I— Wow. I don’t even know really where to begin this review…

When I first read the synopsis I was immediately drawn in, and then the longer it sat in my tbr and after reading some reviews, I became unsure if I was going to like this book. So it sat for two months.

I started this book this morning and I was just instantly hooked on it, I only stopped reading today when I needed to, I never wanted it to end funnily enough considering how quickly I flew through it.

I was immediately in love with both Tom and Sam, and saw a lot of myself in Cassie. Always worried about the things that could go wrong, being too scared to open up about her feelings, being unsure of taking steps that would lead her to where she truly wanted to be, etc.

I laughed, I got angry, I cried (many, many times). I felt so many different things while reading this book.

One Last Gift is gut wrenchingly beautiful in a way I just cannot describe.

A moving tale of how two people can find each other through great loss. I absolutely loved the treasure hunt that Tom put together for Cassie and the notes that both worked to make him seem present but also push for more closure (for more than just Cassie).
I did struggle a little to connect with Cassie and Sam. I think it was the switching of POVs. I think if we stayed in Cassie’s POV the whole book it would have been easier to see her struggles and choices and heartaches. I didn’t think switching to Sam’s POV added much to the overall story. It also made the book seem a bit long because there were parts that seemed unnecessary to the overall story.
It took until about 60% into the story but I eventually found myself immersed in the story and not wanting to put it down. The problem was the first 60% when I didn’t feel engaged and didn’t want to pick it up again.
The ending was sweet and heart wrenching.

Emily Stone’s last book was my favorite Christmas book of 2021, so I knew I would love her newest book. This story is heartbreaking as well, but not in the same way.

Cassie has relied on her brother, Tom, since they were orphaned when she was 5. Each year, Tom creates a Christmas scavenger hunt for her, but after a sudden accident kills Tom, Cassie is left bereaved and celebrating Christmas without him.

Until she finds his final scavenger hunt. As she begins to solve the clues, her heart begins to heal, and love forms as well. This book is like the Christmas version of P.S. I Love You in the best possible way. I adored it!

If you enjoyed Always in December, then One Last Gift a a strong sophomoric Christmas story to follow. Emily Stone has proven that once again she can deal with difficult subject matter (CW: Death of family members, grief, parental abandonment) and still bring hope through on the other side. Not a rom-com at all but a romance of childhood friends, Cassie and Sam (his last name is Malone—Cheers anyone?) have always had slightly more than friendly feelings for one another over the years. But as Cassie’s brother Tom’s best mate, Sam has been in a awkward position of liking the little sister. The problem always seems to be timing. One party is always more available than the other and the holidays especially seem to stir up wishful thinking. But a tragic event at Christmas time leaves Cassie and Sam struggling for meaning as they separately deal with loss.
The silver lining? As part of her Christmas gift each year, Cassie must solve a series of questions/riddles to get to her gift and she is given one last chance at solving her Christmas surprise. I found both Cassie and Sam to be very likable even though it seemed a bit unclear as to why they couldn’t get together when they were younger (immature? Not ready?) Although at times predictable, I enjoyed following Cassie and Sam (who later in the novel receive dual POV) on their journeys post accident. I rooted for them through it all and enjoyed the game Cassie had to play as it paralleled her growth through her grief and loss. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a nostalgic love story with some sadness woven throughout, but a lot of hope intertwined that believes in second chance romance for everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell, Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cassie and Tom are brother and sister and are super close since their parents died when they were young. Tom always made Cassie a Christmas scavenger hunt and she finds the envelope and he has one last one for her. She wants to do it but what if she can't without Tom's help? I loved the characters in this book. I felt every emotion Cassie felt. This was a heartbreaking book at times but also a feel good book too. It's about being brave, and true to yourself. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)

I absolutely fell in love with this story. I was blown away by how cute, romantic, sincere, and heartbreaking this story ended up being.

When Cassie and Tom were very young, they lost both of their parents in a tragic accident. Although Tom was old enough to remember some things about them, Cassie was so young that she doesn't have many memories left. So growing up, Tom was Cassie's support system. Not only was he an amazing big brother and friend, but he also held a parental role for Cassie too.

They grew up doing just about everything together, along with Tom's best friend Sam and Cassie's best friend Hazel. From vacations and holidays to learning how to surf and ski, this foursome had a bond that mostly mended Cassie and Tom's broken hearts. And speaking of hearts, Cassie's has been claimed by Sam (secretly) since they were quite young. All in all, they have made the best of their broken family and Tom and Cassie are closer because of it. But when grief hits Cassie square between the eyes one more time as an adult, her heart might actually be broken beyond repair. 💔

I absolutely loved the way this story was written, taking us through a longer timeline of events. It flowed so nicely and really told the story perfectly. I was also completely obsessed with the dynamic between the four main characters. The sparks between Cassie and Sam felt so authentic that i found myself swooning over their potential romance! 😍 And the witty banter from Hazel throughout the book was funny and perfect.

But in the end, Tom's character filled my heart with so much joy. Whereas Cassie is more measured and subdued, Tom is the person who lights up the room. He is the sibling to be more naturally brave and daring, so he always tried to pull Cassie out of her shell to make sure she took chances and became the best version of herself. I loved how he took care of Cassie all the way to the end. ❤️

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and Emily Stone for this advanced e-copy!

#onelastgift #emilystone
#netgalley #romance #griefjourney

If you are looking for a heartwarming and emotional Christmas book that will probably make you cry both sad and happy tears, do not skip on Emily Stone’s One Last Gift. It is a story about the loss of a loved one and finding yourself in the process. Alternating between the perspectives of a young woman and her brother’s best friend, across multiple years, there is a romance storyline you will be routing for, but I definitely say the book leans more towards women’s fiction. The main characters, as well as the supporting, were multi-dimensional and complex, with flaws that felt authentic and allowed for great character growth. While there were misunderstandings/ miscommunications between the two main characters I did not love, their individual journeys and history made it worth the wait. There was also a scavenger hunt that left me with ALL the feels!!

Read if you like:
-Scavenger hunts
-Emotional holiday reads
-Stories that tackle grief of a loved one
-Friends to lovers

Emily stone likes to write a story that gives you a lot of feelings. I remember reading Last December last year and crying so much at the end. I don’t think this one has quite that much of an emotional impact, but it was still both a sweet and sad story all the same.

Reminding me a little of PS I Love You, have you have Tom leaving these last notes to his sister as he navigates her through this final Christmas treasure hunt. While Sam didn’t know it was his last, the notes are still so impactful and helo everyone learn a little more about him. This story is about doing something different, being brave, telling your truth, and there is even a little romance on the side. Though it was a little drawn out for me and by the end I didn’t really see why they still wanted to get together, it had just been too long.

I started this book and set it aside because I am 76 years old and the beginning of the story was about an 18 year old and a 20 year old. A week or two went by and I picked up the book again because I did promise to read and review. After a few chapters I put the book aside again because the story is set in London, England and I don't understand British English. (Ethnocentric much?) Again I picked up this book and boy am I glad I did. I ended up enjoying this story.

Tom and Cass's parents died and they were being raised by their aunt who was emotionally unavailable. Tom's best friend, Sam, who spent most of his time with Tom and his sister because his dad abandoned him and his mom so his mom worked alot. Tom tried to be a parent to his sister and the best thing he did was set up a scavenger hunt every year for her Christmas present. The reader gets to experience some of the clues as Cass reads them.

The author does a very nice job winding up the plot so I had no idea where the story was going. There was joy and sadness along with love and hate in this enjoyable book.

Is Becca in Europe if she isn't crying on a train over a book?

This book was P.S I Love You meets "There was only one bed!" And I was here for it. I just wanted to hug Cassie and then go yell at her piece of shit boss.

One Last Gift is a wonderfully woven tale of family, friendship, finding yourself, and of course second chance romance. While it didn't live up to the hype of Stone's first novel Always, In December for me, I was still able to enjoy this book. Though it was a little predictable and more slow paced, I found myself laughing out loud at points, and overall the story itself was lovely.

You should read this if you're a fan of Hallmark movies and second chance romance with childhood friends to lovers tropes.

3.5/5 stars rounded to 4

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and as the older brother Tom always looked out for Cassie. As they grew up that bond only seemed to strengthen as they were major parts of each other lives. The unthinkable happens at Christmas and Tom is gone but not before he put in the motion their yearly scavenger hunt tradition. As Cassie goes through the first year without her brother she has the clues and letters he’d written to her before he died. I knew going in this book would be a little less rom com and more emotional. I really enjoyed the growth that Cassie went through and how she was able to deal with the horrible situation she was going through. There was romance in the book and it fit into the story nicely and made sense the way the characters came together. I will definitely be looking for a copy of Emily Stones previous novel after reading this one. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital arc of this book. It publishes 10/11/2022

The tropes follow a second chance romance and friends to lovers, which is right up my ally. The story reminds me of a classic Hallmark Christmas movie, one of the reasons I requested the title. Even with the loss of Tom, it is still a lighthearted read as the character’s emotions were not deeply dived into. The characters were well developed, flawed, emotional, chemistry, and creatively written. Cassie’s character was written very immature in the beginning of the book, however, she and Sam grew tremendously through the book, even if I did not care for Sam at first, he does redeem himself. The author’s writing style is heartwarming, romantic, sweet, and just written so well. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies like me, you will like this book. It is just heartwarming and puts a cozy blanket over you.

I really enjoyed Emily Stone's last Christmas novel, Always in December and was so eagerly looking forward to this one.

Unfortunately, it was a miss for me. I just could not get invested and the storytelling seemed very slow if not boring.

I do think a lot of people will like it, so don't take my word for it!

Also, that cover is gorgeous!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the ARC!

This book is available on February 23, 2023.

Are you someone like me that tends to judge a book by it's cover? If so - you may look at One Last Gift and think "cute Christmas rom-com". And I'm here to tell you this book is definitely NOT a romcom but it is so much more! (However, if you go in expecting rom-com, you may be a bit disappointed).

I loved the relationship between Cassie and Tom (brother and sister) and how you get to see their tight knit relationship from childhood into adulthood. I loved the scavenger hunt that Tom took Cassie on after he had unexpectedly passed away. The characters in this book had depth and while maybe a little predictable, there are so many emotions explored beautifully in this book.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC!

One Last Gift by Emily Stone is a heartwarming tale about grief and surviving the holidays. It’s a heartwarming and hopeful book with an enemies-to-lovers trope.

Story Recap:
Cassie and Tom lost their parents when they were young and went to live with their aunt and uncle, who were able to provide for their physical needs, but were not as good at providing for their young emotional needs. Tom is older and has always been there for Cassie, along with his best friend Sam.

Tom dies suddenly just before Christmas and Cassie is devastated. She relied on her big brother for comfort, and now she doesn’t have anyone. Tom’s friend Sam, is just as lost as Cassie, but instead of grieving together, they drift apart. One day Cassie finds an envelope with Tom’s handwriting. Every Christmas, Tom sent Cassie on a scavenger hunt in order to find her gift. Did Tom do that again?

My Thoughts:
I love a good treasure hunt, and this one was a lot of fun. The beginning of the book is a bit sad, due to the death of Cassie’s brother, Tom. I was surprised that Tom remained such a main character in this book, especially as he was killed early in the book.

Tom’s best friend Sam was a difficult person to like at the beginning of the book. He lost his best friend, and he believes it was his fault, so he does some questionable things, but that’s all due to his grief. He absolutely redeemed himself by the end of the book.

The middle of the book bogged down just a bit, but once I got past that, the story flew by. I enjoyed the treasure hunt and enjoyed watching both Cassie and Sam deal with their grief and find their way to each other.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend One Last Gift to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a great start to the upcoming holiday season, this story was really good! Always, In December is my fav of the two of Emily Stone’s but this one was really lovely.

Spoilers ahead!



I really liked the healing process that happened through the scavenger hunt in this book. It was crushing that Tom died, even though we knew it was likely going to happen, it still hurt. The grief in this story felt so real, for both Cassie and for Sam. They had different relationships with Tom but each one loved him dearly and it was painful to see them struggle with the weight of that grief.

I loved that Tom had put in his last letter that he would’ve gone back for Amy and the baby, and that it gave Amy (and even Cassie too) the closure she needed. This side story of Amy and Tom was really moving and heartbreaking to read, which is what I love in a book!

I would’ve been fine either way if Cassie and Sam ended up together or not, it could’ve been a cool story for them to find their own loves and lives separately but still heal from the loss, but I’m also happy that they got a HEA together!

Tom’s last letter was so touching and special, I’m glad he made that year epic for his sister. I read a book recently that had a similar-ish storyline and that one truly gutted me so I didn’t feel AS emotional reading this one, but I can see why this would provoke all the tears.

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

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I did not expect this book to give me a lump in my throat so many times! What happens when we lose those we love the most? Cassie and Sam lose their patents at an early age and are taken in by the Aunt. She attends to their basic needs, but not much else. They cling together along with other BFFs, Sam and Hazel.

So many relationships explored in this book; family, friends, work. Friends become family, and family, friends. Things become so much clearer as people age and mature. Heartfelt story that is beautifully written about love that is right in front of us, moving on and letting go, but never forgetting. Sad, but hopeful. Not the usual feel good Christmas story! This author always tugs at my heartstrings.

Thanks to Ms. Stone, Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

🎁 Book review! 🎁

One Last Gift follows Cassie, who tragically loses her brother and best friend, Tom. But Tom leaves Cassie one last gift that just might give her another chance at life and love.

If you love any of the following, this book is for you:
🎁 PS I Love You
🎁 Christmas
🎁 Second…or third or fourth or….chance romance
🎁 Small town vibes
🎁 Slow burn
🎁 Crying (where my Ennea 4s at😅)
🎁 Curling up by the fire with hot tea and a cozy blanket
🎁 Hallmark movies

I’m not a huge romance fan, but this one hit me right in the feels, and as an enneagram 4, I REALLY love that in a book.

It’s a ☺️ (4/5) for me!! Thank you @netgalley and @emilystone for this gem!

TW: death of parents (past), death of a sibling

Emily Stone’s debut last year - Always, in December - was a book that ripped my heart out, had me in tears and a book I consistently think about. So I knew I NEEDED her newest book. And all the same things happened. I cried. LIKE REAL TEARS. Which never happens. It’s sad. It’s beautiful. It’s frustrating at times. But so real and raw and it’s quite possibly the best holiday book this season. (I’ve only read three, but BY FAR the best of the three!)

I’m not giving you a summary of the synopsis, because I think you need to go into this one a bit blind to have the gut-punch of the story. But it’s about love. And loss. And second chances. And healing. And acceptance. And just so dang beautiful.