I loved Emily’s debut, Always, in December, so I was excited for her sophomore novel. I didn’t love this one, sadly, but I didn’t hate it either. I enjoyed Cassie’s journey with grief and uncovering the last clues her brother left for her. It broke my heart that she lost him because he was such a good brother. He took care of her when their parents passed and, thanks to the last clue game, even after death. I loved this part of the book. However, I didn’t love the romance. I didn’t like Sam, and this soured my experience. I’d rather keep the good, though, so that’s what I will remember from this tragic but heartwarming story.

Thanks to Dell for my ARC! Opinions are my own.

This story is one that wraps you up and makes you feel all the warmth and love of the holidays. One Last Gift will make you cry happy and sad tears, it is both emotional and satisfying. Emily Stone paints a beautiful picture of a sibling bond, the complexities of grief, and what it means to be brave.

Cassie and Tom lose their parents early in their life and they are taken in by their Aunt Claire. Cassie and Tom rely on each other in their childhood, along with their best friends Hazel and Sam. Tom has always made sure Cassie is taken care of, and every year he would send her on a Christmas Scavenger Hunt. Fast forward 20 years for Cassie and there is a falling out with Sam, a difficult work situation, and Tom tragically passing. She's struggling moving on when she finds a Christmas scavenger hunt Tom prepared. Cassie embarks on the journey that takes her all over in hopes of reigniting her light, taking a chance on love, and teaching her what it means to be brave.

This story is told in alternating POVs of Cassie and Sam over the course of years. I loved hearing both POVs, it made the story richer as we got to see both Cassie and Sam grow up. While this story has heartbreaking moments, it also has moments of light, growth, and new beginnings. This one makes you want to cuddle up by the fire with a cozy blanket and enjoy it-don't let it slip from your holiday list!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!

What a beautiful and moving novel about two people whose lives are brought together by a loved one, and what happens when that loved one passes.

Cassie and Tom lost their parents when they were very young. For as long as Cassie can remember, Tom stepped in, taking care of her, being both older brother and protector. He's the most important person in her life. As she gets older, she finds herself drawn to his best friend, Sam, and feels he's drawn to her right back. After one weekend trip gone wrong, Cassie and Sam's friendship and potential for more is completely dashed, but they have to continue to be around each other because of Tom.

Years later, Cassie and Sam are still not on good terms. When Tom passes away in an accident, their relationship becomes even more strained. Their grief re: Tom makes them lash out at each other, the two people who were closest to him.

Every year for Christmas, Tom set up a scavenger hunt with clues for Cassie to solve to get to her present. Before he died, he had already set up her scavenger hunt; Cassie receives the first clue shortly after his funeral. She spends months going through the clues, working through her grief, when her and Sam collide again, forcing them to face their feelings and history and shared grief.

This is, in my opinion, even better than her first novel, which I also really liked. Emily Stone's style of writing is very similar to that of other British authors like Josie Silver and Laura Jane Williams, so if you like those kinds of books, I think you'll like this.

I'd give it a solid 4-4.5.

A gut-punching, emotional, and strong sophomore Christmas outing!

I requested this since I loved and sobbed over Emily Stone's debut, Always in December. I got to say, the woman clearly knows how to write about loss, grief and relationships beautifully and profoundly.

I loved how Stone has shown the different types of bonds formed among all the characters in this book including those between families, siblings, best friends and even colleagues, while baring their two sides, be it a happy and working one or a toxic and dysfunctional one. I felt each relationship dynamic as truly distinct and fully fleshed-out.

What I appreciated most in this book are the relationships between Tom and Sam, Sam and Cassie and among all three of them. Tom's loss and the remaining two's shared grief paved the way for Sam and Cassie to reconnect and finally be together after years of pining. And oh, the pining in this book! It's just heart-tugging and heart-wrenching that I can't help but root for them.

This is not your typical holiday read and has the same somber tone as Josie Silver's One Day in December with an ending that's surely satisfying.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and the author for my early copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.

This book was so touching! I loved the closeness of Cassie and her brother Tom. The "will they" or "won't they" had me intrigued, angry and hopeful all at once.
The story is Christmas "heavy" and will make you long for the holiday season. Triggers: sibling loss,parental loss and estranged father. Read this and you won't be disappointed!

Actually, more like 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story. It's one that pulled on the heartstrings and spoke to my romantic heart. Crossed signals, emotionally charged circumstances, tight family and friends bonds, tough situations to wade through. It had it all!!

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.