The Last Love Note (Emma Grey, Michael Joseph)

Recently widowed, Kate Whittaker is trying her hardest to navigate the grief of losing her husband, Cam, while also being a single mother to their young son. That’s not to mention trying to balance her overbearing mother, university fundraising job, imposter syndrome as a writer and a best friend who is eager for Kate to finally move on. When bad weather lands Kate and her boss, Hugh, on an impromptu coastal weekend away from everything, past and future begin to collide as she ponders whether she can open her heart again. With several young adult romance novels under her belt, Emma Grey’s first venture into writing for adults is a brilliant start. Grey delivers engaging prose along with unexpected twists and turns, set against a backdrop of beautiful Australian towns and featuring a cast of believable characters you just want to fight for. Although the end of the story feels a bit rushed, which is jarring, at its core The Last Love Note is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. With vulnerability and honesty, Grey takes us through the entire spectrum of love. The novel is passionate and soulful, terrifying and devastating. The Last Love Note serves as a reminder that it really is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Bohdi Byles is a freelance reviewer with a background in bookselling, publishing and writing.

Category: Reviews