The Last Mixtape

by Steve Matsumoto

James Nakamura is a first-grade teacher reeling from the loss of his younger sister. As he struggles to return to the rhythms of normal life, grief is a constant companion, lurking everywhere from a lost cassette tape to existential moments in the dairy aisle. As the immediate support of bereavement fades, and life quietly moves on without him, James is left with a hole in his heart that’s impossible to fill.

Longing for comfort and connection, James finds himself unexpectedly pulled between two Allie, a childhood crush reappearing at just the right time, and Shannon, a student teacher with an infectious innocence. Allie offers a connection to the past and to his younger sister, while Shannon anchors him to the life he’s still trying to build. But both women are already entangled in other relationships, leaving James caught in what a friend dubs “the love pentagram.”

As he navigates a world of long-distance phone calls, coffee dates, and teaching six-year-olds to read, James is haunted by the sense that his life has been irrevocably thrown off course. Behind everything he does, he unconsciously wrestles with a question he hasn’t fully put into "How do you become who you’re meant to be when tragedy has stolen the very years intended to define you?”

Brutally honest, infused with dark humor, and steeped in ‘90s nostalgia, The Last Mixtape invites readers to laugh even while experiencing James’s heartache. It's a bittersweet, deeply human story about love, loss, and the songs that make us rewind.

Genres: Fiction

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2025

About the author

Steve Matsumoto is a former teacher turned real estate agent whose first novel, The Last Mixtape, draws on the raw aftermath of losing his younger sister in his twenties. Born in Syracuse, New York, he grew up shoveling snow in May and wearing Halloween costumes that could fit over bulky winter coats. Today, he lives under sunnier skies in Vista, California, with his wife and two sons. His best days are spent drinking coffee, playing mediocre pickleball, and gently tormenting his family with philosophical debate.

Reviews

[Amee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Will definitely pick back up after holidays

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more of a 3.5 for me but this was a different sort of book than I usually read. A guy trying to deal with the grief of losing his sister to suicide. Surprisingly light-hearted at times. I enjoyed the fact that it was set in the 90’s. Some of the conversations struck me as too clinical, but I still found it to be a worthwhile read.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels! The author really captures the strength, weaknesses, and sometimes extreme awkwardness, of love and grief through James’ experiences with both. The writing is poignant and phenomenal—the emotions evoked by this book stuck with me for a long time after I read the last page. I was completely invested in James and although the ending was not what I was hoping for him, that’s life. And that’s the whole point. Would be a great book club read! Give it a read and give it some thought!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book about loss, grief, love and confronting feelings surrounding tragedy.

The writing is quick-paced, full of feelings and often even funny.

I highly recommend this book!!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning. One of this book's main topics is suicide, so please be warned if that is not a topic you want to read about.

James is a young teacher who teaches first grade. When his younger sister dies by suicide at the beginning of the school year, James isn't certain how he is going to be able to work through the grief. One of his constant companions is the last mixtape that his younger sister sent him before she died. However, after reconnecting with a school crush from his hometown at his sister's funeral and then meeting a student teacher at his school, he finds himself attracted to both of them. The only problem is they both have current boyfriends.

As James navigates through his grief and these new relationships, he learns about himself and what he really wants in life.

I thought this was a very well written book. Definitely different than your typical romance and I thought it was interesting coming from a man's perspective instead of a woman's. The book did a good job of showing James' vulnerabilities as he worked through his grief.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kathy Vines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of a grieving young man who is ready to be in love and any of us GenX women who were dating in the 1990's will be transported back to this time half our lives ago, navigating through the dating labryinth of what ifs and maybe this times. In addition, I don't think I've read a ton of romance-from-his-point-of-view books, so this was a refreshing change for me, too.

But the backdrop of grief is a reminder that, at any age, we don't really know what's going in other people's lives, and sometimes, they don't either. This was a call for empathy, understanding, and forgiveness that will stick with me.

For GenXers, this is a nostalgia trip despite what is a (hopefully an unrelatable) story about grief and loss and hope, and you're already imagining it come to life on the screen and who you'd love to see star in this story.

[Lili Raphaelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve found myself seeking out novels which approach love and longing through the lens of the male perspective this year, and Steve Matsumoto's story was a great find in that regard. This character-driven story requires you to sit with James Nakamura through the aftermath of a great loss. It's not always easy reading, but it's familiar, relatable, and even funny at times. Bonus: if you lived through the nineties, you'll find plenty to smile and reminisce about between the pages. Most importantly (to me, at least) it's not 'loud' in its exploration and navigation of grief. It holds space for anyone trying to find their way into a 'new normal' without serving up triteness - and I loved that about it.

[Kristin Krahmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Last Mixtape. It’s a thoughtful story about grief and how different people experience it in their own ways. The book is full of nostalgia, and I loved all the music references -they made me want to go back and listen to the songs and really pay attention to the lyrics.

I lost a cousin to suicide when I was in college, and I related to a lot of what James was feeling. Some of his emotions felt very familiar, especially the confusion and sadness that linger long after the loss. Two quotes that really stayed with me were, “Grief doesn’t end. It just changes where it lives,” and “The mountains don’t move. You learn to live beside them.” This was a moving, honest book that stayed with me after I finished it. I'm looking forward to more writing by Matsumoto.

[Sugandhi Chugani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! The author captures the quiet triumphs and private doubts of teaching with a level of nuance that only someone who truly understands the classroom could achieve; as a former classroom teacher myself, I found myself connecting with the protagonist in unexpected ways. Furthermore, the novel weaves together broader human themes — especially love and loss — with sensitivity and depth. 5/5 recommend!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking with James as he navigated love and life in the shadow of grief was an immersive read. I fell into the scenes and felt right along with him as feelings and emotions swirled around real-life relationship experiences and beautiful and familiar scenery. A fun and easy read with that just-right depth to remember but not overwhelm. Would be fun to read with friends, book club style.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book! Well developed characters with a great plot line. I loved the main characters connection to his sister. Story about loss and finding out who you are in the process of grieving . With a little bit of love thrown in. Will definitely read again!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Mixtape is an incredibly thoughtful story of the period of time following a loss when one is trying to find one's way in an irrevocably changed world. Highly recommend this touching and entertaining novel.

[Shelley Ehrman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. It’s nostalgic. It’s sweet. It’s cleverly written. It’s sad, but at the same time quite funny. I highly recommend it.

[Juli Cronan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Mixtape was such a great read! The protagonist deals with navigating grief, career and relationships in his twenties. I found it heartwarming, nostalgic and humorous.