Last Summer: A Novel

Is author Kerry Lonsdale going to do this every single time? Write a book so compulsively readable, so full of twists and turns and surprises and possibilities, that when you finish you will just sigh with satisfaction? I certainly hope so.

When I received a complimentary copy of Last Summer from Goodreads I was thrilled. And pleased that it wasn’t an ARC so I didn’t have a deadline for a review. My plan was to read it at my leisure. Ha! Like that has ever happened with a Kerry Lonsdale book. Once I began I read it in nearly one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It was exciting and perfectly paced, with richly drawn, compelling characters that I couldn’t decide who to believe or feel sorry for or trust.

The book initially reminded show more me of the movie Shattered from several years ago. Main character has an accident, loses memory, feels love from everyone near, but wait – it also feels like there is something going on, something that might be sinister. Not a totally unfamiliar theme but entertaining. However, with Kerry Lonsdale you get so much more. She provides scenarios and situations that are almost unbelievable, just barely plausible. The science or medical condition could be true but it’s nothing you’ve heard of before. She makes you feel just as confused as the characters and changes things up so much that you never know what’s coming next. It’s marvelous. You become so completely immersed in the story and the chase to learn the truth that you feel as if it’s happening to you. And no matter how many clues there are along the way the ending will take you by total surprise and have you wondering, “What now?” even beyond THE END.

It’s nearly impossible to review Last Summer without spoilers, so I won’t go into much detail about specific events. Every single plot point has a meaning and maybe a double meaning. Ella and Damien seem so perfectly matched. Driven, ambitious, successful, sexy, romantic. But Nathan is also driven, ambitious, successful, sexy, and romantic and almost feels like a soulmate. We are as much in the dark about what really transpired last summer as Ella is. She thinks something might jog her memory, but whatever took it away did a good job. It seems as if specific pieces were just plucked out. And how can you know what you don’t remember?

Last Summer is an incredible story. Just when you think you have a handle on it you don’t, but you always feel and believe the emotions, because the author does such a good job of portraying people and their struggles. I absolutely did not see the ending coming, and in fact didn’t see most of the surprises coming. But they all worked.

Thanks to Goodreads, Kerry Lonsdale and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation. And I was left with the biggest, most haunting, question of all: if I knew I lost my memory and then had the opportunity to retrieve it, would I be able to stop myself even if I knew I was “better off” not knowing? show less

I read Last Summer almost in one sitting. It was easy to do. Kerry Lonsdale writes in such a readable way. Her books are to readability what a Ferrari is to cars. Smooth. Elegant.

I have read all of her novels and enjoyed all of them. I really enjoyed this one as it left me wanting more information page after page. I was surmising things on my own, as I usually do, and then it would appear that I was wrong. I was baffled on more than one issue. This is why I read. I want a story. I want likeable characters, questionable characters, nuance, mystery. I want to be led in several directions. I want to wonder if I'm missing something along the way. In this novel, there are all those things, along with just plain great writing.

I will read show more this book again. I had the privilege of reading an advance reader's copy. So maybe I can hold off on reading it again until it is actually published. Or not. If you feel you can't wait, it may still be available on NetGalley.com. If not, write it on your calendar in capital letters on its publication date as you won't want to miss this one! show less

A story of just how far people will go to get what they want. It starts with the main character awakening in a hospital with no recollection of the last several months of her life. As the story evolves, the investigation into her lost memories uncovers a trail of deception, lies and betrayal involving everyone around her. This twisty and engaging plot gets a little muddled at the end, but does wrap up adequately. This is my 5th Kerry Lonsdale book, though not my favorite, it's still a good read.

Don't start reading this wonderful new book by Kerry Lonsdale if you have things to do - like cooking a meal or going to sleep. I guarantee that you won't be able to put it down until the end. It's another page turner of a book that has twists and turns throughout that will keep you guessing until the end.

Ella, a magazine lifestyle journalist, wakes up in the hospital with her husband Damien at her side. She doesn't remember the accident that brought her to the hospital and worse yet, doesn't remember their unborn baby who died during the accident. Damien seems to be mad at her and Ella knows that he is hiding something when he won't answer all of her questions. As she tries to remember the months that she's forgotten, she goes through show more her computer files and tries to learn more about her past. When she gets a phone call from her editor to do a story on Nathan - a rugged survivalist, she learns that he is somehow tied to her memory loss and decides to do the story to see if he can help trigger her memories. I can't say any more about the story because I don't want to give away something crucial but what I can tell you is the last 20 pages are a huge surprise. Every time you think you have this story figured out, you find out a chapter later that you were totally wrong. And trust me - the book is full of red herrings that will keep you guessing.

This is a book that is going to keep you guessing from the first page to the last. Add it to your TBR list - trust me, this is going to be one of the most talked about books of the summer and you don't want to miss it!

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. show less

Explosive Until Almost Literally The Last Word. This is yet another tale where Kerry Lonsdale superbly plays with memory to tell a truly compelling story, using different memory issues than she did in her Everything series but writing at least as well as that excellent work. If this is your first Lonsdale book, it is a great introduction to her general style and her ability to craft and tell a story that will draw you in and have you literally not wanting to put the book down. Just about the only quibble that can be openly discussed without verging close to, if not directly into, spoiler territory is that the cover, while beautiful in its own right, doesn't seem to have anything to do with the story at all.

I would call this book a "quiet psychological thriller". There was not a lot of flashy or big, big moments that took place in this book but there were enough good things happening to keep my interest all the way through the book.

The three main characters, Ella, Damien, and Nathan were pleasant to get to know. Although, Damien is the true bad guy in this story. I kept trying to figure out how the story was going to end and I did not come up with the true ending. Which; can I say that the ending left me with mixed emotions. Yet, it did not disappoint.

Fans of mystery, suspense, and psychological thrillers will really enjoy this book.

Last Summer

An imaginative and intriguing psychological drama about lies, deceit and memory loss.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Ella Skye is at the top of her game as a lifestyle journalist. Her assignments are the rich and famous, and she remembers every celebrity and politician she has interviewed. The chance meeting with Damien Russell, a wealthy entrepreneur; their love at first sight romance; and their low-key, intimate wedding are all locked in her memory. She can even remember Damien telling her he never wanted children. But what she can’t remember is the tragic car accident that landed her in the hospital and killed her unborn child. Ella can’t even recall being pregnant. And why would she even be pregnant if her husband show more didn’t want children?

Hoping to find her lost memories, Ella begins delving into her past trying to remember her pregnancy. The baby’s newly decorated room, and the maternity clothes mean nothing to her. At work, she’s assigned an exclusive story about Nathan Donovan, a celebrity adrenaline-junkie adventurer who seems to know more about her than she does him. To unravel the mystery of her selective memory loss, Ella follows Nathan from Sierra Nevada mountains to the frozen slopes of southeast Alaska. She soon discovers the people she trusts the most aren’t the only ones keeping secrets from her—she’s hiding them from herself. Ella quickly learns that some truths are best left forgotten.

REVIEW
If you could make a bad memory disappear, would you? LAST SUMMER is an imaginative and intriguing story. It’s a psychological drama exploring the limits of lies, deceit and secrets in relationships. One page easily leads to another in this quick and engaging read.

LAST SUMMER is a beautiful blend of characters, setting and story. My favorite part was the cleverly plotted twists and turns. Kerry Lonsdale has plenty of tricks up her sleeve and you may pick up on a surprise or two. Her writing is first rate and Ella, Damien and Nathan‘s characters are delightfully well-drawn. Be sure to pack this gem on your summer beach trip!

Kerry Lonsdale writes emotionally charged domestic drama, family suspense, and women’s fiction. She is co-founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, an international organization that boasts over 1,000 writers, Kerry resides in Northern California with her husband, two children, two naughty kitties, and an aging Golden Retriever convinced she’s still a puppy.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kerry Lonsdale and Lake Union Publishing for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Lake Union Publishing
Published July 9, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com show less