Although The Last Verse had a bit of a slow start for me, it all came together and I really enjoyed it. It's the mid 1970's - Twyla is an aspiring country singer that leaves home at 19 and makes her way to Nashville. She meets and falls for Chet - another country music hopeful. Twyla becomes involved in a terrible crime and her songwriting helps her cope with that awful night. Things really take off from there. Frost is a gifted writer that excels at character development. I really enjoyed the country music scene and I was rooting for Twyla the whole way. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy in exchange for my review. The Last Verse will be available on 3/4/24.

Almost a country song in a novel. Set in Nashville in the 1970s, it's the story of Twyla and the aftereffects of a quarrel with Chet. A quarrel that led to his death and to the subjugation of her dreams to Lorelei's ambition because Lorelei is blackmailing her. Yep, Lorelei is trading silence for songs written by the more talented Twyla. There is, however, a detective looking for the truth. You'll feel for Twyla (despite her dubious decisions). Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

This book hooked me from the prologue and held my attention the whole way through.

Twyla was such an underdog, and it felt easy to root for her (though her naïveté and some actions made it hard at times). The plot pace was steady, and there was always something propelling me to read “just a little more”. I really liked the Nashville music scene setting, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t really listen to country music; it was fun and interesting to see things there in this time period. About halfway through, the book takes a turn and really got me on the edge of my seat. Overall I found this story sad (for different reasons at different times), and though I liked the ending, it did feel a little bittersweet. I also don’t see that as a negative at all, it’s just one of those stories that is enjoyable but tinged with sadness.

Oh I wasn't sure about this one when I started. Twyla was so desperate to be loved, I didn't know if I could finish this story, but once she met Chet the story started rolling and I just couldn't stop rolling.

Great writing. Good story.

When I first started reading this book I was sort of iffy about it. I thought oh this is a book about a girls journey to following her dream to stardom. Boy was I wrong, midway through the book it took a huge turn and I couldn’t put it down after that. Great book with an awesome plot twist!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I was originally drawn to the book because it beings (and ends) in Fort Worth, a city I live near and have been acquainted with all my life. But it is NOT a 'local" book, as most of the action takes place in Nashville. And it is not just the story of a naive girl who gets in trouble and way over her head because of a man.

Actually, I think it is the story of women. How they interact and how they can either create or destroy a person. The main character, Twyla, has been treated badly by her mother, Faith, for as long as she can remember. Faith loved her husband, Twyla's dad, Mickey, but he loved his music more than ANYTHING and he broke her heart. She is so angry with his dying that she refuses to love his daughter because she is so much like him. So she tries to remake Twyla into HER daughter, which just doesn't fit. When Twyla finally runs away, she is 19, but has no idea how to live on her own and just drifts with whoever has an idea, finally landing in Nashville. She is taken in Mimi, another mother figure, who tries to get her to grow up and share her talent, but finally fails, although they do reunite later. She also is taken in by Lorelei, her "boyfriend's fiancee", who uses her to establish her own music career. And then there is Struthers, the disgraced homicide detective who arrests Twyla for her crime, all the while trying desperately to reconnect with the son she sacrificed to her job.

The story is bittersweet, with certainly not a happy ending, but all these women grow and change during the course of the story and it is well worth the time to watch them do it.

I loved the music aspect of this story and the poetic language to it. It was a combination of many genres, which will allow many different people to enjoy it. Some parts were slow for me, but overall a great read.

I couldn’t help but get sucked into Twyla’s story. An unusual premise and an even more unusual ending, but it goes to show you that’s how life goes sometimes. I loved Frost’s writing style so much, I immediately picked up (and also loved) her debut novel, Shadows of Pecan Hollow. Fans of music, suspense, and coming-of-age stories will love this.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Young singer-songwriter Twyla Higgins takes solace in music and seems to always have a song ready to flow through her. Driven from home by her abusive and controlling mother, she ventures without a plan to Memphis and ultimately Nashville to make her way in the music business where she meets and falls in love with a handsome man. Things turn ugly, and she writes and performs a song to an empty bar, only for the song to be stolen from her. Twyla is at a crossroads: confess her sins and take ownership of the song. Or let someone else take the credit for her chart topping hit.

I don’t know how else to say it but the writing shines in this book. The metaphors, the word choice, the rhythm—I am blown away. Pacing was a bit slow in the beginning but I think that was because my heart ached for Twyla. She was so sad and lost, and thought she found a partner who got her. Once the investigation kicked off, it was a race to the end of the book. I simultaneously didn’t want it to end but had to know how it ended. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fantastic story!!!

Twyla Higgins dearly loved her father who has passed away. He was a bluegrass guitarist who left Twyla and her mother on their own. Twyla's mother took comfort in the Tabernacle church and her new husband and Twyla fell in love with country and bluegrass. Twyla, working at a daycare center, isn’t sure what she wants to do, but she knows she wants to get out from under her mother’s thumb. After secretly saving for weeks, she decides to dip into her savings and make the pilgrimage to Graceland after hearing of her beloved Elvis Presley’s death. This sets off a chain of events that set her course in life.

This is so well written! The characters are well developed, the plot works and I absolutely consumed the story. Loved the ending, especially that it was atypical. HIGHLY recommend!!!

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this advance copy. I requested this book because I absolutely loved Frost’s debut novel, Shadows of Pecan Hollow. Her latest did not hold my interest like her first one did. She is a talented writer, but I think the pacing and flow of the plot was off here. I didn’t find myself caring about the main character like I did in Shadows. I’m exited to see what Caroline Frost writes next and I’m sure her latest will find many appreciative readers.

Thank you to William Morrow publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In The Last Verse, Twyla Finch arrives in Nashville after running away from home and traveling to visit Graceland following Elvis’ death in 1977. Determined to make her way in the country music scene, she settles in at new friend Mimi’s house and soon falls for fellow musician Chet Wilton. When a night out with Chet goes terribly wrong, Twyla copes in the only way she knows how, through song. Weeks later, she hears her song on the radio being sung by someone else, not something she planned. Her song may implicate her in what happened with Chet, which sends her down a route of paranoia and fear like she hasn’t experienced before.

I really liked the concept of this book. I’m a big fan of this time period for my historical fiction and thought the world was painted beautifully. I also liked Twyla’s character, thought she was well developed.

Unfortunately, this story just didn’t hold my attention the way I hoped it would. I felt like the story ran out of steam towards the end and felt like the addition of the investigator didn’t add as much to the story as I’d hoped either. I wouldn’t have minded if that part of the story had been omitted.

Imagine creating a piece of art that is truly remarkable, to find that someone stole it and claimed it as their own, and it became a sensation. You’d want to fight to claim it back, but in doing so, it could also reveal that you were involved in a very bad crime. What would you do?

I'm typically drawn to books around music, and if it's set in Nashville, even better. Music books where there is someone who has exceptional talent and from a small town who is trying to make it in the business. Yes, The Last Verse has those tropes but it is not this type of story. It is a completely original take on making it in the music business mixed with a crime and investigation plot line. I loved it!

Set in 1977, just after Elvis passed away, Twyla makes to the pilgrimage from Texas to Memphis to pay her respects and ends up in Nashville searching for a dream. When an original song she wrote to get a crime off her chest and sang on an open mic night ends up on the radio sung by someone else, she is at lost of what to do to claim that hit sensation as hers when the lyrics would incriminate her if she does.

I loved the time period, the original story in music, and was satisfied with how the story panned out. I loved Caroline Frosts debut, The Shadows of Pecan Hollow and was looking forward to what she wrote next, and this did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an eARC of this book!

This story was beautiful, engaging, and full of suspense!

I loved the Last Verse!

You follow Twyla Higgins throughout her story of moving to Nashville to try to become a singer/songwriter. Along the way, she commits a crime, and writes a song incriminating herself. Although she has not published the song herself, she is in shock when she turns on the radio to find a woman singing her song and making it a greatest hit. Will Twyla be convicted of the crime, or has this woman just released a song pinning herself into the evidence?

This is so much more than a mystery/thriller. It’s a full coming of age story where you get to follow the character through her entire journey on her way to fame. I will recommend this to anyone who read Daisy Jones and the Six, but like a little suspense added!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review!

I would have appreciated further insight into her musical journey, as it was a pivotal factor in my decision.

Similar to the books you feel are similar.

I read Caroline Frost’s debut, Shadows of Pecan Hollow a few years ago, and was absolutely blown away by her storytelling. Frost excels at creating the most memorable and intriguing characters that will stick with you. In her forthcoming novel, The Last Verse, we are introduced to Twyla Higgins, a nineteen-year-old living with her extremely religious mother and stepfather in Texas. Twyla loves country music and has aspirations of becoming a singer/songwriter, but can’t achieve her hopes and dreams under her mother’s strict rule. The reader follows Twyla on an unforgettable journey full of adventure, heartbreak, excitement, suspense, twists, turns, and SO many ups and downs. Twyla is a character that you will root for. She will quickly work her way into your heart. Sure, she’s young, naive, perhaps a little simpleminded, and doesn’t always make the best decisions, but I quickly felt a pull towards her. Almost like a sense of protection for this fictional little sister that I wanted to guide, put my arms around, and let her know that everything would be okay. That’s some brilliant character development right there.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- 1970s timeline
- Historical fiction
- Nashville country music scene
- Singer/songwriter storyline
- Slow-burning plots
- Character studies
- Sad girl vibes
- Coming-of-age stories
- Twists, turns, and mystery
- Police investigations

There’s absolutely no doubt about it…I’ll read anything Caroline Frost writes. I highly recommend both of her novels. The Last Verse is out on March 5th, and I give it 4.5/5 stars!

Can the cost of fame be too high? That is the brilliant premise of Caroline Frost’s latest novel THE LAST VERSE.

Nineteen year old singer/songwriter Twyla decides to leave home when her mother starts talking about going to Central America on a mission. When Elvis dies in 1977 she decides that she’s going to Nashville to see the King one last time. So she packs up her duffle and her life savings of $350 and the guitar her beloved famous father left her and hits the road. Once in Nashville, she meets a myriad of people; some with good intentions, some not so much.
When she saves a child, she gains a place to live and continues to work on her craft. Then she meets the man of her dreams. Isn’t love usually part of a downfall?

One night, she is involved in a shocking incident that leaves her severely depressed and scared. How does she work through it? She writes a song about the entire thing. Shortly after performing it only once in a bar (after all she’s gotta confess), she turns on the radio only to learn that HER song is racing to the top of the charts and shining stardom down on the singer who claims it as her own. If Twyla comes forward with the truth she also sets herself up to be implicated in the crime. So I ask again, can the cost of fame be too high? For Twyla, the answer is yes. What follows in the aftermath is a really engrossing read.

This was very interesting. I loved going back to the late seventies with Caroline Frost but looking at her photo makes me wonder if she was even born by then. I suppose I’m showing my age. Her writing style is very smooth and easy which led to an enjoyable, entertaining read. This is a good one to get lost in, for the lyrics, the nostalgia and the fun.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

I’m not sure I was the right target audience for this one. I thought I would give it a shot because the premise sounded interesting and unlike what I would normally read, but this missed the mark for me. I’ll likely be the outlier here, but I just couldn’t get past the way Christians were portrayed and how Jesus was represented. The MC got on my nerves with her immaturity and naivety and I didn’t connect with her obsession over idolizing musicians. I never read Daisy Jones and the Six, but I feel like based on what I’ve heard, I think fans of that would enjoy this one!

I did like her writing style, the pacing, and the time period set in the 1970s 🌼🍯📀

Thank you #netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I tend to not read synopsis fully and pick out keywords… THE LAST VERSE blurb I eyed…

1970s Nashville
Country Music
Struggling musician
Shocking crime
Haunting ballad

That’s all I needed… and after finishing and circling back around I’m glad I didn’t fully read it. The story unfolds as more of a surprise that way!

This was a slow burn… where the action really picks up about half way through, with that said the first half kept pace and I was turning the pages knowing something was about to go down! A coming of age drama mixed with mystery/suspense. With an immersive setting of time and place!

My mind kept thinking about The Farewell Tour & Mary Jane while reading this one. Two of my favorites about music and coming of age!

Thank you William Morrow 📖
Releases 3/5

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