This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library collection on preorder and will recommend it to students.

I really enjoyed Lucinda as out main character and her relationship dynamic with David. Overall, this was a cute, fun historical YA romance.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So behind on my reading—trying to catch up a little on vacation. Read THE LAST WORD in a single day! This is such a fun, feminist historical fiction story. Definitely add it to your TBR if you haven’t picked it up yet.

The writing isn't strong enough to keep the reader's trust, characters are too formulaic. A premise that promises excitement but not solid enough to deliver.

It is the year 1861, and Lucinda Leavitt is a young woman who lives with her father in London. Lucinda loves reading and it is her dream though to work in her father's countinghouse office. But during that time period, ladies like Lucinda where sent to finishing school to learn proper etiquette and then where meant to find a suitable husband.
Lucinda is shocked when she finds out the author of her favorite serial novel has died before she completed the series. She wants to know how it ends, and altough it is a little far-fetched, with the help of her father's business partner David Randall, she starts the search of the author's whereabouts before she passed away.

Together, also with Lucinda's chaperone lady, they travel through England to learn more about the author and her whereabouts, but it seems that this part of the story is pushed a bit too the back because during their time together, David starts to like Lucinda more and more then he already did, but they have to wait till the end to really make it work, but it seems then it is too late, because a terrible fire destroys Lucinda's father countinghouse in London, and when Lucinda tries to save her father and important documents, her life is in terrible danger..will everything work out for Lucinda and David in the end??

I totally didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, and then this book totally surprised me! The storyline is really really strong and also very good and original.Lucinda lives in Victorian times London, with it's particular rules and regulations on how girls and young ladies should act and what society expects of their lives. Not for Lucinda. Lucinda is quite a rebel that doesn't want what society expects her to become.
The romance between Lucinda and David was just so cute, it was totally in the Victorian style, there where no dropped handkerciefs though, but it was just as cute and sweet. Their search for the whereabout of the author was entertaining, altough a little thin at some points, they do meet a few new friends there which was nice.
So all together, this is a very good and entertaining historical yound adult book with a strong storyline full of twists, turns and romance, and I definately recommend reading it!

This YA version of a Victorian romance features a progressive young woman, Lucinda, who refuses to be constrained by society’s limitations on women (in both her work and personal life). She has to also fight against the classism that prevents her from being accepted by the aristocracy because her parents were lowborn, even if her father did rise from street sweeper to wealthy financier. David, the son of her father’s business partner, took his father’s place after his death. As he and Lucinda become reacquainted after she leaves finishing school, their mutual respect and affection grow, and he gives her the opportunity to be part of the company without her father’s knowledge (since he holds traditional views of young women). The strengths and weaknesses in this book balance each other out, leaving us with a just so-so read. Given the interests of today’s teens, I think this would struggle to find an audience.

Pros: feminism; Lucinda’s friendship with the American Persephone Merritt; the equal partnership (both personal and professional) with David; Lucinda’s refusal to be metaphorically caged by society and the literal burns inflicted on her by the crinoline case, a fashion she later discards in favor of bloomers. “You think I should wear bloomers?” “I thought you no longer wished to be caged.” “I don’t.” “Then stop caring what other people think. That’s the greatest cage of all,” Persephone said.”

Cons: surface treatment of classism that seems almost disingenuous; Persephone’s ignorance of the peerage (which would have been drilled into her before arriving in London); comment about David regretting risking his life to rescue the papers from the fire when it was that action that saved Lucinda and her father (“he felt bitter regret that he had nearly risked his life for a few signatures that had not even been at his countinghouse to begin with”); repetitive mention of Mrs. Patton’s narcolepsy; misuse of me, myself, and I at least twice (may be corrected in final publication); historical inaccuracy about a dinner party (there is a strict order of entry based on rank and choosing your dinner companion wasn’t done).

This was such a cute story. At first I thought it would center solely around Lucinda finding the author of the story, but I was pleasantly surprised that it turned into a story filled with romance, independence, and girl power! Lucinda is constantly trying to break out of society's mold and do what she loves to do. Her dream is to work in her father's accounting business. David, her father's partner, acknowledges her determination and overall smarts for the job, and I loved how supportive he was throughout the story. Overall, this was a great read!

Reminiscent of Jane Austen, THE LAST WORD combines neoclassicism and romanticism along with a healthy dose of humor and wit to bring Lucinda’s and David’s story to life. The two are childhood friends who meet again after a four-year separation to find the other both the same and yet infinitely different than the person they remember. Throw in a big misunderstanding and a young woman ahead of her time, constricted by the customs of 19th century England, and sparks fly higher than between Emma and Knightley or Elizabeth and Darcy, but with the underlying warmth of Elinor and Edward. The two dance around a mutual attraction while Lucinda fights against society’s dictates for her. Fresh out of finishing school, she wants nothing to do with being a proper lady, but rather to use the brain that God gave her to work in her father’s counting house. A natural talent with numbers, she helped him when she was younger but now is expected to do needlepoint instead of auditing.

If there’s anything Lucinda hates more than sitting around and waiting for someone to call on her, I don’t know what it is. Not having been born to a high-class family, her social standing comes from the wealth her father has amassed. His goal is to marry her to a man of higher social standing. Lucinda has less than zero interest in that plan. She managed to get through the long boring hours by reading. But her favorite author died before finishing her last novel, leaving Lucinda desperate to find out how it ends, as if her own ending will somehow reveal itself in those final pages. With the help of her father’s business partner and her longtime friend, David, she sets out to find anyone who may know how the story ends. But the more they dig, the more she’s left wondering, before a tragedy forces both of them to reevaluate what really matters. And what doesn’t.

Plot
The main plot focuses on the budding romance between Lucinda and David, but Lucinda’s desires to work in business and find out the ending of her beloved novel are strong subplots that drive most of the action. The conflict derives for the social norms of the time, status and who is allowed to associate with whom. Women’s options and their carefully guarded reputations only further bind Lucinda in a world she finds too restrictive. Her father withdrew into himself after her mother’s death years before and their strained relationship underlies everything. The author does a phenomenal job of keeping the reader in Victorian England through scene setting, language, fashion, and customs. There is both a whimsical and sweeping cinematic feel to the places Hastings sets her characters in, drawing the reader right along with them.

Characters
If you love any of Jane Austen’s characters, you will love these! From the narcoleptic Mrs. Patton to the eccentric woman in the half-built estate they visit in their quest, the characters are a delight. Lucinda is utterly relatable as a young woman who wants so much more from life than the world wishes to allow her and David is a man after my own heart, both seeing Lucinda as an equal, and treating her with that respect. The American girl, Persephone, who befriends Lucinda, is a delightful, although often inappropriate, breath of fresh air.

What I Loved About THE LAST WORD
1. Everything. Seriously, the entire book was just amazing. It was a joy to read.

2. Lucinda. I love that she’s independent and strong and refuses to be confined by rules of society.

3. David. He is also a man ahead of his time with his ability to see Lucinda as more than just an accessory.

4. Language. I love the way they speak and the words the author chooses to tell the story as if it were written as a contemporary in 1861.

5. Romance. It isn’t angsty or intense, even though Lucinda and David are both teens, but it’s perfect for the time.

Bottom Line
A stunning coming of age story in a time long gone with amazing characters and beautiful storytelling.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was loads of fun. It's super fast paced, told mostly in dialogue with a tight group of characters that leap through dances, teas, carriage rides, and house parties while falling in love and finding their places in society. There's just enough family drama and societal conflict to flesh out the world, while the narrative focuses tightly on the romance between its two protagonists. Lucy is a modern heroine in a period setting and I think readers will enjoy seeing how she navigates her world and finds fulfillment both in and out of her romance. The literary references are laid in lightly, a fun bonus for anyone who catches them, but they work well as texture for anyone not well versed in 19th century literature. This is a book more about feeling than about knowing stuff. The search for information about an unfinished book provides the motivation to get the lovers together on their journey toward each other. If you like long held glances, almost kisses, and characters who play at love until they feel it for real, you'll thoroughly enjoy this!

I adored The Last Word! Lucinda was such a vibrant and fun character that had me laughing at some of the charming things that she did. I loved her witty dialogue and the way she was able to interject herself in situations that women weren’t allowed to be in at that time. The Last Word is absolutely delightful and I can’t wait to read more by Ms. Hastings.

Lucinda and David were childhood friends, but they had a falling out and haven’t seen each other for four years. Now, Lucinda asks for his help to discover the ending of her favorite serial romance after the author’s sudden passing. Under the not-so-watchful eye of Lucinda’s chaperone, they set out to discover the fate of the main character. Will Lucinda discover the end of Eurydice’s story? And what about her own story? Will Lucinda get her happily-ever-after? Is that even what she wants?

The story is told from the points-of-view of Lucinda and David, so we get to see things from both the female and male perspectives in a time when women were to be seen but not heard. Lucinda is a modern woman for her time, with a love of numbers, a desire to work for her father’s accounting firm, and a disdain for social conventions and marriage. This book has all the right ingredients: a strong and intelligent female lead, a handsome and supportive male lead, a story within a story, events taken from history, and the inclusion of women’s rights issues. Unfortunately, it fails in the execution. The main flaw is that the author tells us too much, rather than letting us see it for ourselves. In addition, while some real historical figures are mentioned, their inclusion feels forced, with the author unrealistically introducing them by their full names. Also, in the end, everything wraps up a bit too easily.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

As someone who has started a series only to realize it would never finish because the author died, this book struck a cord with me. Through in a childhood friend on the outs who is badgered into going on impromptu journeys to find out how the story ended and I knew I wanted to read this book.

<i> The Last Word</i> is a charming book with a sweet slow building romance. It's one I've been looking forward to getting to, but after my burn out of historical novels last year I was a bit apprehensive to start. This is a historical novel done right... for me. There are historically accurate events and people who are present. I always enjoy when there is a short author's note at the back going over some of the historical events and giving more solid dates.

Lucinda is a charming character who I immediately liked. I felt bad about her circumstances and was rooting for her to get all she wanted in life. I didn't like how in the first pages the characters were explaining the main character's personality to us, but as the book went on the dialogue and explanations were better. I love how smart she is and that David never questions how smart she is. As for David, there were times he might seem bland, but I appreciated his drive to do good work, be a gentleman, and how open he is towards Lucinda rising above what women could do at the time.
I will say their initial interactions in the book were a bit awkward for me since it seemed like they were both always smirking or trying to one up each other, but they were chuckle-worthy as well. Their relationship conflicts were not entirely internal either which was very nice. Most of the book is reading about their growing affections, so there is not any necessary drama.

I also want to mention that there are some prominent side characters. They might not have been as fleshed out as they could be, but I appreciated the conversations between Lucinda and Penelope that had nothing to do with men or crushes.

My biggest problems with the book were the switching the point of view without notice and the time and setting not always being clear. I think some of this might be the ARC issues though and formatting will put in clearer divides. Perhaps this would also help make it clearer when a significant amount of time has passed.

I recommend this one to those who like historical novels and may be looking for a cleaner or less intense romance.

BOOK REPORT for The Last Word by Samantha Hastings

Cover Story: Big Face
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Dick and Jane
Bonus Factor: Girls Who Code Count
Bonus Factor: Feminism
Relationship Status: Leaving My Calling Card

Cover Story: Big Face

I thought we’d finally managed to escape the curse of the Big Face book cover, but alas, she’s back and bigger than ever! Thinking back on the last few Big Face covers I’ve read, they were all historical fiction, so maybe we’ve got a genre problem. Big Face aside, I’m still not a huge fan of this cover. The neon purple title treatment is…not great, and I’m not completely sure but *checks history notes* no, nope, doesn’t look like they had eyelash extensions in the 1850s.

The Deal:

After being sent to finishing school against her will, Lucinda Leavitt is home and bored to death. Her father owns a counting house with his business partner, the young, handsome David Randall, and since her mother is dead, Lucinda is expected to manage the Leavitt household. But all she really wants is a job working for her father, because Lucinda has a gift for math and numbers.

The one thing that keeps Lucinda from dying of boredom is reading the serial installments of her favorite novel, She Knew She Was Right. But when the authoress, known only as Mrs. Smith, dies before publishing the last chapter (and we thought waiting a year for a sequel was hard!), Lucinda enlists David Randall as an escort and sets out on a mission to find any information she can about the mysterious Mrs. Smith, and whether or not the writer left any unpublished final pages of her book behind. And maybe, just maybe, Lucinda can use their time together to convince David Randall that she’s worthy of a job in his counting house.

BFF Charm: Yay

Lucinda is LEGIT, y’all. Hated finishing school? Yup. Tired of sitting around the house and ready to get a job? Oh yes. Entirely too invested in the outcomes of her favorite books? You betcha. She was able to toe the line between flouncing societal rules while also abiding by them just enough to still be taken seriously. And as the story progressed and Lucinda experienced her first truly adult hardships, she only became that much cooler.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5

Lucinda and David are clearly crushing on each other from early on. David hasn’t seen Lucinda since she left for finishing school, so of course, he’s pleasantly surprised when this beautiful, clever young woman returns home, and he’s more than happy to help her solve her mystery. Other than the usual Regency-era hurdles, their budding romance saw very few road blocks. Sure, there’s the social-climbing Miss Hardin who has her sights set on David, and his mother’s disapproval of Lucinda, but overall, I thought their romance could’ve used a bit more tension to amp up the swoon.

Talky Talk: Dick and Jane

Set in the 1850s, The Last Word alternates between Lucinda and David’s perspectives. While the story was enjoyable enough, there was something about the writing style that I couldn’t connect with—it was too simplistic. At times, I felt like I was reading a Dick and Jane basal reader: See Lucinda. See Lucinda run. See Lucinda solve a mystery. I also felt like the two parts of the book were a bit disjointed. Was it a book about a girl who wants to find a mysterious author, or a book about a girl who wants to join her father’s business and upend patriarchal notions about women in the workforce? Sure, it can be about both, but I would’ve liked it more if there had been any sort of overlap between the two.

Bonus Factor: Girls Who Code Count

Lucinda’s love of numbers felt very much like an 1850s version of a story about a girl trying to break into the tech world. She had mad counting skills and she refused to give up until people took her seriously.

Bonus Factor: Feminism

While Lucinda spends the entire book fighting the patriarchy, something happens in the last third that causes her to challenge society’s rules and expectations in entirely new ways. I was pleasantly surprised that Hastings took Lucinda’s story in the direction that she did.

Relationship Status: Leaving My Calling Card

Book, our time together may have lacked the spark and chemistry I usually look for in a new relationship, but I dig your ideas on a fundamental level. I think we could have enlightening conversation, so here’s my calling card—pay me a social call the next time you’re in town.

The Last Word is available July 9, 2019.

I was hoping for a page-turning, gothic-style mystery after reading the description and early reviews, but this one was something of a disappoint to me. Miss Smith's "last words" are an afterthought in the plot of Lucinda's feminist efforts to prove to her father that she deserves to work with him. That storyline could have been interesting, but it was too predictable and surface-level to capture my interest. I also thought that the romance was too obvious and too fast-paced. The plot points about Lucinda's common background and lack of knowledge about her mother were not completely explored or developed and came across as non sequiter whenever they were introduced into the narrative; Lucinda and David's other adventures, like finding out who has been cooking the books, are also choppy. The characters were all two-dimensional, especially Lucinda's father, who was too traditionalist and uptight to seem real, let alone sympathetic. The ending and resolution of all the different plot points felt rushed, and the conclusion to Lucinda's search for Miss Smith's final chapter reads like a cop-out. Not terribly well-written, but will appeal to historical romance fans.

Lucinda Leavitt has just returned home from finishing school. Lucinda's mother died when she was young and Lucy has grown up at her father's countinghouse where she learned how to help with the books and complete sums quickly in her head. After finishing school, Lucy would like to have a job at the countinghouse, however, she is now expected to spend her days as a lady- working on stitching, attending parties and generally wasting the day away. One of Lucy's pleasures after finishing school is reading her favorite serialized novel, but the issue that the ending of the story should be in instead contains a note that the author has died and the story is left unfinished. With a renewed purpose in life, Lucy begins the hunt for deceased author B. Smith's final words of the story. Although, a proper lady cannot go about with her chaperone and a man to guide her, so she enlists her sleepy chaperone Mrs. Patton and childhood friend and father's business partner, David for the adventure. While tracking down B. Smith, Lucy proves to others and herself that she is much stronger than she believes.

The Last Word is a fun, young adult, Victorian romance with a strong female lead. Lucy is a magnetic personality from the start, wanting to defy all of the female norms for women in 1861. Her determination to use her intelligence to work, find the end of her story and be more than a lady who sits around until she finds a husband is immediately captivating. I absolutely loved the idea of the adventure to find the last words of B. Smith's story, I know that this would be something that bothered me as well. I was even more pleased to find out that B. Smith's story was based on the real unfinished work of Elizabeth Gaskell. Lucy's quest brought her on a journey through many Victorian-era homes and people of the time. David was a perfect travelling companion for Lucy and I enjoyed watching their friendship turn to romance through their many swoon-worthy moments together. David's respect for Lucy and his understanding of her intelligence and strength makes them a perfect pair. In addition, I enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel, the culmination of the story with the Tooley Street Fire and the impacts it had on the area as well as the introduction of Bloomers to society and the practice of wealthy American women marrying into English families for titles make an appearance as well. Overall, a charming Victorian romance with a fiercely determined heroine who will make her own last words.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

THE LAST WORD is a delightful debut from Samantha Hastings! This historical fiction has sweet romance and a book-lover’s mystery at its heart. I absolutely adore historical fiction, in both senses of the word: fiction written today about historical subjects, and fiction written in historical times. The Bronte sisters are my all-time favorite, and I also have a soft spot for Jane Austen. I would compare THE LAST WORD to Jane Austen’s novels, as it has decidedly less gothic feel than the Bronte sisters’ works and focuses on the conventions of society and how so many women chafed at the strictures placed on them.

Lucinda is an absolutely delightful heroine, smart as a whip and seriously unfulfilled in the life she is expected to lead as a proper young lady. Reading about her aptitude for math reminded me of Ada Lovelace, who also chafed at the role she was forced into by society (though Ada’s mother supported her study of math) and would often discuss complex mathematical topics at society parties. Lucinda, who could balance accounting books faster than any clerk in her father’s accounting business, wanted so badly to be part of that world, but her father forbade it. When Lucinda turns to her father’s partner, her old childhood friend David Randall, to help track down her favorite author, she may have also found a way to take part in the work she loves and is so good at. David is definitely a swoon-worthy hero, like Mr. Darcy but way less...well, rude! Watching David and Lucinda get reacquainted was so much fun, I felt like I was falling in love right along with them.

I highly recommend this sweet historical romance to anyone who loves the works of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, or contemporary writers of historical romance. I promise that you will root for Lucinda and David to find the author Mrs. Smith, to figure out a way for Lucinda to fulfill her potential, and to fall in love! Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours, Swoon Reads, and Samantha Hastings for allowing me to be part of this tour and to share my love of THE LAST WORD with you.

RATING: 4 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

*Review can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ *

I was not really sure what direction Samantha was going to take the story in when I first started but right from the beginning I was on board for the ride. Over the last few months I have heard nothing but good things about The Last Word, so to say that my expectations were high is very much an understatement. Add in the fact that The Last Word is historical fiction which is usually not my jam, I was a touch hesitant when I began the book. Well, I am every so happy to report that I easily fell in love with the story and all the characters. Samantha was able to turn a generally (in my terrible opinion) historical fiction into something approachable for all genre and age readers.

​“It is no great matter,” Lucinda said. “I can wait in his office. I’ve learned that waiting is what ladies do best.”
Another invaluable lesson from Miss Holley’s Finishing School.


The Last Word was such a cute, fast read that was equal parts adorable and engaging. I enjoyed getting to meet Lucinda and feel the struggle she experienced for having all of her life controlled against her will. Also, as someone who did not get a conclusion to one of her favorite book series, I 100% could relate to Lucinda's need to know the answers. I also wonder if this was just one little things she could control in a world where she had no power as being a woman.

But she was not a well-brought-up young lady— she was a stubborn one. And never knowing the ending to her favorite story was simply unacceptable.


I loved watching the romance between Lucinda and David develop, almost an enemies to lovers vibe. Lucinda and David had been the best of friends growing up until her destroyed her trust and she was sent away to a ladies finishing school. Now that Lucinda is home, she is equal parts the refined beautiful lady her father was hoping she would be and the headstrong, spunky, sightly manipulative (in a totally cute, endearing way!) number wizard she knows herself to be. I loved watching the two interact and verbally spar, and I think I was just as love with David by the end of the book as Lucinda was.

I highly recommend this YA standalone read to anyone who loves romance, mystery, history and a spunky heroine who can save herself- but has a charming love interest to help her if she needs it. This is Samantha's debut book and she set the bar very high. I can't wait to see what she creates next.

This is a portion of the review on my blog Trails of Tales
Just 15 pages into ‘The Last Word‘ and I already knew I wanted to be Lucy’s best friend. Samantha Hastings has created a positively adorable character in Lucinda Leavitt.

An intelligent and capable woman who bravely keeps holding on to whatever snatches of freedom she can have within the stifling bars she has to live in just because she is a woman.

There would be many in that situation who might think “Ah, If only I was born a man” and that would be an understandable thinking pattern. But Lucy reveled in her feminity. She was proud of who she was and had no qualms about showing it. That just makes me love her more. Lucy is awe-inspiring.

The best part about Lucy, she’s a book lover who is ready to go on a winding uncertain journey just to know how a story ends. I really wanted to jump into the carriage and travel with Lucinda to find Mrs. Smith’s last words.

I generally have a bone of contention with Romance books. Simply because all love stories have so many misunderstandings and lost opportunities of communication…and we are all familiar with that frustrating scene, aren’t we, where the Hero and Heroine are at the same place at the same time but still miss each other because their faces are resolutely turned in the opposite directions!! How infuriating! I have this itch to physically grab hold of their heads, twist them like door knobs towards each other and scream

“YOU! SIT! TALK! NOW!”

But ‘The Last Word‘ is surprisingly refreshing. There is all the sweetness of a budding romance and the warmth of unburdened companionship without the frustrations. Even the little misunderstanding that Lucy and David had is so pure in nature that it is a perfect reflection of the comfort and friendship that these two share with each other. I liked that the resolution of this misunderstanding was not turned into a big deal within the plot but was included naturally in a simple conversation. No drama, just an unadorned progression of the story.

The bond between Lucy and David is sure to put a smile on your face. There is no allusion of perfection here. Author Samantha Hastings portrays a relationship where two people heal and grow together. Their individuality is celebrated along with their togetherness.

I was incredibly happy to read the author’s depiction of the relationship between a reader and her favorite story. It is never ‘just a story’ for us book lovers. Our favourite stories are friends that hold us together when we are falling apart. They let us feel all those emotions that we might hide from prying eyes. It’s not just a reader who loves a story. The story loves the reader back. So it was for Lucy. Mrs. Smith’s stories let her breathe even in the fog of suffocation surrounding her.
To think that this is only Samantha Hastings’ debut is thrilling. If she can come up with such a mesmerizing story in her first inning, then think about all the other beautiful stories to come out of her pen. I am eager to read the stories she will write in the future.

But coming back to the present, I am sure you would absolutely love to read ‘The Last Word‘. So get your hands on a copy as fast as you can

A delightful read for any fan of Victorian tales, but definitely a brilliant aim at YA readers. Hastings gives us a fantastic female protagonist who not only has a strong will but is realistically limited for most of the story by her gender, she's also a protagonist with a head for numbers. YES to this. We need more female characters interested in STEM. Lucinda was such fun to read about and I loved her wit and David was just adorable. The storyline is just this perfect small adventure with the sort of ending that leaves you thoroughly satisfied. There is loss, there is a heartbreak of a different sort, and there is strength in being a girl and in knowing what you want. Hastings has given us a true delight in this book and I look forward to reading anything else she ever writes after this.

What a fun novel. I really got into the Victorian details, which were aplenty. The premise was top-notch (and I like the author's inspiration for her idea. See author's note at the end), the banter was excellent, and the ending was completely satisfying. A sweet romance, for sure!