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A review by bookstolivewith
Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
In Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane, Eve has been in love with her friend Ed forever — and he has no idea, as far as she knows. But when he gets engaged to his long-time girlfriend and her very best friend’s secrets are suddenly revealed, Eve’s life seems to be crumbling around her and it may be more than she can handle.
Wow, okay, so I was not sure I was going to like this one based on the prologue and first few chapters, because it seemed like unrequited love gone wrong, but damn it hooked me! There are two impeccably done twists that I had completely not anticipated and were absolute game-changers as far as my enjoyment of the overall book.
I totally couldn’t predict the plot’s progress and that’s so enjoyable for a romance, since many of them are formulaic. It is, I think, a little purposefully mis-marketed since the little blurb didn’t really prepare me at all for what I was getting — but thankfully, I enjoyed what I got much more!
There is a lot of grief in this book, so there are some heavy moments to handle in between the funner bits, especially when dealing with the (spoiler alert!) death aspect of the book. The complexities of friendship and romantic love presented between Eve and her friends remind me a bit of The Holiday, when Kate Winslet is pining and then finally manages to get her head out of her arse.
Overall, I just liked it! It made me grin and I wanted to read it, which given my recent reading slump is truly high praise. I’d recommend this one if you are looking for a slightly sardonic and heavier romance read!
Wow, okay, so I was not sure I was going to like this one based on the prologue and first few chapters, because it seemed like unrequited love gone wrong, but damn it hooked me! There are two impeccably done twists that I had completely not anticipated and were absolute game-changers as far as my enjoyment of the overall book.
I totally couldn’t predict the plot’s progress and that’s so enjoyable for a romance, since many of them are formulaic. It is, I think, a little purposefully mis-marketed since the little blurb didn’t really prepare me at all for what I was getting — but thankfully, I enjoyed what I got much more!
There is a lot of grief in this book, so there are some heavy moments to handle in between the funner bits, especially when dealing with the (spoiler alert!) death aspect of the book. The complexities of friendship and romantic love presented between Eve and her friends remind me a bit of The Holiday, when Kate Winslet is pining and then finally manages to get her head out of her arse.
Overall, I just liked it! It made me grin and I wanted to read it, which given my recent reading slump is truly high praise. I’d recommend this one if you are looking for a slightly sardonic and heavier romance read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Death