The Last Guy on Earth | Sarina Bowen

After meeting Coach Clayton Powers in the previous books in this series I was so excited to get his book.  But I could never imagine the ride that Bowen was taking us on. Coach Powers is the  youngest coach in the league and very well respected amongst the league and his players.  It is clear after reading this series that Clay loves to coach, so I really appreciate that the focus was not on Clay’s NHL career that didn’t last, but his accolades as a coach. Clay definitely has a giant heart and cares about people in his life. Clay leads his team with kindness but is still able to make ruthless decisions based on what is best for the team. However, Clay is also very guarded, doesn’t let many people in and is hiding a big secret. 

Jethro Hale is one of the best goalies in the league, playing most of his career in his hometown.  When he is unexpectedly traded to say he is unhappy is a huge understatement.  I cannot imagine how hard that would be to mentally handle that along with all of the other logistic things that need to happen with a sudden move. And then to come face to face with your past….that isn’t so happy to see  you.  Jethro also has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders outside of playing hockey, and really always has. His behavior is so indicative of someone that takes on so much responsibility where he is afraid of letting go and doing things for himself. Flashbacks in books like these are very necessary and give us a look into how the characters’ past impacts the present. Flashbacks need to be written well, and tell a story within a story and that is a difficult task, but Bowen nailed them in this book.  We really were able to understand Jethro and Clay, with a little hindsight, age, and maturity. As well as how the past hurts cloud people’s ability to see how much people may have changed.
With Clay and Jethro’s past a mystery to those around them they start to slowly build back trust and a friendship. I really love how it seemed that Jethro was putting himself out there and not only showing but telling Clay what he means to him. Sometimes in second chance romances the characters can get really stuck in the past, but I didn’t feel that way with these two. But the hurdles that Jethro and Clay navigated to be together seemed insurmountable….I truly do not want to spoil any part of this book for anyone because the journey that Jethro and Clay take is one that needs to be read!   It is really that good.  It has been a good week since I wrapped this book up and wanted to give their story time to sink in, and truly I think about these two characters almost daily. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.