Emily Stone has the gift of writing beautiful heartbreak.
I truly enjoyed One Last Gift.
As Cassie sets out to complete the scavenger hunt left to her by her late brother, she discovers a new side of herself and finds love in an unexpected place.
This romance has a clear tide of sadness, so don't read it if you aren't willing to embrace a happy ending with quite a few tears!

This was a cute story! I really enjoyed Cassie’s pov and connected with her character. The way she handled loss and grief was so realistic and I loved that it wasn’t rushed or anything. While more of a story about grief and moving on it did have some Christmas family feel and that made it a great winter read.

When Cassie’s brother, Tom, dies unexpectedly, she’s never felt more alone. When Cassie finds an envelope from Tom, she knows it is the first clue on what will be her last Christmas scavenger hunt. When Cassie finally starts searching for Tom’s present, her journey takes her all over - both physically and emotionally.

Fair warning: you need to be emotionally prepared to read an Emily Stone book. Her books will break your heart in the best way. It was so good - but if books make you cry, make sure you have Kleenex close by.

In One Last Gift, Stone gives us the gift of heart - which this book has in spades. Orphaned at a young age, siblings Cassie and Tom learned to rely on each other - as well as their two best friends. Every Christmas, Tom creates a special treasure hunt for Cassie to find her gift - complete with clues (that MUST rhyme).

Tragedy strikes one Christmas, and Cassie loses Tom. But then she discovers he left one last treasure hunt for her. Over the course of her journey, Cassie discovers she's braver and stronger than she ever realized. And she discovers true love. ❤️

I loved Always in December, so I was quick to read this one! I love romance novels most of the time, but this one stuck out a little bit more. It was heartfelt and lovely. Christmas romances just do something to me, they make me feel magical, and this one certainly did.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I thought this book was beautiful, yet tragic. I started and finished it within a few hours. While it wasn't extremely Christmasy, I still believe it was festive. And oh so romantic. This was also the kind of book where you felt you were there living your life with the characters. Cassie and Tom had such a beautiful story, which I think is a perfect read for anytime of the year -- not just the holiday season.

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It made me smile! It embraced my soul and touched my heart gently. The sensitive topics were handled so well without wrenching your heart. I got a little frustrated with their miscommunication, but I liked how everything was resolved. This book touches on death and grief, but it mainly touches on friendship, love, personal growth, and moving on. It's about saying goodbye and new beginnings. It was right up my alley and was a nice change of pace and put a smile on my face.

heart touching story. Loss around the holidays can be hard. This lighthearted book gives a new perspective. I love how she had a last chance to connect with her brother .

Oh man this book tugged at my heartstrings! I loved that this book was about so much more than grief and/or a romance. While those were two key plot points, it was also about love, hope, and finding yourself.

It was such an awesome premise that Cassie finds Tom's last scavenger hunt after he passes away. That he had made this latest hunt span months, involve so many people, and be so challenging made it all the better. Admittedly, the clues were too challenging for me as the reader to decipher, but it was fun reading as Cassie worked through ideas and utilized her resources to find solutions.

I really enjoyed the romance of this book as well. There were times when I questioned if this book truly was a romance and who the actual love interest even was which is always a major plus in romance novels for me!!

This is a wonderful holiday read if you're in the mood for a book that will cue the waterworks and also has a holiday theme and feel to it.

Overall, I absolutely loved it and while I cried more than just a little bit, it was cathartic and beautiful and moving. I definitely recommend.

This book gave me all the feels. I love Stone's writing but she rips your heart out (in a good way!) I'll be reading more of her in the future for sure.

This second holiday-themed book by the author falls into the 3.5-star range for me. While not lacking entirely, there's an elusive quality missing that prevents a more enthusiastic rating. Although I found moments of enjoyment while reading, it doesn't leave a lasting impression. Focused on Cassie and Tom, siblings dealing with grief and family dynamics, the story introduces a disrupted friendship with their childhood companion, Sam. The initial setup lacks emotional depth, making it challenging to fully invest in their eventual reunion. The plot gains momentum around the 50% mark, immersing readers in Cassie's journey, but the emotional impact is hindered by surface-level exploration. Despite these shortcomings, the book offers a light and engaging read, suitable for romance and holiday enthusiasts. The 3.5-star rating reflects a generally positive impression, with appreciation extended to Dell for the ARC through NetGalley. In summary, "One Last Gift" provides a heartfelt tale of romance, grief, and growth, recommended for those seeking a touching story, especially during the holiday season.

I'm confused as to the intent of the book. Was it meant to be women's fiction or holiday romance? Because it didn't "pick a lane" it fell short in both categories for me which left it feeling flat overall. I wanted MORE of either of those aspects for it to stick.

This book was breathtaking. It takes you on an incredible journey through grief, heartbreak, love and bravery. This was my first Emily Stone book and it certainly won't be my last!

God, Emily Stone knows how to rip my heart out with holiday romances. These aren't your straightforward, frothy holiday romances -- Stone's books deal with heady topics and certainly make you feel *all* the things.

3.5⭐, 1🌶️

This wasn't the book for me, but I still found it uniquely interested! The main plot of Cassie losing her brother, and Sam losing his best friend and Cassie as well kept me intrigued over how the plot would expand, but I just wish there was more romance in the storyline. I love both characters learning their lives without Tom through how Tom choose to celebrate Christmas with his sister, but over all the commitment to the storyline was minimal for me. I wasn't addicted to continuing the story as every chapter, and just listened quickly to finish one last book/ audiobook of the year.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an eARC of One Last Gift, by Emily Stone. This is my free and honest review

Sweet story nothing to complain about it just didn't captivate me. I really liked Cassie but I just wanted something more from her.

Thank you everyone for this gifted copy of One Last Gift by Emma Stone.

Basically I’ve decided that Emma is the queen of Christmas stories. Her stories are charming and fun, and their guaranteed to make you cry every time. I. Love. It.

This story hooked me right from the get-go. I loved the relationships between family and friends, and found that I was rooting for all of them. I laughed, I cried, it was honestly the best book to end my 2023 reading with.

While Emily Stone knows how to work grief into a holiday story, this one might be my favorite of hers yet. I really appreciated the plot of the scavenger hunt taking place over the course of the year. It definitely makes it less a true holiday read and more one loosely related to the holidays. It was a really lovely story about found family and learning to rely on others. Although absolutely filled with grief, this one tackles grief, especially around the holidays, very tactfully. I really liked the main character, the best friend love interest, and the case of friends. Their love and support for the female main character was clear. Absolutely would love to read more by Ms. Stone going forward! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book! It was the perfect holiday romance. It made me cry, laugh, and even though it included some loss in the story, the ending was still happy.

In this book, we follow Cas, who has lost everyone in her life, most recently her brother. Before he dies, he leaves her a scavenger hunt that takes her on a trip through his life and hers, showing her things that help her reconnect to the world around her and find her place in it. It's a heartwarming read, and it's certainly a pull at your heartstrings. That being said, it could have easily been a novella or a beautiful short story. The pacing was killing me...it really wallowed in the sadness. I think there is a market for this, as a lot of readers really like the warm fuzzies and will take as many as they can get, but I'm not one of those readers, so it was just okay for me.