TWO CENT REVIEW: The Last Day of Summer by JF Smith

Title: The Last Day of Summer 
Author: JF Smith

Grade:  A+

Review: I loved this book!  I should mention that I loved everything I've ever read by this author so no one should be surprised. I am going to try not to gush like a fan-girl, but I can't promise anything.

This is a sequel to Falling Off the Face of the Earth featuring Cory, Jerry & Carrie Ann's son and his new love interest Rhett. James (now Jimmy), Brick & Lindsey make appearances as well. 

Rhett is flawed and funny. He's faced a lot of hurt in his life from his family particularly his father but he also does an equal amount to himself. Cory is sweet, gentle and unjaded. There's just enough realism, humor and romance to make the book swoon worthy.  The exploration of what it means to be a man is central to Rhett's evolution throughout the book and is insightful; Rhett's revelations about his father at the end more than make up for the occasionally heavy handedness of the topic.

FYI: This isn't erotica.  There are sexy sexual situations and graphic language, but it does so without tab A, slot B descriptions of the actual acts. They are not missed at all.

I admit that the book isn't flawless.  There are some baseball things that aren't quite right particularly in how relief pitching works and the pitchers weren't portrayed as certifiably crazy which they are in real life for the most part.  It would have made more sense for Skunk to be a closer than an outfielder.

Val wasn't my favorite character.. She was outrageous alright, but she didn't have any of the softness underneath like Petey from Latakia or Jerry from Falling.  She was just out there. Her criticisms of Rhett's behavior never felt like they were coming from a loving friend.  She was more like an obnoxious know-it-all than that.

Also, I never really got why Jimmy offered Rhett the money even if he was trying to make a point.  If you haven't read Falling, you won't understand Jimmy's so protective of Cory but even so Jimmy's motivations are never fully explained here.

Overall, The Last Day of Summer is as amazing as I've come to expect from JF Smith. This one will go into my favorites folder and will be re-read.  That is pretty much the highest compliment I can give any book.