The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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Thank you to @netgalley and Harper Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Let me start this review, by saying that this book would be tough for someone experiencing grief or the sudden loss of a loved one.
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This book was a slow burn. I kept wanting things to speed up, but by the end I realized why Lucas kept the story at such a slow pace.
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Our main character, Anna, is still trying to recover from the sudden loss of her husband, Spencer from three years ago. Through her grieving, she calls his voicemail on New Years night and discovers Brody. As the phone calls between Anna & Brody become more frequent, the reader becomes hopeful that they will rediscover love.
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I enjoyed the additional characters of Abby’s best friend and Abby’s (also grieving) mother-in-law. I feel like their roles provided a full picture of Abby’s life after Spencer.
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I am giving this book 3 stars, only because it was very slow. I feel like I would’ve enjoyed getting a glimpse of what happened after the ending. This is a very heartfelt story that I would recommend to those searching for hope.
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The Last Goodbye releases on 6/8/21. I hope you pick this one up & we can discuss!
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I listened to this story on my Sudio Tolv earbuds! I continue to be impressed with the battery-life of these! I love to listening to my books when driving & when cleaning and these earbuds have been a game changer! They automatically connect to my listening apps which makes life so much easier! Sudio is offering my followers 15% off their own pair by using the code booksnwoofs15❤️
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QOTD: Have you read a book that helped you overcome any type of stressors?
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#Sudio #shapingsound #netgalley #thelastgoodbye #arc #earlyreview #junerelease #bookstagream #bookishpost #audiobooks #februaryreading #readinggoals2021 #igreads #bookphoto #bbw #orlandoreading #floridareading #floridalife

Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Last Goodbye audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really really really enjoyed this audiobook. The novel slowly built and built just like the relationships within the story. I found myself becoming invested in the characters and getting disappointed when I had to stop listening. I'll admit to being frustrated sometimes with the pace and the actions of the characters, but I think that is pretty true to real life- people can be frustrating! Overall, it was an enjoyable story with well developed characters. The audiobook narrator was excellent- I particularly loved her accent which really help me feel the characters.
I recommend this book for those looking for a British based rom-com noting I wouldn't recommend if not prepared to read about the loss of a loved one.

If Sophia Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern had a baby, it would be this book! It felt like (the more serious moments of) Sophia Kinsella in the writing with a Cecelia Ahern whimsical plot. At first I thought it would be a lot like Rainbow Rowell’s Landline, which is one of my favorites, but then it took a completely different turn...which I loved!
I didn’t think I would like the characters at first. Not Anna. I did like her. But Brody. I just didn’t know. Because I really loved her memories of Spencer. I loved how she loved him. I loved hating his mother. I loved his father. But of course, I also knew this wasn’t sci-fi fantasy, so it likely wasn’t bringing Spencer back to life.
And Brody, I just didn’t know about him at first. But then I just loved him.
At first I thought that hearing from Brody’s point of view was pointless. I didn’t feel like I was adding to the story by having his side. But as the plot developed, I knew there would come a time when we would need his point of view specifically, and it did. And it was worth it.
(I could have done without her friend Gabby, though. She annoyed me for reasons I can’t even put my finger on.)
I also really loved the narration of the audiobook. Maybe I should only listen to audiobooks by British authors....they are just a touch more whimsical and it sweeps me away!

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas is a heartfelt novel about love, loss and how to move on when your heart is shattered. Anna is devastated when her husband Spencer is killed by a drunk driver. Three years after his death, on New Year's Eve she calls his cell number to listen to his voice mail message just to hear his voice and to her surprise, a man answers. The number had been reassigned. She apologizes, explains why she called and they begin a conversation that continues over the course of months.

Brody, who is on the other end of that phone has had a tragic event of his own and is working through it without much success. As his story unravels, there is a sense that Anna may be helping him heal...or that they may be helping each other.

Thank you to the author, Harper Audio and Netgalley who made an audiobook available in exchange for my honest review. I found this to be a beautiful journey through the process of grieving for what is lost, at your own pace, in spite of having others push you to grieve at their pace. The characters were charming and grew throughout the novel and I truly enjoyed this novel.

4🌟 ARC due to be published between March - June (seeing conflicting dates for American release)
Expand Your Horizons Task: Read A Book About Mental Health, Subject Or In The Story

P.S. I Love You × Nim's Island × You've Got Mail

A blissful married couple, Anna & Spencer, are torn apart when he is tragically killed. Anna's grief has consumed her. Out of habit she calls Spencer's phone to hear his recorded voice only to have someone several hundred miles away answer.

Brody, got a back-up phone after his landline has been having intermittent issues. He's given the number to nobody, so when it ring's it shocks him.

Each having experienced grief they connect in an unexpected way, though Brody isn't completely forthcoming. He is also battling agoraphobia.

The cast of sub-characters are also wonderful:
Gabby, Anna's best friend
Spencer's family: parents, brother, sister-in law
Jeremy, who Anna tries to date
Luis, Brody's dog

This story is written in two POV but Spencer's secret's keep his full character development from happening until much later in the story, but it does happen. This isn't a romance but a journey through grief that becomes friendship and then something more. I found myself bawling early on and knew I was emotionally invested.

The primary character is a young widow, trying to work through her grief following the sudden loss of her husband. She regularly calls her deceased husband’s cellphone to hear his voicemail; however one day someone answers. Thus begins a beautiful friendship of shared grief and personal growth. Cute story and I enjoyed the narration on audiobook.

This book is both beautiful and heart-breaking.

If you believe in love-languages, then I think this book is about grief-languages. It is honest and raw and doesn’t make grief cliche or simply there as a plot point to make the characters do outrageous things, as I see in so many books. The two main characters are both struggling with their own tragedies, they don’t always understand the ways in which each other grieves and yet they are still there to be each other's support system which I found really powerful.

This book is a slow burn. A REALLY slow burn. But even though it’s a far cry from a fiery, world-wind romance, I felt swept up in it anyway. I rooted for this romance more than I usually find myself doing and I think that was because where a lot of romances hinge on misunderstanding or secrets causing conflict between the characters, whenever there was a misunderstanding here the author gave the characters space to deal with it and it actually because a way of bringing them closer together rather than farther apart.

Despite the fact that this is a slow burn and that I appreciate that Lucas took the time to create a realistic representation of grief, I had to knock one star off for the simple fact that it took far too long for the characters to meet. I’m all for a good slow burn but after everything I went through with these characters I would have really liked to see a bit more of them in the same room together.

That being said, this was still a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes raw, women’s fiction or realistic romances—this is no rom-com. My favourite thing about this book was it’s message of how love can still flourish after loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of a loved one, agoraphobia

This is one that I would firmly call a women's fiction due to the lack of the HEA. While the writing was beautiful, it was very heavy. 3 years after the death of her husband, Anna is still deep in grief, Still desperate to hear his voice she calls his voicemail, but Brody is on the other line. What is a great premise for a book and interesting I expected more from their conversations.

This book summarized a lot of their conversations providing a lot more tell than show. Anna's relationship with her MIL was also very frustrating, she was constantly being bullied. I also struggled with the dark moment. Brody never really opened up to Anna leaving himself in a lot of mystery, then when Anna needed a moment to realize her feelings he got very upset with her. I just didn't feel the romantic connection, and that really lost the trust for me.

A story about moving on from grief, this one was very heavy and the romance, unfortunately, didn't pull me in. The narrator was okay but I was not a fan of how she did the voices with accents especially Gabby's.

Rating: 2.5

The Last Goodbye by Fiona Louis, 432 pages. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2021. $17.
Language: R (31 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NO
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Anna lost her husband over two years ago but still lives like a zombie. At midnight on New Year’s Day, Anna calls her husband’s number to hear his voice from the recording that asks callers to leave a message. Instead, someone picks up.
Louis’s book is very good with its little mystery amidst a story of two people overcoming their grief in order to really live life again, and I love how Louis addresses both grief and mental illness. The emotions are so real that I could feel the characters’ burdens get heavier and lighter upon my own shoulders as they experienced ups and downs. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and innuendo.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

First of all, I want it to be known that this book could be triggering for some. It deals with grief, loss, and mental issues. The Last Goodbye was a great audiobook. I loved the narration and I loved the storyline. This is a story about letting go and moving on, even when it feels impossible and wrong to do so.

Anna's grieving and is struggling to move on with her life since losing her husband, Spencer. She calls her husband's phone number. She had expected to hear her husband's voicemail, but instead, Brody answered. This random phone call turns into so much more.

I kept expecting a certain plot to come to light, but it never did. Instead, Brody's story was not what I was expecting and I loved that! I kept telling myself that I knew what was going to happen, but I wasn't even close.

This is a story about grief, loss, friendships, and two people coming together to help one another.

Antonia Beamish did a wonderful job narrating the story.

The Last Goodbye from Fiona Lewis is the first story by this author that I have had the pleasure of enjoying. I had the extra pleasure of immersing myself in the audiobook version, which was lovely. The story follows Anna and Brody, two people who are struggling with grief and loss and fear. When Anna calls her deceased husband's phone so she can hear his voice one more time on the voice mail, she is shocked when Brody answers. Apparently, he now has Spencer's number. No stranger to grief himself, he is kind to Anna when she continues to call. As their friendship develops, so does their ability to cope with life and the things that have happened to them. A touching story of what it means to love and to lose and to try to love again, The Last Goodbye had me riding around in my car for twenty extra minutes because I had to know how it ended. It did not disappoint. Thank you to #NetGalley for the audiobook version. Thank you to the author for capturing the human spirit so beautifully. #Bookstagram #all_the_pages

Loved this story of 2 people finding each other when dealing with loss. The storyline 9f the mother in law also was really well done as felt so real. At one point in the book I wanted to stop and Google Brody to see what he looked like, but remembered he was fiction. This book leaves you with happiness in your core.
Audio was perfect performance!

This story was unique and gripping. I loved how it represented the ways grief can affect our lives, and the mystery of what happened to Brody kept me hooked until the very end. The audiobook was fantastic to listen to!

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I've never read Fiona Lucas before but will definitely request additional titles by her. I felt Anna's pain and grief as she mourned Spencer and rooted for her as she finally began to resume life and be open to the possibility of love again. I highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this heartfelt, emotional and engaging story. The characters were strongly written and the story was lovely.

This is so much more than a story of overcoming grief. A story of a connection between strangers with shared, but very different, losses. Anna makes a call to her late husband’s mobile to hear his voice but the number is answered by Brody. On New Years. How easy it is to spill ones thoughts and feelings to a stranger. A story that follows the development of a friendship and healing through the following year. Highly recommend

The Last Goodbye is a book about grief, fear, and eventually healing. I read the book with cover that has a more romance look to it (a couple sitting on a bench). However, I think the cover that shows up on Goodreads (with the cage and the bird flying free with a heart in its mouth) is more in line with the themes of this story.

Anna lost her husband about 3 years ago. She still has her husband's phone service on and decides to call and listen to his voice message when someone actually picks up the phone. That someone is Brody, they actually continue to talk and build a friendship over the course of a year. Brody is dealing with a loss and a mental illness as a result of that loss he suffers (which he keeps to himself even as their burgeoning relationship becomes love).

The Last Goodbye takes a deep look at grief and the many different ways it presents. This book also looks at the way fear can affect our lives and keep us from real healing. Anna and Brody have to learn that friendship and family can also pull us out of the depths of that grief.

This story had a lot of the hallmarks of a romance (ie. the meet cute, the conflict, and even meeting up on New Year's Eve). But it goes beyond all of that and takes the time to build a deep relationship with the main couple. A relationship built on friendship, mutual understanding, and trust.

I give this story four stars because while it was building the relationship it did drag just a little bit. And I also believe that it was unnecessary to make Brody's inability to communicate his feelings or desire to talk about his past seem so sinister. All in all it was a beautiful story about love lost and found again.

I listened to it on audio book and I found the narrator to be good. The listening experience might have been heightened by two narrators because it does look at the story from both Brody and Anna's perspective but Antonia Beamish did a good job with both characters.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

4.5 ⭐️

An amazing story about grief and the guilt and hardship of moving on. Anna lost the love of her life 3 years ago and in a moment of grief on New Years Eve she calls his phone number just to hear his voice. Only, the voice she hears isn’t Spencer’s, it was another mans.

I loved the bond that Anna and Brody form while also showing the love that she had/has for Spencer. I also loved the relationship that Anna has with Spencer’s family and how real the ups and downs of their heartbreak seem.

The narrator did an amazing job with the voices of the separate people so you always knew who was talking.

Overall, I highly recommend listening to this as an audiobook and look forward to more by this author.

This is a slow burn romance full of beauty, depth, and sorrow. I also enjoyed the emphasis it put on connection and relationship, especially when you’re walking through a tough season. We all have them in some form or fashion, and I think this book highlights how different people handle them. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator and the pace of the story. It isn’t a quick or typical romance, but anyone who has experienced grief understands the slow, sometimes backward, progress the path can take. I enjoyed Anna’s character and walking alongside her as she worked out how to move on from the tragic loss of her husband. She’s definitely the kind of heroine you’re always rooting for, even if she doesn’t do what you think she should.

3 years after losing her husband in a tragic accident, Anna is still trying to figure out how to live her day to day life normally. When she calls her husband’s phone number, just to hear his voice, she is surprised to hear someone answer her. Is it him?
Anna develops a relationship with this mystery man, and finds he understands her journey of grief all to well. She begins healing, only to find out that he may be hiding something from her.

Anna and Brody are strangers. They meet by phone when Anna dials a number that now belongs to Brody, and with that call their paths start to converge. This is the story of their journeys.

A main character’s gradual emergence from deep grief is not an uncommon theme in women’s fiction. Knowing this as I started the audiobook, I was sure I could predict which surprising (cliché and tired) plot devices would pop up. Fiona Lucas earned my respect by proving me wrong on every prediction, although this book does follow the expected formula and contains the usual characters (parents, in-laws, pushy best friend). As Anna, Brody, and other characters struggle toward healing, Ms. Lucas shows us the authentic grief and excruciating regret which any reader who has lost a loved one will recognize.

I would have appreciated a deeper exploration of Anna’s and Brody’s relationship early in their story. In their first interactions, one of them uses the other unashamedly and with no awareness of how their outpouring of emotion might be affecting their friend. There is no reciprocity, and the seemingly unavoidable conflict that this would create could have added depth to the relationship and the book. This was the only miss (I wouldn’t really call it a flaw) that I noted in an otherwise well-crafted audiobook edition that’s nicely paced and flows effortlessly; it’s always a pleasure to experience a book that’s created by a gifted storyteller.

The story is on the long side for its type, at just over eleven hours, but it held my interest throughout, and those who love the genre will consider the time invested in reading or listening well spent. Narrator Antonia Beamish has a pleasant, well-modulated voice although her depiction of male voices is awkward. It wasn’t necessary to constantly adjust the sound, as the volume was consistent – always appreciated.

Readers of women’s fiction with a theme of grief will recognize that The Last Goodbye holds its own in the genre.