The Lives of John Lennon released to the public. Lennon's widow Yoko Ono threatened to sue for libel, claiming the book made her briefly consider suicide, but never pursued any legal action, later explaining that she wanted to maintain a positive attitude and that her lawyers had advised her a civil action would only draw more attention to the book. Lennon's first wife Cynthia Lennon denounced the book, stating "Every single person was annihilated. My mother was called a bulldog and a domineering woman, which was nothing—"nothing"—like my mother. And he called "me" a spaniel. I thought, I'd rather be a spaniel than a Rottweiler,
The First Part Last the novel's protagonist deals with “disappointed parents and fierce love for his baby. "The First Part Last" received mostly positive reviews. The Nell Beram said that “Johnson has a unique storytelling strategy." Another author from Publishers Weekly discussed how Bobby's descriptions of Nia conveys to people what a “loving and trustworthy father he promises to be.” However, not all reviews from Publishers Weekly were positive; the author also said, “the only misstep is a chapter from Nia’s point of view which takes readers out of Bobby’s capable hands.” Kirkus Reviews stated "By narrating from a realistic first-person voice, Johnson manages