nice premise, I usually don't go for romance books that take place in only a day or a few hours, but this was nicely done, I especially loved the epilogue! overall, it was a nice read but nothing too remarkable.

I made the mistake of picking this open shortly before needing to go to sleep; struggled to put it down.

We follow Agnes and Harrison as they spend an evening locked in their restaurant on its closing night as a storm hits.

Right off the bat, I thought the dynamic was super cute. They are constantly arguing, but it is obvious that it is not as two-sided as Agnes believes. I love that there was limited miscommunication between the couple, with the central conflict not being trivial. They were a lot more open and honest than most other pairings in rom-coms, and I appreciated that as a reader.

I enjoyed the supporting characters and felt that the timing of the novel was well planned, despite playing out over about 12 hours. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“One Last Night” by Lauren Ford is an excellent easy read for romance lovers.
This story is about a night in the life of Agnes & Harrison, our protagonists who together run Agnes' family restaurant - where she is the manager, and he is the head chef.
It is a true enemies to lovers where although I had my doubts at the beginning (as the story takes place in a single night) at the end all the events and conflicts that took place were correctly displayed and without plot problems.
One thing to note was the side-characters, which gave more intrigue and laughter to the plot than expected, I cannot express the number of times I found myself laughing at something one of the side-characters said or did. Some of them were loveable and friendly, and others made me want to stop reading at that moment - but overall, this book was a super enjoyable and fun read, ideal for a relaxing evening.
‘Date me, Agnes Keegan. Fall in love with me. If fighting is this much fun, imagine how good it will be loving each other.’ <3
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC
#OneLastNight #NetGalley.

Aggie runs her father’s restaurant and it’s the last night before they close for good. Harrison, the chef, is always one to get on her nerves but this is the last night she’ll ever have to deal with him thank goodness.

I know it’s the title but I didn’t think a whole book would just cover one night in a single restaurant but it was such an interesting story. Everything was so real it was full of so many emotions and ups and downs. Truly priceless. Only one spicy scene, very tame but appropriate for the setting. Amazingly well done. I especially loved the resolution for Agnes and Harrison, it showed real growth even over the period of a single day.

I absolutely adored reading this enemies to lovers, forced proximity, banter fuelled book! Aggie has been running/working at The Shark Biscuit 6+years, as it is owned by her dad and late mum, alongside the head Chef Harrison. The book takes place on the final day of The Shark Biscuit, before closing its doors to the public forever, as Aggies dad decides to step back and Aggie reaaalllyyy doesn't want to take over the family business. The work relationship and banter between Aggie and Harrison is hilarious and they're really put under pressure as the final day doesn't quite go to plan, as a dangerous storm descends on the shore forcing the restaurant to close it's doors early, and ends up trapping Harrison, Aggie and a few more people inside. The rising tension between Harrison and Aggie had me laughing but also feeling sorry for each one as they both have their own vulnerabilities which come to light throughout the book. The way Harrison stands up and backs Aggie throughout this difficult day had me swooning and cheering for Aggie. Aggies ex Devin is such a tool/narcissist, and his mother is your worst nightmare (and I can't believe how they all managed to keep their cool around her appalling attitude - although I'm glad Aggie had the last word(s) 😂#epic which I'm sure felt amazing to say!)
I love Dot and Scott who are so cute, and the bonus characters (Scout, Noah, Thomas) all really add so much to the story.
I love the development between Harrison and Agnes as the end up fake dating during the storm and think it's hilarious how everyone that works there had already made a bet for them to get together.
I love the dynamics and the chemistry between them that builds throughout the night and how they learn so much more about each other in a few hours compared to their assumptions about each other over the years.
The ending was everything and I love how Harrison was able to give Agnes the family dynamics she's dreamed off whilst also allowing her to stay with the family business in a way that makes her feel comfortable and not lost to her work there. Also, how cute is Penny!
I loved the style of writing, and felt so invested in the characters that I didn't want it to end.

A great easy read.
The story is set in a family run restaurant: The Shark Biscuit. The current owner Ernie and his daughter Agnes have decided to close the door for the final time due to ill health.
Chef Harrison and all of the staff are preparing to give their faithful customers a great evening but nature had a different idea.
Harrison and Agnes have always fought in their surroundings and with them locked in, due to the heavy rain; can the pair remain civil.
A book with fun characters, love, heartache and friendships.

First book I’ve read by this author and boy was it good!! The banter between Agnes and Harrison was just too good and I will forever love the enemies to lovers trope with a little fake dating splashed in! The premise of this story was so good and I really enjoyed the book throughout although Agnes was one to spare people’s feelings with her thoughts it was nice to see Harrison challenge that in her and help her grow! The story of the restaurant and the reasons Agnes no longer wants to be a part of it are bittersweet and it so nice to watch her grow throughout. I just love her and Harrison’s relationship so much!!

I absolutely loved this book! The concept is clever and it has an incredible amount of depth and heart, whilst also managing to be very comedic. I'd not read this author before and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up anything she writes. The sense of setting was beautiful, the characters loveable and, all in all, it left me with that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

The pacing was just really off for me. I really enjoyed the banter between the main characters though.

A true enemies to lovers story (one of my favourite tropes I must admit!).
Wonderful characters, and an engaging storyline throughout. I enjoyed this read!

4★

‘For my fellow people pleasers. Take the day off.’
What don’t look at me funny, this was the dedication. Anyways i’m sure i have pulled y’ll attention now so let’s begin.

‘You love riling me up. I think it’s your secret guilty pleasure.’
‘Not secret and not guilty. Just my pleasure.’

This is one of those books where you found yourself skeptical to start in the beginning but by the end of it, the romance would ultimately win you over and make you rooting for them. It is hard to trust how in just on night the author would manage to unfold everything be it relationship development, dialogues or storyline and make it believable at the same time, but the way Lauren Ford portrayed everything so beautifully and vivid i am delighted. I have read a similar kind of book which took place in just 24 hours and i adored that book with my whole heart. Open endings make them more realistic that their story has still a long way to go even after the epilogue, there is a different kind of beauty to it.

‘You were always in the front of my mind when you weren’t even mine. I can’t imagine anything easier than making you a priority, our life together a priority. I can’t imagine you not being the first thing I think of every day. That’s the easiest part of this.’

Main Characters? relatable, likable, cozy
Chemistry and Romance? natural and wholesome
Pacing? perfect and to the mark
Character development? the transition from bickering buddies to understanding to intimate to heart-deep connection in just on night, which was to my surprise was genuine and smooth
Side-character? major highlight, i can’t imagine this book without them. Their dynamics with each other as well as the main character was uplifting into the middle of all the chaos. Found family element was perfectly done.

‘I don’t think fighting with someone is something you should miss.’
‘It is when fighting with someone is more fun than a conversation with anyone else. It makes you feel alive. We work, Agnes. Even when we’re arguing, we work.’

Overall, this book was everything i could expect from a cute-hilarious rom-com. Didn’t expected it to like this much. It was complex but in a gentle way, Harrison has every trait you could ask in a book boyfriend.
funny? check
protective? check
make sure to keep you feed? check
encourages you to speak your mind? check
pushes your buttons when needed? check
mature and with good communication skills? check
self aware and know what he wants? check check check

‘Date me, Agnes Keegan. Fall in love with me. If fighting is this much fun, imagine how good it will be loving each other.’

This is my first book of the author and definitely isn’t going to be the last, looking forward to read more of her work in future. Can we get Thomas and Scout’s book please.

If you like well-written heartfelt romance with limited locations and tight time-frames and love to see how a single night can change everything, you should give a book a try.

Tropes:
☞ Forced Proximity
☞ Nemesis at workplace
☞ Boss’s Daughter
☞ One the spot Fake-boyfriend to get rid of ex *ahem*
☞ Found family
☞ 24hr timeline

Thank You Lauren Ford, Canelo publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
#Netgalley #OneLastNight

Loved this one! So much fun. Fake dating and enemies to lovers are my favorite tropes, and there was just the right amount of spice.

3.5-4 stars. Agnes wants to make sure closing night for The Shark Biscuit goes without a hitch since it’s her father’s legacy, but the doors will be closing permanently. Sure, she feels guilt for not wanting to take on the restaurant herself, but she has plans for her life, which does not include a restaurant that already did plenty of taking as it is. Harrison, the chef, as per usual is his usual stoic and controlled self and now Agnes can finally say good riddance to him, too. They always have sharp and heated, no holds barred exchanges so that’s one less person for Agnes to battle daily.

But if closing night could be the culmination of everything wrong in Agnes’ life, it delivers. Her ex-boyfriend brings his family, including his overbearing mother whom Agnes cannot stand. The weather is picking up to major storm levels, requiring her dad to retire home, and Harrison keeps checking on her like he’s a mixture of concerned and caring. While all of this rattles Agnes, I think she needed to be forced in a corner to confront these dilemmas so that she could be her most authentic self. I loved how Harrison kept calling her out on her nonsense.

Although the weather aspect was a bit hokey in that there wasn’t better forecasting to predict and prepare more in advance, it serves its purpose. The chemistry between Harrison and Agnes is undeniable despite Agnes always denying it. I really enjoyed discovering how much attention Harrison pays to Agnes and that his impression of her is far more favorable than of hers regarding him. Plus, he comes to her rescue in more ways than one, playing the role of a fake boyfriend to throw off Agnes’ ex boyfriend, taking care of the other patrons in the restaurant and maintaining his cool in the midst of catastrophe for the sake of keeping things calm.

I really wish Agnes had a better name, hers is just so 19th century, even if she went by Aggie. And despite her level headed persona, she has a way of pushing everything down into ignore or conflict avoidance mode, which leads to more trouble down the road. I would like to think Harrison would’ve sought her out after the restaurant closed, but given how easily Agnes brushes him off, she needed a big wake up call like the storm. So I give all the points to Harrison for pushing Agnes’ buttons as she was slow to catch on, but I also needed to see her be honest with her father so they could have their moment and move forward. Despite suspending my disbelief, I enjoyed this book.

One Last Night follows Agnes, a woman juggling guilt and responsibility as she closes her family’s restaurant, The Shark Biscuit, after six tough years of running it. Her work nemesis, the grumpy and arrogant head chef Harrison, has been a thorn in her side the whole time. But when Agnes’s ex-boyfriend shows up hoping to rekindle their romance, she ropes Harrison into pretending to be her boyfriend. A raging storm traps everyone in the restaurant, forcing Agnes and Harrison to confront their feelings—and their secrets—over the course of one unforgettable night.

At first, I found the constant bickering between Agnes and Harrison a bit tiring, but the romance ultimately won me over. What surprised me most was how well the story unfolded in just one night. The pacing was perfect, and the characters’ relationship felt genuine as they moved from irritation to understanding, and finally, to something deeper. Their chemistry grew naturally, and I couldn’t help but root for them by the end.

I also loved the found-family dynamic among the restaurant staff, which added warmth to the story. Agnes’s struggles as an introverted people pleaser were relatable, especially her instinct to avoid confrontation by hiding the truth. The conflicts in the book felt realistic and added depth to the characters. Overall, One Last Night is a heartfelt and well-written romance that proves a single evening can change everything.

It took me a few tries to get into the book, however I'm glad I got into it finally. Agnes family business is closing after a long run and harrison the head chef who she does not like is there for the swan song- who shows up but Agnes ex and his whole family - oh did I mention the storm coming (Harrison was right) Harrison becomes Agnes fake boyfriend right quick but whats at stake- it's there more than meets the eye? It's good worth the read

Thanks netgalley for the arc for an honest review

First book of 2025 completed and suffice to say I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting

Everything seemed to flow despite being thrust into the middle of all the chaos.
The chemistry between Agnes and Harrison was palpable. There was no playing, no games, just two characters who know what they want, are too afraid to admit it but over the course of the night realise they trust and care for each other and they're the last ones to accept it.

The group dynamic was uplifting, you could really feel that these people cared for each other, even the odd characters that show up out of nowhere integrate perfectly into the story.
There are a certain two side characters that I need a book about!! Especially after that epilogue, you could feel the longing, it's definitely a book I would run to read.

Thank you netgalley, canelo & Lauren Ford for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! It was silly and fun and a change from the usual. The chemistry and tension between Harrison and Agnes was really good, some things a lot of books lack

This book massively surprised me in all the best ways. I thought it would be a typical enemies to lovers trope where they fight and it turns into love etc etc. I didn't expect to fall in love with the whole cast of characters and The Shark Biscuit! I'd love for this to continue and become a series.

Lauren Ford writes such beautiful, complex characters and such soft, gentle love stories - I adore them. Now I have to go and read everything she has ever written! I loved the hilarity of Noah and his attempts to emulate Harrison; Agnes and her relationship with her Dad was just adorable. I loved that even though this was only told over one night, we got the whole history of the restaurant without it feeling unnatural. Ahh I loved it!

A simple story with a good dynamic, funny and lovable characters and a good plot. I liked whole book, it was a perfect choice for one relaxing reading. I would recommend it to everyone who like to read about characters who are not afraid to speak their mind and those who still need to learn how to do that, about family and friends that become family,

This book was so good! The story was unique and it was very easy to read. I loved the banter between the main characters and their chemistry was perfect.