Perfect for a binge read, Last Summer is a thriller, somewhat predictable but still highly engaging. Ella is a journalist who would do anything to get her perfect story, even if that means getting under the sheet with her clients. She is married to Damien, who is quite a successful person in himself and wants nothing but a perfect family to live and love. Then there’s Nathan, who looks exactly like Damien. He’s lost a lot and is searching for love and life.
I loved the writing, it was so engaging right from page 1. And as the story unfolds we get to see more about each of these characters and their inner turmoil. Narrated from a third person perspective, the plot is quite intense! The mystery unfolds slowly keeping us hooked on with it! It ends leaving us with a lot of mystery. I would love to read if a sequel comes out any day. #netgalley #lastsummer #kerrylonsdale

While this was a fast read, I was very annoyed by the main character and almost stopped reading a few times due to how annoyed I was with her and with the seeming lack of progress in the plot for the first 2/3 of the book. The last 1/3 of the book definitely suspends disbelief but did save the book for me so I wasn't upset I spent 1 1/2 days reading it. Overall 2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3.

Last Summer is another amazing book from bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale, and a prime example of why she has become one of my favourite novelists. LS kept me guessing to the very end with twists and turns on an emotional rollercoaster.

Without giving out spoilers, I will say that by the end of chapter 29 I had a pit in my stomach for Ella, and teared up in several chapters. Lonsdale's ability to write with such great expression draws readers in. I can always count on her to write characters with depth. Nathan, Damien and Ella are all completed people with insecurities, faults, and odd personality quirks. One of my favourite things about Lonsdale is that she doesn't have "good" and "bad" people in her novels. Everyone is some blend of the two.

I highly recommend this book or audiobook (I listened, loved the narration!) and am eager to listen to her summer 2020 standalone Side Trip.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020
Format: Kindle Edition
Kerry Lonsdale has written quite a psychological thriller with this new novel. It is definitely a read straight through page turner. One whose conclusion will surprise the reader and leave them wondering what Ella chooses to do with the email she has received.

A novel full of love, honesty, lies, deceit, and delusion. The author has written her most impactful read to date. The concept that this novel is based upon is one so few would ever think about much less put into motion. Yet, both she and her husband have done so complicity.

The author brings to life the characters through multiple storylines and situations. She takes a concept of choosing to forget an aspect in ones life and utilizes it in an interesting, if not “warped,” manner. She takes the words of several individuals to lead us where she goes in the end...which will still surprise almost every reader.

In the end one will ask “would you wipe away a select memory from your life”? If so what and why? What do you believe Ella does in the end? Seek her memory back or let things stay as they are?

Rating: 4.8
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

** I initially read and reviewed this novel as an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Since then I have purchased this novel.

This was a fast-paced thriller. A few bits were a little unbelievable but the twists were good fun. The basic story centers on a woman who wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there and that she was pregnant and lost the baby in the accident. She also doesn't remember writing an article about a tv character who invites her to write the article again. All in all a fun and quick read.

A suspense filled psychological thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. It's an emotional read that examines the intricacies of a relationship and the miscommunications and tensions that can occur. I didn't find the characters very likeable but I'm not sure you are supposed to! That did make it challenging at times and I found the ending a little unsatisfying but generally a gripping read.

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I absolutely loved this thriller. It was well written with many surprises packed along for the ride.
Ella is a successful journalist who wakes up in a hospital after being in a car accident. She is told she has lost a baby in that accident but the problem is she has absolutely no memory of being pregnant. She is later assigned to write an article on a celebrity adventure seeker named Nathan and his adventures take her near and far in the meanwhile she tries to piece together what happened last summer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending f it to family, friends, and fellow book lovers. Thanks again to NetGalley.

3.5 stars
This was not what i expected at all. Many of these things gave me a suprise, and i kept going "what the?" many times. I'm not sure i agree with what Ella, Damien and Nathan did or how and why they did it. But wow, made my jaw drop a couple of times.

This was my first read by Kerry Lonsdale and now I want to drop everything and read her entire backlog. I absolutely inhaled this book in less than one day. I"m pretty sure my husband was ecstatic when he knew I had finally finished because no-one was talking to me until I did. I was obsessed with figuring out this storyline. I'm just blown away at the creativity. I loved it. Wowza.

I loved this book and would/will highly recommend it. Will be buying a copy for my shelves. 4 stars.

“How far would you go to get what you want?“

The answer to that question for this desperate ‘love triangle’ of characters is definitely “all the way” and then some!

Admittedly I don’t read too much contemporary romantic fiction, however when this story kicked off, I was all for giving Ella and Damien a chance to impress me, as there is nothing wrong with a good romp and a large dose of slush, every once in a while!

Also, I was more than a little intrigued by Ella’s ‘selective memory loss’, which it turns out was deliberately induced. I had an interesting time checking out various sources on the subject, which for me personally, all adds to the enjoyment of a well researched book. I did also try empathising with Ella, when previous traumatic events in her life came to light, although I struggled with exactly how they influenced her current situation.

There was a bit of a tear-jerker to kick-start the storyline, a scenario which would have reduced even the hardiest of us to quivering wrecks and which I felt showed both Ella and Damien at their best, with their emotions laid bare, albeit in a very controlled way, which is exactly how I would envisage myself dealing with that same situation. There were plenty of half finished conversations and hints of deeper emotional problems, lying barely suppressed beneath a carefully constructed veneer of normality, which the couple were desperately trying to hold together, rather than confront their true feelings …. Or so you are led to believe, very convincingly at first, by some really clever narrative and dialogue by the author!

Then the cracks begin to show in this carefully choreographed dance, as Ella realizes there is more to her ‘amnesia’ than meets the eye and that somehow Damien is part of and at the heart of some well concealed truth, which he isn’t going to share willingly with her, leaving her feeling isolated and alone.

Enter Nathan, for Ella, no more than another journalistic assignment awarded by the magazine she works for … or so she thinks!

From that point on, the web of lies and deceit become exceedingly tangled, as Ella realises that she has actually known Nathan for some time, although she has no memory of him and any written proof of their meetings has been deleted from her notes and all her correspondence devices. Little by little, Ella pieces together events from her recent past, although she still doesn’t remember them ever happening to her, and she doesn’t particularly like what she discovers about herself – not that she is about to try and change anything, in fact if anything, her actions become more reckless and ill-considered, perhaps a true reflection on her own morals and definitely those of Damien, who seems to have manipulated just about every aspect of the sorry, sordid affair!

Who did what to who? Who said what and when? Who knew how and why? Who is lying to themselves and everyone else, and for what ends?

Kerry has woven the lives of these three individuals together and inextricably, into a twisted and intriguing storyline, which had me rooting for first one, then another of them, as the plot unravelled turn by turn, until I finally realised that you would struggle to find three more selfish, self-centred, egotistical, reprehensible excuses for human beings, without searching for a very long time. There was not one moral compass between them, if indeed there ever had been!

I am not certain that I took away the feelings from this story that the author necessarily intended should be the outcome, however my 4 out of 5 stars are awarded for the strong emotions that the characters and storyline evoked in me personally; for the intricately woven plot which was fluid until the very end, so kept me guessing nicely; and for some equally engrossing dialogue and narrative, which brought the characters to life on the pages.

Oh my goodness! This book had my mind thinking and my fingers wanting to turn the pages faster. I couldn't imagine being in Ella's shoes and having selective memory loss. Talk about an intriguing story!

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.

I enjoyed this book very much. I didn't think that the novel was extremely compelling, but it was fun to read on a weekend tucked in my home relaxing.

“My mother always preached that the more bite marks on your tongue, the happier your marriage.
Marital success isn’t measured by what you share with your spouse. It’s what you don’t.”

I received an ARC copy of Last Summer by Kerry Lonsdale from Netgalley ... and all I have to say is I am mad at myself I didn’t read it sooner. I started and finished this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down and just had to know what happened.

Ella Skye is a lifestyle journalist for Luxe Avenue. She has spent her entire career interviewing politicians, movie stars, musicians and Wall Street types. Using her personality, good looks and power to get the best story. That is how Ella met her husband Damien, the owner of a security company, trying to get a story from him.

Ella waking up in a hospital bed, unsure of why she is there and unable to recall the events leading up to this moment. Damien tells her, she was in a horrible car accident and the accident caused them to loose their unborn son. After her initial shock, Ella soon admits that not only does she not remember the accident and being in the hospital for a week, but she doesn’t remember the five months of pregnancy prior. The doctors diagnose her with selective amnesia.

Months later Ella’s memories still haven’t return. Her marriage is strained, and Damien still won’t talk to her about his grief. Ella receives a call from her editor to pick a story that was pulled the summer prior, with Nathan Donovan. A man who she doesn’t remember, but was told she extensive time with the previous summer. She immediately agrees, then finds herself googling him. Ella is desperate for any clues to what she has forgotten. She believes that the interview with Nathan Donovan, a celebrity adventure, who also lost a son will help her, will maybe help to trigger some of the memories she is missing. But she also must decide if she even wants to remember?

“Our minds can be sneaky. They’ll plant false memories when we can’t make sense of something and bury others when we can’t deal. Your memories are there, but for whatever reason, you can’t retrieve them.”

While reading I could see this book being a great summer movie! I would totally see it. I don’t want to say too much and give the book away, but i was surprised at every turn, and really enjoyed reading Last Summer. This is the first book I have read by Kerry, but I am going to be looking up her others to read soon!

Last Summer is a twisty novel with interesting characters. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys psychological suspense.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #LastSummer #suspense

I had a hard time getting into this book. Although I was super excited about it being a great summer read I just didn't feel invest in the characters. It wasn't really a thriller but had some thriller elements. Overall it wasn't one of my favorites.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read Last Summer in advance.

There is some difficulty in placing Last Summer in any sort of category or genre. Although there is a mystery surrounding Ella’s missing memories and the pace is fast and full of tension it is not a thriller. Even a “domestic” or “relationship” thriller. I would most likely call it women’s fiction or romantic suspense? I’m not sure.

I also struggled with the over the top dramatics of every character and every event in their lives. Damien’s parents aren’t just estranged they are awful people. Ella’s aren’t just dead but died in a horrible way viewed by their children. The issues with babies and children in this book are also wildly attention grabbing and feel gross and cheap to me. There are at least four children that die before the age of 16 in this book including the one the entire story is built around. Basically, this book is plotted around child death (past and present), screwed up parents, lies, secrets and wildly attractive people who have hot sex. Not one character feels relatable or real. Even once all the cards and the past and it’s motivations are revealed it feels more like the plot of a soap opera or Lifetime movie than the story of people who walk this earth.
Maybe this book is fun beach read or break between serious books but I didn’t enjoy the plot or the characters. There are no laughs and it uses dead kids to push the plot which is low hanging fruit to this reader.

A quick beach read about a journalist torn between two men.
​
The story opens with a female journalist in hospital with memory loss. She cannot remember anything about the accident or the unborn baby she has lost. She asks her husband to fill in the blanks - but maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow. Maybe this is the suspense element. When she is sufficiently recovered she has an interview gig with someone she has interviewed before, but cannot remember. Curiouser and curiouser.

Until it becomes obvious that both men are perfect specimens of masculinity, with perfect teeth and 'ice blue eyes', and, basically, irresistible. The married journalist commits adultery and at this point the outcome of the whole story becomes obvious. So early on, too. She is 'in love' with two men. It's a love that shows no affection other than 'cupping his jaw' or cheek and sexual attraction.

The concept of memory loss is not as big a theme as first indicated and the story would have benefited from some development here. Although the protagonist has meetings with a psychologist this is not a psychological thriller, and the things not said represent the apparent deceit. An easy read about wealthy attractive people who wear designer shoes, set in a beautiful landscape, and so on. If romance is is your thing, this book is something to read on your next holiday.

#NetGalley #LastSummer