Review: Last One Home by Debbie Macomber

last one homeTitle: Last One Home by Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Length: 338 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Blossom Street and Cedar Cove series, delivers an inspiring new stand-alone novel about the enduring bond between sisters, the power of forgiveness, and a second chance at love.

Growing up, Cassie Carter and her sisters, Karen and Nichole, were incredibly close—until one fateful event drove them apart. After high school, Cassie ran away from home to marry the wrong man, throwing away a college scholarship and breaking her parents’ hearts. To make matters worse, Cassie had always been their father’s favorite—a sentiment that weighed heavily on her sisters and made Cassie’s actions even harder to bear.

Now thirty-one, Cassie is back in Washington, living in Seattle with her daughter and hoping to leave her past behind. After ending a difficult marriage, Cassie is back on her own two feet, the pieces of her life slowly but surely coming together. Despite the strides Cassie’s made, she hasn’t been able to make peace with her sisters. Karen, the oldest, is a busy wife and mother, balancing her career with raising her two children. And Nichole, the youngest, is a stay-at-home mom whose husband indulges her every whim. Then one day, Cassie receives a letter from Karen, offering what Cassie thinks may be a chance to reconcile. And as Cassie opens herself up to new possibilities—making amends with her sisters, finding love once more—she realizes the power of compassion, and the promise of a fresh start.

A wonderful novel of perseverance and trust, and an exciting journey through life’s challenges and joys, Last One Home is Debbie Macomber at the height of her talents.

Review:

Last One Home by Debbie Macomber is a very heartwarming novel of healing and reconciliation for Cassie Carter and her estranged sisters. Cassie’s return home is fraught with tension as she tries to recover financially and emotionally from an abusive marriage. At the same time, she is also trying to repair her fractured relationship with her sisters, but years of separation and little communication make their attempts to reconnect awkward and uncomfortable.

Cassie and her twelve year old daughter Aimee have had a difficult life but they are finally on their way to achieving their goal of having a permanent home. Cassie has a stable job, she volunteers at a local women’s shelter, and her application for a house through Habitat for Humanity has just been accepted. She must put in sweat equity hours in exchange for the house and her first meeting with job foreman Steve Brody is contentious. Cassie is delighted when her older sister, Karen, offers her the chance to claim items from their parents’ estate, but their interactions are uneasy and stressful for the sisters.

Cassie and Steve soon work through their initial animosity and quickly become friends. Steve is a widower who has been slow to recover from the loss of his wife and both he and Cassie are surprised by their unexpected attraction to one another. However, Cassie’s residual fears and concerns from her marriage make it difficult for her to commit to a serious relationship.

Cassie and her sisters also begin to make progress on mending the rift between them. Neither Karen nor Nichole are aware of what Cassie suffered during her marriage, so Cassie’s previous attempts to reconnect were rebuffed. The women slowly begin rebuilding their relationship and their bond is unexpectedly strengthened when Karen and Nichole encounter unexpected problems in their personal lives.

In Last One Home, Debbie Macomber touches on some very difficult topics in a realistic and forthright manner and the resulting story is very touching and uplifting. While not all of the storylines are fully resolved, the novel’s conclusion is believable and emotionally satisfying. It is a lovely read that touches on life’s more serious moments and will leave readers hoping to revisit these flawed but lovable characters in the future.

1 Comment

Filed under Ballantine Books, Contemporary, Debbie Macomber, Fiction, Last One Home, Rated B, Review, Romance

One Response to Review: Last One Home by Debbie Macomber

  1. Timitra

    Thanks Kathy