Last Night

By: Mhairi McFarlane

Narrated by: Maya Saroya

Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Two best friends. One missed chance. And a night that changes everything.         

Eve, Justin, Susie and Ed have been friends since they were 18. Now in their 30s, the four are still as close as ever, Thursday pub quiz night is still sacred and Eve is still secretly in love with Ed.

Maybe Eve should have moved on by now, but she can’t stop thinking about what could have been. And she knows Ed sometimes thinks about it, too.

Then one night, in an instant, all their lives change forever. And, as Eve learns she didn’t know her friends as well as she thought, she also discovers she isn’t the only person keeping secrets....

©2021 Mhairi McFarlane (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

"Mhairi writes absolutely brilliant romantic comedies, I just love her." (Jenny Colgan)

"Brilliant on relationships, friendships and emotions.... I loved, loved, loved this book." (Marian Keyes, number-one best-selling author of Grown-Ups)

"Gorgeously romantic, as well as a story about friendship and grief and loss; I never wanted it to end." (Beth O’Leary, number-one best-selling author of The Flatshare)

Nice story if you want a mild story of love

I must say I'm a little disappointed with this book. I really like most of Mhairi McFarlane books so maybe just didn't reach the expectations I had. It's a story that has a mildly interesting story of love if you can hold on the first 16 chapters of 46, in which mainly the main female character drowns and whains a little too much in her depression in not such an introspective way. The love story and turns that develop during the story between her friends and new acquaintances are quite nice and real yet they lack a little of fluidity of the story. I don't know if it's because apart from the part of her friend's loss there really isn't more to the story or the main character. The idea was good though I can't take the impression is quite mild.

Terrible narration

I believe there is a good story in there, but narration is so poor, I simply can’t continue. I have no idea what character is what, manic narration poorly delivered.

Beautifully written but far too depressing.

The blurb gives no indication of quite how upsetting parts of this book are. The writing is good, but I don't think I can finish it, it's too depressing.

Well-written but not for me

Well-written and great narration but I’ve 7 hours left and I find it quite depressing so I returned it... 😔

Loved it

I loved the detail of this book. It is full of depth and switches nicely between being horrendously sad but also happy and hopeful. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not one of her best

Almost gave up on this but persevered and it gradually improved. Not one of her best though. The fathers dementia storyline for example seemed a bit far fetched and not very credible. Entertaining enough and it passed the time I’ll leave it at that.

Never fails

Am working my way through the Mhairi collection as each book as yet to fail!

Always superb writing, gritty storyline and hilarious laughs entwined. Big fan of lead characters always being northern.

Loving her work, keep them coming!

absolutely gripping

absolutely gripping from start to finish. Death leads to many revelations and realigning of romances.

So glad I persevered

I didn’t want to listen to this book. I love the author and had preordered this one but once I saw that it was about grief/death I just couldn’t bring myself to read it. I even listened to her next book first. Then I just steeled myself and dove in. A few chapters in I tried to see if I could return it, it was so depressing, but since it had been so long since I got it, no dice. I figured I might as well just keep going. I’m so glad I did. It was still someone coming to terms with a loss and at the same time growing up, but it was also the typical sharp, funny writing I had been hoping for. I should have trusted the author! So anyways, don’t give up if it’s getting you down, it’ll lift you back up in the end.

Another brilliant book

Well I didn’t expect who she got with but it really was the best outcome and just brilliant!

Tragically beautiful

My first review of this book, I gave it 4 stars and said it was too slow to get to the action.
It was my first Mhairi McFarlane book and I then went on to listen to everything of hers I could possibly get through Audible. And all the while, I kept thinking about this book, so have listened to it again. I don’t know what it was about it that spoke to me, but I just love it. It doesn’t have your typical rom com plot where you think they’re just about to get together and then something spoils it, usually because someone doesn’t just tell the truth, and eventually they sort it all out. This book is funny and heartbreaking, and life-affirming. It’s the true spectrum of life and emotion, and yes, it’s a romantic story and it’s chick lit, but it feels deeper than your standard stuff.
I like the narration, except the way the author says ‘yes’. There are some marginally unbelievable parts of the story too, but it’s a story! If you want completely believable plots then read an autobiography.
All in all, would I recommend it? Yes. Whole-heartedly. It carries you on an emotional rollercoaster and then stays with you afterwards. It’s probably my favourite book, certainly my favourite of McFarlane’s.