Anna and Brody are strangers. They meet by phone when Anna dials a number that now belongs to Brody, and with that call their paths start to converge. This is the story of their journeys.

A main character’s gradual emergence from deep grief is not an uncommon theme in women’s fiction. Knowing this as I started the audiobook, I was sure I could predict which surprising (cliché and tired) plot devices would pop up. Fiona Lucas earned my respect by proving me wrong on every prediction, although this book does follow the expected formula and contains the usual characters (parents, in-laws, pushy best friend). As Anna, Brody, and other characters struggle toward healing, Ms. Lucas shows us the authentic grief and excruciating regret which any reader who has lost a loved one will recognize.

I would have appreciated a deeper exploration of Anna’s and Brody’s relationship early in their story. In their first interactions, one of them uses the other unashamedly and with no awareness of how their outpouring of emotion might be affecting their friend. There is no reciprocity, and the seemingly unavoidable conflict that this would create could have added depth to the relationship and the book. This was the only miss (I wouldn’t really call it a flaw) that I noted in an otherwise well-crafted audiobook edition that’s nicely paced and flows effortlessly; it’s always a pleasure to experience a book that’s created by a gifted storyteller.

The story is on the long side for its type, at just over eleven hours, but it held my interest throughout, and those who love the genre will consider the time invested in reading or listening well spent. Narrator Antonia Beamish has a pleasant, well-modulated voice although her depiction of male voices is awkward. It wasn’t necessary to constantly adjust the sound, as the volume was consistent – always appreciated.

Readers of women’s fiction with a theme of grief will recognize that The Last Goodbye holds its own in the genre.

Thank you to #NetGalley and HarperAudio for an Advance Reader Copy of this audiobook which I received in return for my honest review of #TheLastGoodbye. ( )

This book is a long journey, but it needs to be, since it's a book about people who are grieving and stuck in place. And there aren't going to be quick remedies for that, but there will be a progression, one which is believably laid out by the author over the course of slightly more than a year.

The book opens with Anna, who lost her husband a couple of years previously and is still sheltering under the numbness. After one particularly low evening, Anna calls her late husband's old phone number. A number she's held on to just so she can call and hear his voice on the message. Except this time there's no reassuring voicemail recording. Someone actually picks up. Thus begins the slow development of a new friendship that offers Anna the listening ear and patient advice that she's been unknowingly yearning for.

Like me, you might not always be able to relate to exactly how these characters are acting. Like me, you might occasionally feel frustrated by the things they do or don't do. In a way, the reader becomes an extra member of the concerned friends brigade. Wanting to see the grieving person move forward a little sooner, but ultimately forced to recognize that grief takes unique pathways, and that the person will probably get to where they need to be in the end.

Although the subject matter was serious, I wouldn't say this was a hard or tragic book to read. It was poignant but not exhausting. The premise strained my credulity ever so slightly, not the strangers becoming friends over the phone idea, but that it would take Anna SO long to realize that she was the one who had been doing all the talking. It seemed like quite a one-sided friendship for a while. But what did sell me on the book was the concluding section. The emotional progress and the ultimate payoff were quite satisfying.

The writing was really good. Although it's a contemporary book, it felt fairly timeless because its focus was rightly on the character's internal worlds.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for this advance review copy. ( )

Goodbye is the end of a conversation. The last goodbye indicates something is final. Right away, the reader knows that the characters will encounter some type of sad ending from the title.

Very quickly, we learn that Anna Mason's husband died 2 years, 9 months and 8 days ago. He was killed by an alcoholic on her husband's walk to the grocery store. Anna's life immediately took a turn from being very happy to the reverse with immense grief. She called his old phone just to hear his voice for comfort. Instead of hearing her late husband's response, she heard a real voice from a strange man, Brody. Over time, Anna and Brody became friends with frequent chats to share their emotional setbacks little by little. It turns into a romantic telephone friendship which makes the plot easy to predict.

The author puts a mix of characters into the plot including a wicked mother-in-law that makes you want to say a few choice words to her. Her best friend, Gabi, is a what everyone needs in life -- someone who provides comfort, support and friendship. And you feel sorry for Jeremy who is an admirer. For me, this book was slow in parts although it may be helpful for someone who needs support with grief and anxiety.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy which gets released on June 8, 2021. ( )

the premise here is a worthy one - after suffering a huge loss, how do you move forward, and can you ever get back happiness or a semblance of a life like the one you had before that loss. her two main characters are grieving in their own ways, which is another theme of fiona lucas' - that people grieve differently and in their own time. i appreciated that the losses that anna and brody suffered weren't a few months ago, but almost 3 years and 9 years respectively. that felt like a more realistic time than characters in books are usually given.

i would have liked this more if it wasn't a romance, not surprisingly. the characters worked so well as friends and support systems for each other. i dislike that in books that seems to automatically mean that the characters fall in love. at least there's a purpose in their falling for each other, in lucas' point that anna makes with her mother-in-law gayle at the end of the book, about moving forward and being allowed happiness even though her husband had died. but they made it most of the way through the book before realizing their feelings, and i thought they could have just made it to the end as friends. i think there's a strong message of moving on in general that doesn't have to mean right away finding a life partner, which is overlooked in these books, and this almost fit that bill, so i'm disappointed that it didn't.

i also wanted more showing of the development of their general relationship. we heard that she called him when things happened, because she wanted to share with him, but the only conversations we were privy to were the hard ones. i wanted to hear some of the more casual, fun ones, to show their relationship was more than just about trauma bonding.

but this was ok; the writing was fine, the characters were mostly alright to be around, and they each had a decent arc (even if brody's agoraphobia and anxiety were far too easily overcome considering how severe they were). ( )

This book, this book right here, is my absolute favorite book that I read in the month of June. It was so addicting that I just wanted to finish it and at the same time, I didn't want it to end. One of my favorite audiobooks is centered around a couple who meets by happening to be on the other side of the phone call, and that is what led me to pick this book up.

Reading about Anna's journey through her grief and seeing how Brody was able to help her through it was amazing. I truly felt like I knew these characters by the end of the book. I can safely say that I wanted to slap Anna's mother-in-law several times, especially after Spencer's birthday and the anniversary, but the ending was more than satisfying.

One of the things you will see me complain about the most is a rushed ending and an unrealistic plot. That being said, this book had neither. I can honestly see this book happening in real life, and the ending did not feel rushed at all. The characters were portrayed very realistically, and several times I wanted to be where I could meet them and get to know them.

One of the things that I liked the most about this book was that it did not use swear words that much and was completely spice-less. I know there are a lot of people out there who like spice, but I am not one of them, so a book with none was perfect for me.

If you like books where the couple gets to know each other completely before ever meeting, this is the book for you! (especially if you like slow burn :)) In the end, giving this book anything less than five stars would be a crime. I would honestly recommend this book to anyone I met, as long as they liked romances that is. ( )