The Last Letter

By: Rebecca Yarros

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Jennifer Stark

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

“The Last Letter is a haunting, heartbreaking and ultimately inspirational love story.“ (InTouch Weekly) 

Beckett, 

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have. 

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride. 

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair. 

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help. 

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.  

Please don’t make her go through it alone. 

Ryan

©2019 Rebecca Yarros (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

What in the actual f@#k!

I don't mind reading or listening to books with heartbreak as long as there's a happy ending. If I knew this book had so much I'd never have listened. There's a thing as too much pain. Neither Ella, Masie nor Beckett deserved such heartbreak, they've already been through enough. This is fiction not real life. After Me Before You I never read another book by that Author again, it will be the same for this one. I read books to escape the real world not to have my heart break to pieces.

14 people found this helpful

Almost Perfect

Beautifully narrated.
Beckett was luscious, perfect hero, in all aspects. The twins, Maisie and Colt, are delightful children and their impact on this story is tremendous.
My major problem with the story is Ella. She's the mom extraordinaire who struggles with single motherhood and making a go of her "luxury" resort inherited from her grandmother. Kind of clueless in her expectations of relationships.
Beckett doesn't reveal what he thinks is a problem that will end Ella's love for him. And darn, he's right. What kind of idiot woman negates all Beckett does for her and the kids, and trust me, it's a bunch? Ella that's who. She just didn't behave rationally. Made me dislike her.
At the 90% mark, fasten your seatbelts. I can't remember the last time I totally lost my mind reading a book. I wanted to hate Rebecca Yarros at this point, really. Why?
The story could have resolved without the bomb planted at that point.
Beckett deserved a more mature partner and a better ending. Just saying.
I'm a huge fan of Yarros. But this one is not a favorite.

6 people found this helpful

Tissues were needed for this book

If you are looking for a book to make you cry actual tears, give this a read.

I honestly don't know what to say now that I have finished The Last Letter It was heart wrenching. There was so much pain and devastation. Too much, perhaps.

The connection that Ella and Beckett had was immediate and deep but Ella annoyed me at times with being so self righteous in her whole, refusal to see beyond her own pain and poor circumstances to the fact that Beckett was also in a lot of pain and had very real feelings of loss and signs of PTSD from all he had been through.

This book was pretty close to being over the top for a lot of the book. Ella's parents died when she was a kid. Then her grandmother who raised her and her brother, Ryan, died. Ryan joined the military and was constantly deployed for Special Ops. Ella got married at 18 and immediately pregnant with twins and her husband packed up and divorced her when she refused to have an abortion. So she had twins by the time she was 19. Then her brother, Ryan died. She assumed Ryan's squad mate/friend, Chaos, also died with him and she had started falling in love with him as a pen-pal. Around this same time, her 6 year old daughter is fighting for her life to get through stage 4 cancer. So as if that wasn't enough, there is something that happens at the end of the book that just took it too far. That is where the author lost me. Don't get me wrong, that part was well written and I was full on crying, but it was too much, too OTT due to everything else that had already gone wrong. Ella must seriously be the most unlucky person to ever walk the earth. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near her out of fear for what might happen.

Spoiler Alert about the dog, Havoc. The dog lives and nothing bad happens to her at any point. Surprising, based on all of the other bad stuff in this book, but I was very thankful for that.

Overall, this book was well written. A few spots in the middle got a bit long winded but it got back on pace pretty easily. I was annoyed at the angsty part of Ella's relationship drama when she pushed Beckett away and beyond pissed that she let that impact the kids lives. And again, by that last thing that happened, I was like, okay this is too over the top. Besides all of that, I did enjoy the book quite a bit.

Audible: The narrators did a good job. This is good as an audio book. The voices from the female narrator weren't as varied as I would have liked but it was still enjoyable. The pacing was all good and they both were easy to understand.

3 people found this helpful

Seriously Depressing

This book is about a young woman who has more tragedies happen to her that at he end you begin to question the author. Really, why would she think that we would want to read/listen to that? And Ella is comes off as just whiny and weak. I really wanted to slap her many times.

1 person found this helpful

one of the best books i have ever read or listened

well i did not see this one coming, it was one of the best. i loved full tilt and all in and this one is just as good.
the writing, the narration everything was excellent.
I highly recommend this one. It is so hard to find anything that is not only for young adults. this one is for all. it actually has a story to tell and is not all about sex which is a refreshing change.

1 person found this helpful

One of the most credit worthy listens in a long time!!

What an amazing story beautifully written . The narration of this book was done so well you can feel the story in your heart and soul. Absolutely credit worthy and one to keep in your library and share with other's. Kleenex is required if you have.a.heart. It will definitely pull on your strings Enjoy it... i sure did..

1 person found this helpful

Love, love and made me cry.

Buy this! You will not regret it!! I love Rebecca's books and add this one too the list!

1 person found this helpful

Not the way I exoected it to turn out

A very good read. You will love it! You will laugh, cry, be mad, and excited as the story unfolds. I hooe the author writes another one with tye military pen pal storyline.

1 person found this helpful

Heartwarming & bittersweet

This is a wonderful story about a single mother of twins & the hero she didn't ask for

1 person found this helpful

Incredible audiobook💖💖

Listening to this was a emotional roller coaster of a ride. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more by her!! Once you start listening you won't wanna stop. Listen and have you tissues ready. Fall in love with the characters -Ryan, Ella,Beckett, Colton and Maisy. This deserves more than 5 stars just awesome!!!!

1 person found this helpful

heartbreakingly beautiful

I loved this book ,
heartbreaking in places but uplifting and joyful in others .
A must read..

WOW

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BOOK THAT WILL STAY WITH YOU FOR A WHILE THIS IS THE BOOK. TOTAL ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS FROM HEARTBREAK TO LOVE, SADNESS AND JOY. WITH MY COLD HEART EVEN I SHED MANY TEARS THROUGHOUT AND WITH AN ENDING THAT COMES FROM NOWHERE. WOW HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND EASY IN MY TOP 5 FOR THE YEAR. THIS BOOK WAS WELL NARRATED AND WITH TEDDY AND JENNIFER YOU CAN FEEL EVERY EMOTION THROUGH THIER VOICES.

Real tear jerker

Loved this book. Was expecting a run of the mill heartwarming romance but this is so much more. Read with a box of tissues because this book will tear your heart out in places but it is worth the read even if it's not the usual hea you'd expect.

Fantastic book

This story is more than 5. Heartbreaking and emotional. Exceptional narration. This is one of
My all time favourite reads.