I absolutely adored Before I Saw You by so when Penguin Random House reached out and asked if I wanted a NetGalley copy of her new book, Last Time We Met, I jumped at the chance!

I loved these characters and the fact that we got to read from both of their perspectives. I adored reading about them as children, how close they were to each other, the support in that friendship. But then I also loved seeing them reunite, and trying to figure out what went on in those 15 years. Fin is such a fantastic character, his whole past, present, and what I wanted for his future had me hooked. And Eleanor, I loved how her character developed for the better, and how she grew into a stronger person. Oh and side characters too! I adored Eleanor’s mum, her best friend Sal, Fin’s friend Rob. There were more but I won’t go on, I love it when you really do love all of the characters (well I definitely wasn’t keen on one or two but that was intentional). The way that Emily creates characters is incredible, I always want to know and hear more from them, whether they’re the main character or not.

And of course, just like with Before I Saw You, I cried. And I mean buckets 😂 we were in the car on the way to a safari park while I was reading and I cried my eyes out 😭 I nearly ended up looking like I was dressed a zebra with my mascara running down my face 😂

This is such a beautiful story, it’s an uplifting read yet entwined with such strong darker emotional moments too. I really did love it ❤️ thank you again for letting me read it ahead of its release!

Just lovely. A real messy one, with exes, dumpings, new dates and weddings to attend. Eleanor doesn’t miss her teenage best friend till he suddenly comes back when his mum is ill. Then follows a quietly funny, bittersweet, romance with some great characters supporting our couple to work out whether they are meant to be or not - friends, lovers or nothing at all.

Okay this is book has now discovered my new favourite trop: friends to lovers!!

I absolutely loved Eleanor and Fin, this is my first book of Emily’s and I’ll definitely be adding “before I saw you” to my tbr! I don’t want to give too much away, but the book begins in the past when they were both young and Fin suddenly disappears from their life…

15 years later, Fin gets a phone call about his mothers impending death and he’s also ended his relationship, while Eleanor is trying to get over a breakup (with no help).

This book had me crying at times and blushing!! Although I’d definitely check the Tw before hand as I found some parts difficult to read

Eleanor and Finn have been friends for a lifetime. They clearly love one another however, the timing has just always been a little off. When one event turns their lives around, and Eleanor feels betrayed, they don’t speak to each other for several years.

When their paths cross again can their relationship be repaired?

This is a beautiful book. It tackles some quite serious issues but the author handles them very sensitively. I will definitely be recommending this.

Loved this book. Eleanor and Fin are childhood friends but they get separated and only meet up again 20 years later. They don't know whether it's too late to rekindle their friendship

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House UK for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fin and Eleanor have been friends their entire lives, until 15 years ago. After more than a decade of no communication, Fin is back in England and reunites with Eleanor at their joint friends' wedding.

This book was utterly amazing. From the characters to the writing style, Emily Houghton does an excellent job of keeping you enticed. Last Time We Met covers serious topics but simultaneously provides the sweet moments that make a romance come to life. The ending was perfect, and I cannot imagine a better way to finish Fin & Eleanor's story.

I really struggled to put this book down & it is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year this far. Read this book if you love second chance romance, another chance at love, best friends to strangers to friends to lovers, realistic pacing of the story, a family-oriented theme, and a book that makes you cry in the best way.

Oh my heart. What a fabulous story this was. I went into it thinking I was going to get a fluffy, predictable storyline. That I'd whizz through and feel nice and sugary sweet inside from reading about two people falling in love. What I didn't expect was to fall in love with the two main characters and love this story for more than it's worth.

Yes The Last Time We Met is a 'friends to lovers' trope and we can easily predict what the outcome of the story will be. But as with these types of narrative it's always the journey to the end point that's important.

Eleanor and Fin are childhood friends who have been through quite a lot with each other. The narrative flips from present day to crucial events in Eleanor and Fins past. And I really loved how this was planned out. You git the real sense of their relationship and how deep their friendship went. I'm not going to lie I rooted for these two to get together and I would have had stern words with Emily Houghton if things didn't pan out the way I wanted. Did things end the way I wanted though?

This story was made better by the cast of friends and strangers in Eleanor and Fin's lives. I loved how the altruistic behaviour of some strangers that happen to cross paths in both their lives have a small impact on what happens.

I want a book all about Sal and her life and loves. She was a fantastic friend to have and truly a force to be reckoned with. I'm sure there's a great book there somewhere.

As I've already pointed out at the start of my review, this story wasn't just fluffy and sweet. There was a deeper element to it. And it tugged at my heartstrings. One minute your surfing on a wave of sweetness and then Houghton brings you down to earth with a bang.

I fell in love with Emily Houghton's previous book Before I Saw You. And yet again I've found another book. Houghton has established herself into my auto buy authors list 😊

I love the friends to lovers tropes. This book was a quick read, and was well written. I really enjoyed it

How do I even begin to describe how much I loved this book?

A big part of what makes a book enjoyable for me is the characters. Not only did I love Eleanor and Finn (the main characters) but all the side characters of Nurse Clara, Freya, Angela, Eileen, Sal and Ben... well expect for Oliver but he is trash and we don't approve of trash men.

I love how the history of Eleanor and Finn's past is built into the story and we flash between events from the past to the present with each chapter. It helped me as the reader stay engaged and not want to put the book down.

The author tackles some very serious issues of loss, alcohol addiction and mental abuse in the form of control. I appreciate that these issues are part of the story and journey of the characters rather than these being the characters identity or the main focus of the book. As you read the book its just like capturing a glimpse into the characters lives and you get to see how the trauma shapes them to grown within themselves and for that i adore the writing choice.

This book made me laugh, it made me bawl my eyes out (you'll find out when you read it so no spoilers) and it made my heart warm for the strong message of friendship and family.

It teaches us that family is not only the ones connected to you by blood but those not, who love and protect you.

If you are a romance lover who likes some serious themes to be intertwined into the story then I would highly recommend this. This is definitely a book to add to your bookshelf and I hope others enjoy it as much as I did because it truly is a 5/5.

This is such a great feel good romantic story. I absolutely loved the duel timeline narrative. The characters in this book are just great and it is such a wonderful feel good romantic book. Loved it.

I was unable to put down this book, I ended up staying up late to finish this book. I liked the intertwining of the two characters' stories, both in the present and the past. There were heart-warming moments, as well as cringe-inducing moments. I enjoyed the writing style and character development. I look forward to reading more books by Emily Houghton.

An enjoyable read that starts off as a slow burner but increases in pace as the story develops. well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. A really good read.

I am an absolute sicker for a good friend's to lovers trope and this book definitely delivers that.
The start was quite slow for me and I found myself getting a little bit bored but it did end up picking up the pace and once it did, I was engrossed. It's such an emotional read and makes me want to read another trope book straight after.

An absolute joy and a love story about falling in love and allowing yourself to be loved… This book will stay with you long after you've finished it, and in the most delicious way!… I caught myself holding my breath more than once, genuinely worried about what would happen next… a breathless read!

This book was such an emotional read, and honestly, I loved it so much. The friends to lovers trope is one of my favourites and honestly, Houghton wrote it so well. She wrote all of it so well.

The characters in this book felt very real, though Ben did have the patience of a saint. I loved reading about the development of Fin and Eleanor's relationship and also their growth as individuals. The side characters also all had so much to offer and it was great to see how each one enriched the story further.

I love books that focus on more than just the individual lives of the lead characters. Emily Houghton writes in an all-encompassing that gives each character a voice within the larger narrative.

As far as the romance goes, I loved the slow burn but in the end the resolution felt a little bit too fast paced, given the circumstances.

Overall this was a great read and I would recommend this as a great read to tuck into on a rainy day.

The publisher kindly provided ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was an easy-read, an emotional, yet lighthearted book about the struggles of life and the paths it can take you on all wrapped up in a friends-to-lovers romance. The depth of the characters allowed us to really know who they are and see their backstories, including a great commentary on grief and how if affects people differently. Eleanor’s journey into relationships after a rough breakup is so relatable and a good narrative on what dating can be like after a long-term relationship. I found the beginning of the book quite slow but I throughly enjoyed the remainder.

*thank you Netgalley for the book!*

Friends to Lovers is my kryptonite trope, but it's incredibly difficult to get right. Last Time We Met by Emily Houghton tells the story of Eleanor and Fin, two childhood best friends. Growing up they made several promises and plans for the future, but as family life gets more and more complicated for Fin, he sees that moving away and leaving it all behind might be the only chance he has of having a real future.

Several years later they reconnect at a mutual friend's wedding, and unsolved issues from the past make an appearance as two broken people try to find their way back to each other. In their journey, they also will have to figure out how to carve out the future they both deserve.

Touching and sweet 'Last Time We Met' had interesting moments, but the one thing that was lacking was actual romance. Eleonor and Fin had a great connection in their friendship, but the switch to romance was lacking. They never had an intense spark that could convince them as lovers. The overall story was enjoyable, except for that one missing element.

The tears flowed hard with this one!!
Two broken souls, one a people pleaser and the other just a lost soul who wants to be better.

Eleanor Levy has been missing a part of herself from when her best friend Fin Taylor went away. Spending their whole lives till they were 18 inseparable, it was no surprise that when Fin left they would be both be missing part of themselves. Fin hasn't had the best home life and is left broken from it and clearly doesn't know how to fix himself. Eleanor wants to be everything everyone else needs her to be. This leaves her in a bad place after her ex leaves her broken.

By the time their paths cross again both Fin and Eleanor are both broken souls who need repairing. Both trying to ignore the big picture. Both hurting.

Oh my heart! Last Time We Met gave me all the feels! I completely and utterly fell head over heels this beautifully written story. Emma's writing is gorgeous, and I was sad when I turned the last page. I will be recommending this one to friends. 5 stars.

Eleanor and Fin's friendship is at the heart of the book but it also explores family dynamics too. A gorgeous story that made me fall in love with the characters.