I absolutely adored "Best, First and Last"! Normally, I'm not a big fan of romance novels, but this book completely won me over. The characters were so well-developed and relatable, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys.  I found myself laughing, crying, and even gasping out loud at certain moments. The author's writing style was engaging and beautifully descriptive, painting vivid pictures in my mind with every turn of the page. Overall, "Best, First and Last" was a wonderfully captivating read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming story with just the right amount of romance.

When I saw this book I absolutely wanted to read it - having travelled myself to Machu Picchu just over a year ago the idea of a book set hiking the Inca Trail to the ruins sounded perfect for me.

Unfortunately though the actual hike to Machu Picchu didn't appear in the book until the 86% mark. Though there were some references to other Peruvian locations which I loved having been to them, I felt this book was pitched as "they're hiking to Machu Picchu", not that it was just going to briefly feature at the end.

Also this book is not a light read, there are a lot of serious topics - which is fine - but that mixed with the constant bickering of the main characters took its toll on me.

I also tandem read this book with a copy of the audiobook - initially I didn't realise this was an American book as it is written by an Australian author - so I was confused when the audiobook started with an American accent. Personally I didn't overly enjoy this narrator unfortunately.

This is a story about three generations of women in the one family. Things aren’t going well for any of them, and the grandmother decides that they should go together to Peru. Gradually, the backstories come out and we find out why they are in the situations that they are in and possible ways of moving forward. I particularly admired the feisty Bon, who did well despite starting life with nothing behind her. Her three different love stories were a lovely read. A lot of readers will enjoy this book, its messages and its wonderful locations. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This appear to be different to how it reads and very rapidly changed. If you want Romeo and Juliet yes but it was too chopped and changed for me.
It was nothing great or new and well became very set in a fast time.

This was an entertaining family relationship drama. Although full of heartache and angst, there was warmth from the characters and hope as the story developed. It was easy to feel empathy for each of the women despite their mistakes. The author skillfully portrayed their growth and avoided creating something repetitious despite the women circling back to the same underlying issues with each other. I imagine it is more difficult to craft a novel that doesn't revolve around action scenes. Congratulations to the author for a job well done.

This is a novel about relationships, the love between mothers and daughters and lengths we'll go to to protect those we love. This novel is ostensibly a road trip story - Bonnie, her daughter Sandra and granddaughter Heather are hiking the Inca Trail together to get themselves out of the emotional ruts they've fallen into. But it's really a story of relationships.

The story takes us back to Bonnie's and Sandra's earlier loves and relationships and sheds light on how they got to where they are today. All 3 ladies have a lot to work out and the novel shows us what can happen when you keep secrets from each other. I was often moved to tears and really enjoyed this heartwarming story.

Oh my heart! I loved this story. It was so warm and wholesome.

Three generations, grandma, mum and daughter head to Peru to do the Machu picchu trek and this becomes an adventure no one expected!

I laughed, I cried and I wanted to scream, because I could feel their unresolved issues, their frustrations, the difficult conversations, the conflict.

There was alot for them to unpack and let go of on this journey. It was written beautifully and I adored the touch of romance to give us some hope throughout the book.

The grandma was my absolute favourite . Bon was so witty, fun, full of love and such a bright spark. Never a dull moment and she made this book the gem it was. She was the best.

This story is about taking chances, setting boundaries, stepping out of your comfort zone, marriages, complicated family relationships and love. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you @simonschusterau and @netgalley for sending this early copy to me in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up

I enjoyed this story so much! This is a multi-generational story with a great lineup of characters who each embark on a journey of soul-searching and healing. The story highlights the importance of building honest relationships and is a great example of how one person's experiences and traumas can have a lifelong effect on themselves and also have a trickle-down effect on others. Such an insightful story that left me reflecting on my own life. I loved Bonnie's sass and her no-nonsense attitude and I enjoyed her story the most. It's perfect for those who enjoy a quick, fun read that's insightful and thought-provoking without being too heavy and with a sweet romance. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for an ARC for review. All opinions are my own and my review is left voluntarily.

Reflective, gentle, lovely.

We follow 3 generations primarily through Heather, with her mum Sandy and grandma Bonnie. All have “complicated” love lives and for each of them what it is to love varies slightly. The “current” chapters sit between the US, and Peru as the women prepare to and trek Machu Picchu (gorgeous descriptions here which really came to life) interspersed with the “past” all set in the US.

It’s a gentle, reflective read - a little romancy but not so much, mostly a reflection of the facets of love. I really enjoyed my first Amy Matthews read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Best, First and Last is the story of Heather, a young woman in a relationship crisis, who is preparing to hike the Inca Trail with her mother Sandra and Bonnie, her grieving grandmother.

Heather’s work life is hectic, and her love life is abysmal. Her mother is finally separating from Heather’s unfaithful father, while her grandmother is grieving her third husband. The three women have a three way turbulent connection, sparks fly whenever they interact.
Heather is not an enthusiastic hiker until she meets a prospective new love on the trail. While hiking, Bonnie shares some secrets that she has kept since she was younger than Heather. With every twist in the long hiking trail, Heather learns more about her family and herself. She begins to reassess her life what she really wants.

The story is told mostly from Heather’s viewpoint, with a small number of chapters narrated by Bonnie and Sandra. These chapters, written from her mother and grandmother’s perspective are a clever tactic from the author, providing an inside glimpse into their respective lives and informing the reader of some aspects of their past that are not known by the other characters.

Amy Matthews has described each character in an authentic and compassionate way, and has skilfully portrayed the impact of events on each of the characters in the narrative. The story encompasses hope, love, grief, resilience and healing.

I was fully immersed in the book. This is a true love story – encompassing love and devotion for family, friends and lovers. I would unconditionally recommend the book to all readers who enjoy modern contemporary fiction.

Best, First and Last was an unexpected surprise. A pleasant one. It is a light-hearted read about three generations- grandmother, mother and daughter - who travel together to Peru. It tells the story of their love lives - past and present - and the issues that have shaped them. I enjoyed it, it is my first by Amy T Matthews but won’t be my last.

“You know, when I run, I don’t run away, despite what everyone thinks. I run to.”

Wow, wow and WOW!

“Best, First and Last” was such an incredible read.

It follows three generations of women, the complexities of family relationships and being able to face and let go of the past to move on with the future.

Bon, who has recently lost her third husband (and carries his ashes around with her everywhere shes goes) has decided that she is going to hike to Machu Picchu. The only thing is, is that Bon has decided to hijack the lives of her daughter Sandra, and her grand-daughter Heather and bring them along for the ride.

Sandra is currently struggling with the fact that she and her husband are going through a divorce and Heather is having issues with an ex-boyfriend who still loves her too much and who she just can’t seem to get rid of.

Amid all the fun, frivolity, the beautiful descriptions of the places visited in Peru and the trail leading to Machu Picchu, there is depth as the three women learn about themselves and each other through out the journey.

I really loved this book and found that I couldn’t put it down. I was sad to say goodbye to the Bon, Sandra and Heather at the end of it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster (Australia) and Amy. T Matthews for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book.
It was a good book to get my out slump for reading 'light and fluffy' books.
I felt the characters were great and just enough background into what they were doing.
Even though it was a set over the week of their 'climb' it didn't feel rushed or incomplete

This is a romantic novel packed with colour, humour, drama and complicated characters. I have never been to Peru but Amy Matthews’ vivid descriptions have brought it to life in ways I wouldn’t have imagined. Before ascending the Inca trail, a Wonder of the World, there are glorious beaches and beautiful towns and villages, the perfect setting for this lovely story.

Bon, Sandra and Heather are a grandmother, daughter and granddaughter. Grandmother Bon believes the three of them need to spend some time together. She believes Sandra, her daughter, needs to stop depending on Heather to lift her out of her misery; Heather, in the meantime, also has the added weight of trying to end a relationship with a man who is not willing to let her go. Bon herself has recently lost the husband with whom she had been hoping to spend the rest of her life and is dealing as well with lots of memories.

Bon presents Sandra and Heather with a proposal that the three of them should walk the Inca trail. She has booked and paid for luxury accommodation and private guides and she is not taking no for an answer. The back stories that emerge through the book about the three women are moving and fascinating.

After reading this vivid story I am going to look for Amy Matthew’s Someone Else’s Bucket List. It is always exciting to find a talented new author.

Published by Simon and Schuster

When hiking to Machu Picchu, don’t forget to al-paca your third husband’s ashes!

Yeah, okay maybe it doesn’t go quite like that…

But Bonnie has recently lost her third husband and has taken to carrying him around with her, talking to him for comfort.

Her daughter Sandra is going through a divorce and struggling to come to terms with the fact her husband has left her for someone he was having an affair with.

And Sandra’s daughter Heather is stuck in a situationship with her neighbour Shawn, falling into a bad habit of sleeping with him and Shawn not listening when she tells him it’s the last time.

What better way to get everyone out of their emotions than hiking to Machi Picchu, right?

This story was an emotional roller coaster and I’m living for it. Bonnie is the eccentric grandmother you wish was yours, she’s strong, determined, sharp and sassy, and also an emotional wreck (but she doesn’t show it). I absolutely loved her scheming to get Sandra laid (by inviting them on her neighbours grandsons hiking trip), to get over her ex-husband, only to be cock blocked by Heather!

Honestly. Wild. But so fun, and while it’s not all fun, there’s some heavy emotional baggage that all three are carrying around, from feelings of abandonment, low self confidence, stagnation and more, that the three of them attempt to raise and work through on their journey.

This is a perfect read for sitting by the pool, or climbing a mountain, or anywhere you want a fun and sufficiently weighted escape from reality

I really enjoyed this read about three generations of women in the one family and their trip to Machu Picchu.

Bon who is 70 has lost her husband, Junior and carries him around with her in an urn. Her daughter Bon Bon who is 50 had a lying cheating husband who’s now engaged to another woman, who is 40. She’s hurting and suffering as she felt she should have dumped the love rat husband a long time ago. She decides she’d like to have another man and meets a couple of younger men on the trip. Heather, her daughter, mildly disapproves of her mum having a younger man. Heather has an on again off again boyfriend called Shawn whom she’s trying to get rid of.

Bon persuades her daughter and granddaughter to go on the Machu Picchu trip with her. They feel bad for her because she’s lost Junior and agree to go with her. The relationships between the three women are difficult and can be fractious.

Heather heads off on the trip ahead of the other two women and meets handsome Owen on the trip. She initially doesn’t know he’s her Nan’s next door neighbour’s grandson. She finds that out later. She falls for him pretty hard. Shawn shows up unexpectedly on her Peruvian trip. She’s not happy about this!

This is a quirky and enjoyable story featuring three generations of women within a family climbing Machu Picchu, as they all cope with their own issues. There’s grief and bitterness involved. Secrets long held are let loose as the trip unfolds. The nan, Bon, can be manipulative in a rather delightful way!

I enjoyed reading about the Pisco Sours and the good wines chosen by Heather for the women. I had my first Pisco Sour a few months ago when I went to a Peruvian restaurant, which I loved!

Bon wants to scatter Junior’s ashes on Machu Picchu. She also decides to leave their wedding rings behind, along with the wedding rings belonging to her and another husband.

The three women become closer during the trip and their fractured relationships start to mend. They get to know each other’s true selves better. It was a lovely touch that the Bon character was based on the author Amy Matthews’ Nan.

I found this book to be a quick read. I recommend this engaging and enjoyable read to others. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me smiling, laughing and crying. It's so so so good! If you come from a family that argues or is always in your business this book will probably hit a nerve for you.. BUT Amy does an amazing job of delving into family dynamics, grief, love, relationships and how generational trauma can creep up on you in various ways. All the characters are flawed but somehow you love them for precisely those reasons (maybe not Shawn though, he's a red flag). Humans are flawed.. that's so relatable and makes for such a wonderful story. Beautifully written with complex characters that remind you life can suck and be hard but love is always worth it.

Absolutely loved this book. The romance is so good and I feel so motivated to go for a hike after finishing it. It is a five out of five star read for me.

Bonnie Jenkins has a lot of secrets. When her 3rd husband dies, she carries his ashes with her, wherever she goes. Bonnie plans to match her newly divorced daughter Sandra with her neighbour’s grandson, Owen.

Her plan is to take a trip to Peru and do the Machu Picchu Walk with her daughter, Sandra and grand daughter Heather and accidentally meet up with Owen on the walk.

Everything goes to plan at first, but Heather meets her Romeo before joining her mother and grandmother and Sandra arranges for a surprise for Heather.

I loved the way this unfolded. Bonnie sharing her secrets about her life and trying to help her daughter get over a broken relationship.

Lots of fantastic descriptions of the scenery along the walk to Machu Picchu.

I loved the humour and the way Bonnie tells her life story.

Thak you NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster for. Chance to read this E-Book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5/5 for me

This was the most…
(you need to read the book to understand!)

The story is crazy, over the top and filled with insane family drama including adult tantrums and seemingly absurd arguments. All of this is exactly why one of the main characters, Heather, is trying to put up boundaries around her family and keep a safe distance away from them.

Instead three generations of women - Bonnie, her daughter Sandra and grand daughter Heather - travel to Peru together to climb Machu Picchu. So much for distance!

This was such an enjoyable read even while tackling so many hard topics and looking back through history as the three women start sharing long held secrets that will either tear them further apart or possibly draw them closer to each other.

With stalkers, dead husbands, affairs and a secret romance there is lots happening and that’s without the details of the climb itself. The actual Peru trip and surrounding area sounds fascinating and i’ve since watched a documentary on this area to gain a bit more insight of what they were climbing!

Really fun and fresh story and I greatly appreciate the author, Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for providing an advanced copy in exchange for a review. Due out in Australia on 5th March 2025.