Warning: Grab some tissues, a bottle of vodka, buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Charles has done it again with The Last Hour. It was incredible, moving, powerful, emotional, heart breaking. I don't know how he does it, but every novel of his that I have read he manages to pull all kinds of emotions out of me and really make me feel my read. I love every second of it.
For those of you that have read Just Remember to Breathe you will remember Carrie and Ray, we were introduced to them briefly and I for one loved them. Carrie came across as the girl in her family to hold everybody together, to be there for everyone, to play the role as mother when their own was less than capable. And Ray? Ah he was just.. wonderful. We didn't know a lot about him but him and Carrie together? Beautiful. And I wanted to know more.
For those of you that haven't previously read any of Charles' Thompson Sister series, that's okay, you can still read The Last Hour without worrying about who the characters are. There is plenty of opportunity to get to know Carrie and Ray, as well as other members of Carrie's family.
The book quite literally starts off with a BANG - a car accident involving Ray, Carrie, and Carrie's two younger twin sisters Jessica and Sarah. What follows this event is some of the most heartwrenching, scary, emotional scenes I have ever read. Charles has the ability to make you feel as though you are there with them living all the good, the bad, and the ugly moments. By the end of the book I felt as though Carrie and the gang were my own friends, my own family and I'm sure they will all forever be a part of me.
"I'm waiting for you, soldier."
As well as the accident, Charles has expertly weaved in
stories from the past. Carrie and Ray have only been together 9 months
but in that time they have managed to do and go through so much. Ranging
from Ray dealing with troubles that have followed him back from war to
Carrie dealing with a jealous colleague who is set out to destroy all
that she has worked so hard to achieve. Even going through all these
issues, they have always had each other.
"We'll get through it together"
This sentence is regularly used throughout and it couldn't be
more appropriate. They have one of the strongest relationships I've ever
read about it and it is so obvious how much they love and care for each
other.
"You can't call me babe anymore. It's Doctor Babe to you."
I'm not going to lie, this book was hard. Really
freaking hard. From the blurb and comments Charles has recently made
about this book you can guess it is going to be a lot different to the
first two in the series and he wasn't lying. It is very different, but
I'm also going to put it out there that this is the best book I've read
by Charles, and easily one of my favourites this year. I love a book
that can make me feel all the emotions of the characters and feel as if I
am right there living their traumas with them and that is exactly what
happened with The Last Hour.
"At that moment, looking in Ray's eyes, I was as happy as I've ever been in my life."
The Last Hour has a running theme centred around
choices. From having the ability to make a choice, to having no say at
all and dealing with the repercussions of that. And even going as far as
having to make a choice that is ultimately the right one but will still
destroy lives in the process. Decision making isn't an easy thing in
life and this book goes to show that. Sometimes when you do have the
ability to make that choice, it may just be the most courageous/heroic
thing you could ever do.
"Sometimes you have to make choices, and they're imperfect, but they're the only choices you can make and live with yourself."
If I could, I would give The Last Hour 10 stars and more. It was incredible.
Please, please, please go one-click it as soon as it's live, I
guarantee you won't regret it. I know this book will stay with me
forever and that is one sign of a truly amazing author.
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