Sunday, August 7, 2022

Review: The Last Way Home by Liz Johnson

Series: Prince Edward Island Shores #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Revell
Released: Aug. 2, 2022
368 pages
About the Book:

When Eli Ross left Prince Edward Island to join the NHL, he left a broken family behind. More than a decade later, he's broke and headed home to an uncertain welcome. He wants to make things right with the family he wronged, but his mom's business partner isn't making it easy. To top it off, the coaching job he's accepted turns out to be far more difficult than he anticipated.

For years, Violet Donaghy has put everything she had into making Eli's mom's ceramics shop a success, and she's not eager to forgive the man who hurt the family that's taken her in as one of their own. But when the kiln at the shop starts a fire that nearly destroys the studio, she'll need all the help she can get to save the business and their summer income.

Can these two strong-willed people come together to mend the broken pieces of the Ross family? Or will the ghosts of the past continue to haunt them?


My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Eli has returned home after leaving 11 years ago without a goodbye. He has hit rock bottom, kicked out of the NHL, homeless and broke. He does not want anyone to find out what happened with his career but wants to make amends with his family for his past mistakes. He arrives in town just as his mom’s shop has a fire. His mom welcomes him back with open arms. He makes it his mission to assist Violet, his mom’s business partner and mentee, with getting the shop ready to reopen while his mom is recovering from her injuries. Violet had never met Eli, only heard about him, as she arrived in town shortly after he left. Violet arrived in town with some secrets of her own and during the 10 years she has known the Ross family they have become like family to her. Due to Eli’s long absence, she has formed some strong opinions about him. Both Eli and Violet and trying to keep their secrets to themselves but eventually they share them with one another and realize they can help each other carry the load. Eli is desperate for money and ends up taking a job as a coach for a girl’s bantam hockey team, but because it is a girl’s team he enlists Violet’s help. I loved the scenes with hockey team they might only be 13 & 14 year old’s but they teach Eli some lessons and he discovers he actually enjoys coaching. While on a search for an item for the shop Eli and Violet interact with some characters from another series written by Ms. Johnson. I have read this other series, so it was fun to have this crossover and catch up with those characters briefly. (You do not need to know that series to enjoy these scenes though). This was an interesting story that took some turns I wasn’t expecting and keep me intrigued. Would Eli get out of the mess he was in? Can Violet find peace with her past? I loved the way the story unfolded at the end and the message that God can use our brokenness to make someone beautiful. There is a strong message of forgiveness and love. Eli’s mom loved him unconditionally and forgave him immediately for his mistakes. Eli had to learn to forgive himself and ask others for help rather than trying to carry the burden alone. 

Favourite Quotes: 
“Forgiveness is sweet because none of us deserve it.”

“God doesn't always fix what's shattered. But He can make something new and beautiful out of what's been broken.”

(I recieved an ARC of this book from Revell through NetGalley; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

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