Renée Carlino
Publication date: August 20, 2019
Series: No
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Format: eARC
Source: Atria and NetGalley
GOODREADS * AMAZON
S Y N O P S I S
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.
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.
M Y T H O U G H T S
After a whirlwind first year of marriage, Laya is suddenly and tragically a widow. Retreating from work, family and friends, Laya is mired in grief and finds solace in leaving messages for Cameron, her deceased husband, on his phone and his Facebook page. Despite pleas from his family to stop the posts, which they consider hurtful, Laya can’t seem to stop.
Micah works for Laya’s father’s architectural firm and seems to be at a crossroads himself. He feels a disconnect with his friends and a sense of pointlessness to his work and his everyday life. When he meets Laya he’s immediately drawn to her. He knows she is a widow and, when he comes across her posts to her deceased husband, he feels compelled to somehow help her. Taking cues from her posts, he begins to slowly get to know Laya and a relationship (of sorts) forms.
I was excited to dive into The Last Post because I have loved several of Carlino’s books in the past. She has such a gift for emotional storytelling. Unfortunately, it was the emotion that was missing from this one for me. I didn’t feel a connection with either Laya or Micah, and at times I wasn’t even sure I felt a real connection between the two of them. In the beginning I wasn’t sure what to make of Micah or what his motivations were. It wasn’t clear to me whether he was altruistic or was trying to fulfill some need in himself.
Both Laya and Micah were living very small, insular lives – disconnected from the world and the people around them. I liked how together they both started to rejoin the world. Laya was finally able to start moving past her grief and Micah was coming out of… whatever it was he was going through. Honestly, I never did really understand what his issues were or what was troubling him. Laya struggled to come to terms with Cameron’s failings and recognize that neither he, nor their marriage, had been perfect. It was satisfying to see her come out of her shell and be willing to move forward.
While I didn’t feel emotionally invested in Laya and Micah’s story, and I missed that emotional punch that I’ve come to count on from Carlino, there’s no denying that she is a gifted storyteller. I love her writing style and I love her ability to tell a story about real people facing real challenges. Her stories always feel authentic and never gimmicky. If you enjoy stories that focus on overcoming loss, second chances and moving on, give The Last Post a chance.
3.5/5 STARS
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review. I received no compensation and my review is voluntary.
