The Last Letter

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• The Last Letter is a romance novel, and genre conventions presuppose that the story has a “happily ever after” ending. While the love story does end happily, the ending of the novel is not entirely a happy one. What are your thoughts on this?
• Since The Last Letter falls into the sub-genre of military romance, how does it differ in tone, themes, and ease of reading from other sub-genres of romance novels?
• While the story is largely chronological, the letters between Ella and Chaos are presented non-linearly. How did this affect your reading of the story? Do you think your perception of characters and events might have differed without this?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Ryan is Beckett’s closest friend in the world, and their bond is forged by shared experiences in the military, among others things. Reflect on your closest friendships—what are the common things that bind you?
• Despite Beckett’s dishonesty and Ella’s own severe trust issues, she does come to trust him again eventually, and their lives jointly benefit from their repaired relationship.