The Last Love Song is one of my favorite books of all time. No doubt about it. It is a purely magical and spectacular debut that redefines what a literary masterpiece means.

From the heart-achingly beautiful original song lyrics, to the most captivating and on-the-edge-of-my-seat love stories (stories!! plural!!), to the most lovable and authentic characters, to absolutely stellar prose, this book is excellence in every single way possible. It has beautifully written queer representation, ride-or-die friendships (bonus points for childhood best friends to lovers!!), and soul-stirring character interiority. Every single page leaves me in awe of Kalie’s limitless talent.

The Last Love Song heartwarmingly shows how characters find strength in themselves, realize their self worth, and have the courage to follow their dreams. Tori and Mia’s mother/daughter relationship prove how the power of love transcends time. The way that this book handles grief is so moving and pulls at your heartstrings—grief is such a hard subject to tackle, and it is executed flawlessly. Safe to say, the lessons I learned while reading this book will stick with me forever.

I cannot recommend this book enough; it is truly unlike anything you will ever read. I hope you love it as much as I do <3

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Last Love Song" by Kalie Holford is a heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery that brings together the past and present as well as music and memories in a captivating story that will resonate with readers. If you are a fan of “Mamma Mia” and music through a new lense, then you will definitely love this book.

The story follows Mia Peters, the daughter of the late country star Tori Rose, as she grapples with the aftermath of her mother's mysterious death. As Mia embarks on a scavenger hunt left behind by her mother, she uncovers secrets and revelations that challenge her perceptions of her family and herself.

Holford's debut novel is a wonderfully well-written book that focuses on coming-of-age and reconciliation, blending elements of mystery, romance, and music into a rich tapestry of emotions. Through alternating timelines and perspectives, you are drawn into Mia's journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complexities of family relationships and confronts her fears and insecurities. I really enjoyed the unique twist on the classic "Mamma Mia" trope while also having the focus on music. I feel like musical books are a bit lacking in YA literature, so I really enjoyed reading this book. The inclusion of the "who's my dad" plotline felt a bit forced though and detracts from the main narrative, almost like the author wasn’t able to fully commit to the “Mamma Mia” plot.

Despite these shortcomings, "The Last Love Song" shines in its portrayal of Mia's emotional journey and the bonds she forms with her friends and loved ones. Holford's writing is lyrical and evocative, capturing the raw emotions of grief, longing, and hope with sensitivity and grace. Additionally, the book's exploration of themes such as identity, ambition, and the pursuit of dreams adds depth and complexity to the story. I really enjoyed Mia’s character and her growth throughout the book. Her quest to uncover the truth about her mother's past becomes a metaphor for her own search for meaning and belonging, making for a compelling and engaging read.

Overall, "The Last Love Song" is a beautifully written debut that explores the complexities of love and loss with depth and sincerity.

Teenage romance isn’t one of my favorite genres, but I do enjoy reading them from time to time — especially if the romance in question is LGBTQIA+ (and especially if it is sapphic). Even though I understand that, because of the limitations of my taste for books, I will not always be able to love this type of story, I still expect books from this genre to bring an interesting story, with lovable characters and an engaging plot. Sadly, I don’t think I was able to find those things in “The Last Love Song”: although the premise seems fun, the execution wasn’t appealing to me — in my opinion, the plot and the characters were superficial; and even though the writing was really good in some parts, it felt a bit out of place. Unfortunately, I can’t say I recommend this book. But I do believe I am a part of a minority since the rating for “The Last Love Song” is so high. So, if the synopsis seems interesting to you, maybe it’s worth the read.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Kalie Holford, and NetGalley for an ARC of The Last Love Song.
The Last Love Song follows Mia, who faces a string of goodbyes after graduating high school. Everyone she knows is moving on, including biggest support/best friend/situationship, Britt. Britt pushes Mia to go bigger, do better and follow in the footsteps of her late mother, but Mia can’t imagine a life beyond Sunset Cove. When Mia receives a mysterious letter addressed to her from her late mother, she is led on a scavenger hunt throughout her hometown, searching for answers concerning her mother's life and death. Mia must decide if she is ready to face the present and create the future she truly desires. The Last Love Song is “perfect for anyone who’s ever tried to decode the clues in the lead-up to a new Taylor Swift album.”

The highlight of The Last Love Song for me was the queer content and aspect of the novel. While swooning at Mia and Britt’s interactions, I didn’t particularly feel a deep connection with either main character. The novel's premise, while very intriguing, didn’t feel believable, which created barriers to being able to relate to the characters. The novel ended abruptly, leaving the reader with more questions than answers.

The Last Love Song is sweet and wholesome and is recommended to those looking for a pallet cleanser via a light, queer love story.

Mediocre, didn’t pull me in. Was enjoyable enough, but didn’t have enough substance to keep me interested. It had a sweet plot line but was inconsistent at times, and all in all a fun read but probably not something i’d pick up again.

I really did not want this book to finish! It was beautifully written and the story just had me captivated.
Mia Peters is on a hunt to find out who her mother was, and what happened to her. For graduation her mother left her a treasure hunt so she can figure out just who Tori Rose was, and what secrets the superstar left behind for her. A beautifully woven story about love, and finding yourself.
I cannot wait to sell this book at work! Thanks to netgalley and blackstone publishing for the arc. I cannot wait to read more by this author!!!

Whelp, this was underwhelming.

The Last Love Song follows Mia Peters, daughter of the late sensation Tori Rose, as she prepares for a summer of endings. Her best friend is leaving their small town of Sunset Cove to pursue her dream of music, and Mia is absolutely certain she can't join — no matter how much she wants to — because she doesn't want to end up like her mom. Dead, a mystery no one can solve, and a person no one really knows. But then Mia receives the graduation present her mom made her right before she died. There she finds a scavenger hunt: the promise of answers.

First off, I don't think this book is accurately described by how it's pitched (i.e. bisexual Mamma Mia). The whole "who's my dad" plotline felt ineloquently thrown in there, and didn't have any real bearing on the plot. It's more giving I Kissed Shara Wheeler, but make it friends-to-lovers and centered around stardom, with a touch of the movie The Half of It.

I felt for Mia, and I really did like seeing her start to understand herself and her mother. I also really liked the way music was used in this book. The lyrics of all the songs embedded tell vivid stories. They're powerful and beautiful and I could almost hear them off the page. I also loved the alternating timelines. Rather than describe Mia reading her mom's letters, we saw the world from Tori Rose's perspective. It was immersive and really made the mother's story shine.

However, my biggest problems stem from the writing. Not only was it written so simply that each point seemed to depend on a cliche, it also just did not make sense. In one sentence*, Mia notes that the "coldness has faded from her [best friend's] eyes" and the next sentence claims that her face is "completely unreadable"? Or in another, Tori Rose describes the stage lights glinting off a tattoo on her collarbone — and WHAT? Is she giving herself a double chin staring at her COLLARBONE right before she performs in front of a massive audience?

In both these instances (and many others), I see the intended impact. But the contradictions in the language indicate that these moments were not clearly thought out beyond the drama. And that's frustrating as a reader! I want to feel these things, but you have to earn the impact — not with flowery words, but by painting a powerful story that works in the world you have created. *just a disclaimer that these quotes are from a review copy and may not be the final version.

I also found the scavenger hunt Mia's mother leaves her very random. For me, I felt like the foundations of the clues were not established enough to make it a fun mystery. Especially as the clues got more creative and complex, there was no way Mia could have figured them out. And yet, even though the hunt was random, the plot itself was predictable. I guessed the big reveal a couple chapters in.

Mia's thought cycles were also endlessly frustrating. She just kept repeating the same thoughts (and actions!) throughout. There's only so much self-degradation and self-pity I can read in place of a real plot (I'm telling you, nothing substantial really happens between 5% and 40%).

I did like the Tori Rose romance timeline. I enjoyed how messy and honest it felt. Even if I am not and will never be a music star like her, I connected to the feelings of having to decide which sacrifice would be worth it. Mia's romance, on the other hand, felt strangely forced? I just didn't get the sense that she really wanted it to turn out well. It felt less nuanced than her mother's narrative.

ALSO: Why does no one in this book ever have to warm up?? Not once does Mia or literally any other character mention warming up, or practicing, or being anything less than perfect at music. It just felt really odd.

This book would make a good Netflix movie, honestly, but I struggle to recommend it. It is a short read, but I don't feel it really adds anything new or exceptionally executed to the genre of queer YA.

Trigger Warnings: terminal illness, death of parent (off page, central to the plot), absentee father

2.5⭐️

I was immediately hooked by this cover and how this was a coming of age story with vibes similar to Mamma Mia and Daisy Jones, while touching on themes family, friendship, legacy, and following your dreams. Sadly, the story did not hold up to the premise for me and I really struggled connecting with the characters and believing the story.

The characters were underdeveloped, to the point that physical descriptions outside of hair color weren’t provided. Tori, Mia’s mother is vaguely described and then Mia is said to look like her. That’s it. It’s impossible to connect with a character and cheer them on if we don’t know their background, motives, dreams… Then there is no significant growth for Mia’s character - she dumps her high school boyfriend and we find out that all the while Mia has been in a sort friends with benefits situation with her best friend. Mia describes these moments as “slip ups” but she and Britt can’t help but blur the lines of their friendship with romance. She eventually apologizes the ex boyfriend, but yikes.

I felt for Mia and the monumental loss and pain she carried her whole life, especially when her grandmothers and the entire small town were in on keeping Tori’s life (and death) a secret. This seemed so selfish and cruel to conceal this information and I struggled to comprehend how they believed they were “doing the right thing.”

This was to be an emotional journey of discovery, but I’m quite bummed that it didn’t come together and was a miss for me.

Not gonna lie, I went into this one expecting something similar to the other young adult Mamma Mia retelling I read recently, When You Get The Chance. In actuality, it couldn't have been more different. There were parts of the sections of this novel that were written from her mum's diary in 1989 that read more like something out of Daisy Jones and the Six, which is interesting when it ends out that that book comes about largely for the sake of the child involved.

Yes, both novels have a very strong musical element, but there's where the similarities stop. This, for one, is sapphic. As hell. While we do see our main character, Mia Peters, climbing literally from the bedroom window of her just now become exboyfriend, she spends the rest of the novel pining over her best friend and on and off again... something, Britt.

Except, then she finds out Britt is intending on leaving Sunset Cove in a week. They're both finished school now, and it's time for them to get on with the rest of their lives.

Mia has been writing songs for Britt's band, Lost Girls, but she doesn't wanna go with them. It's too painful. Especially since her mother also left Sunset Cove to pursue her music, and then she died, leaving her mothers to raise Mia from infancy. Mainly, she knows she can't do that to them.

We don't get very much from her grandmothers, but I reckon that's probably pretty deliberate as it means we have to trust this fairly unreliable teenage narrator with the truth of things. Such as how much she can't imagine a life beyond Sunset Cove. Because she can imagine it. And it scares the living bejesus out of her.

In any case, just after her birthday, and her climbing out of her ex's bedroom window, she has a gift that was left from her mother before she died. It's somewhat between a gift, a treasure hunt and the final words of her mum. And this is how we enter the 'who is my father' part of the Mamma Mia retelling. It takes up most of the book that isn't spent with Mia pining over Britt.

There were parts of this story where the pacing was a little bit off, but I felt like the character motivations made up for that more of the time than less. The writing style was a little bit simplistic for what I've personally come to expect from a YA read, especially one where all the main characters have just graduated and are in that summer between that and college.

THE LAST LOVE SONG is a sentimental, emotional story about Mia trying to get to know her late mother through a hunt set up by her mother before her death. Mia's specific struggle of whether to follow in her mother's footsteps to stardom may not be fully relatable to all readers, but the war between staying where things are familiar and comfortable or leaving to pursue your dreams and facing the fear that comes with that is something most of the readership will be able to understand.

The friendship and love story between Britt and Mia is lovely and fraught at times, but the mirrors between Mia and Tori Rose are powerful and Britt's relationship to Mia is a large part of that power.

Ultimately I hoped for a bit more about Tori Rose and the end of her life, as I'm sure Mia did, but I suppose that could be read as giving Mia room to figure it out for herself.

Overall, 3.5 stars—a strong debut, and I look forward to seeing what's next for this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. A wonferful Ya read that engages the reader from the beginning. I’ll be recommending this fun read for students.

I absolutely loved this book! The story kept me hooked and the romance storyline was simply adorable. As a person who lost my dad at a young age I really resonated with that urge the MC had to know her mother and look for stories of her everywhere. This story made me cry so many times but it was such a cathartic experience. Kalie is an incredible writer and this is a powerful debut. Thank you for creating this story and sharing it with the world.

I plan to do a more in depth review at a later date but also wanted to get a review out there whilst I am fresh from finishing the book. I shall update this when I have finished the full review 💖

Thank you so much for the publisher, Kalie Holford and NEtgalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.

I went into this book completely unknown of its premise. Oh and how much I loved it!!! It was an emotional (joy) ride, full of with adventure and finding closure, finding your true self.

We follow Mia, who is the daughter of Tory Rose, a famous singer, and she is struggling to follow her dreams — because that would mean leaving the only place she calls home behind. Which includes her grandmas and the memory of her mother.
She is searching for answers about her late mother, and for her birthday her mother left a treasure hunt: letters to get to know her: songs, diary entries, landscapes.

Mia has a week to find out who her mother was, who her dad is, who she wants to be.

I absolutely loved the tone, the pacing of this book. There are chapters that are flashbacks to Tory Rose and her journey to fame, to music. The other chapters following Mia and her friends, focusing on family, the hardships of standing up for your dreams, following your heart. It has a beautiful romance as well, raw and honest.

Make sure to add it to your pre-order list, this will be popular!!

When Mia finds her late famous mother’s diary she embarks on an adventure to learn more about her mom in hopes of discovering more about who she was and ends up finding a love of her own and discovers who she is along the way

This bi-Mamma Mia story will have you laughing, crying, and feeling all the things by the end. The prose has a magical musicality to it that almost makes the pages sing. What a delight! Can’t wait to see what’s next for Holford!

This book left me torn between my initial expectations and the reality of its narrative. Despite my initial enthusiasm, the slow start compelled me to set it aside temporarily, only to pick it up again months later. The storyline revolves around a girl embarking on a hunt through letters from her mom, but the lack of significant events in between makes the plot less engaging.

Apart from the LGBTQ content, the book fails to captivate, and the integration of country music and Mamma Mia rewrites feels like an awkward blend. Unfortunately, the main character's journey seems stagnant, with minimal development beyond deciphering the hunt and grappling with her personal life.

The overarching arc of the story tested my patience, taking three months to complete due to its sluggish pace. The absence of conflict and the lack of excitement make the narrative feel disappointingly self-explanatory. The only redeeming qualities lie in the lyrical poetry and songwriting, offering moments of artistic beauty in an otherwise uneventful tale. In essence, the book, while showcasing glimpses of creativity, ultimately falls short, leaving readers with a sense of monotony.

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed it. It was also a quick read.

This may be my favourite read of the year so far, from the description I knew I would love it and it did not disappoint! I loved the characters and the story was beautiful

[Thanks to NetGalley & the author for providing me with this ARC]

This book is sweet as cotton candy and a perfect read to share as a family.
It’s about love and family and belonging and hope, the writing is lyrical and so beautiful but still sharp and easy to grasp.
It’s a book I would have loved to read as a kid together with my mom.

Disclaimer: The ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ARC category in no way impacts the rating of the book.

Why am I such a middle aged lesbian who is such a sucker for YA lesbian romance?! This novel did not disappoint. It was a fun light read and I would happily read more books by this author!

I had so much fun reading this book although I would truly do anything for this to get adapted as a movie :,) I will be recommending this to my friend, she would devour this