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Last One Home
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Debbie Macomber, 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.
Praise for Last One Home
“Fans of bestselling author Macomber will not be disappointed by this compelling stand-alone novel.”—Library Journal
“Family, forgiveness and second chances are the themes in Macomber’s latest stand-alone novel. No one writes better women’s contemporary fiction, and Last One Home is another wonderful example. Always inspiring and heartwarming, this is a read you will cherish.”—RT Book Reviews
“Tender, real, and full of hope.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers
“Once again, Ms. Macomber has woven a charming tale dealing with facing life’s hard knocks, begging forgiveness, and gaining self-confidence.”—Reader to Reader
“Macomber never disappoints me. . . . She always manages to leave me with a warming of the soul and fuzzy feelings that stays for days.”—Fresh Fiction
“A very heartwarming novel of healing and reconciliation . . . that touches on life’s more serious moments and will leave readers hoping to revisit these flawed but lovable characters in the future.”—Book Reviews & More by Kathy
Debbie Macomber, 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.
Praise for Last One Home
“Fans of bestselling author Macomber will not be disappointed by this compelling stand-alone novel.”—Library Journal
“Family, forgiveness and second chances are the themes in Macomber’s latest stand-alone novel. No one writes better women’s contemporary fiction, and Last One Home is another wonderful example. Always inspiring and heartwarming, this is a read you will cherish.”—RT Book Reviews
“Tender, real, and full of hope.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers
“Once again, Ms. Macomber has woven a charming tale dealing with facing life’s hard knocks, begging forgiveness, and gaining self-confidence.”—Reader to Reader
“Macomber never disappoints me. . . . She always manages to leave me with a warming of the soul and fuzzy feelings that stays for days.”—Fresh Fiction
“A very heartwarming novel of healing and reconciliation . . . that touches on life’s more serious moments and will leave readers hoping to revisit these flawed but lovable characters in the future.”—Book Reviews & More by Kathy
11 pages, Audio CD
First published March 10, 2015
3100 people are currently reading
20203 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Macomber
894 books20.6k followersDebbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,740 reviews
November 22, 2017
I only read this book because of a Goodreads challenge to get my badge. So, I went and read the audio because I didn't think I would like it. WRONG! I loved this book =) Now I will have to buy a physical copy and do a proper review one day. You all know I can read a book for the first time without following a long in the book to give a proper review.
The narrator was awesome too!
I can say that I loved the characters and the story line. And look at that cover! I want to jump right in the scene!
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
The narrator was awesome too!
I can say that I loved the characters and the story line. And look at that cover! I want to jump right in the scene!
Happy Reading!
Mel ♥
January 16, 2023
This is Women's Fiction/Romance, and this is the first book in the New Beginnings series. I have read all the books in this series, and I love this book so much. Cassie is the character we follow in this book. I wish Cassie was in the other books in this series a lot more because I loved that character. Cassie does show up a little bit in the second book in this series. This book is all about Cassie getting her life back together. She ran away from home when she was very young to marry a guy. That guy turn out to be very wrong for her. She leaves him and takes her daughter with her. I think all of us as made bad decision, and this book puts light on how someone can over come for a bad decision. This book is so well-written and the characters brings this story to life. This is a great book and a great series.
April 22, 2015
The cover of this book is beautiful and I wanted to be in that gazebo. Unfortunately, for me, that was the best part of this book. The plot had promise but between the characters and the slow progress in the plot line I lost interest many times. The author kept repeating many facts throughout this book. Cassie's daughter is immature and annoying and I did not become engaged with Cassie, her sisters or Steve. This book left me wondering if there is a part two. On a positive point, I liked the parts about Habitat for Humanity. 2.5 stars
March 26, 2015
This was a bit of a Debbie downer. Not our usual light and heart-warming Debbie. It wasn't a bad story, but I think I prefer the series to the stand-alones. And the topic of domestic violence, though handled gracefully, made for a bit of a heavy topic. I like to listen to Debbie Macomber books: the narrators are usually fantastic and the stories are light and easy to follow, with characters that I enjoy getting to know. However this particular book had a terrible narration. Her voice is so draggy and lethargic. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they slowed the narration down. I had to listen to it on a 1.5 speed, even sometimes a 2, just to make her sound normal. On regular speed her voice sounded so strange and forced. So this one was just okay for me. I might have had a more successful experience if I read this opposed to listening, but then I would have to freeze time and I've yet to figure out how to do that (touching my two index fingers together only seems to work for Evie. I've tried a million times).
May 16, 2019
Full disclosure: I listened to this one as an audiobook and it took me over a month to finish it. I don't know if it was the narrator or the book, but I found myself rolling my eyes and generally bored or annoyed with this whole book. I was not expecting this outcome at all. Audiobooks are supposed to be easier after all.
I quite enjoyed the second story in this series. Honestly, that was one of my favorite audiobooks of that year. I'm so glad that I found the second story in this series BEFORE I read this book because I wouldn't have continued and missed a book I truly enjoyed. The characters in this story were flat and the major plot points incredibly predictable . The story line was good along with the strong main woman character becoming her own independent self and I'm all for that. However, she started changing a little once a good-looking widower appeared and the hate-to-love troupe was pretty cringe-worthy. The writing however had too many fake, sappy conversations by ALL the characters. When I finished this book I was left with the same feeling when I have watched a bad Lifetime movie.
I've been stressed recently, so during this time I'm all for a good, mindless story. Hate to say this but I'd suggest you'd read this only read this at times when I had nothing else to read or are looking for an extremely corny read. I only read this to fill a spot in a readathon.
I quite enjoyed the second story in this series. Honestly, that was one of my favorite audiobooks of that year. I'm so glad that I found the second story in this series BEFORE I read this book because I wouldn't have continued and missed a book I truly enjoyed. The characters in this story were flat and the major plot points incredibly predictable . The story line was good along with the strong main woman character becoming her own independent self and I'm all for that. However, she started changing a little once a good-looking widower appeared and the hate-to-love troupe was pretty cringe-worthy. The writing however had too many fake, sappy conversations by ALL the characters. When I finished this book I was left with the same feeling when I have watched a bad Lifetime movie.
I've been stressed recently, so during this time I'm all for a good, mindless story. Hate to say this but I'd suggest you'd read this only read this at times when I had nothing else to read or are looking for an extremely corny read. I only read this to fill a spot in a readathon.
November 22, 2025
What a stunningly realistic and heartfelt story of three sisters finding their way back into each other’s lives.
Cassie is the main focal point of this story. She left home young, pregnant and with an abusive boyfriend/husband. Running for her life to save herself and her daughter, Cassie’s family turns their back on her in her time of need. In their defense, the family didn’t know Cassie circumstances but that she didn’t return home when her father passed away, causing deep hurt and resentment.
Cassie is finally getting her life back together. She has an opportunity with Habitat for Humanity which will finally give her and her daughter a real home. A difficult job foreman immediately thinks the worst of Cassie but she’s been through enough to let him get in the way of her goal. As Cassie deals with the difficult foreman, they realize there is something between them that can heal each other’s heart.
Years of life ups and downs as well as a lack of communication has torn Cassie, Karen and Nicole apart. When Cassie is unexpectedly contacted about her parents furniture, left in estate, she jumps at the chance to claim some of her history which leads to reopening the doors of communication between the siblings.
Each sibling story is revealed and all is not what it seems. The sisters discover strength in one another while they rebuild tenuous sibling bond.
A few of the storylines felt incomplete, but overall it was a wonderful read.
Last One Home is a sweet and tender story of life, love and family born and family chosen.
I received this ARC copy of Last One Home from Random House - Ballantine Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 10, 2015.
Cassie is the main focal point of this story. She left home young, pregnant and with an abusive boyfriend/husband. Running for her life to save herself and her daughter, Cassie’s family turns their back on her in her time of need. In their defense, the family didn’t know Cassie circumstances but that she didn’t return home when her father passed away, causing deep hurt and resentment.
Cassie is finally getting her life back together. She has an opportunity with Habitat for Humanity which will finally give her and her daughter a real home. A difficult job foreman immediately thinks the worst of Cassie but she’s been through enough to let him get in the way of her goal. As Cassie deals with the difficult foreman, they realize there is something between them that can heal each other’s heart.
Years of life ups and downs as well as a lack of communication has torn Cassie, Karen and Nicole apart. When Cassie is unexpectedly contacted about her parents furniture, left in estate, she jumps at the chance to claim some of her history which leads to reopening the doors of communication between the siblings.
Each sibling story is revealed and all is not what it seems. The sisters discover strength in one another while they rebuild tenuous sibling bond.
A few of the storylines felt incomplete, but overall it was a wonderful read.
Last One Home is a sweet and tender story of life, love and family born and family chosen.
I received this ARC copy of Last One Home from Random House - Ballantine Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 10, 2015.
January 4, 2020
Okuduğum ilk Debbie Macomber kitabı. Yazım tarzı akıcı ama çok da sevdiğim söylenemez. Bu kadının kitaplarının hepsi böyle aile dramları şeklinde mi 🤔
November 29, 2020
Gecenin bir yarısı başlayayım dedim, elimden düşüremedim. Yattığımda saat sabahın 5’ine geliyordu sanırım, hala başım ağrıyor 😄 ben çok severek okudum, Debbie aslında çok fazla okuduğum bir yazar değil ama en son okuduğum Terri Dulong’a göre çok güzel geldi. Nasıl yazılsa güzel bir romans çıkar örneği gibiydi. Biraz da çok sevdiğim Kristan Higgins tadı aldığım için de sevdim galiba. Aile ilişkileri sıkıntılı üç kız kardeşin hikayesiydi ama asıl hikaye Cassie’nin hikayesi. Bu serisine kesinlikle devam edeceğim, diğer serilerini de 2021’de artık ertelemeyip okuyacağım.
March 19, 2015
An excellent story, not part of any of her series, although I would be happy to read more about these three sisters and their families. A hopeful, yet realistic look at one woman putting her life back together and reconnecting with her family and the rest of the world. I learned more about Habitat for Humanity and the work that they do.
February 1, 2025
3.5 Stars
This is a lovely story about Cassie, who broke her parent's hearts when she ran away at 18 and pregnant to marry the love of her life, Duke. He was not the person she thought he was he had a very dark side. The story starts with Cassie as a single mother and her daughter Aimee and follows them through the ups and downs of life when there isn't a cent to spare. A very easy-to-read but sometimes boring book. It is a happy ever after story.
This is a lovely story about Cassie, who broke her parent's hearts when she ran away at 18 and pregnant to marry the love of her life, Duke. He was not the person she thought he was he had a very dark side. The story starts with Cassie as a single mother and her daughter Aimee and follows them through the ups and downs of life when there isn't a cent to spare. A very easy-to-read but sometimes boring book. It is a happy ever after story.
December 9, 2015
A lot of the ladies in one of the Facebook reading groups I am in love Debbie Macomber which made me want to give one of her books a shot. Last One Home is the first book by this author I have read, and it was kind of so so for me - not really great but not bad either. The story revolves around three sisters who have grown apart over the years, one more so than the other two. Cassie ran away from home when she was only 18 to marry the supposed love of her life, but Cassie didn't get to have the fairy tale ending and soon found herself fighting for her life against an abusive husband who kept her completely separated from her family. She is eventually able to escape with her daughter and make her way across the country to the home she left. She desperately wants to reconnect with her family and perhaps eventually find love, but can she ever trust again?
Pros
• This is a very easy read to throw yourself into after finishing something heavy.
• I really appreciated the Christian faith of the main character.
Cons
• Although this was a supposed stand alone read, it felt unfinished - which may be why the author is releasing a sequel next year.
• Cassie kind of got on my nerves. I can understand her hesitancy of giving her heart away to someone else, but there has to come a point when you acknowledge that every man is not your abusive ex-husband. Perhaps that is easier for me to say, however, since I have never been abused.
• I felt the author was a bit repetitive.
Pros
• This is a very easy read to throw yourself into after finishing something heavy.
• I really appreciated the Christian faith of the main character.
Cons
• Although this was a supposed stand alone read, it felt unfinished - which may be why the author is releasing a sequel next year.
• Cassie kind of got on my nerves. I can understand her hesitancy of giving her heart away to someone else, but there has to come a point when you acknowledge that every man is not your abusive ex-husband. Perhaps that is easier for me to say, however, since I have never been abused.
• I felt the author was a bit repetitive.
April 7, 2015
I always love reading Debbie Macomber books, her books are filled with pain, family, love, growth, forgiveness, and happy endings. This book was a GOODREADS win for me, so thank you Goodreads. I liked the characters in this book, Cassie, Nichole and Karen, Cassie moved away from her entire family, and stayed away for several years, due mostly to a huge misunderstanding, all of the sisters learned a good lesson, all humans make mistakes and forgiving is a huge part of everyone lives.
Thank you Goodreads and thank you Debbie Macomber....
Thank you Goodreads and thank you Debbie Macomber....
July 10, 2021
I enjoyed this story featuring a sympathetic heroine, who learns from her past mistakes and sufferings to be strong & compassionate & to focus on others. How satisfying to see her work to reconcile with her family.
March 16, 2015
I was so grateful for receiving a copy of this book. This had a a great story which I finished in one day. The characters were easy to relate too, and I really liked how Debbie Macomber ended the book. I am hoping there will be additional books to finish the sister's stories.
January 4, 2016
Seriously. I cannot with books that ask you to check your brain at the door when you start to read them. It is maddening to me when that happens in books because the entire time you are just reading and seething.
Told in three points of view, we follow three sisters. The middle sister, Cassie, has been estranged from her family since she ran off and married her high school boyfriend. Now that both of her parents are deceased, we have Cassie trying to reconnect with her older sister Karen and younger sister Nichole. Since Karen and Nichole have stayed in touch and live near one another, we have them pressing back against Cassie since they still see her as the selfish sister who broke their parents hearts.
I really wanted to like Cassie. She had been through some horrible things. That all gets thrown out the window though when you realize that she never told her mother and sisters what was going on with her and her daughter and why she couldn't come home for her father's funeral. Heck she doesn't even explain again to her sisters after her mother passes either. Cassie is in pretty dire straights and is doing what she can to get her and her daughter in a habitat for humanity home. It makes no sense at all why Cassie waits until almost the end of the book to let her sisters know what is going on with her when they could have helped, or at least been less harsh towards her.
Karen was awful. She had a lot of resentment towards Cassie and acted like she wanted to come and steal the clothes off of her back. It would have made sense if we got any clues that Cassie was about herself as a child (she wasn't) and she was asking for money all of the time. Her not telling her own children about a second sister didn't make a lot of sense. Karen's husband felt off the whole book, and then you read what was going on with him and that helped flesh things out a bit with him. But seriously, Macomber lets this whole incident with the two of these characters just hang and get resolved in two sentences at the end of the book.
Nichole was indifferent and blind and I hated any parts of the book that dealt with her point of view. In the end, Nichole had a rude awakening and Macomber doesn't really let you know what is going to happen. I honestly didn't care so it's not that big of a deal.
The other characters in the book really don't work. Cassie's love interest was an alpha male that made me want to kick him in the shin repeatedly. Probably the only part of the book that I really did enjoy, was Cassie realizing that things were going too fast and pumped her breaks on the whole relationship. I loathe romance books that have the hero/heroine somehow engaged/married within a week or month of knowing each other.
The writing really wasn't that great when we were not focused on Cassie's point of view. Honestly the book would have been stronger without the other two sister's included in this as they were. The flow was messed up too from us jumping from Cassie, to Karen, to Nichole and back again. We were missing pretty big pieces from all of their lives and nothing really worked that well.
The setting of Washington is one that Macomber has used before in her books/series and I wish that we had gotten more of it included in this book. She didn't use Seattle or any other part of Washington like she usually does.
The ending left things up in the air with the character of Nichole but had a happy ending for Cassie and Karen. I really wish that Macomber had re-visited some things that were glossed over. For example, we find out through the course of the book that their was money left to Karen and Nichole with their dying mother asking them to make sure they gave some to Cassie too. However, neither Karen and Nichole do so. Instead there are vague discussions and ignoring the fact that they are pretty much not adhering to their mother's wishes. There is also a pretty big incident that had huge repercussions for the character of Karen that was ultimately ignored too.
This was definitely not my favorite Macomber.
Told in three points of view, we follow three sisters. The middle sister, Cassie, has been estranged from her family since she ran off and married her high school boyfriend. Now that both of her parents are deceased, we have Cassie trying to reconnect with her older sister Karen and younger sister Nichole. Since Karen and Nichole have stayed in touch and live near one another, we have them pressing back against Cassie since they still see her as the selfish sister who broke their parents hearts.
I really wanted to like Cassie. She had been through some horrible things. That all gets thrown out the window though when you realize that she never told her mother and sisters what was going on with her and her daughter and why she couldn't come home for her father's funeral. Heck she doesn't even explain again to her sisters after her mother passes either. Cassie is in pretty dire straights and is doing what she can to get her and her daughter in a habitat for humanity home. It makes no sense at all why Cassie waits until almost the end of the book to let her sisters know what is going on with her when they could have helped, or at least been less harsh towards her.
Karen was awful. She had a lot of resentment towards Cassie and acted like she wanted to come and steal the clothes off of her back. It would have made sense if we got any clues that Cassie was about herself as a child (she wasn't) and she was asking for money all of the time. Her not telling her own children about a second sister didn't make a lot of sense. Karen's husband felt off the whole book, and then you read what was going on with him and that helped flesh things out a bit with him. But seriously, Macomber lets this whole incident with the two of these characters just hang and get resolved in two sentences at the end of the book.
Nichole was indifferent and blind and I hated any parts of the book that dealt with her point of view. In the end, Nichole had a rude awakening and Macomber doesn't really let you know what is going to happen. I honestly didn't care so it's not that big of a deal.
The other characters in the book really don't work. Cassie's love interest was an alpha male that made me want to kick him in the shin repeatedly. Probably the only part of the book that I really did enjoy, was Cassie realizing that things were going too fast and pumped her breaks on the whole relationship. I loathe romance books that have the hero/heroine somehow engaged/married within a week or month of knowing each other.
The writing really wasn't that great when we were not focused on Cassie's point of view. Honestly the book would have been stronger without the other two sister's included in this as they were. The flow was messed up too from us jumping from Cassie, to Karen, to Nichole and back again. We were missing pretty big pieces from all of their lives and nothing really worked that well.
The setting of Washington is one that Macomber has used before in her books/series and I wish that we had gotten more of it included in this book. She didn't use Seattle or any other part of Washington like she usually does.
The ending left things up in the air with the character of Nichole but had a happy ending for Cassie and Karen. I really wish that Macomber had re-visited some things that were glossed over. For example, we find out through the course of the book that their was money left to Karen and Nichole with their dying mother asking them to make sure they gave some to Cassie too. However, neither Karen and Nichole do so. Instead there are vague discussions and ignoring the fact that they are pretty much not adhering to their mother's wishes. There is also a pretty big incident that had huge repercussions for the character of Karen that was ultimately ignored too.
This was definitely not my favorite Macomber.
March 8, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Debbie Macomber is one of the household names when it comes to romance novels and chick lit or women's fiction. Her formula is already tried and tested. I, myself, have read several of her books, and they always provide good entertainment. I'm not always a fan of hers, but I have to admit that's really a great writer.
Last One Home is a book about three sisters who've drifted apart and are now faced with certain consequences that bring them together. I'd have to say that this is a universal truth. It doesn't just happen with family. It can happen with friends too. We lose contact, drift apart, outgrow each other. However, wen we are faced with certain things that bring us all together again, we realize that there will always be a bond and a love that brings us back to each other.
This is a good book both for fans and for those who haven't been introduced to the author yet. This is another enjoyable book that gives you characters with rich stories and admirable growth. I definitely recommend this book.
Debbie Macomber is one of the household names when it comes to romance novels and chick lit or women's fiction. Her formula is already tried and tested. I, myself, have read several of her books, and they always provide good entertainment. I'm not always a fan of hers, but I have to admit that's really a great writer.
Last One Home is a book about three sisters who've drifted apart and are now faced with certain consequences that bring them together. I'd have to say that this is a universal truth. It doesn't just happen with family. It can happen with friends too. We lose contact, drift apart, outgrow each other. However, wen we are faced with certain things that bring us all together again, we realize that there will always be a bond and a love that brings us back to each other.
This is a good book both for fans and for those who haven't been introduced to the author yet. This is another enjoyable book that gives you characters with rich stories and admirable growth. I definitely recommend this book.
March 18, 2015
Oh my. Debbie Macomber is certainly a very careful writer. She writes like she is a teacher trying to explain something to a class. Oh so patient, so organized, so so didactic. Yet, she is very easy to read and I finished this book in half a day. The romance was blah and kind of sacharine and predictable. Skipped through most of the formulaic stuff between the heroine and her love interest. But the interaction between the 3 sisters was very realistic and interesting. The happenings to the sisters were actually more engaging and wished for a bit more with the youngest sister. Would have loved to see the final (?) confrontation between her and her husband, Instead of just a footnote of "Oh yeah, and this happened."
January 25, 2025
3.5 ⭐️’s
April 16, 2018
Hmm. If you're a Macomber fan, this will probably work for you. The author's usual intertwining and slow reveal of characters lives is still there. Characters you care about. And a nice uplifting arc of a story. The main character, Cassie, is strong and admirable although weirdly unable to stop her 12 year old from being too involved in her (the mother's) dating life. The issues her sisters face (Nichole especially) are a little too predictable and for me the biggest issue (the spent inheritance) is swept under the rug and not realistically handled. I also kept wondering what would happen to Cassie's Habitat for Humanity house if she married. This is to me the definition of a 'beach read'--it's easy to follow, care about the characters, watch their story unfold, but don't expect scrupulous logic or anything terribly moving.
April 26, 2015
The main thrust of this book is Cassie trying to rebuild her life after spending years of struggle- first as an abused wife, and then trying to get her life together and raise her daughter after leaving her abuser. Her sisters, still angry over how she left home years ago, have made no attempts to help her at all, except to give her some old furniture they didn't want after they claimed all of the rest of their parents belongings. I was a bit put out on Cassie's behalf at how callous her sisters were, and how she unfairly took the lion's share of the blame for it. I feel like the book should have been longer, as her reconciliation with her sisters went way too smoothly. But maybe she was setting up for a sequel? Fingers crossed!
January 23, 2016
This was much better than other more recent work that I have read by DM.
This is a realistic (and very sad) portrayal of a woman trying to piece her life back together after being brutally abused by her husband for many years. The story was well written and compelling, but in my opinion it dragged a bit in places and there were elements that should have been further developed. Thus only three stars, versus a 4 or 5. But it was still worth the investment of time. If you enjoy this author's work, then I recommend you try it.
This is a realistic (and very sad) portrayal of a woman trying to piece her life back together after being brutally abused by her husband for many years. The story was well written and compelling, but in my opinion it dragged a bit in places and there were elements that should have been further developed. Thus only three stars, versus a 4 or 5. But it was still worth the investment of time. If you enjoy this author's work, then I recommend you try it.
October 11, 2017
First off, can we talk about that book cover?! It’s so beautiful! Reminds me of the gazebo in my hometown.
I recently got a hold of this book in the series and I’m happy I did! It was SOO good! I’ve read Debbie’s books in the past and while this one isn’t as light-hearted and “hallmarky”; I still loved it.
I’m really excited to continue following the lives of Cassie, Karen and Nichole. What happens with Steve?! And Jake! So many unanswered questions!
I recently got a hold of this book in the series and I’m happy I did! It was SOO good! I’ve read Debbie’s books in the past and while this one isn’t as light-hearted and “hallmarky”; I still loved it.
I’m really excited to continue following the lives of Cassie, Karen and Nichole. What happens with Steve?! And Jake! So many unanswered questions!
February 7, 2016
Enjoyed the whole book ! Emotional, romantic, humorous and ongoing challenges throughout the book. Cassie met her challenge with inner strength ! By the time reaching the end of this book I had a hankering for KFC ... and the craving lingered for sometime. Well done !
April 10, 2015
Last One Home is not what I would consider a straight up romance. There is a romance but the sisters' relationships and their attempts at reconciliation is the driving force of the story. The main focus is Cassie and her desire to get back in touch with her sisters whom she has not seen since she left home at eighteen. Years have gone by with little communication between the sisters but that's all about to change.
Cassie Carter has done a lot of hard growing up since she left home as a teenager. Her marriage ended in disaster and she was lucky to get away. Cassie moves to Seattle with her twelve year old daughter to give them a better life. She's close to her childhood home but distant enough to give her the fresh start she's dreamed of. Part of the new life Cassie envisions for herself and her daughter is their own home. That's were Habitat for Humanity comes in along with Steve Brody.
Steve Brody is a workaholic and has no patience for anyone he thinks is a slacker. He allows his first look of Cassie to set his mind to the type of person she is. He really should learn not to judge a book by it's cover - or in this case, a person. Cassie doesn't let Steve's surly attitude get to her and stop her from making her dream of home ownership come true. I understood how Steve's past colored his objectivity when it came to Cassie but being a jerk right off the bat didn't exactly endear him to me.
Cassie's sisters, Karen and Nichole started off as immature bitches. They were still holding grudges against Cassie and her leaving without knowing the full story. It turns out their lives were not as perfect as they thought. Cassie showed how much she had matured by moving beyond the past and welcoming her sisters into her life. There were times when I felt sorry for Cassie and how everyone was treating her. The people in her life assumed they knew things about her and judged her on those assumptions. Some of the scenes evoked such strong emotions for Cassie, it took me by surprise.
It's not only Cassie Steve becomes closer to but also her daughter Aimee. Cassie and Aimee are a package deal. Cassie would do anything for Aimee and I did enjoy their close relationship but there were times when Cassie needed to take charge and be the parent, not the friend. Aimee was too manipulitive when it came to getting her mom and Steve together. She pushed and Cassie should have taken charge of the situation but she didn't which left me frustrated.
I really don't know how Cassie found the time to work as a stylist, volunteer as a women's shelter, put in hours at Habitat for Humanity and raise her daughter. When did this woman sleep? Add in a new romance and I had to wonder how anyone could realistically keep this schedule. Good thing this is fiction!
The plot takes a few turns which were mapped out early on so no real surprises. There are some emotional moments but ultimately, it's an easy, predictable story.
Rating: C+
Cassie Carter has done a lot of hard growing up since she left home as a teenager. Her marriage ended in disaster and she was lucky to get away. Cassie moves to Seattle with her twelve year old daughter to give them a better life. She's close to her childhood home but distant enough to give her the fresh start she's dreamed of. Part of the new life Cassie envisions for herself and her daughter is their own home. That's were Habitat for Humanity comes in along with Steve Brody.
Steve Brody is a workaholic and has no patience for anyone he thinks is a slacker. He allows his first look of Cassie to set his mind to the type of person she is. He really should learn not to judge a book by it's cover - or in this case, a person. Cassie doesn't let Steve's surly attitude get to her and stop her from making her dream of home ownership come true. I understood how Steve's past colored his objectivity when it came to Cassie but being a jerk right off the bat didn't exactly endear him to me.
Cassie's sisters, Karen and Nichole started off as immature bitches. They were still holding grudges against Cassie and her leaving without knowing the full story. It turns out their lives were not as perfect as they thought. Cassie showed how much she had matured by moving beyond the past and welcoming her sisters into her life. There were times when I felt sorry for Cassie and how everyone was treating her. The people in her life assumed they knew things about her and judged her on those assumptions. Some of the scenes evoked such strong emotions for Cassie, it took me by surprise.
It's not only Cassie Steve becomes closer to but also her daughter Aimee. Cassie and Aimee are a package deal. Cassie would do anything for Aimee and I did enjoy their close relationship but there were times when Cassie needed to take charge and be the parent, not the friend. Aimee was too manipulitive when it came to getting her mom and Steve together. She pushed and Cassie should have taken charge of the situation but she didn't which left me frustrated.
I really don't know how Cassie found the time to work as a stylist, volunteer as a women's shelter, put in hours at Habitat for Humanity and raise her daughter. When did this woman sleep? Add in a new romance and I had to wonder how anyone could realistically keep this schedule. Good thing this is fiction!
The plot takes a few turns which were mapped out early on so no real surprises. There are some emotional moments but ultimately, it's an easy, predictable story.
Rating: C+
April 20, 2015
Cassie has escaped a very abusive relationship and is finally starting to get her life back on track . With her daughter , Aimee, they struggle to make ends meet , but at least they are safe. Cassie has lost touch with her sisters and has regretted leaving home so long ago. With both of her parents dead, Cassie misses having family to talk to.
Along the way, she meets a man named Steve. He is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. As Cassie finds out she has been approved to get a house from the organization, she starts to believe that her dream of owning a home will come true.
I enjoyed how the author handled the delicate subject of domestic violence. As Cassie explains to someone, it is not easy to leave someone even though they are physically abusive. Cassie has missed out on so much during her years when she was not allowed to have contact with anyone. She longs to have a relationship with her two sisters. Will she get a chance to reconcile?
Another great subject the author wrote about in the story was Habitat for Humanity. There are many that are in need of a home and I'm glad that she wrote such beautiful words about their work that is done to help others.
Lastly we see Cassie struggle with forgiveness with her sisters and allowing her heart to be open again for a man to love her and treat her with respect.
This is a great book with such raw emotion. Thank you for writing about forgiveness, helping others in need and how important family is.
Along the way, she meets a man named Steve. He is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. As Cassie finds out she has been approved to get a house from the organization, she starts to believe that her dream of owning a home will come true.
I enjoyed how the author handled the delicate subject of domestic violence. As Cassie explains to someone, it is not easy to leave someone even though they are physically abusive. Cassie has missed out on so much during her years when she was not allowed to have contact with anyone. She longs to have a relationship with her two sisters. Will she get a chance to reconcile?
Another great subject the author wrote about in the story was Habitat for Humanity. There are many that are in need of a home and I'm glad that she wrote such beautiful words about their work that is done to help others.
Lastly we see Cassie struggle with forgiveness with her sisters and allowing her heart to be open again for a man to love her and treat her with respect.
This is a great book with such raw emotion. Thank you for writing about forgiveness, helping others in need and how important family is.
July 9, 2023
הספר לא ממש אפוי. זה נראה כאילו שהכריחו את הסופרת להוציא ספר, והיא שלפה מהמגירה איזו טיוטה, עיבתה אותה קצת עם דיאלוגים, ואמרה להם: קחו, תוציאו לאור.
קאסי עזבה את הבית בגיל 18 כשהיא בהיריון ומאוהבת בדיוק. הוא שיכנע אותה שהגיוני לעבור לקצה השני של ארה"ב ולחיות ללא קשר עם ההורים שלה, ואז הוא החל להכות אותה. אחרי שנים של מערכת יחסים מתעללת, כשכמעט ניסה לרצוח אותה, הצליחה קאסי לברוח ממנו ולהתחיל בחיים חדשים. היא ניסתה ליצור קשר עם המשפחה ולבקש עזרה, אבל האחיות שלה סרבו לעזור לה, גם כי כעסו על איך שעזבה וגם כי חשבו שהיא תנצל אותן שוב ושוב.
יש בספר הזה כמה קווי עלילה: מערכת היחסים של קאסי מול האחיות שלה, מערכת היחסים המתפתחת בין קאסי לסטיב (שאחראי עליה בפרויקט התנדבותי שקאסי לוקחת בו חלק במטרה לקבל בית), ומערכת היחסים של כל אחת מהאחיות של קאסי עם הבעלים שלהן. כל אחד מקווי העלילה האלה מקבל נגיעה של כמה עמודים במהלך הספר, למרות שכל אחד מקווי העלילה האלה יכל למלא את הספר בפני עצמו. וזו הבעיה העיקרית של הספר: אין בו עומק. אין בו כניסה לתוך הדילמות והרגשות שכל אחד מקווי העלילה מכיל, אלא רק תיאור שטחי (ולפעמים אפילו ילדותי). הספר לא הצליח לפרוט על מיתרי הרגש שלי, למרות שנראה שניסה. לא הצלחתי להתעמק באף אחד מקווי העלילה, למרות שהיו כמה שממש סיקרנו אותי. בסוף הספר הרגשתי בעיקר תחושה של החמצה, של פוטנציאל שלא מומש.
קאסי עזבה את הבית בגיל 18 כשהיא בהיריון ומאוהבת בדיוק. הוא שיכנע אותה שהגיוני לעבור לקצה השני של ארה"ב ולחיות ללא קשר עם ההורים שלה, ואז הוא החל להכות אותה. אחרי שנים של מערכת יחסים מתעללת, כשכמעט ניסה לרצוח אותה, הצליחה קאסי לברוח ממנו ולהתחיל בחיים חדשים. היא ניסתה ליצור קשר עם המשפחה ולבקש עזרה, אבל האחיות שלה סרבו לעזור לה, גם כי כעסו על איך שעזבה וגם כי חשבו שהיא תנצל אותן שוב ושוב.
יש בספר הזה כמה קווי עלילה: מערכת היחסים של קאסי מול האחיות שלה, מערכת היחסים המתפתחת בין קאסי לסטיב (שאחראי עליה בפרויקט התנדבותי שקאסי לוקחת בו חלק במטרה לקבל בית), ומערכת היחסים של כל אחת מהאחיות של קאסי עם הבעלים שלהן. כל אחד מקווי העלילה האלה מקבל נגיעה של כמה עמודים במהלך הספר, למרות שכל אחד מקווי העלילה האלה יכל למלא את הספר בפני עצמו. וזו הבעיה העיקרית של הספר: אין בו עומק. אין בו כניסה לתוך הדילמות והרגשות שכל אחד מקווי העלילה מכיל, אלא רק תיאור שטחי (ולפעמים אפילו ילדותי). הספר לא הצליח לפרוט על מיתרי הרגש שלי, למרות שנראה שניסה. לא הצלחתי להתעמק באף אחד מקווי העלילה, למרות שהיו כמה שממש סיקרנו אותי. בסוף הספר הרגשתי בעיקר תחושה של החמצה, של פוטנציאל שלא מומש.
June 18, 2016
The Last One Home is Macomber's latest book. The main character, Cassie has left her husband Duke after years of abuse. She and daughter, Amy are hours away from where they lived with Duke, who is now in prison for that abuse. After relocating, Cassie trained to be a beautician and barely scrapes by in a crappy apartment where they never have hot water and the oven doesn't work. Cassie regrets running away from her family and remains estranged from them. When her parents died she couldn't even afford to travel back for their funerals. When Cassie gets a letter from her sister asking her to contact her, she is afraid but hopeful. What could she want after all this time?
This was a typical, sweet family story which is typical of Macomber and what keeps us returning for more. We like those happily ever afters. What disturbed me was Cassie's reaction to some of the events in the book. Her resistance, although we were supposed to understand it due to her abuse, I just found plain annoying. That nagging annoyance is what made me give the book a three star rating instead of a four.
This was a typical, sweet family story which is typical of Macomber and what keeps us returning for more. We like those happily ever afters. What disturbed me was Cassie's reaction to some of the events in the book. Her resistance, although we were supposed to understand it due to her abuse, I just found plain annoying. That nagging annoyance is what made me give the book a three star rating instead of a four.
May 15, 2015
A story of resilience, strength, fresh starts and the bond of family. Cassie, caught up in the magic of young love, runs off with Duke upon discovering she is pregnant. Too soon, reality settles in and Cassie endures years of abuse and isolation. When she finally finds the courage to leave with their daughter Aimee, the ties to her sisters have been severed. Her parents both died during her marriage to Duke and she was unable to attend either of their funerals. Cassie has returned to her home state of Washington and is rebuilding her life one day at a time. When she unexpectedly hears from one of her sisters, she jumps at the opportunity for reconciliation. Cassie is working hard to attain her home from Habitat for Humanity. When she meets Steve, supervisor of construction, they clash. They both bring baggage from their pasts. Can they find new beginnings? Can she and her sisters renew the bonds they once shared? Hope abounds throughout the story, and I found it enjoyable despite being rather predictable and lacking demension.
January 12, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect but overall I really liked this story. While Cassie is the main focus we also get to see her sisters lives which added to the richness off the story. The only reason I didn't give it a 5* was there was a couple of story threads that were left unresolved.
August 2, 2018
I just fell in love with this book. I lived in the pages and cried and laughed out loud and with the characters. I just don't think Macomber can write a book story.
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