As my first Mhairi McFarlane book, this one did not disappoint. From the moment you start reading, you know there is something there among the group. Also, the unrequited love is so palpable it is hard to ignore.

This is a super easy read filled with drama and stimulation. This group of friends reminds of the TV show "Friends". The characters love each other so much and have made each other a huge priority in their lives OR have they? As one member of the group dies, they must pick up the pieces (and her apartment), but that's when the friendships slip and secrets are revealed. Add in the drama of her estranged brother appearing and caring about the arrangements and her belongings. And that's just the beginning. The drama is just added to book from there. Definitely recommend.

Oh, the feels, the angst, love torn, sadness, angry, hopeful twisty days in the life of former doll baby Eve. I was absolutely riveted, thrilled and loved every second of this book. No spoilers here, read this fantastic book to see if she has her HEA with her best mate Ed in a second chance or if her story goes a different direction. You won’t find out until you read through to the very end, enjoy romance readers, enjoy!

This novel is the story of a group of four close-knit friends who are shattered by the death of one of their members. Susie was the driving force of the group, a larger-than-life personality and best friend to Eve, a more reserved woman who is struggling in her meaningless job and hopeless attachment to Ed, another of the friends. The story explores how a devastating loss can affect the dynamics of the relationships of those who are left behind. Eve discovers the hidden aspects of Susie’s life and the secrets she was keeping even from her best friends. The gradual revelations as the novel unfolds lead Eve to re-evaluate her perception of past events and of the members of Susie’s family whom she has known since childhood. Working her way through the pain of discovering everything that Susie had hidden from her, Eve comes to terms with the altered reality of their friendship and of her surviving relationships within the group. She also discovers that what she believed about Susie’s family—her parents and her estranged and despised brother—is very different from reality. The understated Pride and Prejudice-style romance that develops between Eve and Susie’s brother Fin is well-depicted and believable as they both come to realize that there is more to the other than they originally thought. The narrative is laced with wit and wry humor even as serious themes such as child abuse and personal betrayal are explored. The novel flows well and holds the reader’s interest through to the end, the relationship dynamics are authentic, and the characters have individuality and depth. I’ve never read a book by this author that I didn’t like, and this one is no exception.

Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane has the perfect balance of dedicated friendships, unexpected romance, and personal growth. The heroine, Eve, is one of a perfect quad of four friends until one of the four unexpectedly is killed. Eve and the others are then rocketed into trying to deal with questioning everything about what they thought they knew about themselves, their friends, and their futures. The outstanding support and funny moments between Eve, Susie, Ed and Justin keep this book from becoming too tragic despite the horrific loss of one of their group.

Eve has a true heart of gold and her love of her friend propels her into circumstances to support her BFF’s brother, Finlay, This leads to an interesting dynamic as secrets are revealed that can no longer be justified by her BFF. What ensues next is the perfect blend of dramatic interest, amusing hijinks, and pushing away your previously held beliefs. The gyrations between Eve and Finlay will have you rooting that they can find their own happily ever after, but it is far from a sure thing.

McFarlane was a new author to me, but I will definitely be looking at her other books. Just Last Night hit all my must haves by engaging the reader, tugging at my heartstrings, and keeping me guessing. It also made me want to gather all my friends up and have a huge gab fest to get all of our secrets out in the open! Tomorrow is not guaranteed, but this wonderful book is a guaranteed must read!

I was provided a free advance reader copy from William Morrow and Custom House in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

What happens when you experience an unexpected, heartbreaking loss and how are you supposed to manage? Just Last Night looks at how Evelyn (Eve) handles the loss of a dear friend, begins to come to terms with it, and starts to uncover decade-long lies with no one to argue with about them.

The romance storyline was heartwarming and a bit out of nowhere, but lovely once you were into it.

The first half or so was a little slow to start, then it did ramp up and start to get more enticing.

I adore Mhairi McFarlane, and I loved Just Last Night, which just might be one of her best novels yet. It’s angsty and twisty, and there are some threads that feel unfinished, but overall this is a thoroughly engrossing and emotionally rewarding contemporary novel about love, loss, and friendship. At the center of the storm is Eve, a woman with a tight knit circle of friends— her bff Susie and two guys, Justin and Ed, whom she's been in love with for the better part of two decades. Ed also has strong feelings (in theory) for Eve, but gets very publicly engaged to Hester, a woman that none of them much like, during a pub quiz near the start of the book. When one of the friends dies out of the blue in a terrible accident later that night, it plunges the rest of the crew into a deep well of grief.

For the remainder of the novel, the three surviving friends plan the funeral, deal with the deceased friend's troubled family members, and sort through some sensitive secrets that come out after death. We learn a lot about the real dynamics of the circle including what's kept Eve hanging on to a seemingly hopeless ideal, in perpetual pseudo-platonic, semi-romantic limbo, half agony, half hope, for far too long. McFarlane does a great job fleshing out what happened in the past and showing us the growth and healing that can arise from grief.

This was already a long book so the surprising, new romantic couple that eventually emerges from that messy train-wreck doesn't get much airtime and eventually their feelings of love sort of emerge fully formed and a little abruptly. There's a lot of setup and attention to what's wrong with the love interest. And some ,but not quite enough, exploration of why he's actually pretty great for Eve despite his tortured past. As a result, at the end, I kind of felt like McFarlane owed me a second book focused on the nascent romance. Not likely, but I can dream....

Mhairi McFarlane can 👏 write 👏 a 👏 damn 👏 book.

⏱Quick summary:
Eve, Susie, Ed and Justin have been best friends since sixth form and fit together so well. Then something bad happens. And some secrets come out. And Eve has to navigate moving on through grief, betrayal, and unrequited love.

💁‍♀️My take:
Every time I read one of Mhairi’s books, I want to live in that world. I want to be friends with them and fall in love with them. They’re real and witty and flawed and beautiful. This book is no different. It was heavier than her usual books for reasons I won’t spoil. There were really big stories here - between romantic relationships, lifelong friendships, and family dynamics. I truly laughed and cried my way through it.

➰My favorite quote:
“There’s a nice lie that the world likes to tell us all, which is: it’s never too late. It’s too late, all the time, for loads of things. We should all be hurrying like the rabbit with the pocket watch in Alice in Wonderland.”

““Is it too soon for me to say ‘You’re a fucking menace in polka dots, sister’ was an absolutely incredible line?” Justin whispers.”

Oof, did this one get me right in the heart spot. A story of grief and secrets, and learning to recover after being handed both in the most unexpected way. I loved the way McFarlane took on Eve’s growth, especially with regard to her relationship with Ed, and how she chose to plot out Finley’s story. For pub quizzers and those who think they know everything about their childhood best friends.

An emotional, raw and beautiful story.

Goodness. After reading this book I feel emotionally wrecked. This story hit me so hard. I don’t cry often while reading but this had the tears flowing more than once. It has terrible, sad moments when Eve’s life is completely turned upside down. She suffers a crushing loss that impacts her entire life and has her questioning what truly matters most. Then there are things that happen that give her hope that everything is going to be okay and looking toward a new, different future than she could have imagined.

Given the previous books I’ve read from this author, I was a bit surprised with just how sad this story got and how much of the book was spent with Eve’s grief. It seems like many books gloss over the sad parts and that is just not true in this novel. I appreciate that it made Eve’s story feel that much more genuine to me and created a stronger connection with this character because of it. I don’t want to give anything away but this is a story about life, friendships, love and heartache. I’d just recommend that you need to go into this book with a box of tissues handy and be ready to cry, laugh and smile.

Eve is 34, single, working at an okay job and hanging out with the same friend group she’s had since high school. She’s in unrequited love with Ed, who’s happily and annoyingly coupled. One night after their weekly pub quiz, tragedy strikes the group. Suddenly, Eve is unmoored, as old secrets and new revelations come to light. And as she rethinks everything, someone from her past returns.

I cried buckets reading this book. It’s a heart-wrenching and ultimately satisfying look at friendship, loss, and love. You’ll want to hug your friends when you’re done.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I usually read horror/murder mystery stories, so this was quite the change of pace. But, I have to say that I loved this book and will be looking to read others by this author. The first few chapters put me off because there was a lot more grief than expected. However, I kept reading and I'm glad that I did. This is a funny, emotional, heartbreaking and heart warming story that I couldn't put down. I would definitely recommend! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

A pretty good friendship story that has you questioning all you knew. It has you examining your life and thinking of every moment’s decisions and what if’s. I would have like more romance but it was good.

Mhairi McFarlane has quickly become one of my favorite writers. I feel like she’s so good at balancing a strong storyline and sprinkling in humor at just the right points. I loved this story and felt so connected to it. The beginning brought so much feeling to me. But if you’re looking for a lovely (and heartbreaking) story about friendship, loss and love, then you need to check this one out.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!
It was a beautifully written story about friendships, love and grief. I was hooked from the first chapter because McFarline is frankly HILARIOUS and full of sharp wit. The dialogue is witty and laugh out loud funny at times. As things get more serious in this storyline she gives words to so many emotions beautifully. I felt so engrossed in Eve’s emotional journey. The writing was just fantastic. Highly recommended!

This is my first book by Mhairi McFarlane, but I've already started adding her others to my TBR!

Fav quotes:

“There’s something exceptional about friendships with friends you’ve known since you were young. They know all the versions of you. They know how you were built. They have a map for you. There’s a shorthand between you, and a love that is as strong as any blood tie.”

“Beware the Nicest Guy in the Room, who doesn’t think his failures are the same as everyone else’s.”

Mhairi McFarlane knocks it out of the park again. I'm always amazed at how diverse her books are. Just Last Night is a bittersweet exploration of grief and friendship.

Just Last Night was about a group of friends who experience an unexpected loss in the group. Through the loss some secrets are revealed that change the dynamic of the friendships. This book had a little bit of everything from loss, friendship, and love and Mhairi McFarlane grabs your attention from the very beginning. This book had more twists and turns than the typical romance novel and leaves you thinking about certain ideas and how you would respond given similar situations. Recommend this book as well as others from this author!

I am so grateful to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

You will be riveted by this story of the secrets and sacrifices of friendship, and the chances and choices that shape our lives. It is a story of relationships defined by savage, unexpected loss, and excavated truths.

"This is what I never knew about loss- it's also about what you gain. You carry a weight that you never had before. It's never behind you. It's alongside you."

Eve and Susie were inseparable their entire lives. They welcomed Ed and Justin into their inner circle sixteen years ago, and they have a solidarity against the world that shields them from the intrusions of the world. Their friendship is a security blanket that insulates them against the unfairness of fate. When tragedy strikes and the linchpin of their friendship is gone, the grip they all thought they had on control spirals uselessly around them.

Eve is flummoxed when Susie's estranged brother Finlay, of the cheekbones like blades and urbane sophistication of New York City, walks back into their lives. He has a monumental task ahead of him, and Eve is recruited as his guide and partner. Despite the loathing she knows she should feel for his abandonment of his family, she remembers that he was her first kiss beneath a tree. She remembers his resignation and calculated aloofness throught adolescence, and wonders if it was a mask.

" I think the truth is: opportunities in life are like doors flashing open and slamming closed, for good. You won't necessarily notice when they're open or get any warning they're going to close. If you don't bolt through them when you can, then that is that."

The luminous moments in this book sparkle like gems throughout the narrative, from astute comparisons with the mechanics of Gatsby to My Best Friend's Wedding. There are even Twin Peaks and Indiana Jones references that call your attention to personal epiphanies. Eve carries the past as a silent, bitter burden. She nurtures her regret with a veneer of caustic imperturbability, while the waters seethe and roil beneath the surface.

Tragedy is a catalyst for Eve's painful awakening from the fog of hopelessness that has followed her. A box full of revelations forces her to scrutinize motives she thought she understood, and unpack years of buried resentment. It creates a cognitive dissonance between her present reality and her past assumptions.

Love is something Eve doesn't expect. She yearns for it, but believes that she lost and found her other half to the whims of fate. She sees Finlay as a mercurial opportunist, until a late night of cocktails and tears drastically alters her perceptions.

I could not put this book down. It subtly and incisively explores motive, unintentional cruelty, and murky emotions. It holds a mirror up to the petty rivalries that shape our actions, and shows how they curtail our vision and our freedom. It is a slow-building love story that excoriates the dynamics of friendship.

Mhairi McFarlane you evil genius, you’ve done it again?!

Honestly, my favorite author ever. She never lets me down 😭💔

Just Last Night. What a book. What a story. A story about how unfair life is and how messy, the missed opportunities, the people we love, the pain of loss and unspoken words and feelings.

Eve. Eve who thought she knew what her life was destined for. Who thought she was spoken for, who, through unimaginable loss grows, but never forgets what makes her herself. She, alongside her friends and people she thought were in her past, rediscover themselves. They rediscover each other. Just Last Night is definitely painful, but it’s a story of love and life and friendship and healing. The recovery that we endure on our own, and together.

Mhairi McFarlane continues to be a rising star of the "chick lit/women's fiction" genre (I hate both of those terms) . Her books are clever, funny, poignant and completely engaging. This one happens to be more gut-wrenching than most of her work, but it still has her distinctive voice.

There's a scene in the beginning of the book that illustrates McFarlane's genius. After a somewhat disturbing trivia pub night with her 3 besties, Eve decides to embark on a one-night stand with a much younger bartender who has been flirting with her. The result is hilarious, cringe-worthy, and enlightening (to both Eve and the reader). And that's just the third chapter.

I don't want to say very much about the rest of the plot because of spoilers, but I will say that Eve is a great heroine: a loyal friend, a smart trivia player, and a skilled writer who is stuck at a less than fulfilling job (the career stuff is less important than you'd think but I appreciate the fact that she is more than competent). Then something happens that blows her world apart. At first I thought the book would go in one direction, but it took several surprising turns that made it even more interesting and complex. So while I can't reveal what happens I can say that Just Last Night is about grief, secrets, friendships viewed in a different light, and the dangers of seeing people from only one point of view. There is tremendous personal growth that comes from Eve's pain. At times it is difficult to read, but McFarlane always throws in a zinger or two that prevent the story from becoming too maudlin. There is a bit of a romance in the mix, although that was the least successful part of the plot IMHO.

I've come to anticipate each new book by this author with the same excitement that I used to devote to Marian Keyes in the late 1990s and early 2000s. If you loved McFarlane's last book, If I Never Met You be warned that this one has a much more serious tone, but if you can handle that in the midst of a worldwide pandemic meltdown you will be amply rewarded.

ARC gratefully received from Net Galley in exchange for honest review.




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