Abbie and Tom meet in devastating circumstances and feel an instant connection. Their lives take a series of twists and turns afterwards which, although frustrating at times, leads to an interesting and entertaining read. I really enjoyed this story, and found the main characters funny and likeable. There was love, friendship, humour, family and nostalgia….what’s not to love?!

I loved The Last Train Home. Ella Cook is the queen of "the one who got away" romances.
Tom and Abbie first meet on the London Underground, both tipsy and on their way home from a night out. Their flirty chat ends when the tube derails and Abbie loses consciousness after a hit to the head. Tom - a modest hero - carries Abbie out of the tunnel and this experience bonds them for the rest of their lives. It turns out they work near each other and a friendship blossoms - but the moment something more happens between them their relationship collapses and they stop speaking to each other. Years follow and both Tom and Abbie find themselves in relationships with other people, getting married and having children, even moving away, and the pair lose contact but still can't stop thinking about each other.

I sped through this novel, it was such a lovely read and I warmed to both the characters straight away. Bonding them through a traumatic event did mean that they had a believably intense connection from the get-go and this develops throughout the book.

Both of the marriages that Abbie and Tom end up in are realistic, both in their lovely moments and how they fall apart.

A wonderfully romantic novel, can't wait to read more by Ella Cook.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

The engaging writing in this novel kept me hooked, despite my frustrations with the main characters. A neat conclusion to the novel was appreciated. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

“The Last Train Home" by Elle Cook had me hooked from start to finish! While the main characters' decisions often frustrated me, that's exactly what made the story so captivating. Their choices, whether sensible or not, added depth to the narrative. The rollercoaster of ups and downs in their relationship was expertly woven, keeping me engaged throughout. The author skillfully struck a balance between giving me enough to invest in the characters while keeping me on my toes with unexpected twists.

Abbie and Tom's chance encounter on a train leads to a connection that neither of them could have predicted. Little do they know, a life-changing event is just around the corner. As their paths intersect, they are drawn together and torn apart in a matter of seconds. The story explores how much can transpire in both the blink of an eye and the passing of years.

Elle Cook's storytelling is gorgeously romantic and utterly swoon-worthy. The novel's unputdownable quality stems from the "will-they-won't-they" tension that keeps readers rooting for the characters' happy ending. "The Last Train Home" captures the essence of love's complexities, the impact of pivotal moments, and the hope of reconnection even after years of separation. If you're seeking a heartfelt and compelling love story, look no further.

A great story from start to finish. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out more.

I loved hearing the story from both Abbie and Tom’s perspectives and the twists and turns their story took us on. Such likeable characters that I was constantly rooting for the whole way through.

I would absolutely recommend this book and I can’t wait to see more from this author!

I was really into this book for the first part of it, but when things went downhill the story somehow lost its magic. Sure, there were still small, light moments, but mostly it looked drab and I was no longer convinced by the choices both the main characters made. Him being pressured into buying a bigger house, a ridiculously expensive marble floor. Her: wanting a baby?

Being invested in this, I finished it with the fairy tale happy ending which left me confused...

On top of that it was flat regarding diversity when it comes to skin color, sexual orientation, religion, history, cultural background, income (or lack of), and chronically ill or disabled people.
This was set in London, surely there are those who fit this description?! Natasha being in a wheelchair?! Gary being gay?! Or the other way around, something like that?! However, I could add this comment to a lot of reviews on books I've read recently...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

This book gripped me from the beginning. A big bang of an opener and then the plot progressed in bounds. The bad choices our couple made were so obvious from the outside, yet so right for the plot. The impact of the wrong choices came through and I really lived with the tears and the fears of Tom and Abbie. Time flew by and yet I felt that I had lived each day and decision and tear with our couple. And you can’t go wrong with a smiley epilogue.

Wow I really could not put this book down and I can’t wait to re-read it! I absolutely loved it, it was so well told, really emotive at times and I loved all the characters apart from one (no spoilers!) I loved that it was set over a few years so no quick fix but the way it was written kept me so invested in the story. Elle Cook is now one of my favourite authors xx huge thanks Netgalley

I steamed through this one, I have to say!
I love a book that is set a little while back. Not enough to be deemed proper historical, but old enough for me to feel that nostalgia... more modern history, I guess.
The Last Train Home felt exactly like that.
Abbie and Tom meet, officially, on a train in 2005, and their introductory conversation goes from that to a disaster movie scene in what feels like seconds.
A derailment. A blackout. An unexpected hero. A lot of confused feelings.
Being two people involved in such a tragedy can bring them together like nothing else could.
But is it friendship, a mutual support acquaintance, or something else?
Set over seven years and told from the viewpoint of both Abbie and Tom, this was a beautifully heartrending story where, as a reader, I wanted to bang heads together but felt the internal pull of conflicting thoughts that both characters were feeling.
I loved the will-they/won't-they element of the story, and a little further on, I was in love with Teddy! A cute little person is always a bonus to bring that 'awww!' element.
So many moments from the not-so-distant past are mentioned, including the London Bombings, the awful recession of 2008 (and ongoing) and how these events fractured people's lives and brought others together.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, and Penguin, for an ARC.

I couldn’t put this book down! Most of the time I wanted to give the main characters a shake due to their silly life choices but that’s what made the story so compelling. There were a lot of ups and downs in their relationship and this book was brilliantly crafted. The author gave me enough to get me invested but kept the twists and turns going to make me really root for the characters to have a happy ending.

4.25 stars ⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my feedback.

This book was so good. It had me banging my head against my pillow in frustration that Abbie and Tom’s timing was just so so so bad and I was worried they’d never find themselves in sync. I thought the story of their friendship starting was very unexpected and this bond they had right from the start was amazing to read about. The Sean and Samantha sidelines were great- again I’d find myself silently screaming “come on- look at how badly she is treating you!!!” And waiting for them to realise… I developed a strong attachment for both Tom and Abbie very early on- their characters were so likeable. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

A lovely easy read which I really enjoyed.
Fabulous characters.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I read this book in One Sitting, and I couldn't put it down.
The storyline was fantastic with excellent world building.
I felt totally invested in the characters and went through all the emotions with them.
I found myself shouting and screaming while reading. That's how engrossed I was.
This book had:
Romance
Heartbreak
Second chance, love

" If we don't wish to tar all women with the same brush, maybe it is that you and I do not choose the right women. "

Where to start with this book. Overall I did really enjoy it however at certain parts of the book I really wanted to give the lead female a good shake! She just didn't appreciate her own worth and it was really getting to me. The book followed two main characters Abbie the female lead and Tom the male lead. Their storylines flowed extremely well together. And you could help but love them both.
I loved Tom and was rooting for him

Book Description:
On the last train home you expect to find standing space only, drunk people singing, the overpowering smell of McDonalds...

You never expect to find love.

When Abbie and Tom cross paths traveling home after a night out, their eyes meet across a crowded carriage and their connection is unmistakable.

What they don't know is that moments later they will both be caught up in an event that will change them forever.

It's one that will bring them together. But it will also tear them apart.

A lot can happen in seven seconds. A lot can happen in seven years.

Can they find their way back to each other?

Thank you netgalley for the arc.
Im a huge believer that if a book gets a big reaction or emotion out of you then it’s a really good book.
Now this book made me rage in places because of the characters (in my opinion poor) decisions. I’m still reeling with the motions this books made me feel.
It didn’t go how I thought would at the beginning. Abby and Tom had quite a few ups and down but I am happy with the books ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is a beautiful read about fate and missed chances with a lot of warmth but underlying regret too. A chance meeting causes a searing connection between Abbie and Tom but fates constantly conspires against them. This is a great will they / won’t they read with lots of humour and emotion and two brilliant main characters, overall this is a poignant but uplifting read.

Abbie and Tom are on the last train home when they strike up a conversation. Two strangers whose lives are forever changed as an event unfolds that neither could have predicted. Bound by this experience they become friends, but it doesn't take long before that friendship changes into love. But their future isn't what they had hoped it may be, and the two are torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. We follow how their lives unfold over the next few years, as told through the viewpoints of both characters, wanting to find out whether they will find their way back to each other again. I enjoyed the sweet love story of these two, supported by a real commentary on parenting, families, friends, and fighting for what you believe to be right.

It's like that moment of what if you didn't get on that train at that time. I liked the premise but the story felt a bit flat for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

This book was a joy to read, in that it didn't take the easy, obvious route and in that the author maintained a level of detail which really engaged my interest. There is obviously serious subject matter, relating to the way in which Abbie and Tom met and this was expressed sensitively by the author. The nature of their relationship, both with each other and significant others was so well constructed that the twists and turns seemed realistic and feasible. The inclusion of hurdles for them both helped maintain interest in this wonderful love story.

I do love a train themed read, and this book begins with strangers Abbie and Tom on the London Underground. When the train is involved in an accident, Tom takes care of Abbie, and they become friends. The story is initially begins in 2005, but we follow their lives over the next seven years.

I absolutely loved this book. I was so hooked up in their storylines that I ended up reading it through the night and finishing it the next morning! Abbie and Tom are wonderful characters, but the accident that they were involved in has a knock on effect on both of them. They realise they work in opposite office blocks in London and after some sneaky cigarette breaks and lunch dates, they start to become more than friends. Of course, the path to true love never runs smoothly and we follow their lives as the book moves on.

I thought it unusual for a book to be set in the early 2000's without there being some sort of time jump, but I was won over with the memories from that time! The storyline flowed along wonderfully and even though there were lots of moments to wipe away the tears, there were plenty of happy times throughout! It's such an easy read, I really connected with the characters and found myself being enveloped by such a warm feeling by the last page. Truly delightful, would recommend!