Tag: loss

379 pages October 11,2022 publication date Random House publisher

About The Book

When a young woman finds herself lost and at a crossroads, one last gift from her brother just might give her another chance at life and at love in this epic holiday romance from the author of Always, in December

“Heartbreaking, romantic and full of warmth . . . waterproof mascara recommended!”—Sarah Morgan, author of The Christmas Sisters

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar

Sometimes the best gifts in life are the ones you don’t expect.

Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and relied on each other—as well as a community of friends—to cope. They were especially close with Tom’s best friend, Sam, who always made sure that Tom and Cassie were surrounded with love. But, twenty years later, Cassie has lost Tom as well. And in a way, she’s also lost Sam; over the years they’d drifted apart, and now the man she always had a crush on is someone she doesn’t even recognize anymore.

She’s never felt more alone.

Then Cassie finds an envelope with her name on it, written in Tom’s terrible handwriting, and she knows immediately what it is. It’s the first clue in the Christmas scavenger hunt that Tom made for her every year; he’d promised her for months that this year’s would be the grandest one yet. At first, she’s too scared to open the envelope—what if she can’t figure out the clues without his help? Or what if she does figure them all out and her last connection to Tom is gone?

Tom’s present sets Cassie on a heart-wrenching and beautiful journey that will change her life—if she lets it. And as she travels from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside, she reconnects with old friends, rekindles a lost love, and, most important, rediscovers herself. But once she’s solved the final clue, will she be brave enough to accept the gift her brother has given her—and the love it’s led her to?

My Thoughts

One Last Gift is Cassie’s story, but it is also Tom’s story. Cassie and Tom are siblings with Tom being the oldest. Sadly, they lose their parents at a very young age and are sent to live with an aunt. Being that Cassie is younger she doesn’t want her aunt but her mother, which is of course understandable.

Tom is Cassie’s buffer, her so to speak protector in life, comforting her during sad times when he himself is going through turmoil but he doesn’t show it. As you could imagine the siblings are close in their relationship. For quite some time Tom and Sam have been best friends, nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. You know what they say about wanting to date your brother’s best friend, but Cassie doesn’t heed this and makes her feelings known to Sam during a skiing trip. Sam seems to reciprocate these feelings, but he brushes off her feelings and she is really hurt.

With how nice of a guy Tom is you really become attached to him and then to find out he passes away in an accident is devastating. Understandably Sam is beside himself with grief with his best friend gone and Cassie blames him for not being able to help him and that just piles on the guilt. I enjoyed seeing the witty banner between Sam and Cassie when they aren’t at each other’s throats.

The one really neat thing is each year at Christmas time Tom sets up a treasure hunt for Cassie to solve and the clues get harder each year. It was such an emotional time reading as she goes through the clues and solves them. The clues take her to places outgoing Tom knew she would have never gone on her own and they have her doing things she wouldn’t have had the courage to do.

The book is very encouraging but yet very emotional. In a way it’s as though Tom is still here in a small way giving Cassie the encouragement and pick me up, she needs. Such a fabulous book. I recommend this to everyone needing a quiet moment of reflection and a dose of encouragement.

Pub Date 11 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Hello, I’m Emily! If you’ve found this page then welcome, and thanks so much for showing an interest in my writing.

I have written three books now, which feels surreal! My latest novel is Love, Holly in the US and The Christmas Letter in the UK. My books always revolve around the Christmas period, but span the course of a whole year and more. They also deal with love – and grief, in one way or another. I think I put a part of me in every book – as I’m sure every author does – and my newest book is no exception. The main character – Holly – often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, and that is a situation I’ve found myself in! And with three sisters myself, writing about the sister love – and difficulties – in this book felt personal at times!

My other two novels are One Last Gift – a story of finding yourself when you feel that’s impossible, and of the love between siblings – and Always, in December. As my debut novel, it will always be one close to my heart. Whilst very different from me, the protagonist, Josie is suffering with a grief that I know all too well – losing a parent/parents at a young age, and having to carry that grief into adulthood, long after it’s supposedly ‘gone away’. I lost my mum when I was seven, and I still think about her even now, in my thirties – and that’s something that Josie and I share. Max, too, is suffering his own kind of grief, and that’s something that he has to learn to deal with. But whilst the novel is about grief, and learning to live with that, it’s also about falling in love, and about learning to be brave, even when your life doesn’t feel quite right yet – even if it feels like it will never quite be right!

I wrote my first two novels in a glorious house in Chepstow, living with my sister and my two nieces. My third book I wrote on the English coastline in Cornwall – so I consider myself very lucky!

If you read any of my novels then thank you, and I really hope you enjoy! If you want to get in touch then I’d love to hear from you – I’m on Twitter and Instagram under @EmStoneWrites!

Have a wonderful day. Thanks for your visit today.