One Last Gift
One Last Gift is a story about two people who are trying to find themselves and their way through grief.
Synopsis: Sometimes the best gifts in life are the ones you don't expect.
Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and relied on each other--as well as a community of friends--to get through it. Especially Tom's best friend, Sam, who always made sure Tom and Cassie were surrounded with love. But now, twenty years later, Cassie has lost Tom as well. And in a way, she's also lost Sam; over the years they've drifted apart, and now the man she always had a crush on is someone she doesn't even recognize anymore.
She's never felt more alone.
Then she finds an envelope with her name on it, written in Tom's terrible handwriting, and she knows immediately what it is. It's the first clue in the Christmas scavenger hunt Tom made for her every year; he'd promised her for months that this year's would be the grandest one yet. At first, she's too scared to open it--what if she can't figure out the clues without his help? Or what if she does figure them all out, and her last connection to Tom is gone?
Tom's clues set Cassie on a heart-wrenching and beautiful journey that will change her life--if she lets them. And as she travels from London to the Welsh mountains to the French countryside, she reconnects with old friends, rekindles a lost love, and most importantly, rediscovers herself. But once she's solved the final clue, will she be brave enough to accept the gift her brother has given her--and the love it's led her to?
What appealed to you the most in this story?
I really enjoy Stone’s writing, because she tackles difficult topics that draw the reader into the story on an emotional level. This is a sweet story about facing your fears, dealing with grief, and finding yourself in the process. One Last Gift isn’t going to wreck you the way Always in December most likely did as Cassie’s story stay’s lighter. Cassie is a character to root for as she works her way through her grief and fears.
How was the pace?
About the first half was fast paced and the rest of the story was more of a slow burn.
Do you recommend this book?
It's a bittersweet tale, at times funny and touching and at times heartbreaking, but it's worth reading regardless. Be prepared because this isn't a light Christmas tale, it’s a journey - an enjoyable journey that might break your heart a little and put a smile on your face.
Thank you, Random House and Dell, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
