I’ve seen this book classified as general or women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance. While the romance in this story is very prominent and there is an HEA, I didn’t feel it was central enough to classify this as a contemporary romance. Again, the romance is a huge part of this book. I just felt Cassie’s journey had more to do with learning how to make herself happy and finding her path, same with Sam. He had to find what he truly wanted out of life and find his inner peace.

Throughout the first part of this story, I thought Sam didn’t deserve Cassie and she was better off without him. As she sets off to solve the scavenger hunt her deceased brother left behind for her, she reflects on many issues in life that Sam was there for her. It helped me to see what she had seen in him in the first place. I still think Sam was extremely immature in how he handled his growing feelings for Cassie and definitely feel he was growing more and more into an insufferable idiot the older he got. Once Cassie’s brother, his best friend, Tom died, Sam couldn’t help but reflect on where he was in life and the mistakes he had made.

Seeing Tom through Cassie’s eyes through the majority of this story, it’s obvious how special he was to her. Losing their parents at a young age brought the two of them together and they had a tight bond. As Cassie goes through the steps of the scavenger hunt, she starts to realize her brother wasn’t as perfect as she thought. Not that he was a bad person, but Cassie needed to be able to see Tom as a fallible human to have more forgiveness when it came to others, namely Sam. She had to be able to see that the bar she set for all men was a bit too high and not even her beloved brother could keep up that level of perfection. Actually, the same could be said about Sam. While he saw more of Tom’s faults, he still held Tom up on a pedestal and was far too hard on himself.

This story broke my heart over and over. I was rooting for both characters to find their way, to each other and to themselves. There is a lot of sadness in this book, but there is also joy and it ends with both Sam and Cassie finding happiness.

A heartbreakingly real tale of love, loss and everything that comes before, in between and after through multiple perspectives set mostly amongst the Christmas holiday.

Emily Stone delivers a passionate and heartbreaking love story that will leave you running for the tissues before you finish this book! It’s simply not adequate for me to describe this solely as a love story, because it’s truly so much more. Childhood friends Cassie & Sam (cue brother’s best friend trope!) miss their first chance at love and when tragedy strikes seemingly grow apart forever. Will fate intervene and give them the second chance they both deserve?

Please check TW prior to reading as this does deal heavily with loss and grief. I absolutely loved the character growth throughout this book! My favorite second chance romances are when each character focuses individually on themselves prior to establishing a relationship and this definitely delivered there. I loved Cassie as a character overall and it was so great to see her come into herself and push her boundaries. Sam wasn’t my favorite at first, but he grew on me and I thought his journey was well thought out. This was a sweet romance with one closed door scene and was plot and emotionally focused. Cassie’s family Christmas “treasure hunt” was magical and sweet and the ending really did tie everything together with a beautiful Christmas bow!

Emily Stone's storytelling is superb. There is something about it that leaves you weeping yet wanting more. I was wondering if this one could live up to her debut novel and I think this one was just as good if not better.

Cassie loses both of her parents very you and it's just her and her brother all throughout their lives. Then her brother abruptly dies. As she's going through the last treasure hunt, she's fulfilling her brother's last wish, getting some answers to some questions we always have when a loved leaves us unexpectedly, and also gets to fulfill her ultimate goal.

Sam has 1 goal in life to not be like his father however, his choices make him so unhappy that he covers it up by drinking. The death of his best friend led him to ultimately face his demons and maybe realize that our parents are only human and do deserve forgiveness.

This book is a romance, but it was also about grief and life and its many trajectories. I loved it, I devoured it in 1 day.

Thank to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review, as always, all words are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine/Dell for gifting me the sophomore novel by Emily Stone - 4.5 stars rounded up! I loved Always, in December and this one is just as great!

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at an early age and were raised by their Aunt Claire, who took care of their physical needs but wasn't especially close emotionally. But they had the best of friends - Sam and Hazel - who were always there for them. Cassie always had a crush on Sam and thought it might be reciprocal until an eventful vacation. Then when Tom dies, Cassie is afloat and devastated. Tom had always made Christmas special for Cassie, leaving her clues to a treasure hunt before finding her present. Then she finds his last gift to her - one more scavenger hunt.

I loved this book and these characters! While my reading taste tends to be on the darker side, I am a sucker for a good romantic story like this one. This one has the substance I need in a romance book and covers the difficult subjects of grief, moving forward, conquering our fears, the friends we make family, and lots of second chances. Emily Stone has become a must-read author for me and I am here anxiously awaiting her next book!

4 stars! "One Last Gift" by Emily Stone took me by surprise!

Cassie and Tom lost their parents in a tragic accident when they were younger. Tom has tried to be a sort of father figure to Cassie and has always had her back. His best friend, Sam, has always tagged along for their adventures. As they get older, the attraction between Cassie and Sam grows. She eventually admits her feelings for Sam, and though she assumes he feels the same way, he rejects her, causing a rift between them. Years pass, and tensions rise. Every Christmas since they lost their parents, Tom makes a Christmas scavenger hunt for Cassie to follow so she can find her present. When Cassie gets the news that her brother tragically died in a climbing accident, she must be brave and finish Tom's last scavenger hunt to find her final gift.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish! It runs the gamut of emotions. It has sadness and happiness, rock bottoms and successes, and heartbreak and long-running passion. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and their journey. It has a terrific commentary on grief and what it means to heal after an unspeakable loss. Sam goes about his grief one way, drowning his sorrows in liquor. He makes every possible lousy decision there is to make, and still finds a way to screw something else up. Cassie stews in her sorrow, channeling her gloom into a job she loves for a boss she hates. She has both big outbursts of emotion and moments of quiet, reflective sadness. Both are destructive in some way, so they must both learn how to heal from their pain and move on to have better, more enriching lives Tom would have approved of. Throughout the story, we see Cassie, Sam, and even a post-mortem Tom mature and become better versions of themselves.

This book has a decent amount of banter and some humor, but it's mostly a drama with a decades-long romance thrown in for good measure. It's not the typical Christmastime subject matter, Emily Stone finds a way to seamlessly blend the sadness with the holidays to make something truly splendid! I can't wait to read her other books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Stone, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Get a cup of tea, some tissues, and a cozy blanket/pajamas and slippers, maybe a nice warm fire (or electric blanket!) and enjoy One Last Gift. Emily Stone's new novel has something to offer a lot of readers: sibling relationships (always a topic I engage with), friends to lover themes (also a trope that hooks me), emotion holiday vibes, and a scavenger hunt for puzzle/game fans (woven in nicely to move the story forward/add connection and depth).
Don't let the themes on sadness/grief prevent you from reading a story that is filled with love and joy and hope, the sadness is part of the journey that Cassie goes on with the loving gift her brother Tom left her. Let the cozy winter holiday reads include this one!

Great for fans of Emily Stone's earlier book and for Josie Silver fans as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Emily Stone for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.75 stars. This is a light-hearted feel-good type of book. There was a lot of growth in this book. There were so moments when I felt myself tearing up, but there were a lot of moments where I felt myself smiling. The one thing I didn't like was the miscommunication. But other than that I would recommend this one!

I know - just knew! - that this book would make me cry. Always, in December made me SOB, so I was prepared for the worst when I started One Last Gift. And by prepared, I mean stocked up on tissues and water to replenish my tears. Like Always, the writing is superb. You feel all the feelings, feel like you know the characters, and take this emotional roller coaster ride right along with them. We go from loving Sam, to hating him, to feeling sorry for him, and back to loving him. We’re always cheering Cassie on and wanting to give her a big hug. It was like being right by your best friends side when she’s finally getting together with her first love, only to feel your heart break right along with her moments later, followed by the devastation of losing her brother. And then wanting to lend her the strength to carry on as she begins to navigate a new normal. Can’t wait to see what Emily Stone writhes next. But maybe wait for me to rehydrate first!

I loved this book so much and didn’t want it to end. One Last Gift isn’t your typical holiday romance it had so many other layers. Yes, it’s a romance but it is so much more it’s about finding strength and courage when your afraid, grieving or making major life decisions. It’s about loss and love and grief and hope. It’s about friendship and family. It’s about moving on but still remembering the memories.

Synopsis

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and relied on each other—as well as a community of friends—to cope. They were especially close with Tom’s best friend, Sam, who always made sure that Tom and Cassie were surrounded with love. But, twenty years later, Cassie has lost Tom as well. And in a way, she’s also lost Sam; over the years they’d drifted apart, and now the man she always had a crush on is someone she doesn’t even recognize anymore.

She’s never felt more alone.

Then Cassie finds an envelope with her name on it, written in Tom’s terrible handwriting, and she knows immediately what it is. It’s the first clue in the Christmas scavenger hunt that Tom made for her every year; he’d promised her for months that this year’s would be the grandest one yet. At first, she’s too scared to open the envelope—what if she can’t figure out the clues without his help? Or what if she does figure them all out and her last connection to Tom is gone?

Tom’s present sets Cassie on a heart-wrenching and beautiful journey that will change her life—if she lets it. And as she travels from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside, she reconnects with old friends, rekindles a lost love, and, most important, rediscovers herself. But once she’s solved the final clue, will she be brave enough to accept the gift her brother has given her—and the love it’s led her to?

After reading and loving Always, in December by Emily Stone - I knew I wanted to read this one as well! She has a way of making her characters accessible, fallible and also multi-dimensional.

The underlying feeling of grief is present throughout this book, so be forewarned. Cassie and Tom lost their parents while young and were raised by their Mother's sister, who was also trying to overcome grief and therefore had little emotional support to offer the children. As a result, Cassie and big brother Tom grew extremely close and relied on each other for everything. Tom's best friend Sam has been there since childhood and was the third person in their trio. As they entered their twenties, Cassie and Sam attempt to maybe become more than friends - which only ends in heartbreak and distrust for Cassie.

Cassie is working a job she loves, but has a demanding boss who has unrealistic expectations of her. She feels stuck in more ways than one. Sam, on the other hand, seems to finally have gotten his life together and is engaged to be married. When another tragedy strikes, Cassie has to try to face it alone. It makes her rethink some of the choices she has made in the past and where she sees her future heading. While holding on to her memories and also her fear of "living outside her box," she has a hard time moving forward. This story follows her quest to be more like her adventurous brother and to follow her dreams. It also follows her search for love and companionship. It's hard to give more of the storyline without giving too much of the plot away.

This is an emotionally heavy book, but is a great exploration into grief, forgiveness and courage. There are definitely elements of both women's fiction and romance in this one. I don't feel like this one needs to only be read around Christmas. The character development was excellent as expected from this author. I did with there was a little more levity to balance out the heaviness of the subject though. I will say that I liked her previous book a little more than this one - but would definitely still recommend this one. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for the ARC to read and review.

What a lighthearted story! I loved how it touched on grief during the holidays and how you can still find joy even through the sad times.

There's a little bit of sappiness you have to allow for with a holiday book (though this one takes place over months, instead of a crunched period leading up to the holidays), and this one pushes that line a bit for my taste. It's kind of like a PS I Love You, but the writer didn't know they would die and was the main character's brother, so it felt a bit familiar. Fine, but not memorable.

This one really tugs at the heart strings. Cassie lost her parents at a young age, but she has always had her older brother Tom & his best friend Sam. She realizes as she gets older that she really likes Sam. Sam seems to feel it as well but doesn't want to lose Tom or her friendship. So he bungles it of course & they stop speaking to each other. Then Tom dies tragically leaving them both broken but still apart. Every year, Tom has done a treasure hunt with clues for Cassie's Christmas gift. This year was no different because he had already set it up before his unexpected death. Cassie has to decide if she wants to go through with the hunt. Once she does, it's a wonderful & beautiful ride. Highly recommend reading this one!

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Emily Stone clearly knows how to pull on the heart strings with holiday themed stories. One Last Gift shares two points of view after the passing of a beloved brother and best friend. Cassie and Sam have been skirting their feelings since their youth, and now these feelings are tested for a chance at true love.

This romance is a second-chance, friends-to-lovers story where the reader witnesses how grief effects their ability live life on their terms rather than someone elses. In learning to seize the moment, Cassie and Sam step out of their comforts zones to harness their talents to help others including themselves.

A simple holiday tradition brings love alive in this book. I am so happy it had a HEA.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the #gifted copy of this book.

I have heard how sad Emily Stone’s previous holiday book was, and this one was no different. Sad to it’s very core, yet ultimately uplifting, this book is the epitome of what this time of year represents for so many. While the holiday rom-coms are a lot of fun, sometimes it’s nice to read something with a little depth behind it and I think you’ll find this one fits the bill.

Read if you like:
•second chance romance
•women’s fiction
•found family
•always, in december

Thank you to Netgalley, Dell and PRH Audio for my ARC and ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sad but sweet. I knew it was going to be devastating, but it still got me when it happened.

Readers who like "One Day in December" and "Always in December" (her other work) will like this too. It's a sad Holiday book, which honestly is a sub-genre that has a special place in my heart. The writing is cozy and soft, even when it's sad. The characters are loveable and the settings are charming.

The arguments Cassie and Sam had were top notch. Honestly, I lived for that drama and emotion. They're both just so broken that they don't know how to communicate or handle their feelings.

I wish Sam and Cassie had more time together on page. I know they were dealing with their grief in their own separate ways, but I wish they had spent more time grieving together instead of apart.

I loved Always, In December - Emily Stone's debut novel -so I was so excited when I received a chance to read her sophomore effort: One Last Gift.
Cassie has always relied on her older brother Tom, since they lost both of their parents at a young age and were raised by their emotionally distant aunt. Since Cassie was little, Tom created scavenger hunts every Christmas for Cassie as a way of making the holiday season more fun and festive for Cassie. Now Tom is gone and Cassie is at a loss as to how she is going to go on without her brother's support and guidance. Although she has a small group of supportive friends, she is also grieving the loss of her relationship with her brother's best friend, Sam. As children, Cassie, Tom, and Sam were inseparable. But the changes and choices that Sam has made as an adult have caused Cassie and Sam to become distant.

Cassie receives one last gift - the first clue to her holiday scavenger hunt. that Tom prepared prior to his passing. This "hunt" puts Cassie on a journey to self discovery. Sam is also grieving the loss of his best friend and he begins a journey of his own. This is an emotional and beautifully written book about grief, friendship, family, and finding your path in this world.
I loved this book and I look forward to reading Emily Stone's next work! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Stone, and to Dell, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One Last Gift follows Cassie as she navigates life (and a treasure hunt) after her brother’s passing. While this book was generally interesting, it’s a bit slow with an overlay of grief. And somehow amongst this, a romance blooms. While this book was interesting enough to read, it did take me longer than usual to finish due to its slowness.

Raised by their aunt, Tom and Cassie lean on each other after the loss of their parents. They have a strong sibling bond and some good friends. One of their cherished traditions is the Christmas scavenger hunt that Tom creates for Cassie each year. When Tom dies unexpectedly, Cassie’s whole world falls apart. She’s unhappy in love, unhappy in her work, and just feels lost. This novel is about finding your way, being brave, and chasing your dreams. I enjoyed this novel that starts and ends with Christmas but is so much more. Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an advanced copy. One Last Gift is available now.

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age, but they were always there for each other and their best friend Sam. When Cassie’s feelings for Sam are left unrequited and then she suddenly loses Tom too, she’s not sure what she’s going to do.
Fortunately one last treasure hunt clue remains from Tom, a part of their treasured Christmas tradition. Cassie finds a glimmer of hope as she follows the clues with the help of her friends, traveling through the countryside on a journey of self discovery and healing.

Although this story does contain loss and grief, it is still such a sweet, predictably lighthearted read, perfect for the holiday season. I loved following Cassie on her journey and how Tom encouraged her to be brave enough to follow her heart and dreams. I recommend this for anyone who loves watching cute and cozy Hallmark movies at Christmas time!