Reviews

The Last Love Note by Emma Grey

jsimeone55's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

maggiestraveledbookshelf's review

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

“𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Wow. If you loved the movie PS I Love You, then you need to read this book. 

Overview:

•Contemporary Romance

•Intense Grief Journey

•Emotional Storytelling 

•Set in Australia 

•Themes of Identity, Life, and Death

Kate has been widowed for two years when she gets stranded on a work trip with her boss, forcing her to confront her grief and examine her life choices. 

The pinnacle of this story is the depiction of longlasting grief. Because the author went through a similar journey, the resonance of her words is staggering and heartfelt.

“𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝. 𝙄𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙙𝙚, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙨.”

The love story between Kate and Cam is effortlessly beautiful. And that makes his death all the more heartbreaking and tragic. I loved the way we got flashbacks to certain scenes and pivotal memories. What a journey. 

“𝙆𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤’𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙙𝙤.”

Watching the fortitude of Kate and the earnest loyalty of Hugh was magical. My heart hurt for each of them, and I’m so thankful for how this story concluded. 

Also, a special shout out to the friendship between Kate and Grace! May every single mom have a support system like her.

“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧.”

This is obviously a heavier story. I’ll list the trigger warnings below, but they are a little spoiler-y, so don’t read them if you don’t like spoilers! There are also multiple humorous moments that provide much needed levity. 

Overall, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants an emotional read! 

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TW: death of a spouse, miscarriage, early on-set Alzheimer’s 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Death

Moderate: Miscarriage

darthchrista's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This was fine.  I enjoyed the journey and it also felt predictable. This was a good mid book and I don’t regret the time spent reading it. 

lynnek's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

mandafuller21's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

lauren101282's review against another edition

5.0

The Last Love Note

Emma Grey

"The Last Love Note" is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that explores grief without sugarcoating it. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. The main character, Kate, is left to raise her young son after her husband's death, navigating her own feelings and those of those closest to her. The story follows her journey to love again, with an exceptional leading man.

Emma Grey's first novel, loosely based on her own experience of grief after losing her husband, felt so authentic that it was like receiving counseling through a book, in a positive way.

What a book! It was so good. I love listening to Australian books based in local areas where I live, especially when they don't completely butcher our accents and portray us as unintelligent. The narrator, Leeanna Walsman, did a beautiful job and really captured the right emotions in the novel.

I give it a 9 out of 10 and would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a compelling story of overcoming challenges. Emma Grey, I can't wait to read your next book!

annamack2023's review against another edition

4.0

This cover is so deceiving. Not the light rom com you might be led to believe from the literal beach pic on the front and instead has you crying ever fifty pages

m_readss's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It’s a great book about finding yourself after a loss and also new romance. 

danidsfavereads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

This was a sweet and sad book about life after loss. I enjoyed the way the book jumped between current time and the past. Seeing how Kate navigated her husband’s diagnosis and death; then how navigated life after his loss. I liked seeing the way Hugh supported Kate through the years. And how their relationship progressed. There were some moments that made me laugh when listening. But mostly this was a tender and hopeful book.

emilypolle's review against another edition

2.0

Had a LOT of potential but missed the mark for me. I can usually handle different timelines but this was confusing and I feel it would have been a more cohesive story if told in chronological order. Plot is predictable from the beginning. I wouldn’t waste your time with this one.