This book was told through dual timelines. In 2010, Kayla Carter is moving into her newly built home where her husband had recently died. An exciting and new time in her life turned into grief and despair. Kayla and her 4-year-old daughter are moving into their new estate, despite the passing of their loved one. But the house has an unsettling feeling like something is hiding in the deep woods behind the house.

In 1965, Ellie who lives in the same location as Kayla is throwing herself headfirst into the Civil Rights Movement. She joins the SCOPE project to help register Black families to vote. Every person in Ellie's life does not approve of her passion, especially those in her small community.

I really enjoyed this book. I did find myself more gripped when reading Ellie's story, however, I did grow to like Kayla's POV towards the end of the book. While some parts of the book were difficult to read, I learned a lot and gained some new perspectives.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 1/11/22.

In absolute Chamberlain style, an astonishing rhythmic writing of epic proportions.
In both eerie fashion, and heartfelt words, Chamberlain lays it all out on the line as she introduces us to some dynamic women of both young and old.

Ellie is a dreamer, if not naïve, as a young white woman in the 60s living a privileged southern life. Against her families wishes, she joins the civil rights activists group, SCOPE to petition and advise her black neighbors of their upcoming voting rights and encouraging them to register to vote. Paired with a young black man to assist in introductions to her door to door petitions, Ellie is shocked to find that not all of her neighbors live the life she does. And as she spends her long days walking miles of dirt track, she discovers a new love for the kindly young man next to her.

Simultaneously, we meet Kayla in current times. A recent widow with a young child, Kayla is preparing to move into the home herself and her late husband designed on a large wooded plot of land. Kayla soon discovers that not all is what it seems as strange events start happening in and around their property, she cant help but think that someone or something doesn't want them there.

Soon, Kayla meets the elderly Ellie, who happens to be home taking care of her brother and elderly mom in her childhood home at the end of the street Kayla has built on. And through her relationship with Ellie, Kayla discovers her humble new home has a dark history.

Though some may not, I thoroughly enjoyed the time hops that propelled the storyline forward without interrupting the flow of the plot or its characters and it especially helped you connect with them on a different level as you see their realizations grow.

Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced copy.

This book is fantastic! It is one of those books that once I started to read it, I didn’t want to put it down. Such a huge twist at the end that I was not expecting at the slightest. I love the dual timelines and perspectives, both always add something extra to the story. The characters are all amazing - each with their own history and tragedy. It was so cool to read about their different backstories, and then watch how they come together in the more current time period. Another masterpiece by Diane Chamberlain!

This was a very thoughtful, well written but slow story. I’m a fan of dual timelines that are far enough apart that there’s a clear distinction between them and this one was perfect for that. One was set in the 60s and one was more present day. As with other dual timelines, one story was more prevalent than the other. Elly’s work with Scope and the Voting Rights Act was definitely the focus of this story; Kayla’s story was pretty weak and probably not even needed for most of the story. I enjoyed this enough but felt that it moved way too slowly.

When I first picked this up, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up really enjoying it.

The dual timeline worked well. The 1965 storyline focused on the Civil Rights movement and while I’m aware of it, this gave me a better understanding of what it was like and the types of things that happened. It was eye opening and at times a little difficult to read. The present day timeline worked well too and added to the story, that sometimes doesn’t happen with dual timelines.

The first 40% was a little low, but once the main action started taking place, the story grabbed your attention and it was hard to put down.

Overall, I’d recommend this to people, especially those who enjoy historical fiction or are interested in the Civil Rights movement.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the opportunity to read The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into with this one and boy do we have a winner on our hands!

This one is told in dual timelines 1965 and 2010 by two different POVs. In 1965, Ellie leaves her home to advocate for voting rights and gets involved with the SCOPE movement. She falls in love with Win, an African American male, who is also involved in the Civil Rights movement. Ellie's family and best friend aren't happy about her involvement; this is the South and white people do not get involved in such matters. But, Ellie follows her heart until one night changes her life forever and Win's. A most horrific act is committed in her hometown by the Klan. and Ellie discovers more than she wants to know about the people of her town; including her own family.

In 2010, Kayla and and her young daughter move into a home where the secret to the past is buried. She doesn't know it at the time But, when she meets Ellie who is now taking care of her elderly mother and her best friend Brenda; the past and the present collide and what comes to light is dark ugly secret that is unforgivable.

This book will leave you questioning so many things and will leave you questioning: Do you really know the people you love and your neighbors?

Kayla is about to move into the house she designed with her husband, however, there was a terrible accident and now it is just Kayla and her three-year old daughter, Rainie. A mysterious woman visits her at her design firm and all but threatens her to not move into the house. Now, Kayla is fearful for her daughter and herself.

The story then jumps to the mid-sixties during the rise of the civil rights movement. We are given the story of Ellie, a twenty year-old daughter of the local pharmacist in small town North Carolina. She desperately wants to be involved in an organization to help minorities register to vote, but her family and closest friends are against the idea. She fights for what she wants, but in the end, she realizes she may never have what she wants.

In the present day of the story, the two women are brought together in the same little town in North Carolina and find that their stories intertwine. The mystery of the story is built up and reveled rather suddenly towards the end of the book. Although the ending was rather rushed, Diane Chamberlain does a wonderful job of delving deep into developing the characters. It feels as though you are right there in the story with them. You feel their emotions and their struggles. Therefore, I recommend this book to all!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I would say 'The Last House on the Street' is the best book of the year but since 2022 just commenced, it wouldn't do the novel justice.. Diane Chamberlain masterly weaves Ellie and Kayla stories together to provide readers a historical fiction account of the 1965's civil rights movement and the lasting effects of hatred.

Reading the story during the pandemic presented an account of how actions can adversely affect society. While living in a COVID era that's masking our lives, the Klan members donned hoods shielding them from recognition. The 60's freedom fighters put their lives in danger to secure rights, while the 21th century enters an era where rioters protest infringement.

Surgical masks protect from COVID while the Klan members masked identities. Growing up, Ellie Hockley and her best friend Brenda represented the ideal Southern belles. Raised to be intelligent and marry into prominent families, Brenda's marriage to Garner cemented her future.

When confronted with the injustices going on, Ellie joins the SCOPE movement to give everyone the right to vote. Leaving behind creature comforts, Ellie realizes that her community is hiding a secret and she's threatening to unmask the truth.

Will Ellie and Kayla be able to put the past to rest or have they reawakened secrets that the residents of Round Hill would rather keep buried? Thank to you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of 'The Last House on the Street' in exchange for an honest review.

It's rare for me to give five-starred reviews and while reading, I knew that anything less would be a disservice to future readers. Chamberlain's poignant read unleashes a chain of events that will keep readers on the edge of their seats while reliving a time in history that comes alive between its pages.

I received an ARC of The Last House on the Street in exchange for an honest review. This is a book about many things. It is a historical fiction about the SCOPE project of 1965, where college students were trying to educate and inform African Americans about registering to vote. This book is also a love story and a mystery. The story is told in two different timelines, 1965 and 2010. The 1965 timeline is much more interesting than the 2010 timeline, but the 2010 timeline is where you find out what really happened in 1965. Ellie joins the SCOPE project in 1965 and the story is about her experiences she had the summer of 1965, good and bad. If you are a Diane Chamberlain fan, this is a must read book.

An absolutely compelling read. I enjoyed the dual timelines and as with Chamberlain's previous historical fiction novels, this does not disappoint. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it. Young love, conflict, mystery. Highly recommend!

As usual Diane Chamberlain has written an interesting and enlightening historical fiction story. The book deals with racial bigotry and features the scope project from the 1960’s. This project was supported by Martin Luther King in an effort to get the black community to register to vote and hopefully this would be a step forward begin to improve their lives. The two time lines of 1965 and 2010 are connected and a long held secret is finally revealed. The main character is a young southern white woman named Ellie. She is driven to be part of this project despite her family, friends and community’s objections. A horrible event from 1965 is finally brought to light in 2010. Ellie finally gets answers to what really happened fifty years ago.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced e-copy of The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain.

The Last House on the Street explores similar themes to the author's 2020 novel, Big Lies in a Small Town, the major one being historic racism in the Southeast United States. The plot of both books were captivating and entertaining. I ended up rating both books the same 4-stars as well. For me, the romance plot in this latest one didn't really work. The main character, Ellie, was supposedly very smart, but she made some decisions that were either really dumb or deadly-selfish.

The theme of the book was informative, but nothing that hasn't been covered thousands of times before. Frustratingly, the author has used the same comments in both books claiming surprise that racism in North Carolina was an issue historically even though that state isn't part of the "Deep South". While the plot of the books both bore out that North Carolina had the same issues that existed in the "Deep South", I think the author is belaboring that point and missing the bigger opportunity: Racism exists everywhere to different degrees, not just in "The Southern States".

Diane Chamberlain is a great storyteller and I have enjoyed all the books I have read by her. The Last House on the Street and Big Lies in a Small Town were both good books, but neither had the impact I hope for with the theme of racism. The Last House on the Street didn't offer a lot of optimism or hope either, which may be realistic, but doesn't make for good escapism.

Diane Chamberlain in fast becoming one of my favorite historical fiction writers. I loved Big Lies in a Small Town when I read it in 2020, and The Last House on the Street is no exception. It was fantastic!

The story is told in two timelines. In the present we follow Kayla Carter, an architect who has just lost her husband to an unfortunate accident. She’s left with a young daughter to raise by herself in a large house set near the woods of a new housing development called Shadow Ridge. The first chapter starts off strong when a strange woman asks Kayla to do some renovations on her home and then the conversation grows more sinister. In the past timeline in the 1960’s, we follow Ellie Hockley, a college-aged white girl who, despite protests from her family, joins the SCOPE project, a project that helps encourage black families to register to vote.

My favorite aspects of this story were the way Chamberlain connected the present and past timelines and the way she creates characters. I was afraid I wouldn’t connect as much to the past timeline, especially after I was completely hooked by the present timeline from the very first chapter. But I quickly became immersed in the past because the character of Ellie was so complex and both the inner and outer struggles she faced felt so real and raw.

The author expertly crafts the plot so that both the past and present timelines work together seamlessly. There were so many little mysteries and revelations sprinkled throughout both timelines that made me constantly wanting to read just one more chapter. While I found the past timeline much more emotional, the present timeline contained so much mystery and suspense that I was equally engaged in those chapters, too.

I will always pick up a new Diane Chamberlain book. I’d highly recommend reading this book if you like historical fiction, like reading about social change, and love a dual timeline narrative.

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review

Oh my word Diane Chamberlain has done it again and written another absolutely awesome book. This book just had me enthralled from the very start, so so good.

I usually love Diane Chamberlain's books, but I just couldn't connect with the characters in this book. It is a well written book, it just didn't hold my attention. Please don't let my review stop you from giving this book a chance, a lot of people love it.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Last House on the Street

SUMMARY
Architects Kayla Carter and her husband have designed and are building a beautiful home in the new Shadow Ridge Estates development in Round Hill. It was a home where they would raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. But instead, Kayla’s husband died in an accident while building the house in 2010.

Kayla is no longer excited about the house and is further frightened when a mysterious woman visits her at her office and threatens her against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are thought to be haunted, and the new home is now being targeted by vandals leaving threatening messages.

Kayla’s neighbor Ellie Hockley grew up in Round Hill, just up the street from Kayla’s new house. As a teenager, Ellie left town in 1965 to join the fight for civil rights against the wishes of her scandalized family. When Ellie fell in love with a fellow volunteer, she discovered the frightening nature of the people living in Round Hill. When Ellie shares her story with Kayla, some long-buried secrets about the dark history of the land where Kayla house was built are revealed,


REVIEW
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET grabs your attention in the first few pages and makes you want to know more. How could Kayla move into this house where her husband died? What does Ellie know about this property? Set in North Carolina, the chapters alternate between the lives of Kayla in 2010, and Ellie in 1965.


The story is meticulously built and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Kayla who had just lost her husband and is now getting threats and Ellie who worked with the Civil Rights movement during the Summer of 1965 are expertly drawn smart, strong female characters. The writing weaves a tale that effortlessly blends the past and the present

Author Diane Chamberlain makes you feel the fear, pain, and courage that envelopes this dramatic and tension-filled story. Chamberlain has written 28 novels that focus on relationships between men and women, parents and children, sisters and brothers, friends and enemies, and the way people struggle with life’s trials and tribulations.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher St. Martins Press
Published January 11, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Captivating and heartbreaking. This story will stick with me for a long time.

In 2010, Kayla grieves the loss of her husband, who died while building their dream home in North Carolina. What should be an exciting time, is tainted with sadness while Kayla moves into their huge home with their 4 year old daughter. Kayla is then approached by a mysterious older woman, who warns Kayla not to move into their new house. How does she know so much about Kayla's life and why shouldn't she move in?

In 1965, Ellie is a young college student eager to fight for civil rights. When the SCOPE project needs white volunteers to help encourage black people to vote, Ellie volunteers despite her family's disapproval.
What ensues is a story of love, loss, friendships, family, heartbreak, activism and social justice.

I'm a bit of a loss of words when trying to describe how I feel about this book. I felt so much while reading this and appreciated how Chamberlain put so much care into each character and their stories. I went into this book blind, having no idea what it was about. This is not an easy book to read, but it's an important one.

The characters are so believable, I ended up feeling every emotion they were feeling. I admired Ellie so much for her bravery, and for standing up for what she believes even when she had so much at risk.

My only small critique would be that I was much more invested into the 1965 timeline than the 2010 one. I felt so much emotion in Ellie's story that Kayla's story fell a little bit flat for me. That being said though, I loved the way Chamberlain masterfully tied the past with the present.

This was my first book by Diane Chamberlain, and it won't be my last. I appreciate how she doesn't shy away from tough topics, and has taught me so much about past events in history that I had no idea about.

I definitely started off the reading year on a high note reading this book, and I highly recommend you read it too.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ellie Hockley was raised in a fine southern family in the small town of Round Hill. Heralded as a hero for attempting to save the life of a drowning child in the lake near her home, Ellie has always felt she didn’t deserve her recognition. Setting out to do something worthy, she signs up to assist registering blacks to vote under the new Voting Rights Act. The consequences of her involvement are far reaching, and she leaves never to return until she is needed decades later with the failing health of her family. The new neighbor, Kayla, is a recent widow and single mother. After a series of odd encounters related to the house things escalate. Will the truth about the property and everything that happened when Ellie was a young woman come to light? Another gripping novel by Diane Chamberlain, and I highly recommend it to all my friends. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

This book kept me interested the entire way through. I loved both story lines and was so intrigued with how they were going to come together in the end. I definitely didn't guess how it was going to play out! Highly recommend this excellent read for Diane Chamberlain.

I received The Last House on the Street as an ARC through Netgalley. This is told in two timelines, one back in 1965 and one in 2010 in the same small town in North Carolina. This was my first book I read wrote by Diane Chamberlain, and now I need to read more.

Ellie Hockley in the 1960's is moved to join the SCOPE movement to help get the word out to black neighborhoods how and where to vote, plus the benefit that comes from voting. While most people involved in SCOPE have come from the North, Ellie is insistent on participating against the wishes of everyone in her life. While the work is trying and the conditions for living are not what she is accustomed to, Ellie keeps on with the work.

Kayla in 2010 is getting ready to move into a brand hew house her husband and her designed together, back in the words near the Hockley residence. However, her husband has unexpectantly died in a home accident and as the date gets closer, Kayla is feeling more and more hesitant to move in. To make it worse, a strange woman tries to warn her off and continues to mess with her head. It seems there are other forces at work to try to keep Kayla and her daughter from moving into their new house.

Ellie leaves home and doesn't return until 2010 to take care of her ailing mother and brother. Her life and Kayla start to intertwine in more ways then they could ever imagine. Diane Chamberlain tells a moving and gripping story of civil rights, the struggles that African American and white folk alike, faced while trying to achieve what never should have had to be fought for. How prejudice can run deep in families and the courage it takes to stand up against your own parents even at times.