Wow! Thrills, mystery, history, love, friendship, and secrets. This book has it all. Diane Chamberlain is a phenomenal writer. The duel timeline grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go until the end. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it. This is one I will be recommending over and over again. Thanks Netgalley for the arc!

A story that is appropriate for the current social situation. It brings understanding about the history of blacks in America while at the same time is a great mystery story. It is sad but also gives hope that one day we may all be just humans and not defined by our skin color. The characters seemed very real to me as I grew up in the south during the 60's. This is very well written.

I don't think I've read a Diane Chamberlain book that I haven't liked. The Last House of the Street is no different. However, I will say its a little different from what I come to expect from her. Yes there was a mystery going on but it wasn't as much as a thriller as she has done in the past, but it was a fantastic story. Kayla and her daughter are moving into the dream home that Kayla and her husband built. Her husband died in a freak accident leaving Kayla alone. The book starts with a visit from a strange lady basically warning Kayla not to move into the house. The woman is very cryptic and rattles Kayla.
Up the street from Kayla, Ellie has come home to help take care of her mother and brother. The book alternates betweens Kayla's current story and Ellie's past from the 60s and the time of intergration. It has an extremely powerful message that pertains to today's troubles as well. Ellie falls in love with a black man which in todays age is not even an issue, but back when she was younger, it was a huge issue. Her small town finds out and she finds herself in a dangerous situation.
There are many connections between Ellie and Kayla. They are not just two random characters who meet, although it seems that way in the beginning.
I adored both Kayla and Ellie. My heart broke for both characters as their stories unfold. This is a great story and was written with just the right amount of heart and mystery.

WOW ! Just finished what a ride this story takes you on; so much to tell and yet ? How would you feel? Use to think wow if houses could TALK ! I know it fiction but............! Maybe we all could read this and understand

As always I looked forward to a new Diane Chamberlain story, so I jumped on this one as soon as I got it. It’s definitely not my favorite book, but memorable all the same. This author writes of Ellie, a protagonist young woman helping to fight the cause of voters rights against the wishes of her family. . I did like the intertwining story much better, of a recent day connection to the land owned by Kayla, was it cursed by previous actions that were taken on that land ? . I can see another story there..so 4 stars, as anything Ms. Chamberlain writes is alway one that is worth looking forward too. Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Ms. Chamberlain for this ARC.

I always look forward to Diane Chamberlain’s latest work because not only do I get to read an enjoyable story but the novel’s message stays with me long after I set the book down. “Last House on the Street” is a timely tale that tackles the topics of racism and the civil rights area in a powerful and memorable way.

As with Ms. Chamberlain’s most recent works, the novel takes place in two time frames. In 2010, Kayla is coping with the death of her husband who is killed in an accident while building the couple’s dream home. Already hesitant about moving her and her daughter into the house that caused the end of her husband’s life, she receives a mysterious visit from a red-haired woman who has a bone-chilling message. Meanwhile, back in 1965, Ellie desires to emulate her aunt and help African Americans register to vote against her family’s wishes.

Ms. Chamberlain handles the two storylines and ties them together in a way only she can. The voices of Kayla and Ellie are uniquely distinct and Ms. Chamberlain weaves back and forth between the two timelines skillfully. Parts of this novel are uncomfortable to read simply because of how horrific people were (and still are) treated. With the push to include Critical Race Theory in school curriculum, this novel is certainly relevant. But this novel does more than teach a lesson, but makes the reader fall in love with Ellie and Karla.


Thank you, Diane Chamberlain, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

Diane Chamberlain does it again. A story told in dual timelines that holds your interest from the beginning to the end. I have become a Diane Chamberlain fan and am looking forward to reading her next book. You are missing out on a great read if you do not pick up this book and reserve the time to read it.

Dianne Chamberlain has a gift of drawing the reader in and making them feel like they are living the story along with the characters. This is one of her best books in years! Kayla and Ellie are dimensional characters that make you feel as if you are right there with them. An excellent portrayal of life in the civil rights era and the workers that tried to help bring equal rights to all. Definitely a must read!

I love all of Diane Chamberlain’s books, so I started The Last House on the Street synopsis unread. I’m not usually a fan of historical fiction, but the story is so powerful that I found myself engrossed in Ellie’s past and Kayla’s present. Learning about voting rights and the hardships faced in the sixties was eye opening and heartbreaking all at once. The forbidden love story, dangerous klan encounters and canvassing was horrific, but engaging for the reader. Fast forward to 2010, Kayla’s losses are unfathomable. Watching her dream house turning into a nightmare and the horrific experiences were adrenaline inducing. The story would make a great movie!

A tale of two women and how their worlds intersect through two separate tragedies. Alternating between time periods, 1965 and 2010, this story captures the heartbreak both of them with very different stories and how it brings them together in the end. Although some parts of the novel were hard to read due to the nature of the topic, this was a beautifully written book .

This book flashes back to the 60’s when racial issues were at their peak. We meet Elle who,decides to join up with a group to help under privileged minorities. Her family is disturbed at this and events take place that are revealed at the end of this engaging book. The story moves effortlessly from today back to the 60-s. The characters are well developed and will stay with the reader long after the book is put down. This is a story of a very sad time in America’s history and unfortunately very much like it was in the 60’s. Hopefully these events and feelings will never again be repeated. Diane Chamberlain has another hit on her hands and in my opinion a timely reminder if what was and hopefully never will be again…

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of Diane Chamberlain’s newest masterpiece. I am a huge fan of hers, and this one is one of her best. I haven’t cried from a book in a while, and this one had me in tears. A dual timeline can sometimes bore me, I usually only like one of the timelines and want to skip through the other. But this one was perfect. Kayla in 2010 and Ellie in 1965. Kayla moves in to a brand new build in Round Hill, NC. But people keep telling her that her house is haunted, or the woods it sits on. Ellie’s story is something everyone should read about. A white girl in 1965 NC that is trying to help the Black population register to vote and have their voice heard. There is a love story involved and it is truly heartbreaking. The hatred in America in the 60s doesn’t feel much different than now. 5 stars go out and read this, and have your tissues ready. And be kind to others.

I have just finished reading The Last House on the Street , by Author Diane Chamberlain.

This is the second book that I have read by the author, previously reading Big Lies in a Small Town, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

Diane Chamberlain’s writing style is very deep and engaging.

It took me awhile to read this book, since my life had lots going on at the time, and I did not want to rush it. It caught my attention immediately and normally I would have probably not put it down and read it in one day.

It is set in two different time frames, and is interesting, sad, and eye opening.

It is a book not to be missed.

Thank you to Goodreads, the Author and St. Martin's Publishing Group for my advanced copy to read and review

#NetGalley

Rarely does a book make me feel as emotional as this book did. I'm still thinking about what happened at the end hours later. The author made me emotionally connected to the characters and I could visually picture everything as described. This book was also exceptional in describing the civil rights movement and the emotion and fear that people had during that time frame and what that fear made people do. I enjoyed how the story slowly but intensely unfolded back and forth between time periods. I enjoyed Ellie's story and how it intertwined with Kayla's . Diane Chamberlain never disappoints in delivering an emotional heart tugging story that is unforgettable This is a book I will purchase for my library to read again in the future.

I am so grateful to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to once again read a new book by Diane Chamberlain early! I didn't even know she had a new book coming out and I was thrilled when I read the email. I couldn't wait to dive in!

This book is so incredibly timely. I'm not sure if the author planned it this way or not, but I can't think of a better time to read this book. With all of the voter supression efforts going on across this country, the author does such a great job explaining in simple terms exactly why white people have tried to keep Black and brown folks from voting.

I loved the dual storylines of Ellie and Kayla. One piece of land: past and present. Something horrific and trafic happens in this book and I do feel like it wasn't emphasized as much as it should have been. I was also unsatisfied with the outcome once the truth came out. Those two things aside, this was a very enjoyable read and the timing could not have been more perfect.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Last House on the Street. This book is about Ellie and Kayla and the journey that they both take to come to terms with events in their lives. It discusses the racial inequality that was common in the South in the 1960's and how the past becomes the present. This book would be one that can open up discussions between various races and age groups.

Wow, this was an amazing read! Diane’s ability to incorporate a bit of romance, history and multifaceted family dynamics all in one novel always impresses me. I especially loved the back and forth timeline, incorporating today’s characters into the black history that she was unaware of in her new hometown.

The focus on social justice along with Chamberlain's always compelling writing style made this one a powerful page-turner. Chamberlin has the unique ability to write historical fiction that also connects to real-world issues today and The Last House on the Street is no different. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to share more about it when it is released in early 2022.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted advanced copy.

This is the best book I have read this year! Over the past several years I have read three of the author’s books and in this one she soared! I loved it and could not put it down.

As with other book by the author, this one has two timelines and two focal characters. In 2010 is Kayla Carter, a recent widow with a young daughter and the newly constructed dream house that she and her husband had designed and built. In 1965 is Ellie Hockley, a college student, a girl from rural North Carolina, and daughter of a prominent town family. Ellie is really the focus of the story. With President Johnson planning to sign the Voting Rights Act in August 1965, college students have been recruited by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to form the Summer Community Organization and Political Education program (SCOPE). They are the freedom riders who worked summers encouraging and enabling Black Americans to register to vote. Needless to say theirs was not an easy task. This book is a testament to the hard work, danger, determination, and dedication of those students who faced down the KKK and faces of hatred and bigotry.

During the 1970’s I was lucky enough to have had several professors who had taken part in the quest for racial freedom. They were ultimately arrested for their work. Their crime? Escorting Black Americans to a Methodist Church in Atlanta. As I read this book I so badly wanted one more chance to sit with them, have a cup of coffee and talk about their experiences. Diane Chamberlain gave me at least a chance to experience some of their dedication through the eyes of Ellie Hockley.

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET is a must read for anyone concerned about our world today. As with any great historical novel, this one allows the world of the past to speak to us as we face the hatred and bigotry of 2021. Unfortunately many still face the horror and travail of Ellie Hockley.

Thanks to Diane Chamberlain for writing this great book and to NetGalley for gracing me the chance to read and review it. This is a book for our times today!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Youcan purchase yours here : https://www.amazon.com/Last-House-Street-Novel-ebook/dp/B092T7TFP2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=on January 11, 2022.OK- if you are looking for my typical light and fluffy book,look elsewhere. This book automatically buckles your seatbelt for you, no needto strap in. This was a DOOZY. Please note that this book toggles betweenpresent and past, so if you aren’t one who likes those, well.. this is not foryou, but this book was so riveting that I have such a bookover after readingthis book. This book addresses so many systemic issues! It is funny how thingscome full circle in life. Funny how the past always comes back to haunt us. This book begins in 2010 in North Carolina with Kayla on a call with a contractor. At this point, Kayla has been through quite a lot. A ransom woman comes into her office knowing her personal business, allegedly asking for renovations on a sunroom. This woman mentions the death of Kayla's husband and seems to know how he died and about her daughter, Rainie. Our next chapter toggles back to 1965 with Ellie (Elenor) home from UNC spring break. She was there with her brother, Buddy, best friend, Brenda and her parents. Brenda was flipping through bridal magazines. Brenda was having the obligatory shotgun wedding that was happening the following weekend.  The bridal party would consist of Kayla as the maid of honor and her boyfriend, Reed who was the groom's best friend. Reed was on his way with finishing college in three years and working at Richmond's biggest banks with his suit and tie. Poor Brenda wouldn't get any one of these fancy gowns, as her parents would never indulge her. As the girls ooh and ahh Iverson dresses,  Kayla's father announces that "white students are spending the summer registering Negroes to vote." Kayla's mother reflects on how this was right up Aunt Carol's alley. Kayla and Carol had understood each other. Aunt Carol was the wife of Kayla's dad's brother. She was an army nurse and Pete was a soldier. They had lived with them since Kayla was 1 and stayed, even after Pete had died 9 years later. Carol stayed to soften the blows from Kayla's parents. Kayla was an avid activist, writing articles, etc. She drags Brenda with her to sign up for SCOPE and help get the minorities registered to vote.  Kayla had a long history of fighting for rights of others, even to the point of getting detained, but she managed to change a Cafe's policies of who they served. We are then led on a road and we find out how Kayla and Ellie's lives are intertwined. Past meets present and all the tangled webs that are weaved. Woah, baby. Unfortunately, this book was amazing and now I am going to be searching for the next amazing book, until Diane sends me her next book. Until next time...

I was definitely excited to start Diane's newest book when I was invited by the publisher to read it on netgalley early. I obviously could not wait until closer to the pub day in January because the last 5 books of hers that I read were all 5⭐ reads! I am happy to say, this one was as well. I just love the way she writes, and I read this so quickly. This was a fantastic mix of Historical Fiction, Mystery, forbidden love and Social Justice.

This book is told through 2 timelines. In 2010, Kayla and her husband were supposed to be moving into a brand new home on Shadow Ridge Estates, but her husband had an accident at the while it was being built and dies. Her and her 4 year old daughter are still planning to move in. She gets a visit at her job from a strange woman who tells her she should not move into the house, and this woman also says other things that make her feel threatened. She also meets an elderly woman named Ellie that lives on the street, in the only old house, because they refused to sell. She is very nice and welcoming. After Ellie learns who Kayla is...her demeanor changes.

In 1965, Ellie, a white 20 year old is working for the summer registering Black folks to vote along with other college students. She was very involved with civil rights, as was her aunt.

This is a story I will not soon forget. The way some of these characters were treated just made me so mad. The hatred of people will definitely make your heart hurt, but also makes this story so real and raw. There are tragic deaths, injustices, prejudices, and a mystery that will pull you in from page one. This was definitely a timely read and I highly recommend adding this to your list. Another favorite of mine.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own!