Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I've not read anything else by this author but I've signed up to follow her after reading this novel. The plot is topical and contemporary; fundraising for churches is an ongoing battle and the idea of producing a book of erotica is unusual but not unheard-of. Add in a mix of wonderful characters with different backstories, perceptive comments and realistic events and reactions and you get a book I couldn't put down. The narrative style is superb, the tale flowed easily and I'd love to read more about this lovely group of people - a pity it's a standalone book.

Title: Last Circle of Love
Author: Lorna Landvik
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 2.50
Pub Date: Decebmer 6, 2022

I received complimentary eARC from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Comical • Uplifting • Quirky

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Newly installed at All Souls Lutheran, Mallory "Pastor Pete" Peterson soon realizes that her church isn't merely going through turbulent waters, but is a sinking ship. With the help of five loyal members of the Naomi Circle, the young, bold minister brainstorms fundraising ideas. They all agree that the usual recipe book won't add much to the parish coffers, but maybe one with all the ingredients on how to heat up relationships rather than casseroles will...

Pastor Pete has her doubts about the project, but it turns out the group of postmenopausal women has a lot to say on the subject of romance. While Charlene, the youngest member at fifty-two, struggles with the assignment, baker-extraordinaire Marlys, elegantly bohemian Bunny, I'm-always-right Velda, and ebullient Edie take up their contributions enthusiastically. After all, their book is really about cooking up love in all its forms.

But not everyone in the congregation is on board with this "scandalous" project. As the voices of opposition grow louder, Pastor Pete and these intrepid women will have to decide how hard they're willing to fight for this book and the powerful stories within--stories of discovery, softened hearts, and changed lives.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I don't recall how this book came onto my radar, but when I was looking for something lighthearted with friendship as a central theme, it felt like the perfect pick. I was a tad hesitant given the central theme of religion, however, it never felt overdone.

What I like:
• the premise. It sounded like such a fun, light-hearted concept that had so much potential.
• the small town vibe. The community and the relationships were a real strength.
• the mature ladies. It's no secret that I love books with older characters, and the friendship between these ladies felt wholesome and fulfilling.
• the varied definitions of love. The plot tackles a variety of types of love - romantic, platonic, self-love - and how love shifts and changes over time.

What I didn't like:
• the large cast. While potentially necessary to tell this story, in my opinion there were just too many POVs. I eventually loss interest in trying to keep everyone straight, and think it would have been better from 2 to 3 perspectives.
• the flow. Because of the large cast, it felt like it was trying to do too much. There were many side stories that really never panned out and some stuff that could have been edited out.

Last Circle of Love had its sweet and funny moments, yet a week after finishing it, I am struggling to recall much about it. It was a light-hearted look at love in a broader sense of the term, and it was great to see the women exploring themselves. I wish the execution would have been a little smoother, as it didn't leave me wanting to explore all of this author's work.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for older characters
• church groups

⚠️ CW: sexual content, body shaming, medical content, dementia, death, grief

This book is a quick read. Many moments are light hearted and sentimental. Overall, the story line is nice. Recommend this book to book clubs and readers who are getting back into reading and want something light.

This is a charming story about the varied definitions of love and views on sex and relationships from the viewpoint of mature women. What makes our hearts race may change as we age but that doesn't mean the fires die out.

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**