Amelia Wilde concludes Daphne Morelli and Emerson LeBlanc's story in Last Resort and it has been an incredible, heartbreaking, and exhilarating journey from start to finish. Although many may find Emerson to be her most "controversial" hero, I thought he was Amelia’s most fascinating, unique, and broken. The love and obsession he had for Daphne was all-encompassing, dark, poetic, and even romantic. There is no denying that Daphne and Emerson are two sides of the same coin and that there is simply no Emerson without Daphne—they are each other's soulmates. Just like how Daphne is Emerson's most precious piece of art, he is her most beloved canvas. I also loved how the ocean was this omniscient character that symbolized and played a part in their relationship throughout the entire book. It was especially poignant considering that Daphne loved drawing the ocean and Emerson loved the ocean because it freed him from his past and anxiety."The ocean is how I found him… My work is the ocean. It will always be wrapped up in the ocean, just like my heart will always be wrapped up in him. Forever."Following the events in Sweet Mercy, Daphne and Emerson are separated. Leo Morelli, Daphne's older brother, has brought her back to his home only for both of them to realize that Daphne has changed. Without Emerson in her life, Daphne feels lost and incomplete. The same can be said about Emerson who completely breaks down without her in his life. Thankfully, this separation did not lost long but the inevitable confrontation between Emerson and Leo was intense, heartbreaking, and dramatic. Nevertheless, it also provided a sense of finality as well. There were consequences to Emerson's actions and he was ready to say goodbye to Daphne. This act of selflessness, one where he was willing to let his hummingbird go and free herself from him, redeemed Emerson in my eyes despite the fact that I never faulted him for taking Daphne in the first place. It may have been difficult between them at first, but he was completely enamored with her and wanted to obtain her no matter what. However, this doesn't mean that all could be forgiven considering Emerson still has to face Daphne's family.
"My little painter. She is not art. Or—she is more than art. More than an obsession. She's everything. Breathing, living love."In the end, I truly enjoyed Daphne and Emerson's story because it was so poetically beautiful and romantic in my eyes. While their story may be unconventional, the love, lust, and understanding that they had for each other was always prevalent throughout the trilogy. As for that controversial scene that everybody seems to fault Amelia Wilde for in Sweet Mercy, I do want to say that there was a reason behind it and the author does a spectacular job explaining it in this book. Besides trying to prove a point, Emerson was trying distance himself from Daphne only for it to backfire on him because he was already in love with her. Daphne and Emerson's romance was so much more than I thought it would be. I never expected it to turn out the way it did and I couldn't be more than happier about it. This trilogy has solidified my love for her writing because it had everything I wanted and more—angst, heartbreak, drama, and an obsessive love. Fans of Amelia Wilde's writing will absolutely love this trilogy as well as those who love reading about the broken and tortured hero who simply cannot live without his sweet and lovely heroine.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*
Rating: ★★★★★
