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A Last Time for Everything
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26With a surprise baby on the way, a couple races against the clock to complete the Bucket List they wrote when they first met so they can squeeze in a lifetime’s worth of adventures before bellyflopping into parenthood.
The only thing Arthur and Wren are sure about is each other. But even after ten years together, they hardly feel like adults. They’re living in the same Craigslist-furnished one-bedroom Baltimore apartment that they moved into after graduation. A surprise pregnancy is the last thing either of them expect, and a baby is the last thing they feel ready for.
Wren is desperate for one final adventure before the baby comes. So when they find the Bucket List they made in their early days together, Wren convinces Arthur that they better tick off every item. It’s their last chance to do all the things they wanted to do as wistful teenagers, like spend an entire day in bed, get on the jumbotron at a pro football game, or . . . go skydiving? Is that allowed?
But as their due date gets closer, and the items on their list dwindle, Arthur and Wren find they’ve got more questions than answers. What do they want their life to look like as a family? Do they have what it takes to be parents? And the big Are they really meant to be together forever?
The only thing Arthur and Wren are sure about is each other. But even after ten years together, they hardly feel like adults. They’re living in the same Craigslist-furnished one-bedroom Baltimore apartment that they moved into after graduation. A surprise pregnancy is the last thing either of them expect, and a baby is the last thing they feel ready for.
Wren is desperate for one final adventure before the baby comes. So when they find the Bucket List they made in their early days together, Wren convinces Arthur that they better tick off every item. It’s their last chance to do all the things they wanted to do as wistful teenagers, like spend an entire day in bed, get on the jumbotron at a pro football game, or . . . go skydiving? Is that allowed?
But as their due date gets closer, and the items on their list dwindle, Arthur and Wren find they’ve got more questions than answers. What do they want their life to look like as a family? Do they have what it takes to be parents? And the big Are they really meant to be together forever?
- GenresFictionContemporary
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 21, 2026
About the author
Evan S. Porter
2 books54 followersHey there, I'm Evan. I'm an author living in Atlanta, GA with my wife and two daughters. I'm from Baltimore, a lifelong Ravens fan, and a lover of all kinds of stories. My debut novel "Dad Camp" came out in 2024 and is being developed by Netflix as a feature film, with Happy Madison and 21 Laps producing.
My new novel, "A Last Time for Everything" builds on the themes of "Dad Camp"—parenting, identity, family—as a sort of spiritual prequel.
Send me a question if you have any, I would be honored to answer.
My new novel, "A Last Time for Everything" builds on the themes of "Dad Camp"—parenting, identity, family—as a sort of spiritual prequel.
Send me a question if you have any, I would be honored to answer.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A few years ago, I liked the novel Dad Camp by Evan S. Porter. When I received notice that his latest novel A Last Time For Everything was available to check out, I jumped at the chance.
Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
This was a fun story.
Arthur and Wren have a baby on the way, a loving relationship, and a bucket list. He’s more cautious in life, and she’s more spontaneous and throws caution to the wind. Opposites that attract. A common theme.
Their decade old bucket list, however, throws everyone for a loop. They’re both terrified of having this baby, so the list is a nice, welcome distraction.
The disagreements and arguments felt real — raw — but so did the happy moments. The trip to Chuck E. Cheese was one of my favorite things in the entire book. It was so funny and touching at the same time. Brilliant.
There’s one story beat that I did not love.
SPOILER: I didn’t love Arthur buying the house without discussing it with Wren.
While I understand that it was reinforcing the point that he was kind of desperate to prove that he could be spontaneous as well, it fell flat for me. I thought it was a little bit too much out of character for Arthur, but it wasn’t enough to curtail my enjoyment of this book
I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.
For Porter, over enjoyed the first two novels of his career. I think Dad Camp edges this one out, but I still had a great time with it. Whenever the third one is released, I’ll be checking it out as well.
Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
This was a fun story.
Arthur and Wren have a baby on the way, a loving relationship, and a bucket list. He’s more cautious in life, and she’s more spontaneous and throws caution to the wind. Opposites that attract. A common theme.
Their decade old bucket list, however, throws everyone for a loop. They’re both terrified of having this baby, so the list is a nice, welcome distraction.
The disagreements and arguments felt real — raw — but so did the happy moments. The trip to Chuck E. Cheese was one of my favorite things in the entire book. It was so funny and touching at the same time. Brilliant.
There’s one story beat that I did not love.
SPOILER: I didn’t love Arthur buying the house without discussing it with Wren.
While I understand that it was reinforcing the point that he was kind of desperate to prove that he could be spontaneous as well, it fell flat for me. I thought it was a little bit too much out of character for Arthur, but it wasn’t enough to curtail my enjoyment of this book
I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.
For Porter, over enjoyed the first two novels of his career. I think Dad Camp edges this one out, but I still had a great time with it. Whenever the third one is released, I’ll be checking it out as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hello! My name is Evan and I'm the author of "A Last Time for Everything."
If you read my debut "Dad Camp," you'll know how much I love writing about family and parenthood and the way having kids deeply changes you. A lot of people have asked me if ALTFE is a sequel to Dad Camp. It's not! But it is a spiritual prequel. Not about the same characters, but about the phase of life that comes before the one explored in my first book: Young adulthood. Being adrift and clueless and scared to death of the next steps, all while wondering where the hell the last few years went.
I hope the book is funny, something you read quickly and joyfully and with lots of laughs. Maybe you'll even roll your eyes a few times when things get a little too silly. But it was also important to me that this book wouldn't be purely "empty calories." I wanted to write about how hard it is to be a person now, and how difficult it is to close the book on a chapter of your life even when you're excited for the next one. And I felt I couldn't ignore how much the world has changed (mostly, not for the better) since our parents and grandparents grew up. Those are the people we look to for how to do this whole Mom or Dad thing, until we find out that their model is wildly outdated in a lot of ways.
Anyway, I'll stop rambling and let you get to it. Whatever you think of the book, thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to read it.
If you read my debut "Dad Camp," you'll know how much I love writing about family and parenthood and the way having kids deeply changes you. A lot of people have asked me if ALTFE is a sequel to Dad Camp. It's not! But it is a spiritual prequel. Not about the same characters, but about the phase of life that comes before the one explored in my first book: Young adulthood. Being adrift and clueless and scared to death of the next steps, all while wondering where the hell the last few years went.
I hope the book is funny, something you read quickly and joyfully and with lots of laughs. Maybe you'll even roll your eyes a few times when things get a little too silly. But it was also important to me that this book wouldn't be purely "empty calories." I wanted to write about how hard it is to be a person now, and how difficult it is to close the book on a chapter of your life even when you're excited for the next one. And I felt I couldn't ignore how much the world has changed (mostly, not for the better) since our parents and grandparents grew up. Those are the people we look to for how to do this whole Mom or Dad thing, until we find out that their model is wildly outdated in a lot of ways.
Anyway, I'll stop rambling and let you get to it. Whatever you think of the book, thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to read it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Last Time for Everything by Evan S. Porter is a genuinely delightful read. Arthur and Wren are expecting a baby, and both of them are feeling a little unsteady as they try to figure out what this next chapter of life means for them. When they first met, they made a bucket list together and now the story follows them as they start checking things off, mostly because Wren keeps nudging Arthur out of his comfort zone.
It’s a charming opposites‑attract dynamic with plenty of lighthearted moments, but the book also weaves in thoughtful, more serious emotions about growing up, looking forward, and letting go of the past. The balance between humor and heart works really well.
The writing is warm and engaging, and the plot kept me invested in Arthur and Wren’s journey both the fun adventures and the deeper emotional beats. I found myself rooting for them and genuinely curious about where their relationship would land by the end.
Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
It’s a charming opposites‑attract dynamic with plenty of lighthearted moments, but the book also weaves in thoughtful, more serious emotions about growing up, looking forward, and letting go of the past. The balance between humor and heart works really well.
The writing is warm and engaging, and the plot kept me invested in Arthur and Wren’s journey both the fun adventures and the deeper emotional beats. I found myself rooting for them and genuinely curious about where their relationship would land by the end.
Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Arthur and Wren have been together for 10 years, and find out they are expecting a baby. Neither one has thought about their lives as adults, and Wren wants to find their bucket list, that they made when they were teenagers. They are going to have one big adventure before their lives change, and they become parents. This is their adventure, As they carry out the bucket list, they learn a lot about themselves, they start going down the list, have new experiences, and this is their time of transitioning from youth to adults. It is an interesting read, seeing them as they were, who they are, going through their bucket list, and what happens, after that.
I received an ARC from Dutton through NetGalley.
I received an ARC from Dutton through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I enjoyed this one! It was fun and funny, with some heartfelt moments that made it shine. I haven't read Dad Camp, but now I might have to! The writing was easy and believable, and the story was (mostly) fully realized. I personally found it nice to read about a couple in this stage of their life; it's not a meet-cute, but it's also not the other extreme (e.g., divorce). This novel is unique and simultaneously relatable. Happy to have won a paperback ARC of this title in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was invited by the publisher to review this book. A long-term couple, Arthur and Wren, are unexpectedly expecting a baby while still feeling unprepared for adulthood. They decide to complete an old bucket list of adventures before their child arrives. As they work through the list, they begin questioning their future, their readiness for parenthood, and whether their relationship is truly meant to last.
This book struck a great balance between serious and lighthearted tones, and there were tender moments as the characters reflected on their time together and what the future would look like. Arthur and Wren are certainly relatable in their life choices, as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book struck a great balance between serious and lighthearted tones, and there were tender moments as the characters reflected on their time together and what the future would look like. Arthur and Wren are certainly relatable in their life choices, as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews