The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic by Ryan Cole is a great nonfiction that takes us along on a stateside journey.

I have always had this thing for Lafayette. I dont know why, or when, it started but I have read several history and historical fiction on the infamous man. He is just fascinating.

I really enjoyed this book that focussed mostly on his “last hurrah” and curtain-call tour of the much-changed United States in 1824. I am impressed with the detail, the research, and knowledge that was acquired to present this novel, is stunning. I personally couldn’t get enough, but for those that are new to the wonderfully packed life of Lafayette, this is a perfect opportunity to take a glance into the infamous man himself. Hopefully it will encourage newbies to learn more.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Harper Horizon for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/16/25.

Admittedly, I am probably not a great reviewer for Ryan Cole's The Last Adieu. Not because I don't find the Marquis de Lafayette fascinating, but because I am a Lafayette superfan. As such, there wasn't going to be much that I didn't already know. It's not a flex (ok, it's a little bit of a nerd flex). It's just important to you, dear reader, about whether the rest of this review applies to you.

Cole is focusing mostly on the Marquis's return to the U.S. decades after the American Revolution. For the uninitiated, this tour of the U.S. was a national celebration on steroids that were on more steroids. Lafayette was as close to universally beloved (in the U.S., France not so much) and his visit was an event wherever he stepped foot.

Cole writes well and I can't really criticize anything in the narrative by itself. I would say that the book is just a tad long. At around 400 pages, there is a lot of room for tangents. Also, all the background for Lafayette and the state of the U.S. at this time takes up the first 100 pages. If you don't know Lafayette's life, it will seem like a lot of interesting stuff is zipped through to get to the tour. While epic, 300 pages for his travels starts to drag a bit as more and more people are quickly introduced and then will inevitably disappear from the narrative. This is just the nature of this particular story, and I think Cole handles is as well as can be expected.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by NetGalley and Harper Horizon.)