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Last One Home

Review

Last One Home

Debbie Macomber is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, with sales exceeding 170 million copies. Her most recent work, LAST ONE HOME, features three sisters whose idyllic childhood memories are shattered by one sibling’s ill-fated choice to run away from home with the man who had impregnated her and then subsequently beat her until she ran from him. Cassie Carter and her sisters, Karen and Nichole, were close until Cassie made the decision (against her parents’ wishes) to date and then abruptly leave with her then-boyfriend, Duke.

"Macomber’s story is one of forgiveness, moving forward and embracing family. Her fans will appreciate the fact that she doesn’t attempt to solve all of her characters’ problems by the final page."

It didn’t take long for Duke to begin using Cassie as the outlet for all his anger and frustration. Cassie, brainwashed by Duke into believing she could never survive without him, took the brutal punishment for years until finally she summoned the courage to flee. When Duke was jailed for his crimes against Cassie, she slowly began to rebuild her life with her young daughter, Amiee. With a cosmetologist license in hand, Cassie worked hard to develop a loyal clientele that enabled her to put bread on the table. But her dreams grew larger than mere sustenance. She applied for and received the tremendous gift of a Habitat for Humanity home. Of course, she had to work hundreds of hours herself helping another family complete their home as a demonstration of good will. During one of her hours of service, Cassie meets the volunteer widowed foreman on the job, Steve Brody, who takes an immediate dislike to her.

Knowing she has no other choice if she wants a home for herself and Amiee, Cassie grits through the unpleasantness of working with Steve each week. Finally, they come to a certain level of understanding and mutual respect. At this juncture, Cassie’s eldest sister, Karen, makes contact with her to offer Cassie some old unwanted furniture left over from their deceased parents’ estate. Cassie is shocked by both the contact from Karen and by her sister’s offer…and begins making plans to retrieve the estate furniture. Karen is likewise taken aback by Cassie’s gratefulness and starts to second-guess her own poor attitude of resentment toward Cassie, eventually enlisting their youngest sister, Nichole, to make amends as well.

Slowly, the trio gets around to meeting again and discovers that each of them is far from perfect in their decision-making and in their individual choices for husbands. All in all, Macomber’s story is one of forgiveness, moving forward and embracing family. Her fans will appreciate the fact that she doesn’t attempt to solve all of her characters’ problems by the final page. Rather, she offers them a conclusion by way of hope and the beginnings of true reconciliation.

Reviewed by Michele Howe on March 12, 2015

Last One Home
by Debbie Macomber

  • Publication Date: December 29, 2015
  • Genres: Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction
  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books
  • ISBN-10: 0553391909
  • ISBN-13: 9780553391909