I wanted to love this story especially after loving this authors first book but it took me almost a month to get through because every time I picked it up the story did not pull me in enough.

The overall plot of the story (I won’t go into detail so I do not spoil it) was a great plot the story just felt like it dragged and wasn’t exciting enough for me.

I’m going to be honest, I was a little skeptical about how I would feel reading a holiday book during the summer. HOWEVER, One Last Gift made me feel like it was winter outside as I sat inside in the AC. My favorite thing about a book is when it can transport you to somewhere completely different, and Emily Stone’s latest novel did just that. The story follows Cassie, as she embarks on a scavenger hunt that her brothers designs for her for a Christmas gift each year. This year, it’s different and not only is she navigating the hunt to find her gift, but she’s also navigating a newfound journey of love and loss in her life. This book made me feel alllllll the feels and I already can’t wait to give it a re-read during the holiday season!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Netgalley for an ARC of this book! I’ve willingly read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

After loving Emily Stone’s debut novel, I was so excited when I saw she had a new book coming out. ONE LAST GIFT didn’t disappoint.

Cassie, her brother, Tom, and his best friend, Sam, have been practically inseparable since Cassie and Tom’s parents died when they were kids. The guys have always pushed Cassie to be brave and to step outside her comfort zone during everyday life and the annual Christmas vacations they go on. Years later, after an incident during one such vacation, Cassie and Sam are no longer close and now they have to deal with the death of Tom. Wrestling with guilt, blame, anger, and anguish, Cassie and Sam drift apart, only brought back together when Cassie learns she has one more Christmas treasure hunt, an annual tradition since they were kids, that ultimately leads to Tom’s one last gift.

I loved ONE LAST GIFT just as much (if not more!) than ALWAYS, IN DECEMBER. Stone has a gift for taking emotional, heartbreaking incidents, like the death of a loved one, that so many end up experiencing, and uses those incidents to illustrate how time keep passing, losses getting easier as it does, but life has also been made richer for having known those who passed. Stone’s writing is absolutely beautiful and her stories have a way of using those painful moments and turning them into something meaningful.

Getting to tag along on this meaningful final treasure hunt, while also seeing how Cassie and Sam find their way back to each other was incredible. It pointed out just how much people—in this case, Tom—can affect individual lives and bring strangers together.

ONE LAST GIFT (a truly multifaceted title) is already a book I haven’t able to stop thinking about and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

This book took me on an emotional roller-coaster! It is a story of loss, grief, love and finding your own path. It reminded me of P.S I Love You and I adored it! I also loved the yearly scavenger hunts from her brother and their relationship.

My only complaint would be how frustrating Cassie and Sam were. They had me throwing my hands up in the air! Lol
Great romance read with all of the feels!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and it has got to be one of my favorite Christmas book ever.

It is about Cassie and her brother, Tom, who have lost their parents when they were young. They get through the tough times together and with friends like Sam (Tom’s best friend) and Hazel (Cassie’s best friend). Every Christmas, Tom creates a fun scavenger hunt for Cassie to solve.

Right before Christmas, Tom dies and Cassie’s world turns upside down, until she receives the first clue to the last scavenger hunt Tom had a chance to create for Cassie.

This a wonderful, creative story that follows a woman trying to rebuild her life after great losses! I craved reading this book each day! I absolutely loved it!

Wow! Absolutely wow! This is my first ARC feedback and I couldn't be more impressed with One Last Gift. Emily did an amazing job talking about grief and how people handle it. This book was much heavier than I was expecting, because I went in basically blind, but I throughly enjoyed it. It is definitely giving me "P.S I Love You" vibes. I cried on certian parts as well and I love a book that reminds me that I do indeed have emotions! This book was a heart-warming, heart-wrenching, beautiful story of grief and love! 10000% reccomend everyone to pick this up when it releases on October 11, 2022!

This book had a great deal of sadness with Cassie loosing her parents and then her Brother tom. Sam ( Toms best friend ) and Cassie you see their story evolve and its like things almost happen but end up not . I loved this book so so much and it is one I will read again before Christmas ! I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being a movie it is beautiful !

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of One Last Gift. Enjoyed the sweet story and liked the characters in the book.

This book represents everything I love about Emily Stone as an author. If you read Always, In December - - I 100% recommend picking this book up, too! It's a fantastic second book by her with a very different story but everything I enjoyed about Always, In December. If you haven't read Always, In December, I'd like to acknowledge that this book is not the fluffy, happy Christmas story it may appear to be based on the cover. Emily Stone is an incredibly talented writer who explores challenging topics and this isn't the light read you may think it is. If you set your expectation accordingly, you will NOT be disappointed!

Here are some of the things I loved most about this book:

1. It tells the truth about the holidays. We watch Christmas episodes of our favorite sitcoms where the most significant stressor is related to a gift and we binge Hallmark movies where every single person gets a happy ending. That isn't real life. Real-life for so many at the holidays is a sad and painful reminder of those who are no longer with you. This book captures that unshakeable feeling of loss during a joyous time SO perfectly.

2. There is a bit of mystery. This book is fairly straightforward, but there are different things throughout that keep you wondering. This kept me engaged as a reader and truly hooked on the story. I had to know what was coming and whether my theories were right. It turned this book from a lovely story to a true page-turner!

3. Consequences are significant. Choices are made in this book that create really challenging outcomes for the characters. There isn't fluff. There are consequences. It added a unique tension to this book that was relatable. So often in books, the characters get an easy out, but Emily Stone took her characters on truly difficult and emotional journeys that made you fall in love with them and root for them in the end.

Reading an eARC of this book was an absolute treat. Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

This book we follow a journey of Cassie who has experienced tremendous loss. First her parents and another tragic accident she looses her brother Tom. Cassie and Sam Tom's best friend try to heal from this terrible tragedy. Tom also like every year prior does a Christmas scavenger hunt and Cassie goes through a beautiful heart wrenching journey that will change her life. I surprisingly really liked this book even with all sadness. Will Cassie be able to find happiness through this journey?

What an incredible novel. Told from the perspectives of Cassie and of Sam, the story speaks to the year after Cassie’s brother, Tom, leaves her one last treasure hunt as he does every Christmas. Cassie and Sam live with deep grief over Tom. Their lives intersect, never at the right time to hold and keep the love they feel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’ve read “Always in December” and loved it, you will love this one too.
Emily Stone has a way of writing that makes you feel emotion like no other. The way her books make you feel while you read them & how she allows the story to work its way around.
This story has a life lesson to jump out of your comfort zone and take those risk.
Live life like however you want to & stop letting other hold you back.
Seriously I can never stop gushing over her books.

Cassie loses her parents at a young age, she try to have a normal life with her brother Tom and His Best Friend Sam.
A tragic accident happens that causes Tom to lose his life.
Cassie blames Sam for what happen, both have to find a way to heal from this together or apart..

I love you Emily Stone.. Thank you so much for another amazing book.
Thank you for making me feel whenever I can’t.

This book comes out October 11, 2022

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of time :)

This book came into my life at an ideal time as I am also suffering through loss and grief. I think that this book helped me through a tough time in my life and would recommend it to others as well. It has moments of drama and pain as well as healing and love. I am a big fan of Emily Stone and will likely pick up the physical copy of this book as well.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book was incredible. If you enjoyed Always, In December by Emily Stone, you’ll definitely enjoy One Last Gift. This book is very well-written as we follow Cassie’s journey as she embarks on a final treasure hunt set up by her late brother. It’s filled with love, friendship, grief, loss, heartbreak, hope, and so much more.

I was NOT expecting such a tragic book when I first requested this book. Cassie and her brother Tom lost their parents at a young age. Their bond as they grew up became unbreakable. We also have Sam, who was Tom's best friend. Cassie and Sam always had a back and forth between each other until one incident causes Cassie to cut ties with him. The pair are finally reunited after a tragic incident.

This book definitely hit me more because I was able to relate to Cassie and Tom. I liked that this wasn't the typical romance book and there were layers to it. This was my first book by Emily Stone and it won't be my last!

I should have known better to read a holiday book about loss, but this was just too much death and sadness for a lighthearted Christmas read. There’s enough tragedy in real life, and I prefer to read books that give an escape from it, not remind you of it.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

This book WRECKED me, Emily crushed this book and it is a perfect winter read. I was given the chance to read this gem early and let me tell you, I may have sobbed but it didn't disappoint. I finished this in one sitting.

After loosing her parents at a young age, Cassie developed a new normal with her brother Tom his best friend and her crush Sam. A tragic accident causes tom to lose his life and Cassie to blame Sam for that loss. After they both find a way to cope with this loss they are thrown back together when a local spot is in need.

Im not going to give anymore away but gosh, do yourself a favor and pick this up as soon as you can. You may sob but it'll definitely be worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is not my typical genre, but I really enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC of, One Last Gift, by Emily Stone. This is such a sweet story, it made me cry. The characters are lovely, and the treasure hunt was fun.