I have loved every book in this series, and I am both depressed that this is the last of them and thrilled that it ended so satisfyingly. While none of the previous stories were short on danger or action, Weaver really raised the stakes (emotional, espionage, romantic, familial) for this final adventure. It was so delightful to see Ellie come into her own as a spy, and in an exciting locale, too! Your faves all make an appearance here; I will miss Ellie and Ramsey and the whole gang dearly. It will take some time to find a new story that can fill the space in my life these books occupy.

I received an advanced copy of this book for free through NetGalley; review is my own.

The Electra McDonnell series was recommended to be by my sister (and mega-fan) and after many months of her gushing, I dove into the series and finished it all in less than two weeks. I was not disappointed in the slightest! After falling in love with the characters and leaving book #4 feeling emotionally ransacked, I had no choice but to request an ARC of book #5! So big thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Throughout the series, each setting was captivating, the characters were relatable, and the storylines were intriguing without being overwhelming. I so appreciated how strong Ellie's character was and the personal growth she exhibited through her work with Major Ramsey.
In One Final Turn, Ellie, heartbroken by her recent dismissal by Major Ramsey, is now working with Archie Blandings, travels to Lisbon to assist in the search for her beloved cousin Toby. While Lisbon offered a refreshing locale compared to war-torn London and set our love interests up nicely for angsty encounters (hello forced proximity), I felt Ellie's purpose in being there was flimsier than the prior novels. Other than providing a fresh face and picking a few locks, she didn't seem to have much to do. I really missed the high-stakes safe cracking and investigative work we saw Ellie doing in the past. The characters seemed to float from one disappearing informant to another, before finally receiving intelligence related to Toby and his fellow escapee's whereabouts.
I did love seeing Major Ramsey squirm a little bit. It was about time that these two confronted their feelings for one another and I didn't even mind the marriage of convenience, which is normally a no-go for me. I would have loved to see them get together on their own terms but given their status at the start of book #5 and it being the final one of the series, it made sense to move the storyline along. I just wish we would have seen Ellie and Ramsey confront some of the issues that had plagued them both in prior novels.
I feel this series could have and SHOULD have been stretched over a few more books. I was not ready to say goodbye to these characters and their storylines. With several years left of WWII and the other storylines that were left unfinished at the start of book #5, Ashley Weaver had a lot to cover and tie up in a relatively short amount of time. Most notably, I would have loved to see more page space dedicated to the resolution of her parent’s storyline as it was a huge part of Ellie’s identity.
Overall, I loved book 5 as much as I loved the rest of the series and am sure that I will come back to the series time and time again!

Although I'm very sad that this series is ending, this was such a perfect and satisfying conclusion. All the best aspects of the series are featured here, with lots of action, suspense, drama and tons of romantic tension and angst between Electra and the Major. Given how things were left between the two of them at the end of the last book, it seemed impossible that they could bridge the gap in one story, but Ashley Weaver did a fabulous job of crafting a plot that forces them to reconcile their feelings for each other. I loved the details about Portugal -- the setting was described so vividly it felt like I was there. I'm also glad we finally got answers on the series-long mystery about Ellie's parents and her father's activities during the last war, as well as other loose threads that were tied up in a satisfying manner. I highly recommend this entire series to any historical mystery fans!

Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

4.5- almost 5 ⭐️

A great end to a series ❤️ personally 5 books isn’t enough, but I also appreciate that it ended so well. I have enjoyed each book in the series so much and this is the best one! I love how each book builds upon one another to create a complete story, and this book did an excellent job wrapping up all the loose ends and bring closure to everyone's stories.

There were obvious red herrings, and I figured out who was behind the mystery pretty quickly, but I honestly didn't mind because then I was able to enjoy reading about the character development and tensions between everyone. This book takes place in Portugal, and I could imagine being there so easily, maybe because I have been, and I knew exactly what places and locations the author mentioned.

I don't want to give spoilers because my mother has read this series with me so since I received an ARC she has to wait :)

Thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for an E-ARC of one of my favorite cozy historical fiction mysteries. I was looking forward to reading this when it was published and am so excited I was able to read it early!!!!

I loved this series!! I am so bummed this was the final book. I enjoyed it immensely and am happy to have all the loose ends tied up. Ashley Weaver has a way with keeping you intrigued throughout the story. I loved the little quips she used and the way she brings you into the characters emotions.

I am excited for her next series!!! Thank you again!!

If you have not read the Electra McDonnell series yet, I would highly recommend that you change that today. The series follows Electra McDonnell from her days as a safecracker with her Uncle Mick in London during WWII, to using her skills for good with the military on secret missions. This story sends Electra to Lisbon, Portugal, under the direction of Captain Archie Blandings. News has been intercepted that may lead to the release of her cousin, Toby, who has been in a POW camp. Major Ramsey is called upon as well to assist with this mission. This is the fifth and final book of the series and it draws to a satisfactory conclusion. I have to say that I love this series, and I love this book.

This series is one of my all-time favorites. I loved the mysteries and the will-they-won't-they dynamic between Ellie and the Major. In this final installment, Weaver absolutely delivers. The readers get more romance, more action, and answers to the questions that have been present since book one. I've been cheering for Ellie when the first story released and have been following her journey ever since. So of course I'm sad that this series has to end, but I'm looking forward to whatever the author pens next.

Y'all... I have LOVED this series right from book 1 and was distraught to learn this would be the final installment. I ADORE the characters. SO MUCH. Like I don't want to leave them. I want to follow them right through the end of the war and on into their old age. Don't make me leave them! But all good things must come to an end... or so they say. Ashley certainly didn't take it easy on us readers with this one. I was on the edge of my seat as the tension ramped up. I didn't want to put it down. I needed to know that all would come right in the end. Did it? You'll have to read for yourself to find out. But I will say this... that was one heck of an ending to the series! What a ride! GO READ THIS ENTIRE SERIES if you haven't already!

As sad as I am to see the finale novel of my favorite literary couple, it was a wonderful send-off. In Portugal following a promising lead, Ellie and the Major are at odds personally, but have to work together. The romantic tension is at an all-time high and I was here for it. My only complaint, was I wanted the book to keep going. Wishing Ellie and Major Ramsay a happily ever after!

Ashley Weaver's One Final Turn brings her Electra McDonnell series to a satisfying close. Ongoing story lines wrap up (e.g., the mystery surrounding Electra's parents resolves, her slow-burn romance with Gabriel Ramsey crescendos), and the plot that propels this installment (that Toby is missing, presumed dead) amps up the suspense-- and the romance.

An enjoyable, cozy read!

This book was a strong and satisfying conclusion to the series. As always, Weaver delivered the danger and intrigue that keeps readers hooked, while weaving in the romantic tension between Ramsey and Ellie. Archie’s matchmaking efforts caught me a bit off guard—given the war and covert mission at hand—but that’s part of the charm of fiction! The twist was a pleasant surprise and not what I expected, which kept the story engaging. My only critique would be that the subplot involving Ellie’s father felt a bit rushed toward the end. Overall, it was a well-executed finale that wrapped up the series nicely.

In <i>One Final Turn</i>, the conclusion to the Electra McDonnell series, Ellie and Major Ramsey are sent to Lisbon on a mission to rescue escaped POWs. In a city bustling with spies, Ellie and the Major find themselves scrambling to keep up with a murderer who always seems to stay one step ahead of them.

This book leans into the romance between the characters more than the earlier installments in the series, and consequently, the plot feels a little bit contrived at times. <spoiler>The romance still stays pretty clean, but there is one scene that might make some readers uncomfortable. To quote Ellie, it's all "legally, morally, emotionally" proper, but it's a step beyond the fairly chaste kisses from the earlier books.</spoiler> Ellie is also experiencing quite a lot of physical and emotional turmoil after events from the past two books, and the tone can be a little heavy at times compared to previous installments.

Overall, I thought Ashley Weaver nicely wrapped up all the plot threads that she has been weaving throughout the preceding books, and I enjoyed this as a satisfying conclusion to one of my favorite series in recent years.

This adventurous novel follows Ellie's struggle to find Toby who is thought to have escaped a Prisoner of War camp. Ellie uses her bravery and smart senses to help navigate on this difficult task.

A wonderful send off to a great series. Ashely Weaver has brought the Electra McDonnell series to a close with a bang and a final that had me in tears. Her characters are so beautifully human in their characterisation that it is hard not to root for them. I'm so pleased I stumbled across this series and would highly recommend new readers start at the beginning so you can properly, fully appreciate the finale. Filled with action, adventure, espionage, high stakes, and more than a little romance, 'One Final Turn' sees Electra and Captain Ramsay in Portugal as they attempt to track down and rescue Electra's cousin Toby who has reported escaped for a POW camp. The tension is high and the sparks are flying as Electra and Ramsay are forced to face the truth behind their feelings as their mission becomes ever more complicated. This is one of the best send offs I've ever read for a series. I cried a little when I realised there won't be any more adventures with these two.

The Major gets his girl!

Once again, Ashley Weaver spins a hair-raising historical suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. In the fifth chapter of this engrossing series, Electra is on her way to Portugal, hoping to find her beloved cousin, Toby, who is believed to have escaped a German prison camp and is presumed to be making his way over the perilous Pyrenees mountains to Lisbon.
Ellie works with the charming Captain Archie Balding to unearth the escape route before the Nazis, and every moment is filled with danger and suspense.
Add in the romantic tension between Electra and Major Ramsey, who dismisses her and calls her untrustworthy after they shared some passionate kisses in the last book, and this is definitely a page-turner!

The Electra McDonnell series should NOT be ending this soon, and that is a hill I will forever die on.

Last fall I binged the first four books in the span of a few days, resulting in my most severe book hangover of the decade. For weeks I drank sugary tea, listened to 1940s playlists, and read WWII nonfiction because I wanted to immerse myself in Ellie’s world. After a lifetime of avoiding social media, I joined Instagram solely to follow Ashley Weaver for updates about this book. Even so, I debated for several months about requesting the ARC - I love these characters so much and I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I would've gladly read another book or three in this series. But June is so far away, and eventually I was ready to face the disappointment I'd feel at its (premature!) conclusion. So here goes...

As expected, this was a fever dream of a reading experience. I devoured it for the first time in one sitting, then read it again a week later to savor it even further. Lisbon was well-drawn and an almost joyful escape from the darkness and devastation of Blitz-era London. Despite the stakes, the mission played a smaller role in this story - most of Ellie's time was spent gallivanting around the city with Archie and waging some light emotional warfare on Ramsey (not entirely undeserved and very enjoyable!). All of my favorite characters made an appearance at some point, however briefly. And as much as I don't want this series to be over, it was definitely time for a *Major* development in Ellie's deliciously angsty relationship with Ramsey.

The pacing felt a bit uneven towards the end, with multiple long-running storylines wrapping up quickly, and it was missing a couple things that I would’ve loved to see in the final installment (spoilers below). But those are minor complaints compared to how much I love the series as a whole, and merely a testament to how very real these characters became to me. I was never going to give this book any less than five stars and overall it was a highly satisfying conclusion.

(1) I was surprised to realize that Ellie didn’t crack any safes this time around - that was her marquee skill throughout the series and it felt conspicuously absent here, leaving her without much to do on this mission besides pick some locks.

(2) I wish that a little more page space had been devoted to the resolution of Ellie's relationship with Ramsey, particularly their decision to stay married and plans/expectations for the future. I also could’ve done with more on Ramsey’s perspective and backstory (e.g., a bit more finality on what happened with Jocelyn), since he’s been such an enigma thus far. And what will Ellie do now that her government work is (presumably?) behind her, and so much of the war is still ahead? I don’t believe she’ll be happy without some kind of purpose beyond being Ramsey’s wife, and knowing that she had found a path forward would've left me with a better sense of closure for her. Fingers crossed that she’ll make an appearance in a future character's book or (dare I hope) another book or novella of her own so we can see what she’s up to. I’d be first in line to read it!

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

But above all, I'm so grateful to Ashley Weaver for writing this series. For me, it was one of those magical experiences where the exact right book found me at the exact right time. Ellie's spirit and resilience spoke to me during a difficult period in my life when I often struggled to find those things in myself. These books gave me so much joy when I most needed it, and I'll return to them again and again. Thank you, always.

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review. ... I love this book series!!!! I am so sad to see it end, but it is a wonderful conclusion to the series. In this story, we find Ellie traveling to Lisbon to look for her cousin Toby. She is working under the direction of Captain Archie Blandings after being dismissed by Ramsey. However, Ramsey also travels to Lisbon and the three work together in a undercover operation. The secret operation does not go as planned, however, and many unexpected twists and turns later, we find out what has happened to all of our favorite characters both in Lisbon and in London. Since this is part of a series, the less I say the better. But I will say, please read ALL of the books in this lovely series. You will not regret it one bit. I have recommended this series to several friends and they have loved it as well.

This was a nice wrap up to the series. I absolutely loved this series, and I am sad to see it end, but it ended in a satisfying way. This one seemed to be a bit more romance heavy, which wasn't all bad, just not exactly what I was expecting. There were times I laughed out loud at the banter between Electra & Archie. Also, times of frustration at the lack of communication between Ramsey & Electra. Needless to say, I felt all the feels throughout the book. It completely drew me in, and I wanted to keep reading it.

This was the first series of books that I read by Ashley Weaver, so now I am intrigued to delve into her other series and see if I like it as well. What I appreciated about the series was that it was free of foul language and the bedroom scenes were for the most part closed door. I am always looking for clean books without too much spice and this complete series fit that bill.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

The time spent with One Final Turn was a bittersweet pleasure. Sweet because I am an absolute fan of the Electra McDonnell series, and bitter because the adventure with the characters of this series has come to an end.
This series is a perfect blend of essential elements, in the right proportions, to create successful book.
We have fabulous characters, chemistry between the two main protagonists, an interesting historical backdrop, and spies in action.
This series stole my heart. It is hard to say goodbye to Electra and Major Ramsey, so hard that I will soon read all the books in the series again.
A big thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the copy of One Final Turn.

What would you get if you mixed WWII espionage and Pride and Prejudice into one?
This series!! Which has brought about a range of emotions from me over the course of five books read in roughly a week (which included me frantically trying to obtain copies from Barnes and Noble or the library fast enough to keep up with my binge read.) I adore this series, and I absolutely love Ellie and Major Ramsey! They are the perfect balance to the other, fire and ice as another reviewer described.
What I loved about this last book was the character growth from our two main characters and of course the want-to-strangle-these-two-idiots-who-refuse-to-admit-they-love-each-other tension that was nearly nail biting at times. There were one or two curves that I was concerned they might not overcome but they pulled it off in the end. One chapter towards the end I must have read at least six times I loved it so much.
The plot was weaker in this book, though still a good spy romp. I guessed the main villain, it was too obvious, but I had not guessed or even suspected the traitor. There were two characters who I think needed a slightly better farewell but I guess there was a word count limitation in the end. Which brings me to my next point.
I really wish this book was longer! (Can we get a bonus chapter when it prints that was originally cut? No such thing as too much Major Ramsey!)
Ellie’s personal storyline wrapped up a bit fast for my liking, but damn if that wasn’t skillful writing in those pages!
I read this twice before reviewing, and then random passages here and there multiple times that I loved.
Ellie and Gabriel have become one of my top favorite literary couples. SOMEONE HAD BETTER MAKE THIS INTO A MINISERIES BECAUSE I HAVE A BOOK HANGOVER!!!
I love these two, and the whole cast and I will dearly miss this series.
Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an advanced read digital copy in exchange for an honest review.