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!

One Last Gift was a beautiful romance that ultimately was about the love between siblings, with a bit of coming of age thrown in as well. While this is a friends to enemies to lovers romance, I found the most important connection was between Cassie and Tom. Every Christmas since they were children Cassie’s brother would leave her a scavenger hunt to unveil her gift. When tragedy ensues and Tom passes, Cassie is left with one last scavenger hunt to fulfill. I loved this plot point. I loved Cassie receiving her clues, figuring them out, and finding out who had helped her brother pull off the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt felt a little too easy, if I’m being honest, and I think could have been drawn out a little more if we weren’t making way for the tertiary plot (saving the pub), but I enjoyed what we did get. It was also a great way to show Cassie's transition through her grief, as well as finally learning to listen to Tom when it comes to her job.

It also felt like it took a little bit to get to the point where Tom dies. It’s mentioned in the synopsis so I found myself waiting for it at every turn. In one sense this is great, because it gives us longer to get to know Tom and see how much he loves Cassie (it also allows us to see her entire situation with Sam), but it also felt like it was lingering over everything knowing it was coming. I would have preferred if it just wasn’t mentioned, or was phrased differently in the synopsis.

As for Sam and Cassie. I loved the way their story played out and the way Sam was written. I completely believed that he saw Cassie as a little sister, and maybe even more later on. I also completely felt for Cassie when they had her falling out. Usually, in romance stories the “enemy” in enemies to lovers stories feels silly because the protagonist either doesn’t have a real reason to “hate” them or they are completely misreading every situation to a point of being annoying. That was not the case in this story. I disliked Sam just as much as Cassie did, though I didn’t hate him so much that I didn’t want them to get together. It is a fine line to walk, and Emily Stone pulled it off with the finesse of a professional tightrope walker.

Overall this is another winner from Emily Stone, and one I think will go over a bit more smoothly perhaps with those who didn’t like the ending of her first story. I can’t wait to see what else she has in the future and I will be pre-ordering anything she puts out.

What a great start to the upcoming holiday season, this story was really good! I fell in love with Emily Stone last year with Always in December, so I was thrilled to get to read this ARC!

The grief in this story felt so real, for both our FMC and MMC. It was painful to see them struggle with the weight of their respective grief but I really liked the healing process that happened throughout the book in such a creative way.

From start to finish I kept thinking I knew what was coming next, and I was always wrong. I love that so much!

Overall, a great book and I want to read more from this author!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5 🌟 rounded up! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this novel and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a cute story with great character development and overall I felt this was a quick, easy read. I felt like the pacing was a bit off for me - with too many time jumps and not much changed besides the season. The time jumps would have worked well for me if the jumps were considered time for characters to grow and we learned about it as the book went on. However, most of the time jumps continued almost as it was prior to the jump, with a few months in between. I love how the ending brought it all full circle and honestly, I will recommend this to friends! Although not all parts worked for me, it was a wonderful cute read that’s perfect as we head to Christmas!

I felt all the feels with this book. The love and support of a bother and sister, the love and support of two best friends, and the love between two people who were always meant to be together is what this story has. Based on a Christmas scavenger hunt that a loving brother puts together for his beloved sister, you experience loss, love and peace. After suffering a horrific loss, Cassie, has one more scavenger hunt she must complete. Having left clues with people in her live she is able to finally end with what will find peace, happiness, and love. This a heartwarming story.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Like a treat! So good! So sweet!

Oooff. This one will hit you in the heart. Be prepared with some tissues but at the same time there’s lots of uplifting and heartwarming moments too. It’s he story of love and loss and grief and dealing with the loss of a loved one and how that process looks different for everyone.
It alternates between the POV of Cassie and Sam, who are dealing with the loss of Tom, who had a mountain climbing accident in Argentina. Tom was Cassie’s brother and Sam’s best friend and they all three basically grew up together. Cassie and Sam have had feelings simmering for each other for a while,now, but neither acted on them because they weren’t sure how Sam would handle it. As his Christmas gift to her every year, Tom made a scavenger hunt for Cassie and he had prepared the one for her and had it all set up before his accident and once she was a little further along in her grieving process, she decided she wanted to do the last hunt he had for her as his last gift. In the process, she learns more about herself, her friends and her family, and of course, what her heart really wants.
Thanks to Dell Publishing and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the copy of this ARC.

Emily Stone is the queen of ripping your heart out around Christmas, and I'm here for it. It was beautiful and crushing, with sibling relationships, friendships, some romance, and lots of grief and hope. While there's one main storyline, the minor storylines add to the story really well and had me very invested in this book. I think the less you know going in, the better, but definitely recommend this book!

This heartfelt novel had childhood friends-to-almost lovers to enemies-to... what if? It covers intense feelings of grief, family that isn't always blood relatives, humor and what it means to chase one's dreams and if sacrifices for that dream can still bring happiness. I cried, I laughed, I cheered for Cassie. This sweet story, often revolving around a Christmas clue hunt for a gift from her brother, contemplates what it is the face our fears, how to move forward after tragedy, and the things we do for those we love. Cassie's friends were favorites of mine, and the author does well with the hate to love him aspect of Sam's troubled character. Also, I really miss living in Europe after reading this one with this setting. A charming book for the cozy season.

I usually avoid books that look sad but I absolutely loved the author’s previous book, Always, in December, so I had to give this one a try but unfortunately it lacks the magic of that book. I found the beginning depressing because we are basically waiting for the brother to die and Cassie to be blind sided. There are several points where I expected it could happen but it doesn’t which drags down the momentum as we are basically waiting for the story to start. I think it would have been better to start after his death. I found myself annoyed a lot with Cassie, she does not stand up for herself or go after anything. Even the scavenger hunt itself she waits to start. Obviously it will be emotional as the last one but if you had one final moment to share with a dear lost loved one how could you put it off and risk missing it entirely.

I strongly disagree with calling this a romance. The love interest is a bore. I was really annoyed with the chapters he narrated which brought nothing to the story. I think we’re supposed to appreciate his personal growth but I just found myself annoyed with him. Also this is one of those stories that relies far too heavily on the girl’s best friend who the main character needs, and there’s an extra work friend to support her as well. There are too many annoying bad decisions by the characters here. It’s a big disappointment from her previous book so if you have not read that one skip this and read that. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One Last Gift is Emily Stone’s second novel, her follow-up to the heartwarming and heartbreaking Always, In December, which I still find myself thinking about a year later. So when I was approved to read an advanced copy of her newest book, I was eager to pick it up. While it didn’t quite live up to its predecessor for me, I found plenty to keep me turning pages.

Stone’s talent lies in creating inimitable, flawed characters that keep the reader invested. I liked Cassie and Sam. I wanted them to find happiness, but much like I felt about Always, In December, I was okay if it meant they didn’t find happiness together. For me, that’s a sign that an author has done a good job of creating characters who can stand on their own. But, I know most romance readers would disagree with me.

However, while I loved the characters, there were some things about this novel that took me out of the story, which always makes reviewing a book extra hard.

I think the first 20% of the book was my favorite. Which, yes, is the entirety of the book before the inciting incident occurs that becomes the whole point of the novel—the death of Cassie’s brother. But, it wasn’t because of Tom’s death or Cassie’s grief, it was simply because I enjoyed the flashbacks that established the story, while also being the most festive part of the book. Stone is wonderful at writing joyful occasions as well as grief, so it makes sense that she writes about both emotions in her stories, but I’d love to see a book by her that doesn’t use grief as a plot point. She’s good at infusing the bits of humor and I’d like to see more of that.

Or maybe it’s also because Cassie and Tom had lost their parents when they were young, so there’s a kind of double-dose of grief in this story.

While I adored Cassie, I wanted a little more action from her and less re-action, if that makes sense. Cassie is always reacting to her life, reacting to family and friends’ influences, rarely making decisions independently, even in the end. Alternatively, while Sam is not very likable in the beginning, his story arc is genuine. Having been raised by only his mother, Sam struggles with the status and safety wealth can give him, as well as whether or not to have a relationship with his wayward father. Stone does do a good job of showing how both of these characters mature and change for the better.

Once again, Stone succeeds at creating unique and memorable side characters, as well. Each one stands out. They may not be necessarily likable, but they make sense in the story and as they relate to Cassie and Sam.

So, it’s a very rare situation that I find myself in with this review. I loved the characters, but some of the plot points gave me pause—including some points I can’t discuss without spoilers. And while this review may make it sound like I didn’t much like One Last Gift, I actually enjoyed it overall. I’m probably being overly particular, but I think I had very high expectations which made me read this one with a closer eye.

This dual point of view romance starts very festive, but the rest of the novel mostly takes place between Christmases. So, if you’re a seasonal reader, it can work for any time of the year.

And I will happily pick up the next book by Stone, but I’ll be harboring a hope the plot isn’t centered around grief.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

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Summary
Cassie and Tom have always been close growing up, when they were young they lost their parents and that forged a strong bond between the two of them. Between Tom and his best friend Sam, Cassie always felt looked out for. As adults, Sam and Cassie's relationship becomes strained and then she loses Tom too and Cassie feels all alone. But when she's given a letter, with the start of Tom's annual Christmas scavenger hunt inside, Cassie finds a way to stay connected to him a little longer. He promised this year's would be bigger and better than ever before and it has her traveling all over the country.

Review
Emily Stone does it again. I was privileged to read her first book, Always, In December, as an ARC last year. If you want to get a good cry in, pick up that one or this new one. A box of tissues nearby is a must. Emily does a beautiful job of ripping your heart out and then slowly putting it back together, one piece at a time. Cassie and Sam both have journeys they need to go on to remember who they are, what they want and to figure out what they need. The way they cope with grief is honest and real. I appreciated the emotional journey through all the grief stages as you witness them work through them.

With PS, I Love You vibes, One Last Gift is about grief, healing, rediscovering yourself and your dreams and finding your way back to those you love.

Emily Stone's debut novel was one of my favorite books of last year so I was very ready for her second book. I cried so much at Always in December so I had my tissues ready for this one.

Cassie was such an awesome heroine. She went through so much and was able to get through it and I was in awe. She had a great support group and I loved seeing them be there for her. Especially when Sam couldn't be there for her.

Sam was definitely a more complicated hero. He had a lot of insecurities and issues. When he realized how intense her feelings were for Cassie, he pushed her away. He was also going through a lot as well. But I found myself less sympathetic for him for some reason. But he did have a good character arc and grew a lot.

The relationship between Cassie and Tom was maybe my favorite part of this book. They were so close and supportive of each other. Since their parents died at such a young age they really were the only ones they had left. And Tom putting together this scavenger hunt every year around Christmas was so sweet. You could tell how much Tom loved her. This was the love story of this book to me.

This is not a light hearted rom com, but it is definitely worth reading!

4/5

One Last Gift is a story about two people who are trying to find themselves and their way through grief.

What appealed to you the most in this story?

I really enjoy Stone’s writing, because she tackles difficult topics that draw the reader into the story on an emotional level. This is a sweet story about facing your fears, dealing with grief, and finding yourself in the process. One Last Gift isn’t going to wreck you the way Always in December most likely did as Cassie’s story stay’s lighter. Cassie is a character to root for as she works her way through her grief and fears.

How was the pace?

About the first half was fast paced and the rest of the story was more of a slow burn.

Do you recommend this book?

It's a bittersweet tale, at times funny and touching and at times heartbreaking, but it's worth reading regardless. Be prepared because this isn't a light Christmas tale, it’s a journey - an enjoyable journey that might break your heart a little and put a smile on your face.

Thank you, Random House and Dell, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cassie and Tom are siblings, very close because they lost their parents when they were young, raised by their Aunt Claire who gave them everything they needed except a warm, loving environment. They each have best friends, Sam, who they’ve known since they were young, and Hazel who Cassie knew from school.

Every Christmas Tom sets up a treasure hunt for Cassie, rhyming clues and all. It’s always something that Cassie looks forward to, except for the year that tragedy strikes. That Christmas there is the usual envelope waiting but it takes Cassie months before she attempts the search.

I found this book to be emotional but hopeful at the same time. I think it’s a bit long and could be shortened though. Cassie and Sam’s push-pull relationship was a huge theme in the story, as was Cassie’s unhappiness at her job. I don’t do spoilers, so you’ll have to read the book to fill in the blanks.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.