When Scarlett steps out of their apartment, neither she nor Evie her roommate expect it to be the last time. They're both under 30 and, while Evie has developed MS, the girls are still looking ahead. Sure, Scarlett pushes Evie to do more; she thinks Evie should try harder to get back to her music and to life out in the world. So when word reaches Evie later that day that Scarlett was killed by a bus when she tried to save a man's bike from being run over, Evie is crushed and completely blames Nate, the man with the bike, for her loss. While at first she wants nothing to do with him, Nate becomes a fixture in Evie's life, leading her to do things she thought were impossible while she shows him how to genuinely connect with someone outside his family.
The story is told by Scarlett, who remains as an observer of Evie's like, and Evie herself. Both women grow over the course of the book while handling grief, helplessness, love, and understanding. Their friendship transcends life itself, as Evie and Scarlett deal with love, loss, hope, and friendship.
This one stuck with me long after I finished it. Go read asap!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine .

How does one cope when they lose their best friend? Sometimes they don't! The book follows two best friends Scarlett and Evie. Their bond is tested when Scarlett dies and is stuck somewhere watching her loved ones cope with her death. Whilst she thinks and ponders on her life her best friend is grappling with grief and unforgivenness. What a book!

One Moment
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Becky Hunter

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: The day Scarlett dies should have been one of the most important of her life. It doesn't feel fair that she is dead before she had a chance to fulfill her dreams, before she even turned thirty. And now she's still...here...somehow, watching the ripple effect of her death on the lives of those she loved the most. But her journey is not over, and as she finds herself pulled into reliving her most defining memories, she starts to realize that maybe she didn't have everything quite as figured out as she once thought.

Evie cannot contemplate her life without Scarlett, and she certainly cannot forgive Nate, the man she blames for Scarlett’s death. But Nate keeps popping up when she least expects him to, catapulting Evie’s life in directions she’d never let herself imagine possible--ways, perhaps, that even those closest to her had long since given up on.

My Thoughts: This story moved me in ways that are hard to express. Two best friends since childhood, Scarlett and Evie. Scarlett dies in the first pages of the book, except she doesn’t “cross over” immediately, she is flung between her past memories and current important events, to ensure that her best friend finds her peace. Enter Evie, the best friend. Evie does not know what life looks like without Scarlett. Evie certainly does not forgive Nate, the person that she blames for Scarlett’s death, even if was truly an accident. Nate keeps popping up in Evie’s life, upbringing her life into directions she never knew she needed. This is a story of friendship, grief, loss, and love, all rolled into a beautiful story. This follows the tropes of grief, loss of best friend, friends to lovers, and adventure.

The story is narrated by Evie and Scarlett, in their respective perspectives. Scarlett is independent, loyal, caring, and lived an amazing life, even after her uneventful demise at an early age. Evie is caring, insecure due to her illness, and loyal, even to a fault. Nate is independent, tenacious, fierce, and charming. The characters were well fleshed out, well developed, had witty banter, chemistry, were creatively done, and were intriguing. The supporting characters were just as important as the main characters. The author’s writing style was closed door, funny, endearing, thought-provoking, and beautifully brilliant, as well as well written. The pace and flow of the plot was perfect, and everything was laid out as it should. I really loved the message of this story, how moments in time, even small moments, can be so defining, so critical as it has the potential to change us. How one choice can lead down one path, while a different choice could lead us down a completely different path. The author’s balance of grief and love was expressed in such a way that was beautiful to read. Food for thought: What if Scarlett had made a different choice that faithful morning?

TW: Grief, loss of a best friend, mental health, and MS. For a debut novel, this was outstanding. Hunter really has made her mark in the contemporary romance genre and she is one to watch. Sometimes I feel like debut authors really pour everything they have into a debut novel, and it really shows in this novel. This book will evoke many emotions from you, such as sadness, happiness, hope, inspiration, and joy. This was a chick lit combined with contemporary romance. The author does an amazing job at balancing some really hard topics with some funny, lighter moments for a very balanced read. This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I would highly recommend this book.

I had a feeling this was going to be an emotional story so as a mood reader I waited till I was in the right frame.
However I found this book to be a beautiful story about friends, loss and grieving I believe this story will stay with me awhile. I think I read this was a debut for this author so I will be looking forward to reading more from this author thank you netgalley for introducing me to a new great author.

This was heart wrenching, a story about love and friendship. It was so moving and I really recommend everyone to read this, I enjoyed it so much.

I'm sorry. I had to DNF this book. The beginning was interesting but then there was nothing happening. There was no plot. There was no conflict. I didn't really understanding what the point of the story was. I might go back to reading the ending but right now it just does not hold my attention.

I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this story. I cannot wait to read what Becky Hunter writes in the future. I think readers who enjoyed, IN AN INSTANT, by Suzanne Redfearn, and, HOW TO WALK AWAY, by Katherine Center, will enjoy this novel as well.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy.

I've put off reading this knowing that it was going to emotionally hurt, and yeah it did. This a beautiful debut with a lovely message about friendship, bravery and the afterlife. The exploration of the decisions we make and how choice we make can influence and alter our paths is well done and fresh for an old topic. Hunter balances a light tone with heavy topics of grief and loss. I found myself rooting for Evie and Nate's relationship, even being happy if it didn't have a HEA ending, just to see the two of them grow. There is MS rep that felt well done.

The writing is beautiful. The way the author introduced the flashbacks using Scarlett's ghost pov was perfectly woven.

Great book. I'd read more books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was such an unexpected adorable read. I've had it sitting in my virtual TBR pile for awhile and I'm not sure what took me so long to get to it!

I loved the perspective of the story and *no spoilers!* how everything came about at the end. I thought things would go one way and when they didn't, I found I liked the actual ending even better. This was a great summer read and I will definitely keep an eye out for more books by Becky Hunter.

Scarlett doesn’t know that her last day on Earth is her last day, and even though her and best friend had a fight the previous night, she gets to follow her best friend Evie in the “after” as Evie navigates her grief. In fact, when Evie finds herself in a difficult relationship with the person who was there when Scarlett died, Scarlett is the one who is rooting for them from beyond. A complicated yet simple story of friendship and grief, and finding the meaning behind what life throws at you, the story is well written with likeable characters you are rooting for the entire time.

I really enjoyed "One Moment" by Becky Hunter. The characters, the storyline, underlying message- all of it. The author managed to combine numerous heavy topics (grief, chronic illness, relationship challenges etc.) into a novel that was fun to read. I became invested in the characters and was overall pleased with the ending. I look forward to reading more by this author!

loved this romance and how the characters were able to figure things out and find their way to love. Loved the friends .

A beautiful book about grief, friendship, and love. I loved seeing the evolution of each relationship and felt all the emotions while reading this sweet book.


Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

<i>One Moment</i> was surprisingly emotional in a good way. It got me. A story about dealing with grief and the growth that it forces the ones left behind to make.

"One decision has the power to change everything."

The meanings and lessons throughout this book were powerful. Would I trade the life of my friend for the life I could have with them gone? Knowing that losing someone, especially your best friend and soulmate, is crushing and absolutely debilitating. But in that loss, you discover more about yourself than what you thought was true. Would the time that you had with them be enough to carry on and show you how strong you are to live without them and how wonderful your life can still truly be?

<i>One Moment</i> provided the point of view of the best friend who died and was watching scenes of the past and present unfold with a different perspective and the point of view of the best friend left behind to figure out life without them. The access to both allowed for a deeper look into life after loss.

One Moment is the debut novel by Becky Hunter. Evie is coping with the death of her best friend Scarlett. After Scarlett's death, she is able to watch the impact that her death has on her loved ones. This is a beautiful story that explores life long friendship, love and loss. This is a wonderful debut, and the story will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful and charming book! A spectacular debut!

This story of Scarlett and Evie is poignant, sad, uplifting and ultimately hopeful. While it begins with a truly unfortunate accident in Scarlett's death, the aftermath is beautiful to witness, even in its sadness. Evie's growth is marvelous to witness, and I loved her relationship with Nate and especially Astrid. When she nailed her violin solo I cried and cried!

This is a book that will make you really think about your life and examine it on a profound level: what will remain after we die? How will our loved ones cope? Do we actually get to stick around for a little while to witness what happens next?

The recurring thing of "one moment" that creates a ripple effect has stuck with me. You never know what it'll be or when it'll come.

The writing was really good and overall this book was so well done. Congratulations to the author and team! Looking forward to reading what Becky Hunter writes next.

I really enjoyed the dynamics of before/after someone important to you died. It is a real dynamic of grief, however I don’t know if I was emotionally prepared for this!

Becky Hunter's "One Moment" beckoned me with its promise of Jojo Moyes-like charm, and I was delighted to find it just so.

I found myself happily ensconced in the world of sincere and relatable characters. This charming story unfolds with some difficult, but also tender moments that evoke the spirit of beloved romances like "One Day", "Last Christmas" and of course, “Me Before You".”

The character development in “One Moment" is refreshingly natural, with no forced arcs or tropes. To me, each character feels authentic and undergoes subtle yet meaningful growth throughout the narrative. I especially loved the representation of chronic illness and the authentic portrayal of flawed yet relatable characters. If you are a girls girl, you are going to love them too.

While the pacing starts off strong, I believe it does falter a bit in the middle, becoming muddled and slow. However, the story finds its footing again with a strong and sweet finish that leaves a lasting impression.

Becky’s writing is clear and accessible, making "One Moment" an ideal choice for a beach or holiday read. The story is memorable and enjoyable, striking a balance between familiarity and originality without falling into cliché territory.

Overall, I awarded "One Moment" 4 stars. Although "One Moment" may not top my list of favorite reads this year, I can confidently recommend it to friends and would eagerly explore more of Becky's work.

Rating: 4 Stars

I absolutely loved this book. This is the story of Evie and Scarlett, best friends who are each other’s “person” through the ups and downs of life. After Scarlett is killed in an unfortunate accident, Evie must learn to navigate life without her. The story is told in alternating chapters between Evie’s story and Scarlett’s perspective as she watches Evie and her other loved ones from the afterlife. I loved this magical realism element as it helped provide context and backstory through Scarlett’s eyes. Adding another layer to the story is the fact that Evie has a progressive illness which she learns to manage throughout the novel. There is also a lovely romantic relationship that develops for Evie, but ultimately, this is.a love story between friends. It’s also a story that emphasizes the “one moments’ that make up our lives and affect our destinies. This story is inspirational, hopeful and magical. I hope to read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley for putting this book on my radar and providing the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!