They say, write what you know.
This is evident in Emma Grey’s beautiful novel, The Last Love Note. It’s the story of Kate, a thirty-something woman who is married to her soul mate, Cam, a young English professor who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
This story begins several years after Cam has passed, then flits back and forth, giving us glimpses of a happy marriage, Cam’s diagnosis, and a Romance which is unfolding in the present.
The author’s own husband died of a heart attack, and the scenes which deal with grief really speak from the heart.
The chapters which deal with Cam’s demise also hit hard.
So much so I was really surprised Ms Grey’s own husband didn’t have Alzheimer’s. It seemed she was writing from experience. This is also true for some of the romance scenes. The author is single so these were pure fabrication as she points out in the Acknowledgements, yet a lot of it seemed personal.
As I read, I would often get annoyed at a sudden narrative time shift, but I quickly settled in to each new scene, investing in whatever part of the tale was being told.
This novel is also a lesson on how to begin a story.
It quickly introduces characters with comedy, letting us know Kate is a widow as her toddler son finds an old WWII hand grenade. Soon, more of the cast appear to deal with the unexploded weapon, including Kate’s boss Hugh. He became a close friend to Cam through Kate.
Romantic elements take over towards the end and although there is intensity when these elements are weaved in earlier, the last chapters have a Rom-Com ‘edge of your seat’ feel.
This is a book I can’t forget.
Four and a half stars.
kevin klehr 