i really wanted to enjoy this book, but it did not work for me personally. i should have known better, but you live and learn. so thanks so much, netgalley for the chance to read this early!!

Favorite Quotes:

‘Darling, remember, I talked about this. We recommend staying away from alcohol when you’re trying to get pregnant.’ She wanted to point out that in the annals of history, there were probably billions of women around the world who had only got pregnant because of alcohol.

It wasn’t a friendly greeting. Or a warm one. If it was a perfume, it would be full-bodied disapproval with top notes of irritation and ire.

...so I am absolutely slumming it in a five-star resort. This heartbreak stuff is hard work.


My Review:

I am unabashedly enamored with Shari Low’s delightful storytelling and her latest offering is no exception as I stepped right into the pages and became one of the passengers. One Last Day of Summer weaves a well-nuanced tale that intermingled the lives of four strangers on a plane that had no idea they had so much in common. The engaging storylines were fresh, authentic, and rife with poignant feels, clever humor, and evocative observations and insights. The cast of characters was varied yet so well fleshed out and knowable that I would recognize them on the street at first glance. I admire her bewitching word craft as I easily tumble into her tales and while I’m often reluctant to crawl back out, I have found each one immensely satisfying to read.

This was an easy five stars for me, zero hesitation. I loved everything about this book. It is, quite possibly, the ultimate holiday read.

There are four main characters, Bernadette, Dev, Hayley, and Tadgh, who end up sitting beside each other in premium economy on a nine hour flight to St Lucia.

These characters might take off as strangers, but they land as friends, almost like family. The way they bond and grow as people under each other's influence is crazy, and beautiful.

This was an addictive read that I didn't want to put down. I loved every minute I spent reading this book. It made me laugh, smile, hurt, worry... These characters will get under your skin and make you care.

My takeaway:

Sometimes all it takes is a conversation (or a nine hour flight) with a stranger (or three) to completely change the direction of your life.

I highly recommend this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books publishing for the opportunity to review this book
What a lovely book with all the feels and a happy ending.
It didn't matter that the storyline was obviously going to end happily ever after. I invested in all the main characters so was delighted when it did.
Highly recommended for a relaxing summer read

Aw, this is such a wonderful, heart-warming story and the perfect summer read! Bernadette is flying off alone to St Lucia for two weeks after her friend cancels on her at the last minute. Tadgh is travelling to St Lucia to get married there to his fiancée Cheryl. Hayley is travelling to St Lucia with her doctor husband for a last chance at having a relaxing holiday and the hope of getting pregnant before more IVF treatment. And Dev is travelling there to find the woman he had a one night stand with, as he believes she’s the love of his life. All four strangers are on the same flight an all end up sitting together. And after getting to know each other, will any of their plans change?

I love how this book goes, it begins with a brief introduction to the different characters before beginning with a chapter following Bernadette, then Tadgh, Hayley and Dev. Each chapter alternates between the four characters and each of them have their own separate back stories and different reasons for heading off to St Lucia. I enjoyed getting to know all of them, but I really loved Bernadette’s story from the start. Now with adult children, Bernadette is getting used to life without her difficult husband. I like how Bernadette decides to take the chance and heads off to St Lucia anyway, alone, once her friend pulls out, and how Bernadette continues to be an interesting character throughout the plane journey, helping to further others stories as well as her own.

As I said I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and had a special interest in Hayley’s story from the start too. Her back story slowly reveals itself throughout the book and the moments she has, especially with her husband at the airport and then on the plane are shocking and sometime a little heart-breaking too. However, I dolike how she grows and becomes more confident in the story as time moves on. I also enjoyed Tadgh and Dev’s chapters, especially Dev’s who’s trying to turn his real life experiences into a rom-com novel and the various references to the tv show Friends.

Almost the whole book takes place on the flight to St Lucia which takes over nine hours. I love how this book is mainly about these few hours, and how so many things can happen and change over the course of this short time. There are interesting things revealed about the characters and I love how they all come together and get to know each other well. There are some wonderful moments in the story, and the ending is especially good with things coming together nicely for everyone in the end.

There is some swearing in the book, uses of the f and s swear words but nothing else I think anyone could find upsetting. Hayley’s story for me was the most heart-breaking with what happens to her both on the plane and in her past, but her story resolves well and the way the story finishes for Dev is especially heart-warming and puts such a smile on your face, especially that airport scene! The ending is good, there is a final chapter for all of the characters and then an epilogue. It’s the final chapter and epilogue which really made me smile though, I could guess where some of the story was going for all of the other characters, but it’s that final epilogue with Bernadette that really had me smiling so much as I wasn’t expecting it, and it really is such a perfect ending!

I’ve really enjoyed this book! It’s the first book I’ve ever read by this author and now I’m keen to read so much more! I’ll definitely be on the look out for more of her work and I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a great heartwarming story which leaves you feeling so happy once you finish it. It’s a great story about new beginnings, friendship and also love too, with a good dose of humour thrown in at times too, especially with Dev’s story! Overall, the perfect summer read! 🙂

Four passengers start a flight to St Lucia as strangers but this flight will change their lives. I am still trying to figure out how I felt about this book. I wasn’t a fan of the different story lines but at the same time I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended.

Shari Low never fails to give me all the feels with her novels. I become complete smitten with her characters and their stories and I get so invested and merge with their world that I forget they aren’t real people.
I adore multi-narration and really liked how different each of the main characters were. I loved them immediately and gave out a little squeal when I realized they were all coming together (an early reveal). Each character has their own demons to work through and they’re all heading to St Lucia for different reasons when they find themselves together on the plane. Sometimes the kindness of strangers is worth so much more than we realise this and Shar Low shows this through her dialogue and interactions between the characters. Each person is real and relatable (as always in Shari’s books) and as a reader I developed such a strong bond with them.
This is such a wonderful story that really lifts the spirits and brightens the day. There are plenty of surprises and twists in there too and the whole concept just works so well.
I cannot recommend this adorable book highly enough.

One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low

A fabulous idea for a book, loved it.
Four people meet on a flight to St Lucia , and amazingly the majority of the book is set in it.
We meet Bernadette , who has left an abusive marriage, now divorced.
Hayley , married to a fertility doctor. Dev , a hopeless romantic . Tadgh , who is about to get married but is unsure..
The flight is from all their perspective s , and deals with many aspects of human life.
It is humorous and sad at the same time , but very very good.

Four strangers sat in a row
Off flying to St Lucia they go
But by the end of the flight they'll find
Its a meeting of new friends who are like in mind!

One is going there to be wed
Another proving she can despite what her ex said,
The third is going to rekindle her marriage and dreams
Whilst the fourth is looking for the woman he loves it seems.

The banter, sharing and caring between these four
Help create a story you're sure to adore.
It makes you feel like fate has stepped in as they realise
The changes the flight makes in each of their lives.

A brilliant, funny and moving story, too,
With great characters, background and dream vacation to view.
I really enjoyed this fantastic read and so
Hope you'll agree when you give it a go!

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

This was just the story I needed. So freaking refreshing! It’s sweet, it’s witty and just plain fun.

I absolutely loved the way the story was structured with the multiple POVs and the multiple storylines. It was complicated but not confusing.

The main draw of the story was the characters. A genuine connection forming between four people due to a seat on a plane. Serendipitous meetings that changed everyone for the better. Definitely recommend.

So I’m going to be clear right up front, I loved this book. It’s an unusual one as most of it is set on the plane to St Lucia as this is where all the characters meet, though we do get an introduction to them individually before this. There’s a lot happens on the plane so it makes sense to have most of the story there, and the fact that it’s mostly set in that one location isn’t a problem, it’s the character’s stories that we’re here for rather than anything else.

The characters were brilliantly written. They were all so realistic I could see myself on the plane with them, maybe in the row behind, overhearing everything that was discussed. I liked Tadgh and Dev’s stories, they were quite different but in some respects very similar but the one’s I really resonated with were Bernadette and Hayley. Hayley’s marriage is in trouble and Bernadette’s was controlling, something I have personal experience of, and I felt I connected with them more because of this. The discussions between them had me nodding in agreement a lot of the time. I loved the way Bernadette’s story was handled, it was so accurate and respectful. It showed clearly how hard it can be to recover and move on from that kind of marriage, regardless of how confident and strong you are in other parts of your life. I don’t do star ratings on here but if I did that part alone would get 5/5.

One other thing I want to give a special mention to was one of the cabin crew, Stefan, he was fabulous, and I’d love to see more of him.

Honestly, I loved this book, which I know I’ve said already. I read it in a day and was completely transported into these other lives as I read. It’s a brilliant read that I would highly recommend and can see myself reading again in the future.

One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low is a heart-warming and uplifting story of get chances in live - be it love or friendship. It's story of finding our inner voice, standing up for what's right and living life to the fullest.

Majority of the story happens on the 9 hour journey to St. Lucia. From hurtful memories to happy times, we readers are given a glimpse of each character's past. I really loved the ending. It was quite nice to see all the characters stand up for what's right and what they truly want in their lives. A dash of romance made the read even more interesting.

I was so invested in the characters and their lives that I did not want the story to end. Excellent storytelling and character portrayal. I am looking forward to catch up on Shari's other books. I absolutely adore her writing.

If you are looking for an uplifting and charming read, I highly recommend you to give One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low a try.

Shari low has become one of my favourite authors and this book is no exception to her brilliant writing. I could not put this book down and read it from cover to cover in one sitting. I’m looking forward to the next book.

OMG what a flight! This book was just perfect! I loved the multiple pov’s and the journey itself. I actually fell in love with all 4 main characters, they developed beautifully and naturally and were all so different and interesting. This made me angry, giggle, gasp, fist bump the air and cry and ‘feel all the feels’ and I just loved it. There were so many little surprises throughout it kept me hooked and needing to find out what happened next. What a wonderful bunch of strangers!

I had a hard job to put this book down otherwise I would have been reading all through the night. Great story and very well written, can't wait for her next book. Worth more than 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Another great feel good book by Shari Low. Who has such a wonderful way of writing. Which makes it seem like it's a really easy book to read. Which it is. But the amount of effort that goes into books to make them flow so effortlessly is phenomenal.

This book is told over the vantage point of four people and I loved hearing all of their points of view and seeing life through their perspective. If you are a fan of friends then this book is definitely for you as it has lots of quotes running throughout.

I also thought the the storyline was fun and it had a lovely romantic element running throughout.

This was a beautifully nuanced story, with a generous mix of fun and heartbreak, with a whole heap of tropey goodness thrown in for good measure.

I can’t say I’ve ever read a book like this before. Honestly, I’m not normally a fan of more than 2 POV as I find it easy to get lost, so it was a tough start for me; but when something works, it just works. I think because every POV is such a different character going through completely separate issues, and so seamlessly tied in together. Serious Love, Actually/Valentines Day vibes.

This was my first book by Shari Low, and I can’t wait to read more.

An absolute delight and the perfect summer read.

Happy pub week to @sharilowbooks for ᴏɴᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏғ sᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ 🥳 🎉
❤🍹
Thank you @netgalley & @bookandtonic for the E-Arc. The opinions are my own.

The book is told through the characters' POVs, in individual chapters, and the plot was paced well.
I loved this book, mostly because it reaffirms my faith in the goodness of people and also how some of the characters resonated with me.
Though I haven't really spoken to strangers on the plane much, I really want a Bernadette in my life. She was sweet, insightful and so wise. Dev and Tagdh both needed fresh perspectives and Hayley needed a listening but compassionate ear.
The plot made me think of one of my favourite book quotes from The Shadow Of The Wind and it sums up this book perfectly,
'ᴡʜʏ ɪs ɪᴛ sᴏ ᴇᴀsʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴀ sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ?
ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴀ sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ sᴇᴇs ᴜs ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡɪsʜ ᴜs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ.'

There are serious Love Actually feels in the book and you definitely want to pick it up as the next beach read! ❤

As Emerson so famously said, Life is a journey, not a destination. Well that's definitely true about this book. Four strangers arrive to their seats on a plane to St. Lucia, but while most books focus on what happens after they get to their destination, this book is all about the nine hour flight and the bond these four unique characters created.
Bernadette survived marriage to a controlling husband while raising her two children and she's been free and single ever since. When her best friend unexpectedly backs out of their trip, does Bernadette have the courage to go alone?
Hayley is finally getting a vacation with her fertility specialist husband. But even with his profession, they haven't been able to have children themselves. Hayley is looking forward to some time away from the pressure, time to spend with her husband without thinking about the stress and struggle of infertility. But when your husband is your doctor...
Tadgh saw a shocking text before he got on the plane. He's glad his seat got upgraded away from his fellow bandmates, as he needs time to think. But he can't help but be drawn in by his new seat mates' conversation. He's two days away from his wedding to his high school sweetheart and he needs some advice of his own...
Dev had a one night stand with a woman he met in a bar and only realized she was the one for him after waking to an empty room. All he knows is her name and where she was headed. His dream is to write a bestselling romcom. Maybe if he chases after her, the plot could be based on his own love story...
I liked the alternating chapters for each character and how their backstory was woven seamlessly between conversations on the flight. Bernadette was such a loving and funny motherly character with great advice for them all. I especially loved Dev's story with his best friend Lizzie! This would make an excellent beach read!
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

This was a fantastic story. Once I started reading it I just couldn't stop. It was so close to being a 5 star book so it has a 4.5 rounded up as it is better than a 4 star. It thrillered me, exciting me so much it just missed out on the wowing me to get that last half a star. I just loved how the story follows a number of different people on the run up to there holiday and how they all end up on the same flight. I loved how some of the stories intertwined to become one fantastic exciting ride. With plenty of unexpected things happening along the way. Since I had got up super early to read this book 5 am I had to read it all in one day I just need to find out how it ended.

I loved how varied and fun the characters were and how they developed so well throughout. I especially loved Theale who was writing his own book. Yes I am terrible at remembering names even though I have only just finished the book .

This book will definitely make a perfect summer reading book or beach read for all you contemporary romance fans this will definitely be a big seller so get in there quick to grab a bargain. 

So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this fantastically paced book that I enjoyed reading soooooo much. I will definitely be looking out for more titles by this very talented author. 

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/one-last-day-of-summer-by-shari-low-boldwood-books-4-5-stars today either under my name or ladyreading365