I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Freda and Gabriel escaped from a cult. Although not biological siblings, they grew up together and formed a sibling-like bond. When trouble found them, loyalty and self-preservation prevailed.

. Set at a luxurious desert resort, the story follows estranged siblings Frida and Gabriel as they attempt to reconcile, only for their efforts to be shattered by a murder. Gabriel quickly becomes the prime suspect, forcing Frida to confront the traumatic secrets of their past escape from a secluded cult.
Michallon expertly weaves a dual timeline—the present-day murder investigation and chilling flashbacks to their cult upbringing. This structure relentlessly builds tension, blurring the lines between past and present and highlighting the lasting impact of trauma. The novel shines in its exploration of family loyalty, secrets, and the
profound psychological scars left by a cult.
Our Last Resort is a thought-provoking and immersive read, perfect for fans of character-driven thrillers. Highly recommended for those who enjoy psychological suspense, dual timelines, and stories about family and trauma.

This is an ARC from NetGalley. Overall, this author's style is not for me. This was a duel timeline murder mystery focused on two separate events that don't really impact each other. This was a very quick read that felt like it should have been a novella. Neither timeline felt fully developed. The backstory of the cult and early years in NYC didn't do anything, but set up the first twist. The second timeline at the resort requires the reader to set aside any reason or logic. These people fall for each other after a limited interaction and one conversation, and then Freida finds evidence in three minutes that the cops didn't find. I am glad I was able to quickly wrap this one up. #netgalley #ourlastresort #dueltimelines #murdermystery

Our Last Resort is a fast-paced murder mystery that shifts between past and present, centered around two main characters, Gabriel and Frieda, who were born into a cult. The cult aspect added a unique and fascinating layer to the story. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged, even though I did guess one of the reveals. Overall, it was an intriguing read with strong pacing and a compelling premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Frida and Gabriel call themselves brother and sister because of their shared past, during which they survived a brutal cult and escaped together, and so much more. They’ve been inseparable ever since. But recently, they’ve grown apart and they are hoping a vacation at an exclusive and isolated resort in the desert will give them the time to reconnect. But then a young woman is murdered and the resort is thrown into chaos. Soon, Frida begins doubting Gabriel for the first time in her life. The pair needs honest with each other, no holds barred, if they’re going to get out of this alive.

This book is told along two timelines: one in the past, telling the story of Frida and Gabriel when they were younger and one in the present day at the resort.

There’s a lot going on in this book: two unsolved murders, a brutal cult, and two people who aren’t certain how to navigate the world around them because of their past. But the author presents the story in a way that the information is easy to keep track of if you are paying attention. I didn’t have any problem following the story. But yeah, these characters had a lot going on.

I’m not sure how I felt about Frida and Gabriel as characters, because they were hard to get a handle on, and maybe that was intentional. Frida does talk about how they don’t relate to ordinary people that well because they did not grow up the same way as everyone. And maybe the readers in ability to relate to them is part of that put into action. Frida especially makes some really odd decisions that made me question what she thought she was doing, especially when she knew the police were watching her.

As for the ending, I was able to guess one of the big twists, which kind of took a little bit away from the book for me, but I still definitely kept reading because there were other components of the book left. Like I said, there was a lot going on.

I do recommend this book to anyone looking for a good through a ride with lots of action and plenty of story to go around. There’s a lot going on here, and it’s a wild ride through it all.

I really liked this one!! Beautifully woven tale with lots of suspense and tied up perfectly at the end. Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for this advance copy. The Quiet Tenant was so completely absorbing for me as a reader, but this one really fell flat. There was no sense of suspense, even though it really felt like there should have been given the dual timelines of a cult and a murder mystery and a previous murder. The premise had all the makings of a page turner, unfortunately as the reader I just didn’t feel that tension. The characters and the story itself all felt very flat. I would still recommend this author because I loved her previous work, but this was not her best in my opinion.

This book sucked me in right away and was fast-paced and kept me wanting more! The luxury resort provided an idyllic setting that captivated me.

The characters were developed well amidst a dual timeline perspective with twists that were definitely unexpected. Frida and Gabriel’s history gave an interesting backstory of cult activity.

Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

2.5 rounded down out of 5.

I have mixed emotions about this book. It was good, but fell short. I felt for most of the book that I was reading 2 different books cramped into 1. The stories of their time in the cult and after didn’t seem to make sense together. It seemed to only tell the character’s backstory, but didn’t add much overall. The flashbacks just didn’t fit in my opinion.

As we read on, I think that becomes less true. The flashbacks do tie in, it just takes quite a bit of time to get there. However, I think we spend so much time on the flashbacks, we’re missing other important pieces of this story. Because of that, the ending is very rushed. I found that when I got to the last 50 pages, there was still a lot of ground to cover in such a short time. I wish there had been more time to unpack the mystery of this story. It all just happened too quick.

I think there were some interesting concepts to this story, it was just too much for one book. The writing is there, I just wanted things to be more flushed out. I also was not a fan of these characters, which I think made a difference here too. They fall flat and I just couldn’t connect with them.

Overall, I wanted more. This just wasn’t for me.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC. I loved the book The Qyiet tenant from this author and I was so excited to read this one. Unfortunately I didn’t r hit this book as much . I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story dragged quite a bit for me . I would have loved more info into the cult as well. I will definitely continue to read more from this author, even though I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first.

📖 Book Review 📖
📱”Our Last Resort" by Clémence Michallon

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Expected publication July 8, 2025

I was so excited to receive this eARC from @netgalley since I enjoyed "The Quiet Tenant". Another thriller by this author, but this time about escaping a cult, really piqued my interest.  Through past and present timelines, I learned about the 2 main characters, the cult, and how breaking free was really difficult. They had little to no outside knowledge on the outside world and how it functions. For a long time Frida and Gabriel relied on each other for everything, but as they adapted to life outside the cult, they drifted apart and eventually were living on opposite ends of the country. The Ara Hotel in Utah is a luxury 5-star resort where they can rest, relax and reconnect. However when a woman is killed at the resort, old secrets are about to come to the surface.

#somanybooks #readsomemore #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #booklover #bookishlove #readersgonnaread #bookishaf

So sad to say this one was very disappointing: :( The Quiet Tenant is one of my favorite thrillers ever and I was sooooo excited to see a new book by the author! But boy oh boy… so slow. Dragging. I sniffed the plot from mikes. Oh well

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of Our Last Resort!

Our Last Resort is more of a slow thriller that focuses more on our characters and their story/why they are the way they are essentially. By no means was this bad, it was just *okay* for me. I didn’t feel super connected with the characters even though this really focuses on the characters. And while I enjoyed the cult flashback chapters I wish they would’ve gone a little more into detail and depth when in those flashback chapters OR that we would’ve had a little more detail and depth in present chapters.

So while I did enjoy this book for what it was and I read it incredibly fast, it didn’t fell like a “full” story if that makes sense.

I recently finished Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon. After loving The Quiet Tenant, I went into this one with high expectations. While the story had a slow start for me, things really picked up around the 70% mark, and I found myself more drawn into the narrative.

I especially enjoyed the cult element and the dual timelines—both added complexity and intrigue to the story. While it didn’t quite hit the same high note as The Quiet Tenant, it was still a compelling and thoughtful read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

✨ Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Knopf for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I’m always so grateful! ✨

I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant and was super excited to read Our Last Resort. This was a great read but be prepared for a touch of a slow burn in the beginning. However, it really picks up pace about 20% in. The characters are well developed and there are lots of twists and turns. I would definitely recommend you reading this one you won't be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC!

I was initially intrigued by this novel because I don’t pick up a lot of cult novels. This seemed like it could be different. The first chapters drew me in. The story alternates between present day at a fancy resort and past. At first I couldn’t figure out Frida and Gabriel’s connection, the bond seemed more than a sibling bond. The cult chapters show what it was like to be a child in such a confusing world. A world without anyone who really cares about you.

The first 30% had me turning the pages trying to figure out how a murder at a resort connected to past events at a cult. Unfortunately, most of this is about the complicated relationship between Frida and Gabriel. The cult storyline didn’t need to exist other than to set up their adult relationship or lack there of. IT was confusing having this as part of the plot. Could have had a tragic event in a regular suburban childhood connect them. Felt like two separate novels. The murder mystery isn’t very entertaining. Straight forward rich man killed his wife. I didn’t care about either character. Didn’t love or hate them.

Ultimately, this lacked in suspense and character depth and just could not keep me interested. Felt way longer than an ~300 page novel which is never a great sign.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Siblings Frida and Gabriel escaped from a cult fifteen years ago. They drifted apart after the mysterious death of Gabriel’s wife, but have been brought back together at a luxurious resort. It’s not long before another guest has been found dead and Gabriel is once again a suspect. Death seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

It was entertaining and quick read but not my favorite. I wish we had gotten more background on their cult upbringing.

I had so much difficulty getting into this one. I don’t get past 70 pages before I gave up. I’m going to retry with audiobook once that is released because I do love the writing style. The plot and execution just wasn’t there for me.

Well. this is fun. Much more character driven than the usual locked door/locked resort mystery I was expecting, but not at all mad at it.

I was a huge fan of The Quiet Tenant, so I was anxious to read Our Last Resort. But I didn’t enjoy this one the same way.
The story revolves around two characters that grew up in a cult. Close as siblings, but not related. Frida and Gabriel manage to escape as teenagers but not without trauma. Now, years later, they are at an exclusive resort in Utah looking to reconnect after a long separation when a woman is found dead. Michallon tells the tale in a back and forth narrative between then and now. But everything is told from Frida’s POV.
Michallon does a good job of keeping the reader off kilter, only giving us clues about their lives like dropping breadcrumbs. It’s a slow burn of a book which wasn’t helped by my lack of connection with either main character. I also struggled with certain parts of the story. Silly point, but would a coyote really have let Frida get so close? I’m always interested in cult stories, but Michallon created nothing original in those sections. Or am I meant to think that all cults are basically the same? The pacing was also off. It’s a very drawn out start to the current day story. It’s almost over by the time Gabriel is charged with the murder and then it’s a mad rush for Frida to prove him innocent. And the ending was totally predictable.
Having loved The Quiet Tenant, I’ll definitely give Michallon another chance.
My thanks to Netgalley and Knopf for an advance copy of this book.