This was slow and atmospheric. If you’re into that then you’ll like this. I like the way this author writes. I found myself highlighting a lot of the passages.

What a captivating read! I loved this author's previous novel, so I was so excited to dig into this one, and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed the duel time frames and all of the parts about their life in a cult. I had so many questions throughout the book, and I couldn't wait to get to the end and find out how it turned out. This author will definitely always be an automatic read for me!

I loved The Quiet Tenant, Clemence's debut, and I did think it would be a hard act to follow. Sadly this book doesn't quite live up to that first book.

It's an ok read following 2 people who escaped a cult together. It's set many years later, as they are staying in a holiday resort where a fellow guest is murdered. It explores their childhoods and what led them to the present day.

Although not as good as her first book I will certainly read her next book and see how she develops as a writer.

I had high hopes for this one. I really like her debut book “The Quiet Tenant” It kept me hooked til the end.

This one fell short unfortunately.

It was interesting but not enough that I had to finish it in one sitting. The twist wasn’t what I hoped for. In all honesty I’m not sure I’d even classify it as a twist.

What felt like a lack of suspense, thrill or shocking twists has me putting this as a 3.5 star read.

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for this arc opportunity.

Thank you Netgalley and Elliott and Thompson for the ARC.

Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recent years after a sudden, unspeakable tragedy. Now, at the luxe resort, they are ready to reconnect between dips in the pool and hikes on spectacular desert trails. It all feels like paradise—until the dead body of a beautiful young woman who was vacationing at the Ara with her powerful, much older husband is discovered.

When the local police arrive and suspicion quickly falls on Gabriel, Frida is forced to revisit memories from their upbringing in a cloistered cult in upstate New York, their dramatic escape, and the scandal that followed. Frida’s belief in Gabriel’s innocence never wavered at the time, but now even she can’t ignore the evidence mounting against him.

Alternating between past and present timelines, Our Last Resort builds toward a shattering climax that uncovers the fate of the murdered Ara guest and poses the question: how well do we ever really know those we love?Taut, gripping, and intense, Clémence Michallon’s latestsuspense novel is a nail-biter until the last page, cementing her status as a major new talent in the genre.

The concept of this story had me interested. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book. Very slow to me, I kept waiting for something interesting/exciting to happen. I attempted to read the authors previous book, but had the same thing happen. Perhaps this just isn't an author for me. 2.5 out of 5

This book by Clémence Michallon is the first one I've read by this author, I do have another one by her on my TBR.

Alas, this one was called "The last Resort" and will be released in the 7th of August.

The point of view in this book is from Frida, who has been raised in a cult and has found a "brother from another mother" in Gabriel, also living in the cult with leader émile.

The story is switching between now and then, so it'll tell you what they've endured in this cult, what made them decide to run away and how they have been faring since then. Now, Frida is in the finance sector and makes good money, whereas Gabriel has moved all the way to Seatle when he lost his wive 9 years prior. Brother and sister have lost contact over the years, so Frida is surprised when Gabriel wants to meet up to discuss them being involved in a documentary.

The Ara hotel, that's where they meet up. But soon after the meet, Frida notices how withdrawn Gabriel has gotten. They used to be so close. A couple of days in, they still haven't discussed the documentary and that's when it happens. A murder takes place on the grounds of the hotel. One of the guests has been murdered, the who dunnit was somewhat obvious (sorry)


When the suspect has been let go, Frida is beginning to question her brother, he has been withdrawn, sneaking around.. He can't have done it, now can he? In a bit of a fright, Frida decides to stay at an inn in town, but the next day.. All has gone to shit. When a newspaper with her picture and that of her brother has been published making them look like a good fit for this murder.

Obviously, a good set up.. But, how do they prove it and how do they get the evidence that's needed to point in the right direction?

I'm giving it a 3 star rating. I liked it but didn't love it, some of they bits in the story were a bit strange in my eyes.

I liked this book, I didn’t love it. This is a murder mystery about two people - Frida and Gabriel- that grew up in a cult and escaped as young adults. They are at a resort and a young woman ends up dead. There are mysteries about how they escaped their cultist upbringing ,, the murder itself, and his wife who died a few years earlier. He was suspected, but not charged with the crime.

The book has an interesting writing style, it is very simplistic. Very short, declarative sentences over and over. The ending was not a surprise, but it was a simple plot, and ultimately a satisfying ending. It is a quick read and I am sure I will forget this book quickly.

My favorite aspect of this book was the throwback to when they were in the cult, I actually wish they would’ve gone into more detail about their agency born cult leader Emile and What the beliefs of the cult were. It ended in a traumatic way, as many separatist cults do.

Thanks to NetGalley and Elliot and Thompson for the ARC. Book to be published August 7, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & thompson for the ARC!

I struggled with The Quiet Tenant and unfortunately I struggled with this one as well. I enjoyed the cult aspect and the back stories of the characters but had a hard time getting into it.

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & thompson for the ARC!
Our Last resort by Clémence Michallon will be published on Aug 7th. This is my first book by this author. I was intrigued since the previous book by this author is still to this day very high rated! Frida and Gabriel head to a remote luxury resort in Utah to reconnect after a shared tragedy, but their getaway turns chilling when a guest is found dead—and Gabriel becomes the prime suspect. As Frida confronts their dark past in a secretive cult, disturbing truths begin to surface. Told across past and present, this tense, twisty thriller asks: how well do we really know the ones we love?
First off, my ARC copy had some major formatting issues, which definitely made it harder to get into the story. But even beyond that, I just couldn’t connect—I found myself bored and waiting for something to really happen. Sadly, this one didn’t hit the mark for me, though I think it had potential.

🏜️ ARC BOOK REVIEW 🏜️

PUB Date : Aug 6th 2025

My rating - I liked it !

Calling all Cult book lover fans !

If you’re looking for a cult story that’s a bit different with a morally gray protagonist then look no further than Our Last Resort 👀

Frida and Gabriel grew up in a cult together and they fled to the outside world at a young age escaping their dark past.

They call themselves bother and sister even though they come from different parents , and they will do anything and I mean anything to protect one another!

The story bounces back and forth between past and present a lot and at times I found myself struggling to follow the narrator to know what she was referring too , so I think new thriller readers will struggle with this one .

Read this if you like :
🌵 Cult Stories
🌵 Morally Grey Characters
🌵 Dual timeline
🌵 Murder
🌵 secrets
🌵 implausible scenarios

When we find Gabriel and Frida in a resort at the Ara they are suspects in a crime …will they be put behind bars ? Will their past catch up with them or will they find the happiness they been searching for since leaving the cult compound 🤷🏻‍♀️ You need to read this one for yourself to find out .

Even though this book held my attention the whole way to the end , the ending fell flat for me so for that reason I’m not loving this one but it did keep me engaged!

Thanks NetGalley , Elliott & Thomson & Clemence Michallon for this ARC 🙌🏼

A pair of siblings raised in a cult and the lives they lead after. This felt a little rushed at the end, but was a good story with a good plot.

1.5⭐️
I really enjoyed The Quiet Tenant and was so excited to receive this ARC but this book wasn’t for me. I felt like there wasn’t much to the story and it dragged on. I didn’t find it very thrilling or had any twists. I also found it hard to connect with the characters. I believe many others would enjoy this book even though it wasn’t for me.

This novel following Frida and Gabriel, siblings who seek to reconnect at a luxurious hotel after a past trauma. Their attempt at reconciliation is shattered when a murder occurs, forcing them to confront a dark past involving a cult and their escape, while grappling with mounting evidence against Gabriel. The story unfolds in alternating timelines, revealing the complex dynamics of their relationship and the secrets they carry. 

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for the ARC.
Publication date : Aug 7, 2025

I liked more the chapters about their past, but it was a good story. It kept me guessing, and I'm going to keep reading books by Clémence Michallon for sure.

As a huge fan of The Quiet Tenant, this was one of my most anticipated summer reads. It didn’t disappoint! I was immediately captivated by Frida and Gabriel’s tragic backstories and the unique ways their lives were interwoven. The present day murder mystery at the resort was interesting to unravel and I enjoyed the character development of the “siblings” as more secrets from their past were unveiled. This will make a perfect beach read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️¾ (3.75/5)

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC copy of Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon. I was excited to dive into this one after loving The Quiet Tenant, and while I did enjoy it, I found it hard not to compare the two.

Our Last Resort is a well-written and compelling story. Its thoughtful character development and unique setting add depth to the narrative. Michallon’s writing is strong and does a great job exploring complex relationships and moral ambiguity.

That said, it was tough for this one to live up to the high bar set by The Quiet Tenant. The pacing and impact didn’t quite hit the same level for me, so my engagement ebbed at times. It’s a solid novel, overshadowed by her previous work.

I’ll definitely continue reading anything Clémence Michallon writes—her voice is sharp and distinct—but for me, this one lands at a 3.75.

Clémence Michallon’s The Last Resort is a gripping psychological thriller set in a desert resort where a murder investigation intertwines with the dark past of two siblings who once escaped a cult. With atmospheric writing and a compelling dual timeline, the novel explores trauma, loyalty, and buried secrets. While some pacing issues and predictable twists may lessen the tension, it remains a suspenseful and thought-provoking read, especially for fans of character-driven thrillers.

I’ve had the previous book by this author on my TBR list for a while as I’ve heard such positive things. This was a little harder to get stuck into than other books but i find that with other books about cult, the writing is next level though so looking forward to reading the quiet tenant! Thanks for early access

I really struggled to get into this book - it took me a while to become invested
It was enjoyable , the backstory was interesting and the writing very strong.

This book is amazing! I'm so thankful I was chosen to receive an advanced copy to review. This had me on the edge of my seat and I was neglecting the things I needed to do just to steal away a few moments to read a few more pages.

It's very rare with a dual timeline novel that I'm equally engrossed in both, but that happened with this one! This definitely should be made into a movie or series.

The cult aspect was very astonishing. Fans of Jessica Knoll's book Luckiest Girl Alive would really enjoy this book as it explores similar themes.

This was suspenseful and I never felt there was a dull moment.

I will 100% be reading more of her books- although this one will be hard to beat!

Clémence Michallon returns with Our Last Resort, a haunting and beautifully written psychological thriller that explores the lingering shadows of a chilling cult past. Set against a lush and almost dreamlike backdrop, this novel weaves together mystery, memory, and emotional survival with grace and intensity.

At the heart of the story is a complex and deeply human heroine—flawed, determined, and achingly relatable. Her journey is as much about uncovering a long-buried crime as it is about reclaiming her own identity and sense of belonging. Michallon masterfully blurs the lines between past and present, safety and danger, love and control.

The narrative unfolds with a slow, hypnotic burn, luring readers in with elegant prose and a quiet but persistent tension. Each twist feels earned and each revelation deepens the emotional stakes. It’s a story about what it means to survive—not just physically, but emotionally and morally—in the aftermath of trauma.

Themes of family, loyalty, and personal redemption are handled with subtlety and compassion, making this not only a compelling mystery but a profound character study. Fans of Michallon's debut will be thrilled by her continued brilliance; new readers will be hooked by her unique voice and narrative daring.

Our Last Resort is suspenseful, lyrical, and emotionally resonant—a perfect summer read that lingers long after the final page.