The Last Letter

This book destroyed me. Reader beware—this book will leave you in pieces by the end. The whole way through, I thought I knew where this was going. I thought I had it figured out. I was wrong. So completely, utterly wrong. Rebecca Yarros sets you up to think you understand the trajectory of this story, and then she pulls the rug out from under you in a way that will leave you gasping. I was SOBBING through the last third of this book. Not tearing up, not getting a little misty—full-on, ugly-cry, can't-catch-your-breath sobbing. And I know I wasn't alone. So many readers talk about being completely wrecked by this story, about needing a full box of tissues, about still having tears in their eyes hours after finishing. I saw one reader describe it as the most gut-wrenching story of their life, and honestly, that feels accurate. The story follows Ella, a single mother to twins, and Beckett, her brother's best friend who's left behind instructions to take care of her after his death in the military. It's an epistolary romance at its core—they "meet" through letters, and the way Yarros reveals those letters, sometimes out of order, is masterful. But it's so much more than a romance. It's about grief, sacrifice, the fragility of family, and what it really means to love someone—whether that's a soldier, a child, a sibling, or a partner. What makes this book hit so hard is how real it feels. Yarros doesn't shy away from the heavy stuff. She explores grief, healing, and the power of human connection in a way that's honest and raw. You feel every loss, every moment of hope, every gut punch because the characters are written with such depth and humanity that you can't help but invest everything in them. Honestly, Rebecca? I'm so damn disgusted with you. But I mean that in the best way possible, if that makes sense? You don't write a book like this without knowing exactly what you're doing to your readers, and she does it brilliantly. This book wrecked me. It's been months, and I'm still thinking about it, still trying to make peace with the ending and the sheer emotional weight of everything that happened. If you're going to pick this up—and you should—tread carefully. Have tissues ready. And clear your schedule, because once this book grabs you, it doesn't let go.

Slow burn, felt like it took a while to get to anywhere and by the time it got somewhere you’re basically done.

You know you read the reviews and be like “they did not cry for real” right? The ending I thought we were getting and the ending we got had me teary eyed for real omg. Yep good read !

This one was worth getting through the first chapter. Very well written. Filled with true heartfelt emotions. Loved it!! Just don’t read this in public if you don’t like for anyone to see you cry.

This was an excellent book to read. It was not something I would have normally read, if not for the book club. Some parts of the book jumped too quickly, and sometimes I questioned the ages of the characters, but overall an excellent read. Definitely recommend!

Such an incredible book that I will forever cherish like no other. 10 out of 10.

I liked this book but didn't love it. There was some unecessary repetition and the characters all sounded exactly like each other. I especially felt like the kids' dialogue was a little farfetched. Interesting and sad story though. Definitely reminds you to say what you mean and mean what you say, live your life to the fullest, and love on your loved ones out loud every day.

It didn’t break me the way I thought it would’ve but I did shed some tears so I approve.

This book was absolutely awful. So unrealistic that it felt like a teenager wrote it. It was predictable from the beginning all the way until the end. It was poorly researched, especially when it came to the cancer storyline. I can’t believe I stuck it out and finished, trust me - skip this one.

I cried so many times I love this book and I’m sad it’s over