One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low Book Review

Welcome to my review of One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low. I read my first Shari Low book recently and enjoyed it so when I saw this one I thought I would try another of hers and I wasn’t disappointed. 

Click me to go to my Review

Synopsis

As a flight to St Lucia leaves the runway, four passengers meet for the first time.

After escaping her controlling husband, Bernadette Manson is taking the first extravagant holiday of her new life. But when her best friend cancels, will she be strong enough to fly solo?

Tadgh Donovan is about to jet off to his destination wedding when he sees a shocking text. Has his bride-to-be written her wedding vows… or already broken them?

Hayley Ford is the wife of a top fertility specialist yet her battle to get pregnant has almost broken her marriage. Can a trip to the sun heal their relationship or should she brace for a crash landing?

Dev Robbins is crossing oceans to track down the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Will it be a one way trip to happy ever after or a return journey to singledom?

About The Author

In January 2022, Shari Low celebrated 21 years since the publication of her first novel, What If?. Shari went on to be a best-selling novelist, publishing over 30 books, including One Summer Sunrise and One Last Day Of Summer and her non-fiction collection of parenthood memories, Because Mummy Said So.

In late 2020, her first novel, What If?, was updated and re-published, followed by the sequels What Now? and What Next?. All three novels became international best sellers.

Shari has also written two Hollywood thrillers, The Rise and the Catch, with LA-based TV presenter and actor Ross King.

In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and twenty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with her husband and a labradoodle. Her two teenagers have now left home, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls checking if they’re keeping up to date with their laundry.

My Review

The plot is mainly centred around a flight from London to St Lucia. Four strangers meet for the first time after a series of changes mean that they are thrown together unexpectedly. Each is a very different character in a different phase of their life and all with some drama going on. 

Bernadette has recently escaped her controlling husband but her best friend cancels at the last minute so she is unsure whether to go alone or not. Tadgh is heading off to his wedding but has been separated from his brother and best friend after a seating mix-up. Hayley is going on holiday with her husband who turns out not to be as wonderful as he would like you to think and leaves her behind while he upgrades for a better flight experience. Finally, there is Dev who has fallen in love after a one-night stand and is following her across the world to find his one true love.

The plot doesn’t sound like it would really work, all set on a nine-hour flight, with four strangers, you wouldn’t expect much to happen or for it to be very exciting. Shari Low has managed to make it exciting though in this mainly dialogue-based story. All four characters discover something new about themselves and some make some life-changing decisions in those short nine-hour flights, bigger than any they have made for years before. 

Mixing the character’s experiences and their shared wisdom brings some magical results for them all. I loved this story and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a life-affirming, thought-provoking, story. Perfect for on the beach.

My only, very minor, issue was there seemed to be a small discrepancy in where they were all sitting. I couldn’t work out if they were in business class or premium economy. I doubt anyone else noticed it but it confused me so much I flicked back and forth a few times trying to work it out but it never did, so it’s not perfect but nobody ever is!

Rated