"The Last Goodbye" by Fiona Lucas is a poignant novel that delves into the intricacies of loss, love, and healing. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque coastal town, the atmosphere is imbued with a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, perfectly complementing the themes of the story.

Lucas excels in character development, crafting complex and relatable protagonists whose emotional journeys resonate deeply with readers. The main characters are multifaceted, each grappling with their own personal demons and insecurities. As the story unfolds, their growth and transformation are beautifully portrayed, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. The writing style is elegant and evocative, capturing the beauty of the coastal setting while also conveying the raw emotions of the characters. Lucas's prose is lyrical yet accessible, drawing readers into the heart of the story from the very first page. The plot unfolds at a steady pace, blending elements of intrigue and mystery with moments of heartfelt emotion. While the central mystery may not be the most gripping, it serves as a catalyst for exploring the dynamics of grief, forgiveness, and redemption. The relationship dynamics between the characters are nuanced and compelling, highlighting the complexities of family bonds and romantic entanglements. From fractured relationships seeking reconciliation to unexpected connections forged in the face of adversity, the interplay between characters adds depth and richness to the story.

Overall, "The Last Goodbye" is a captivating and emotionally resonant read that balances moments of intrigue with heartfelt storytelling. While it may not offer the most gripping mystery, its strengths in character development, atmosphere, and relationship dynamics make it a rewarding and enjoyable read for fans of contemporary fiction.

Synopsis:

Spencer was the love of Anna’s life: her husband, her best friend, her rock. She thought their love would last forever. But he was tragically killed and she feels stuck in her grief. On NYE she call's Spencer's number to hear his old voicemail greeting but someone answers... Brody has inherited Spencer's old number and understands what Anna is going through. As their calls become lengthier and more frequent, they begin opening up and slowly rediscover how to smile, laugh and even how to hope. But Brody hasn't been entirely honest - will his secret threaten everything?

Review:

This was a story about grief, hope and moving on. Anna's grief is so realistic and relatable - so is her hope and attachment to Brody. This was a slow & steady read - which felt suitable to the subject matter. Grief and loss aren't something to be rushed. Anna develops and grows so much as the book progresses and I enjoyed following her on the ups and downs of her grief journey.

Thank you William Morrow for the eGalley!

A story about a woman coming to terms with loss. The addressing of grief and how it is different for everyone really added to the story.

A beautiful second chance love story about grief and finding out that sometimes a listening ear can be just the start.

This was a lovely book about love, loss and second chances. And a very difficult mother-in-law! That’s a relatively generic description but the story is told in a delicate and sweet way with very engaging characters.

Extremely well written story. I was very intrigued from start to finish. Highly recommend your at this to your TBR!

*Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the copy in exchange for an honest review.*

This story covers some heavy topics such as agoraphobia and panic attacks that come with grief and it was well written but it was a little too slow for my taste and i wish the story had picked up a little more.

Ugh, I wanted so badly to like this one; unfortunately, it was just too slow for me - to the point where I lost interest in the characters and their arcs. While I did enjoy the FMC, I feel like the explanation for the MMC's behavior just came too late in the novel - by the time we got there, I didn't have much interest in his story.

I feel bad writing this, as I feel like this had such potential to be a real heartwarming story, with a dash of therapeutic cries.

A wonderful story about finding love again after unimaginable grief.

When Anna's husband Spencer dies in an accident, she is left bereft and existing in a zombie state for a few years. One night, she calls her husband's phone number to leave a message for him like she's done on several occasions since his passing, when suddenly there's a voice on the other end of the line. Spencer's number has been reassigned, and Anna finds herself sharing her innermost thoughts with Brody on the other end of the line.
As time goes on, they continue to chat daily, providing Anna with courage to begin to move on in her life, standing up to her mother in law's mistreatment, and finding her way back to the company she used to work at with Spencer and his partners.
Brody has a host of secrets of his own; he's agoraphobic and has lost someone close to him as well.
They make a plan to meet up for New Year's Eve in London, when reality hits them both like a freight train.

I enjoyed this novel more than I was expecting to! I thought the author did an excellent job addressing grief and the hardships losing someone can bring to your life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

The storyline was cute, sometimes a little deep because of the themes of loss and grief, but I felt like it dragged. There could have been some story cut out and it still would have gotten the point across.

A sweet tale of finding love after loss, The Last Goodbye tells the story of Anna, her friends and family, and the beginning of a new chapter in her life after the death of her husband.

Such an interesting book. I found the premise intriguing and the characters well written. I enjoyed the flow of the story.

Apologies for the late response on this title, and apologies for clogging up an inbox on old titles.

While I am aware it's obvious, I have chosen not to read/review this title.

As always, I appreciate access to titles and look forward to the next one...which I have likely already read based on how long ago this title was published.

Thanks, again.

Honest, I put off reading it for so long because I heard it was really sad and I didn't think I was in the right place to read something truly heartbreaking. But now I'm annoyed at myself that I did take so long to pick it up because it was really good.

It's definitely not a light romance, and maybe it's more women's fiction than true romance? Either way, it's full of grief and loss, mental health struggles and more. But it's also really, really beautiful (both the story and the writing). It will have you weeping through all of it.

Anna's husband dies suddenly, and she calls his phone number so she can hear his voice on the voicemail message...except, someone picks up. Brody has been assigned her husband's old phone number, and is also suffering the loss of someone he loves. The two talk, and over the course of a year they grow closer and support each other through their grief.

This one was a drudge to get through. In fact, I started three times before finally managing to get finished by doing a combo read/listen.

The Last Goodbye is the story of two broken people. Anna is still deeply feeling the loss of her husband three years after his death, and Brody is…well, herein lies my biggest issue with this book. We spend the whole book as flies on the wall of Anna and Brody’s phone conversations - there’s lots of talking. And Anna navigating her loss and pondering her ability to choose a new path in life (while also dealing with a terrible, horrible, awful mother-in-law). We get nearly zilch about Brody, except his present-day struggles, and nothing about the root cause of those struggles.

I despise when an author hints and refers to a character's past trauma and instead of revealing what happened, drags it out and drags it out and drags it out. If you want to keep it a secret to the other main character in the book, go for it. But for the love of Pete, just tell the reader already. For me, this storytelling technique doesn’t build suspense, it builds massive frustration. There’s zero reason for us to not know what’s going on. Usually that big secret is a big fat pile of not a big deal. At least here our hero had a decent reason for being the way he was.

My other issues with this book include glacially slow pacing, repetitive inner monologues, and a heroine who would take ten steps back for every one step of forward progress. Get a therapist already!

Add in very little payoff, because the hero and heroine don’t meet in person until the very end of the book, and I find very little to recommend this one. If you like slow-burn and very little action, this one's for you. Otherwise, I suggest reading something else.

* Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Reading a story with such deeply rooted sorry is always a challenge. The author did a beautiful job with it and yet I did have a hard time immersing myself fully. The character arcs were lovely and touching. The meet cute is classic romcom fodder but the actual story is heavy and intense due to the grief that lays between the characters. This book should be read with a box of tissues because there is so much pain on the page as the characters find their way to the much deserved joy.

Well written, and beautiful!

I am glad that I read this book when I did, right at the beginning of this year. If I had left it unread for even one more week, I would not have been able to ever read it. On January 9th of this year, my 38 year old brother died out of the clear nowhere. No preexisting conditions, no drug or alcohol abuse, no Covid or illness, no big accident, nothing. He just went to bed on a Saturday night and didn't wake up on Sunday morning. Now I can completely relate to the main character in a way I didn't fully understand until I did. Throughout the book, I kept thinking it was such an interesting story, but surely she should be over her grief already, right? Surely by now. And now I know why you don't just get over losing someone you love in a tidy little amount of time in a neat little way that lets you move forward. I feel as stuck at the woman in the story. More than once, I've considered calling my brother's phone number. If someone else answered, I'd be heartbroken in a fresh new hell of a way all over again. More than once, I have wondered what if I had texted him back that last time. More than once, I have wished I could make it be not real or true. Now I get how hard letting yourself love someone can be. And I am sad for everyone who can relate...

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas.

I wanted to love this story, but I felt like the premise was something I've read a few times before. Spouse dies and their widow finds new love, new outlook, new purpose in someone else. I didn't dislike the book, but I wished it would've covered some new ground. Both the characters of Anna and Brody were likeable and well-developed. This book has a slow pace, but I think that is necessary for the subject matter.

This was a fantastic story of finding purpose again after unimaginable loss. Even though I guessed how the story would end, Anna and Brody were very well-written and complex characters. I was very invested in learning more about their pasts and futures.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advanced reader's copy.

This is a story about a very impactful loss of a spouse and how Anna not only coped with the loss, but how she found a way to heal and move on.

Anna's husband died in a tragic accident and his family wanted to continue on their normal schedule to try to keep his memory alive while also trying to indirectly remove her from their lives. Anna realizes this and tries to make things right for herself.

She is in the habit of calling Spencer's phone to hear his voice once more and one day on NYE a stranger picks up. Brody and Anna develop a friendship and they each help each other deal with very significant losses in their own ways.

This is a lovely story of Anna and Brody and the bond that they form to help each other get through traumatic events. Brody starts as just a listener and then starts sharing more details of his trauma to try to come to terms with things. Anna figures out more of his story and helps him learn to be a peace with things.

A story of love and loss and new relationships built on processing those losses.