The Last Poem

by Courtney Peppernell

A moving and heart-rending debut about a grieving woman who moves to a charming small town and finds healing, friendship and love, from multi-million-copy bestselling Australian poet Courtney Peppernell.

Wren Paisley is living her she’s a successful author and poet, she adores the New York brownstone she calls home and she’s about to marry the love of her life. But everything changes when her fiancée, Lucy, dies in a tragic car crash that leaves a young bystander paralysed. Unable to escape the media frenzy, Wren goes on a road trip, winding up in the charming small town of Everston, Colorado.

It feels fortuitous when she learns that the local library hosts a grief support group that reads, of all things, poetry. Hesitantly, she joins, and slowly begins to build community with the other members, Henry, a librarian mourning the loss of his brother; Emerson, a young woman recovering from a life-altering car accident; and Olivia, a complicated reporter who gives Wren butterflies. Finally, she can breathe again, and maybe even love again.

But how long can Wren keep her old life in the rear-view? Will she be able to build a new life in Everston, or will it all come crashing down when old truths come to light?

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2026

About the author

Courtney Peppernell is an internationally best-selling author, known for her deeply moving poetry and storytelling. Her beloved Pillow Thoughts series, along with Watering the Soul, I Hope You Stay, Time Will Tell, and more, have resonated with readers around the world, selling millions of copies and being translated into multiple languages. Blending themes of love, healing, and self-discovery, Courtney's work has made a lasting impact in the poetry and contemporary literature space. She lives on the South Coast of NSW with her partner and spends her days writing and working on many projects, always accompanied by her beloved dogs and chickens. Passionate about the power of storytelling, she hopes to continue creating work that fosters connection and healing for years to come.