I struggled with this story and ended up shelving it. I adore Renee Carlino's writing but I just couldn't connect with either character in this book.

Laya Bennet has married Cameron, a Daredevil stuntman for Red Bull. Laya is always there to count him down for his stunts, despite having a busy career as a surgeon. Cam always tells her “See you on the other side” before he jumps. This time, he doesn’t come back.

Layla is in denial. Everyday she calls and leaves voicemails on his phone and posts regularly to his Facebook. Cam’s family has asked her to stop but she doesn’t.

Micah is an architect at Laya’s fathers firm. He is also in denial and stuck in a rut. Until he comes across Laya’s facebook posts to her dead husband. Trying to help her through her grief, he anonymously leaves gifts on her doorstep, and even shows up to certain places she mentions. Laya has become his new passion.

But for Laya, letting another man in feels like betrayal to Cam. Even though Micah is exactly what she is looking for, does she deserve happiness again?

I read this book fairly quickly because I wanted to find out what what’s going to happen. Over all... this book was just okay. I found Micah’s tendencies to be borderline stalkerish when Laya clearly kept telling him no! There was a spark between the two of them but Laya’s grief had been so consuming she obviously wasn’t ready to move on yet. The upside was that even though death and grief was a huge topic it wasn’t heavy to read.

Renée Carlino is one of those authors that I can read with no idea what is in store and I devour every page. Right from the get go I'm always sucked in and The Last Post was no exception. The opening alone broke my heart. And the more I read, the more my chest ached.

I loved that both Laya and Micah were broken and lost and searching. Trying to get unstuck from the rut their life had become. While neither of their mechanisms were great, they worked. And it brought them into each other's lives. While their chemistry was quite apparent, theirs wasn't a whirlwind romance (much to Micah's dismay).

While Micah and Laya's journey was long and full of set backs, there was no denying that something great was coming. I could feel the hope laced in the pages. And with every tear, every wave of sadness, that hope only grew. Hats off to Renée Carlino for slapping me in the face with grief and giving me a realistic look at how crippling loss can be. How hard it can be to get out of that tunnel of despair. But also how beautiful the other side of that pain is.

I typically really love Renee Carlino books however this one, instead of being emotionally angsty for me, just feels gray and drab. Not sad, drab. I’m stopping at 70% because I’m also not feeling the love connection between the MCs.

Our heroine Laya is a tragic widow but instead of feeling sad and compassionate for her, I dislike her. She’s not especially nice and can be downright mean to the hero. She’s a bitter woman. Ha.

My biggest entertainment here is the hero, Micah, and his twin sister’s cute banter. But he and Laya aren’t doing it for me on a couple hood level.

Life’s too short to not either enjoy your book reads or at least feel the feels. I’m feeling nothing here but boredom and a constant “suck it up, buttercup” mantra in my head. Moving on.

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Grab your tissues, dear readers, because Renée Carlino is going to smack your heart around like a cat with a toy as she depicts the different ways we grieve.

Laya’s grief consumes her. She locks herself away in her apartment, having moved from the home she shared in California with her risk-taker-for-hire husband Cameron. Newly widowed, Laya tries to understand what happened. She tries to figure out whether she bears guilt (should she have tried to stop him?), whether her marriage deserves the depth of grief she feels (did Cameron love her the way she wanted and needed?), and whether she can rebuild. An orthopedic surgeon, Laya knows how to rebuild other people; it’s her own rebuild that makes her retreat.

To cope, she begins leaving messages on Cameron’s cell phone and his Facebook page. These aren’t messages of bereavement, however. They are messages that read as if she believes Cameron is alive.

Micah, an architect at Laya’s father’s firm, reads the Facebook messages and decides he will help Laya feel better by trying to give her what she reminisces about. For instance, she mentions a concert she and Cameron wanted to see, and Micah gives her a ticket to one. He means well, this quiet, humble, loving man, but he fails to see how unnerved his gifts make Laya.

Yes, there is a romance. It begins with a hot flame but follows with a long, slow burn. Renée Carlino respects Laya’s grief and does not try to minimize nor shortchange it. Much like Laya, Micah, too, is someone who builds things for other people. When his own life crashes, he retreats, redesigns, and reemerges.

I loved that Renée Carlino takes no shortcuts. She does not spare you the depth and breadth of Laya’s loss. She infuses you with Laya’s desperation to remain connected to Cameron, even as she struggles with the ever-present fear that he will disappear completely from her memory.

For me, though, Micah is the heart of this story. Lest I make The Last Post sound heavy, rest assured that Micah’s merry band of friends and family provide belly laughs. As Laya recognizes, Micah is surrounded by people who love and support him. Even so, he needs Laya. He wants to be the man she needs, so even with his missteps, she knows his heart is pure.

Get that box of tissues, immerse yourself in this beautiful story, and please let me know what you think of it.

I was extremely excited to read this book based on the blurb and author. It seemed like the perfect book to tug on my heartstrings and allow me to get lost in a beautiful love story.

Unfortunately, this book didn't tick the boxes I needed it to. Granted, it was not a horrible read. I really enjoyed certain parts and some of the humor, especially between Melissa and Micah. However, much of this book seemed downright weird to me. Many readers, myself included, thought Micah came across as a strange stalker, but that wasn't the biggest issue for me. Much of the dialogue in this book was odd. The characters would go off on unrelated tangents about the banalest topics, while being happy in one moment and in the very next sentence angry and depressed. Trying to keep up with the characters' moods was enough to give me whiplash. Not only that, but all of the relationships, with the exception of Micah and Mel seemed incredibly surface-level.

One would think, based on the subject matter this novel covers, it would be a tearjerker of a story. Regrettably, I didn't feel an emotional pull toward any of the characters. Further, I didn't believe the connections between the characters themselves, which created a disconnect for me as a reader. Instead I was wondering, "do they even like each other?" The words said so, but the feelings indicted otherwise. I do think Renee did a fine job of capturing the grief Laya was going through, but it still wasn't enough to make me feel it along with her.

Like all of Renee's books, this was a fairly quick read, but overall it was a miss for me. I feel a bit confused and disappointed with the story.

Unfortunately this book didn’t mesh with me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I felt like I had no idea who they were well into the book. I’m a huge fan of Renee’s so I’m very sad that this book didn’t work for me.

I previously read and enjoyed Carlino's SWEAR ON THIS LIFE, so I had high hopes for this one (plus that cover!). Unfortunately there was just nothing about it that worked for me. I found the characters flat and unlikeable, the dialogue unnatural, the relationship lacking in chemistry, and the plot hole-y. I hope this was just a fluke and will continue to read more from Carlino in the future, but I can't honestly recommend this particular novel of hers.

I love unconventional romances.
This story has:
A heroine trying to recover from immeasurable loss.
A hero who is basically stalking her.
Far from a match made in heaven.

If you read the synopsis, you already know what's in store for the heroine, and how hard a battle it will be for her to recover. But what is unexpected is how she eventually makes that recovery.

This book kicks of as both Laya Bennett and Micah Evans' are struggling for direction in their lives. For Laya, it is clear why. Micah is more complicated.

Laya continues to post on her husband's FB page as though he's still around. It's a mix of sad and creepy. Along with that, she's giving up working, socializing, and general personal care.

Three, two, one . . . see ya.

Micah also has begun to pull away socially, preferring to do nothing than go out and test the singles market. He also is described as beginning to look like the Unabomber. However, for one of them, their first meeting changes their outlook. Turns out, Laya is the daughter of Micah's boss.

All it takes is one small smile from Laya and Micah is hooked. Following his friend, Devin's, lead, he begins to stalk Laya's FB posts, and respond to them in an unusual way. Micah's actions are a little sweet, and a little over the top/stalkerish, but whatever the case, his new interest in Laya seems to pull him out of his own slump. He has a new focus, and it is 100% Laya. The trick is convincing her that he has a place in her life.

It is clear that Laya is charmed by and attracted to Micah, but she's far from stable during their initial meetings. And although she keeps pushing Micah away, you can see from her POV how he is having an impact on her and showing her the chance of a life after Cameron (her husband).
This story isn't depressing like I would have thought. It presents a more positive view of hope and recovery. When you add Micah's twin sister in, you get a nice dose of zany and she and Micah bicker.

The journey of this romance is far from conventional, but it has the roots to make the relationship last. As expected from this author, the story is a well written one with odd but intriguing characters. If you are looking for a unique path for romance, this one may interest you.

First off I really need to say I have loved all of the previous books I have read by Renee Carlino but I really struggled with this one. I picked it up I put it down and I picked up a week later but it just wasn’t drawing me in and I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I did finish but it took time and effort and for me I like a book I can get lost in and that wasn’t happening here.
The Last Post is a sad story and maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind because this is an author I love but I’m sorry to say this book wasn’t for me.

3.5 STARS!

The Last Post by Renée Carlino is a story of overcoming tragedy and finding not only love, but oneself.

Laya is a newlywed and she witnesses the death of her husband, Cameron. After that tragic event, Laya falls into a black hole of despair and grief. She doesn't know how to let him go.

Micah is an architect working for Laya's father and when he first meets her he feels an instant connection towards her. Laya feels it too, but she ignores it and pays it no mind. Feeling lost and scared, her sadness won't let her move on.

Micah was the opposite of any hero you'll read. He's not your typical alpha hero. He's humble, keeps to himself, and the complete opposite of Cameron. The interactions between his twin sister, Melissa and himself will definitely have you giggling and added a light tone to an angst filled novel.

Though the moments where Micah answers Laya's posts were a bit bizarre and we don't really experience the impact of this couple's love and their true connection til the end of the book, I was still able to take in the story's beautiful message and see that Micah's intentions were good.

"I got to have two great loves in my life. One was a little nuts, a little unpredictable, a spontaneous spirit too wild to restrain, and the other . . . a deep and introspective, thoughtful being with magnificent eyes who loved the stars and space right alongside me. I will always look back and think of Cameron as that rocket ship, shooting for the stars, and Micah . . . well . . . he’s like mission control, guiding me home. Both easy to love, both loved me . . . and I never had to choose."

In all honesty, I'm so conflicted in my feelings towards this book right now that I don't even want to give it a rating. The story was beautifully written, which speaks highly of Renée's magnificent craft; however, it took me a while to feel any emotion towards the plot and its entirety. Though heartbreaking, I didn't feel the full impact of emotion--my eyes weren't watery and I didn't sob into my pillow. The emotion felt wasn't as intense as it was in me when I read and fell in love with Renée's book, Wish You Were Here... But, I say jump into this book head first and experience it head on. Three. Two. One. See ya.


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I've loved most of Renee Carlino's books (Before We Were Strangers is one of my favorites). They are nice, easy reads with a love story that makes me believe in love all over again. I usually connect with the characters and I'm rooting for them to overcome the inevitable conflict and get together in the end.
With The Last Post, I felt that was missing. I couldn't connect with Laya, the main character. She tragically lost her husband, Cameron, and is trying to process her grief. There is a monologue from her father about grief, comparing it to waves crashing over you, that is excellent. However, overall, Laya seems to just mope around without any care about a career or money or friends. She gets close to someone and then pulls away and retreats. She has some interactions with Cameron's sister, but then she disappears from the book. I understand that grief is brutal and different people experience it differently, but Laya didn't seem to go through stages of getting better.
Micah, the love interest, is portrayed like a stalker who falls in love with Laya on Day One and will do anything to get her. At times he seems like a stalker, other times it feels like he's on a mission to get his conquest, and occasionally, it seems he really does care for her.
I missed seeing the relationship grow. I missed seeing the connection between the pair. She pushes him away over and over again and he keeps following her for some scraps. That's not a romance that brings tears to my eyes when they finally get together.
Overall, it's a quick, easy, readable book, but it wasn't Carlino's best.

The Last Post is Renee Carlino’s next standalone. I have read and loved a few of her books so I was excited about this book. She has a way with her words that are heartfelt. I don’t want to spoil anything so I will make this quick.

Laya was living the life. Living in San Francisco with her loving husband and completing her fellowship as a surgeon. She never thought she would be married until she met Cameron, a thrill-seeker and stuntman. She loved him and loved him hard. They traveled for his work and he loved every minute of it while she was on the sidelines supporting him and also scared at the same time. And, then it happened. She lost him to what he loved. A tragic accident. Now, she wasn’t sure how to live at all.

Micha was in a funk. He didn’t want to go clubbing and hooking up with randoms. He just wanted to work, sleep, and sit on his couch. Grow a beard. He didn’t like where his life was going. Then he met her. The boss’s daughter. Laya. He felt like he knew her from the very start. He liked her but he felt she was off somehow. Then he found out why. She lost her husband six months ago. And now she was in New York. Once he found out that she still posts on Facebook to Cam, it was a way he thought he could help her except it came out all wrong. Stalker much.

These two loss souls developed a complicated friendship of sorts. And more.

I thought the concept of the story was there but it fell flat. I didn’t feel the connection between Micha and Laya. I did however enjoy Micha and his twin sister, Melissa’ s banter. She is hilarious and snarky. I wish I loved this book but I didn’t. It was slow and too fast at the same time. You would have to read it to understand what I mean.

Overall...it was okay. The concept was good but I didn’t connect to the characters.

Quotes:

“Why do you want me here?”
“Because I need a distraction.”
“I feel like a placeholder or something,” I said in a low voice. I was half-kidding.
“Just stop talking. You’re not an object.”

“Hey, Micah, do you really like that girl?” I turned around, expecting Laya to be right there.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good,” Mel said. “She’s awesome, by the way. Kind of out of your league, though, dickwad.”
I sighed. “Annnd you’re back.”

“Another risk taker.”
“I get a flu shot every year,” I said, smirking.

This book was great and I loved the relationship between friends and grandparents. I enjoyed how the author used physical ailments to explain the growth of the relationship. More books need this representation in them. This novel made me laugh and made me cry. It made me feel empathetic but also made me root for them to fight their own way. Greta read, with a good balance of serious and sweet.

I don’t like "death" stories. The stories where either someone dies or the main character is suffering the death of a loved one. Sadness cloaks these types of stories like a wet blanket.

I was apprehensive about reading this book, but I'm glad I ignored my apprehension.

I was surprised to find that I could connect with this story the way I did. I’ve told you all before, and I’ll tell you again, I am a sucker for emotional reads. This book had emotion in droves.

Laya is happily married to Cameron. Things aren’t perfect but their shared love makes up for bad parts. She’s getting into her role as a doctor, and Cameron is still living the dare-devil lifestyle. It's this same lifestyle that takes Cameron's life, and Laya is there to witness it. Grief consumes Laya. She's leaving Cameron voicemails postmortem and leaving messages on his facebook page. Everyone is worried about her.

Micah is in a slump. He's unsatisfied. His job doesn't pay enough, and he's not doing the work he feels called to do. Then he meets Laya. She's his boss' daughter. One look at her and Micah is a goner. He takes to her facebook page as a means of staying in touch with her. He discovers secrets about her and in an attempt to help her grieve, he oversteps.

Micah is an interesting character. He was too much and not enough, all at the same time. He was overwhelming in his approach to Laya. I wanted to chuck it up to him being love-struck, but I'm not sure. He was overbearing. He tried helping Laya overcome her grief, but she wasn't prepared for the onslaught of the emotions that came with his presence, or his attempts to help her.

I have to say though he was overbearing, the way he cared for and loved Laya was sort of cute. I liked Micah. He was instant love disguised as a man, but it worked for his character. It was believable and worked for the story and the progression of the plot. I know a lot of readers won't like Micah's character, but I appreciated him towards the end. It brought the story full circle for me.

Laya was a conundrum. She was heavily shrouded in grief, it was a separate entity. The author handled her grief responsibly and realistically. It was a journey watching her grieve, and battle with her feelings for Micah.

The author allowed time for both characters to fully develop separately and then later, together. It was well-written. No doubt about it. This story won't be for everyone, but for those of you that like unconventional, emotional love stories--this will be the perfect read for you. The pacing of everything is perfect, with just enough drama to shake things up. Micah's sister, Melissa, is a riot. It was a pretty great read and another good one from Carlino.

I enjoyed this book and liked that it was a quick read but personally something just didn’t click for me. I felt like it had a lot of potential but it fell a little short. I did love some aspects of the story line and some of the characters. I have read some great reviews about this book and recommend checking it out for yourselves!

I've enjoyed Renee Carlino's books in the past, but The Last Post was disappointing. I didn't enjoy most elements of Laya and Micah's relationship - the instalove from Micah's side, Laya's flip-flopping, the random accidents. I spent most of the book disliking the both of them.

The Last Post was my first book by Renee Carlino, and it will not be my last. It was not my favorite romance, but I am intrigued to read more by this author.

What I Liked:
I absolutely loved the relationship between Micah and his twin sister Melissa. Their banter was fun, their relationship was believable, and it lightened the tone of the book. I liked the incorporation of Laya's grief through phone messages and facebook posts - something I have done when grieving a loved one. The dog being named Pretzel really made me laugh.

What I Didn't Like:
Overall, I didn't believe the love story between Laya and Micah - it seemed that he went all in too quickly in a way that was not believable for me based on their interactions. While they took things slow(ish), he was infatuated from the time he met her, which is never my favorite in romances.

Overall, it was a quick, light romance read that I would recommend to people who love romance or as a palate cleanser for anyone who has been reading heavier books.

I had just come to terms with Renee Carlino not being for me when last year's Blind Kiss came out and I fell in love with it so thoroughly that when I got The Last Post I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I think Blind Kiss was a one-hit wonder for me, because Last Post just...didn't work. I just wasn't invested in Laya and Micah at all, the friends were one-dimensional, and it was really hard to connect to the story because Laya kept going back and forth on her feelings.

Renee Carlino has written some of my favorite books (Before We Were Strangers, Wish You Were Here, Swear on This Life) and some that were more "meh" for me (Blind Kiss). The Last Post falls somewhere closer to middle of the road this time for me.

What I Liked:
- Story about moving on after terrible loss at a young age
- Learning if it's possible to make room again in your heart without dishonoring a spouse who has died
- Fun family dynamics (bantering siblings always make me laugh, especially when it's a brother and sister - probably because this is very true to my own life)

What Didn't Work For Me:
- Micah is utterly relentless in his pursuit of Laya who repeatedly tells him she is not done grieving her dead husband, Cameron. This was to the point of stalkerish tendencies to me (sending her a concert ticket anonymously because he read on facebook she liked the band with her husband and then showing up with a beard and sitting next to her?) this is really not okay in real life and shouldn't be romanticized in literature
- we get it, you had a character go to Harvard. If I had to read the word Harvard more than one time, this book was going sailing across the room at warp speed
- The Smithsonian is located in Washington D.C. - the ARC has it as Virginia - this is a large national reference and should be correct - hopefully the final version gets corrected! (not deducting from my stars for this - but it's a simple google search to find this out...)

All in all: this ended up somewhere around a 3.5 for me. I really don't want to round up or down because 3.5 just feels so accurate - but of course, Goodreads/Amazon don't offer that option. So, for those purposes, 4 it is. But it's a 3.5!!!