3 stars

I usually like Barbara O'Neal's books. I appreciate that her main female characters are older and have had some life experience. However this one fell flat for me. Veronica was a sponge. She went from absorbing her ex-husband's life to absorbing Rachel Ellsworth's. What I found especially appalling was the way she let her ex-husband use and manipulate her and then financially ruin her. She was also a doormat in regards to her children.

Mariah was just a lot. As a mom, my heart ached for her - for all she lost, for how much she hurt. Sometimes, though, she was so hard to like. I also would have liked to have seen more of her story, more attention paid to the trauma she experienced and the epidemic our country is facing.

The writing itself was good. I love books with interesting scenery and this one certainly has that - London, Paris, Marrakesh, Mumbai, Bombay. Oh, and the food! I was googling all the exotic foods! My friends and I have recently started a blog/social media account called Read, Eat, Travel, Repeat and this book would hit all the marks. I just wish Veronica would have stood up for herself more and asserted what SHE wanted instead of settling for what others wanted. I also would have liked more resolution of Veronica's backstory.

Nonetheless, I appreciate the opportunity to read this digital ARC and look forward to reading more books by Ms. O'Neal in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara O’Neal was a real treat to read. The premise for the novel was original. The writing smooth flowing. The characters were each their own self with no apologies. The multiple locations added a lot of depth to this book. Read and enjoy it will not disappoint. Thank you NetGalley.

I'm sorry to say this is my least favorite of Barbara O'Neal's books. It is a beautifully written book and has great descriptions of places they visited and the food they ate along the way. I didn't really connect with either of the female main characters and I felt like the story was lacking for me. I didn't find there to be much of a story other than traveling around and going to cafe's. It would've been better if we had more of a dual timeline with Moriah's mother's story and then the present day story. Overall it was just okay for me. I do love the author's writing and will certainly read her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for review.

This new offering from Barbara O’’Neal is a revelation. Still filled with the food descriptions and the memories and emotions that can be attached to food, and featuring something O’Neal does well - family, biological and created - I still had to keep reminding myself who the author was because it was also a travelogue of sorts, Swept through Paris, Marrakech, and India, the reader experiences the sights and sounds of each location, as the main characters visit Parsi cafes.. Though the coziness I often feel through O’Neal’s books was missing, the foodie experiences and the sensitive handling of how women deal with loss and trauma were right there. This may become my favorite by O’Neal - it feels like a growth experience.

Rounding up to a five; actual rating 4.5

What a beautiful story told through the eyes of two strong women with two different stories. Mariah who went through a mass shooting and lost her mom and Veronica who lost her marriage and life as she knew it. Both huge losses in such different ways . While both struggled the bond that formed between them was beautiful. I long to visit Morocco and India! I felt every emotion in this novel . Life isn’t always fair but it is what you make of it and while you are here you must live!

This book fiollows an Olympic athlete who suffered a terrible tragedy as she tries to finish her mom’s book and come to grips with her new reality and where to go from there. She suffers from major ptsd and anxiety throughout the book. The characters were very relatable. The story was set in several middle eastern countries and the scenery depicted was breathtaking. The book was very emotional and beautifully written.

There are numerous moments in this book. This book was so good that I couldn't stop reading it.

It's a story about two women who overcome past traumas and discover friendship. Veronica was hired to be a travel companion by Mariah, a former Olympian who's recovering from an individual injury. Mariah is also grieving for her mother Rachel. Veronica must go through a divorce.

They both, along with a male photographer, have to travel to four different countries. The reason for that is due to Rachel’s letters. Also, they're finishing what Rachel is doing.

Oh goodness. I just finished an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley of The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth. I absolutely loved it. We meet Mariah, Veronica and Henry on a wonderful journey. Veronica is working as a companion to Mariah, and Henry is the photographer. But there is so much more than that. Each one is working through problems on their own, but they all come together as family. The words, the languages, the smells and flavors all combine to make an amazing story. Barbara O’Neal has told of a wonderful journey and I loved taking it with her. Five stars. Thank you NetGalley for an early read for my honest feedback.

I love books by Barbara O’Neal. Her latest, The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth was an excellent book. I couldn’t put it down.

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth is a heart-warming story of love, loss and the journey through grief. Veronica and Mariah may seem like opposites in every sense of the word but their shared grief brings them together as they search for answers left by Mariah’s late mother. This story brings together all the best parts of travel and light-hearted mystery that keeps you hooked until the very end.

Healing from past trauma is a journey that requires courage, patience and support; nobody knows that better than Mariah Ellsworth and Veronica Barrington.

These two broken women help each other reframe their narratives and reclaim agency. Mariah is grieving the loss of her Olympic snowboarding career and the loss of her mother, while Veronica is grieving the loss of her marriage and abrupt divorce while dealing with ‘empty nest’ syndrome. Both know that connecting with a supportive community will help them foster a sense of belonging and fulfillment, but they have little idea about how a multi-continent journey will impact them.

When Mariah feels compelled to finish her mother’s writing project and hires Veronica as an assistant, they inadvertently help each other build resistance, process their emotions, learn to forgive, and finally let go. When a photographer, Henry Spinuzza, joins them, this journey becomes a healing one for all three.

This is my third book by author Barbara O’Neal and I’ve come to realize that she really knows how to emotionally involve her readers and uses her well-honed writing skills to keep them turning pages. I love that she crafts her characters so that they aren’t defined solely by the trauma. This time, I got a sense of who Veronica was as a person outside of her family and who Mariah was when not labeled as an athlete or grieving. Furthermore, O’Neal’s use of dialogue and her characters’ body language mirror their experience and coping mechanisms.

This is a worthy read because O’Neal enriches her readers’ understanding of the human experience in an authentic and empathetic way. She delicately navigates the narrative landscape of trauma.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I received this ARC copy in exchange for a review:

London, Paris, India and food mixed with heartbreak and some mystery. What's not to love! ❤️ My favorite by Baraba O'Neal is still the Starfish Sisters but this was a solid enjoyable read.

Barbara O’Neal know show to write a book that pulls all the heartstrings and has you thinking about it from months to come. This book was fabulous!! Loved it. Add it to your TBR list.

after reading and adoring o’neal’s previous book, i was over the moon to dive into her latest release and it did not disappoint! i feel like this time around i enjoyed the firmer plot and characters, as the mystery had me invested and the romance was just enough to have me rooting for them! (far be it from me to read a book without some kind of romance-adjacent factor). i devoured this in one sitting and im already missing being in this world

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara
O'Neal who has long been one of my favorite authors. I have read everything she's written, including her books written under other names. I have enjoyed every one - but none more than this one.

The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara O'Neal, published by Lake Union Publishing, is a full length stand alone romance novel. A story that spans years, impacts families, telling Veronica and Mariah's story.
I loved the growth of the characters, loved the twists and turns that had me guessing till the last page.
I loved the family dynamics and the beautiful writing, 5 stars.