A heartbreaking book about love,loss and grief
You will not want to put this book down even though your heart is breaking reading this
A beautiful written book
Looking forward to her next book
Thanks NetGalley

beautiful, touching and almost heart achingly emotional.
our four characters and stories we followed each find a way to reach out to a different corner of your heart and allow you to deeply connect as a reader.
for all that i loved about this book, it almost felt a little too tragic for me at times, but that’s also where the beauty of the book comes in. allowing you to see the light and hope even in the darkest times when grief threatens to consume you.
this book felt like a hammer to the heart wrapped up in a warm hug and a hot chocolate.

This was a moving story about friendship, love, and unexpectedly finding the right people to be surrounded by.

I think this is my first Debbie Howells that I have read. I read the reviews and they were spot on. It did make me cry and I think it will stay with me for a good while. Will definitely read more of her books.

New Author to me, a very talented and engaging one, I lost myself to the pages and could not put it down. Loved the way the story was put together and the sentiments.

This is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last. This was such a beautiful and emotional thought provoking read that really makes you think about living for the moment as tomorrow is not guaranteed. Am writing this review with tears streaming down my face after closing the last page having read in almost one sitting.

This story is told as the narrative and points of view of four main characters and via the changing weather seasons that through the most beautiful quotes and paragraphs navigates the characters stories and journeys through love loss grief and terminal illness lots of what is written in this book will stay with me for a long time and also really resonated with me personally after the loss of a very dear friend last year.

I think this is a book that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reading copy of "The Last Days of You and Me."

This novel follows the lives of four individuals facing personal struggles, ultimately converging through fate. The narrative intricately examines the impact they have on each other and how their experiences resonate with readers, potentially striking a chord with various aspects of our own lives.

Given the chance to hold a physical copy, I believe I would have devoured this book in a mere two days. Its soothing quality and relatable portrayal of emotions left a lasting impression, even moving me to tears by the conclusion.

While the story did slowdown in the middle with repetitive schedules for the characters, Forrest's chapters, filled with flashbacks, offered a welcomed change and a sense of anticipation for a potential twist. Though the anticipated twist didn't materialize, the emotional impact left me with a sense of heartache.

This was such a great story. Loved the fact it involved a bookshop. Told by multiple POv's , its a story about love , belonging and had me feeling a range of emotions.

It's about friendship and the complexities of relationships. An interesting read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Wow what a fantastic book. It will make you laugh and cry. It will make you think about your life and the people in it. This is a beautiful book about making friends, being friends, being afraid and just about life. Life is difficult but the people we choose can make it fulfilling and special. Loved this. 5 stars My first 5 star read this year!

This one was different, yet engaging and kept me guessing at how things would turn out. A very interesting and unique cast of characters, and at turns both wildly funny and very emotional.

Marnie, Rae, Forrest and Jack. Four characters who make up the main cast of this book. Four people whose lives are intertwined in so many ways.

This is a story about friendship and love in all its forms. It is bittersweet quite a lot of the time, a sense that time is running out, not just for one of the characters, but for everyone, in a way. And that is true, of course. None of us have forever, on this earth. However, what is beyond this life??? I am sure we all have our own thoughts about that, but this book addresses some of those.

I really enjoyed this novel. It tackled some difficult topics but it did it sensitively and in a way that wasn't too depressing for the reader, either. It made me think about what is important in life and what I would do if I was faced with some difficult choices, as well.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒
I definitely thought this one would have hit harder than it did for me, but I think it’s more of a reflection of my mood versus the story itself.

It follows a few characters, Rae, Marnie, Jack, and Forrest, as they navigate their lives, asking themselves what it means to live a good and fulfilling one. It’s a story of both life and death, and the interconnectedness of us all.

I did feel like the relationships within this story moved a little too quickly in intensity, that felt a little unnatural - Marnie and Rae’s friendship felt a little forced ( albeit a strong one ), as well as between Forrest and Marnie ( although, there is good reason for this ). I think, especially in the case of Rae and Marnie, if they had been known to each other in the slightest, or had a bit of a stronger connection right from the beginning, it would have felt a bit more natural for me. The relationship between Jack and Rae however, felt incredibly authentic and natural - the innate understanding and connection there made sense to me. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Birdy and Rae.

I quite liked the interconnectedness of the characters within the story, both major and minor, and how these things and people are sometimes just interlaced. And I really enjoyed how Rae’s bookshop brought people together - a favourite trope/theme of mine for sure.

This book did offer up some discussions regarding quantity vs quality of life, the afterlife, life as a spectrum, and how important it is to recognize, appreciate, and enact gratitude in our every day lives - nothing is this life is guaranteed, and the beauty of this life is in abundance, if you know where to look.

~👩🏻‍🦰

⧞ Sincere and heartfelt thanks to publisher and Net Galley for a digital advanced reader’s copy of this book to review.

The Last Days of You and Me is a heartbreaking, uplifting, magical story about friendship, love. It is an emotional filled story told from from four points-of-view- Rae, the bookshop owner, Marnie, the travel writer, Forrest, the attorney, and Jack, the hospice nurse, set over the course of about a year in an English villiage. It is well written and the narratives weave together well.

This poignant story follows four young individuals—Marnie, Rae, Jack, and Forrest—who navigate life after experiencing loss. Each character is intricately crafted, and their alternating perspectives create a captivating narrative as their lives intertwine. Despite the theme of death, the book is ultimately life-affirming, emphasizing the enduring power of love, friendship, and belonging. Debbie Howells skillfully weaves a plot that explores the connections between people, leaving readers emotionally charged and empowered. The story lingers long after finishing, prompting reflection and a desire to revisit its resonant passages.

As this story follows 4 characters throughout a year more or less, it took me a little while before I was fully invested in all their stories and their lives. I liked the characters, but was not crazy about them, it was more the story that pulled me in and was really heartbreaking and thought provoking. No one knows how long we have here on earth and sometimes things happen or we meet people that make us rethink everything we previously thought was important.

The story is told from alternating perspectives and gives us great insight into what certain events do to different people, those affected and their loved ones. Although grief and death are quite central to this story, it is still a heartwarming story and definitely about the power and importance of love and friendships, It is a wonderful story, but not a light read.

I love books by Debbie Howells. I deeply enjoyed this book. I ould recommend this read. Thanks to Netgalley for this arc

Lovely book that I really enjoyed. Great relatable characters & a story that was believable. Recommended read.

Marnie feels stuck. She’s come to Arundel to help look after a friend’s hotel. It’s the last place she wants to be. However, it’s not the only thing she doesn’t want to face.

Forrest is questioning everything about his life after a tragedy. When he meets Marnie, he feels like he’s getting a second chance.

Rae runs the local bookshop. Ever since the loss of her parents, she’s hidden herself away. New friends could bring her back to life.

Jack is used to dealing with death but grief holds him back. Rae may be a good reason to move on.

Having loved one of Debbie’s previous novels, The Impossible Search for the Perfect Man, I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest release, The Last Days of You and Me.

From the first page, I knew that this book was going to put me through a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and I wasn’t wrong.

All four characters were wonderful. Rae is probably the one I resinated with the most. I know what hold that kind of grief can have and, like her, I love books. I wanted to give her a big hug.

I was the same with Marnie. The subject of cancer is dealt with in a kind and compassionate way, at least I thought so.

Forrest and Jack were also lovely characters. I have a lot of respect for anyone who does what Jack does. I also wish I could meet Churchill, Bella and Jojo.

It has also strengthened my resolve to one day visit Arundel.

Wanting to not give too much of it away in the hope you will discover this wonderful novel, the plot moves and is developed well and I know it’s so easy to say but I seriously couldn’t put the book down. There are some heartbreaking moments but also a reminder to grab life with everything you have.

This is such a beautiful novel. If you’re looking for a book about love and finding friendship along with a life affirming message, this book is perfect. A bit of advice though, have those tissues handy.

I have such a book hangover since finishing The Last Days of You and Me. I know we’re only in February but it’s definitely one of my favourite novels of 2024.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Marnie storms into a bookshop one day demanding a self-help book, and in doing so, she makes a new best friend, Rae, the bookshop owner. Rae has been living like a shadow since her parents died, but Marnie's arrival changes everything. When Forrest's life is turned upside down by a fatal car crash, he thinks Marnie might be the woman he's destined to be with. However, as Marnie discovers she has an illness she may never recover from, she wonders if it's too late for them. But can it ever be too late to make friendships that change everything, to grow, to change, to start again? A heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and the power of second chances.