Just finished listening to #TheLastGoodbye by @fionalucasauthor set to publish June 8th.

After suddenly losing her husband Anna finds moving on and letting go an impossible feat. Her only solace? Calling her deceased husbands phone to listen to his voicemail and leave him messages. Until one day someone.. Brody... answers the phone. Anna begins to confide in Brody as their calls become more frequent. Their bond is explored in this unprecedented friendship.

What I liked about this book:
-Anna is very relatable in how she kind of chokes down her emotions and stays quiet to keep the peace with her in-laws
-Brody is a good listener and knows how to listen without offering advice
-The friendship unfolding via phone calls is very relatable during these #CovidTimes we live in

What Missed the Mark for me:
-This is a *very* slow burn
-I never felt a true connection between Anna and Brody as he’s a very demure man
-I wish we had seen a glimpse of Spencer and Anna’s marriage prior to his death. Based on her relationship with her in laws it’s very hard to imagine their son as her soulmate

A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me, mostly due to the slow burn I personally prefer a quicker pace in a book.

Fiona Lucas' The Last Goodbye was excellent, and especially great as an audiobook. From the very beginning Anna’s story pulled me in as we followed along as she came to terms with the grief of suddenly losing her husband, exploring her relationship with her in-laws, and her late night conversations with the man who inherited her husband’s phone number. I don’t want to give anything away, but the story is so well written and enjoyable. I was able to listen to the audiobook which was especially great - I loved how the narrator, Antonia Beamish, interpreted the characters’ personalities and listening was a great way to slow down and soak in the story. I listened to all 11.5 hours in a single day (😬) I was truly pulled in and didn’t want to take out my earbuds! This book comes out on June 8 - I definitely recommend both it and the audiobook!

“That’s the funny thing about the future, isn’t it? We have all these plans, some small, some grand. But things don’t always work out the way we expect them to.”

This book was very emotional. You feel the anger, frustration, and sadness of Anna. Anna is grief stricken from the loss of her husband, and just trying to survive.

I haven’t read something like this in a long time. Everyone’s path to healing is very different, and this book creates a beautiful picture.

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @harperaudio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.
I hate to admit that I had a hard time finishing this book. The plot felt way too similar to The Two Lives of Lydia Bird (which I also didn't love) for me to be interested in how it ended, the story was too slow, and the first half continued for too long. I also personally did not care for the narrator - whenever I tried to listen to the book for any period of time I'd get sleepy or my mind would wander ( & I listen to a LOT of audiobooks!). I think maybe I would've enjoyed a physical/print version of this book better. I am sure many will enjoy this book, especially those who enjoyed The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and We Met in December.

Such a powerful and emotional story. Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this as an audiobook. I loved the character development that Ana had throughout the book. And I truly felt every emotion in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family.

I received an advanced copy of the audio book for The Last Goodbye and I must admit that I struggled to finish. I started my listen knowing that heartbreak and loss are at the core of this book, but I felt like that part of the story (the first half) continued for too long. The connection between Anna and Brody wasn’t there for me, and maybe because the slow burn was too slow and long. I also did not care of the narrator. I have listened to hundreds of audio books and I would put her somewhere in the middle - her voice kept putting me to sleep. Overall, I think it was a well-written book, but I did not enjoy the story.

3.5 I was so eager to get into this book as the story was very promising and intriguing, the idea of the story was really promising, and that's basically what made me want to read it in the first place but I wasn't expecting the narrator so that is the only reason for me to give this book 3 stars.

The last goodbye is the story of Anna, her life changed so drastically making her unable to move forward living, in constant griff without any interest of meeting anybody new or starting a new relationship. people around her want her to move on her friend kept trying to blind date her with other guys but Anna wasn't ready and that's what started to make her life a little hard.

The story really felt so real and that is one of the things that I love about this book, that we were walking through life with Annas mind and feelings making us more aware of what she was going through.

the only reason I wasn't able to give 4 stars to this book was that I feel like the narrator was acting too much for my taste, it didn't felt natural and I was really getting annoyed by that to the point that really made me want to stop listening but I kept going till the end.

this was a good story, if you really want to enjoy this book give it a chance but I do recommend going for the ebook or paperback, that will definitely make you love this story even more.

Review - The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas

Audio version

4 stars

A story of love, loss and grief and how the power of friendship has the power to heal. Anna and Brody are the main characters that are dealing with loss and grief. Their initial meeting is quite unique and leads to a continually evolving friendship. They are both dealing with life altering issues that has had a devastating affect on both of them. Can their friendship save them from themselves?
The writing is quite good and captures the emotions of pain and fear that are accompanying the loss and grief that Anna and Brody are facing. The character portrayals were great and their situations at times very relatable. As their friendship builds there are many twists and turns along the way that kept my interest. I constantly found myself cheering for positive outcomes with each new scenario they faced. Hoping for happiness and healing for both of them.

The audio version was enjoyable and I would highly recommend this book to others who enjoy a story about a healing friendship.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #TheLastGoodbye

Antonia Beamish did a wonderful job narrating this book! I loved her voice changes and the pauses she added -- she knew exactly how to captivate the reader and bring Fiona Lucas's book to life. The characters in this story are realistic and relatable going through life and coping with grief in their own way. The Last Goodbye is a bittersweet story about loss, moving on, and allowing yourself to accept happiness and forgiveness.

Oh my!!! This was such a tear jerker!!! What a wonderful book!!!! Everything about it was amazing!!!! A heartbreaking tale of Anna a few years after her husband dies. On New Years eve she dials his phone number to hear his voicemail one last time, something she has dine in the past. Only this time someone else answers. In the other side is a man named Brody dealing with his own grief. One call turns into many over the course of the next year as they try to deal with their pain. These calls slowly help them heal and rediscovery not only themselves but the realization that there can be happiness after a tragic loss.

The last goodbye is a story about Anna whos husband who passed away 3 years ago and how one new years night she called Spencer’s old number to just to hear his voicemail. But it wasn't his voicemail it was Brody who answered and who has Spencer's old number. But to Annas surprise Brody understands her.

This is a Story about Grief and how do you handle it and what its like trying to put your life back together and to answer the question do you want to. Can you truly be happy without the one person who made your life better. This shows Anna going through with coming to terms and figuring it how her life works now. Her friends and family are there for her and try to make her move on. But none of them truly understands what she's going through.

What I loved about this story was the friendship that was presented between two people that were both suffering that understand each other. And helps them to live again.

This is a fantastic Listen I would 100% recommend this book/Audio. I keep wanting to pick up and listen to as much as the story as I could. Comes out June 2021

Thank you Harper Audio, William Morrow and NetGalley for The Last Goodbye.

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas was such a great read. The story was heartbreaking and heartwarming. The characters were so well developed that I could feel what they were feeling. The author handled the topic of grief in a meaningful way. I will be looking for other books by Fiona Lucas.

I liked the narrator. The tone of her voice was soothing.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

ARC provided by NetGalley for an Honest Review
This was a really beautiful read about two people finding solace in one another after years of suffering in their own grief. After three years of misery the heroine Anna dials her deceased husbands phone just to hear his voicemail message. However a mishap with the bill has the company reassigning the number and someone (the MC Brody) answers the phone. From there the two spend the entirety of the book (months) getting to know one another and connecting over their shared pain. The book has little to no action aside from an out of control ex mother in law who really needs a kick in the ass IMO. While the heroine puts on a brave face and tries to continue her life, for nine years the hero has suffered in pain becoming borderline agoraphobic and anti people. Talking on the phone slowly brings them both out of their shell and it’s not until the very end that they even meet. This is really my only complaint about the book as once they meet it just sort of ended. There’s so much that I felt was hanging in the balance of uncertainty. I did love how the heroine was inspired by their meeting and connection. She came up with an idea for an app that would bring other grieving people together in a safe and controlled way. Sometimes talking to an absolute stranger is the best thing for you especially if they know exactly what you are going through in a way even those closest to you cannot. This was an intensely emotional read but also truly bittersweet in proving a HEA is possible more than once in your life if you only believe in the power of love & don’t let it slip away.

“That’s the funny thing about the future, isn’t it? We have all these plans, some small, some grand. But things don’t always work out the way we expect them to.”

Thank you to @netgalley and @harperaudio for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my fourth audiobook this year, and I really enjoyed it. Anna is still grieving the loss of her husband when she calls his number just to hear his old voicemail greeting. But to her surprise someone answers and Brody becomes a constant in Anna’s life. He understands what Anna is going through. Will Anna find the courage to love again? Will Brody have it in him to talk about his own loss?

This was a sweet story and the beginning had the happy ever after playlist vibes. I really grew to love Anna and loved seeing her remember what it was to live and be happy again after loss.

Rating: 🧪🧪🧪🧪 / 5

The last goodbye will be released June 8, 2021.

I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional as it deals with grief and the loss of a loved one from the start of the book. The author does a great job keeping the emotions raw and realistic in this story. I loved the friendships and the way the characters were developed. I loved how the main characters were able to find hope and healing. I listened to the audio version. The narrator kept me entertained, and I couldn't stop listening until I was finished.

This is an emotional, sad, yet hopeful story about grief and how to move forward after loss. I haven't read a deeper story like this in a while and I was happy for the change of pace. We see the characters in the middle of grieving, not sure how to continue their lives. They accidentally connect and form a friendship that helps them work out feelings and start to heal.

Anna lost her husband almost three years ago and has not been able to deal with her emotions. Her friends think she should start dating again and move on, but Anna isn't ready yet. She really should have seen a therapist to help her sort through her feelings, but she's just trying to survive one day at a time. She calls her husband's old number and ends up talking to Brody who understands loss and they form a friendship.

I really thought Brody's secret was going a different direction and I'm so glad it surprised me. I liked that Anna and Brody were able to lean on each other and get motivated to heal and resume living their lives. The ending is sweet and hopeful, just what I wanted.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This book was so good! It dealt with grief and the loss of a loved one and from the beginning, my heart was in it. I was invested in the main character's story and while I shed some tears, I also smiled and was almost giddy when I saw the first signs of romantic feelings from both Ana and Brody.

In The Last Goodbye, you'll meet Ana a woman who lost her husband more than two years ago in an accident. She sees his family often but we quickly see that her mother-in-law isn't the best to say the least. She slowly pushes Ana away from their family gatherings among other things. It gets worse and worse until Ana stands up for herself. One night, she calls Spencer's old number to hear his voicemail but when a stranger answers, she ends up babbling and talking to him. She probably should have seen a therapist but Brody who also knew about grief managed to help her somehow. They both formed a connection and Ana will learn how to move forward in her life without feeling like she's betraying her husband.

Overall, this was a really good read and I'm glad I got to listen to it as an audiobook!

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

4.5 *

A very well written story! I listened to the Audiobook and the narrator was wonderful!

This book is about grief and coming to terms with it and moving on. Anna has lost her husband 3 years ago and is struggling one New Year's Eve. She decides to call his cell phone just to listen to his voice on the greeting one last time. She is shocked when someone else answers it and so the story unfolds as she begins to form a friendship with the new person.

The character of Anna was well developed and I could feel her every emotion. This was a story that I was deeply immersed in and could not stop listening until the very end. My eyes welled up towards the ending but it's not totally heart wrenching. Serious subject matter for sure but also full of hope and satisfaction.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Harper Audio for granting me access of this Advanced recording.

When I first started this book I wasn’t sure if it was going to be for me but I’m so glad I stuck with it because the story really started to unfold for me. This is the first book I’ve read by the author but it won’t be the last. The narration was also spot on for this book.

I really loved this book. It was really nice to be able to relate to the characters being around the same age as me and going through the same mental health conditions. It’s not a sappy romance its really very well written.