This was a very heartwarming and somewhat sad story. It did take me a bit to get into it, and I kept thinking this is sad for a holiday read, but overall the story was really sweet. I’d recommend reading something more uplifting right after though haha.

This isn’t a cheery Christmas time read; it’s full of raw emotions and love. Cassie feels adrift when he brother suddenly dies but can’t seem to open the final gift he’s given her- her annual Christmas treasure hunt. When Cassie finally opens the letter it leads her on a journey of self discovery, sadness, acceptance, adventure and ultimately peace. Along the way she tries new things, repairs old friendships, and takes the ultimate leap of faith and does something for herself- something she’s always dreamed of but never had the courage to do.

There’s a bit of a second chance romance between Cassie and Sam (her brother’s best friend) but the romance part was secondary to them repairing their friendship and helping each other through their grief.


Thank you @pengiunrandomhouse and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

A beautiful, thoughtful and reflective story to settle in and enjoy this winter. I loved Cassie and was cheering her on as she took this final journey with her brother's memory. Soulful and so rich in detail. Thank you for the chance to preview this title for our bookstore. We featured this title at our Winter Preview Event and continue to sell it this holiday season.

This book was really fun to read. I loved how Emily tells the story of loss and of hope. I loved the growth in the story. I felt like the writing was done well and that the story kept me engaged.

this BOOK. my HEARRRRTTT. 🥺❤️

as with most of what I read, I went into this book blind. needless to say, my heart was ripped out about 30% in, and I truly was NOT mentally prepared for it. I’m struggling to give a full synopsis of this book without giving things away, in case some of you are like me & prefer to go all in without any previews (for those of you who like to know what you’re getting into, the Goodreads synopsis includes what I am choosing to leave out).

to put it vaguely, the premise of this story is about a girl named Cassie who completes a yearly Christmas scavenger hunt, typically with the help of her close friend group. but as the years go on, the friend group’s dynamic changes, and Cassie must learn to lean more on herself and a few new friends (and perhaps a few old) in order to solve her latest clues.

the emotional rollercoaster of this book paired with its many time lapses had my head and heart all over the place, feeling joyful, then sad, then hopeless, then hopeful, and truly everything in between. despite this, @emstonewrites managed to convey all the joy one hopes to find in a Christmas book, even when it wasn’t always so feel-good. this was a beautiful book about rekindling relationships, honoring the loyalty and love of both family and friends who become family, and discovering your own journey of self-love and worth. while this book may not shove Christmas cheer in your face, it still left my heart all warm and fuzzy by the end 🥹

thank you to @netgalley & @randomhouse for my #advancedreaderscopy of this book! I highly recommend checking this one out before gathering with your loved ones this Christmas. 🤍

I was not fully prepared for how this book would affect me. I knew there was going to be moments of sadness but whoa. This was a great story and I loved reading the evolution of all characters. I also loved that this focused on all relationships within the story and not just Cassie and Sam.

I thought this was beautiful and heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time.

Cassie was such a strong character to go through the losses she had and the loss of Tom is the worst of all. I loved that he had one last gift for her though and how lovingly he cared for his sister.

This book was not a light hearted romance by any means but I think that finding yourself being the central message of this was hugely important and sometimes we need a reminder to not take our loved ones for granted and to live our lives to the fullest.

I highly recommend Emily Stone and this book. I hope that it finds the people who need it the most.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review.

Cassie's brother Tom left her one last gift before he tragically passed away while exploring the world, but Cassie will have to follow his mysterious trail of breadcrumbs to find it. Cassie, however, is no stranger to Tom's games - he has been leaving her scavenger hunts to follow every Christmas since their parents died when Cassie and Tom were just children. This was his last, although he didn't know it, and Cassie is both elated to have her brother in her life again, at least for as long as the hunt lasts, and also saddened that she will never experience this holiday tradition with him again. Where will the clues lead her and what will she find? What is Tom's one last gift to her?

Emily Stone has written a poignant and touching tribute to grief revolving around one of the most difficult times of year for those who are suffering loss - the holiday season. While also a light romance, this book captures what it means to move forward in life while still clinging to the past and all you leave behind.

One Last Gift takes readers into the lives of Cassie and Tom, as well as that of Tom's best friend and Cassie's crush Sam, and envelops them in their world, showing their incredible bond and how it is all ripped apart after Tom passes away. This novel highlights how both Cassie and Sam navigate the world in the wake of Tom's death, while Cassie also attempts to puzzle out the clues that Tom left behind for her to find.

One Last Gift is a novel of self-discovery and acceptance. It is a story about holding those you love close and living each moment to the fullest because you never know when it will be your last. This holiday-adjacent novel is more about grief and being true to oneself than it is about the season, but it does have little glimpses of Christmas here and there. The perfect book to read at the end of the year as we reflect back and look forward.

I tried with this, I really did. I read about 25% and kept hoping for it to get better, but it just felt really juvenile and not engaging.

One Last Gift is another holiday themed tear-jerker by Emily Stone. Orphaned at a young age, siblings Cassie and Tom were raised by their emotionally distant aunt. Every year for Christmas, since they were children, Tom has done a scavenger hunt for Cassie. When a tragic accident occurs, Cassie is given the first clue for Tom's last scavenger hunt. Broken-hearted, Cassie has to decide whether she can complete the scavenger hunt and discover Tom's last gift. Told with festive feels and a lot of emotion, Stone's latest holiday novel is a winner.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was such a touching read. I was expecting a little bit more of a light read, but this one was very emotional and definitely not light! I still loved it, just felt like it was a little slow in some parts. All in all it was a great holiday read!

This is the Christmas book to beat for me this year! I loved it. Made me feel all of the feels and felt like more than just a Christmas read

This book is so tragic but also so beautiful. It’s a second chance romance mixed with some friends to lovers scenarios. I could have done without the last misunderstanding but other then that I found that it was really cute and sometimes funny.

🌀Synopsis
Cassie is in love with her brother’s best friend Sam. They’ve been friends forever and, because Cassie’s parents passed away leaving them with minimal supervision, they spend a lot of time together. They grow up together and as time passes Cassie could swear he has feelings for her too. On a skiing trip one night he kisses her, but he’s too scared to commit and breaks her heart by kissing someone else the next day.
Then, Tom dies. Cassie blames Sam for not being there and Sam is grieving so much that he runs out on his own wedding. The two don’t speak until Sam makes an anonymous donation to save a local business close to both of them.
Cassie starts her very last Christmas treasure hunt that her late brother had set up before he passed. As she’s going about the blues she comes across a business she wants to buy and consults the “anonymous” donor, only to find out it’s Sam. She’s immediately upset but with his help she’s off to her next clue and he’s coming too. She’s about to face the biggest fears she’s had yet and her life is going to change dramatically- for the better.

What a beautiful, emotional book about a sister and best friend grieving their loss. Holidays are hard to get through when you are missing a loved one and this book expands beyond that to include moving on and forgiveness.

Beware this is not a light, Christmas romance comedy. You will not be laughing throughout this book. It leans more towards women's fiction with heavier topics, so you may want tissues close by instead.

I absolutely loved the idea of an annual Christmas scavenger hunt, even if it did take much longer to solve. The time and thought put into her gift was priceless and one of the best gifts a person can give to another. The measures he took for Cassie definitely wins him the best brother award in my mind. (Note, I do not have a brother, so I realistically do not know what brothers do and do not do.)

READ 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 IF YOU:
• want a holiday read that is not overly holiday-ish
• love a heartfelt read about loss and the journey to move on
• enjoy the "brother's best friend" troupe

I loved how unique this story was and focused more so on the bond between siblings with a mix of romantic involvement as well. The heavy focus on grief made me feel deeper connected to this book and less 'fluff' of a holiday book like this. Recommend!

I enjoyed this one despite the very, very slow pace. I would have liked a little more detail at the end, and maybe less detail in the middle. But overall enjoyed!

Such a good read! I really enjoyed this book and the story line. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

After losing their parents so young, Cassie and Tom remained inseparable. Tom always tried to look out for Cassie which often meant including her on outings with his best friend Sam. One of the big things Tom did for Cassie every year was a Christmas scavenger hunt.
With Christmas upcoming, Tom and Sam were to take a trip skiing together leaving Cassie behind this time due to her work. Tom promised that he’d be back in time for Christmas and that this scavenger hunt would be the biggest one yet. However, Sam missed his flight and then a few days later Cassie received a call that Tom had been in a fatal accident.
Life for Cassie and Sam was torn apart. Unfortunately, lost in grief they regrettably pushed each other away with harsh words. Now alone, Cassie will slowly complete her last scavenger hunt from Tom. Along the journey she is forced to face her past, her future, and even love.

Read if you like : scavenger hunts, sweet family dynamics, brother’s best friend romance, inspiring character growth
Warning: death of parent and sibling

This book was incredibly touching. I really enjoyed how the relationship of Cassie, Tom, and Sam was set up. It allowed you to feel like you grew up with them. The description of the travels they embarked on sounded beautiful - adding Wales to my bucket list now. Toward the end the time jumps surprised me and/or felt like the book was dragging along though. I found myself thinking it took them this long to work this out??
Having an older brother that I’m close to, this book will always hold a special place in my heart and on my shelf. Well done Emily Stone!
P.S. You may cry, but in a good way.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

ONE LAST GIFT - EMILY STONE

4.5⭐

PLOT-
Cassie and Tom loose their parents at an early age and are each other's biggest support system. Along with Tom's best friend Sam the trio inspite of the loss have made some sort of life filled with love together.
20 yrs later Tom dies in an unfortunate accident leaving Cassie alone again.
But one last gift from her brother gives her a chance to never feel alone again .

MY THOUGHTS -
This is such a beautiful story. It was definitely heartbreaking and heavy in grief and I did shed a few years reading about it but how Cassie and Sam overcome the loss and turn their lives around is just beautiful
The bond between Tom and Cassie is wonderful their bond is something which everyone should have...they both lost their parents yet they had each other and looked after..their childhood flashback stories were so endearing. Inspite of him not being there he still helped Cassie to let her fly!!
Highly recommended this one.

Emily Stone gives me all of the feels. In One Last Gift she tells a story of love, rejection, grief, healing, self-discovery, and redemption over a decades-long timeline. I couldn't put it down.