I really enjoyed this book but it made me sad. Twyla’s life was so very hard and it didn’t have to be that way. She always let those around her make decisions and tell her what she was going to do and she couldn’t really be a whole person. It’s a shame that the only thing that she did of her own choice was an act of violence. I was very proud of the fact that she admitted her crime and took the punishment, washed her sins away, and did her time. This book will definitely appeal to book clubs because it can be discussed over a wide variety of topics. I will tell my fellow book lovers that they should read this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. It was a very solid read!

The Last Verse is effectively two stories in one. The first half is a coming-of-age story. The second is a mystery (despite already knowing who committed the crime). The first was a slower read, but the second was a crescendo to a surprising but unavoidable conclusion.

Twyla Higgins is a young musician, with a deceased musician father and a born-again mother who imposes her strict religious dogma on the upbringing of their daughter. Ultimately Twyla rebels, triggered by her mourning the death of Elvis Presley. Yet Twyla is woefully unprepared for the broader world, and we follow her steps and missteps as she attempts to “make it” in Nashville.

The book primarily takes place in 1977. Twyla is a plain and innocent young girl, with just enough gumption to land a job with room and board, attract a local musician boyfriend, and pen music and lyrics to perform at Writer’s Night. Unfortunately, not everyone is as they seem, and Twyla gets caught up in a series of events which will set the course of her life.

All of the characters in the book are realistically flawed to varying degrees. However, the stereotypic “wealthy” parent behavior was too predictable. And the introduction of a detective in the second half of the book, with several flaws which are all seemingly overcome within a few months, seemed superfluous. The detective could have solved the crime without the associated side stories (disloyal partner, expulsion from police force, misogyny, estrangement from son).

Still, the character development for Twyla is rich and strong. She is a flawed protagonist for whom you desperately want everything to work out. The setting of the book – both location and timeframe – is quite vivid as well. It is very easy to “see” the locale in your mind’s eye as the story unfolds.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the Advance Readers Copy.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the ARC of "The Last Verse" in exchange for an honest review.
Can't express enough how much I enjoyed this book, an addictive, immersive read that makes you lose yourself in the high drama of its lead character. Even better, it also performs an expert tightrope walk between the heartrending elements while functioning as a suspenseful thriller to you keep riveted as to what happens next.
It's 1977. 19 year old Twyla Finch, shy, innocent and living under the domineering thumb of her Evangelical mother, impulsively breaks free. Upon hearing of Elvis Presley's death, she boards a bus to Memphis, joining the grief stricken crowds at Graceland. A gifted fledgling singer-songwriter (as was her late father), Twyla meets Chet Wilton. He's the son of weathy Nashville uppercrusts who've indulged his futile, untalented efforts to front his own country band.
Like countless others, Twyla moves on to Nashville to pursue her dreams of singer-songwriter stardom. But when she crosses paths with Chet again, all of her life's ambitions and hopes become upended in catastrophic ways she could never imagine. (and which I'll not go into any detail here so as not to spoil the experience of the book's many twists and turns. )
What does come out of Twylan's travails is a remarkable, stunning song......but it's a song that not only reveals her innate amazing talents, it also uncovers an agonizing, crushing guilt that she can barely contain. And what's worse for her, she's not alone in knowing where the song's inspiration came from.
I loved how this book seized my attention immediately and had me rooting and worrying for Twyla from the first chapter on. The story gives off definite Nicholas Sparks vibes, in that it keeps your heart breaking and aching as her small triumphs and terrible troubles escalate . And if that isn't enough, the story throws in all the suspense of a procedural thriller.
And those last epilogue chapters, I should warn, are expertly crafted to put readers through an emotional wringer ......meaning I didn't have to think twice about giving "The Last Verse" 5 stars. This one stands as one of my favorite 2024 reads so far.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the copy of The Last Verse by Caroline Frost. It took a while for the book to find its rhythm but in the end the different aspects of the story fit neatly together. I’m not sure why Struthers had such a large part of this story, unless she is going to have her own series, which might be a fun idea because she was the most interesting character. I really wanted Twyla to succeed, but I was shocked at some of her bad decisions that could have led to disaster. I would have liked to read more about her musical journey because that’s what sold me on the book. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Read in two sittings, pace is good and I liked the concept but would have liked it without the PI element to it also

Thanks to Netgalley for the free couple in exchange for an honest review

Let's hit the highlights:

1. The cover is 5 stars good. This will be a darling of bookstagram grids come pub day.
2. The characters were so real and raw and you rooted for them.
3. The pacing was so off. This is where this book lost me, unfortunately, it was so slow then seemed to wrap up so quick.

Overall it was good - I do think the pacing was off and I hope that they can be improved before the final publication date.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, due to the slow nature of the story, and my thoughts on the end of the story (below)

I really liked the premise of the book, but it read a little slower than I expected. It was much more of a slow burn "mystery," rather than a fast-paced thriller. It did not hold my attention as much as I thought it would, as well.

I definitely was rooting for Twyla, and while I understood her mixed emotions and decisions regarding her crime, I disagreed with her ultimate decision to confess. While she ultimately achieved the success she was after, I did not like that she had to sacrifice her freedom to gain that success.

I feel as though this is a book I will continue to think about, and my thoughts on Twyla's dilemma and the end of the plot may change. I just wished she had a better life, because that is what she deserved.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for this copy of "The Last Verse."

I decided to stay with a songwriter- and musician-themed book next and "The Last Verse" description was so intriguing. Twyla is involved in a horrible crime and writes a great song about it and someone steals her song.

First, the characters were so multi-faceted and they didn't always act predictably which was unexpected and very interesting.

Second, I would have liked a more expanded ending. My eyes popped at the outcome and I wanted to know SO much more about Twyla.

Anyway, I was curious about author Frost's other works so I'll talk about that in my next post.

This was a bit of an impulse read for me, but I do like historical fiction and the idea of a backdrop against the late 1970s Nashville/country music scene was super intriguing. As was the idea of a woman writing a song about a terrible deed that is then snatched up by someone else, therein creating a conundrum of seeking out the credit or staying under the radar. I liked Twyla as a main character, as well as some of the side characters that she interacts with (especially Mimi, the woman she befriends when she first arrives in Nashville). I do think that this was less of a thriller and more of a historical drama, however, so my expectations were a bit muddied by the time I was reading it. But overall, I did enjoy it for the most part, especially the time period and moment in pop culture.

I was hooked from the second I read the title of this book, and it delivered on the promise of explaining "The Last Verse". I truly enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to reading more from Caroline Frost.
The main character, Twyla, is a 19-year-old girl with a childhood tarnished by the death of her father and being raised by her selfish mother. Obsessed with music and especially Elvis, Twyla embarks on a pilgrimage to pay respect to Elvis when she learns of his death. Twyla makes some dangerous decisions and learns the price one pays for the choices they make. At times Twyla is so naive that it's hard to feel sorry for her, but you still do.
The author is a talented wordsmith and at times I was so in love with her writing style that I forgot the plot of the story. The country music scene is so well described that I contemplated searching to see if the author was a song writer as well as an author!
I highly recommend this book to readers of every genre.
Thank you to William Morrow, Netgalley and Caroline Frost for the gifted ARC. It was an honor to read such a well written book. All opinions are my own.

Why have I waited until now to read a book by Caroline Frost!?

First things first, I highly recommend skipping the synopsis for this one as it gives way too much information away (in my humble opinion)!

Here’s what (I think) you need to know:

Set in the 1970s, The Last Verse follows a naïve 19-year-old woman who leaves her sheltered small town life behind to follow her dreams in Nashville. She eventually writes a song that has all the makings of a massive hit but it could also implicate her in a heinous crime.

This is a bit of a character-driven/coming-of-age story mixed with plenty of drama, suspense and tension. I really enjoyed the complex characters and themes at the heart of the book but I also loved the atmospheric setting. Frost’s writing is truly beautiful and I felt like she transported me to a different time and place.

The main thing holding me back from loving this book is my frustration with the ending. I also could have done without hearing all about the PI’s bathroom troubles.

Overall, a great book that I think most music lovers and many historical fiction fans will enjoy!

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

Twyla Higgins misses her dad. A somewhat successful bluegrass guitarist, he died leaving Twyla with her mother, new stepfather, and a whole lot of Jesus. After her father passes, her mother found new life at the Tabernacle Church in Fort Worth and wants nothing but for her daughter to be the star of the church choir. 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.

What starts as a trip to honor the King in Memphis, ends up with Twyla hitchhiking to Nashville and starting the next phase of her life. Just like a sad country song, Twyla’s experience is tough and more often than not heartbreaking. Her naivety is borderline unbelievable, but Caroline Frost does a delicate dance keeping Twyla teetering on the edge of naivety and what feels like willful ignorance. When you think you’ve got Twyla’s number figured out Frost pivots again and the last several chapters are unexpected and yet work perfectly.

As a girl raised in Texas on country, the musical references were spot on. The secondary characters were flawed with depth and played perfect complement on Twyla’s journey. The only one I felt was “too much” (especially her introductory scene) was the female private investigator. Other, than her character, I really enjoyed this book. Twyla is one you feel sorry for, you root for, and ultimately you pray for.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and of course the author Caroline Frost for the advanced copy of the book. The Last Verse is out on March 5th. All opinions are my own.

Twyla runs to Nashville with her dad's beat up guitar and dreams of making it big. With no money and no prospects she is lucky to be befriended by Mimi who lets her babysit for room and board. She meets a Nashville golden boy who is also hopeful of a shot at stardom but he takes her down a dangerous path. One mistake and her dreams are shattered. They are crushed further when she hears a song she sang one time being sung and promoted by another musician. The one person who holds everything over Twyla's head. Do you fight for ownership of your song and take the consequences or stay safe and in the background? This coming of age look at the obstacles facing so many young musicians and the heavy price for one mistake. I love the author's honest and tough characters who want so badly to be able to trust but are bruised by the life they have had. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Not really a mystery, but a very complex drama. This is the sad story of a very talented songwriter - blessed in talent but little else. I found the story almost depressing. Each time that Twyla advanced, she was knocked back again. Not saying that this is something completely unrealistic, but I kept waiting for the fireworks moment. Twyla is a memorable character; she is realistic, humble, persistent and inspired. She takes on life's challenges despite her odds. You learn of Twyla's backstory as she does, as so much is kept from her as she is growing up. Although I appreciated the ending as somewhat realistic , I was hoping for an alternative conclusion. I take issue with the liberties taken with the actual charges against Twyla and the consequences of Lorelei's involvement (I found those things not believable). I still found the characters to be authentic and the story to be as haunting and real as a sad country ballad!

This was just ok. I loved the set up and I loved the idea of a book taking place in old Nashville, but I feel like once the murder took place the book kind of lost its steam. I really wasn’t a fan of the detective and once the investigation started I started to lose interest.

I think this is going to end up being one of those books that I appreciate more as time goes on. Parts of it were too slow and parts of it were too fast, but it was a haunting story, beautifully written. The book is heavy, from start to finish. I’m not sure how I didn’t realize that going in. I think I expected something more along the lines of a book version of A Star Is Born. I couldn’t not have been more wrong. This was far deeper and darker than that. On a side note, this book would make an incredible movie. 1970s Nashville with a plethora of quirky, likably-unlikable characters. I think I will stick with four stars for now, but this may end up being 5 stars after I process for a while. A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. It’s definitely a book you should put on your “to read” list for 2024.

The Last Verse by Caroline Frost is the story of one woman's redemption. How she needed and then received her redemption is a long journey, starting in Fort Worth, traveling to Graceland, hitching a ride to Nashville and finally, back home again in Fort Worth.

Twyla is a character that you want to root for. She's suppressed by her mother, who is full of jabs about her weight and her lot in life. Twyla makes a few dumb choices, but in the end, everything works for her--getting to see Elvis (dead Elvis), a convenient ride to Nashville, a place to stay, a handsome man. She's born with a talent that few have and her dreams of being a paid singer/songwriter are pushed to the limit by her stage fright...and then the Nashville scene.

While I ultimately enjoyed the book, I did feel that it dragged a bit too long on the first half. I was 40% of the way through the book before anything "good" really happened. The end was a little to quick, and I felt that the introduction of the PI character was abrupt. There was really no need, aside from the clues and solving the 'case' that needed to happen. The whole intro of this character was awful, there's no need to discuss bowel troubles when it doesn't affect the story.

I think that people might enjoy this if they are looking for a 'feel good' story, although they should be prepared that there are very few "feel good" moments.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is perfection. The characters, the plot, the atmosphere, and the pacing were all flawless honestly. This is up there with one of the best books I’ve read recently. I will say if you think this is a thriller you’ll be disappointed but there is definitely an element of suspense and dread and I felt like the ending was done so well.

1970s setting, music, emotional rollercoaster, beautiful descriptions? Just say yes to this book right now!! I enjoyed this book alot. It reminded me of the country version of Daisy Jones and the Six and that book is one of my top favorites. I couldn't get enough of the 70s vibes and the main FMC. She felt so real that I felt like I was reading a memoir of a country singer star. I felt so bad for how things happened to her. It tugged on my heartstrings. At times, the writing felt a tad sluggish for me so making this book a 4 star rather than a 5 star. But still recommended to anyone who enjoyed Daisy Jones or anything set in the world of music.

""The Last Verse" by Caroline Frost is an emotional story about a young woman's journey to finding her voice. Twyla loves music. She wants more than singing in the choir and joining Mama on the Mission trip. When her idol, Elvis Presley, passes, Twyla sneaks away to pay her respects. She catches a ride to Nashville and is soon caught up in the music and lives of the people she meets there.
This did not at all play out like I imagined. I found this book to be more like a Lifetime Channel Movie than a Hallmark Channel Movie. This is not a happy-go-lucky read, but Twyla found closure, and I did enjoy her story.

I was provided an e-arc by NetGalley and William Morrow in exchange for an unbiased review.