The Last Kiss

It takes true talent to so quickly provoke such strong feelings from me for two characters right from the beginning of a book. Their love is so pure, and their story brought tears to my eyes several times. They have very different personalities, but they fit together perfectly, and I love them both so much.

Such a great WWI-era historical romance and just a great romance overall - with a HEA! I was impressed with the writing from the first chapter and didn't want to put it down. This is great for those who like some tragedy and angst in their romance without having to worry about the dissatisfaction of it not ending well.
I only wish it had a better cover design because that made me hesitant at first, but it had a barrage of 5-star reviews so I didn't let the cover deter me and for that I'm very glad (the cover and title are more reminiscent of something with vampires for whatever reason). And also, because Dalton is a known-to-me first name (I have a cousin), the alternating of calling him Ash, Ashleigh, or Dalton was a bit confusing at times when I'd forget his last name was thus.

Overall, definitely a recommendation and one of my favourite historical novels I've read to date.

*Review written during the COVID-19 pandemic, I make no claims to being rational or coherent.

3.5 stars. Can we all just agree that the true hero of this book is asexual, aromantic Olive? Oh, I suppose Harry and Ash are very sympathetic characters. They barely survived The Great War only to find that the England they fought for wants everything to go back just the way it was, never mind all the veterans wandering around with physical and emotional injuries that may never heal. I truly felt for them as they pined for each other despite the class differences and the threat of scandal and prison if their feelings were discovered. Ash is a gentle, honorable and overly sensitive man who, as Harry says is “lacking a few layers of skin,” while Harry is loyal, loving and self-sacrificing. But they are strangely passive, accepting society's limitations without questioning them.

But Olive actually gets things done. They never would have their HEA without her. Here's her response when Ash tries to console her.

“Don't give up, Olive. Who knows what the next few years will bring?”
Fixing him with a hard look she said, “Nothing. They'll bring nothing, Ashleigh. The men who run the world want to keep it for themselves, so the only way to get what we want is to take it. Bugger the rules and bugger the men who make them.”

and her medical studies

The Last Kiss