Sandy M’s review of The Last Man on Earth by Raine Weaver
Contemporary Romance released by Samhain 1 Apr 08

After reading the summary about this book again, I know why I wanted to read it. I thought to myself that an author could have fun with this premise, give a reader a little something different than the same tired, old story. That’s what I was hoping for. It’s not even close to what I got.

The characters in the book are likeable enough – when they’re not sniping at each other and vacillating between he loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, he loves me not. Russell and Iris have been friends for quite some time, both half in love with each other since those early years. He at least admits that to himself while she doesn’t realize it until she sees him in buff and then she gets a whole new look at their relationship, or at least how she’d like to now view it. Iris starts out the agressor, surprising old Russ big time. But after the usual interruptions so we don’t get the sex too soon in the book, she suddenly begins to question her feelings, his feelings, the universe, whatever. Just go for it, girl! Nope, she didn’t.

And Russell is really no better at it. He’s never had a way with words to begin with, so even though he has a whole night of seduction planned, he reverts to his tongue-tied ways after the first aborted go-round of pleasure. That’s when the vacilation starts. Heck, I got dizzy it went back and forth so many darned times. With no resolution. Any. Time. Soon.

And while all of this is going on inside, the world has gone crazy outside, or so they think. The weather definitly has let loose, I’ll give’em that. But they’ve gotten in their heads from brief glimpses on the TV that something terrible has happened to civilization as they know it – and then the power goes out. They can’t do a thing to find out what is going on because of the storm raging around them. The things that happen in that house for the next two days felt contrived. I know the author was going for suspense, trying to build the fear, the uncertainty, the unknown. Just didn’t turn out that way. It was way too gimicky, actually.

In fact, nothing worked in this book for me until near the end when Russ and Iris started being true to one another and themselves about their feelings. There was a couple of really nice spots there, but not enough to save the whole darned thing. It was just way too late.

Grade: D-

Read ShannonC’s review here.

Summary:

This is NOT a test…

Iris Foley and Russell Carr are old friends who share everything. As they indulge in a marathon viewing of old, campy horror films on a stormy Halloween night, they are suddenly faced with the very real possibility that something has happened to the outside world.

Just as the last gasp of the Emergency Broadcast System issues a dire warning, they are plunged into isolation and darkness. Naturally, they decide to do what any frightened, civic-minded young couple would do.

They decide to have sex.

Now if only old fears, a surprise adversary, and the Apocalypse wouldn’t keep getting in their way…

Read an excerpt here.