The Last Summer is a story about an upstairs / downstairs relationship between Clarissa and Tom Cuthbert. Clarissa first meets Tom when she is just seventeen years old and have a romance that isn’t what Clarissa’s mother wants. Throughout the novel, you live the affair that Clarissa and Tom carry out throughout their whole lives. Clarissa struggles through her life trying to please everyone else but herself and during this struggle she suffers; not only with her heart but physically as well. Overall I enjoyed this novel. I loved how the novel started off with Clarissa’s innocence and we got to watch her grow into a woman at the age of forty by the end of the book. The only downfall to this growth was that I felt it made the book drag on. It was always about her longing for Tom and wishing to be with him, and her struggle of being unable to do so. I did enjoy reading the times Clarissa was with Tom. I also did enjoy her relationship with Antonio. I believe that was when Clarissa was truly allowed to be herself. She stopped caring what her mother wished, and it was nice to see that finally come out. Such a shame it happened much later in the book. Antonio was the perfect person at the perfect time for her. I loved how Judith writes and describes things. It has been a long time since I’ve wanted to sit with a blank notebook next to me while reading to copy down quotes or passages that I enjoyed. The Last Summer was full of them. My favorite was this "No, there's nothing to be afraid of, other than the stars, the universe, and the sense of being infinitesimal."Overall, this book was enjoyable. Definite recommend to those who like historical fiction or Downton Abbey. Tom Cuthbert is a romantic amazing guy who is foolishly in love with Clarissa Granville Spoilers * - Seriously what an annoying story. Imagine this book told from Tom's point of view. The Girl he loves promises her body and self to him, but while he is fighting to stay alive during the war she marries another man ... to keep his spirits up and to please her mom.... - He sees her on and off again for what feels like an eternity where she never mentions ANYTHING to him. She has tons of opportunities to say tell him about their love baby or about the fact that her husband beats her and is cruel.... nope she stays aloof and friendly while having a few secret trysts with him to keep him hooked. Then she agrees to meet him in his hotel before he goes back to America, but never shows. When she has a chance to explain why she left him waiting, probably with his heart breaking once again, she only says it was impossible. doesn't mention anything about her husband locking her in her room or that she had planned to run away with him. Instead, she decides to just stay with her evil husband because what would her mom say... Then, when she FINALLY leaves her husband does she go running to her lifelong love??? Of course not.. Instead, she hooks up with some older art guy and once again breaks Tom heart as he sees her with yet another man. He is with her godmother trying to learn how to win over her mom and all Clarissa does is accuse him of sleeping with her, which he has every right to do since she is sleeping with another man. They finally get together after he gets her moms permission and she decides she might as well finally talk to him.
Do You like book Un Verano Que Nunca Volverá (2000)?
One of those books you can't put down and you don't want to end!
—faithilyn82
This story takes place in the Downton Abbey era.
—nikkirivera
