ARC Review: The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas

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I received an ARC of this book via HQ and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Description

Spencer was the love of Anna’s life: her husband, her best friend, her rock. She thought their love would last forever.

But three years ago, Spencer was tragically killed in an accident and Anna’s world was shattered. How can she ever move on, when she’s lost her soulmate?

On New Year’s Eve Anna phones Spencer’s number, just to hear his old voicemail greeting. But to her shock, someone answers…
 
Brody has inherited Spencer’s old number, and is the first person who understands what Anna’s going through. As she becomes more reliant on their calls, Anna finds herself opening up to Brody – and slowly she rediscovers how to smile again, how to laugh, even how to hope.

But Brody hasn’t been entirely honest with Anna. Will his secret threaten everything, just as it seems she might find the courage to love again?

My Thoughts

Though it (admittedly) took me a while to get into, having just finished Thank You , Next by Sophie Ranald (a completely different read to this one), there’s no denying that The Last Goodbye is a poignant and heartfelt.

Anna is still feeling the effects of losing Spencer, her husband, 3 years earlier. She is stuck: stuck going to salsa lessons her lovely, well-meaning friend Gabi, stuck with a wardrobe full of her husbands clothes (and memories of him) and stuck attending meals at Spencer’s family’s house. Or at least she’s stuck until, one night, she calls Spencer’s number and someone answers.

I was worried about this one. I thought the circumstance of Anna ringing Spencer’s number would become gimmicky, or take away from the story, but it didn’t. Instead, we are introduced to Brody: a man who, through Anna, is forced to confront his own heartbreak. Both Anna and Brody are developed characters, though I felt Anna was possibly more developed than Brody, and I liked reading the dialogue between them – as their connection grew so did my interest in the book and where the story would go.

I have gone through grief before, but not to the level that either character goes through, but Lucas writes this emotion very well. It’s delicate, thoughtful and affects everyone – from our two main characters to others. The thing that makes this book different, and brilliant, is the fact that Lucas shows how you can begin to move forward from grief.

Something I didn’t like about this book was the use of dual points of view. Obviously including Brody’s point of view was important in revealing his ‘secret’, but I don’t think I connected with his character as much as I did with Anna. There wasn’t anything wrong with Brody’s narrative, I just gravitated more towards Anna’s.

Regardless, The Last Goodbye was a beautifully written account of grief and moving forward – I’d would definitely recommend reading this one.

The Last Goodbye will be published on 20 December 2020.

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