This is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last. This was such a beautiful and emotional thought provoking read that really makes you think about living for the moment as tomorrow is not guaranteed. Am writing this review with tears streaming down my face after closing the last page having read in almost one sitting.

This story is told as the narrative and points of view of four main characters and via the changing weather seasons that through the most beautiful quotes and paragraphs navigates the characters stories and journeys through love loss grief and terminal illness lots of what is written in this book will stay with me for a long time and also really resonated with me personally after the loss of a very dear friend last year.

I think this is a book that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reading copy of "The Last Days of You and Me."

This novel follows the lives of four individuals facing personal struggles, ultimately converging through fate. The narrative intricately examines the impact they have on each other and how their experiences resonate with readers, potentially striking a chord with various aspects of our own lives.

Given the chance to hold a physical copy, I believe I would have devoured this book in a mere two days. Its soothing quality and relatable portrayal of emotions left a lasting impression, even moving me to tears by the conclusion.

While the story did slowdown in the middle with repetitive schedules for the characters, Forrest's chapters, filled with flashbacks, offered a welcomed change and a sense of anticipation for a potential twist. Though the anticipated twist didn't materialize, the emotional impact left me with a sense of heartache.

This was such a great story. Loved the fact it involved a bookshop. Told by multiple POv's , its a story about love , belonging and had me feeling a range of emotions.

It's about friendship and the complexities of relationships. An interesting read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Wow what a fantastic book. It will make you laugh and cry. It will make you think about your life and the people in it. This is a beautiful book about making friends, being friends, being afraid and just about life. Life is difficult but the people we choose can make it fulfilling and special. Loved this. 5 stars My first 5 star read this year!

This one was different, yet engaging and kept me guessing at how things would turn out. A very interesting and unique cast of characters, and at turns both wildly funny and very emotional.

Marnie, Rae, Forrest and Jack. Four characters who make up the main cast of this book. Four people whose lives are intertwined in so many ways.

This is a story about friendship and love in all its forms. It is bittersweet quite a lot of the time, a sense that time is running out, not just for one of the characters, but for everyone, in a way. And that is true, of course. None of us have forever, on this earth. However, what is beyond this life??? I am sure we all have our own thoughts about that, but this book addresses some of those.

I really enjoyed this novel. It tackled some difficult topics but it did it sensitively and in a way that wasn't too depressing for the reader, either. It made me think about what is important in life and what I would do if I was faced with some difficult choices, as well.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒
I definitely thought this one would have hit harder than it did for me, but I think it’s more of a reflection of my mood versus the story itself.

It follows a few characters, Rae, Marnie, Jack, and Forrest, as they navigate their lives, asking themselves what it means to live a good and fulfilling one. It’s a story of both life and death, and the interconnectedness of us all.

I did feel like the relationships within this story moved a little too quickly in intensity, that felt a little unnatural - Marnie and Rae’s friendship felt a little forced ( albeit a strong one ), as well as between Forrest and Marnie ( although, there is good reason for this ). I think, especially in the case of Rae and Marnie, if they had been known to each other in the slightest, or had a bit of a stronger connection right from the beginning, it would have felt a bit more natural for me. The relationship between Jack and Rae however, felt incredibly authentic and natural - the innate understanding and connection there made sense to me. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Birdy and Rae.

I quite liked the interconnectedness of the characters within the story, both major and minor, and how these things and people are sometimes just interlaced. And I really enjoyed how Rae’s bookshop brought people together - a favourite trope/theme of mine for sure.

This book did offer up some discussions regarding quantity vs quality of life, the afterlife, life as a spectrum, and how important it is to recognize, appreciate, and enact gratitude in our every day lives - nothing is this life is guaranteed, and the beauty of this life is in abundance, if you know where to look.

~👩🏻‍🦰

⧞ Sincere and heartfelt thanks to publisher and Net Galley for a digital advanced reader’s copy of this book to review.

The Last Days of You and Me is a heartbreaking, uplifting, magical story about friendship, love. It is an emotional filled story told from from four points-of-view- Rae, the bookshop owner, Marnie, the travel writer, Forrest, the attorney, and Jack, the hospice nurse, set over the course of about a year in an English villiage. It is well written and the narratives weave together well.

This poignant story follows four young individuals—Marnie, Rae, Jack, and Forrest—who navigate life after experiencing loss. Each character is intricately crafted, and their alternating perspectives create a captivating narrative as their lives intertwine. Despite the theme of death, the book is ultimately life-affirming, emphasizing the enduring power of love, friendship, and belonging. Debbie Howells skillfully weaves a plot that explores the connections between people, leaving readers emotionally charged and empowered. The story lingers long after finishing, prompting reflection and a desire to revisit its resonant passages.

As this story follows 4 characters throughout a year more or less, it took me a little while before I was fully invested in all their stories and their lives. I liked the characters, but was not crazy about them, it was more the story that pulled me in and was really heartbreaking and thought provoking. No one knows how long we have here on earth and sometimes things happen or we meet people that make us rethink everything we previously thought was important.

The story is told from alternating perspectives and gives us great insight into what certain events do to different people, those affected and their loved ones. Although grief and death are quite central to this story, it is still a heartwarming story and definitely about the power and importance of love and friendships, It is a wonderful story, but not a light read.

I love books by Debbie Howells. I deeply enjoyed this book. I ould recommend this read. Thanks to Netgalley for this arc

Lovely book that I really enjoyed. Great relatable characters & a story that was believable. Recommended read.

Marnie feels stuck. She’s come to Arundel to help look after a friend’s hotel. It’s the last place she wants to be. However, it’s not the only thing she doesn’t want to face.

Forrest is questioning everything about his life after a tragedy. When he meets Marnie, he feels like he’s getting a second chance.

Rae runs the local bookshop. Ever since the loss of her parents, she’s hidden herself away. New friends could bring her back to life.

Jack is used to dealing with death but grief holds him back. Rae may be a good reason to move on.

Having loved one of Debbie’s previous novels, The Impossible Search for the Perfect Man, I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest release, The Last Days of You and Me.

From the first page, I knew that this book was going to put me through a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and I wasn’t wrong.

All four characters were wonderful. Rae is probably the one I resinated with the most. I know what hold that kind of grief can have and, like her, I love books. I wanted to give her a big hug.

I was the same with Marnie. The subject of cancer is dealt with in a kind and compassionate way, at least I thought so.

Forrest and Jack were also lovely characters. I have a lot of respect for anyone who does what Jack does. I also wish I could meet Churchill, Bella and Jojo.

It has also strengthened my resolve to one day visit Arundel.

Wanting to not give too much of it away in the hope you will discover this wonderful novel, the plot moves and is developed well and I know it’s so easy to say but I seriously couldn’t put the book down. There are some heartbreaking moments but also a reminder to grab life with everything you have.

This is such a beautiful novel. If you’re looking for a book about love and finding friendship along with a life affirming message, this book is perfect. A bit of advice though, have those tissues handy.

I have such a book hangover since finishing The Last Days of You and Me. I know we’re only in February but it’s definitely one of my favourite novels of 2024.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Marnie storms into a bookshop one day demanding a self-help book, and in doing so, she makes a new best friend, Rae, the bookshop owner. Rae has been living like a shadow since her parents died, but Marnie's arrival changes everything. When Forrest's life is turned upside down by a fatal car crash, he thinks Marnie might be the woman he's destined to be with. However, as Marnie discovers she has an illness she may never recover from, she wonders if it's too late for them. But can it ever be too late to make friendships that change everything, to grow, to change, to start again? A heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and the power of second chances.

The Last Days of You and Me is a story following multiple perspectives of characters going through some of the most tragic times of their lives and still relying on friendship to help them through. Another great book by Debbie Howells.

This book serves as an excellent reminder that even when confronted with death, it is important to continue to live. And not just living but embracing each moment as small as they may be. Most importantly, to love boldly and without fear. In striking that type of path and opening yourself up, that is when the right people come into ones life both friends and loves. Like Marnie and Forrest and prior to that Billy and Lori, they as true soulmates found each other. Their hearts were already intertwined. It was just a matter of when. I was so happy to see that Rae no longer shut the world out in an attempt to create a stable life for herself and Birdy. However, it didn't help her grow and she couldn't live through the pages of her books forever. She needed someone like Jack to enter into her life to realize that good men truly do exist. He wasn't going to disappear. I found this book to be both uplifting and insightful. It is certainly a book that makes one take a step back and evaluate whom and what you are focused on. Most importantly, to.truly live in the present rather than the past.

I have a read a few @debbiehowells and loved them all and this is no different. I loved that this book is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure, I love the writing and difficult topics are handled with sensitivity. I think the characterd are all so unique and as you read you will find one to relate to easily. I think I genuinely felt every emotion throughout this book. I think this will be a book I will remember for a long time and I recommend to anyone who loves romance books but also a bit of self love and discovery.

I have been a fan of Debbie's work for a while now. I have almost caught up with everything that she has written and it won't take me long to do just that. When I heard that Debbie was due to release another book, I knew I had to grab a copy at the earliest opportunity. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because Debbie's new book is called 'The Last Days Of You And Me' and it was released on 29th January 2024. Now having just finished the book, all I can say is 'Wow'. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Last Days Of You And Me' but more about that in a bit.

I must be honest and say that when I started reading 'The Last Days Of You And Me', I wasn't all that sure that I would get into the story and that I would find it a difficult read. I don't mean that in a negative or a critical way. It's just that death is quite a large part of the story and having just suffered a family bereavement, I wasn't sure that this book was for me at this moment in time. I gave myself a talking to, pulled up my big girl's pants and carried on with reading. I am so glad that I did too because the story turned out differently to how I was expecting it to. I have to say that from fairly early I found that reading 'The Last Days Of You And Me' became rather addictive to say the least. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would so involved in the story that I would still be sat there several chapters and an hour or so later. I had warmed to the characters who ended up feeling more like friends than characters in a book. I became so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and the pages were turning. All too quickly I reached the end of 'The Last Days Of You And Me'. I found 'The Last Days Of You And Me' to be an emotional story about friendship, the fragility of life and how you should make every day of your life count.

'The Last Days Of You And Me' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Debbie Howells. Debbie certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story and then some. Debbie clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. As I mentioned earlier, the characters ended up feeling more like friends than characters in a book and I cared about what happened to them. Debbie does write about some emotional subjects - such as cancer and death- but she writes about them with compassion and sensitivity. Reading 'The Last Days Of You And Me' felt like being on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the ups and downs, highs and lows and so on. I love the way in which Debbie makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.

In short I really enjoyed reading 'The Last Days Of You And Me' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I hope to read much more of Debbie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Debbie Howells - The Last Days Of You And Me.

In the sleepy town of Arundel, fate brings four strangers into each other’s lives. They are all very different characters, but as their worlds collide, their lives entwine forever.
As a result of these new relationships, all four learn to live, love and move on from their respective situations.

Anyone who takes the time to read any of my book reviews, (and thank you if you do) will know that generally I love most of the books that I read. But every now and again, a book comes along that firmly slaps me with a massive Wow! And that is just what #TheLastDaysOfYouAndMe did.

I loved the mix of characters. They all brought something different to the table, that when blended together created something quite special.

#TheLastDaysOfYouAndMe swept me away on an emotional journey of heartbreak, grief and loss. The story also hails the power of love and friendship.

This is a powerful, magical and quite simply beautiful read, that is written with care and tender sensitivity. You will undoubtedly be gripped from the start and will lose your heart to this wonderfully touching and bittersweet tale.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a digital arc of this title.