This is one of those heartbreakingly beautiful books. So much love, pain, sorrow, and happiness. I loved the relationships the characters had with each other. And I loved where the storyline went! It had a few twists that I didn’t expect, and I loved that! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day. I feel like this is definitely a holiday must read! I’m looking forward to reading more from Emily Stone! 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing -Ballantine for this arc!

One Last Gift by Emily Stone
Publishing Date - 10/11/22
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was so excited to receive a copy of Emily Stone’s 2nd upcoming novel , One Last Gift , from Netgalley!! I loved her debut novel , Always in December , just as much as this one!

Cassie’s brother Tom is the most important person in her life. When he unexpectedly dies just before the Christmas holiday , she struggles with grief and doesn’t know how to go on with her life without him. Cassie receives one last gift from Tom , a card that sets up an annual shard tradition - a Christmas treasure hunt he organizes for her.

I loved this one! Loved the characters! Loved reading the letters from her brother Tom. Loved the ending!! Highly recommend this one!

Emily Stone has a way of storytelling that will leave you breathless. Of course she has wrecked me once again. There’s so much love, pain, and grief in this book and it’s all tied into such a beautiful story. Cassie having to keep on without her brother, Tom, was so painful to read. Sam having to keep on without his best mate, Tom, was also so painful to read. As Cassie and Sam find their own way and back to each other you can’t help but fall in love with these characters and their story.

TW: death of parents at a young age, death of brother, grief, overconsumption of alcohol.

I really really enjoyed this book! It was super cute! The characters and storyline were pretty brilliant!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Lighthearted, easy read, sweet, perfect for a lazy afternoon or a book club read.

What a lighthearted, feel-good, motivational romance! It made me smile! It embraced my soul and touched my heart gently.
The recap of blurb: Cassie and Tom raised each other after losing their parents at young age. Tom’s best friend and Cassie’s first crush Sam always supported them at their hardest times but now Tom is dead, Sam is far away from Cassie’s life. The letter her brother left behind takes her their traditional scavenger hunt which will help her to take a trip to memory lane to embrace her own happiness.

Cassie’s self growth, second chances, friends to lovers, seizing the moment and grief story was so engaging, genuine. The sensitive subject about losing your loved one handled so well without wrenching your heart.

The evolution of the characters and Cassie’s scavenger hunt trip from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside which turns into a secret journey to find herself was extremely meaningful, heartfelt. That’s the way she reconnects with her old friends, getting out of her shell to discover more about life, happiness,letting go and confronting to Sam for their unresolved feelings.

There are so many misunderstandings and miscommunications between Cassie and Sam as expected. It made a little frustrated but they resolved perfectly.

Overall: definitely a great, feel-good, pocketful of sunshine reading I truly enjoyed!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Dell for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest feelings and thoughts.

One Last Gift is a cozy, sweet read, full of sadness and plenty of hope.

Having lost her parents at a young age, Cassie’s brother Tom is the most important person in her life. When he unexpectedly dies just before the Christmas holidays, she struggles with grief and doesn’t quite know how she can adjust to life without him. Cassie receives one last gift from Tom, a card that sets up their shared annual tradition- a Christmas treasure hunt he organizes for her. Cassie finally feels brave enough to open the card and goes on a life-affirming and life-changing journey. Adding to all of the complicated feelings Cassie is experiencing is Sam, Tom’s best friend, who is also feeling lost. She’s spend most of her life loving him but doesn’t recognize the person he has become.

I recommend this to readers of women’s fiction, and those who enjoy romantic dramas. Despite the heavy subject matter, the book feels lighthearted and features plenty of good chemistry, yearning, friendship, and self-discovery with a dash of misunderstanding/miscommunication here and there.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This review will be posted to Goodreads, Amazon, and other review outlets on the publication date.