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Can you really fall in love while stranded on an island after a plane crash, waiting to be rescued? In The Last Man on Earth by Shae Sanders, a mature flight attendant named Ariana and a cocky rapper called Villain do just that, changing their lives in ways they never expected.
I finished this survival romance a few weeks ago. It’s not my favorite book of the year (so far), but I thought it was a decent read, and it’s in my top 8. The two main characters come from very different backgrounds and meet on a private jet. Ariana is a 37-year-old in-flight concierge who is independent, smart, and doesn’t put up with nonsense. She stands her ground, which helps when Villain and his entourage act rudely, except for his female photographer.
Ariana had a new boyfriend and wasn’t interested in anything Villain or his crew were trying to offer.
Villain is 27, has a child, and a fiancée he doesn’t want to marry. He and his crew are headed to his bachelor party in Brazil, but their jet crashes on a remote island, leaving only two survivors. The photographer survived for a few days but eventually passed away from her injuries.
For months, Villain was, in a way, the last man on earth.
Villain and Ariana work together to survive and gradually put aside their differences. As weeks pass with no rescue in sight, they get used to their new reality. They grow closer, lower their defenses, and Ariana becomes pregnant. When they are finally rescued months later, they must adjust to their new lives and face the one they left behind. Things cannot go back to how they were before, but they do not want them to. Despite the trauma, both found true love.
This book is meant for mature readers and has scenes that aren’t suitable for younger audiences. I recommend The Last Man on Earth if you want a romance that’s a bit different from the usual. It’s about 448 pages in print and is available on Kindle.
Final thoughts on the main characters and the story
I love that Villain matured as the story went on. He shed his rapper image and went into protector mode on the island to guard Ariana from harm (animals on the hunt). I wish there was more of their lives off the island (after rescue) and that Ariana hadn’t gotten pregnant. I felt like the latter was a bit unnecessary; the two could’ve fallen in love and chosen each other without being tied in that way.
Header image credit: Amazon/Podium Publishing
