DNF at 20%. 
I don't know but this story is not for me. It's too sad and disturbing and the plot basically has nothing to offer except the friendship of the three leads. 
You kind of know from the start what would happen at the end. I tried to connect with the story but nothing happened at all. The story is so slow and depresses the mood completely and there seems to be no reason to continue reading because I can predict easily what happens next.

A perfect summer-filled read for softies: heartrending and hilarious.

Victoria Connelly's books are always a treat to read. From the opening page you know this is going to be a lovely, light read with heart. One Last Summer is an uplifting story, joyous at times despite its subject. Forty-something teacher Harrie knows it is going to be her last summer and intends to make it a perfect one. She invites her two best friends Lisa and Audrey to join her at historic Melbury Priory in rural Somerset for the whole summer holidays. She hasn't told her friends about her diagnosis, hoping they will relax and enjoy themselves together until she finds the right moment to drop her bombshell. 

Victoria describes the ancient priory and its beautiful gardens so well you feel you'd enjoy a dip in the pool or chilling in the priory garden yourself. Emotions are depicted vividly. You feel Harrie's pain when it sinks in that this really is her last summer and her joy when her daughter, Honor, comes to stay.

Not everything goes to plan. Housekeeper Mrs Ryder seems frosty, Audrey can't leave work behind and Lisa gets in a huff when her friends tease her about Alfie, the handsome young gardener. There's lots of relaxing time together though and Harrie enjoys bringing taciturn stonemason Samson Haverstock out of his shell! 

The story hinges on what happens when Harrie finally plucks up the courage to tell her friends her secret, how they react and help each other deal with the devastating news.

I loved Harrie and Sampson's interactions, especially his lasting gift to her. So many other scenes to enjoy, from Honor's tears with her mother to the three friends (and Mrs Ryder) trying on all the gorgeous gowns for a very special event.

Keep those tissues handy!

A bittersweet story about a group of friends enjoying one last summer together.
The author has created a set of likeable characters with rounded personalities you can warm to,this includes the minor ones such as Sampson. 
The author handles Harrie's diagnosis well and I liked that she didn't introduce any clichéd romances to mar the storyline.
My only disappoint that a story about death didn't make me cry.

Harriet Greenleaf invites her two best friends for one last summer holiday together. She’s rented a 13th century priory that has been converted into a B&B. She and her friends haven’t spent a summer holiday together in six years, in fact, they’ve barely seen each other during those six years. Audrey, the workaholic, has been too busy with her startup business to spend time doing anything but work. Lisa is still chasing her dream of becoming an actress even though she’s been reduced to making commercials for products no one uses just to make ends meet. When they come together at the priory, they tell themselves that their friendship hasn’t changed over the years. One of them, however, knows that even that’s true, her secret, when shared, will forever change their friendship.

The story is told through Harriet’s first-person view. She tells us of the sniping that Lisa and Audrey can’t seem to stop doing, and which may get tiresome for some readers. Using the first-person, Connelly may have limited her story too much. We don’t get to see Audrey’s and Lisa’s reactions to the reunion through their own eyes.

This is a well-written book and will capture the reader from page one. And while we know what the secret is and who’s secret it is to tell, we keep reading. The story and the three women are somewhat stereotypical, it’s the writing that keeps us reading into the late hours of the night.

Very deep and sad story. A woman dying invites her two best friends to a beautiful house for the summer to spend and enjoy time together. However she does not tell they she is dying, they all learn lots of things while together.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review 
Iam a great fan of Victoria  Connelly and this book was literally  OUTSTANDING 
Covering a very sensitive  subject can be difficult  but this was done so tastefully  and with great dignity  
Harrie Lisa Audrey  had the most magical summer this book deserves more stars than I can give can highly recommend  to friends and family 
A real TRUMPET-TOOTING EXTRAVAGANZA OF A BOOK

Very intense and selfless view of a patient that has a terminal disease. Emotional, fun at times and full of love for friends and family. Great read!! Really enjoyed it!

This isn't the first Victoria Connelly book I've read, and although I always enjoy her work, I thought One Last Summer shows how her writing has matured. It's beautifully written. Although you might think reading about a woman who is terminally ill would be depressing, Connelly writes in such a way that the sadness and poignancy is tempered by many uplifting moments. I couldn't help but hoping that there would be a twist at the end, but the ending is fitting. It's a good read, and I loved the introspection, on mindfulness, doing what you love, feeling grateful for the small things, taking more notice of nature . . . I felt not long after starting this book that I'd put on a comfortable jumper - I knew I was in safe hands and settled down to enjoy Harrie's story and that of her friends. 

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing!!! The writing was very neatly done and I loved the pace of the book. Not only is it deep and meaningful, but it’s just a very great read. It took me a little bit to read it but it was worth the time.

I loved this book, I love Somerset and this book made me feel like I was there. The setting was wonderful and where I would to be. 

The characters were lovely and I wanted to eavesdrop on everyone’s conversations when they were now longer recorded. This is a very brave book on a tough subject and really made me think.

To be very honest, I wasn't very engaged in this book for the first several chapters. I think the reason is that for the other Victoria Connelly books I've read, I had the audiobooks available and was therefore able to multitask while listening to the book. With this one, the audiobook was not available to me and I had to make time to actually sit and read the book. That's on me, not the author. 

In terms of content, the book started off very slowly for me, which is why I gave it only four stars. I wasn't sure I could stick with it although I liked the premise of the book. I didn't feel invested in the story itself until around halfway through. After that, I really began to enjoy the relationship among the women and with the other, more peripheral characters. I became interested in each of the three central characters and was curious about their personal development as the book progressed. The ending was somewhat satisfying, although I was curious about some of the peripheral characters that were not mentioned at the end. 

That said, this was a good read and I will continue to read this author's work. I will, however, wait until I have the audiobook to make best use of them.

Oñe of tose books that I just didn't want to end. A definite must read and I shall be exploring Victoria Connelly's other novels for sure. A story of friendship, love , memories and making more memories. I loved the characters Harrie who has a secret, Audrey who works too hard and Lisa, who is spiritual and needs to follow her own advice and follow her dream...and Harries daughter Honor who makes an appearance. I loved the ending....intact I loved everything about this book!! Enjoy

A somewhat short and very easy to read book. Quite emotional as the central character, Harrie, is dying of terminal cancer and she wishes to spend her last summer with her friends so in that respect quite thought provoking if one was in the same position.  She tries to keep her illness a secret, which I can understand, but eventually her situation is found out.  However, overall, I found the characters a little flat and there is quite a lot of dialogue which I found a little tedious and annoying in places.  

There is a lot to take away from this book whether one is in the unfortunate position of having Harrie's prognosis or a family member or friend.

Strong friendships are at the center of this emotional roller coaster of a book. Aside from the idyllic setting, this book takes you on a journey of lifelong friendships, love and truth.  Set in a beautifully described ancient Priory, this book will move you and make you want to call your best friend 'just because".

An emotional but beautifully told story, we follow Harrie as she gathers her two oldest friends together to spend the summer with her at an ancient Priory in the countryside. Her friends think this is a chance to catch up with each other after a few years apart and have some fun...and it is, but unknown to them, a cloud hangs over the proceedings, as this will be Harrie's last summer.

I wouldn't usually choose a book with illness at the forefront of the plot, but I'm so glad I chose to read this one. Although the subject matter of a terminal illness is sad, the story managed not to veer into depressive territory, and I found it incredibly poignant and thought provoking. I loved the characters and the tranquil setting of the priory, and thought the author did a really good job of evoking the sadness that accompanies such a tragic event whilst still retaining the necessary lightheartedness to keep you turning the pages.

Harrie has a terminal illness and her childhood friends Lisa and Audrey don't know yet.  She wants to spend one last summer holiday with them all together.  Although I beautifully written book, I did find it a bit depressing, and maybe would have enjoyed and appreciated the emotion at a another time.

This is a lovely book about life, friends and re-connecting along with joy and sadness. The descriptive writing is beautifully done. Although the main topic is terminal illness, I think the author explores the idea that keeping such information to oneself is cutting off the people you love.

One Last Summer is a sad story about last chances. While the story is touching and relatable, it's too depressing for my taste.

Harriet Greenleaf has terminal cancer and has come to terms with her prognosis, supported by her daughter, even though she has once survived her breast cancer. Now the cancer is incurable and she knows this will be her last opportunity she has to be with her family and friends.  She decides to treat her two best friends to a summer of reigniting their friendship which started when they were at university training to be teachers. Her two friends are very different: Audrey is a workaholic who has just founded her own school and is burnt out with all the problems of setting up her own business. Lisa, once a TV actress in a popular sitcom, loves her yoga. She is vibrant, flirty and is just rolling on with her life going nowhere. Her two friends are unaware of her ongoing health issues and delighted with their summer holiday reunion plans. Isn’t it sad when a busy life interferes with your friendships? So the invitations go out and the summer lies tantalisingly ahead.
Harrie has rented a beautiful ancient priory in the Somerset countryside. It’s so tranquil and peaceful, just the sort of place for the four of them to relax. She wants to break her news to her dearest friends and create new memories, but only when the time is right. Her daughter will be joining them for some of the time: it will be quality time for them all to share fond memories and reminisce over their past joyful and carefree times. Only when the time comes Harrie finds it difficult to unburden herself. She doesn’t want to upset her friends. It’s certainly a subject she finds more and more difficult to broach.
This poignant story has such a beautiful ending and I really enjoyed the wonderful storytelling. The setting was just right for the occasion and together the friends look to their futures and access what they could still make of their lives. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Lake Union Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. It’s a quick read and also the characters are very endearing. It’s a 3.5* review from me.

I suggest having a box of tissues handy when you read this book!

After reading this book I've definitely done a lot of reflection on my life and what I've deemed "important." I suspect that many of those things would change if I were diagnosed with a terminal illness, like the main character in this book. Harriet knows she is dying and spends one last summer with her two best friends and her daughter. She focuses on the simple pleasures in life - walking barefoot in the grass, listening to the wind in the trees, and enjoying the feeling of the rain on her head. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.