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!

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age, and have relied on each other, as well as a community of friends, to get through it for years. Cassie has always looked up to Tom, as he's been her protector since they were small. But 20 years later, she loses Tom, and she's devastated, and has never felt so alone. Not even Tom's best friend (and Cassie's childhood crush), Sam, is there for comfort, because he's turned into a near-stranger. Then Cassie finds an envelope with her name on it, her name in Tom's familiar (and terrible) handwriting - the first clue to a scavenger hunt he used to put together for her every Christmas, and this last one he prepared before his untimely death. At first, Cassie fears completing the hunt, wondering if she won't be able to complete it without his help, or worries that she will complete it and lose her last connection to Tom, but when she does it sends her on a month-long journey that allows her to rediscover herself, and what she wants out of life, even if it scares her.

When I originally picked up this book, I wasn't expecting it to focus so heavily on grief. Cassie lost her parents in an accident at a young age, and grew up in her aunt's care, a person who maybe wasn't expecting to look after two young kids at that time of her life so it left their relationship strained. She looked up to her older brother, Tom, who could do no wrong in her eyes, and then suddenly, she's lost him as well to hiking accident. She puts a lot of the blame on Sam, Tom's best friend who should have been on the trip with him but missed his flight due to excessive drinking the night prior. It isn't exactly dual perspective, but we also get insight into Sam's mind as well, who feels his own guilt about not being there with Tom, and also being rude to Cassie at Tom's funeral. Everyone in their lives expects them to be done grieving, but sometimes you need to take your time and be with your feelings in order to regain some sort of stability after a tragedy, especially when it involves loved ones. I appreciated that while Cassie and Sam are attracted to each other, have been since they were teens, they weren't in the right places in their lives to be together. But while Cassie is finding Tom's clues - reconnecting with old friends, exploring places she would have never gone herself, and imagining herself with a life and job that actually brings her joy, and Sam is working out his personal issues and trying not to run away from what's important like he believes his father did years ago, they may just realize that it's always been the two of them against the rest of the world.

While I overall enjoyed the reading experience, I had some trouble deciphering whether the book triumphs more as a romance or as a general contemporary novel. There is a central romance, second-chance in nature, between Sam and Cassie, but it's necessary for them both to work on themselves before they can fully commit to each other by the end of the book. I noticed that there are time jumps, which I commended to demonstrate passage of time, but after the first few I felt like every time there was a moment of central conflict, there would be a jump and I didn't feel like there was much resolution. The jumps also allow the characters to grow and work on themselves, but I would've liked to see some more of that growth on page. It left me a little confused as to why this particular scavenger hunt that Tom had been planning was "the biggest one yet," as Cassie is usually able to find all the clues and her gift around the holiday season, but it was certainly helpful for Cassie's personal journey to take her time.

In conclusion, I found this story to be equally heartbreaking as heartwarming. It's a tale of a woman who's lost so many she's loved finding herself and her community, and a man who's felt neglected by certain people in his life deciding to be his best self and to stick around for once. The tagline states that "sometimes the best gifts in life are the ones you don't expect," and I'd have to wholeheartedly agree. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age. Tom has always looked out for Cassie and tried to include her in everything, including activities with his best friend, Sam. One thing that Cassie always looked forward to were the scavenger hunts her brother created for her every Christmas.

Sadly, Cassie gets the phone call we all fear, informing her that she has lost her brother, Tom as well. Devastated Cassie tries her best to move on. It is hard because she has lost his best friend Sam as well. They became estranged after a ski trip and after harsh words were spoken, Cassie has kicked Sam out of her life. Immediately after she finds an envelope with her brother's writing on it. She knows what is inside. One last scavenger hunt!

Tom has left Cassie clues which send her off to do and experience new things. As Cassie follows the clues, she learns about her brother, her friends and herself. Along the way she finds something else as well - love.

I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. I shook my head and did some deep sighing at some of the characters and their choices. I felt for them and felt their pain. Cassie, Sam, and Tom have/had flaws and at times were messy but they were likeable.

This book touches on death and grief, but it mainly touches on friendship, love, personal growth, and moving on. It's about saying goodbye and new beginnings. It was right up my alley and was a nice change of pace and put a smile on my face.

Emily Stone impressed me with Always, in December and I had high hopes for this book. She did not disappoint. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

#OneLastGift #NetGalley

A slow read but it was heartfelt. One of those romance love stories that you can't put down. That's this book! A page turner.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the eARC in exchange for my honest review,

One Last Gift follows Cassie. When she was a kid, her older brother Tom came up with these scavenger hunts for her to find her Christmas present. When Tom dies in a freak accident, she is heartbroken. Then she gets a letter; it's the first part of her scavenger hunt and one last gift from her brother.

Throughout the novel, she has frequent run-ins with her brother's best friend Sam, who she had a crush on until he broke her heart.. As they work through the clues, Cassie has to decide whether or not to let him in.

This was a super cute book. I loved Tom and Cassie's dynamic. I also loved Sam and Cassie's dynamic. This was an emotional book - obviously - which led to some beautiful moments.

My biggest critique was that the formatting was weird. I have never read a book that takes place over such a long period of time in chronological order. Usually it takes place in the present and features flashbacks.

Great book and I recommend buying a copy.

This book was just an okay read for me. I think I was expecting more of a holiday book feel, but this was more about the characters. I also really didn’t connect with Cassie too much. Not a bad book over all but not one I would jump to recommend.

One Last Gift is its own kind of charming present. My first from Emily Stone and I truly enjoyed her writing style and the way she crafted this story. Much like other fellow British authors I have come to adore in recent years, there isn't a ton of steam, more like fade to black, but the emotions this book brought out in me more than make up for the lack of sexy. This tale of the closeness Cassie has with her brother Tom and the seemingly unrequited feelings she has for his best friend Sam are written with great care from Stone. With the underlying thread about the fantastic treasure hunts Tom always sets up for his sister at Christmastime, I felt as if this story presented a subtle juxtaposition wrt Cassie's search for love and comfort since everyone she cares for at one point or another seem to leave her behind. Although there really is no lack of affection for this determined woman, her journey to uncover that one last gift does in fact become what finally leads her home in more ways than one.

I will say right here and now that I teared up many, many times throughout this well=written book. I felt Cassie's frustration with Sam, her disgust with her clueless and wretched boss, and most importantly how alone she often felt as we get glimpses of how her life progressed after the untimely death of her parents. How Cassie holds on tight to Tom and at times fights her sadness at not having Sam in her life after a disastrous skiing trip. But she is a survivor first and foremost and it was a pleasure seeing her flourish even when it was the hardest thing to do.

The book jumps months and years in order to keep the story going, which I completely appreciated. And when Cassie is dealt a harsh blow, that beloved Xmas treasure hunt becomes not only her savior but a chance for her to make things right with Sam and her professional future. I loved watching as she had to push herself to be the brave woman those closest to her knew she was all along while taking her time in solving each clue Tom created with the help of those she loves best.

I was completely besotted with the way the last few chapters were presented and enjoyed how Stone allowed Cassie to come full circle and realize she in fact could have her dreams and her man all at once. Her journey to get to that satisfying moment was never easy but I so appreciated how her bestie Hazel and those from her hometown like the amazing Lydia always took care of their girl no matter what. And how Cassie, herself made peace with the things she couldn't control and accepted what she could with humor, a bit of doubt, and the love she always had within her beautiful soul.

I will not hesitate to read more from the gifted author. One Last Gift pulled at my heartstrings more than I expected and for that, I am truly glad.

4 huge stars!