Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, this was a 4-star read for me. I found The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth to be an extremely pleasurable and heartfelt story. A combination of friendship, coping with loss, and growing into a new and better version of oneself, it struck a beautiful emotional balance. Part travelogue, part exploration of food, I loved how this story used both elements as a way to build and deepen the relationships between the main characters.

The one negative for me was a romantic angle that felt somewhat forced and a bit out of place with the overall tone of the book. I just didn’t need the random spice that happened toward the end—it didn’t add much for me and felt unnecessary in an otherwise thoughtful and emotionally rich narrative.

Still, Barbara O’Neal’s storytelling shines, and this novel is a lovely journey through grief, healing, and connection.

#BookReview #NetGalleyReads #BarbaraONeal #TheLastLetterOfRachelEllsworth #ARCReview #WomensFiction #FoodAndTravel #GriefAndHealing #FriendshipFiction #EmotionalRead #4StarRead

Thank you to Barbara O’Neal and NetGalley for the advanced copy of “The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth”. The story follows Mariah Ellsworth, an Olympic snowboarder, who hires Veronica as a personal assistant for a trip through Europe, Morocco, and India to complete her late mother's cookbook. Both women deal with health issues like PTSD and anxiety. The journey, detailed vividly by the author, includes mystery, great food, a love story, and unexpected twists. Publishing on July 29, 2025 – pre-order now! Inspired by this book, I plan to start my own journey to honor my mom. 💜

4⭐️
(ARC review) — Thank you to author Barbara O’Neal and her publisher Lake Union Publishing. I received an Advanced Reader Copy for the May 2025 release of 𝘛ℎ𝘦 𝘓𝑎𝘴𝑡 𝐿𝘦𝑡𝘵𝑒𝘳 𝘰𝑓 𝑅𝘢𝑐𝘩𝑒𝘭 𝘌𝑙𝘭𝑠𝘸𝑜𝘳𝑡𝘩 in exchange for my honest review.

Two woman that have had devastating losses try to heal and go on a journey of self discovery and finding a new path. The story was heart felt, emotional and thought provoking. Beautifully written.

There’s mystery, a touch of romance but a lot of love, in all shapes and sizes. It was such descriptive writing. You could see the sights, hear the sounds and almost smell the food.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

Trigger ⚠️ PTSD & Trauma

Another beautifully written, touching tale by Barbara O'Neal! Her books always make me feel like I'm wrapped in a warm, fluffy blanket of security while navigating through the emotional struggles of her characters. I always seem to internalize their turmoil, yet the author's powerful words always provide me with a sense of comfort, like one gigantic hug, telling me it's ok not to be ok and that everything will be all right. It was no different with this book. The characters were well-developed, and I enjoyed their personal stories and how they came together. The setting bloomed with gorgeous scenery and travel destinations, diverse cultures, and an abundance of delicious sounding foods. The pacing was a little slow but did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. I would have liked more on the paranormal aspect that Mariah was experiencing, and I am left with a big question mark on something that occurred during her accident. The ending did not provide me with this answer, but I loved it all the same. Such a great story! I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth is a touching story about a former Olympic athlete, Mariah, and a married mom of 3 turned sudden divorcee, Veronica, who come together in an unusual way. The two travel the world to retrace Mariah's late mother's adventures in search of answers to some of the mysteries that have been plaguing Mariah since her mother's untimely death. The two meet friends along the way, face harsh realities, and deal with mental health issues that many readers can relate to. I found the relationship between Mariah and Veronica endearing and one that both characters didn't know they truly needed. As a former athlete, I related to Mariah's plight in coming to terms with the fact that she can no longer be the athlete she once was. I found the story a little slow at times, but truly enjoyed the book, and would excitedly read a sequel if one came to fruition (maybe Henry's POV?).

I enjoyed The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth, though at times I wanted a faster pace to the story. I felt so much sympathy for Veronica finding herself in the situation where she essentially was a divorced mother of 3 overnight, and found it appalling that her ex continued to ask her to agree to a reduction in alimony so he could take care of his new wife and child (in utero), though I know this very situation happens often. I enjoyed the will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Veronica and Henry and found it very touching that both Veronica and Henry were like unofficial parents to Mariah. I think the author did a great job at creating characters that were believable, flawed and hopeful!

I loved this book. The settings, the food and the travel in this book are so well written, you feel like you are we the characters as they make this journey. It is a book about taking the chance, seizing the opportunity, not letting fear of change slow you down. This is also a book about healing.

When Veronica and her husband split up she finds herself in a small flat and struggling to make ends meet.
She sees an advertisement for a job as a companion to a woman in a fact finding trip for a new book about cafe culture.
She is delighted when she is offered the job and excited to do some travelling and see some new places.
I really enjoyed this story, it has some lovely characters and descriptions of places I’ve never been to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth is woman’s fiction. The story develops the characters and the settings so well that I felt as if I knew them and wanted to continue on in their travels and lives. I enjoyed reading about their journey and the food in each country was a plus. Veronica and Mariah’s growing friendship was heart warming as they each grew stronger together and in their own lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and want to start reading it over again to enjoy it even more. Barbara O’Neal is an excellent writer.

Thank you to Barbara O’Neal, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. My review is totally my own opinion.

This was a beautifully written book. I loved how all of the characters showed growth, not just the main characters. I felt the ending was a little rushed but I did enjoy this read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher !

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read this early book. It was delicious and fantastic and made me think. I did not want it to end! I adored the characters, and have already recommended the book to quite a few friends. I am so happy I was able to enjoy this! Thank you!!!

Good book was a little slow for my taste and not drawing me in until 3/4 of the way through the book.

My first Barbara O'Neal book and definitely not my last!
The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth is a story about two lost women dealing with grief as well as PTSD and divorce.
I had a great time seeing these women on their journey and LOVED all the food descriptions. Overall really enjoyed this book and highly recommend!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but it fell flat for me. First it is a slow burn which isn’t my preference, but I’m okay as long as it’s to used develop the characters. I didn’t really connect with the main characters, and they didn’t grow as much as I would have liked.

The trip was organized and planned by Mariah as a way to honor her recently deceased mother; however, she doesn’t seem invested the project. Overall the story focused too much on Veronica and not enough on Mariah. I would have preferred more time given to developing the friendship between Veronica and Mariah and less on the predictable budding romance.

While it took a while to get there, I did find the ending heartwarming and satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was initially confused about how the characters would connect in this book. I ended up engrossed anyways and loved the relationships they built. Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

5 *****

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth is a contemporary women’s fiction. The characters are revealed, and evolve, throughout the story. The travelogue is beautifully woven in, strong on its own and also developing the story and characters. And the food descriptions! Beautifully done.

The two main female characters both develop tremendously over the course of the story, and contribute to each other’s healing and growth. Their collaboration also supports them both in more pragmatic ways.

I’m a big fan of this author’s books, over many years, and yet they never feel repetitive. Her eye (and voice) for emotion, nature, art, and people’s interconnectedness is spot-on. I always feel like I discover something new about how wonderful people can be for each other, which is a gift I get from every book.

That being said, this book somehow significantly exceeded my always-sky-high expectations of this author. It was somehow richer, deeper, more vast . . . . I wish I could articulate what propelled this book to higher heights, at least for me. Whatever it was, I felt it throughout the reading of the book (which I miraculously managed to spread over almost a treat! Like savoring a dessert in small helpings to you can consume more tomorrow).

I **most** highly recommend this book! And if this is a new author for you, I wish you the joy of devouring all her previous novels as well.

I love Barbara O’neal and I’ll add this book to another of her hits!! I think once this is released it will be best seller, it’s so beautiful!

Mariah Ellsworth is an Olympian, her mother, Rachel Ellsworth is a food writer, both are famous in their own right. When during a visit to a grocery store, Rachel is killed and Mariah’s femur is shattered by a bullet, Mariah has to recover not only physically but emotionally. Urged by her Aunt Jill, Mariah starts working on her mother’s last book, using the outline she left and her letters. However, Mariah is not strong enough physically to do this journey alone so she hires Veronica Barrington as a companion. Veronica has her own healing to do, after an ugly divorce and a police incident, Veronica is ready for a new chapter. Will this trip lead to healing or just more hurt?

Barbara O’Neal’s books to me are art, each chapter a mosaic of brushstrokes, layering on emotions, discoveries, insight and brilliantly revealing the story. The characters, add a layer with their complexity and sentiment. Descriptions of a locale another layer, just enough to intrigue you without overwhelming you. I feel so content after finishing her books and this book is no exception. It makes me want to travel and see out different cultures, food and people. Relish in the wonder of seeing things through the lens of the experience. Such a gratifying read, you will regret not reading this book.

I was asked to review “The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth” by Barbara O'Neal.

O’Neal is a master at creating well developed female characters and their (sometimes dysfunctional) relationships. Her novels often focus on self-exploration and growth. Here, we meet Veronica, who is turning a new leaf, and Mariah, a young athlete who is moving forward after a physical injury that keeps her out of the Olympics. Mariah is seeking a travel companion as she seeks answers about her mother, Rachel. Their journey takes them to London, Paris, Marrakech and India, which O’Neal describes in an evocative way. O’Neal also explores these women inner battles and the different ways they connect.

This is a thoughtful read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a chance to read this book.

I didn’t want this one to end. Barbara O’Neal shares her intense research abilities and travels with this book. It was interesting, fascinating and a totally enjoyable read. I learned so much about the foods, history and people of the countries that her characters traveled to. It made me want to go.
The three main characters are somewhat diverse and flawed in many ways…and yet you find yourself rooting for them and hoping they all find their way in life.
I think it would be great if a second book came along…just saying….