This was entertaining enough for me to finish. It definitely screams contemporary women's fiction to me. Had a good amount of humor while also digging deeper into the women's personal lives.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I am a longtime Lorna Landvik fan. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons is one of my favorite books, so when I saw this one, I swooped in and grabbed it. I was definitely not disappointed! What a great read. I love stories about groups of women doing things that normally women would clutch their pearls over. If you do too, grab this one.

I love Lorna Landvik books but I've been struggling to read this one for months. I've decided to stop reading it and pick it up at another time. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #LastCircleofLove

In this charming and uplifting novel, a group of experienced women belonging to the same church circle embark on a mission to revive their dwindling congregation. Searching for a solution, they decide to compile a unique cookbook that blends tantalizing recipes with heartfelt anecdotes exploring the realms of love and sensuality.

While I typically enjoy narratives with multiple perspectives, I encountered some difficulty keeping track of the characters and their individual stories. Each member of the group deserves a more in-depth exploration of their personal histories of love, as this would have added a richer dimension to the overall plot. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters.

Nevertheless, this heartwarming tale offers a delightful escape, perfect for cozying up with during the autumn and winter months. Although it didn't completely resonate with me, it may well captivate readers seeking a light and feel-good read.

Thanks to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author.

Lorna Landvik's books never disappoint.

The plot just flowed and the women part of the “Naomi” circle of the church were fun with their different personalities even though I had to keep referring back to who was who and their spouses.

Pastor “Pete” who's real name was Mallory and no idea why the women thought that name was “cute” and why Mallory used it.

The women wanted to up their game with their competitive big church and decided that the usual cookbook wasn't in order. They decided to do an erotica cookbook – not what you are thinking. Erotica like a parishioner said was not about sex but about love and romance and some of the letters reflected that.

The ending was sweet.

It's not unusual for me to pick up books that are random and what some may call "not my norm" and there have been so many times where it pays off and I can say that was a great read unfortunately Last Circle of Love fell short for me

Lets start with the good, The Last Circle of Love was filled with sweet, funny and alot of thought provoking moments, despite being based around religion it wasnt overly done which was nice as i was mentally prepared for the opposite. I enjoyed the friendship that had grown amongst the Circle, it was fresh and although there book is the A-Z of erotica it fell somewhat short on the Erotica and more towards Love with a touch of spice but hey what's more to expect when the book is being written as part of a charity fundraiser by women who are only now getting to really know each other.

Now to the bad, the flow of the book and execution lacked for me, I didnt find it a smooth read and it never really picked up pace, it was a steady turn of the pages, turns that where not eager because I had no connections with the story or characters, the writing lacked what I need to pull me in and I get thats a me problem but I need that pull, flow and connectivity.

Last Circle of Love has a great potential the writing style just wasnt for me.

This book features some things that I really like. First, I am generally somewhat intrigued by books that feature a religious leader who is very human. I also enjoy stories that are about a group of women. This title offers both.

In this story, a pastor realizes that her parish needs some serious enlivening. The project that five church women suggest is a recipe book but one about love and spicing up relationships. Through this project readers get to know a group of gutsy women, the youngest of whom is in her fifties.

Needless to say, not everyone is in favor of this idea. Find out how things work out in this enjoyable and fun(ny) novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in 2022.

#LastCircleofLove #NetGalley

The Last Circle of Love is a cozy read that takes the reader on a journey that doesn't strictly adhere to what one might expect from a book about a circle of older Lutheran women.  When the women  meet to discuss fund raising ideas they all realize that their previous efforts were somewhat dull and definitely not fruitful. They joke about writing yet another church cookbook, when someone suggests writing a  church erotica book.  What transpires is a look at the marriages and relationships of the women in the group.  Some of the vignettes are poignant, others are painful.  As the women and their friends contemplate their lives and loves, they discover themselves and bloom in sometimes unexpected ways. 
I will say that while the flow and organization of this book seemed off, the characters were delightful. I enjoyed the stories and the sweet way they spilled over to impact others.  
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union publishing for the ARC of The Last Circle of Love.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC. This is my honest review. 
This book surprised me because I wasn’t prepared for the way it was written. I feel like this book was targeting the older readers. I finished this book but it wasn’t my favorite. It was not a bad read but it was not my style. This is a cute book for maybe an adult book club.

This was a charming story, but not very memorable. I liked the characters and the premisse, but all in all I wasn´t really invested with any of them.

This was a heartwarming, delightful story. I am happy to have discovered this author.  
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This novel follows a group of “seasoned” women who are all in the same church circle. Their church is losing members and money so they are looking for a way to attract both. They decide to create a cookbook of sorts but the recipes are all suggestions/musings/personal stories about love and sensuality.

I loved the multiple viewpoints that we read in the story and as a pastor many parts made me chuckle out loud. The story is cute and uplifting - an easy cozy read for fall/winter.

I was disappointed that this book wasn't as engaging as Landvik's other novels that I've read. There were no differentiating attributes between characters and I felt the book waited way to long to establish who the main characters were. The book jumped around with small snippets of characters interacting. Godfrey the janitor seemed to be the central character that everyone rotated around. 

In her previous books Landvik's characters felt endearing and likeable. This book felt like a spoof on Fargo and The Church Ladies' Basement play. (If you're a Minnesotan you know). I bought Landvik's Audible of the novel and listened and couldn't get past her pronunciation of Soren (Sir-en) vs the correct (Soar-en). I think she was intentionally trying to "Sota-fy the accent" and I found it annoying. 

I grew bored with the book's central topic of the women trying to create an erotic instructional book with tame subjects for each letter of the alphabet. 3 Stars

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. 

I usually love books told from multiple points of view but I found it very difficult to keep track of who was who and whose story was whose. Each character deserves a deeper dive into their own personal history of love. I never felt like I really knew the characters. 

The story is cute and uplifting - an easy cozy read for fall/winter.

If you love Landvik's previous novels, you will adore this with its strong older female characters and fulfilling premise. Loved it!

⭐⭐⭐ -- Love this cover!

This one was alright for me. It was sweet, funny, heartwarming. All good things. I just wasn't "wow'd". 🤷🏻‍♀️ The plot was a little all over the place at times. It was a little slow at times. The ending wasn't as tightly wrapped up as I would have liked. Just small things here and there that lowered my enjoyment. 

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Lorna Landvik is wonderful at writing charming stories with quirky characters and enviable friendships and Last Circle of Love didn’t stray from her bread and butter. This tale of a progressive female pastor and the group of post-menopausal church ladies who come up with a radical idea to raise money to save their beloved yet failing church is full of chuckles, bittersweet musings, and heart warming moments. In comparison to some of her other novels, I had a harder time getting into this book as I found the pacing slow and I had the hardest time accurately matching the individual ladies up with their personality quirks. Despite these challenges, overall it was a good break from the dark thrillers and fiction I normally read but not one of my favorites from Landvik.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It was quirky, interesting, and really sweet. There was a diverse cast of characters, and I liked all of their stories.

I would love to be within this circle of women, because I know the power of having a circle of different age women supporting each other. Older members have a lot of wisdom to impart and younger members bring fresh ideas. One such group forms at All Souls Lutheran, when Mallory “Pastor Pete” Peterson comes to lead the church. It doesn’t take long for her to realise that this church isn’t just struggling, it’s sinking. There are five members in the Naomi Circle, a loyal bunch who know everything that’s going on in their community and who try to keep the church afloat. With their new, young and bold minister they brainstorm fundraising ideas. All the women agree, the usual recipe book won’t add much to the parish bank account, but what if they shared the ingredients on how to heat up relationships rather than casseroles…

Pastor Pete really isn’t sure, but this group of postmenopausal women have a lot to say on the subject of romance. Charlene is the youngest member at fifty-two, but she struggles with the idea; Marlys is an incredible baker of cakes, but can she cook up these ingredients; Bunny is the bohemian one; Velda is a little bit proper and always right; finally there’s Edie, always enthusiastic and happy to gather everyone’s contributions. They want the book to cover all angles, cooking up love in all its forms. Unsurprisingly, the congregation aren’t sure about the project, in fact some think it’s scandalous. As Pastor Pete starts to field opposition to what they’re doing, the women will have to decide how hard to fight for what they’re creating. This isn’t a dirty book, it’s not even erotica or risqué. It’s a powerful collection of stories full of awakenings, the extent of our hearts ability to grow and let people in, hearts that change and soften, and how love changes lives. Although there’s a sexual element, this is more about love and has a transformative effect for some, making them look at their love lives and perhaps change a few things. I loved these characters and the way they worked together. This isn’t a negative look at men either, both genders are represented equally and positively. It doesn’t shy away from showing where relationships are unhealthy too. I’m currently menopausal so I did feel at home with these characters but I think younger readers would enjoy it too. There’s a good mix of characters and ages in a book that’s gentle, full of humour and warmth. I found their stories uplifting and definitely more fun than a cookbook.

Love this author….always a great story that captures your heart and your attention .  Can’t  wait for the next one.