What do you think?
Rate this book
Adamson Brothers #1
The Last Goodbye
Ally Bishop knows the settling kind when she sees one. And Tyler Adamson is definitely one. Ordinarily this never-in-one-place-long girl would stay far, far away. Maybe it's the way he looks in jeans, or the way he looks at her, but suddenly Ally is breaking her own rules with dizzying speed. All that Australian temptation right next door...well, there's only so much resistance one girl can have. As she dives into a fling with Tyler, Ally assures herself she can maintain perspective. After all, he's only here long enough to care for his ailing father. That gives them a time limit, right? With each passing day, however, she falls for Tyler more. And soon she has the strongest urge to unpack her suitcase and stay a while.
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
21 people are currently reading
1043 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mayberry
159 books1,149 followersSarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
February 29, 2012
Just when I thought I was burnt out on romance novels, I reacquainted myself with the joy that is a Sarah Mayberry Superromance. This one was no exception. It pairs a hero reluctantly caring for his terminally ill father and the advice columnist heroine house-sitting next door and is positively drenched in emotion. The hero is at odds with himself over how to handle his father, who had physically and verbally abused him and his brother until they ran away at 17, and the book pulls no punches with how their reunion unfolds. There are no easy answers and no neat resolution, and I was thankful for that honesty.
While I really, really enjoyed this one, I found the heroine's behavior at the end a bit contrived, and that knocks a star off. Maybe it's unfair of me, but I didn't buy the "I like to wander, therefore I can't do relationships" line of reasoning. My sister-in-law, like the heroine, also lives in house-sits - splitting her time last year between Massachusetts, Thailand and Paris - yet she's managed a many years long relationship just fine. He happily wanders along with her. Mayberry applies some psychology to her at the end to attempt to explain away what I criticize, but it didn't work for me. Even if she had been preemptively rejecting people's love as a defense mechanism, I couldn't see one conversation with Tyler breaking that behavior. It's not a huge flaw, but it deflated the ending a bit for me.
Maybe I'll write a more coherent review later.
While I really, really enjoyed this one, I found the heroine's behavior at the end a bit contrived, and that knocks a star off. Maybe it's unfair of me, but I didn't buy the "I like to wander, therefore I can't do relationships" line of reasoning. My sister-in-law, like the heroine, also lives in house-sits - splitting her time last year between Massachusetts, Thailand and Paris - yet she's managed a many years long relationship just fine. He happily wanders along with her. Mayberry applies some psychology to her at the end to attempt to explain away what I criticize, but it didn't work for me. Even if she had been preemptively rejecting people's love as a defense mechanism, I couldn't see one conversation with Tyler breaking that behavior. It's not a huge flaw, but it deflated the ending a bit for me.
Maybe I'll write a more coherent review later.
May 13, 2014
This may be my favorite Mayberry romance—certainly in my top, uh, top. Most of that is due to Tyler and his steadiness in the face of provocation. Tyler's father is a real piece of work—having abused Tyler and his brother Jon both emotionally and physically all their lives. Tyler's willingness to look after his father as he is dying (even if at the remove of a nurse and meal service) told me all I needed to know about the man he has become.
And Ally was charming in her own right, too. As broken by her childhood in her own way as Tyler is by his, she's nevertheless become a caring, loving person despite her belief that she's doomed to disappoint those so foolish as to love her. Together, they provide each other both comfort and pain as they work out their various stutters on the road to true trust and respect.
I was particularly pleased with how Mayberry handled the past abuse by Tyler's father, Bob. He was a real piece of work and the temptation to enact a Feature of the Week must have been incredible. Mayberry resists, fortunately, and the story is the stronger for it. We didn't get much from/about Tyler's brother, Jon, in this story, but I wouldn't mind finding one in Mayberry's backlog.
Anyway, this was a delightful read—a solid 4.5 stars and on the edge of bumping to five.
A note about Steamy: Two explicit scenes of moderate length (including one with tire swings by a river. Fun!)
And Ally was charming in her own right, too. As broken by her childhood in her own way as Tyler is by his, she's nevertheless become a caring, loving person despite her belief that she's doomed to disappoint those so foolish as to love her. Together, they provide each other both comfort and pain as they work out their various stutters on the road to true trust and respect.
I was particularly pleased with how Mayberry handled the past abuse by Tyler's father, Bob. He was a real piece of work and the temptation to enact a Feature of the Week must have been incredible. Mayberry resists, fortunately, and the story is the stronger for it. We didn't get much from/about Tyler's brother, Jon, in this story, but I wouldn't mind finding one in Mayberry's backlog.
Anyway, this was a delightful read—a solid 4.5 stars and on the edge of bumping to five.
A note about Steamy: Two explicit scenes of moderate length (including one with tire swings by a river. Fun!)
June 16, 2011
The Last Goodbye was a pretty good read.
Tyler Adamson is a pretty successful man, he runs a furniture company when one morning Ally confronts him telling him that his father is dying of cancer and kind of berating him. Tyler thanks her and doesn't do anything. Might seem cold but it is not. Tyler's father was verbally and physically abusive who thrived on terrorizing his children(Jon and Tyler), so they left as soon as they could and only remained in contact as long as their mother was alive(she too wasn't that great).
Ally Bishop doesn't know Bob(Tyler's father), but she was there when he collapsed so contacted his son. She soon realizes her folly in judging a situation she knew nothing about and I liked that. She apologizes to Tyler as well.
Tyler despite not wanting to do anything with his father is pulled by some force to the hospital and when his father says he wants to die in his home, Tyler steps in. Tyler is surprised by how frail his father is but he is still mean but Tyler decides to be a better man but it is not easy there are some painful memories in his childhood home and there is a part of him that wonders why and hopes to confront his father. Tyler never told anyone about his past but in one moment he opens up to Ally.
Ally considers herself a gypsy. She writes a advice column and has no roots instead she house-sits and tells herself it is for the best she does not want to hurt anybody that is why she resists the attraction between Tyler and her but when an emotional Tyler comes to her she falls. Their relationship grows into love but Ally is still scared.
I liked how the situation with Tyler's past was handled, there was no happy ending that made up for what their father did. Ally too had issues which she had never confronted, issues to do with how she grew up and I loved how Tyler had faith in her in the end and completely saw her.
Tyler Adamson is a pretty successful man, he runs a furniture company when one morning Ally confronts him telling him that his father is dying of cancer and kind of berating him. Tyler thanks her and doesn't do anything. Might seem cold but it is not. Tyler's father was verbally and physically abusive who thrived on terrorizing his children(Jon and Tyler), so they left as soon as they could and only remained in contact as long as their mother was alive(she too wasn't that great).
Ally Bishop doesn't know Bob(Tyler's father), but she was there when he collapsed so contacted his son. She soon realizes her folly in judging a situation she knew nothing about and I liked that. She apologizes to Tyler as well.
Tyler despite not wanting to do anything with his father is pulled by some force to the hospital and when his father says he wants to die in his home, Tyler steps in. Tyler is surprised by how frail his father is but he is still mean but Tyler decides to be a better man but it is not easy there are some painful memories in his childhood home and there is a part of him that wonders why and hopes to confront his father. Tyler never told anyone about his past but in one moment he opens up to Ally.
Ally considers herself a gypsy. She writes a advice column and has no roots instead she house-sits and tells herself it is for the best she does not want to hurt anybody that is why she resists the attraction between Tyler and her but when an emotional Tyler comes to her she falls. Their relationship grows into love but Ally is still scared.
I liked how the situation with Tyler's past was handled, there was no happy ending that made up for what their father did. Ally too had issues which she had never confronted, issues to do with how she grew up and I loved how Tyler had faith in her in the end and completely saw her.
June 26, 2011
Sarah Mayberry is a consistently good writer. She has a knack for expressing a lot in relatively few pages. All the books I've read by Mayberry have had a serious subject as the background for the love story. Various books have dealt with PTSD (Hot Island Nights), a woman's desire for a child as she nears forty (The Best Laid Plans), and a woman who's been in love with her best friend since they were kids, but lost him to a mutual friend (Her Best Friend). The emotions are complex and realistic, and handled with sympathy by the author.
In The Last Goodbye, the background subject is child abuse/neglect. The subject was well-handled and the author didn't try to supply pat answers to the issues. Both leads struggled to come to grips with their childhood scars. While Mayberry handles it well, this book didn't evoke quite as much emotion from me as the previously mentioned books. Tyler was perhaps too well adjusted for having such a childhood. Still, this is highly recommended, and I will continue to search for Mayberry's backlist.
In The Last Goodbye, the background subject is child abuse/neglect. The subject was well-handled and the author didn't try to supply pat answers to the issues. Both leads struggled to come to grips with their childhood scars. While Mayberry handles it well, this book didn't evoke quite as much emotion from me as the previously mentioned books. Tyler was perhaps too well adjusted for having such a childhood. Still, this is highly recommended, and I will continue to search for Mayberry's backlist.
June 9, 2011
The more books I read by Sarah Mayberry the more I think she just simply gets it. Her books are so well written and flow so naturally you feel like you are watching two actual people meet and fall in love. In the meantime their life happens around them. That life is rarely whiz-bangy -- no Navy SEALS rappeling out of helicopters, no billionaires sweeping some sweet young thing off her feet, no crazed stalkers with a big wall of crazy out to get the heroine -- just regular people who are navigating uncharted territory for the most part.
That is not to say that life is boring either. In the books by her that I've read so far, she's created complex, emotional situations that require the characters to work through them and draws the reader in as well.
In this book we meet Tyler Adamson, a master carpenter who has crafted a pretty good life for himself. He has a thriving business and a comfortable home. Into that life bursts Ally Bishop who house-sits at the house next door to where Tyler's father, Bob, lives. The senior Adamson is on his death bed and Ally has tracked down his son so that he can come be with him.
But Tyler has no interest in re-connecting with his father who had been a cruel emotional and physical abuser to Tyler and his older brother Jon when they were growing up. At first Ally is disdainful of the man who clearly has no time for his dying father. Ally, of course, is not privy to private family history and Bob Adamson has been nothing but a sweet, charming old man to her.
This being a romance we can expect that Tyler and Ally will get together. But that is only part of how affecting this story is. Mayberry does not stint in making Bob a monster. Tyler has a lot of internal recollections of how horrible his childhood was. The genius of it is that when we meet Bob he is a frail old man, all alone, dying of cancer. I should have probably been very sympathetic to poor old Bob as he is suffering from his stage 4 cancer. But frankly I couldn't. Mayberry gives us way to much information about how Tyler grew up so I was very unsympathetic and wished she'd simply consigned him to die alone and miserable like he deserved.
But she does a better thing. She makes Tyler very conflicted about his feelings for his father and that makes the story much, much richer.
Tyler is a wonderful character. He is strong, handsome and well liked and respected but he is also has some very unresolved issues with his father. In trying to make his father's last days more comfortable he is trying to do the right thing and be a dutiful son. And he wants to be able to get closure on his raw memories before his father dies. I actually respected how the author handled the scenes leading up to and including Bob's death. . It all felt very real-life and authentic.
I also enjoyed the slow reveal of the Ally character. At first she comes off as a do-gooder busy body, but we get to know her as well and realize that in her own way she was just as screwed up by her absentee mother and Tyler was by his abusive father. She has her own issues to work through and when she does she has Tyler with her.
Their romance was great. There was no immediate lust, none of that "I can't concentrate on breathing because this guy I just saw for the first time is so HOT" crap I hate. They butt heads a little at first, but then they talk, they commiserate, they bond over ice cream (a super cute scene) -- and then they realize they like each other. And then they realize they are falling in love with each other. It was sweet. I also loved how Ally reacted when she learns about Tyler's abusive childhood. She doesn't try to get him to reconcile, she doesn't give him dime-store psychology advice. Her view of the kindly old man in irrevocably changed. I love how Mayberry showed that. Ally is a good, decent person and she would never be deliberately cruel to anyone, especially not a dying old man. But neither can she she be sweet and affectionate with him any longer either. It isn't done in words or anything but rather in body language and demeanor. Well conveyed.
The way the story ended it cried out for an epilogue. And we got one! Loved the epilogue wrapped the story perfectly.
That is not to say that life is boring either. In the books by her that I've read so far, she's created complex, emotional situations that require the characters to work through them and draws the reader in as well.
In this book we meet Tyler Adamson, a master carpenter who has crafted a pretty good life for himself. He has a thriving business and a comfortable home. Into that life bursts Ally Bishop who house-sits at the house next door to where Tyler's father, Bob, lives. The senior Adamson is on his death bed and Ally has tracked down his son so that he can come be with him.
But Tyler has no interest in re-connecting with his father who had been a cruel emotional and physical abuser to Tyler and his older brother Jon when they were growing up. At first Ally is disdainful of the man who clearly has no time for his dying father. Ally, of course, is not privy to private family history and Bob Adamson has been nothing but a sweet, charming old man to her.
This being a romance we can expect that Tyler and Ally will get together. But that is only part of how affecting this story is. Mayberry does not stint in making Bob a monster. Tyler has a lot of internal recollections of how horrible his childhood was. The genius of it is that when we meet Bob he is a frail old man, all alone, dying of cancer. I should have probably been very sympathetic to poor old Bob as he is suffering from his stage 4 cancer. But frankly I couldn't. Mayberry gives us way to much information about how Tyler grew up so I was very unsympathetic and wished she'd simply consigned him to die alone and miserable like he deserved.
But she does a better thing. She makes Tyler very conflicted about his feelings for his father and that makes the story much, much richer.
Tyler is a wonderful character. He is strong, handsome and well liked and respected but he is also has some very unresolved issues with his father. In trying to make his father's last days more comfortable he is trying to do the right thing and be a dutiful son. And he wants to be able to get closure on his raw memories before his father dies. I actually respected how the author handled the scenes leading up to and including Bob's death. . It all felt very real-life and authentic.
I also enjoyed the slow reveal of the Ally character. At first she comes off as a do-gooder busy body, but we get to know her as well and realize that in her own way she was just as screwed up by her absentee mother and Tyler was by his abusive father. She has her own issues to work through and when she does she has Tyler with her.
Their romance was great. There was no immediate lust, none of that "I can't concentrate on breathing because this guy I just saw for the first time is so HOT" crap I hate. They butt heads a little at first, but then they talk, they commiserate, they bond over ice cream (a super cute scene) -- and then they realize they like each other. And then they realize they are falling in love with each other. It was sweet. I also loved how Ally reacted when she learns about Tyler's abusive childhood. She doesn't try to get him to reconcile, she doesn't give him dime-store psychology advice. Her view of the kindly old man in irrevocably changed. I love how Mayberry showed that. Ally is a good, decent person and she would never be deliberately cruel to anyone, especially not a dying old man. But neither can she she be sweet and affectionate with him any longer either. It isn't done in words or anything but rather in body language and demeanor. Well conveyed.
The way the story ended it cried out for an epilogue. And we got one! Loved the epilogue wrapped the story perfectly.
February 5, 2011
4.5 Stars Harlequin Super Romance
Sarah Mayberry delivers on all accounts once again with this Harlequin Super Romance letting faithful readers of her delightful stories know that she definitely is an author that should remain on your auto-buy list when it comes to a good dose of contemporary romance, which just happens to be my favorite genre of romance. I have been keeping a close eye on the release date of this book since Harlequin always tends to release its books much earlier than the designated release date and it was just by chance that I happened to stumble upon this book, ready for download on the Harlequin website yesterday. Needless to say, 7 pages in, I was hooked line and sinker and nearly snarled in frustration every time something or the other took me away from the magic that Sarah Mayberry has woven with this beautiful story.
37 year old Tyler Adamson, owner of the largely successful T. A. Furniture Designs is a man haunted and tortured by the unpleasant memories of his childhood at the hands of his emotionally and physically abusive father Robert Adamson (Bob). Tyler and his elder brother Jon had never had a happy moment to reflect back upon and Tyler had followed in Jon’s footsteps and left home when he had barely turned 17 years old. It had only been a sense of guilt and obligation that had made Tyler visit his home in Woodend, a small Victorian town when his mother was alive. The day she had died, Tyler had said goodbye to his father as well and never looked back, until Ally walks into his life, all rightful indignation forcing Tyler to face the demons of his past.
33 year old Ally Bishop is a nomad at heart. Commitment phobic to the extreme, Ally is the unwanted child of an artist who had always been free spirited and flitted from one place to the other. Ally’s mother had discovered the fact that she was pregnant with Ally when it had been too late to do anything about the unwanted pregnancy. Ally had grown up, never having known her father with a mother who had been really too selfish to stop and think about the needs of a child and it had been up to Ally to mold herself even as a child into her mother’s lifestyle which has left its own sort of emotional scars on Ally. The author of the Dear Gertude column in the Melbourne Herald, Ally is a house sitter who occupies one home after the other, looking after other people’s homes for them which gives her free accommodation all over the country which suites her needs pretty well. Haunted by the thought that she is just like her mother, Ally shies away from relationships that makes her feel too much and which requires a commitment from her part until silver-eyed Tyler Adamson changes how she views the world once and for all.
For the full review with quotes head on to http://bit.ly/gEaeSG
Sarah Mayberry delivers on all accounts once again with this Harlequin Super Romance letting faithful readers of her delightful stories know that she definitely is an author that should remain on your auto-buy list when it comes to a good dose of contemporary romance, which just happens to be my favorite genre of romance. I have been keeping a close eye on the release date of this book since Harlequin always tends to release its books much earlier than the designated release date and it was just by chance that I happened to stumble upon this book, ready for download on the Harlequin website yesterday. Needless to say, 7 pages in, I was hooked line and sinker and nearly snarled in frustration every time something or the other took me away from the magic that Sarah Mayberry has woven with this beautiful story.
37 year old Tyler Adamson, owner of the largely successful T. A. Furniture Designs is a man haunted and tortured by the unpleasant memories of his childhood at the hands of his emotionally and physically abusive father Robert Adamson (Bob). Tyler and his elder brother Jon had never had a happy moment to reflect back upon and Tyler had followed in Jon’s footsteps and left home when he had barely turned 17 years old. It had only been a sense of guilt and obligation that had made Tyler visit his home in Woodend, a small Victorian town when his mother was alive. The day she had died, Tyler had said goodbye to his father as well and never looked back, until Ally walks into his life, all rightful indignation forcing Tyler to face the demons of his past.
33 year old Ally Bishop is a nomad at heart. Commitment phobic to the extreme, Ally is the unwanted child of an artist who had always been free spirited and flitted from one place to the other. Ally’s mother had discovered the fact that she was pregnant with Ally when it had been too late to do anything about the unwanted pregnancy. Ally had grown up, never having known her father with a mother who had been really too selfish to stop and think about the needs of a child and it had been up to Ally to mold herself even as a child into her mother’s lifestyle which has left its own sort of emotional scars on Ally. The author of the Dear Gertude column in the Melbourne Herald, Ally is a house sitter who occupies one home after the other, looking after other people’s homes for them which gives her free accommodation all over the country which suites her needs pretty well. Haunted by the thought that she is just like her mother, Ally shies away from relationships that makes her feel too much and which requires a commitment from her part until silver-eyed Tyler Adamson changes how she views the world once and for all.
For the full review with quotes head on to http://bit.ly/gEaeSG
January 9, 2012
This was sooooo good. I cried. And can't stop thinking about them.
Sarah Mayberry is a wizard of the category romance. She's just so terribly good at letting characters shine on such limited page counts. Her characters are always so real and realistic and likeable and you really feel like they could be your neighbors. I still can't believe I waited this long to read Mayberry's books, because they are so delicious, and I want to go Pokémon on them and get them all.
It's not really a happy book, since it deals with child-abuse, and recovering from that. But it was done so well and human, and both Ally and Tyler were so damaged and strong and caring, I couldn't stop smiling anyway. Except when I was crying.
I think Tyler says it best.
It's a simple line, but isn't that what romance and love is all about?
I loved the story, I loved the people in it, and I kinda want to reread it already. But I'll read the story about Tyler's brother, One Good Reason, first.
Definitely a keeper.
Sarah Mayberry is a wizard of the category romance. She's just so terribly good at letting characters shine on such limited page counts. Her characters are always so real and realistic and likeable and you really feel like they could be your neighbors. I still can't believe I waited this long to read Mayberry's books, because they are so delicious, and I want to go Pokémon on them and get them all.
It's not really a happy book, since it deals with child-abuse, and recovering from that. But it was done so well and human, and both Ally and Tyler were so damaged and strong and caring, I couldn't stop smiling anyway. Except when I was crying.
I think Tyler says it best.
"I've got you"
It's a simple line, but isn't that what romance and love is all about?
I loved the story, I loved the people in it, and I kinda want to reread it already. But I'll read the story about Tyler's brother, One Good Reason, first.
Definitely a keeper.
June 13, 2020
This is a generous 3 stars but I liked the main couple and their romance enough to ignore the abusive dad storyline, which for the record, I couldn't despise more.
I mean, good for Tyler that he couldn't let his father suffer through his last weeks alone, even though his dad is a monster and always had been. I personally wouldn't have cared that his final wish was to die at home, why should he get what he wanted once again? Though I did appreciate that there wasn't some cumbaya moment at the end where Tyler's father confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. If that had been the case I would've subtracted another star.
Tyler is clearly a better person than me, because, after an entire childhood of physical, verbal and emotional abuse, I would've just stuck him in a hospice and never looked back.
Though that may also be the entire bottle of wine I've consumed over the last two hours talking.
I mean, good for Tyler that he couldn't let his father suffer through his last weeks alone, even though his dad is a monster and always had been. I personally wouldn't have cared that his final wish was to die at home, why should he get what he wanted once again? Though I did appreciate that there wasn't some cumbaya moment at the end where Tyler's father confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. If that had been the case I would've subtracted another star.
Tyler is clearly a better person than me, because, after an entire childhood of physical, verbal and emotional abuse, I would've just stuck him in a hospice and never looked back.
Though that may also be the entire bottle of wine I've consumed over the last two hours talking.
January 18, 2013
4 1/2 stars (rounded up to 5 stars because I absolutely adored Tyler and Abby)
January 11, 2019
--- The Last Goodbye ---
Plot: Seandainya saja fokus slice of lifenya seimbang...
Gaya bercerita: Ok.
Hadiah Pick a Prize Review dari Elex Media! Yohoho! ^^
Sebenarnya kisah ini tidak begitu penting, tapi akan kuceritakan saja ^ q ^ ).
Sebelum membeli beberapa paketan terbaru di list bacaanku baru-baru ini (Botchan, Peony, dkk), saya berbicara dengan salah satu sahabat saya; Yulia. Tentu saja saya menawarkan beberapa judul padanyaagar dia membantu memenuhi berat belanjaan saya ;; u ;; (terima kasih asdfgjksgsjsgj) agar dia sering baca buku. Lalu tiba-tiba saya menganjurkannya membeli novel-novel roman orang barat yang menurut saya jelas lebih bagus dari si Peony yang dipilihnya.
Tebak tanggapan Yulia apa? XD
Dia bilang dia tidak tertarik dengan novel orang barat. Mereka terlalu cepat jatuh cinta. Yah, kira-kira begitu.
Saya tentu saja setuju-- dan juga tidak setuju. Kalau novel historical romance sih memang begitu. Tapi beberapa karya slice of life-roman orang barat kan gak gitu! *keras kepala mempertahankan pendapatnya*
NAH!
Novel kali ini, saya pilih dari list hadiah elex... ...karena kupikir akan lebih berat di masalah keluarga ketimbang romannya. Lagipula saya lemah dengan kover dimana keduanya sedang tertawa. Tapi- tapi- tapi- ternyata isinya-- membuat saya mau mengeluarkan kaomoji ini:
( ╯ ͡ ͡°; ͜ ʖ ͡ ͡°;)╯ ┻━━┻ "KEMBALIKAN EKSPEKTASI SAYA!" //plak.
Baiklah, saya merasa ada topik yang sangat bagus yang dibawakan. Yakni tentang seorang anak yang mendapat perlakuan buruk dari ayahnya, dan ayahnya yang tipe orang baik diluar tetapi malah sebaliknya kalau dengan keluarganya sendiri.
Sosok Tyler yang bak cowok-cowok sempurna-ala-harlequin pada umumnya juga digambarkan dengan baik. Dia orang yang kalem-- berdasarkan deskripsinya lho-- yah; harusnya begitu. Tapi kadang saya merasa kata itu tidak cocok untuknya.
Sedangkan ada juga sosok Ally. Ah, yang ini lebih diceritakan dengan baik lagi. Bagaimana pekerjaannya dan sifatnya, semuanya dapat segera kulukiskan dalam bayanganku.
Jujur saja, beberapa bagian yang mendeskripsikan sosok cewek dan cowoknya sebagai sosok yang dhuar-dhuar itu, membuat saya-- geleng-geleng sambil ngakak.
Anyway rute plotnya biasa saja. Permasalahan antara ayah dan anak itu seakan dijadikan subplot. Endingnya juga begitu. Yah, saya tidak membenci happy ending. Juga tidak membenci mengapa permasalahan antara ayah dan anak itu seakan tidak pernah ada alasan konkritnya. Tetapi, kadang memang begitu. Hidup itu kadang memang aneh tanpa memaparkan alasan jelasnya.
Ps: Sinopsis elex agak salah ya. Nama tokohnya kan Tyler, bukan Trey. Apa sebelumnya diterjemahkan sebagai Trey ya? (Makanya bisa ada yang lupa diganti jadi Tyler) (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
[6.9/10]
Plot: Seandainya saja fokus slice of lifenya seimbang...
Gaya bercerita: Ok.
Hadiah Pick a Prize Review dari Elex Media! Yohoho! ^^
Sebenarnya kisah ini tidak begitu penting, tapi akan kuceritakan saja ^ q ^ ).
Sebelum membeli beberapa paketan terbaru di list bacaanku baru-baru ini (Botchan, Peony, dkk), saya berbicara dengan salah satu sahabat saya; Yulia. Tentu saja saya menawarkan beberapa judul padanya
Tebak tanggapan Yulia apa? XD
Dia bilang dia tidak tertarik dengan novel orang barat. Mereka terlalu cepat jatuh cinta. Yah, kira-kira begitu.
Saya tentu saja setuju-- dan juga tidak setuju. Kalau novel historical romance sih memang begitu. Tapi beberapa karya slice of life-roman orang barat kan gak gitu! *keras kepala mempertahankan pendapatnya*
NAH!
Novel kali ini, saya pilih dari list hadiah elex... ...karena kupikir akan lebih berat di masalah keluarga ketimbang romannya. Lagipula saya lemah dengan kover dimana keduanya sedang tertawa. Tapi- tapi- tapi- ternyata isinya-- membuat saya mau mengeluarkan kaomoji ini:
( ╯ ͡ ͡°; ͜ ʖ ͡ ͡°;)╯ ┻━━┻ "KEMBALIKAN EKSPEKTASI SAYA!" //plak.
Baiklah, saya merasa ada topik yang sangat bagus yang dibawakan. Yakni tentang seorang anak yang mendapat perlakuan buruk dari ayahnya, dan ayahnya yang tipe orang baik diluar tetapi malah sebaliknya kalau dengan keluarganya sendiri.
Sosok Tyler yang bak cowok-cowok sempurna-ala-harlequin pada umumnya juga digambarkan dengan baik. Dia orang yang kalem-- berdasarkan deskripsinya lho-- yah; harusnya begitu. Tapi kadang saya merasa kata itu tidak cocok untuknya.
Sedangkan ada juga sosok Ally. Ah, yang ini lebih diceritakan dengan baik lagi. Bagaimana pekerjaannya dan sifatnya, semuanya dapat segera kulukiskan dalam bayanganku.
Jujur saja, beberapa bagian yang mendeskripsikan sosok cewek dan cowoknya sebagai sosok yang dhuar-dhuar itu, membuat saya-- geleng-geleng sambil ngakak.
Anyway rute plotnya biasa saja. Permasalahan antara ayah dan anak itu seakan dijadikan subplot. Endingnya juga begitu. Yah, saya tidak membenci happy ending. Juga tidak membenci mengapa permasalahan antara ayah dan anak itu seakan tidak pernah ada alasan konkritnya. Tetapi, kadang memang begitu. Hidup itu kadang memang aneh tanpa memaparkan alasan jelasnya.
Ps: Sinopsis elex agak salah ya. Nama tokohnya kan Tyler, bukan Trey. Apa sebelumnya diterjemahkan sebagai Trey ya? (Makanya bisa ada yang lupa diganti jadi Tyler) (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
[6.9/10]
June 18, 2020
Diantara novel-novel author yg telah saya baca, sptnya novel yg ini bakal terngiang-ngiang bagi saya. Bukan krn ceritanya bagus sih tapi pasti nancep krn beda dgn novel HQ yg biasa saya baca.
Tyler Adamson mendapat berita dari Ally bhw ayahnya masuk RS dan keadaannya tidak bagus. Ternyata ayahnya sedang sakit kanker yg sudah merajalela di tubuhnya dan tinggal menunggu waktu saja. Ally, the girl next door rmh ayahnya sekaligus rumah semasa kecil Tyler jelas sangat membantu Tyler dgn mengurus bersama orangtua pembangkang nan keras kepala ini.
Baru kali ini sidekick di novel yaitu ayah Tyler ini adalah bajingan yg suka melakukan kekerasan terhadap anak-anaknya, dgn memberikan hukuman yg keji dan berlebihan utk bocah-bocah yg akan beranjak remaja. Gak heran Tyler dan kakaknya Jon kabur dari rumah.
Sisi positifnya dari novel ini adalah Tyler tetap berbakti sepanjang akhir hayat ayahnya itu, yg bersikeras gak pernah mau mengakui minta maaf. Sulit sekali sebenarnya mengabaikan orangtua spt ayah Tyler ini. Untung sekali Tyler dibantu Ally yg cukup cerdik dan sangat sabar menghadapi ayah Tyler ini. Selain itu Tyler juga menanamkan kepercayaan tinggi pd Ally bhw Ally bisa menetap dan mulai membangun akarnya.
Novel ini gak bagusnya tetap ada, bertele-tele dan terlalu banyak narasi angst juga (cuma ya kali ini angst nya masih mending sih, lebih ke psikologis). Jadi worth it lah saya memberi 3.5 🌟
Tyler Adamson mendapat berita dari Ally bhw ayahnya masuk RS dan keadaannya tidak bagus. Ternyata ayahnya sedang sakit kanker yg sudah merajalela di tubuhnya dan tinggal menunggu waktu saja. Ally, the girl next door rmh ayahnya sekaligus rumah semasa kecil Tyler jelas sangat membantu Tyler dgn mengurus bersama orangtua pembangkang nan keras kepala ini.
Baru kali ini sidekick di novel yaitu ayah Tyler ini adalah bajingan yg suka melakukan kekerasan terhadap anak-anaknya, dgn memberikan hukuman yg keji dan berlebihan utk bocah-bocah yg akan beranjak remaja. Gak heran Tyler dan kakaknya Jon kabur dari rumah.
Sisi positifnya dari novel ini adalah Tyler tetap berbakti sepanjang akhir hayat ayahnya itu, yg bersikeras gak pernah mau mengakui minta maaf. Sulit sekali sebenarnya mengabaikan orangtua spt ayah Tyler ini. Untung sekali Tyler dibantu Ally yg cukup cerdik dan sangat sabar menghadapi ayah Tyler ini. Selain itu Tyler juga menanamkan kepercayaan tinggi pd Ally bhw Ally bisa menetap dan mulai membangun akarnya.
Novel ini gak bagusnya tetap ada, bertele-tele dan terlalu banyak narasi angst juga (cuma ya kali ini angst nya masih mending sih, lebih ke psikologis). Jadi worth it lah saya memberi 3.5 🌟
November 12, 2024
Ally is a gypsy who house sits and comes across her elderly neighbor unconscious outside. She gets an ambulance and then gets in contact with his estranged son Tyler. It's discovered that his dad has inoperable cancer and only has a few months left to live. Tyler decides to stay and help out with his dad's care. Ally doesn't want to start a relationship because all her past ones have ended when she went roaming again. But inevitably, sparks fly.
Pretty good. I liked the writing and the story never faltered.
Pretty good. I liked the writing and the story never faltered.
April 12, 2013
I started off this book with a strange sense of Deja Vu. A hot guy who makes furniture whose father used to beat him? I know I’ve read this before. But actually I hadn’t. A year ago, I’d read One Good Reason, a sequel to this one. I liked that book. I liked this one but I am glad I did not read them close to each other because of the common threads that run through them.
Our heroine, Ally, is a nomad. She grew up with an artist-mother who never wanted to settle down and dragged Ally around the world with her. Ally believes she’s inherited that nomad gene from her mother and doesn’t maintain a permanent residence. She writes an advice column for a newspaper from wherever she lives and moves from locaton to location housesitting for people.
Our heroine Tyler runs a successful custom furniture making business that he founded in Melbourne Australia. One day a woman, Ally, appears to inform him that his dad, her neighbor, had been hospitalized. Because she’d just moved in, Ally did not realize the two were estranged.
Tyler was torn. He’d ceased all contact with his father when his mom died because his dad had been so abusive when he was growing up. Despite those terrifying memories, after visiting his father at the hospital he somehow finds himself still emotionally tied to his father.
Tyler’s father has terminal cancer and for reasons Tyler doesn’t quite understand, he takes a partial leave of absence of work to care for his father. This means he’s living right next to Ally. The attraction between them is instant and combustible, but Ally tries to put an immediate stop to it because she doesn’t want to be attached. She’s a nomad.
** Spoiler ahead - Consider yourself warned**
As the book unfolds, we see their relationship unfold as well as seeing Tyler’s coming to grips with his father. As in One Good Reason, Ms. Mayberry seemed to capture the tenuous relationship between an abusive parent and the adult child. The relationship between Tyler and his father was as interesting or more than his relationship with Ally. What I appreciate is that Ms. Mayberry didn’t try to force a reconciliation or happy ending between the two of them.
The slight disappointment with the book is that Ally’s character and her emotional hurdles didn’t seem to be as well developed. We know early on she’s a nomad because her mother was, but it’s not until the very end of the book that we get a better understanding of where she was coming from. It felt a little like Ms. Mayberry realized all of a sudden she needed to wrap up that aspect of the story.
That’s just a small criticism. This is another well done romance by Sarah Mayberry.
Our heroine, Ally, is a nomad. She grew up with an artist-mother who never wanted to settle down and dragged Ally around the world with her. Ally believes she’s inherited that nomad gene from her mother and doesn’t maintain a permanent residence. She writes an advice column for a newspaper from wherever she lives and moves from locaton to location housesitting for people.
Our heroine Tyler runs a successful custom furniture making business that he founded in Melbourne Australia. One day a woman, Ally, appears to inform him that his dad, her neighbor, had been hospitalized. Because she’d just moved in, Ally did not realize the two were estranged.
Tyler was torn. He’d ceased all contact with his father when his mom died because his dad had been so abusive when he was growing up. Despite those terrifying memories, after visiting his father at the hospital he somehow finds himself still emotionally tied to his father.
Tyler’s father has terminal cancer and for reasons Tyler doesn’t quite understand, he takes a partial leave of absence of work to care for his father. This means he’s living right next to Ally. The attraction between them is instant and combustible, but Ally tries to put an immediate stop to it because she doesn’t want to be attached. She’s a nomad.
** Spoiler ahead - Consider yourself warned**
As the book unfolds, we see their relationship unfold as well as seeing Tyler’s coming to grips with his father. As in One Good Reason, Ms. Mayberry seemed to capture the tenuous relationship between an abusive parent and the adult child. The relationship between Tyler and his father was as interesting or more than his relationship with Ally. What I appreciate is that Ms. Mayberry didn’t try to force a reconciliation or happy ending between the two of them.
The slight disappointment with the book is that Ally’s character and her emotional hurdles didn’t seem to be as well developed. We know early on she’s a nomad because her mother was, but it’s not until the very end of the book that we get a better understanding of where she was coming from. It felt a little like Ms. Mayberry realized all of a sudden she needed to wrap up that aspect of the story.
That’s just a small criticism. This is another well done romance by Sarah Mayberry.
May 20, 2012
I think I have a new favorite romance author, and her name is Sarah Mayberry. This is the fourth title I read from hers (third in a row) and she's four for four -- she hasn't let me down.
This story, about a woman who thinks she has a gypsy blood, who never lets herself put down roots because she fears of abandonment, and a man who slowly becomes her home, is definitely one of the better romances I read from Harlequin. And I stopped reading Harlequin stories years ago. Go figure!!
I love Ms. Mayberry's stories because they are so character driven. They are also complex, in a sense, and the plot gives space for the characters to grow. Ally is described as someone who always leaves. She doesn't have a home. She works as an advice columnist and does house-sitting so she can pack her bags and goes when it's time for her to do so. At first, Ally claims that it's because of her gypsy blood. Turns out that it's just her fear of being abandoned, which rootes from her childhood. It's wonderful to see her layers being peeled slowly -- because it's clear that all this time, Ally does yearn for a home.
And that's what Tyler offers. Despite his childhood, with an abusive father, Tyler is completely different than his dad. Tyler is a furniture designer/maker with his own business, he refurnishes home. He is a nester. Even if at the beginning he is said to be emotionally detached but with Ally, Tyler finally finds someone he can entrust his heart to. The one scene where Tyler breaks down and cries, after a confrontation with his father, is one of my favorite scenes. It's so powerful and emotional, and wonderful.
If I have a complaint, it is probably because I feel that Tyler and his father don't get to actually talk heart to heart. I know that life is messy, and sometimes thing like this happens. However, I can't help to want a closure for both of them.
Now, I'm on to the next story ... Tyler's brother, Jon. I wonder what Ms. Mayberry stores for him.
This story, about a woman who thinks she has a gypsy blood, who never lets herself put down roots because she fears of abandonment, and a man who slowly becomes her home, is definitely one of the better romances I read from Harlequin. And I stopped reading Harlequin stories years ago. Go figure!!
I love Ms. Mayberry's stories because they are so character driven. They are also complex, in a sense, and the plot gives space for the characters to grow. Ally is described as someone who always leaves. She doesn't have a home. She works as an advice columnist and does house-sitting so she can pack her bags and goes when it's time for her to do so. At first, Ally claims that it's because of her gypsy blood. Turns out that it's just her fear of being abandoned, which rootes from her childhood. It's wonderful to see her layers being peeled slowly -- because it's clear that all this time, Ally does yearn for a home.
And that's what Tyler offers. Despite his childhood, with an abusive father, Tyler is completely different than his dad. Tyler is a furniture designer/maker with his own business, he refurnishes home. He is a nester. Even if at the beginning he is said to be emotionally detached but with Ally, Tyler finally finds someone he can entrust his heart to. The one scene where Tyler breaks down and cries, after a confrontation with his father, is one of my favorite scenes. It's so powerful and emotional, and wonderful.
If I have a complaint, it is probably because I feel that Tyler and his father don't get to actually talk heart to heart. I know that life is messy, and sometimes thing like this happens. However, I can't help to want a closure for both of them.
Now, I'm on to the next story ... Tyler's brother, Jon. I wonder what Ms. Mayberry stores for him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2015
This was a really well-done book. I'd love to see her branch out into longer books; I think she'd be great at it.
On rereading I think this is a 5 star. I love the characters but even more I love how clear eyed Mayberry --and they--are about how it's not necessary or even good to forgive people who do so much harm and how good people can take care of their abusers and behave well toward them without forgiving them. I hate "forgiveness " for those who don't regret the harm they have caused, and too many books offer that as a good thing. The hero and heroine here don't forgive--they just do the right thing anyway and then move on with their lives rather than letting his father's abusive behavior limit their own lives.
This book is a wonderful, moving book with not a note wrong. It is written in a minor key -- the joy in it is subdued --but I love the characters and know they will have a joyful HEA.
On rereading I think this is a 5 star. I love the characters but even more I love how clear eyed Mayberry --and they--are about how it's not necessary or even good to forgive people who do so much harm and how good people can take care of their abusers and behave well toward them without forgiving them. I hate "forgiveness " for those who don't regret the harm they have caused, and too many books offer that as a good thing. The hero and heroine here don't forgive--they just do the right thing anyway and then move on with their lives rather than letting his father's abusive behavior limit their own lives.
This book is a wonderful, moving book with not a note wrong. It is written in a minor key -- the joy in it is subdued --but I love the characters and know they will have a joyful HEA.
February 21, 2015
The one star rating probably isn't fair, but this book left me more unsettled than hopeful and that's pretty much the opposite of what a romance is supposed to do. I'm not opposed to stories about profoundly damaged people coming together, but I didn't think this did a good job of actually addressing their damage (and in particular, the forgiveness of abusers is a thing that bothers me tremendously), much less addressing how their damage would complicate being in a relationship. The tacked on epilogue where suddenly they're magically happy wasn't helpful either, because I had not reason to believe in the happiness since just pages before the heroine was ready to bolt.
Overall, just very disappointing.
Overall, just very disappointing.
April 8, 2011
The hero and heroine both had emotional issues from their pasts to deal with, and I enjoyed the way Sarah brought these two together and allowed them to grow together and confront their pasts with each other. Great romance!
March 27, 2012
Such a sweet story!! Definitely going to my favorites! Review to come
March 7, 2019
Ok, in the beginning I was really not liking Ally at all. She was the stereotypical busybody that thought she knew what was best. The moral champion of an old man she barelly knew. I reaally wanted Tyller to tell her to her face all the things his father had done to him and his brother when they where young just to shut her up. But them she quickly started to deduce that there was more to the story than she knew, and she started to be a little more impartial.
I really don't like the stories about abusive parents that try to pass off as good people. the excuses his father came up when confronted were atrocious. As if any kid deserved to see their beloved puppy in pain because they were a little late coming home. SERIOUSLY. But the worst one, still, was his mother, who justified her husband behaviour...
I loved Tyler from the first description made of him. Not only is he a sexy man (oh my!) But he also is a devoted son to a father who doesn't deserve him. Ally came around after knowing the truth about his past, but I really wanted to smak her in the beginning because of the way she defended Tyler's dad when she barelly knew what kind of person he was.
I totally loved this story. The way Sarah Mayberry writed it made it feel very real. I almost was able to see them, like a movie. If her other works are like this one, she might become one of my fav writers,
I really don't like the stories about abusive parents that try to pass off as good people. the excuses his father came up when confronted were atrocious. As if any kid deserved to see their beloved puppy in pain because they were a little late coming home. SERIOUSLY. But the worst one, still, was his mother, who justified her husband behaviour...
I loved Tyler from the first description made of him. Not only is he a sexy man (oh my!) But he also is a devoted son to a father who doesn't deserve him. Ally came around after knowing the truth about his past, but I really wanted to smak her in the beginning because of the way she defended Tyler's dad when she barelly knew what kind of person he was.
I totally loved this story. The way Sarah Mayberry writed it made it feel very real. I almost was able to see them, like a movie. If her other works are like this one, she might become one of my fav writers,
August 25, 2020
Akhirnya tamat juga😭
Masih ada sedikit pertanyaan, ttg alasan knp Bob sering nyiksa Tyler sama Jon😭😭
Dan jujur, aku nangis waktu bagian Bob di RS, dan terlambatnya Jon😭
Bisa ambil pelajarannya, bahwa sejahat apapun orangtua kita di masa lalu, mereka tetap orangtua. Setiap ayah atau ibu pasti punya cara sendiri untuk ngedidik anak mereka. Tapi, ya, aku sendiri gak membenarkan apa yang dilakukan Bob, padahal jelas² dia bilang dia ngelakuin itu krn cinta sama kedua anaknya, tapi, aku masih belum paham😭
Dan untuk Ally.. dia salah satu strong girl, inspirasiku sih♡ dia bisa ngejaga perasaan orang lain, meskipun kepo sama urusan Tyler dan Bob, tapi dia nggak pernah ngungkit atau mancing² Tyler utk cerita. Ally jg pendengar yg baik. 👌❤
Jarang nemu karakter seperti Ally ini.
Huaaa thumbs up!!!
Biasanya kalo baca novel terjemahan, otakku agak susah paham. Tapi, novel itu, tutur katanya ngalir banget. Mantul ♡
Masih ada sedikit pertanyaan, ttg alasan knp Bob sering nyiksa Tyler sama Jon😭😭
Dan jujur, aku nangis waktu bagian Bob di RS, dan terlambatnya Jon😭
Bisa ambil pelajarannya, bahwa sejahat apapun orangtua kita di masa lalu, mereka tetap orangtua. Setiap ayah atau ibu pasti punya cara sendiri untuk ngedidik anak mereka. Tapi, ya, aku sendiri gak membenarkan apa yang dilakukan Bob, padahal jelas² dia bilang dia ngelakuin itu krn cinta sama kedua anaknya, tapi, aku masih belum paham😭
Dan untuk Ally.. dia salah satu strong girl, inspirasiku sih♡ dia bisa ngejaga perasaan orang lain, meskipun kepo sama urusan Tyler dan Bob, tapi dia nggak pernah ngungkit atau mancing² Tyler utk cerita. Ally jg pendengar yg baik. 👌❤
Jarang nemu karakter seperti Ally ini.
Huaaa thumbs up!!!
Biasanya kalo baca novel terjemahan, otakku agak susah paham. Tapi, novel itu, tutur katanya ngalir banget. Mantul ♡
October 18, 2019
Buku ini cukup menyentuh, bikin aku terharu merasakan kesedihan Tyler dan sudaranya atas perlakuan ayahnya di masa lalu, bagaimana Bob sama sekali enggak bisa diharapkan bahkan d detik terakhi. Aku malah kasihan banget sama Jon, kakak Tyler. Sedih dan nyesel atau bahkan marah pasti ada (mari nanti baca versinya Jon). Tapi aku tidak bisa memberikan lebih dari tiga poin deh. Aku suka karena muatan konflik keluarga masing-masing tokoh. Tetapi mengingat seharusnya porsi penyelesaian konflik Tyler dan Ally cukup mulus (aku butuh yang agak drama, hehe) jadi ya gitu, tapi apa yang lebih diharapkan dari novel hq sih? Wkwkwk. Masih merasa bahwa gaya Tante Mayberry memang seperti ini setelah baca dua karyanya. Tidak terlalu berbeda dengan karya pertama beliau yang kubaca. Overall, I enjoy it, and maybe i will read another story. Wkwk
September 13, 2018
Accidentally read the books out of order and read John’s story first, but it didn’t matter. They were lovely stories.
Minor spoiler: I really enjoyed that when the heroine learned the hero’s father was abusive, she didn’t pull the, “But he’s your father!!” guilt trip. In fact, she tells the abusive father that she’s on the hero’s side. I really appreciated this take on it.
Minor spoiler: I really enjoyed that when the heroine learned the hero’s father was abusive, she didn’t pull the, “But he’s your father!!” guilt trip. In fact, she tells the abusive father that she’s on the hero’s side. I really appreciated this take on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2019
Harusnya bintang 4, tapi plotnya jadi kendur banget di ujung. Berasa antiklimaks.
February 9, 2017
So in esmsksbrmwmjwjajsmdnan
July 17, 2011
This has been in the TBR pile for a few months and while I love Sarah Mayberry, I didn't pick it up until I requested One Good Reason from NetGalley and realized the hero was the brother of the hero in The Last Goodbye. So of course I had to read this before I read that. Makes sense, no?
This story had a lot of emotional baggage. It was a boatload full for both the hero and heroine. Different, but similar. He's from an abusive home, she's never really had a permanent home. Both are still working through it in their own way. For Ally, it means not putting down roots but staying mobile by house sitting. A few months here, a few months there. Her job as a advice columnist allows her to work from anywhere, so she does. She meets Tyler when she searchers him out to let him know that his father, her neighbor, is ill. Ally is a very positive person - upbeat and kind. She's one of those people that's easy to like. The only thing that really bugged me about her was her insistence in her "gypsy" heritage. Not that her family were gypsies but that her mom traveled/roamed a lot. Never staying in one place. Ally uses that as an excuse to continuing moving. It's an excuse to not form ties with anyone, keeping her chances of pain and disappointment at a minimum. She's a smart woman, so why doesn't she realize she's not her mother?
Tyler is a successful designer of custom furniture. He has a thriving business. The one thing he doesn't have is a family. He was never really close to his older brother who lives in Canada and hasn't talked to his father in ten years. All that changes when Ally shows up and brings Tyler's past to the present. He doesn't make a very good first impression on Ally, telling her that he doesn't want anything to do with his father. Wow. But she leaves an impression on him. Tyler is a hero that doesn't like the spotlight and has is conflicted when it comes to helping his father. Mayberry does a good job showing how Tyler wants to just walk away from his father, who would try the patience of a saint, but Tyler is a decent person and can't walk away. Tyler puts up with a lot while taking care of his father and it helps that Ally's there to ease the way.
Ally and Tyler's relationship gets off to a rocky start. There is something there but Mayberry doesn't make it easy for them. Both have issues to work through before they can have a healthy relationship. Tyler's issues made more sense than Ally's. Her's didn't seem so hard to overcome and I felt like she used them more as an excuse than any great fear of commitment. I did like how she helped Tyler break down that wall of silence. He really didn't like talking about his feelings and his past.
The Last Goodbye isn't one of my favorites from Mayberry. It's a little too dark with not enough lighter moments to balance it out. The romance wasn't the main focus, instead, Tyler's messed up relationship and unresolved issues with his father took center stage.
This story had a lot of emotional baggage. It was a boatload full for both the hero and heroine. Different, but similar. He's from an abusive home, she's never really had a permanent home. Both are still working through it in their own way. For Ally, it means not putting down roots but staying mobile by house sitting. A few months here, a few months there. Her job as a advice columnist allows her to work from anywhere, so she does. She meets Tyler when she searchers him out to let him know that his father, her neighbor, is ill. Ally is a very positive person - upbeat and kind. She's one of those people that's easy to like. The only thing that really bugged me about her was her insistence in her "gypsy" heritage. Not that her family were gypsies but that her mom traveled/roamed a lot. Never staying in one place. Ally uses that as an excuse to continuing moving. It's an excuse to not form ties with anyone, keeping her chances of pain and disappointment at a minimum. She's a smart woman, so why doesn't she realize she's not her mother?
Tyler is a successful designer of custom furniture. He has a thriving business. The one thing he doesn't have is a family. He was never really close to his older brother who lives in Canada and hasn't talked to his father in ten years. All that changes when Ally shows up and brings Tyler's past to the present. He doesn't make a very good first impression on Ally, telling her that he doesn't want anything to do with his father. Wow. But she leaves an impression on him. Tyler is a hero that doesn't like the spotlight and has is conflicted when it comes to helping his father. Mayberry does a good job showing how Tyler wants to just walk away from his father, who would try the patience of a saint, but Tyler is a decent person and can't walk away. Tyler puts up with a lot while taking care of his father and it helps that Ally's there to ease the way.
Ally and Tyler's relationship gets off to a rocky start. There is something there but Mayberry doesn't make it easy for them. Both have issues to work through before they can have a healthy relationship. Tyler's issues made more sense than Ally's. Her's didn't seem so hard to overcome and I felt like she used them more as an excuse than any great fear of commitment. I did like how she helped Tyler break down that wall of silence. He really didn't like talking about his feelings and his past.
The Last Goodbye isn't one of my favorites from Mayberry. It's a little too dark with not enough lighter moments to balance it out. The romance wasn't the main focus, instead, Tyler's messed up relationship and unresolved issues with his father took center stage.
August 5, 2021
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/08/...
4.5 stars — I vaguely remember this one, but not so much that I wasn’t excited to read it again.
Yet again, Ms. Mayberry surprises me with the depth and realness to her characters and their situations. Tyler’s relationship with his father took me COMPLETELY by surprise. It’s like nobody ever tackles how you deal with the death of an abusive parent. Normally I want clean and wrapped up in a bow, but Ms. Mayberry always convinces me to try reality instead, and because I get the awesomeness of the romance, I don’t mind a bit of hard truth in the side story.
In general I loved Tyler, but there were a few moments where he made me give him grumpy face…so basically he wasn’t perfect. But I appreciated the immense struggle he was dealing with, and I was impressed with how he dealt with all the things happening in his life. He could have driven me crazy, but Ally was able to open him up and get to his heart. I really appreciated how he didn’t give up on Ally either, how he saw to the heart of her as well.
Ally was her own kind of messed up, and while it was frustrating at times, I really appreciated her personal climax and resolution. Sometimes it’s hard to understand how traumatizing some childhoods can be, and how influential…especially when you didn’t have a traumatic childhood yourself. And the thing is, outside of her clinging to the gypsy thing, I really loved who she was. Basically who she really was underneath if she’d just let herself see it. She was compassionate, caring, cheeky…and when she made a mistake or overstepped, she apologized and reevaluated her own perspective. That’s not easy, and not a common trait…I sure as shit don’t have that trait.
And damn, they were hot together. Just an immense physical chemistry backed up by a palpable emotional connection as well. I liked seeing them get to each other outside of the steamy stuff…they took the time to learn about one another, and I believed the progression of their relationship.
Super excited to finally read Jon’s story. We barely get a glimpse of him, but I still want to know about him.
4.5 stars — I vaguely remember this one, but not so much that I wasn’t excited to read it again.
Yet again, Ms. Mayberry surprises me with the depth and realness to her characters and their situations. Tyler’s relationship with his father took me COMPLETELY by surprise. It’s like nobody ever tackles how you deal with the death of an abusive parent. Normally I want clean and wrapped up in a bow, but Ms. Mayberry always convinces me to try reality instead, and because I get the awesomeness of the romance, I don’t mind a bit of hard truth in the side story.
In general I loved Tyler, but there were a few moments where he made me give him grumpy face…so basically he wasn’t perfect. But I appreciated the immense struggle he was dealing with, and I was impressed with how he dealt with all the things happening in his life. He could have driven me crazy, but Ally was able to open him up and get to his heart. I really appreciated how he didn’t give up on Ally either, how he saw to the heart of her as well.
Ally was her own kind of messed up, and while it was frustrating at times, I really appreciated her personal climax and resolution. Sometimes it’s hard to understand how traumatizing some childhoods can be, and how influential…especially when you didn’t have a traumatic childhood yourself. And the thing is, outside of her clinging to the gypsy thing, I really loved who she was. Basically who she really was underneath if she’d just let herself see it. She was compassionate, caring, cheeky…and when she made a mistake or overstepped, she apologized and reevaluated her own perspective. That’s not easy, and not a common trait…I sure as shit don’t have that trait.
And damn, they were hot together. Just an immense physical chemistry backed up by a palpable emotional connection as well. I liked seeing them get to each other outside of the steamy stuff…they took the time to learn about one another, and I believed the progression of their relationship.
Super excited to finally read Jon’s story. We barely get a glimpse of him, but I still want to know about him.
January 31, 2013
4 Stars ~ Following his brother's lead, Tyler bailed on school and home when he was barely seventeen. He left with only some clothes and his father's ridicule and he'd never looked back. Sure, he'd stopped to see his mother once a year, but she'd died ten years ago. Ally's a self-proclaimed gypsy; never sticking to one place for very long. She house sits for her roof over her head and as she's an advice columnist, she can do that anywhere. When she became a new neighbour for elderly Bob, she hadn't bargained she'd be calling out for an ambulance, or that she'd have to let his estranged son know that his father was dying of cancer. Tyler doesn't know what to do with the news Ally brings him. The last thing he wants to do is see that old angry bastard who used to beat him and his brother but this would be his last chance to confront him. Seeing the withered shrunken man on the hospital bed, Tyler suddenly can't bring himself to mention the past and he finds himself taking over his father's care. After all it's only for a couple of months, and then when he buries his father he can bury the nightmares too. Ally can tell from Tyler's tension when's he's around, Bob, that something horrible happened to create the rift between them. So when he confides about the beatings, Ally's filled with pain for the young boy he'd been. There's something wonderful about Tyler, but Ally can't let herself get too close, after all she's a gypsy and she won't be around for very long.
I loved Tyler and Ally, they have such great chemistry. While this story is pretty heavy on the emotional scale, Ms. Mayberry balances the more intense emotions with some fun and uplifting scenes. Tyler is a hero any woman would love to call their own. Ally is a caring woman who doesn't see how her own childhood emotional scars are shaping her today and her future. I'm glad Tyler was able to convince her to set some roots. I enjoyed their journey to HEA very much and look forward to reading brother Jon's story next.
I loved Tyler and Ally, they have such great chemistry. While this story is pretty heavy on the emotional scale, Ms. Mayberry balances the more intense emotions with some fun and uplifting scenes. Tyler is a hero any woman would love to call their own. Ally is a caring woman who doesn't see how her own childhood emotional scars are shaping her today and her future. I'm glad Tyler was able to convince her to set some roots. I enjoyed their journey to HEA very much and look forward to reading brother Jon's story next.
December 4, 2012
Both the hero and the heroine have to deal with family issues. Ally's mother was a wanderer who lived constantly moving from place to place, from lover to lover. Meanwhile, Ally got left at various relative's homes. It gave her an abandonment complex. And a restlessness that has her leaving from good relationships before they leave her. Tyler's father is dying of cancer, but that doesn't change the fact that his father, Bob was a physically abusive dung pile when he and his brother, Jon, were growing up. This causes tension when Bob requires at home care, after his decided to die at home.
The fact that Tyler didn't have a real confrontation with his father where his father had to admit and justify his actions was irritating, but realistic. But, it left me unsatisfied at the end of the book. Bob was a true asshat. And I wanted to ring his neck. I wanted to see this man answer for what he'd done, or at least explain it. But, from what little peak we get into him, I am led to believe that he really didn't know that he was a jerk. According to Bob, his father treated him far worse than he ever treated Tyler and Jon. So, I'm guessing, Bob thought he was progressive and going easy on them. It doesn't make it right. And their mother, saying that Tyler and Jon brought it on themselves, made me glad that she didn't get that much time on the page. I do wish that Ally's mom was alive, so we could hear some justifications from her mouth. But, like all the parental types in this book, I doubt that if she were alive, we'd get any.
The romance part of the book was very sweet and light and real. I liked that. But, the issues unresolved on the parent end of things keeps me from giving this four stars, which is what I want to do. But, I can't. Bob's ending leaves me feeling unfulfilled.
Parent issue plots are a personal button/big deal. If they aren't completely satisfying, it bugs the crap out of me, so others might find this story more fulfilling than me. Mileage varies.
The fact that Tyler didn't have a real confrontation with his father where his father had to admit and justify his actions was irritating, but realistic. But, it left me unsatisfied at the end of the book. Bob was a true asshat. And I wanted to ring his neck. I wanted to see this man answer for what he'd done, or at least explain it. But, from what little peak we get into him, I am led to believe that he really didn't know that he was a jerk. According to Bob, his father treated him far worse than he ever treated Tyler and Jon. So, I'm guessing, Bob thought he was progressive and going easy on them. It doesn't make it right. And their mother, saying that Tyler and Jon brought it on themselves, made me glad that she didn't get that much time on the page. I do wish that Ally's mom was alive, so we could hear some justifications from her mouth. But, like all the parental types in this book, I doubt that if she were alive, we'd get any.
The romance part of the book was very sweet and light and real. I liked that. But, the issues unresolved on the parent end of things keeps me from giving this four stars, which is what I want to do. But, I can't. Bob's ending leaves me feeling unfulfilled.
Parent issue plots are a personal button/big deal. If they aren't completely satisfying, it bugs the crap out of me, so others might find this story more fulfilling than me. Mileage varies.
January 31, 2012
Whew, finally, finished reading Sarah Mayberry's published works (in Harlequin) and I must say, not bad for a finale. HAHAHA. It took me two nights before finishing this one, kinda long, since I usually finish her novels after four to six hours without interruptions and blah-blah. Maybe I'm just a little tired these past few days that's why instead of pulling an all-nighter like I usually do, I sleep instead.
Now, now. Erm, for the review...hmmm. Maybe, I should've read this first before One Good Reason so there are no parts in that companion book where I felt left out. It's sad that there are things that are left unsaid between Tyler and his dad...and I am spacing out right now, I'll get back to this once I made up my thoughts with the novel that I've just finished. But honestly? I liked the second story more than the first one...maybe because of the heroines in the story? I liked Gabby more than Ally? Maybe. I don't know. I'll get back to this review.
Now, now. Erm, for the review...hmmm. Maybe, I should've read this first before One Good Reason so there are no parts in that companion book where I felt left out. It's sad that there are things that are left unsaid between Tyler and his dad...and I am spacing out right now, I'll get back to this once I made up my thoughts with the novel that I've just finished. But honestly? I liked the second story more than the first one...maybe because of the heroines in the story? I liked Gabby more than Ally? Maybe. I don't know. I'll get back to this review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2011
Not what I expected from a book under the Harlequin imprint.
Many a talented author has run aground describing a relationship with an emotionally traumatised partner. It's not easy to present a credible account of the trauma; even more difficult to weave it into a happy-ending romance.
Ms. Mayberry accomplishes both with a smooth, easy-to-read story that covers some very, very heavy emotional ground. A victim of child abuse attempts a courageous reconciliation with his dying father. No heartwarming hugs and forgiveness here, but a starkly realistic portrayal of a vicious manipulative parent unrepentant to the last.
The romantic element is provided by a meet cute encounter with the house-sitter next door. An agony aunt writing for a major Australian newspaper, she has problems of her own resulting in a serious commitment phobia.
Not the usual elements of a contemporary romance (and a downright misleading generic cover -- eww), but Ms Mayberry doesn't put a foot wrong in shepherding her characters and their hangups to a convincing ending.
Many a talented author has run aground describing a relationship with an emotionally traumatised partner. It's not easy to present a credible account of the trauma; even more difficult to weave it into a happy-ending romance.
Ms. Mayberry accomplishes both with a smooth, easy-to-read story that covers some very, very heavy emotional ground. A victim of child abuse attempts a courageous reconciliation with his dying father. No heartwarming hugs and forgiveness here, but a starkly realistic portrayal of a vicious manipulative parent unrepentant to the last.
The romantic element is provided by a meet cute encounter with the house-sitter next door. An agony aunt writing for a major Australian newspaper, she has problems of her own resulting in a serious commitment phobia.
Not the usual elements of a contemporary romance (and a downright misleading generic cover -- eww), but Ms Mayberry doesn't put a foot wrong in shepherding her characters and their hangups to a convincing ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews