The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain
This author’s books have sometimes been hit or miss for me, loved some and others I could not get into. This one grabbed me from the start. I am not quite the age Ellie was during the 60’s but I am old enough to remember that era and I shed some tears over it.
I enjoyed the story set in that era as well as the more recent story. Sometimes it was wrenching to go from one to the other. The big twist at the end was not hard to figure out mostly. Even so, it was an excellent book.

I have read and enjoyed so many books by Diane Chamberlain. She's such a talented writer who gets into the heart of issues and spins a tale that enraptures you from the first chapter.

The Last House on the Street is one of her finest. This book deserves the hype.

Narrated in two timelines of the 1960s where racism and bigotry was normal and blatant and the second timeline is 2010. Both the timelines take place in North Carolina with the stories interwoven. The interwoven timelines have a beautiful love story, compelling characters and an intriguing mystery.

I don't want to reveal more but suffice it to say that this book will make you smile, cry, make you angry and yet you won't be able to put it down.

Kudos to the author for writing such a compelling book with such good characters. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The Last House on the Street” by Diane Chamberlain
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 1/11
Genre: historical fiction- dual timeline

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’a Press for an ARC of this book! This is my second book by this author and it did not disappoint. I’m not a huge historical fiction reader, but this was five big gold stars. Wow! I had so many emotions while reading this. The entire story was captivating and had me curious on how it would all be tied together. The author did a great job connecting the two POV and dual timeline making it intriguing and seamless. I would definitely recommend!

POV Ellie Timeline 1965- Ellie is 20 years old in the heart of the Civil Rights movement when she joins a group called SCOPE. They go house to house trying to get people of color registered to vote. The problem is there are so many ignorant racists in her county the job becomes dangerous.

POV Kayla Timeline 2010- Kayla is an almost 30 year old widow. She custom built her home with her husband and he died on the property in a freak accident. She now has to come to terms of either selling her dream home or moving in with her four year old daughter. When she decides to move freaky things keep happening. It seems no one want her living there.

This book packs a serious punch. It gripped me from the start and left me stunned in the end. The book flips back and forth between two timelines. Kayla is moving into her newly built home that she designed with her husband. He died in an accident in the home just months before it was finished. Kayla is hesitant to move in but decides to try and move forward for her and her daughter. The home is the first one completed at the end of the street where Ellie grew up. Back in the 60s, Ellie's life changes completely when she becomes involved with SCOPE, a civil rights organization that was helping to promote black voting rights and spread the word about what they hoped would be an upcoming law establishing those rights. Ellie knows that life with SCOPE will be different but has no idea how much it would truly affect her in so many ways.

I loved Ellie's heart. She pushed forward for what she believed in despite the reactions from her family and friends. I loved how open she was to new experiences and that she saw everyone as they should be seen - people deserving of the same rights no matter the color of their skin. Not only that, she tried to do something about it. She could acknowledge how truly privileged she was and how angry she was about the way they were treated. I enjoyed the romance between her and Win. My heart absolutely broke over all the obstacles they faced. I loved the way that this story brings to light just a small piece of the Civil Rights movement.

There is a mystery to this book as well as Kayla has received various messages warning her away from her new home. Strange people show up and things begin to happen that leave Kayla feeling very nervous. She ends up connecting with Ellie and it all ties together in the end in a very emotional way. There are points in this book where I was just so angry about the ease with which Ellie was able to change certain things and make certain decisions in a way that Win and the others would never be able to. It brings to light the injustices that still exist today and are definitely real to the story. I did have some feelings about Ellie's decisions towards the end of the book but don't want to give spoilers away. I will say this book will stay with me for quite some time. 4.5 stars rounded to 5

CW: racism, violence, KKK, death of spouse, death of baby, death on page

Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review. I have read one other Diane Chamnerlain book (Big Lies in a Small Town) before and I really liked it. This book was in the same format. Historical Fiction and Modern dual time lines interweaving each timeline together to give us a beautiful story. Her writing is very skilled and I love how it came together.

This was my first Diane Chamberlain book. I think it was very well written about such a hard topic. This book will give you all the feels and surprising jaw dropping moments. If you love dual time lines and historical fiction I highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital galley. All opinions are my own.

This story takes place in the 1960's and 2010. Ellie was brought up in a small town in the South. Her aunt was an activist and influenced her tremendously. In honor of her, she signed up to join SCOPES, an organization to help black people sign up to register to vote She spent her Summer learning the songs, knocking on doors and living at several peoples homes. Along the way, she fell in love. Move forward to 2010 and Kayla, Reed's daughter is trying to pick up the pieces of her life. Her husband died in an accident. The house they designed and built is ready for them to move into. Only there is someone who wants her gone. In the end, you find out what happened in 1965 and effect it had on 2010.

Kayla Carter and her husband are so excited to be building their dream house in the neighborhood of Shadow Ridge Estates in Round Hill, North Carolina. But then tragedy strikes and he dies while working on the house. Then Kayla is confronted by a mysterious woman who warns her against moving into the property with her young daughter. Kayla finds the property creepy, honestly, between her husband's accident and the trees that seem to swarm the house. Soon she meets her new neighbor, Ellie, whose family has a history with the property that dates back years. Is Kayla's property really bad news--and does Ellie know why?

This is a mesmerizing story told from dual points of view: Kayla, in 2010 and Ellie, in the 1960s. It delves deeply in the South's horrible history of racism and does so in the most personal way, through our cast of diverse and fascinating characters. In the 1960s, Ellie decides to becomes involved with SCOPE, an organization devoted to helping black individuals register to vote. Everyone is against this--even, at first, the minister running SCOPE in the Round Hill area. Ellie's parents are appalled, convinced harm will befall their daughter, as well as what her involvement may mean for their family's reputation. Her brother, Buddy, worries about her safety as well. Her best friend, Brenda, refuses contact, and her boyfriend, Reed, ends their relationship.

But Ellie is strong and determined; she joins SCOPE, making new friends and falling in love with a black man named Win. Ellie's story is absolutely captivating, as Chamberlain makes clear the absolute prejudices and challenges facing black people in the 1960s. There's a lot of history and much of this story is heartbreaking and will anger you, as many of these tales from the 1960s can.

As for Kayla's story, it's not quite as engrossing as Ellie's, though it does provide the link between the two time periods. For Kayla, she's on a quest to discover if her property is haunted or if she's just suffering from bad luck. We learn how her life intersects with Ellie, which is interesting in itself.

Overall, this is such a touching tale--you become so attached to the characters and absolutely appalled at some of the events that unfold. Chamberlain does a great job at highlighting the utter injustices of racism through the prism of a story, as well as painting a sad history of a particular piece of property. HOUSE is part mystery and part historical/character driven fiction. It will certainly stick with you. 4+ stars.

This will be a great book for book clubs to discuss, but I'd definitely bring along some other book titles that delve into the topics of race and voting rights because this wasn't a completely accurate perspective. It will absolutely bring out important conversations, though. I felt like the ending was a little bit rushed - trying to tie everything up nicely. The audiobook was well-read!

Thank you to Libro.fm, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.

This book was very well written, but I feel like it definitely needed a content/trigger warning about the topic. The book is told in alternating timeframes - Kayla in 2010 and Ellie in the 1960s. Nowhere in the book description does it explain that the portion from the 1960s is related to Ellie living in North Carolina and joining SCOPE to help register black people to vote. The entire book, especially Ellie's sections, discusses race, racism, the Klan, and horrible violence. And Kayla has a lot of frightening things happen in her sections as well.
It enjoyed how the story was revealed, but the incompleteness of the book description really bothered me.

Kayla Carter is our main character and she and her husband, both architects, have designed and are prepared to move into their new home with their 4-year old daughter, Rainie. A freak accident occurs and Jackson Carter, the husband, is killed in the home before they move in. There are two stories running throughout the book. The town in 1965 and some of the townspeople and the town today. The book has a mystery running through its course and you are not really sure of the outcome until the end.

I've been a big fan of Chamberlain's for years now - and I especially enjoy listening to her novels (although I have physically read many as well). I always look forward to anything new of hers. Her latest, set mainly in North Carolina, unfolds in two timelines, with two narrators. In the 1960s, Ellie narrates the time that changed her entire life as she becomes more socially aware and involved in the Civil Rights movement - particularly with the SCOPE project to promote equality in voting. In 2010, Kayla moves into the home that she and her husband designed - but the woods surrounding the house start to feel eerie after a personal tragedy and a frightening warning to stay away are issued.

Moving between the two timelines, they do eventually converge a bit more - especially when Kayla meets Ellie (who is now 65) as her only real neighbor to her new home. There's bloodshed in the past that reverberates through to the present, making this a book that I couldn't put down!

Some parts of the plot are easier to see coming than others (Ellie's own innocence about her community surprised me) - but there are also some real shocks to the story, too. I think that fans of Chamberlain's will enjoy this addition and that book clubs would find much to discuss here. The conclusion wasn't quite as satisfying as I had hoped for - the sense of justice prevailing isn't really there for me.. but I definitely couldn't stop reading it and finishing this one makes me so excited to see what Chamberlain will write next!

This book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down, needing to read more, to learn more. I liked the dual timeline paired with the historical storyline. The characters are fantastic, which isn't always the case with dual timelines. I am eager to read more from Chamberlain as I haven't given her nearly enough of my reading time.

Kayla was so excited to move into the new home with her husband that was being built. Then in an instant everything changed and she had to figure out how to move forward without the love of her life. She’s trying daily to make a great life for their little girl. What is real, what happened and who is the odd woman who pops in to her office and scares the daylights out of her? The book explores the Scopes project and toggles between 1965 and the now of the current story. It’s a historical novel, learning experience, novel, mystery and search for justice. A wonderfully crafted story that will keep you turning each page with a little trepidation as to what happens next. So many issues that are so very relevant today are explored. Not the easiest of reads, but definitely a must for everyones library. Another wonderful title from this amazing author.

This book is told in dual timelines: 2010 and 1965. Initially, I'm curious as to how everything will ultimately connect together. But, the author brings the storyline one step closer with each chapter and before you know it, all the facts are readily available and staring you in the face. It was very well done. As a reader, I'm always pleased when a book can surprise me and this one definitely had some secrets I didn't see coming.

The 1965 timeline deals with a young woman named Eleanor (Ellie) from North Carolina who finds herself drawn to the Civil Rights Movement. Over one summer, her life will be irrevocably changed in ways she can't forsee and she will live the rest of her life with the repercussions of that summer.

The 2010 timeline introduces us to a young widow and mother, Kayla who is trying to move forward after losing her husband in a tragic accident. As if her life isn't difficult enough, there are some mysterious occurrences happening at her new home which are lending to her unease. She believes there is a mystery surrounding her property that makes it feel tainted but she can't figure out what it is.

Eventually the the events from 1965 will present themselves in 2010 and questions and mysteries will be answered. I found this book to be heartbreaking at times. The brutality of what was endured during the Civil Rights Movement is hard to imagine. In addition, seeing how people completely disowned others for not sharing their racist views is difficult to comprehend. I believe Ms. Chamberlain handled this story beautifully.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Diane Chamberlain knows how to tell a powerful story. This is my second time reading a book by her and I’m reminded that I need to read more of her catalogue. This is a historical fiction book with mystery elements that really gets at one’s feelings. I was intrigued by this book from the first page and went through a series of emotions while reading it. It follows a young white woman who wants to help out with the Civil Rights movement contrasted with a mother who is trying to find her way after losing her husband. Chamberlain is one of the best authors at utilizing the dual timelines. This was a great read-4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

This book will break your heart. I admit to full on tears and the use of several tissues. For much of it I was appalled and enraged. This book has a dual timeline with one in 1965 and a young white student who wants to help register black people to vote, and is aghast as the conditions they live in due to general racism and not having a voice in government. Black people live in horrendous poverty and constant fear of being attacked or even murdered by their white neighbours. It is shocking and deeply depressing that this fight for the right to vote is still happening today-right this very minute! Black Americans are still fighting the same fight that their parents and grandparents already fought.

The second timeline is in 2010. This one follows Kayla who builds her dream house with her husband but sadly her husband dies in a freak accident before it is completed. Things quickly turn creepy when she and her daughter move in. I would say that this borders on horror with the creepy woods, and the eerie sounds. I wasn’t sure at first if this was going to be a haunted house story or something more explainable. There were little pieces and a few characters that connected the two timelines but the significance of the past to the present wasn’t at all clear. As the historical timeline progresses the entire picture becomes clearer and the two timelines come together into one tragic, heart breaking story. The threads are tied together and it all makes horrible sense. Be warned that the solution to this seemingly cursed land is brutal and disturbing. I read the last parts with my hands over my mouth hoping that what I think happened didn’t actually happen. It was an absolute punch in the gut.

This ended up being a very emotional story and I wasn’t expecting the devastating impact. It was a tough story but also a very timely one. I wouldn’t categorize this as a light read but it was very suspenseful and it had me turning the pages and staying up too late reading. I think this is a story that will stick with me for a long time,

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

Diane Chamberlain's "The Last House on the Street" took me by surprise. I was expecting romance, but this book is not a romance book. It is refreshing to read a book that focuses more on racial injustice and family and community life. If you're looking for romance and happy couples, this isn't the book to read.

As I write this review, I'm thinking a lot about the upcoming holiday: Martin Luther King Jr Day. In the historic timeline of this book, white college students are working with black students to canvas neighborhoods in order to get blacks to register to vote in the south. This is based off the SCOPE project, which took place in 1965 before LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act. Of course, reading this book meant looking up more information about the SCOPE project- this book did an excellent job showing the social injustice in the 60s and how it affected both white and black communities.

The thing I really loved about this book is that it made me think about just how not long ago events like the ones in the story happened. The "modern" timeline is set in 2010- people that were in their 20s are elderly in the story. This is still living history. This would make an excellent book for a book group to talk about.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this e-book. Diane Chamberlain really did a wonderful job of writing an artistic and moving novel!

I have yet to read a book by this author that was disappointing, and this book is no exception. A lot of people need to read books like this, especially with today's headlines, when it feels we have taken two steps back.

It's part mystery, part historical fiction, but it all ties in and I had no idea who was causing Kayla such misery; nor did I expect some of the people involved in past events.

I found it very hard to put down and I was happy with the ending. It's a fantastic choice for a book club. Thank you, NetGalley, and thank you, Diane Chamberlain. Your books are very special.

The Last House on the Street follows Kayla in 2010 and Ellie in 1965 with alternating points-of-view. As the story continues, their lives overlap in surprising ways. Kayla’s house is being built on Hockley Street, where Ellie lived in the 60’s, amidst the Civil Rights Movement. Kayla and Ellie become acquainted when Ellie comes back from California to take care of her brother and mother.

Chamberlain did a fantastic job of weaving a compelling tale of a small southern town during the Civil Rights Movement. Ellie has a heart of gold and I admired her tenacity and dedication to her moral convictions. There are parts of the story that were difficult to read knowing that there were real people who suffered in these exact ways. A great Historical Fiction that hits you right in the feels!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!