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A review by rd77
Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
4.75
Wow. Just wow.
I was originally planning on giving this book ~4 stars, about halfway through reading it. I liked the writing a lot, but felt that the story was a bit darker and slower than what I had signed up for. There were a few twists that were exciting but beyond that, I was left wondering why this was recommended to me, knowing my usual genre. I was a bit slower getting through the first half, again not because of a lack of good writing or interesting plot, but just because it was heavier than I was used to. It was definitely important to set up the rest of the book, but again just a little different from what I was expecting (which is why I gave it 4.75 instead of 5 stars- I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy reading through the first half again and going through that pain, knowing how absolutely amazing the second half is) .
And then I started the second half, with the trip to Edinburgh and I just could NOT stop reading. I finished the second half of the book immediately, not stopping once. I was planning on going to sleep earlier, but just kept thinking “one more chapter, I HAVE to know what happens now.” The first half of the book left me wondering why it was a romance and the second half not only put those questions to rest in an instant but led to this book becoming one of my favorite realistic romances. The banter between Finlay and Eve was INCREDIBLE, and had me so excited for them.
The author did a tremendous job with character development. You were already attached to Susie before she died because of the vivid writing that made you feel like you were sitting there in the pub on trivia night with the friend group. You started to get suspicious of Ed when you first learned about the “missing” letter and grew to dislike him as his little behaviors started revealing more about him. I loved how the author actually added in a mature, genuine apology on his part. You disliked Finlay, only to realize how much his behavior was a trauma response to protect himself. . All in all, just some of the best, most vivid, realistic, and flawed characters that I have ever encountered.
10000% recommend this book, even if you are a fan of lighthearted books like me, it will be worth it!!! Such a beautiful and realistic story about life, death, friendships, love, parents, etc.
I was originally planning on giving this book ~4 stars, about halfway through reading it. I liked the writing a lot, but felt that the story was a bit darker and slower than what I had signed up for. There were a few twists that were exciting but beyond that, I was left wondering why this was recommended to me, knowing my usual genre. I was a bit slower getting through the first half, again not because of a lack of good writing or interesting plot, but just because it was heavier than I was used to. It was definitely important to set up the rest of the book, but again just a little different from what I was expecting (which is why I gave it 4.75 instead of 5 stars- I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy reading through the first half again and going through that pain, knowing how absolutely amazing the second half is) .
And then I started the second half, with the
The author did a tremendous job with character development.
10000% recommend this book, even if you are a fan of lighthearted books like me, it will be worth it!!! Such a beautiful and realistic story about life, death, friendships, love, parents, etc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Car accident and Death
Minor: Child abuse and Infidelity