Release Review: The Last Post: Renee Carlino
THE LAST POST
Renee Carlino
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Release Day August 20, 2019
In this evocative and poignant novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Blind Kiss and Wish You Were Here, a young widow in the midst of grieving her late husband through Facebook posts learns to heal and fall in love again.
“See you on the other side.”
Laya Marston’s husband, Cameron, a daredevil enthusiast, always said this before heading off on his next adventure. He was the complete opposite of her, ready and willing to dive off a cliff-face, or parachute across a canyon—and Laya loved him for it. But she was different: pragmatic, regimented, devoted to her career and to supporting Cameron from the sidelines of his death-defying feats.
Opposites attract, right?
But when Cameron dies suddenly and tragically, all the stages of grief go out the window. Laya becomes lost in denial, living in the delusion that Cameron will come back to her. She begins posting on his Facebook page, reminiscing about their life together, and imagining new adventures for the two of them.
Micah Evans, a young and handsome architect at Laya’s father’s firm, is also stuck––paralyzed by the banal details of his career, his friendships, and his love life. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, only that there is someone out there who can bring energy and spirit to the humdrum of his life.
When Micah discovers Laya’s tragic and bizarre Facebook posts, he’s determined to show Laya her life is still worth living. Leaving her anonymous gifts and notes, trying to recreate the sense of adventure she once shared with her late husband, Micah finds a new passion watching Laya come out of the darkness. And Laya finds a new joy in the experiences Micah has created for her.
But for Laya, letting another man in still feels like a betrayal to her late husband. Even though Micah may be everything she could wish for, she wonders if she deserves to find happiness again.
Written with Renée Carlino’s signature “tender and satisfying” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Maybe in Another Life) prose, this warm and compassionate novel shows us how powerful the courage to love and live again truly is.
Laya becomes a young widow when her husband’s daredevil career leads to a tragic accident. She becomes mired in her grief, unable to move through the stages of grief at a pace those around her deem acceptable. Micah works for Laya’s father and finds himself floating through the motions. He has entered a sort of crisis of self as he loses sight of what he wants out of his life and career. A brief meeting with Laya has Micah intrigued and he begins to come back into himself as he pursues her. But she isn’t ready for a relationship, she hasn’t moved on from her last. Micah agrees to a friendship, but can’t help wish he could help her process her grief faster.
Laya’s love for Cameron was all consuming. She doesn’t know how to move on when he’s gone and finds herself using present tense still to describe him. She is fragile and the people around her aren’t sure how to help her grieve.
I struggled with parts of this story. I loved the premise, but there were aspects of Micah’s actions that felt overbearing and as if he was taking advantage of the situation (though he means well in everything he does). I kept reading despite my misgivings, and am glad I did as enjoyed the conclusion.
This was a story full of grief and the consequences of staying in one place for too long. I was prepared for an emotional drain, but I guess I was hoping to feel more of a connection building between the two main characters. They finally hit a point where their chemistry was believable, but I felt like I had to hang on to the story longer than usual to get there.
Laya’s love for Cameron was all consuming. She doesn’t know how to move on when he’s gone and finds herself using present tense still to describe him. She is fragile and the people around her aren’t sure how to help her grieve.
I struggled with parts of this story. I loved the premise, but there were aspects of Micah’s actions that felt overbearing and as if he was taking advantage of the situation (though he means well in everything he does). I kept reading despite my misgivings, and am glad I did as enjoyed the conclusion.
This was a story full of grief and the consequences of staying in one place for too long. I was prepared for an emotional drain, but I guess I was hoping to feel more of a connection building between the two main characters. They finally hit a point where their chemistry was believable, but I felt like I had to hang on to the story longer than usual to get there.
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women's novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she's not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com
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