A lovely written heartwarming drama that involves family issues and mystery intertwined! A little bit of heartbreak to round it out!

Felicity is really annoyed with her mother Cecily. Why has she upped and gone to Kefalonia without a word to herself or twin sisters Lily and Julia? Why is her father Norman being so mysterious? Eventually the girls find out the truth and it’s the last thing they expected.

First of all, the characters in the book are lovely. The family are close, their lives intertwine and they are all so different. I like how each daughter has issues which makes them interesting and you follow how they deal with things. The character of Marnie who Cecily meets in Kefalonia is the ‘missing piece’. She is not an easy person but I really admire her directness and you can feel and understand her awkwardness. I like the ripple effect that she has on the story and also that it does not have a perfect ending. This feels right and it fits well. There are some good descriptions such as of Kefalonia and I like the Harrogate setting where the family live - the author had me drooling with the mention of the iconic Betty’s and the Fat Rascals. Yum. If you happen to be in the York or Harrogate area I suggest you go and try one yourself!!!

However, it takes a while for the book to get going and for a long time very little happens. Then from Part Three when we get Cecily’s story as a teenager the novel really moves up a gear. This section is very good and the 1960’s attitudes are portrayed very well although Cecily s parents are unusually modern in their outlook.

Overall, once the book gets into its stride I enjoyed it. It’s an easy read which portrays family and family dynamics well.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the ARC. I love the book cover!

3-4 stars rounded up.

The Last Piece had me gripped from the first page with characters and a storyline that developed organically and realistically. The main characters within the story allowed the reader to explore an interesting situation from varying view points all of which felt valid and honest. This is a great holiday read or book club choice and the subject matter I'm sure will lead to some interesting and engaging discussion.

At its core, “The Last Piece” by Imogen Clark is a beautiful story about the delicacy of family, and is a read anyone can find a piece of themselves in. As you read through the perfectly crafted words, the Nightingale family begin to feel as though they are your own. With each page, the Nightingales meld their way into your hearts and lives and teach us something eternally valuable, the importance of family.
The Nightingales have always been a fairly typical family. They live in a beautiful home in Yorkshire, and the couple, Cecily and Norman, raised three beautiful girls. First came Felicity, the eldest and most prim and proper. Two years later came the twins, Lily and Julia, who were peculiarly born 7 weeks apart. The three Nightingale girls have grown to be established young women who have always stayed close to home to tend to their parents. So one day, when their mother disappears to Greece with no explanation, they’re all at a loss for words.
We quickly find out that the family is not as typical as they appear, and the Nightingale girls are not only three. All the way in Greece, lives a fourth Nightingale girl, Marnie Stone. At the raw age of 16, Cecily gave birth to Marnie, and was forced to give her up. Marnie’s existence was hushed away and was Cecily’s long kept secret. As much as Cecily yearned to know her eldest daughter, she had no contact with the girl or even a name to track her down. So when Cecily received a letter in the mail instructing her to come to Greece, it turned her world upside down.
Will they be a big happy family like Cecily has always dreamed? Cecily has no idea what’s in store for her when she steps into a yoga retreat in Greece – only that her life will change forever because of it – and we all want to be a part of this exciting journey.

Reviewed by Rebecca Santangelo for Suspense Magazine

Summary......
The chaotic but happy equilibrium of the Nightingale family is thrown into disarray when Cecily—whose children can’t remember her ever being remotely spontaneous—disappears to a Greek island with no warning or explanation.
Her reasons for doing something so out of character are a total mystery to her three daughters, high-powered executive Felicity, unfulfilled GP Julia and organised mother-of-five Lily. What connection could she possibly have with Kefalonia?
But Cecily has gone to continue a story she thought ended decades ago—one that could have a huge impact on her family. And when she returns, she’ll have to tell them the truth.
Will Cecily be able to hold her family together once she reveals her big secret? And might she discover that she’s not the only one with a story to tell?

This was a very good book!
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy read. I loved the characters in the book.
It was so well written, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, that I finished it that night.

Thank You NetGalley And Imogen Clark for this ARC I apperiacte!

The Last Piece engaged me from the opening chapter through to the last word. A well written story which draws you in and encourages you to greedily devour the entire book in one reading!

The story moves from Yorkshire to Greece following a sudden trip made by the mother, leaving her 3 daughters perplexed with the reason for her journey slowly unfurling on her return. The reader is drawn to engage with each daughter who reacts in their own manner for different reasons. Who will you empathise with?

This book avoids the predictable and left me wondering if this family could return in the future.

An enjoyable read.

I read this as an advanced copy from the author.

This is the second novel by Imogen Clark that I have read, The first being Postcards from a Stranger which I enjoyed but I think that I prefer this book. It revolves around a retired couple and their daughters, mostly the story involves the mother and events from her past but there are chapters which give the point of view and life struggles of the grown up daughters. The book is divided into several parts with a gap in time between each part. I found the book easy to get into and actually read it quite quickly (I don't think that it's that long a book but I don't mind that). I enjoyed the different perspectives of the family members and the way that the book is divided which keeps the story moving and intrigues the reader into wanting to see what has happened in the mean time. The theme of the story is not a new one but it maybe covers a different aspect of it that is unexpected. I liked most of the characters and there could be other books developing their story lines which I would welcome. The end of a book is important to me and I was glad that this book went a slightly different direction than I thought it was going to. I now intend to check out the other books by this author.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I've read news stories in the past about the fact that not all adoptees and their birth parents have a happy ever once they reconnect in later years. A surprise letter takes Cecily on a sudden trip to Italy with the hope of reconnecting with the daughter she gave up as a teenager. Her other daughters are stunned when they learn the reason for the trip, and are forced to try and forge a new relationship.

I enjoyed reading this book and learning about the various characters within its pages. I did, however, think that it was predictable and it also had a few stereotypical personalities which is a shame eg the childless daughter had to actually really want and try for a baby, rather than being a more refreshing happy to not have children and be content with her life... I knew exactly what was happening when the mother set off on her trail...

Having said that though, the book was easy to read, I liked the way the daughters interacted with each other and I did want to know what would happen.

I devour every word Imogen puts to paper, and this book was no exception. Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The characters in this book are real and loveable and cringe-worthy at times, as real people often are! The story of family dynamics and secrets tugs at your heart and makes you want to join them all for tea and a chat.
A charming story of mothers and daughters and their imperfections. Thoroughly enjoyable

I have read Imogen Clarks books in the past and have enjoyed her writing. They are easy to read and perfect for escapism when sometimes life needs to give a little release.
This is largely centred around a family called the Nightingales and we have Dad Norman, Mum Cecily and their grown up daughters Felicity, Lily and Julia.
When mum disappears to Greece totally out of character without any warning the daughters try to immediately question why would their mum do that? The reason we find out is that Cecily gets a letter from her fourth daughter who she gave away for adopted nearly fifty years ago and since that day has never seen or discovered what her long lost daughter became.
The Last Piece goes between scenes in Greece and the UK and shows how their daughters are all living different lives with their own challenges.
Lots of family drama, secrets and arguments feature in this novel and will tug at your heartstrings.
Although I enjoyed it, it's not one of my favorite Imogen Clarks books.
Certainly gives you something to think about and I learnt a lot about how the adoption process may have been in the 1970's - this may give some readers feelings of abandonment provoked by adoption.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I like the way this author tells a story and the storyline was suspenseful until the story unfolded. I found myself skipping parts because of the content topic. I was sad that the main character makes custom wedding gowns but I never know if she wore one of her creations. There were parts of this booked that I really liked.

Overall, I liked this book. I enjoyed the family drama. I thought the story was believable. My favorite character was probably the father. Throughout the story, he is supportive of his wife no matter what. He has infinite patience with his daughters, even when they are talking down to him.

I enjoyed the descriptions of Greece in the first few chapters. It really took me back to my trip there a decade ago.

I did not particularly enjoy the female characters. The mother seemed frail and dithering. The sisters were each good characters, but none of them was fully drawn out during the story. We got just enough of their stories to spark our curiosity, but not more. I wish the author had focused on one of them so that we could have gotten more.

Overall, a good book for anyone who likes family centered stories.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A novel about mothers, daughters, and what family means.

I did not dislike this book, but I am not raving about it either. Cecily gave birth to a daughter, in a mother nd baby home when she was 16. She was then adopted. 50 years later she contacts her birth mother who is now married with 3 more daughters. Certainly an interesting story idea, which is told from the viewpoint of Cecily and her 3 youngest daughters. Marnie, the eldest, is a mystery at the start of the book and seems to have be an unsociable character. Her reasons for contacting her birth mother are not clear and do not seem to get any clearer as the book moves on. Cecily, as expected, has never forgotten her daughter and hopes that they can have a mother-daughter relationship, which is perhaps a little optimistic when they meet each other only a few times.
The stories of the other daughters are interesting though some detail seems irrelevant to the main story . The part of the book about "the confinement" is extremely well written and gave understanding in Cecily's mindset, both around the birth of her first daughter and later in life.
Certainly a book to give you something to think about but it left me with lots of unanswered questions.
Thankyou to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book. It’s about an older couple who shared a life-altering event when they were younger. They have three adult daughters who are completely unaware of their secret, until it suddenly comes to light. I’m being somewhat vague, because I don’t want to give too much away. The remainder of the book is about how all of the characters come to terms with this secret, and how it impacts them in very different ways. We all experience difficult situations differently and deal with them in our own way. The characters were well-defined, and I liked all of them, although I was able to relate the most to Lily. It was a rocky road for this family, and I enjoyed taking the journey with them. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

With thanks to netgalley and imogen Clarke for an early copy in return for an honest review.
This is the 3rd book I've read by this Author and what a book.
An extremely poignant story unfolds in front of our eyes,its been a bumpy ride for Cecily,who has shown nothing but total love and adoration for her girls and norman.
This is far from a straight forward book with many twists along the way. it really was a breath of fresh air and I can highly recommend this OUTSTANDING book.

Cecily is a busy older woman who has three grownup daughters and a clan of grandkids. She is always there for her family until one day she does the unimaginable. She ups and leaves her husband on his own for a week and heads to Greece on a moments notice.

The daughters are intrigued and can't possibly imagine why she has done this. What happened that made her go meet a stranger?

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
What a lovely, heartwarming and heartbreaking story this is, I loved it.
It features the Nightingale family, mum, dad and three daughters who happily live their lives with its ups and downs. Until the mother, Cecily, disappears to Greece, for reasons only her husband knows. When she returns home and tells the family why, their lives are upended and will never be the same again.
The characters are so real, they come totally alive, I empathized with each and everyone of them and recognized feelings, good and bad, that I have experienced myself. You really don't know what's going to happen next, so you compulsively have to keep reading. And the ending was unexpected, but
made so much sense that I was quite content with it. Terrific read, highly recommended!

The Last Piece is a story about the secrets families keep. Ms. Clark gives us a lovely story, with well drawn characters. A story I enjoyed and recommend