This was a well written book with a beautiful story. This book deals with heartache and grief in a such a beautiful way. I found myself almost crying near the end. This is definitely a must read

Excellent! Heartwarming storyline and believable main (and secondary) characters. I'll miss them. My only issue was that I felt Anna needed to get a spine when it came to her mother-in-law, especially near the end.

I received this audiobook as an ARC from NetGalley. This novel would speak to anyone who has lost a spouse or experienced grief. It is touching and hopeful. Narration was perfect!

I received an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Anna's world was shattered when she lost her husband Spencer almost 3 years ago. She spends each weekend with Spencer's family remembering him and resists any attempts from her friends to convince her to move on. On New Year's Eve, she calls Spencer's number just to hear his voicemail. To her surprise, someone answers the phone! Brody has inherited Spencer's old number, and he understands what Anna is going through. The two continue talking throughout the year, growing close. Brody has a secret he hasn't confessed to Anna, though. Will it destroy their friendship when she finds out?

Fiona Lucas did a fantastic job of representing grief. The characters in this book were well written, and I loved the story. Antonia Beamish's narration was wonderful. I highly recommend this slow burn romance about learning to live again.

“Things happen, things you couldn’t have predicted, and when they do it can throw you, turn you upside down and your life takes a very different path.
...and when life changes suddenly and unexpectedly, there’s a grieving of what was and what can never be again. I would call that being human.”

This book follows a young widow, Anna, as she navigates the years following the loss of her late husband, Spencer. When she decides to call his old cell phone number late one New Year’s Eve, she is shocked to hear a voice on the other end of the line that’s not Spencer’s. This is how she meets Brody, a man who has also experienced a great loss. Over the course of their many conversations they form a deep connection through their losses and find a way to have happiness, hope, and maybe even love again.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Books, and Harper Audio for the advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While it was a very sad story, it was beautifully told and the narrator, Antonia Beamish, fit the story and was very easy to listen to. Her voice added an element to the story that helped me really feel what the characters felt.

This story is heavy. The characters’ grief is portrayed so well in the description of how it effects their every day lives. Anna is very much struggling at the start of the story, years after the death of her husband. It felt very raw and real listening to her come to terms with the loss and find a way to grow and change along the way.

I thought Brody’s story tackled the mental health aspects of suffering great loss with severe anxiety and panic attacks so well—the reader can really feel like they are right there in the moment as these happened.

I really appreciated how the author found a way to normalize mental health issues and make it clear that no one needs to hide behind this part of their life. Brody’s character grew a great deal in this area of his life over the course of the story and it was very encouraging and uplifting to read.

This book is long and it certainly felt that way listening. The second half was better than the first, but I understand the reason for the slower first half to build Anna and Brody’s stories.

*Will post a full review on my Instagram closer to publication.*

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

The Last Goodbye
Fiona Lucas
6/8/21

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a loved one dies you look for signs... when Anna is struggling to get over the love of her life who passed away she calls his cell phone and a man answers- is it fate? Is it Spencer sending her a much needed message from beyond? This is a well written story with many messages between us he pages. Loved it ❤️

Sending a sincere thank you to NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of The Last Goodbye my honest review! Can’t wait to see what comes next!!

Review posted on my Instagram blog and Goodreads.

www.instagram.com/donnasnotsosecretbookdiary

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12409011-donna-beiderman

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The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas⁣
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫⁣
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A novel about loss, love, and finding a way to begin again. Anna has been trudging her way the the loss of her husband, Spencer over two years ago. And while most people in her life think she should have moved on by now, she hasn't. Then a desperate call while drowning in grief leads to a beautiful friendship. It was so lovely to experience the blossoming friendship between Anna and Brody. ⁣
⁣
Fiona Lucas has a way of developing characters and writing scenes, as the reader it is as if you right there in the moment. ⁣
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I will definitely be on the look out for future works by @fionalucasauthor⁣
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Thank you to @netgalley and @harperaudio for this advanced reader audiobook!⁣

This is a nice story with a good narrator that makes it easy to listen to. The character's are well developed and yes, you know how it's going to end but it's chick lit, love, loss, family, friendship and finding the strength through others to start again and move forward. This is generally not the type of book I would choose to read but escape is definitely all right every once in a while.

This is a story about discovering yourself and finding love after grief. I found it sweet and incredibly easy to read. The characters are likable and layered. The dialogue is easy to follow.

My main drawback is this feels eerily similar to so many other “love after loss” women’s fiction/romances. I can’t pinpoint anything that strongly differentiates this one from many others I have read. I just was missing something that made this book memorable.

I also enjoy a book with no steam - and this one is SQUEAKY clean which is a good change up for me.

Recommend if you enjoy: Josie Silver, light romances (no steam!), second chance romance stories

4.5 stars

This audiobook was a joy to listen to with a narrator that was a perfect fit for the story. Straight from the beginning, I was immersed in these characters.

The grief and growth after loss was beautifully told in the story of our main character, Anna. Seeking solace with a man she has never met, the relationship that Anna develops with Brody is so heartwarming. From the moment they first talked, I was Team Brody. As the story progressed and the layers of the mysterious man began to unravel, I became more and more invested in their interactions... truly rooting for a happy ending for these two broken souls.

The relationship with Anna's mother-in-law was also carefully curated. Lucas not only writes the story of a Anna, a grieving wife, but also the story of the grieving mother, and how death will have irrevocable consequences on the relationships of those left behind.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I thank NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to engage in such a great listen.

I haven't fallen in love with a book in many months, but this one stole my heart. It follows a 30 something widow through her grief as she deals with family and friends encouraging her to "move on", in-laws that are living in the past, and a chance friendship with the man who now has the cell phone number of her depated husband.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book (while I ran, cooked, ran errands and rocked in my chair). It's a book you become invested in, but are ok with becoming invested in. I loved how REAL the characters were. You could picture actual people doing and saying the things they did. And the ways that grief was explored and normalized was so refreshing and encouraging.

I can't say enough good things about this book!

The narrator did a wonderful job. I was able to listen at normal speed and it didn't feel like it dragged. A few British pronunciations made me pause to figure out what had been said, as well as the use of Britishisms like jumper for sweater, lift for elevator, etc.

Anna is still grieving the death of her husband Spencer. Though it's been just over three years and her closest friends and family are encouraging Anna to put herself out there again, she simply can't. That's why on New Year's Eve, desperate for that connection she misses so much, Anna finds herself dialing Spencer's mobile phone just to listen to his voicemail message. Except, this time, someone picks up. Thinking she was under some kind of cloud of grief, Anna hangs up. But when it happens again a couple of months later in another overwhelming moment of sadness, Anna decides to call the number again convinced that she hallucinated the person on the other end. But no, Anna wasn't hallucinating, someone else has been assigned Spencer's old phone number. Curious, Anna begins to confide in the stranger and eventually begins to come out of the shell she's formed around herself since Spencer's death.

On the other end of the phone, Brody is just as shocked by the woman randomly calling his number in the middle of the night. But Brody, like Anna, is dealing with his own grief, something that has caused him to retreat almost entirely from society.

As Brody and Anna embark on this tentative friendship, they both discover again what it truly means to be alive. Both the joys and the sorrows and what's really worth fighting for.

Listening to the audiobook of The Last Goodbye I thought that Antonia Beamish did a wonderful job with the narration. Really giving each character - though especially Anna and Brody - their own distinct voice. Really giving nuance to the vulnerabilities of each character, but keeping things from drifting too far into the maudlin.

On that note, I feel like The Last Goodbye is one of the best examples of the varying forms of grief that I've read in quite awhile. I think that Fiona Lucas does a fantastic job of giving taking us on this journey with Anna and Brody and seeing how their grief differs yet also the points where it is the same. Not only grief itself but the actual act of grieving.

When the story starts Anna is still cocooned in her own loss and we're seeing her very early stages of emerging. While Brody has been living with his loss for quite sometime more, but he's let it kind of overshadow his day-to-day life to the point where simple interactions with people are nonexistent.

I kind of liked how we see Anna's grief clearly. We understand immediately what has happened. Whereas with Brody we're not given the full picture right away. We, like Brody, have to work up to the point where we hear his whole story. It's like we experience the growth with the character and I think this makes it all the more rewarding when he's finally at that stage where he can talk about his past with Anna. It shows a depth to their forged relationship.

I know that books that deal with these kind of topics can feel heavy at times. I myself often hesitate to pick up something that I feel is going to delve too much into the desolation of loss. The Last Goodbye certainly has those moments, along with plenty of heartbreak, but it was also full of so much hope that outweighed much of that sense of helplessness that accompanies those moments in life in which we have no control. I think seeing both Anna and Brody take back some of that control, to make the conscious effort to continue to move forward and forming that connection with one another are the shining moments of the book. That they are both fully supported in their grief, but also supported in moving out of that grief.

Overall, I was so happily surprised by this book, this story. It's the first book I've read by Fiona Lucas, but I'll definitely be on the lookout to see what comes next.

I really enjoyed this English romance! Such an awesome meet cute. The book follows Anna, a thirty some widow who lost her husband, Spencer, in an accident three years ago and on New Year's Eve she decides to call her husband's phone and is surprised when a man answers. Brody, the man who has Spencer's new phone number, not only becomes friends with Anna but is there for her to lean on and talk things through. Anna comes to enjoy Brody and finally they make a plan to meet on New Year's Eve the following year. No Spoilers but OMG this is a must read. Thanks to Netgalley for the early review copy! I can't recommend it enough.

The Last Goodbye is a work of romantic fiction that is full of heartache. Themes of love, loss, and healing are central. The author provides several perspectives on loss, each person traveling a unique grief process. This audiobook was narrated beautifully. The result left me with All. The. Feels.

CW: deaths of various aged persons.

Thank you to NetGalley, author, narrator, and publisher for the chance to listen to this advance audiobook. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Warning: If you are mourning this might trigger some major tears, crying and emotional upset. It did for me and yet I still loved it and am so glad I listened to it. This is a beautifully written story of love, loss, grief and learning how to wade through the fog and and your way back to the land of the living. Anna loved Spencer and was looking forward to growing old with him and looking back at the wonderful life they lived together. Unfortunately that did not happen and now she has to figure out how to move forward without him while dealing with a horribly hateful mean mother in law wishing it were she that were dead instead of her son, loving parents on a different continent and a best friend, Gabi, who I found to be incredibly obnoxious, annoying and incredibly self centered (and I found the narration of her character horribly annoying and aggravating). One evening while having a deep dark moment she calls Spencers old number to her his voice message and surprisingly someone answers. Unbeknownst to her he is suffering as she is any they form a unique bond and support each other. As the months go by their friendship blossoms and they are helping each other heal from their respective losses and tragedies. A second chance love story. Truly one of the best love stories you will read all year.

This book was a bit more sad than the books I am seeking out these days, but there was an underlying sense of hope throughout that made me keep going. The characters are so easy to like and sympathize with, that I wanted to see them through to the end. I got the audio version, and the narration was soothing but the pacing of the story felt a little slow at times. I wonder if when reading the book the pacing would feel a bit faster. Overall, a heartwarming book, perfect for reading under a cozy blanket with a nice cup of tea.

I received an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Goodbye is a story of love, grief, relationships and new beginnings. Fiona Lucas develops Anna’s character in drawing you in to her life as a young widow. The narration gives a voice to Anna and her Portuguese friend Gabby letting you be a part of their friendship.

This book was so unbelievably sad in the beginning. I wasn't sure I even wanted to keep going because it was so depressing. However, I am so happy that I continued. Anna had such a fantastic transformation throughout the book. She is so sad after Spencer dies and after calling his phone to listen to his voicemail one NYE, a voice picks up instead. Thus begins a beautiful friendship where they bond over loss and grief and feeling so stuck. I loved Gabby and Theresa. They were the perfect companions to Anna. I loved Brody and his no-nonsense way of looking at things and helping Anna move forward. I hated Gail. She was the worst!!! Just wait... you'll agree with me. The ending of the story is just what I wanted. It was wrapped up beautifully. Such amazing character development for both Anna and Brody.

I loved this novel. It’s heartbreakingly realistic, but the phone number thing seems just a touch magical. Truthfully, the ability to develop a relationship with someone purely over voice phone calls without doing lots of internet stalking early on almost makes it a fantasy novel! (Ok, not really, but you know what I mean — it’s the 21st century, the age of social media!) There were no surprises for me along the way because Lucas threads all the clues in for you to hopefully catch, but I was still desperate to keep reading. The audiobook narrator was excellent. I don’t know that many of my high school library patrons would like the adult characters too much in this story, but it’s definitely one that teachers would check out and maybe even read for a book club .