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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Summary:
Sara Chae has a one-of-a-kind idea: an app that allows users to send final messages to people in their lives upon their deaths. However, when another Sara Chae passes away, the obituary triggers the prototype to automatically send messages that Sara crafted one drunken night. Now, messages sent to Sara’s estranged parents, former best friend, and unrequited high school crush force her to confront truths she wasn’t ready to face.
TW: racism, misogyny
My thoughts:
Sara Chae has a one-of-a-kind idea: an app that allows users to send final messages to people in their lives upon their deaths. However, when another Sara Chae passes away, the obituary triggers the prototype to automatically send messages that Sara crafted one drunken night. Now, messages sent to Sara’s estranged parents, former best friend, and unrequited high school crush force her to confront truths she wasn’t ready to face.
TW: racism, misogyny
My thoughts:
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyage for the early copy of this book.
The premise of the book is an Asian woman, Sara, who develops an app called One Last Word. Essentially, people have the opportunity to write final letters to the people around them when they pass. The letters will be emailed out when the participant has perished.
In the testing stages, letters that Sara had written on a drunken night were accidentally sent. Jokes on her, because she is 1. still alive. 2. She is mortified that her parents, her previous boss, and her high school crush all have received letters telling them exactly how Sara feels.
I thought this book had such a unique concept and made me question what happens when we tell the people around us how we feel? Why wait until we are dead to get everything off of our chest? With more people planning their own funerals in advance, I can see the purpose of tying up all loose ends and feeling the weight of past vendettas, grudges, and distress fall off our shoulders with the simple sending of a letter.
Sara learns that she has to confront things head-on and that having tough conversations can lead to breakthroughs personally and professionally.
I really enjoyed the shy and timid chemistry between Sara and Harry. The characters have to navigate a past crush with a current professional relationship and the burdening feelings that develop. There is even a bit of fake dating, which I loved.
I appreciated the authors' take on women in the world of tech and just how women in any professional setting are often at a disadvantage in comparison to their male counterparts. I laughed out loud several times when Sara was dealing with her parents.
I would 100% recommend this read for a fast and light read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyage for the early copy of this book.
The premise of the book is an Asian woman, Sara, who develops an app called One Last Word. Essentially, people have the opportunity to write final letters to the people around them when they pass. The letters will be emailed out when the participant has perished.
In the testing stages, letters that Sara had written on a drunken night were accidentally sent. Jokes on her, because she is 1. still alive. 2. She is mortified that her parents, her previous boss, and her high school crush all have received letters telling them exactly how Sara feels.
I thought this book had such a unique concept and made me question what happens when we tell the people around us how we feel? Why wait until we are dead to get everything off of our chest? With more people planning their own funerals in advance, I can see the purpose of tying up all loose ends and feeling the weight of past vendettas, grudges, and distress fall off our shoulders with the simple sending of a letter.
Sara learns that she has to confront things head-on and that having tough conversations can lead to breakthroughs personally and professionally.
I really enjoyed the shy and timid chemistry between Sara and Harry. The characters have to navigate a past crush with a current professional relationship and the burdening feelings that develop. There is even a bit of fake dating, which I loved.
I appreciated the authors' take on women in the world of tech and just how women in any professional setting are often at a disadvantage in comparison to their male counterparts. I laughed out loud several times when Sara was dealing with her parents.
I would 100% recommend this read for a fast and light read.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 rounded up
Suzanne knows how to write a good sentence and the plot of this book was super interesting to me (I’m big into reconnected romances, thank you!) but…HE WAS MARRIED? THE WHOLE TIME?????
AND ALSO!
He thought she was dating someone and KISSED HER ANYWAY? I guess knowing he was married the whole time makes the cheating more believable but…WHAT!
Since most of this is revealed at the end of the book I’m still doing 3 stars bc I had fun until this point, when it soured.
Suzanne knows how to write a good sentence and the plot of this book was super interesting to me (I’m big into reconnected romances, thank you!) but…HE WAS MARRIED? THE WHOLE TIME?????
AND ALSO!
He thought she was dating someone and KISSED HER ANYWAY? I guess knowing he was married the whole time makes the cheating more believable but…WHAT!
Since most of this is revealed at the end of the book I’m still doing 3 stars bc I had fun until this point, when it soured.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eh? I probably wouldn't have finished this if I had read it, but listening to it was easy. I really liked the narrator. I thought this book was fine. But it was 100% more of a contemporary story than a romance. I didn't always feel the love from the MMC -> FMC. But the FMC seemed like she was stuck in the past romantically. It was odd. Not my fave. Not the worst.