It’s a nice quick read, but with very strong religious overtones. I enjoyed the mystery, though did find it a bit confusing who was related to whom and how etc

Last to Know is a sweet Christmas novella by Brandy Heineman about the healing that comes with forgiveness and offering grace to those who've hurt us.

Nadine Notaro and her co-worker, Chase Garren, are devastated when the city cuts the funding to the Blissford Historical Society where they work. Not only that, but they are turning the historical building into a theater. It is the only thing left that is holding Nadine together after a horrible year for her family.

As the two pack up the Society's records, they make a discovery connected with a decades-old murder. Chase and Nadine work together to solve the mystery, bringing them closer to answers and to each other. But when evidence points to a betrayal that Nadine never expected, can grace and forgiveness hold the remaining pieces of her life together? Or will it all come crashing down around her?

I really enjoyed this novella and was glad to see well-rounded character development and an intriguing storyline! I do wish there would've been just a bit more *something* in the book, but overall, it was a great read. This author is new to me, but I absolutely loved how everything pointed back to God, faith, and forgiveness. I will definitely be checking out more books by her and recommend this book to anyone looking for a Christmas who-done-it plus sweet romance.

I will not be posting a review of this book online - on my blog, or on a retail site.
This book was just not for me. Maybe it was the novella format, but while I enjoyed Chase's pursuit of Nadine, the story felt rushed, and the faith elements simplistic. There was a lot going on with a lot of characters, whose histories intersected, and it was hard to keep them tied together within the pages.

This is a quick read with intriguing characters...they are likable. The historical society is at the center of the plot in this book. Although at times the story is somewhat confusing, the conclusion is quite evident. Friendship and romance...intrigue...mystery...enjoy this one.

Last to Know
by Brandy Heineman
4 stars
Oh, this is a very good novella but it would have been even a better novel! If the author had added another 50 or so pages to fill in all the missing pieces and expand on others, Last To Know would have been just about perfect.
With all that said, this is a wonderful short, sweet Christian based novella taking place during the Christmas season. I have never read a book by Brandy Heinman prior to this, but I surely will be looking for more of her books!



I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

I scooped up a copy of Last to Know when I spotted it as a Read Now title on NetGalley, because it is by Brandy Heineman - an author I've been meaning/wanting to read more from since reading her short story His Pepper Heart in 2017 - because it is a Christmas novella, and because of the first line in the description, "All she wants for Christmas...is an end to this terrible year." Can we talk about instant relatability?

The story starts when (more) things begin to go wrong in Nadine Notaro's life. Not only is her beloved part time job at the Blissford Historical Society in danger, she begins to uncover - with the help of her Society coworker/best friend Chase Garren - that the city council members might not all be on the up and up.

Danger and suspense, and perhaps a bit of romance, grow as they navigate through the season, their discoveries, a historical murder, and possible betrayals. This is not your cookie cutter Christian fiction Christmas novella and for me it was an absolute treat. Recommended - and I do hope for a return to Blissford someday.

This review refers to a digital galley I voluntarily read and reviewed via NetGalley. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

Nadine is loving her job at the Blissford Historical Society and so happy to be working alongside Chase Garren. But now that funding has been cut, she's losing her job .. and she may never see Chase again.

They are to stay and get everything packed up ... all the documents, maps, etc. They happen across a box full of a journalist's negatives and a journal pointing to a decades old scandal. Was that the reason the journalist was murdered?

Nadine and Chase decide to track down the journalist's family ... maybe look into the man's death. But the closer they get to the truth ... the more danger they become ensnared in.

All she wants for Christmas . . . is an end to this terrible year.

This is a short, fast read, a novella. Character development was very well done. The suspense is low-key but manages to hold one's attention throughout. Throw in a little bit of romance and it's a nice book selection for Christmas.

Many thanks to the author / IBPA / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Romantic Suspense. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

What a wonderful Christmas novella! It's well written and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy from Independently published, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles via NetGalley and wasn't required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was pretty good. I enjoyed it and I am glad I read it because I was hoping to get into the mood of Christmas. I would say that there were somethings that I feel like should have been addressed more towards the end, and there was some communication issues that bothered me just a little bit, but overall I enjoyed the books.

This was a new to me author. If you are looking for a quick Christmas read this will fill the bill. It is very Christian oriented, has a good plot and likable characters. Because it is a novella things move pretty fast.

There was a great theme of understanding , forgiveness and not being quick to judge others. Recommended for teens and up.

I’m happy to have kicked of my holiday reading with this great novella! For such a short book, it really has a complete, well thought out story with characters I absolutely enjoyed. The writing was wonderful, and I’m looking forward to reading the author’s backlist novel for more of her voice. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a quick Christmas read with both a lot of heart and intrigue! The faith elements in this book were probably some of the most realistic I’ve ever seen. Top notch!

If you’re looking for a cute Christmas tale like I was, you’ve come to the right place! This one is packed with mystery, romance, potential murder, some holiday blues, family drama, and small town vibes. Plus, it’s a good book you can consume in a cozy evening.

I did enjoy trying to figure out the “whodoneit” aspect of the story, and the author kept me guessing. Also, the story brought me back to my “archival assistant” days when I worked at the library in college.

This was the first book I’ve read by the author, and their writing is faith based (conservative Christian beliefs).

Format: ebook 📱
TW: divorce, corrupt leadership