I was not prepared to have my heart ripped from my chest like this...

If you are familiar with military service you know all about the 'The Last Letter'. A letter and a promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman, Beckett, to a family and a chance at a love that he never thought he deserved.

Beckett Gentry is stunned when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie hands him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Having grown up in foster homes after being abandoned by his mother, Beckett is wary of attachments—until he reads Ella’s letter. Ella, a single mother, lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she runs in Telluride, Colorado. Their correspondence begins, though Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos.

After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride at his friend's request, in his last letter. He bonds with the twins and falls deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett chooses not to disclose that he is Chaos. When Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, Beckett formally adopts the twins to support Ella and her children. As Beckett and Ella’s romance blossoms, questions are raised about the adoption, forcing Beckett to confront the truth about the letters from Chaos (AKA himself) and Ryan’s death, risking the loss of the family he loves.

Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences make them cautious about love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life, while Ella’s impulsive marriage to her high school boyfriend ended when he discovered she was pregnant. Their romance unfolds slowly with the letters they exchanged playing a pivotal role in their connection.

Rebecca’s writing is crisp and sharp, with poetic passages that avoid being extravagant. While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the bond between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere. His relationship with Colt already had me from the beginning and I was not prepared to have my heart ripped from my chest with that storyline. I still can't think about it without crying.

I hope all the talk of tears and sadness doesn’t deter anyone from reading this story. There's an abundance of hope and laughter in The Last Letter, and while the sad parts are impactful and harsh, so is the happiness. I love that, no matter what challenges they face, neither Beckett nor Ella ever give up. Their shared experience of loss makes their determination even more heartening and reassuring.

I can believe why this book made such an impactful mark and it will forever hold a very special place in my heart. It's an absolutely fantastic read—a heartbreaking yet realistic portrayal of romance, military life, and the unexpected trials life throws at you. I can't imagine a world without this story. I loved every minute of it and I am off to get as many of them as I can from Rebecca because apparently, I never learn.