Thank you to NetGalley and Diane Chamberlain for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

Ellie is a young woman in the middle of the civil rights movement. Kayla is a young mother who is newly widowed. Kayla moves into her beautiful new home that claimed the life of her husband. Ellie is determined to help the civil rights movement by helping black people register to vote. Their lives collide in the most unexpected way.

I love love love Diane Chamberlain's books. This one is no exception. This story kept me on the edge of my seat. In any downtime I had I just had to pick this up and see what happened. I love the historical fiction this book had in it. You feel like this could possibly be a true story. The details made it very vivid even when you don't want it to be. I feel like I was in the dirt with Ellie. I felt Kayla's grief. This is a five star for me!

Fascinating story by Diane Chamberlain - I could not put this one down once I started it! I have never read a Chamberlain book before so it was new to me, and a pleasant surprise, as well. The story is told in duel timelines: two women, one in the 1950's and one in 2010, and as the story progresses, we learn the women are connected in a way that neither of them (or me!) could have imagined. The author take us back to an unpleasant part of our country's history telling the story of Ellie in 1950. She spends her summer supporting and fighting for the civil rights movement, appalling her family and friends with her actions. Fast forward to 2010, where Kayla is attempting to solve the mystery enveloping her new home and discovers secrets that have been hidden in her town for a very long time. AMAZING story, well-written & interesting characters, and fabulous descriptive text as well as an intriguing plotline! Do not miss this must read! I am now a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy of The Last House on the Street in exchange for an honest review. I had high expectations for this book since I have really enjoyed other Diane Chamberlain books in the past and this book did not disappoint!! The story is told in a dual-timeline format and I was fascinated that I enjoyed each story equally as much since I typically find in this type of prose one storyline more compelling than the other. This is a testament to Chamberlain’s writing and not a fact to be overlooked. The book oscillates between the years 1965, where it follows a young women’s summer working as a civil rights activist, and the year 2010 where a young widowed mother is struggling to reconcile all the strange behavior that is happening around her newly built house that she designed with her late husband. I enjoyed all the characters in the book and even though a few parts became difficult to read due to the violence as part of the civil rights movement, I was always happy to pick up this book and loved when the two storylines converged and the full plot was revealed. I would highly recommend this compelling book to others!! Look for the publishing date coming in 2022.

Pulling the past and the present together into an exciting story. An emotional, ride through this book. I read it in one day, even read it while washing dishes, I could not stop reading! the author never disappoints and this book about death, loss and mysteries of the wealthy versus the marginalized, is one of a kind. A lesson of how the past follows you into your future. A great read.
Thank you NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for my unpaid, honest review.

This is an emotional and heart wrenching story with a bit of a slow burn mystery tied in as well. I found this to be less of a thriller and more a drama with some past secrets being revealed at the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the setting of this story. Chamberlain does a wonderful job of bringing Round Hill to life during two separate eras; not an easy task.

The story begins with a young widow (Kayla) moving into her new home in a brand new subdivision in Roundhill. A mysterious stranger makes some threatening remarks that make Kayla begin to question her decision to reside in her new home.
Kayla then crosses paths with her neighbour (Ellie) who returned to Roundhill to look after her aging mother and brother 45 years after she left for San Fransico and vowed never to return. From then on the story flips between present day and Ellie's experience as a young adult in a very racist Roundhill.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but would firmly place it in the drama category rather than a thriller.

I loved this book! I read it while getting ready in the morning. I read it while cooking. I didn’t want to put it down and I really didn’t want it to end. Some books that jump back and forth in time are difficult to follow, but this one isn’t. There’s young love, there’s conflict, and there’s mystery. Thank you, Ms. Chamberlain, for another great read!

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Diane Chamberlain does it again. Grab the tissues because it's gonna be a snotty-nosed tearjerker.

But seriously....looooooved this book. I could see where it was going from the beginning and I couldn't stop myself from reading. I dived headfirst into the pain and tears, knowing full well the ending wasn't going to wrap up in a neat little bow. 5 out of 5 tear-filled stars.

This is my second book by Diane and I thought it was just as good as the first. She has a great way of weaving words. I would recommend.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book. Not because of anything to do with the author but more so the storyline & also this isn’t usually the genre of books I read (I’m more a thriller/suspense kinda gal😜). I don’t really enjoy reading about current world issues and/or politics (reading is my escape from reality). I quickly proved myself wrong on this, like Chamberlain does best she drew me right in to Ellie & Kayla’s lives.

Just like her other books the writing is so perfectly done I quickly found myself engrossed in the story. From the characters to the architecture & countryside the descriptiveness of it all makes it impossible not to feel like you’re in the book & right there bonding with the characters. The story alternates between Ellie back in 1965 dealing with racism on every level (where many things are still segregated), and 2010 with Kayla who’s recently moved into a home in Ellie’s hometown. The two women’s lives intertwine due to the/their families that grew up in the area. I really enjoyed both perspectives, and both of the women themselves. Ellie seemed so young at heart & just sweet, someone everyone loved. She was 20 years old at the beginning of the story but if the author didn’t let us know she was 20 I would assume she was half that age. Kayla was kind of a weird character in how she came across, kind of a hard personality (uppity mentality) but deep down a kind genuine person & it especially came through when she was interacting with her daughter or father. I loved most of the characters, and I especially enjoyed Ellie’s narrative back when she’s in the 60’s & doing civil rights work and spending time with the local’s children. I don’t know how to explain it but it seemed so simple & genuine - pure happiness, kind of like when we were kids and had no worries. One direction that the story went with a character really just hurt my heart for who it affected & the ‘why’ behind it😢 I do feel it was an important part of the story because of what this book is based on but it just broke my heart that things like that happened back then & that racism is still a present issue.

Overall I really liked this book. I feel that it was mainly Ellie’s story & that Kayla was almost there as a sub-story to bring things all together in present time but I did enjoy seeing how Kayla & Ellie were connected. I loved reading how some of the relationships progressed between characters or how some fell apart, just the dynamics between the characters you could almost feel them as if you were a part of their life or how you feel when you watch a really well made movie.

I think the only things keeping it from being a 5star for me was I felt that there was some predictably on some things that the characters didn’t see even though they’re telling the details but the reader did (really obvious). Also some of the incidents in Kayla’s POV were kind of ridiculous at times and didn’t really develop or go anywhere. One small thing that bugged me was her character was a little contradicting, for the most part she seems like she’s doing well for herself financially but at one point she makes a comment about not having money for something but later has money for something else. I think that was maybe an oversight by the author or I misunderstood? I also feel like the ending was kind of rushed compared to the entirety of the story, I don’t love how things were wrapped up with any and all of the characters. These are all minor things as far as how I felt about the book as a whole. I did enjoy the book & I would definitely recommend it to fellow readers!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley & St Martin’s Press!!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Diane Chamberlain is a master at their craft. It’s a well crafted, thought out story.

Wow! The past drives the present. Secrets, forbidden love, passionate convictions. A dual story set in 2010 and 1965 in North Carolina, this tells of two women, one young, one old, as they find themselves embroiled in a long-ago mystery, tangled family histories, and shared tragedies of their own.

2010: Kayla is a young widow who with her daughter is set to move into a new house, designed by her late husband and her before his untimely death due to an accident in that house. As the only occupied house on the block in a new development, other than the original house at the front, it gives off spooky and haunted vibes. It seems as someone is certainly trying to make that so. Add to the list, Kayla is visited by a mysterious woman who warned of impending danger should she occupy the house. How did she know about Kayla, her husband’s accident, and her daughter? Then Kayla sees a lone light from the other house in the neighborhood and thinks this is a sign of a safe harbor. There she meets Ellie, a 65-year-old woman with secrets, having returned after 45 years gone to take care of her mother and brother. But strange things are going on in that house. Could it really be safe?

1965: Ellie, a college girl of 20 and daughter of a prominent family, decides to become involved in the effort to help Black people registered to vote, much to her family’s anger as well as her steady boyfriend. 1965 is a turbulent time of racial injustice and KKK, especially in the South. Although Ellie feels she wants to help, she grew up in an isolated and small community. Influenced by her aunt, she wants to make a difference and act on what she feels is the right thing to do but she also feels responsibility for a secret from her past. While involved in the SCOPE project, she falls in love with a young man unacceptable to her family and friends, and is warned that this will only lead to tragedy.

I couldn’t put this book down. Diane Chamberlain portrays the racial tensions that made the 60’s come alive as well as how personal views would tear families apart. The author was very descriptive and developed the characters so that you really cared about them. Telling the story as a dual timeline was effective to help the reader better understand the connection between the two women in the present. Additionally, this is a story that will make you reflect on our world today long after the last page. Well done! I would give this a 4.5/5 stars.

Many thanks to #netgalley #martinspress #dianechamberlain #the lasthouseonthestreet for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am going to break from my usual review format for this book as I have mixed emotions about this particular book. As a writer and editor, I have no issue with the style or delivery of this story. The author is an excellent writer and the narrative is skillfully developed.

A dual storyline set in modern times and the height of the Civil Rights Movement, this book tells the story of two women, linked by an unspeakable tragedy. And while the main character is well developed, I couldn’t help but feel this book relies heavily on the “white savior” trope.

What is the white savior trope?

This video explains it very well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1vuhrFfEkE&t=183s

My Thoughts
There are many elements of true history from the Civil Right movements included in this story. Some of which I didn’t know about and this book did prompt me to go and do some further reading.

That being said, the storyline focuses on the struggles of Ellie, a white college student, who goes against her family, her friends, and her town to take a stand against racism. Noble to be sure, and while the struggles of those she was seeking to help are mentioned, it felt topical and presented only as a way to create more drama and conflict for Ellie.

And while this book doesn’t have the typical “white savior” happy ending, I felt uncomfortable and honestly, a little jaded that the story didn’t dig in deeper. I can’t help but think that this would have been a much better story if it had been told from a POC’s point of view.

I imagine the author had good intent, but I think this fell a little flat in purpose.

DNR. Computer broke down with Kindle app and couldn’t recover nor download again. My apologies. I would have liked to have read this.

As a fan of Diane Chamberlain I was excited to read this book. It did start out slow and took a little time to pick up the pace, about half way it really picked up and I couldn’t put it down. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The. Last House on the Street is a gripping thriller that simultaneously gives an important history lesson in civil rights. I enjoyed the strong. female characters that. were brave and honest in the face of threats.

Another great story from Diane Chamberlain. The Last House on the Street weaves a modern day story together with a story of SCOPE and the Civil Rights movement during the 60s. Chamberlain does a superb job bringing the two stories together. I didn't give it 5 stars because it was a little predictable at the end, but, overall, an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley. This is a solid 3 star read, but started out as a 4. It has a strong historical premise & started out very good, but the way it ended up felt rushed and a bit hard to swallow, so it ended up not being as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am a huge fan of Diane’s.
I went into this book blind as I don’t always want to know what it’s about.
I loved the dual timeline and kept me reading more. While there were parts of the beginning that I skimmed, the second half was much better.
This book will stick with me for a long time

This book kept me up at night. I love how it switches from present day to the past. It is suspenseful from page one. Taking place in the south the story unfolds with Elle joining SCOPE. A movement to help give voting rights to everyone without the fear of repercussions. The story shifts to present day and Elle is still dealing with the ramifications of her decision to join SCOPE. This books brings to light how the differences of opinions can effect relationships for years. It was an excellent read.

I’ve read this author before but haven’t enjoyed any of her previous work as much as this one.
Two women, two timelines, this is an excellent read. It was highly engaging and very well written with each woman distinct in personality and voice. It’s not a particularly pleasant or easy book to read a times but it is well researched. I learned some stuff I did not know, having grown up outside of the US and I always appreciate lessons in my fiction. I knew nothing about SCOPE, for example. It was an educational read.
I love the characters. They are believable, strong females dealing with tough issues. Family, violence, civil rights, racial tensions, and other small-town issues. The two voices were believable as two very different women, which is not an easy feat. Female friendship was a strong theme throughout. Family was important to both and introduced an interesting question of what would you do if your loved ones did unspeakable acts.
This is a book that will stay with me. The author has an uncanny ability to make me feel – sadness, anger, disgust at the humans. So many emotions surfaced for me. There was a sense of dread throughout this book that I normally don’t enjoy but the suspense element kept me reading. This is a book that made me think and I believe it would be an excellent book club choice.
Thanks to the author, the publisher, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an early read of this book.