Anna lost the love of her life, Spencer, 3 years ago to a tragic accident. On NYE she calls his old number to discover that it’s been reassigned to someone else. When Brody, who is grappling with his own unspoken tragedy, answers a unique bond is formed between them.

This story is about a lot of love, aching heartbreak, learning to forgive yourself again, and finding love once more. This book was really well written! The audiobook was really engaging and brought the characters to life. There were moments that the story dragged a little bit, but overall the character development was wonderful. There were deep and meaningful moments mixed in with lighthearted scenes. This is a non-traditional romance that will leave your heart satisfied with the ending and wanting more!

Pub Date: June 8th, 2021

Thank you to @netgalley and @harperaudio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨.

This story was beautifully written and would be the perfect Hallmark movie someday!

The book begins with Anna going through the motions after losing her husband, Spencer, 3 years earlier. Anna calls Spencer's phone to hear his voicemail, but is surprised when someone else answers. Anna learns that a man named Brody has been given Spencer's phone number and after a somewhat awkward first conversation, Anna continues to call the number which begins their friendship/relationship. Anna learns that Brody has also lost someone close to him and their conversations allow them both to begin to heal and give them encouragement to move forward.

The Last Goodbye is a very sweet story. At times it felt slow, but I think that it needed to be in order to accurately share the story of people who are grieving. If you're looking for an easier, slower-paced read with great character development, this will be a great choice!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

As someone that has suffered with loss and anxiety, this book is extremely accurate. Who hasn’t lost someone and wished for one more conversation with them? That’s what Anna is hoping for when she calls her deceased husband’s phone number. Not to hear him on the other end, but at least what she had left, his voice Mail. Except someone answers. And it’s someone that understands and doesn’t judge Anna or tell her “to move on” as most her friends think she should.

This is a touching story of lost love and finding hope and yourself again. I listened to the audiobook version and quite enjoyed the narrator.

This book was right up my alley and I genuinely think if it gets a little steam marketing-wise, it will be a big hit. It has a strong One Day in December, In Five Years, or The Two Lives of Lydia Bird feel to it. Only thing it is missing seems to be a number in the title!

In all seriousness, The Last Goodbye is well structured and crafted in a believable way. I have read all the above books, as well as others like them, and I was worried it was going to just be another book trying to be like them. In the middle of the book I was really concerned that it wouldn't turn upwards, but then BAM! you get hit with the mother-in-law from H-E-double hockey sticks! There is a truly beautiful story of life after loss and it dives into the taboo nature of grief and mental health head first. The struggles that Anna, Brody, Gabby, Gail, etc. all experience are various levels of coping and how society/others do not necessarily help them but rather make it harder for them to heal.

The cover of the book drew me in. It is something I would stop and read the back for more information.

I listened to the audiobook version. I enjoyed the narrator. She has a thick English accent and there is a lot of British pronunciations of words. Once I got used to the voice, it was lovely to listen to.

I would recommend this book to fans of women's lit and those who like a deeper storyline in a romance.

I received an audio ARC of The Last Goodbye in exchange of my honest opinion. Thank you to Fiona Lucas, NetGalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to have an advance read of this novel.

SUMMARY:
Anna is lost in grief following the tragic death of her husband, Spencer. On New Year’s Eve she calls his phone expecting his old voicemail greeting, but instead someone else answers -- Brody. Brody seems to understand Anna’s grief and the two start calling longer and more regularly -- slowly learning to heal, laugh, and gain hope again. But, Brody has his own secrets

***
I found this to be an interesting read about grief and healing. The concept of calling your deceased husband’s old phone number and having a stranger pick up (mind you, a stranger who was also dealing with pain and trauma) was a bit too coincidental, but I get that it’s a book and that most people have probably gone through some pain at some point of their lives.

With Anna, I could understand her pain, but also wished she'd stop shutting out everyone and everything that was trying to help her move forward. Brody was in a similar situation and it was heartbreaking to learn, plus, he also developed agoraphobia. As for Gail (Spencer's mom), she was exhausting (and kind of a bitch 🤭). I get that she was grieving, but seriously?

I liked that the book touched on not only grief, but also mental health issues. I loved that these two found each other to confide and find solace in even despite the bumps. Hearing them go out of their comfort zones was really heartwarming and I would’ve loved to see how their story further unfolded!

Overall, this book shows how grief is processed differently and how this random connection between two strangers led them both to heal, grow, and love.

Though I like a good ugly cry read, I did to be. And I did she'd some tears. This is so much more than an ugly cry read. There is hope and friendship through the character's grief, I love it when a book makes me feel so many emotions.

I was drawn to this book because of the mention of PS I Love You, I was in the mood for another book in this same type of vein. Overall, I did like this book but found it moved very, very slow. Although, if you stick with it, the characters do grow on you and you feel for them. This is what happened to me.

In the beginning, I was feeling this story but then it wavered some. Every time I started to think about stopping this book, it would pick up again for me. This was the vibe for me throughout the whole book. Yet, I was here for the characters. The middle feel a bit flat for me but the last third of the story picked up again and finished off nicely. There are a lot of emotions woven into these characters. While, I might not have "loved" this book, I still liked it and would suggest readers give it a try.

Wonderful! Seriously, this book as everything. It was raw and full of emotion, and just a beautiful story. I really enjoyed every single part of this book. The narrator for the audiobook did a wonderful job with this one, and I loved listening to it.

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas deserved 4.5 strong stars rounded down from 5 stars in my opinion. I listened to the audiobook of The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas. It was expertly narrated by Antonia Beamish. Fiona Lucas had written other books under the pen name of Fiona Harper but this is the first book of hers that I have had the opportunity to read. She is an author, though, that I will be on the lookout for in the future. I was lured into the story immediately and never lost interest throughout the entire book. The Last Goodbye was captivating and poignant. Where it could have been sad or even depressing,I found it to be uplifting and even inspiring. The Last Goodbye was a character driven book that centered around kind, hopeful, honest, caring, truthful and believable characters. It was about love, loss and forgiveness. The different stages of grieving were explored as well as how the realities of how death could trigger mental health issues. It was about how to “move on” after experiencing a devastating loss and how to learn to love again.

Anna had lost her beloved husband almost three years prior as the story began. Spencer, her loving husband, had died tragically as the result of a horrific drunk driver accident. He was only 31 when he was taken from Anna. Spencer had been on his way to get something from the local store when he was struck. Anna blamed herself. Why did she insist that he go to the store at that time? Why didn’t she call Spencer back and ask him to get something else or why hadn’t she run into the hall and given him a kiss before he left? If she had done any of those things she could have altered the time he left and perhaps prevented him from getting struck by the drunk driver. Anna had to learn to live with the reality that Spencer was gone. Even after almost three years, Anna still missed Spencer tremendously though and was not ready to “move on” with her life.

Anna’s best friend Gabby had talked Anna into going to a New Year’s Eve party. Gabby even introduced Anna to a charming and handsome man. Anna found him to be good-looking and even bright but he was not Spencer. Before the ball was to drop and usher in the New Year, Anna made excuses and left the party. Once she was home and safe she climbed into her bed and decided to call Spencer’s cell number just to hear his voice. To her surprise a man’s voice was heard on the connection but it was not Spencer’s recorded greeting. Spencer’s cell number had been reassigned to a man named Brody. Anna began to pour her heart out to this stranger. She realized that he listened to her without judging her. Brody understood her. Their conversations became more frequent and lasted longer as they got to know each other over the phone. They both shared a loss that was hard to move on from. Brody and Anna understood what each other was feeling and how hard it was to navigate around those feelings. It was beautiful to witness how they helped each other become stronger and how they helped each other learn to love again and overcome their fears.

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas was a beautiful book that touched every one of my emotions. I found myself laughing, crying and sometimes just smiling. The concept for this book was brilliant and it was one of those books that made you feel so good and restored your faith in people. Everyone grieves differently but wouldn’t it be nice to have a “Brody” who understood what you were feeling and just listened without judging? I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Last Goodbye. I was almost sad when it ended because I was so vested in the characters and their outcomes that I didn’t want it to end. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy of The Last Goodbye through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Loved this story. Filled with so much goodness! Flawed and amazing characters and realistic pops of life. Unique story line. It was like crawling under your favorite blanket!!

An interesting read that blends love, loss, despair, hope and renewal with the nod to taking care of ones mental well-being. It looks at the complexities of family - those we are born into, those we choose, and those special families we call friends. It’s a story of hope in trial, and live in despair.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so true and real. Grief is different for everyone and the words unexpressed are often more hurtful. I just loved it. The concept the story and characters. All of it flowed so well and left me feeling gratified and happy.

I did not realize this was an audiobook when I requested. The synopsis is what captured my attention. It sounded just like the type of book that I would read. Though it wasn't very relatable to my life, I was interested in following the story of two grieving individuals to see if and how they would overcome it. It started off strong, however, it fell short for me; I think, in part, due to the narration. Overall I lost interest in the middle. I spent hours waiting for excitement. I enjoyed the ending.

I want to thank the author and Netgalley for gifting me the audio book version. I really enjoyed this story. It was so heartfelt and warm it just brought me pure joy while listening to it. The narrator did an amazing job. I think this book honestly is perfect for every going through depression, anxiety, loss etc for all ages! I loved how uplifting it was to the audience and gives people hope that are going through something awful in their life. I loved how the main characters were at rock bottom and they just happen to find each other through just a phone number that belonged to her deceased husband. The friendship they developed over the year they started talking and how they helped each other out. The main characters were just wonderful! I also love in the book it helps with people who need to just simply forgive. This book hits every point in life! Highly recommend this and you will not be disappointed! Life does go on after any kind of tragedy that crosses your path. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and this book sure delivers.

Emotional and wrenching, a story of grief, love, loss, and moving forward. The narration was very good and really enhanced the story. A slow burn with relatable, well developed characters and relationships. I enjoyed this audiobook but wish the pacing was a little faster.

NOT ABLE TO REVIEW. I cannot give a review of this book being that I was unable to finish it. I am realizing I am not an audiobook person. I like the feel of a book in my hands and turning the pages. Although I will read an e-book. What I listened to I liked but I didn’t get very far. If I could get this as an e-book I would definitely read it. It promises to be a good one.

3.5 Star
The author’s true depiction of the loss of a loved one and the disabling grief. The vulnerability it takes to move forward and try to love again. I struggled to maintain interest in the middle, but so glad a pushed through. It was such a beautiful ending.

Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Last Goodbye audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really really really enjoyed this audiobook. The novel slowly built and built just like the relationships within the story. I found myself becoming invested in the characters and getting disappointed when I had to stop listening. I'll admit to being frustrated sometimes with the pace and the actions of the characters, but I think that is pretty true to real life- people can be frustrating! Overall, it was an enjoyable story with well developed characters. The audiobook narrator was excellent- I particularly loved her accent which really help me feel the characters.
I recommend this book for those looking for a British based rom-com noting I wouldn't recommend if not prepared to read about the loss of a loved one.

If Sophia Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern had a baby, it would be this book! It felt like (the more serious moments of) Sophia Kinsella in the writing with a Cecelia Ahern whimsical plot. At first I thought it would be a lot like Rainbow Rowell’s Landline, which is one of my favorites, but then it took a completely different turn...which I loved!
I didn’t think I would like the characters at first. Not Anna. I did like her. But Brody. I just didn’t know. Because I really loved her memories of Spencer. I loved how she loved him. I loved hating his mother. I loved his father. But of course, I also knew this wasn’t sci-fi fantasy, so it likely wasn’t bringing Spencer back to life.
And Brody, I just didn’t know about him at first. But then I just loved him.
At first I thought that hearing from Brody’s point of view was pointless. I didn’t feel like I was adding to the story by having his side. But as the plot developed, I knew there would come a time when we would need his point of view specifically, and it did. And it was worth it.
(I could have done without her friend Gabby, though. She annoyed me for reasons I can’t even put my finger on.)
I also really loved the narration of the audiobook. Maybe I should only listen to audiobooks by British authors....they are just a touch more whimsical and it sweeps me away!

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas is a heartfelt novel about love, loss and how to move on when your heart is shattered. Anna is devastated when her husband Spencer is killed by a drunk driver. Three years after his death, on New Year's Eve she calls his cell number to listen to his voice mail message just to hear his voice and to her surprise, a man answers. The number had been reassigned. She apologizes, explains why she called and they begin a conversation that continues over the course of months.

Brody, who is on the other end of that phone has had a tragic event of his own and is working through it without much success. As his story unravels, there is a sense that Anna may be helping him heal...or that they may be helping each other.

Thank you to the author, Harper Audio and Netgalley who made an audiobook available in exchange for my honest review. I found this to be a beautiful journey through the process of grieving for what is lost, at your own pace, in spite of having others push you to grieve at their pace. The characters were charming and grew throughout the novel and I truly enjoyed this novel.