Last Summer: should some memories remain lost?

Last Summer by Kerry Lonsdale is a story of love, lies and deceit. Ella Skye is a lifestyle journalist who remembers every celebrity she interviewed, every politician she has charmed and every envious socialite. The chance meeting with Damien Russell, their intense whirlwind romance and an intimate wedding are locked in her memory. However, she cannot remember the fact that she was pregnant or the accident which took her child from her. Hoping to unlock her memories, she begins to search her past for clues, hoping to trigger a hint of a memory. She is assigned to an exclusive story about Nathan Donovan, a retired celebrity adventurer who seems to know more about her than she does about him. Maybe he is the key to unlocking her memory loss, Ella follows Nathan from the snowcapped Sierra Nevada to the frozen slopes of Alaska, she is drawn to the deeply wounded man. Soon she will discover that the ones who she trusts the most are the only ones keeping secrets, she is keeping secrets from herself as well. Will she uncover her memories? Does she really want to? 

Wow! What a story! Kerry Lonsdale has a talent for giving the reader a story that is more than what it seems. On the surface, Last Summer seems to be a story about memory loss and the journey to recover from trauma. However, this story twists and turns leaving the reader wondering what is real and who to trust. At first I was sympathetic toward Ella as she struggles with her memory loss; but as the story progressed that sympathy dwindled. She is torn between two men and I noticed a difference in the language used by Ella. She describes sex with Damien as f**king or mind blowing while sex with Nathan was described as wild or intense “lovemaking.” Very interesting choice of words. What man will she choose? Neither man is particularly likable so it was hard to cheer for either man. Last Summer is a story that keeps the reader guessing even if you don’t fully understand or agree with the characters’ motivations or choices. The book certainly didn’t end the way I thought it would. I highly recommend Last Summer. 

Last Summer is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.