THE LAST LOVE SONG

A recent high school graduate navigates love and the music world as she discovers the true story of her deceased mother.

Grams and Nana, her grandmothers, give Mia Peters an old letter from her mom, noted country singer Tori Rose Peters. Tori Rose, who was the pride of their small town of Sunset Cove, Oregon, died when Mia was young. The letter leads Mia on the scavenger hunt her mom set up for her to discover her missing diary pages and learn the truth about the woman behind the music, including the identity of Mia’s father. Although Mia shares her mom’s passion for music, she can’t imagine abandoning her grandmothers like her mother did, even though her best friend, Britt Garcia (who’s sometimes more than a friend), is leaving for Nashville and wants Mia to come along. In narratives that alternate between Mia’s present and Tori’s past, the young women find love and their voices. With song lyrics interspersed between lush, poetic prose, the novel maintains a strong sense of musicality even when the plot sometimes drags. Suspension of disbelief is required for readers to buy into the scavenger hunt, which all works too easily, but for those willing to go along for the ride and embrace the fun and drama of it all, it’s an emotionally satisfying journey of self-discovery filled with romance and friendship. Mia and Tori are white; Britt is Colombian American.

An appealing, lyrical, and romantic coming-of-age story.