The Girl in a Cafe

Let me begin by saying that Last Summer is not your average summer read. And it’s not YA either, so don’t expect any fluffiness. There’s a small warning attached here – Last Summer deals heavily with issues such a drugs and using, contains strong language and sexual situations including explicit sex and a near rape scene. For mature audiences only, rated 17+. Last Summer is a raw and emotional read about a girl trying to come to terms with her parents’ divorce and her place in life, and a boy coming clean with an addiction problem. It’s about how two people from two separate worlds come together to help heal wounds and broken hearts. And really, it was a powerful read.Told from both the perspective of Logan and Chloe, here is a novel where dual perspectives work. I’m not a fan of it, but Rebecca has managed to weave the plot between the two so brilliantly that if it were told from one or the other, the overall effect would be completely lost.Chloe and Logan are going through some tough crap. It’s shocking to think that this is the life some kids have to actually deal with, and it’s heartbreaking really. But that’s what really stood out for me the most. No matter what crap is thrown their way, the pair tries their hardest to pull through. And the road is never easy, but their sheer determination is what captured me here.I had real sympathy for the characters. With everything that was going on in Chloe’s life – her father’s cheating, her mother’s alcoholism, Chloe could have turned out to be either a really bratty, annoying girl or a complete wuss. But Rebecca effortlessly made her a warrior, and through the entire novel I felt myself internally cheering her on, pom poms and all. As for Logan, most of the time I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay. I think out of all of it, I loved Logan the most. There was that irrational fear there of his family not accepting him anymore after one argument gets him tossed out of the house. His pride interferes with making amends, but thanks to Chloe he’s able to come clean and push that pride away. And of course coming off drugs is not an easy thing to do.If you are looking for a poignant, soul wrenchingly beautiful read this year, then make sure you check out Last Summer. Trust me when I say that you won’t be disappointed. A wonderfully crafted novel that isn’t overdone, Last Summer is definitely one of my favourite contemporaries this year.