A Father’s Deceit
A Husband’s Betrayal
A Loved One’s Death
A Mother’s Choice
A Daughter’s Resentment
A Time to Forgive
For every daughter who thinks she knows her mother’s story…
Katherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the last letter…
Katherine Arthur’s dying mother arrives on her doorstep, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie’s husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty — a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.
Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, Katherine has found the truth — she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?
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***MY HONEST REVIEW OF THE LAST LETTER***
This is a beautiful story revolving around Jeanie and her daughter Katherine. As you begin to read, you think that it is going to be told from Katherine's point of view, and it is, to an extent. The main story though, is through Jeanie's eyes. She tells of their unexpected life in the year 1888, whereas Katherine is telling of the resulting consequences in the year 1905. The story is told back and forth, so you basically know the ending, but the way it is written, you have to read the entire story to find out how it got to that ending, and this author knows how to make you want to know every circumstance that got Katherine and Jeanie to that point in their relationship.
Kathleen Shoop has a way of drawing you into the story. I wasn't just reading the story, I was living it alongside Jeanie. I felt every betrayal and horror that she felt. Ms. Shoop gave such vivid descriptions that you couldn't help but feel you were seeing it all pass like watching a movie, and I really did see the movie in my mind as I read. Once started, I could not put the book down until I finished it.
I connected with this story more than I care to admit. I give very few ratings of 5, but this one earned it because there wasn't anything about this book that I didn't like. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
My review can also be found at:
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About the Author
A Language Arts Coach with a Ph.D. in Reading Education, Kathleen lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.
Kathleen's debut novel, The Last Letter was garnered multiple awards in 2011. Her second novel, After the Fog (Silver IPPY), was a category finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Her third novel, Love and Other Subjects, earned a Silver medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention from the San Francisco Book Festival. Recently, Kathleen has released the her first romance novella, Home Again (Book One). Book Two, a novel-length work in the Endless Love series called Return to Love, will be released in May, 2014. Books Two and Three in the historical fiction series that started with The Last Letter are nearly complete and should be released by fall, 2014.
Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. She lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.
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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!
THREE Lucky Winners will each receive a $15 Amazon Giftcard,
courtesy of author of The Last Letter, Kathleen Shoop
Ending on Sunday 3rd August at 11.59pm EST
Open Worldwide
Enter Below & Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Totally agree with you on this one, you definitely feel that your right there with Jeanie x
ReplyDeleteI know, right! It was great. Thanks Sharon.
DeleteThank you, Sharon and Julie!! This review really touched my heart. I can't say how much I appreciate you spreading the word!
ReplyDeleteYou're so very welcome Kathie. I meant every word.
DeleteThis seems like something I could get lost in, I love these Kinda books!!
ReplyDeleteYes, you can easily get lost in this one. Thanks.
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