I loved the dual timeline of this book where we could see how life would have been for Bea depending on the decision she made.
Bea is at Heathrow Airport on 22 December 2022. She has a ticket to fly to New York. It's clear that she loves the hought of the city, having seen so many on-screen images over the years. However, it is also clear that Bea is a little unsure about her journey. She receives messages on her phone from her boyfriend Dom. She is then knocked over by another passenger, her
belongings scattered all over the floor. This is when the story turns into 'Stay' or 'Go'.

3.5 stars rounding up to 4.

I liked how the book was written with 2 timelines in a sliding doors style. I enjoyed seeing how things would turn out if there had been on slight difference at the start of the story. I found the writing style to be unique and also easy to read.

This was fun and festive. The characters were well developed and like how the Darrell timelines ended.

I just loved this story about how the choices we make can alter the course of our lives over the span of years. Bea is ready for some changes in her life. She has a job she's ready to leave, a boyfriend she thinks she's ready to leave and has always wanted to experience live in New York City. And while it's not an easy decision for her leave everything including her family behind in London, she does just that. This story is hopeful and inspiring and just really fun to the read. And the ending made me really glad I chose to read this lovely book by Clare Swatman!

This wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. I thought it was an average romance read that is a great one to read during the festive period.

If you love the Sliding Doors concept of exploring how one decision can ripple through a life, Last Christmas by Clare Swatman delivers an intriguing twist. Bea Preston’s life splits in two after a pivotal moment at Heathrow Airport—should she follow her dreams to New York or stay in her steady-but-safe life with her boyfriend, Dom? The story unfolds through check-ins over several Decembers, giving a snapshot of her life in each timeline. While festive moments pop up, this isn’t a Christmas story—it’s more a story that happens to take place during the holiday season.

While the setup had me hooked, Bea herself is a bit frustrating. She often feels like a passenger in her own life, letting others (and her indecision) steer the wheel. Add in a love triangle that felt more like filler than substance, and it’s hard to root for her at times. Still, the dual timelines are thought-provoking, and the book does a lovely job of exploring how small choices shape our paths. The seasonal backdrop adds a cozy atmosphere, but don’t expect a traditional holiday tale.

I’m giving Last Christmas 3 stars out of 5. It’s an engaging concept that doesn’t quite reach its full potential but still offers a reflective, easy read for fans of parallel-storyline dramas. If you enjoy stories about fate, second chances, and the “what ifs” of life, this one is worth a spot on your to-read list—just don’t expect it to deliver full festive cheer.

I liked this book but I didn't love it. I was looking to feel more Chrismassy when I red it and it didn't deliver in that manner. However, I did love the main character and I was rooting for her. The dual timelines could prove to be a bit confusing for someone who might not be able to read this book in a couple days time as I myself was a bit lost and found myself having to re-read chapters but all in all I felt a bit of nostalggia in reading this book and wondering what life would have been like if I picked another opportunity or went with my heart instead of my head in certain situations. A good book to say the very least.

Alternate timeline contemporary romance. Well written but with a lot going on. I enjoyed the premise; though, I didn't love the female main character. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Not my usual Christmas “feel” read. It’s not going to make you feel all cosy with those romanticising Christmas feels. The start of the book is fine but it loses its way and then appears muddled. Really wanted to love this but missed the mark for me.

I wanted to love this as I enjoy the author's writing. I did enjoy it but I didn't love it. I found it a bit difficult to keep track of the dual timeline, and I didn't love the characters. However I did finish the book and I know that others will love it.

Sliding Doors meets Bridget Jones meets The Holiday!! The story follows Bea on two different time lines one where she goes to New York and one where she doesn’t get on the plane. Each chapter is set a year apart and alternates between the two timelines. I enjoyed this book although I did get confused in places as the time lines were slightly hard to follow at times and I didn’t know which of the two timelines - Stay or Go. I loved some of the characters but found myself being mad at Bea occasionally as she was often selfish and hurtful to others.

Although set in December and primarily at Christmas this book didn’t feel like a festive read so I think it could be enjoyed at anytime of the year. I would love to see the story be made into a film as I think it would work well visually rather than trying to follow the timelines in print.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy. This was a lovely read. Although I wasn't overly enamoured with the main character and found her attitude towards mental health quite judgemental and stigmatising at times, I enjoyed the premise of this story a lot. Swatman skillfully explored the two different potential futures. I particularly enjoyed the New York scenes, and liked many of the wider characters.

Last Christmas by Clare Swatman had an intriguing premise, but it just didn’t work for me. The story follows Bea, who faces a big decision two days before Christmas: should she leave her life in London for her dream of living in New York, or stay with her boyfriend, Dom? The book splits into two parallel timelines, looking at the outcomes of each choice over the next eight years. While I was initially drawn to the “what if” concept, the execution fell flat.

The alternating timelines were repetitive and often so similar that it became hard to tell them apart. This took me out of the story repeatedly,…., which was frustrating, and annoying!
Bea herself was another issue—I found her indecisive and self-centered, and it was hard to root for her. The love triangle at the heart of the story felt messy and, at times, unrealistic, with some plot points that were downright absurd.

I also wouldn’t call this a Christmas book. Despite the timeline revolving around Christmases over the years, there was very little holiday spirit or festive charm. Instead, the book leaned into drama, infidelity, and family interference, which only grew more over-the-top as the story went on. By the second half, I found myself rolling my eyes at the implausible twists and was tempted to stop reading altogether.

While the idea of exploring alternate lives is intriguing, the lack of character growth and confusing structure ultimately made this book feel tedious. I wanted to like it, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read it.

Looking up at the departures board in Heathrow airport, her flight to New York boarding soon, Bea knows that getting on that plane changes everything. Her life in London has grown stale, her relationship with boyfriend Dom has run its course, and New York has always been her dream. But it’s a risk – she’ll miss her parents, her friends, her job. What if Bea could live both lives? In one she goes back home for Christmas, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything?

I chose this book as I enjoy a festive read and the premise sounded interesting. This book fell short for me, as although events occur around the festive period, it was only the background to the story. I also found it difficult at points to work out as to which version of the story I was in. The story alternates between the two different versions but there are a lot of parallels so it was easy to get confused as it follows the same trajectory. It was well written and the characters were fun but it just didn't work for me. I would have preferred the two stories to have different endings but maybe that was the point that no matter what happens the outcome will be the same. With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.

I don’t know if it was just me, but I didn't enjoy this. I'm a fan of a book with two POV but this had two time-streams, and maybe it was just at this busy time of year my mind was already at bursting point anyway, but I just found it too confusing to full appreciate.

There were too many similarities in each for me to keep them apart, as as both streams had the same characters doing much the same things (with only a few key differences) I had no chance!

Having said that, I really liked the idea behind it, and may well give it another go at a quieter time when I can give it the brain-space it deserves.

This is a very good holiday book with quite a deep plot and interesting characters.
It took me a while to grasp the dual storyline but once my brain wrapped around it, the story started the get real interesting. I had my own idea of what I wish would happen and I had some really strong feelings about the acts of the characters and the events of the book. I think I like the ending though, it’s very good and I’m happy how it ended.

*Copy received from publisher via NetGalley

I've been struggling on how to rate this one as there were some aspects that I really enjoyed, but there were others that frustrated me.
I loved the concept of being able to see Bea's life from two different decisions that she had made at the airport, especially the fact that in both worlds she still ended up with the man I was rooting for. With each chapter being a year later, I was definitely in for a ride as every time we revisited both situations, so much had changed for Bea and the people surrounding her. My biggest frustration was the fact that Bea was constantly going back and fourth between the two same men and I honestly believe she would've been better on her own to be able to realise there are more men out there in the world, that being said, in both timelines, I was really happy with the way Bea's story concluded and despite all of the terrible decisions over the years, everything worked out the exact way it should've in the end.

It took me a moment to decide what rating to give this one. 2.5 rounded up, i guess
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't extremely good either
This book kept going back and forth, and it was really confusing to follow
At one point, Bea is married, has a kid, and she's happy
Then another chapter is not either happy or has a kid
It's as if this book read backward

Bea is in love with Dom. But Dom is needy. Dom gets depressed and won't take his medicine, which makes Bea feel guilty and responsible for Doms' health
Bea meets AJ on a plane. Aj is married to a woman in a vegetarian state from getting hit in the head by debris in the 911 incident
This book is a constant battle of Bea loving Dom, then Bea loving Aj and then the story keeps changing every year at Christmas

December 20, 2002: Bea, recently single, with her boring job at the marketing department of a pharmaceutical company, is at Heathrow Airport with a ticket to New York City, a destination she just decided.
Her dream city is waiting for her but she has doubts whether to board the plane or continue with her boring life. What would she do in NYC? She envisioned her life like the characters on the movies and TV shows she loved, but living in the big apple is a different story.
For everyone who wonders what it could have been if we would have decided on a different course on life. We get to experience Bea’s life if she “Goes” or “Stays, the book is narrated in the two alternative scenarios, what happens if she goes to New York or if she stays in London.
It’s a unique approach to tell a tale that we don’t read too often.

Thank you @boldwoodbooks & @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love holiday stories that give the reader (and usually the main character) a glimpse of what life could be like in an alternate reality. In this case, Bea has no idea that she has an alternative life going on.

The story opens with Bea making the bold decision to leave her family, friends, and boyfriend, Dom, in London to start anew in New York City. On her flight, she meets AJ, and soon finds herself swept up in an idealized life with him. In an alternate reality, however, Bea has a change of heart and opts not to board the plane, choosing instead to continue her life with Dom in London. The narrative alternates between Bea’s experiences in New York and her life in London, with each chapter titled “Stay” or “Go,” which helps the reader navigate her parallel stories.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I anticipated. The chapters are quite lengthy, diving deeply into the details of Bea’s alternate lives. While she is drawn to AJ, her compassion for devoted Dom complicates her feelings. The two lives share some similarities but also present significant differences. I found myself hoping for a moment of clarity that would connect the two narratives and guide Bea toward the life that was truly meant for her. Instead, her indecision became frustrating. Initially, I liked AJ, but my feelings for him changed as the story progressed in one reality. Ultimately, I wasn't completely satisfied with how the story wrapped up.

That said, romance isn’t typically my genre, so those who love romance might find this book more enjoyable.

📚 READALONG TOUR BOOK REVIEW 📚

Last Christmas By Clare Swatman
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Publisher: Boldwood Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(4.5 ⭐ - Rounded Up To 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

I was so excited to be invited to be a part of the Last Christmas Readalong in early December with the Boldwood Book Club! First of all, titling this book with my favorite holiday song makes it an automatic 'yes!' for me. But then I read it and I absolutely fell in love with this book: its characters, its storyline, its title, its unique sliding-door style premise...all of it. And though this book seemed like it was going to be a holiday rom-com based on the title, it's actually a book that can be read year-round.

This story begins with a prologue involving our female main character Bea making her way through Heathrow Airport in December 2002 after completely up-ending her life to take a trip to New York City.... Indefinitely. She has left her steady job, ended her years-long relationship with her boyfriend Dom, and decided she needs a change. And she always dreamed of NYC, so why not? Her best friend Mia and Dom (and basically everyone who knows her) tries to convince her to stay in London. But Bea gets on the plane and begins chatting with a handsome stranger in the seat next to her...

From there, the book's chapters alternate two storylines, "Stay" and "Go," showing how Bea's life would have turned out depending on the decision she made that Christmas in 2002 - to stay in London or go to New York City.

This book reminded me of The Family Man, one of my all-time favorite movies (Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni), and was also reminiscent of Sliding Doors (Gwyneth Paltrow), and I was just enamored with this concept. To see how Bea's life played out with each huge decision she could have made that day, was SUCH a unique storyline in a rom-com! It was so entertaining and I was intrigued from beginning to end.

I have so many more thoughts about the way the two alternate pathways developed as the story continued over the years, but I can't say more without giving away too much. I'll just reiterate that I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who considers themselves a fan of rom-coms.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Clare Swatman herself for this advanced e-copy of the book and the invitation to join the Last Christmas Readalong this month, in exchange for my honest review!

#LastChristmas #ClareSwatman #BoldwoodBooks #boldwoodbookclub #BoldwoodVIPs #LastChristmasReadalong #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #romcomreads #romcoms #bookcommunity #booklover