deaths, kept them close, but now, twenty years later, they are on opposite sides of the country. They chose this resort to reconnect. One night, Frida overhears an argument between a young, beautiful woman and her much older, and very powerful, husband. When waking the next morning, that young woman is dead and her husband is arrested at breakfast....UNTIL the local police start looking at Gabriel.

This isn't the first time Gabriel has been involved in mysterious deaths. His wife died...strangely. And then there was the scandal of the cult.... Frida has always believed Gabriel, but maybe this time proof is in the pudding.
.......
Mannnnnnnnnn, this was a STRUGGLE. The writing style, the slow storytelling pace. It all drove me NUTS. I ONLY finished this because I was stuck in a gym for 16 hours.

Maybe some people will like this, I mean, others have. It just wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you're seeking a thriller that balances emotional intensity and psychological complexity over some action, Our Last Resort delivers. It’s not a rapid fire twistfest, but its exploration of trust makes it a memorable and satisfying read. Thank you for my ARC!

I had high hopes after reading this authors first book but this one didn’t suck me in quite the same way :/
I still enjoyed it just not as much as their previous book.