This is the second novel by Imogen Clark that I have read, The first being Postcards from a Stranger which I enjoyed but I think that I prefer this book. It revolves around a retired couple and their daughters, mostly the story involves the mother and events from her past but there are chapters which give the point of view and life struggles of the grown up daughters. The book is divided into several parts with a gap in time between each part. I found the book easy to get into and actually read it quite quickly (I don't think that it's that long a book but I don't mind that). I enjoyed the different perspectives of the family members and the way that the book is divided which keeps the story moving and intrigues the reader into wanting to see what has happened in the mean time. The theme of the story is not a new one but it maybe covers a different aspect of it that is unexpected. I liked most of the characters and there could be other books developing their story lines which I would welcome. The end of a book is important to me and I was glad that this book went a slightly different direction than I thought it was going to. I now intend to check out the other books by this author.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I've read news stories in the past about the fact that not all adoptees and their birth parents have a happy ever once they reconnect in later years. A surprise letter takes Cecily on a sudden trip to Italy with the hope of reconnecting with the daughter she gave up as a teenager. Her other daughters are stunned when they learn the reason for the trip, and are forced to try and forge a new relationship.

I enjoyed reading this book and learning about the various characters within its pages. I did, however, think that it was predictable and it also had a few stereotypical personalities which is a shame eg the childless daughter had to actually really want and try for a baby, rather than being a more refreshing happy to not have children and be content with her life... I knew exactly what was happening when the mother set off on her trail...

Having said that though, the book was easy to read, I liked the way the daughters interacted with each other and I did want to know what would happen.

I devour every word Imogen puts to paper, and this book was no exception. Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The characters in this book are real and loveable and cringe-worthy at times, as real people often are! The story of family dynamics and secrets tugs at your heart and makes you want to join them all for tea and a chat.
A charming story of mothers and daughters and their imperfections. Thoroughly enjoyable

I have read Imogen Clarks books in the past and have enjoyed her writing. They are easy to read and perfect for escapism when sometimes life needs to give a little release.
This is largely centred around a family called the Nightingales and we have Dad Norman, Mum Cecily and their grown up daughters Felicity, Lily and Julia.
When mum disappears to Greece totally out of character without any warning the daughters try to immediately question why would their mum do that? The reason we find out is that Cecily gets a letter from her fourth daughter who she gave away for adopted nearly fifty years ago and since that day has never seen or discovered what her long lost daughter became.
The Last Piece goes between scenes in Greece and the UK and shows how their daughters are all living different lives with their own challenges.
Lots of family drama, secrets and arguments feature in this novel and will tug at your heartstrings.
Although I enjoyed it, it's not one of my favorite Imogen Clarks books.
Certainly gives you something to think about and I learnt a lot about how the adoption process may have been in the 1970's - this may give some readers feelings of abandonment provoked by adoption.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I like the way this author tells a story and the storyline was suspenseful until the story unfolded. I found myself skipping parts because of the content topic. I was sad that the main character makes custom wedding gowns but I never know if she wore one of her creations. There were parts of this booked that I really liked.

Overall, I liked this book. I enjoyed the family drama. I thought the story was believable. My favorite character was probably the father. Throughout the story, he is supportive of his wife no matter what. He has infinite patience with his daughters, even when they are talking down to him.

I enjoyed the descriptions of Greece in the first few chapters. It really took me back to my trip there a decade ago.

I did not particularly enjoy the female characters. The mother seemed frail and dithering. The sisters were each good characters, but none of them was fully drawn out during the story. We got just enough of their stories to spark our curiosity, but not more. I wish the author had focused on one of them so that we could have gotten more.

Overall, a good book for anyone who likes family centered stories.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A novel about mothers, daughters, and what family means.

I did not dislike this book, but I am not raving about it either. Cecily gave birth to a daughter, in a mother nd baby home when she was 16. She was then adopted. 50 years later she contacts her birth mother who is now married with 3 more daughters. Certainly an interesting story idea, which is told from the viewpoint of Cecily and her 3 youngest daughters. Marnie, the eldest, is a mystery at the start of the book and seems to have be an unsociable character. Her reasons for contacting her birth mother are not clear and do not seem to get any clearer as the book moves on. Cecily, as expected, has never forgotten her daughter and hopes that they can have a mother-daughter relationship, which is perhaps a little optimistic when they meet each other only a few times.
The stories of the other daughters are interesting though some detail seems irrelevant to the main story . The part of the book about "the confinement" is extremely well written and gave understanding in Cecily's mindset, both around the birth of her first daughter and later in life.
Certainly a book to give you something to think about but it left me with lots of unanswered questions.
Thankyou to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book. It’s about an older couple who shared a life-altering event when they were younger. They have three adult daughters who are completely unaware of their secret, until it suddenly comes to light. I’m being somewhat vague, because I don’t want to give too much away. The remainder of the book is about how all of the characters come to terms with this secret, and how it impacts them in very different ways. We all experience difficult situations differently and deal with them in our own way. The characters were well-defined, and I liked all of them, although I was able to relate the most to Lily. It was a rocky road for this family, and I enjoyed taking the journey with them. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review.

With thanks to netgalley and imogen Clarke for an early copy in return for an honest review.
This is the 3rd book I've read by this Author and what a book.
An extremely poignant story unfolds in front of our eyes,its been a bumpy ride for Cecily,who has shown nothing but total love and adoration for her girls and norman.
This is far from a straight forward book with many twists along the way. it really was a breath of fresh air and I can highly recommend this OUTSTANDING book.

Cecily is a busy older woman who has three grownup daughters and a clan of grandkids. She is always there for her family until one day she does the unimaginable. She ups and leaves her husband on his own for a week and heads to Greece on a moments notice.

The daughters are intrigued and can't possibly imagine why she has done this. What happened that made her go meet a stranger?

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
What a lovely, heartwarming and heartbreaking story this is, I loved it.
It features the Nightingale family, mum, dad and three daughters who happily live their lives with its ups and downs. Until the mother, Cecily, disappears to Greece, for reasons only her husband knows. When she returns home and tells the family why, their lives are upended and will never be the same again.
The characters are so real, they come totally alive, I empathized with each and everyone of them and recognized feelings, good and bad, that I have experienced myself. You really don't know what's going to happen next, so you compulsively have to keep reading. And the ending was unexpected, but
made so much sense that I was quite content with it. Terrific read, highly recommended!

The Last Piece is a story about the secrets families keep. Ms. Clark gives us a lovely story, with well drawn characters. A story I enjoyed and recommend

This is a book for mothers and sisters to read. Being neither of these, I think the emotions of the book were lost in my reading. I chose this #readnow option because I love reading novels set in England but never connected with the characters or plot. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️ novel that would be a great #bookclub selection to discuss the different woman characters. 📚📚📚 #netgalley #netgalleyreview #amazonukreview #booklover #bookreview

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy read and just what I needed. Whilst I can appreciate the more serious themes of the book, I did not feel like it was considerably memorable. The characters were great and very distinct, and I liked how we could see their different personalities through how they lived their lives. However, I did not see the book as life changing or one I would insist on recommending to friends. I would recommend it to people needing a relief from the current situation.

The last piece is the story of a family where as the title suggests there is a missing piece. The three daughters all have very different characters and all have their own difficulties in life. As the plot thickens, the story does not develop as you would expect.
It is a nice summer read and easy going. The ending has an unexpected twist.

What would you do if you unexpectdly received a letter summoning you to Greece for a week in order to settle the past? Cecily finds herself at a Yoga Retreat meeting someone she has not seen in 50 years.

The Last Piece by Imogen Clark is a wholesome family novel highlighting the importance that each family member brings to the table. Cecily loves to be surrounded by her three adult children yet still feels like there is a missing piece of her family puzzle. Cecily ventures on a journey of discovery which brings truth, tension, trouble yet ultimate resolution to her family life.

The Last Piece is split into parts which flit between scenes in Greece and life back in England allowing the reader to see both sides of the story. Trigger content for readers may be feelings of emotional abandonment provoked by adoption.

The Last Piece is a family drama centering on the Nightingale family - dad Norman, mum Cecily and their grown-up daughters Felicity, Julia & Lily. The novel begins with Cecily going to Greece at short notice when she receives a mysterious letter, the reason for her departure unbeknownst to her daughters. What unfolds will change all of their lives.

I like Imogen's style of writing as the characters are very believable & relatable. Having two sisters myself, I could really understand the relationship between Felicity, Julia & Lily, their similarities & differences. The subject matter was obviously very well researched, as were the locations.

This was an easy, enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend this novel if you like stories dealing with family relationships.

I received a free advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book! It was so well written, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, so much so that I basically devoured this novel in one sitting. The story line unfolded little by little, revealing small snippets and secrets along the way, which made it a total page turner.

This was a story of a family, and long buried secrets waiting to be explored and revealed. Cecily is married to Norman and they have three daughters and are proud grandparents. The story begins with Cecily uncharacteristically leaving abruptly on a trip to Greece and her daughters wonder what their mother is up to. Cecily goes on a journey to confront her past and return home to share her truth with her family. This is the story of love, heartache, family, loss and new beginnings and endings, that will tug at your heart strings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. It was a gift to be able to read this story and share a review. I hope everyone will get a chance to read this beautiful story.