Reviews with content warning for Toxic friendship - Just Last Night

Let me start off by saying that this is not a lighthearted romance. Mhairi McFarlane does deal with heavier themes in her work than some of her peers, especially so in this book. Just Last Night deals with grief, friendship, healing, and love in unexpected places. I ended up having very mixed feelings about this book, mainly because of the pacing. The first half (maybe even the first two thirds) is mainly a heavy, sad meditation on grief, betrayal, and friendship. I found it hard to get through, but I trusted in Mhairi McFarlane to make it worthwhile.

I'm glad I stuck it out, because I loved the final third of the book.

I was initially worried that Eve would end up with her one-that-got-away, Ed, kind of like in McFarlane's You Had Me At Hello. But of course, once Finlay entered the scene, I knew what direction the book would take. The Byronic hero trope, while sometimes overdone, was actually executed quite well here, and the Mr. Darcy-esque unraveling of Finlay's layers endeared me to his character. Most of all, I was really, really glad that Eve became acquainted with her self worth and ended up finding what she deserved.

As ever, McFarlane's treatment of the nuances in relationships (of all kinds) took center stage in this book. The themes of loss, forgiveness, and healing were handled beautifully. If you're looking for a light, fluffy read, probably skip this one. But if you can stomach a story of tragedy, recovery, and ultimately, love, then this will deliver.

Content Warnings