Ella Skye, a celebrity journalist, wakes up in a hospital with her husband Damien at her side, however, she has no recollection of what happened or why she is there.

What is even worse is that Damien told her that the baby she was carrying, Simon, died during an emergency C section. However, she can't recall being pregnant. And how is it that she was even pregnant since Damien and she never wanted children.

Trying to process what has happened, she realizes that she can't remember anything from the last 7 months. Is this amnesia a residual from the accident or could it be selective memory loss? And why is Damien not answering her questions from both the accident and the memories she has lost since last summer? There is one thing, however, that keeps nagging at her is that there was some type of argument between them the night of that fateful crash but she does not know what it was about. Are they holding back with secrets and betrayals?

This was the first book that I read by this author and enjoyed her writing style. I chose to read this book via comments about it on some of the FB groups I follow. It was easy to picture the characters and scenes with the distinct words that the author wrote.

The suspense was captivating. I was totally engrossed with this book.

I found myself not liking some of the characters because of their actions but when the author wraps up this story in an intense and electrifying ending, I was shocked as I didn't see it coming.

Highly, highly recommend.

Posted to GR 07/28: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2886620569
Will post to blog 07/31/19: http://cmashlovestoread.com/?p=20896

If you're looking for the perfect summer psychological thriller story to binge read then Last Summer is exactly what you're looking for. It has everything you could possibly want: deception, sex, secrets, and some seriously juicy plot twists.

Ella Skye had it all, married to a hot and successful tech entrepreneur, Damien, a blossoming career as a lifestyle journalist and a baby on the way. Until, after a terrible car accident her unborn baby is killed and her memories of her being pregnant and the months leading up to the accident are almost entirely gone. As Ella tries to recover her memories, she’s assigned to cover an exclusive story about the retired celebrity thrill seeker, Nathan Donovan. After only a short time spent with Nathan she realizes he might hold one of the keys to recovering her memory – but are these memories she wants to recover?

I was hooked on this story from the very first page. I couldn’t stop trying to guess what happened to Ella last summer and what everyone was hiding from her. Every time I thought I had it all figured out another twist was thrown at me. My feelings about each character kept changing as the story progressed, I couldn’t ever quite figure out exactly who I was rooting for. This was my first time reading a Kerry Lonsdale book and I am going to quickly be adding more to my to-read list that’s for sure!

Ella Skye has no idea why she is in a strange bed and not at home. She clearly remembers making dinner and planning an evening with her husband Damien. She is in pain, quite a lot of pain actually, and Damien is with her, though he looks like he hasn't slept in days. When he tells Ella she was in a car accident, she is stunned since she doesn't remember it happening. Things are only going to get worse for Ella, as Damien also tells her she lost the baby they so desperately wanted. He is overwhelmed with grief, but Ella is surprisingly calm. You see, she doesn't remember being pregnant, not even one tiny detail, and her journey to recapture her memories will take her back to last summer.
This is the first book I've read by Kerry Lonsdale, and I was as clueless as Ella(what, I was pregnant), on how this one would come together. I didn't come close to figuring out what happened and there are enough twists and turns in this story to keep your head spinning and your fingers furiously flipping pages. A very enjoyable beach read, though, through no fault of the author, I may have been a bit dehydrated at the end since I was so engrossed, I forgot to drink any water!
I received a DRC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.

This book started out slow for me, but by the middle I was hooked. I also enjoyed the ended.

I found the main character, Ella, to be a bit tiring; however, I really enjoyed the male characters - Damien and Nathan - as well as Ella’s best friend and funny brother.

Easy summer read perfect for the beach or pool. I would read Kerry Lonsdale again!

I’ve enjoyed this author’s previous books, but this one was not my favorite. Felt myself really disliking the characters and no real resolution at the end of the book.

This book had me hooked right from the beginning. The story is suspenseful, sexy and intriguing. While I couldn’t believe some of the actions of both the husband, Damian and the wife, Ella, the premise for the storyline was fascinating. It was a quick read that I enjoyed and sure to be a summer hit. #lastsummer #kerrylonsdale #netgalley

Beautiful cover, intriguing characters, unexpected twist. This story kept me interested and questioning what was going to happen next, and why this and why that and all the questions were definitely answered. That twist, it was definitely not what I was expecting. My favorite characters were Nathan and Andrew, I totally fell for them. I would love to read their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Last Summer in exchange for my honest review.

Once I got started Last Summer had me hooked and it was a nice easy read. I enjoyed trying to piece everything together, but I didn't "feel" the suspense. Although some of the book felt repetitive I did not see the ending coming. This was my first book by Kerry Lonsdale and I can't wait to read more.

Ella Skye is a lifestyle journalist who interviews celebrities and politicians. When she met Damien they instantly fall in love and got married, but then she was in a tragic car accident that killed her unborn child. Her whole pregnancy is wiped from her memory. Ella is searching for any memories of her pregnancy and her past. She is then assigned to an exclusive story with Nathan Donovan, a retired celebrity adventurer. When they met he seems to know more about her than she does of him.

I really liked this book it definitely kept me guessing till the very end. I would have no idea what I would do if I woke up from a tragic accident and being told I lost my baby and have no recollection of every even being pregnant! At first I really didn't like her husband because I felt he was not being as symptomatic as he should of been to her, but after twist after twist you find out why. When she met with Nathan that was when the story really starting to get interesting. There was definitely way more to the story than ever imagined. I love all the twist and turns of this book! At the end of the book my jaw literally dropped I couldn't believe it!! I highly recommend this book!

Ella wakes up in the hospital. She remember everything, except the fact that she was in a car accident and lost her and her husbands unborn baby boy. The weirdest thing is, she can’t even remember being pregnant, or setting up the nursery, or anything about this child she was supposedly carrying. Her husband Damien doesn’t want to talk about the loss. He never wanted children to begin with, but he became attached to the little boy growing in her belly and doesn’t want to remember their loss. Ella’s job gives her an assignment to cover a story on Nathan Donovan, a story that apparently had already been started and then stopped, though Ella has no memory of this Nathan guy either. Will he have the answers she is searching for?

I don’t really know how I feel about this book. Everything was good until the end where I just went….HUH? I enjoyed it but the ending seemed very far fetched and I just can’t decide how I fee now that I have finished. I loved the authors style of writing, but overall the book just left me wanting a bit more.

This was a book that I completely forgot about. I honesty couldn’t remember how it ended up on my review calendar but some how it did.

But as I went combing back through my emails to find out how this book ended up on my calendar, it started coming back to me. My March self said yes to this one and now here I was, my July self, and I wasn’t even sure I was in the mood to read this book.

Not to mention that I’ve been reading a TON of women’s fiction lately, I almost felt like I needed a break from women’s fiction but as I said, I agreed to review this book and I started seeing a few other bloggers reading this one and I started to remember why my March self said yes to this one!

Summary

Lifestyle journalist Ella Skye remembers every celebrity she interviewed, every politician she charmed between the sheets, and every socialite who eyed her with envy. The chance meeting with her husband, Damien; their rapid free fall into love; and their low-key, intimate wedding are all locked in her memory. But what she can’t remember is the tragic car accident that ripped her unborn child from her. Ella can’t even recall being pregnant.

Hoping to find the memories of a lost pregnancy that’s left her husband devastated and their home empty, Ella begins delving into her past when she’s assigned an exclusive story about Nathan Donovan, a retired celebrity 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 the snowcapped Sierra Nevada to the frozen slopes of southeast Alaska. There she discovers the people she trusts 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 (summary from Goodreads).

Review

Kerry Lonsdale is a new to me author, but I know that she has a pretty big fan base and a lot of people rave about her books. I immediately started to recall what it was that drew me to this book in the first place once I gave the summary a once over. I liked the idea of the main character, Ella’s, memory loss and trying to solve the secrets of her past. I also liked the adventure element and the rugged locations that the book promised.

This book started off strong and I was roped in almost instantly. That;s the thing I love about many women’s fiction novels, they get to the meat of the story right away and this book was definitely one of those. There were also a lot of other genre elements woven into this one–suspense, thriller, steamy romance. I loved that this book was a hodgepodge of some of my favorite elements.

I read this book over the long 4th of July weekend and found myself quickly turning the pages and guessing about the ending all the way through. I enjoyed the plot twists and I especially loved the romantic bits. I finished it in a couple of days and felt entirely engrossed in the story and characters. I think I have found a new author to enjoy!

The only thing that I felt was a little disappointing was the ending. I think the last couple of chapters could have been eliminated entirely. I didn’t think they added anything extra to the story so I would have edited them out in my opinion. Other than that, a lovely read!

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition, 297 pages
Expected publication: July 9th 2019 by Lake Union Publishing
ASIN B07HNSYCGG
Free review copy provided by publisher, Lake Union Publishing in partnership with Little Bird Publicity, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced. .
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: women’s fiction, romance

Ella writes for Luxe Avenue magazine. She was given an exclusive assignment to interview Nathan Donovan a celebrity adventurer and star of the hit Nat Geo Wild series Off the Grid!

Overall:
The timeline alternated between the present and the past simultaneously giving snippets of information. The author holds everything back controlling the secrets until she’s ready to reveal. Not much can be deciphered on your own without the assistance of Kerry.

There were several thought provoking topics that had me swaying in either direction. Either way I viewed each topic as best as I could given the point of view from both sides. There was no right or wrong answer only choices that best suited the individual.

Impending secret awaits the reader and I mean waits...meanwhile life proceeds forward with Ella desperate for answers with minimal success.
It’s difficult to focus on the story when my mind continued to ponder the memory loss over what took place last summer.

The reader gets pushed off the big revealing secret from the past summer one too many times. Instead of revealing the secret the characters pick up where they left off last summer initially giving the reader the recounting of events thru these scenes. However, I was so hung up on this secret that I couldn’t appreciate the relationship that was developing or redeveloping.

I absolutely loved the premise of this story, yet all the excitement was placed towards the end lending a slightly slow beginning. I loved the unexpected twists and turns, yet all the fun was reserved for the end. It wasn’t a steady ride of revelations. I felt I was misled on several occasions redirecting my attention to a writing assignment which had very little relevance. I was looking in all the wrong places for answers not getting a clear picture.

Her husband is not acting like the man she met and fell in love with during their first night together. This sentence led me to believe so many different variations of the actual story. To go into my wild imagination would spoil the story. Kerry did a fantastic job concealing this secret, but I find sometimes hiding a secret can work against the author. In this case, it did hinder my interest at times. I’m disappointed I was misled in different directions, but also proud of the trickery.

Kerry Lonsdale is one of my most treasured authors, and I didn't think she could outdo herself, but, alas, she is a master of creating plots never thought of before! So check this out - Lifestyle journalist Ella loses certain memories following a tragic car accident resulting in the loss of her unborn child. She remembers everything about her life, her career, and her marriage - except the tragic accident and the entire pregnancy prior to that. As she follows through on an assignment interviewing a retired celebrity adventurist, she discovers that this isn't their first meeting and that he knows a little TOO much about her.

I won't give away the details, which is revealed brilliantly at the end, but hands down, one of my favorite 2019 reads, and definitely my favorite Kerry Lonsdale book. I absolutely love her writing style, and she knows how to brilliantly reveal bits and pieces of the puzzle at the perfect times. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller, especially if you have a fascination with psychology like I do!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
Kerry Lonsdale is a fantastic author. This book is just as fantastic as her others.
Ella Skye is a lifestyle journalist. Her partner's name is Damien. One day Ella wakes up in a hospital to find out she was in a car accident. She unfortunately experienced a miscarriage during this accident. But why cant' she remember?!
As she starts to investigate her memory issues, secrets start to arise.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union. Publishing, and Kerry Lonsdale for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel. I really enjoyed her Everything series and this stand-alone book is a great one to pack in your summer beach bag!

Ella Skye is a journalist who wakes up in the hospital with parts of her memory gone. She remembers all about meeting and marrying her husband, Damien, and their life together. But she can't remember the car accident that put her in the hospital nor the baby she lost in the accident. She can't even remember being pregnant. When she gets home, she throws herself into trying to remember that missing block of time. She is assigned to write a story about Nathan, an extreme sports celebrity. Her boss tells her that the story was pulled but that Nathan was ready to be interviewed again. But Ella remembers nothing of Nathan. When she meets up with him, she is instantly drawn to him. But who is keeping secrets from Ella? What secrets is she keeping from herself?

An interesting topic - memory - set into this novel that kept me turning the pages to see how it was going to all end up. Great read!

Wow!!! You are going to LOVE this book!! The most tremendous ending everrrrr!! I've always loved Kerry's books but this one has surpassed them all!!

I’ve been a huge fan of KL’s books since her debut and this book is such a big departure from her books, but in a really awesome way! Her other books have been solidly Women’s Fiction and this was much edgier and much sexier than her previous books and I loved every single page.

This was basically the definition of a binge read for me, I was supposed to be buddy reading it with my friends Chelsea and Jamie and ended up tearing through it because I seriously could NOT put it down! It was such a fast and well paced read, full of shocks and surprises that I finished it on record time because I was just as eager to learn what happened last summer as Ella was.

Memory loss is nothing new in books but KL manages to put her own unique spin on it that was totally unexpected and incredibly fascinating. Besides that angle, you have this surprisingly steamy side that I wasn’t expecting at all, but I really loved it and felt like it gave the whole thing a really cool edge. I’m always impressed when authors try something new from their usual style and I’m so impressed by what KL did here. This was a highly entertaining and wildly addictive read that is perfect for summer!

Last Summer in three words: Compulsive, Sexy and Tense

Possible spoilers.

While I enjoyed this book I also didn’t. It was beautifully written as only Kerry Lonsdale can do. It flows seamlessly. Keeps you on your toes the whole way through. There’s not s page you want to miss.

That being said I have a hard no on infidelity. Just not my jam regardless of the reason. The characters are well written and feel real. Several twists and turns you don’t expect.

Kerry Lonsdale is the author of the popular Everything series. With Last Summer she turns again to the topic of memory loss. But in this case, the memory loss is not all-encompassing and the amnesia victim has not taken on a new identity and whole new life. Rather, Ella remembers everything about her life up until dinner on the evening of the car accident that killed her unborn child. As the story opens, she awakens in the hospital with no memory of how she got there. She can recall what she cooked for dinner, but not why she left right after, why she was driving, or where she was going. Worse, she doesn't even remember being pregnant. She has no recollection of the physical feelings of pregnancy, much less an emotional connection to the child she was carrying. Curiously, when she must convince Damian that she truly does not remember, he exclaims, "You weren't supposed to forget him," a comment that baffles Ella and leaves Ella wondering what would provoke him to say something like that.

Because of her memory loss, Ella doesn't experience the psychological pain of losing her unborn child in the ways that an expectant mother normally would. But by all appearances, Damien is mourning the loss, and the grief that he is largely bearing alone is driving a wedge between them. Damien is also distracted by the loss of several clients and an ongoing investigation into the possible sabotage of his company -- by his own father. The needs of his business take him away from Ella for meetings with lawyers and investigators just when she needs his support and understanding.

When Ella is assigned by her editor to interview Nathan Donovan, Ella cannot let on that she has no idea who he is. And Damian provides little insight. In this, as other areas of their life, Damian provides little information to assist Ella's attempts to recover her memories. He does not provide answers to her questions, but promising he will sit down and talk with her detail . . . later. Surprisingly, however, Damian emphatically asks Ella not to travel to the Lake Tahoe area to interview Nathan. It seems that Ella spent ten days with Nathan last summer, but he suddenly backed out of the exclusive story he promised the magazine. What's even more surprising is that Ella, who keeps meticulous records of her work, can't find any evidence of her research on Nathan, or notes or recordings of their prior interview which forces her to decide behind trying to conceal her memory loss from Nathan or simply be honest about the fact that they will need to conduct the entire interview all over again.

Lonsdale gives readers a clue as to what has happened to Ella via a short prologue. But it is merely a glimpse at the possibilities. Lonsdale keeps readers guessing as Ella searches for the truth. The tragedies that Ella has survived have made her the strong but troubled woman that she is: one who quickly throws herself headlong into relationships, a character trait with which some readers will easily relate. In Ella, Lonsdale has crafted a female protagonist who is empathetic and likable, despite the professional compromises and poor choices she has made over the years and the regrets she carries. Likewise, Lonsdale has bestowed upon Damian a troubled family background and failed first marriage -- as well as one explosive secret -- which inform his outlook, motivations, and choices. She adds Nathan to the mix -- a sexy, fit, adrenaline junky who is convinced that his lust for adventure brought unspeakable tragedy to his family.

Last Summer is an inventive take on a provocative question: Can what you don't know hurt you? Lonsdale's story line twists and turns, full of red herrings and jaw-dropping surprises. It's more than just a fast-paced, tautly-constructed mystery. Last Summer is a sneakily sophisticated exploration of the power of secrets -- to destroy and unite. Lonsdale examines the impact of manipulation and deceit -- even lies told in the name of love -- upon the lives of three highly intelligent, accomplished, but damaged individuals. She ends the book with a couple of final revelations that will take readers by complete surprise . . . and leave them clamoring for a sequel.

Last Summer grabbed me by the throat and never let me go. It is a great example of what a psychological thriller should and can be. Be careful when reading reviews, you do not want to discover the numerous twists that make this a fantastic read. As always, suspense starts with communication and the lack of it. Here we see a couple which exemplifies just that. Ella and Damien are expecting a baby. Unfortunately, there is a traffic accident and their unborn child dies. But Ella cannot remember many aspects of her life, including ever having wanted a child. Did she even want a child? Her entire life is a shamble and a mystery that enrobes the reader A wonderful read