This was a OK book for me but it d r a g g e d. With some editing, it could have been a 4 but there doesn't seem to be any editors left!

This is my first book by this author and while it turned out to be not quite what I expected, I still find it fine. Overall, this is a heartwarming story full of fall and holiday charm. I really enjoyed this read and highly recommend getting cozy by a warm fire with a cup of hot chocolate and you immerse yourself in Cassie's world. I recommend this to readers of women’s fiction, and those who enjoy romantic dramas. Despite the heavy subject matter, the book feels lighthearted and features plenty of good chemistry, yearning, friendship, and self-discovery with a dash of misunderstanding/miscommunication here and there.

One Last Gift was a delight and surprise - not your typical holiday romance! After suffering tremendous loss and working to overcome fears in her life, Cassie embarks on a true treasure hunt that will change her core and the course of her life. With help from family and friends, Cassie learns that "running toward" can be much healthier than running away. This book got better chapter by chapter as the clues began to unfold, revealing the interweaving of the characters. With Tom, Hazel, Josh, and Sam by her side, Cassie learns to run toward what she truly dreams about and wants out of life, despite her fear.

Only read this if you have a box of tissues near by. Friendship, loss of loved ones, grief, all of the emotions possible, new found family...ugh my heart strings were pulled.

This wasn't too "Christmasy" which I enjoyed since I read it in August. I loved Always in December and now this has set in stone that Emily Stone [I tried to be funny there] is officially an auto-buy author for me.

All the stars for this one!

A quick read about love, loss, and finding oneself. Cassie learns about herself and opens her heart to love as she struggles with the loss of her brother. When I started reading this book, I didn't have high hopes, but as the story progressed, it had much more depth as it delves into the how one handles grief and loss. It was an enjoyable read.

Finished review coming soon! Review will be posted to Netgalley, retailers, Instagram, and TikTok!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I just finished the novel One Last Gift by Emily Stone. This book was a novel about love, loss, second chances, and living outside of your comfort zone. From the description, I expected this book to mostly be a romance with the trope brothers’ best friend. It was more than that; this was a family fiction. The closeness that the heroine Cassie has for her brother and how they were able to share friends and experiences was great to see. I don’t feel like I’m spoiling anything when I say that the sudden death of Tom devasted Cassie. I was heartbroken for her. These siblings and his friend Sam have different family dynamics. I believe that contributed to the closeness Tom and Sam and Cassie and Sam had with each other.
It took so long for the book to turn towards a romantic aspect, but I felt the journey that we went on for self-discovery was necessary before these two got together.
I also really like Tom’s scavenger hunt! I loved that this was his annual Christmas gift, and I love how the scavenger hunt helped aid in her self-discovery.
Overall, I’m giving it four stars. I liked it a lot; my only gripe, if I have one, is that it did not feel like a romance novel to me. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, but it will not be my last.

I just reviewed One Last Gift by Emily Stone. #OneLastGift #NetGalley
www.netgalley.com

Cassie and her brother Tom have always been close since their parents died when they were young. She's grown up with his friend Sam but starts to have feelings for him and thinks maybe he might feel the same. Years later Cassie realizes she doesn't like the person Sam is anymore. When Tom dies before Christmas, Cassie finds he already created a scavenger hunt that's always been his tradition. Tom's clues lead Cassie on a journey that will change her life. This sounds like a heartbreaking story and it is at times but also it's a tale of found family, friendships and kind strangers who help Cassie throughout the scavenger hunt. Her relationship with Sam is complicated, the exceptional way the author writes his character makes you fall in love with him and then later despise him.

Omg this was the cutest story! It definitely got me in a Christmas mood. I liked the writing style and definitely recommend this book!

I enjoyed this book even more than last year’s Always in December. The relationship between orphaned Tom and Cassie was heartwarming and then heartbreaking. He really seemed like the perfect brother, always watching out for his younger sister, and creating the scavenger hunts for her. Even though it was frustrating to watch Cassie and Sam push each other away again and again, I think Emily Stone did an amazing job of portraying the loss they both felt. One Last Gift is a touching story of romantic and familial love that will have you reaching for the tissue box.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. #OneLastGift #NetGalley.

One Last Gift did such an amazing job detailing grief, relationships, and closure. I didn’t expect to cry when Cassie’s brother died but as I started the book their relationship was so special and everyone can tell how much they mean to each other. After the funereal everyone was hit hardly, especially Cassie and Tom’s best friend. Opening her last gift from Tom, she works with the “family” around her to figure out Tom’s clues. As this journey continues you can see Cassie bond with everyone and show how grateful she is for the friends she has and her relationship with them. Overall Emily Stone has written another amazing book!!!

Book review posted on August 7, 2022 on Storygraph: ccliaa
B

After the sudden death of her brother Tom, Cassie receives one last gift from him in the form of a letter. The letter kicks off a Christmas scavenger hunt and brings her closer to her longtime crush, her brother’s best friend, Sam. Her journey to solve all of the clues brings her closer to her deceased brother than ever before.

One Last Gift is infused with so much emotion and tenderness. It is not your typical “brother’s best friend” romance. While there is a romantic thread throughout the storyline, Cassie’s exploration of her grief plays a larger part in the plot.

I did find Sam a little off-putting early on in the book, but he really redeems himself by the end.

One Last Gift really is the perfect cozy, holiday read if you're looking for something a little different than your average Christmas romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine!

This was SO cute and also did a really fantastic job of depicting the different ways grief impacts people - both the different stages of grief in one person but also the way that grief can manifest in different people. But it did it without being overwhelming, and only contributed to the romantic plot rather than diverting from it. The two blended together so well and made such a bittersweet picture.

I thought this was a lovely, sweet, and emotional story. It reminds you that life isn’t all good or all bad, but a mix of bitter and sweet but that you shouldn’t let grief or sadness hold you back. The characters were imperfect which made them feel real. Both Cassie and Sam’s journeys after the loss of Tom felt earned. I found the book heartbreaking and romantic in equal measure. My stomach flipped nearly as often as my eyes welled with tears. While technically this may be a Christmas book, you could read it any time of year and be satisfied.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Stone and Dell Publishing.

*slight spoiler, not ending but part of the story*

This story is mainly about Cassie. A young woman who lost her parents when she was young and then her brother during the book. It goes through her emotions of dealing with this large loss and the ever moving parts to her love life.

The story was a tad on the glum side for my personal taste, but I much appreciated the struggles that Cassie was facing.

This book was so captivating! A very character driven novel with some heavy topics- make sure to have tissues ready! I was a huge fan of Always, In December as well, so now this is an auto-buy author for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC- I loved it!

Petition to file Emily's books with mandatory therapy. Mostly set during the holdiays, it managed to capture real emotions as well as git wrenching moments.

One Last Gift is told through time lapses, that is indeed timeless. I sobbed, smiled & sighed while reading this.
Cassie was a very likeable character who wore her heart on her sleeves. Her relationship with Tom was everything.
But she & Sam were something else altogether. Forced apart by miscommunication but brought together by grief, they shared the most wholesome connection ever.

The treasure hunt was the most fulfilling & emotional moment. It reminded me of Ps I Love You & I.was.here.for.it.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a good read, more than the usual "romance " novel. Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for a chance to read the book in exchange for a review.
I really enjoyed the author's writing style and I will definitely look to more from her.
The heroine Cassie has had tragedy in her life and the book will have a reader with tissues at the ready. When she loses her beloved brother Tom, it almost seems too much for one person to bear. Despite this the overall feeling I am left with at the end is powerfully uplifting.
I particularly enjoyed the "scavenger hunt" that Tom left for Cassie as a literary device though it did seem to go on forever. There were many surprising and interesting turns to keep the reading fresh and the reader engaged.
The one down side to the book for me was the lack of connection I felt to the characters - I liked them all but didn't really feel I understood them that well. There was surely a maturation for Cassie, Sam, and Tom during the story. The secondary characters such as Hazel, Amy and Linda really added to my enjoyment of the book.
This would be a book to start with the Christmas holiday this year.
Expected publication date is 10/11/22

After reading Always, In December, I was absolutely looking forward to reading more from Emily Stone. Unfortunately I didn't love this novel as much as I would have liked. The writing came off a tad juvenile at times and there were a few words/phrases that were frustratingly overused. Overall, I found the story to be a bit cliché and hard to get into. Part of the issue was that I didn't feel much of a connection to any side characters and barely one to the main characters. There was also a lot of time jumping in the middle of side plots which resulted in them getting quickly wrapped up in the next chapter with just a few quick lines, which I found disappointing. It was a fine enough book that I didn't feel the urge to stop reading and I will definitely still check out future releases from the author, but this one was just a miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Sam made me mad quite a bit. I loved Cassie and just overall was felt very deeply for her and her situation after finishing this book I’m gonna hug my brothers.
I do feel like Sam needed to grovel a bit more but overall super cute I cried quite a bit.