Cecily and Norman have three grown up daughters. They live a normal happy life until one day Cecily receives a letter and travels to a retreat in Kefalonia. Why? What will she find there? And what will happen when she returns to her family in England?
This is a moving book, well written and thought provoking.

A sudden trip to Greece. A secret about to be told. Cecily has not told her husband or daughters yet. But she will have to now that the secret is about to be exposed...

A well written, engrossing and heartwarming family drama that kept me hooked.
I liked the storyline and the different POV, the well thought characters and the descriptions of the setting.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Last Piece is a heartwarming read about a mother's secret and her relationship with her daughters and how the secret she has kept hidden for so long affects them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was so good and I was so engrossed in the story, that I was surprised to see it was the end of the book.
There were many moments in the book that I was surprised because it was never anything I would have thought of which made the book so good. I sure hope this becomes a series because the family has such a way of doing things, that I just wanted more of what they were doing. I thought when I realized the book was done about a quote I knew, always leave your audience wanting more. That was what Imogen Clark did. I really recommend this book.

WOW this is one of the most moving books I have read in awhile. This is my first Imogen Clark book & I am definitely going to be reading her others!!!!! I couldn't put it down & I have got to read this authors other novels!!!!!! Her writing style reminds me of Diane Chamberlain. This is a story of family, mothers & daughters, and the things that mothers have to do for our children in life. This book will be with me for a long time!!!! Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for my honest review.

Cecily Nightingale has slipped off to Greece very suddenly and without the knowledge of her three very different daughters. Felicity is very upset, more because now she needs to find someone to watch her son while her husband is away and it throws her perfectly executed life into a tailspin; the twins Lily and Julia don’t seem to mind as much but they are astounded that their mother didn’t discuss her reasons for leaving so suddenly. Norman, their father seems to know more about Cecily’s trip than he is letting on but is keeping his thoughts to himself.
This is a story of a family with secrets that have come to the forefront and how each one deals with them. Great family characters, vividly drawn relatable in every way. The descriptions of Kefalonia are visually stunning and wonderful. Read about this warm and crazy family and then appreciate your own.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. My thoughts are my own and in no way solicited.

Cecilia has a family to be rivaled. She has an adoring husband named Norman and three daughters, but underneath something is missing. One day she gets an invitation to a retreat and leaves without any discussion with her daughters.. I thought this book was just ok. I thought that the story and characters ended up just being generic for me. The only part that I really got invested in was the story of Cecilia's past. Thanks for the ARC, Net Galley.

4.5/5⭐️


How would a happy family of 5 react if a half-sister/daughter contacted them 50 years after being given up for adoption?

I enjoyed this book because it told the story of lives that were messy and imperfect, it was full of surprises, and it didn’t have the ending that one might expect. Very well-written with characters that you cared about and a heartbreaking backstory. I cheered for this family and was thoroughly engrossed in their story.

I would definitely read more from this author.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Ms. Clark has delved into an area that is rarely spoken about with such clarity. It is unimaginable how time can make things that were unacceptable back years ago, acceptable now. And how lives can be affected so differently.

It's a book about family, and secrets and the cost of secrets. It's the story of the difference between life in the late 1960's and now and how that difference affected a family and decisions that were made.

A very interesting and heartwarming story.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. A reliable mom who jets off leaving her 3 daughters wondering why she went and a secret.

This was an interesting, intriguing book and the first one I've read by this author., who lives in the UK, which is where the story took place as well, along with a short trip to Greece. The first thing I noticed was some words that weren't either familiar or used in a different context then we use in the U.S. I kind of imagined their delightful accents as well but there was a bit of an adjustment getting used to that.

Cecily is married to Norman and they are the parents of three adult daughters and have six grandsons. At age 16 Cecily gave up a baby girl for adoption. Her husband is quite aware of this, however their daughters are not. Cecily receives a letter from Marnie, the daughter who was given away 50 years ago asking her to come to Greece with all expenses paid. The ups and downs of the relationship between Cecily and Marnie are difficult for Cecily who has mourned the loss of her first daughter for many years. There are several side-stories regarding the lives of her other three daughters that are woven into the whole story. In some ways I thought the story was a little slow, although it was always interesting and I'm sure a pretty accurate representation of how one would feel in these circumstances. Cecily had thought of this girl all her life, however, when she was born in 1968, it was expected you'd do exactly as you were told and that was to give the baby up for adoption. This is a light-hearted read around family dynamics that I think most would enjoy. Thank you to Netgalley who gave me the advanced reader copy to read and review. The review is my own opinion.

It is an entertaining story about a teenager who is forced to give up her infant for adoption (in the late 1960's) and what happens when they meet many decades later. It is well written and I like how the author developed each of the characters. The ending wasn't quite what I expected but it is understandable.

This is the first book from this author that I have read. I will go seek out her other books.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book.

This is a very poignant examination of the life puzzle most women experience and how they’re constantly searching for that “last piece” – the piece that will finally give them the finished product they envision and covet.

In this novel the theme is worked through a mother, a daughter she gave up for adoption when she was 16 and 3 daughters born to her later on in life after she had married.

None of the characters are particularly likeable except maybe the men who served to ease the anxiety and drama the women have created for themselves.

As a soon-to-be octogenarian, it was easy for me to look back at my life and my life’s girl friends and recognize the angst of the women in this book. Yes, this is chick lit, but with a lot of depth.

I appreciate this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Amazon Publishing UK, in exchange for an honest review. It’s well worth a serious read.

I loved this book. The characters were so real, and the story told so well, that I had a hard time putting this book down. I haven't read a book about this subject ever, so the points of view were really interesting. I've already said this book is about adoption, but it's so much more than that. This book is about family, and learning to live with secrets when they force their way into the open.

Cecily is a wholly relatable character. I can't say that if I were in her situation, I wouldn't do exactly what she did. I would want to know everything I could about a person I never had a chance to know.

One thing that disappointed me, but was paramount to the story, is Cecily's reaction to meeting Marnie. She constantly made excuses for her, and was willing to forgive almost anything for a chance to know her. When everyone around her was telling her one thing, she insisted on seeing the bright side, and refused to see the dark.

I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away the story. This book was really good, and told with such heart, that I can't think of a single person that wouldn't enjoy this book. I fully intend to check out her other books, and am looking forward to enjoying them too.

I couldn't think of a single reason not to give this book the full 5 stars. It was really good, the characters so relatable, and each person had his and her own struggles, that I think anyone would like this book.

This is a story of a dysfunctional family with a piece missing. The characters-except for the protagonist and her husband- are not truly likeable. Although it is a character driven novel, it is interesting to read that the happenings in the U K were somewhat parallel to those in the U S during that time period. Not to give away the story, it was obvious from the beginning what the mystery was. What was different was the way the book ended. I am not sure I liked it, but it is different than other books with the same idea. Ingenious of the author to give the slant...everything is not always as we want it. Try this one-although it drags on at times, it eventually picks back up. I would like to have read more about the characters and how their lives changed.

Thank you #ne Talley for a chance to read this beautiful book my first by this author but certainly won't be my last. This was a heart breaking and heartwarmin g emotional read. It covered a lot of sensitive topics in a real and sensitive way as the story is based around Cecily finally getting to meet her daughter marine she had to give up for adoption 50 years ago and the events surrounding this and also covers the struggles faced during ivf treatment and artificial insemination through her own daughters desperation to hAve children. This book was the perfect escapism from the current situation and an easy read.

Family secrets. Wow you just don't expect the harm this can do to a family. Very true to life never judge a book buy its cover is such a true saying

Heartfelt, beautiful story with an unpredictable ending.
Cecily, mother of three and grandmother to 6, has suddenly taken off for Greece without Norman, her husband of 41 years, with no explanation to her children. She has gone to a retreat to face the consequences of a decision she was forced to make 50 years ago. Cecily has no idea how to make things that happened in the past right, but she is determined to try.
Meanwhile each of her three daughters is struggling with insecurities and problems of their own. Each will have to make difficult choices and face harsh realities about themselves.
When Cecily tries to blend her past and her present things do not go at all as she has dreamt. Sometimes, leaving things in the past truly is the right thing to do.
Loved the story with real emotions. Would have liked more closure on the three daughters lives, but overall I enjoyed the book.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I read this as a recommendation from Netgalley. I liked the back and forth chapters with the Nightingale women. The sisters were each fully drawn. Cecily has a compelling story. I can understand her being compelled to do what was expected at that time. Norman was a surprise, but she turned out to be lucky to have married him. Margie was a disappointment. She knew for all those years and kept silent! Watching. I think this book needs a sequel. I want to know what happens next. I want to see inside Marnie and Sofia's heads, too. Read in a day!