Oh my . Going to be one of my books of 2026..You follow a book club and its members . They all have amazing stories . Absolutely loved it and a perfect ending. Can not recommend it enough .

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

Erin is 54 and lives with son Jack and cat Tybalt in Blackheath, London. She runs the Bookmark Café, a cosy place with many book shelves. Erin leads a weekly book club which is called The Last Page Book Group because she likes everyone to read the last page of a book first so she knows what's coming. The half dozen book group members are a varied bunch with a spectrum of ages, but they all get along well.

Erin's been trundling along just fine until one day newcomer Adam shakes up the group and wakes up dormant feelings. Someone suggests writing down what they want their "last pages" to sound like in terms of what they would like to have achieved. Their wishes range from travel to love to professional success. Erin is reluctant to participate but when her landlord suddenly ups the rent to unmanageable levels she knows what she wants - for her café to survive. But how to go about it and can the others help?

I loved this book. I felt so at home in it, and a passing reference to Grace from The Forgotten Book Shop felt like just for the initiated. Oftentimes when you get a book that takes place in a book-filled environment like a bookshop or library, the books are just in the background. This novel is all about reading. It shows how books are for everyone - they give us access to different worlds but also connect us to others who love to read, and they can educate, entertain or soothe us.

I loved all the characters and their challenges, from elderly widower and father figure Joe to talented but self-doubting Riley to stressed out GP Hafsa with an autistic daughter, Susan who wants to make perfume, travel-obsessed Mercy and Adam who has a grown-up son he's never met. I also loved son Jack who shows emotional intelligence and love for his mother that's so good to see. Erin has so many people in her corner and it's good to see her embrace it and take some risks, also in regards to Adam.

I love older characters and this is such an intelligent book. It's a gentle romance, a love declaration for books and a manual on how to get out of your comfort zone, achieve personal growth and make dreams a reality. It's also a warmhearted book about community and found family, about shared passions and new beginnings, and it manages to be light-hearted, inspiring and hopeful without compromising on emotional depth. What a treat, with a gorgeous cover.

There are books that feel like a gentle hand on your shoulder, guiding you into a world where comfort and possibility intertwine—and The Last Page Café is one of them. Kate Storey has crafted a story that feels both tender and hopeful, the kind of novel you want to curl up with on a quiet afternoon, a mug of something warm in hand.

The café itself becomes more than a setting; it’s a symbol of second chances, of community, and of the quiet magic that happens when people open their hearts. Storey’s writing is inviting and unpretentious, with characters who feel like old friends—flawed, endearing, and deeply human.

What lingers most is the atmosphere: the hum of conversation, the scent of coffee, the sense that even in life’s messiness, there’s beauty to be found in connection. It’s a book that reminds us that endings can be beginnings, and that sometimes the smallest places hold the biggest stories.

Warm, uplifting, and quietly profound, The Last Page Café is a novel that leaves you with a smile and a renewed belief in the power of community and love.

My thanks to Kate Storey, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

This is the story of a book group where they choose books based on the last page. The characters in the book are well developed and grow as they start to write their last pages. There’s an older widower who is just delightful and I can imagine him with a twinkle in his eye for example.
The MFC is struggling with running the business especially due to hike in rent. And so the story develops gently, yet with purpose. There is romance which is sweet and this is a clean book with no smut which would not have fitted the tone or voice of the book.
Thank you to the publisher Avon and NetGalley for this ARC.

What an interesting idea, a book club where you read the last page first. This book challenges you to think about quite a few things but in a warm and gentle way. There are some wonderful characters and lovely romance. Some challenges and a fantastic community. A real feel good book, one of the best I've read for a while.

I loved this book.

Erin is 54 and is living a half life running the cafe inherited from her mother. Her son has returned home from university.

Her greatest joy is her book club where they make their choice of books to read based on their enjoyment of the last page.

Erin does not like change but she is forced to face it as her book club is disrupted by the arrival of a new member, her landlord wants to increase her rent so that she is faced with giving up the cafe and her son wants to fly the nest.

A delightful tale of taking chances, friendship and community.

One I will be recommending.

Erin runs a book club at her Bookmark store where they always have this quirky rule that they read the last page first. It really is a community group with a fantastic mixture of characters that warm your heart when they eventually tell their stories but when it comes under the threat of closure due to financial issues will Erin be able to save it. It's a feel good story full of charm and emotion which you can feel from the very first page and beautifully written by this author which makes it a really enjoyable read

A lovely story set in a cafe where women meet once a week to discuss the current book that their bookclub is reading. Books, cafe and romance a perfect read. I enjoyed the gossiping between the women and they way they looked after each other. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I love this author so I couldn't wait to start this book. Lets just say I wasn't disappointed! Ive found myself checking the back pages first if im not sure of something so straight away I loved this! What is not to love about this book. Books, romance and gossip! Perfect combination for a cosy afternoon! Once again thanks Kate!

The Last Page Café by Kate Storey is another heart-warming, uplifting, feel-good story about books, community, second chances, fresh beginnings, evolving legacies, fostering new and established relationships, embracing or redefining change, finding courage in adversity and overcoming obstacles to fulfill your dreams. We get to see all these scenarios demonstrated in the characters’ lives and events. All assisted by a caring community of persons who share common goals and interests.

Erin McRae is a fifty-four year old woman dealing with some tough challenges but she has inherited her mother’s business called The Bookmark. She is happy being a business owner, as it means she has a purpose outside of being Jack’s mother. But this legacy is not really her own for it was her mother who built it and then passed it on to her. She constantly worries she will mess it up or be a disappointment and always tries to do what she thinks her mother would have wanted. Her own ideas don’t get explored until later on when she is at risk of losing The Bookmark due to finances. The rent on the café she loves increases and her son is getting a new job and moving out. She is facing some big changes. And this is a major problem for unexpected events make Erin very uncomfortable.

The only place Erin feels in control is in her book club of eclectic members. But she has created a strange rule for this group. They must read the last page first before choosing their novel. A peculiar stipulation that Erin has set up. Why does she require this? Well that is an interesting question. You’d naturally think it would spoil the surprise or fun in reading a story. But Erin says she feels safer in knowing the outcomes. This is something that mirrors her own life—not just in reading fiction. She is not a person to take chances and does not like anything upsetting her balanced system.

Out of this bizarre reading requirement, though, something very good develops. When the group members decide to write their own last pages, new perspectives arise that bring about some stunning revelations and alterations in their lives. Romance springs forward, too. While secrets surface and deep wounds heal. It becomes obvious the Book café offers a great community service. And seen in this light, there is hope for its continuation, when it comes under threat of ending. With a little help from her friends and support from the fundraiser, Erin is encouraged to try a new direction (which ends up being pretty cool). She has always been guarded in her steps as she has not been one for surprises but the negatives that happen in her life force her to reconsider another path, or at least take a second look at her views and make a few small alterations. These small, though vital changes provide a fresh burst of energy in her life that allow her to make constructive decisions and ultimately strengthen her future.

The Last Page Café by Kate Storey is unique but it covers universal and foundational ingredients that matter and establishes the importance of community and relationship building. There is quite a delightful and varied cast of characters who made me smile, chuckle and cheer as they came together to discuss books and solutions to life in their book club. And the number of wonderful books mentioned in this novel were such great reminders of ones I need to add to my TBR list or to reread! I really enjoyed this story. It has lots to offer readers who appreciate the special gift of friendship and sharing through the love of books and book clubs across the world. 4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley for a review copy.

This book was a warm cozy slow paced blanket. The cozy vibes it gives is not like, the Spell Shop whimsy cozy type of vibes. Its more like, the feeling after a good cry after a break up/loss - emotional but full. It has tender moments that just makes you want to believe again. The theme of control felt very present in the book (tied to the Last Page Book Group picking weekly books based on reading the last page) and there’s growth and depth in the characters and their situations. Really enjoyed this portrayal of found family/community coming togetherness, personal growth and why risk taking can be worth it.

This was a lovely book with a main character - much like myself - who likes to be in control, to know what is happening, know when and where things are heading - the comfort of certainty and knowledge. This book allows us, alongside Erin and her lovely book group, to explore how we live and how we can consider making our own choices rather than letting life happen to us. There is a little romance but this novel is so much more than that.
This book has a real warmth in its relationships and the concept of a cafe where books are front and centre was utterly charming. The book discussions also reminded me of some books that I have enjoyed myself which I loved. This was a perfect book for snuggling up on the sofa on a winter's day with a warm cup of coffee.

Erin runs a cafe/ coffee shop full of books. She also has a book group called The Last Page book Group. Erin is fearful of reading books that don't have good endings so the book group choose their book to read by reading the last page first.
One day Adam,a journalist walks into the cafe to join the book group and finds it both crazy and hilarious to read the last page first.
Erin is not happy about Adam but she also finds herself attracted to him and that is one thing she definately does not want.
I enjoyed this book as I always enjoyed the books I have read by Kate Storey. Good characters and stories you can relate too. Loved this one.

What a lovely story!! This book is a delightful blend of family, friends, and a little romance. Full of kindness and good people, this is a heartwarming tale to savour.