Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

As a serial romance readers, I have really started to love second chance romance the best! The Last Encore is a beautiful second chance/friends to lovers that quickly became one of my favorite books this year!

What we loved:
🌟The Last Encore has some of our favorite tropes: second chance romance, friends to lovers, guy falls first
🌟Brooke and Avery have the best friendship!
🌟Josh and Avery have the absolute best chemistry and make the most lovely couple. Avery is a very likable main character and I’ve never wanted two fictional characters to get together more than these two!
🌟 Elodie is an extremely talented writer and we loved every second. The steamy parts were so well written, the characters were well developed and the story flowed perfectly.
🌟Josh is what book boyfriends are made of!

All in all, I really loved The Last Encore! If you like a second chance romance with a side of friends to lovers with extremely likable characters, add this one to your list! I promise you’ll love it!

📘: The Last Encore by @elodiecolliard
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2022

Thank you to NetGalley, Elodie Colliard, and Victory Editing for this ARC!

*Reviewed on Instagram and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

“I love you. I love you so much and it was unavoidable because the truth is that I fell in love with you years ago, but I only have the courage to tell you now.”

💜

♥️ Second chance romance
👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽 Childhood friends to lovers
🧠 Anxiety rep
🥵 The tension between these two
🎹 Musical love declarations
🔥 Slow burn
🌶 Spice
🧑🏽 He’s completely obsessed with her
😍 Cute nicknames

This. Was. Amazing. I read it in a day because I could not put it down! The way that Avery and Josh reunited after 10 years, rebuilt their friendship and finally took a chance on love was everything. Avery was such a strong character. I loved reading through her perspective as she struggled with anxiety and her history with sexual assault, her strained parental relationships and her feelings for Josh. The tension between them was electric from the moment they set eyes on each other again! Josh’s honesty was so refreshing and I loved how her ‘let’s keep this casual’ lasted about a week haha. I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advanced copy of this book.
When I read that Avery was a photographer I so wanted to read this book. Photography used to be my job and I know how hard it is to make it a business. And the cover....the cover is amazing.

3.5 stars. Ok so where to start....did I enjoy this book? Yes and somewhat no. I'll try to explain the best I can.

We have Avery, Josh, and Brooke, high school best friends. One day Josh tells them he's leaving and moving to another country without any explanation. Brooke and Avery are upset and completely blindsided. They don't know what to say or do. Avery is understandably torn up about this. She has unshared feelings for Josh. Avery's brother steps in and helps her through it.

10 years later Avery is attending a fundraising event with her father. One of the performers in none other than Josh himself. They reconnect during the event and their relationship progresses from there.

I really wanted to see more angst. I feel like Avery forgave Josh way too quickly. I wanted more of that back and forth. Should we do this or should we not. Josh was jump two feet in no questions asked. Avery did push a bit, but not very much. I will say I think how the author wrote the spicy parts in relation to Avery's sexual assault were done well. I also wish we saw more of Avery's family. She talks a lot about not being able to move because her family needs her. But she has a rough relationship with her dad and her mom we very rarely see. I feel like I would have loved her so much. Her brother on the other hand, has the best relationship with Avery and he isn't afraid to share his opinion or remind her of how Josh broke her heart in the past.

Overall I think it's a very good story. If I'm being honest, I wish there was a little more to it. I would probably read this again.

4.5 stars for Elodie's debut novel! This was a well written, second chance romance novel, which is a trope I always enjoy reading. It was also a friend's to lovers story, so it gave me everything I love in a romance!

Some things I really loved:

Loved the author's note at the beginning of the story. I love when author's share their personal experiences, reasons for writing and trigger warnings with us. That being said, I thought the mental health representation in this book was well done and handled delicately. Anxiety, depression and grief were all mentioned in this story.

I really liked the strong female lead. While she had some difficulties with anxiety, at the root of it all, she knew what she wanted in her life and was unwilling to compromise any of her own hopes and dreams.

The romance between Avery and Josh was great and seemed very genuine. But I also really enjoyed the friend and sibling relationships.

Steam! And lots of it! Many open door scenes that really cranked up the heat!

I loved the Canadian setting of this story, mostly taking place in Toronto which is a city I know well. I also loved that there were many mentions of Niagara on the Lake, a town near and dear to my heart! It's not often that I find it in books and it was such a joy to have it mentioned! Love the familiarity it gave me!

There are some trigger warnings that come with this book, that Elodie does make mention of in her author's note. I thought they were all handled tastefully, but a reader should be aware of them going in. Mentioned in the story is depression, anxiety, grief, toxic family relationships, loss of a loved one and a brief mention of sexual assault.

This was such a great debut and I feel so lucky to have received an early copy via netgalley from the author, so thank you Elodie! I wish you much success with this book and hope that many other readers get the chance to check it out soon and enjoy it as much as I did!

Read This If Enjoy:
•Friends to lovers
•Slow burn romances

Thoughts:
What a great debut novel by Elodie! I really enjoyed this one and ended up reading it in one sitting. It was so cute and tugged at my heart strings. This book tackles tough subjects in a very genuine way. I loved Avery and Josh so much. I think Josh may go on the favorite book boyfriends list as well. Avery was a strong independent female who spoke her mind…love it. Oh, and the steam of it all…also loved it!

This is such a good one, and it’s more than just a cute romance story! I recommend and can’t wait to read her next book!

I’m being totally honest when I say that I almost fell off my chair when I was approved for the ARC of this book. I had such high expectations for it and I’m thrilled to tell you that I was not disappointed. I definitely believe that this is a book you can go into blind and that might make the ride even more amazing. Friends to lovers is a very difficult trope to do well, in my humble opinion, but the trope was so well-executed in this case. I loved the history between Avery and Josh as well as all of their interactions. The cast of side characters was also put together perfectly and that alone would have resulted in my decision to read anything else that Elodie Colliard writes. As a Canadian, I adored the Toronto references and locations which I found beautifully accurate and fun. I will definitely be rereading this book before publication and quite possibly twice after. If you’re considering whether this is a book for you, ask yourself nothing but if you enjoy a good romance. If the answer is yes, preorder it immediately and if the answer is no, this could likely be the book that changes your mind.

Thank you to Netgalley and Elodie for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet romance, and a refreshing look at mental health/anxiety within the genre as well, I thought this was a nice, light read. I did struggle with the lack of conflict which meant the plot was a little meandering. The fact that Avery immediately forgave Josh at the start of the book meant that there was little will they/won’t they action which I think would have helped. Similarly the situation with her dad which I thought was so interesting but just sort of fizzled out. Totally get that that is a personal preference though and many readers will love this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary:
Avery and Josh were best friends through high school, until he left to a different country. Avery hasn’t heard from him in ten years and still harbors feelings for him. One day, they bump into each other at Avery’s father’s medical fundraising event. And things progress from there.

Pros:
✔️ Mention of importance of maintaining good mental health
✔️ Diverse cast of characters (race & LGBTQ+)
✔️ Simba the cat because he’s adorable
✔️ Uplifts artsy jobs (photography and music)

Cons:
❌ Lack of angst for a second chance romance
❌ Didn’t get the best friend vibes from Avery or Josh or Brooke
❌ Everyone (literally everyone) seems to know that Josh is in love with Avery but Avery doesn’t
❌ Barely seeing Avery’s parents (important to story)

Overall, I felt like this book was just okay. It was a good read, but there were too many times where I got frustrated with the characters (mainly Avery). For example, Avery gets mad at her brother when he gets angry that Avery is seeing Josh again. Brooke is seemingly unaffected by Josh’s return despite his departure having an impact on her too. And everyone makes it their business to tell Avery that Josh is in love with her.

Also, for someone who was super depressed for weeks after Josh’s departure, Avery seems to forgive him really quickly. And jumps straight into a “friends with benefits” that turns way too quickly into a relationship with him.

Lastly, Avery talks about how it’s important for her to stay in her city because that’s where her family is… But her dad shows up maybe twice and we don’t even see her mom until the end of the book… It’s a very odd thing.

Final thoughts: it’s an okay book. I don’t think it’s bad by any means but it’s definitely not for me.

Would I recommend this book? If you like a slow burn, this is not for you. Otherwise, feel free to pick it up.

I loved this! A sweet friends reunited and friends to lover story, which then got very spicy very quickly! It was definitely a page turner and it handled the theme of sexual abuse very sensitively and poignantly.

Set in Canada, The Last Encore is a sweet, emotional second chance romance between two former best friends.

Avery grew up with privilege but is now a self-made woman one lucky break away from having a thriving photography business. She has anxiety and has just gotten out of a relationship.

Just as she is feeling like she is hitting rock bottom, Avery runs into her former best friend, Josh. Josh broke Avery's heart when he moved away to play piano in Europe a decade ago and never looked back. She never thought she could forgive Josh but so many good memories come flooding back when they lock eyes, and Avery wonders whether Josh feels the spark too...

The story has a lot of charm and is an impressive debut. Avery and Josh are both very likable and have great chemistry. Avery is kind and cautious and Josh is sensitive, attentive, and patient - it was enjoyable to watch their relationship grow despite the push-pull dynamic and slight miscommunications here and there.

Recommended to anyone in the mood for a steamy, romantic, slow-burn. 3.75 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advance copy.

This book was very different from what I was initially expecting but in the very best way! This book was full of amazing mental health representation and I feel like so so many people will easily be able to connect with both Avery and Josh as characters. (Avery struggles with anxiety and josh has been struggling with grief since his mother's passing).
I can not express just how much I loved josh and Avery. (I cannot wait for the release day for this book so I can talk about these amazing characters with so many new people.) I love how their relationship was very much not perfect and how raw and real their struggles were but how it did not get the best of them. I love how supportive they both were of each other even though that sometimes meant they couldn't be together. This book was full of so many raw emotions and had me feeling for these amazing characters. I absolutely cannot wait to read more books by the amazing Elodie Colliard.

read this book if you love
- strong female characters
- mental health rep
- great friendships
- open door steamy scenes (done well)
- Canada setting
Content Warning (from the author): sexual assalt, depression, anxiety, loss of a loved one

Thank you to Elodie Colliard, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Last Encore is out November 1 2022.

I absolutely loved this debut novel by Colliard, this is a second-chance and friends-to-lovers novel. I thought that not only was it a sweet tale about forgiveness and finding love in a person you never thought you would even talk to again, but it was also a looks at mental health and how past traumas can influence ones outlook on life. Our main characters Avery and Josh were both amazing in their own right and were amazing together. They both have such passion and love for their chosen profession, and they were both so supportive of each other. I also loved the friendships and family relationships that were in the book. I do think that is the end if they would have talked a little more then the third act breakup could have been avoided, but I don't think its completely takes away from the extremely sweet ending. Overall I thought this was an amazing read and I will for sure be reading future novels from this author.
Review already posted Goodreads and will be posted to Amazon on publication date.

Wow! What an amazing book!!
Would love to read more from the author.
Thankyou netgalley for the Arc!

This is a second-chance, friends-to-lovers novel, but so much more than that. It's also an unflinching look at mental health and past trauma, an examination of what it means to live life affected by parental expectations and behaviour, and an ode to friendship. Avery is struggling, but determined to take her chances where she can, even when those chances bring her into the unexpected orbit of the best friend who left her ten years ago. And then there's Josh, desperate for his second chance and just perfect for Avery, understanding her needs and wanting the best for her. I also loved the supporting cast, particularly Brooke and Miles who are especially supportive for Avery. An excellent debut novel and I'm already looking forward to more from this author.

Wow… when I first opened this book I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to read it due to the trigger warnings but due to the author being so helpful with writing what page it is on and how many pages it goes on for, I was able to read this perfectly fine!

And I’m so glad I didn’t pass it up because I could not put it down. I loved the characters, I was drawn to them, and I could really see myself in Avery A LOT, basically felt like the author had gone into my soul and written my feelings down on paper! With her love of photography and her anxieties and insecurities, I have never felt so seen!

I really loved her and josh and could really sympathise with why she was so hesitant!

I wasn’t expecting the spice but that was a nice edition!

I guess the reason why it’s a 4 and not a 5 was, it just felt a little unrealistic. I feel like they Broke up for completed valid reasons, and then she didn’t win the contest so she was like okay I’m going to him now which I guess is understandable but it just seeemed a little unrealistic that he spent 10 years away to find his dream yet decided he wasn’t going to go for his dream because he loved her so much? I know it worked out at the end but yeah it just seemed why would we go through all that effort to not go to her? And what did she ever retalk with her dad (completely valid if she didn’t) and did josh propose at the end? I just have a few questions

But other than that, I loved this book. It’s so rare to include heavy topics such anxiety and sexual assault but it was written really well! I loved the detail the author went into!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book early in exchange on my honest review

First of all... this cover is the more gorgeous cover I have ever seen!! The colors are lovely, the art is amazing. 10 out of 10 would definitely pick this book up just because of the cover. But also, the story inside is beautiful as well. It's not as light and fluffy as I originally thought it would be. It has depth and mental health representation in anxiety and depression. It is something that I found myself being able to relate to greatly which only enhanced the power of this novel. I read this book in one sitting and will definitely be picking it up to get this cover on my bookshelf as soon as it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars
If this is a debut novel, I can’t wait for the future novels of Colliard!

I loved every single second of this book. My favourite part was actually the writing, from the first page I felt immersed in her writing, it’s beautifully written, great scenery- straight out of a movie with just the right amount of descriptions.

I connected with Avery from the beginning, and the other characters were just as great. I absolutely loved her friendship with Brooke and Josh. It’s an amazing trio! Their struggles felt real and relatable and it was amazing seeing such great friendships and other relationships in this story.

I was a bit wary of how the topics of sexual assault and mental health (anxiety and depression) would be displayed. These topics can be a bit of hit or miss but I’m really happy how the author gave the spotlight to them in her novel. It felt relatable and real which made this story so much nicer.

The spicy scenes were incredible, also something that can go either right or wrong but these were !!! just amazing !!! I was swooning over Josh. I also loved how these scenes were carefully written with consent, specially taking into account the sexual trauma.

Would for sure recommend this novel if you like:
•romance books with more depth
•second chance romance
•great slow burn
•amazing and relatable characters
•spicy scenes done right
•mental health rep

Thank you so much NetGallery and Victory Editing NetGallery Co-op for the opportunity to review this ARC!

**Review will be published release day on my site and socials!**

3.5 stars
EBB AND FLOW.

I wish I had loved this a little more but there was a lot of goodness within this story too. Let’s get into it.

Romance wise. I thought Avery should have been upset much longer than a few hours when she saw Josh again? It went from I can’t believe he left me, to are we about to kiss? waaaaay too fast. It made me take a lot longer to catch up with them and appreciate other aspects of their story. I did enjoy many of the quiet moments. The necessary and deep conversations and seeing some of that spark reignite. Spice wise (this did not affect my rating but I wanted to note) was much higher than I anticipated in the explicit column. If you love that though, this is one to note for a 3-4 level spicy read! I found it mostly easy to skip over.

I adored Avery’s friend Brooke. She was the right kind of charming and fun edition. I loved how supportive she was and was truly a great person to be around. Brooke was the only super prominent side character (which was fine) so I love how well rounded she was and apart of the momentum for the story.

There seemed to be a lack of dialogue too. I found the pacing slowed an incredible amount with big paragraphs of day to day and Avery’s inner monologue. I would occasionally skim over sections that weren’t highlighting anything new to get to more prominent pieces.

I loved the multiple mental health discussions surrounding many of the characters. The importance of acknowledging how you’re doing, if you need help and how others can be of assistance to you. Many of these conversations made me feel seen in my own battles. There is a major trigger warning for a descriptive rape scene that Avery went through (in the past, but the full scene is recounted). I appreciated the author’s note in the beginning about this and the dialogue about how women handle these abhorrent situations. I especially loved how Josh helped Avery through many of these moments when memory reared it's head.

An enjoyable read overall even if I had some issues here and there with pacing and general set-up. I LOVE this cover and look forward to checking out the next story in this series!

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: multiple open door – high explicit; mild innuendo
- Trigger/Content Warnings: rough parent relationships, a recounted rape and sexual assault scene, depictions of anxiety and panic attacks, grief, loss of a mother from cancer (mentioned often)

Brilliant. One of the best openings of a book I’ve read in a long time. Avery just endears herself to you with her quirks, her panics and her self preservation. Some real soul searching whilst life dances on around Evie and Josh and the supporting cast of friends and family.

Ugh this book was everything! As someone who struggles with anxiety I was so appreciative to have the topic handled so WELL! That was such a breath of fresh air! I absolutely loved Avery and Josh. Second chance romances are my absolute favorite and this did not disappoint