This was my first book by MacFarlane and I loved it so much I went out and bought two more from her backlist! This story is quite an emotional one and its definitely one that had me both crying and laughing as I followed Eve along on her journey of grief and discovery.

Eve Harris is a 34-year-old goth, one who has been in love with her best friend Ed for years. But they’re best friends–and he’s also involved with someone else. Both of these facts have made Eve keep her secret close to her chest, not realising that Ed and her other friends are also concealing secrets, ones that have the potential to destroy their friendship for good.

It’s hard to discuss the plot without spoiling the vast majority of the book. As a whole this is a wonderful tale of friendship, and the bonds between Eve and her three friends Susie, Ed and Justin are established right from the start. There is also a lot of grief here, and it’s Eve journey to discover herself and what she really believes that will tug on your heartstrings. Her life takes a complete turn from the beginning of the novel and it’s wonderful following along with her as she comes to terms with her loss and ultimately forms a new future for herself.

There is a lovely romance, with plenty of sweet scenes, but the plot is firmly about Eve in the end. There are a lot of twists and the way the book finally reaches the ending is a very satisfying one.

Last Night is one emotional story, one filled with grief and healing and how to move forward with your life after loss. I absolutely adored my first foray into MacFarlane’s writing and am very excited to see what she writes next!

‘Last Night’ is the latest book by Mhairi McFarlane.

Eve, Justin, Susie and Ed have been friends since they were eighteen. 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.

When it comes to books by Mhairi, you’re guaranteed to read a book packed with classic one liners, fantastic and relatable protagonists that you instantly connect with and a plot that will make you snort throughout.

But in Mhairi’s latest book, it’s filled with her trademark quirky characters and storyline but she also touched on grief and loss.

Eve has has a group of 4 best friends since secondary school. Susie, Justin and Ed. Eve and Ed have had a bit of complicated relationship after admitting feelings for each other but it never went anywhere. The 4 have maintained a tight friendship through the university years and now they’re in their mid 30’s. One night after a ritual pub quiz, the quartet is tragically changed leaving Eve question the friends that she thought she knew so well.

The story is seen through the narrative of Eve as she deals with the realisation that she didn’t really know her friendship group and finds herself finding solace in Finlay, Susie’s older brother who she was lead to believe is the bad guy.

I adored Eve, she’s fun, outspoken and heartbroken for the life that she used to have. The story is a romantic comedy as Eve and Finlay get to know each other under unexpected circumstances, but there are darker undertones to the story that does make for emotional reading in parts. Other supporting characters such as Finlay made for a delicious inclusion in the story, an estranged model that was always labelled the bad guy in Susie’s family. As Eve and Finlay tentatively get to know each other, their interactions make for tender and fun moments.

I love Mhairi’s writing, she has a skill of creating fantastic stories with such engaging characters that you instantly fall in love with and become friends with. As per her previous books, the story is packed with creative dialogue and one liners that made me giggle throughout.

‘Last Night’ is a beautifully written and observational story about heartache and friendship delivered with Mhairi’s wit and charm that made for genuinely uplifting and emotional reading.

You can buy ‘Last Night’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

Absolutely brilliant book! This is the first book I have read from this author (I have more on my shelf just havent got round to them yet!) And I really enjoyed it! Great storyline, very well written characters, just an overall really enjoyable read! ❤

I've read Mhairi McFarlane before and find her books easy to get into and you don't have to think hard about them.

Last night makes you think and is funny and happy and sad all at the same time.

A great summer read.

As a nearing thirty-something, this book made me reflect on life and friendships in a thoughtful and comfortable way and explored the theme of death at a young age with care. I loved the book overall - though the characters come across as generic (the hot guy, the camp best friend, the ‘sisterly’ love) it also makes them more relatable. Impressively, the story manages to keep you hooked despite us not having a full background of the main character, Eve, and rather understanding Suzie’s history instead. It places focus where originally you wouldn’t expect and I found that compelling,

The subtle twist and turns in the plot give it substance and I appreciated the exploration of family rifts, dealing with dementia as well as Eve’s journey showing we all keep learning and growing, well past our typical teenage dramas. McFarlane’s writing makes this an easy read and although this is the first book I’ve read of theirs, I would absolutely add more to my list following ‘Last Night’’.

Ahhh, you can't go wrong with a Mhairi McFarlane book and this one was no exception. Raw, funny, honest and insightful, it was brilliantly plotted and written. You're always in safe hands with Mhairi's books.

This book was an extremely thought provoking read. A sad , moving book which explored difficult themes with great sensitivity but also a heartwarming story of friendship, the healing process and love . I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Mhairi McFarlane for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Such an interesting idea for a book. Mhairi McFarlane is a favourite for making me laugh and even though this book is darker than previous titles it’s still funny in the right places. I love her strong female characters a fantastic read

Oh I unexpectedly needed this book… it reminded me of losing my best friend when I was 19 and how you feel when your world stops turning but life carries on for everyone else. Beautifully captured story with likeable friends and a happy ending.

No one can express in words what it’s really like; the gut wrenching pain and suffering, the length of time it takes to find your new normality, the first few seconds when you wake where you forget - then remember all over again. The ‘what ifs’ and the bereavement suffering competitions with friends or acquaintances… ugh.

I’m glad I read this, it made me excited to see how things worked out for Eve and what the family secrets were. Although the storyline wasn’t mind-blowing, it was a sentimental read and perfect for a rainy day read.

Such a sad and moving book and the loss of your best friend. Made me wonder what I would be like in those circumstances. Sad and funny at the same time. A great read

I haven't read a book in a while that has made me cry as much as this one did. This was a rollercoaster of emotions that I am glad I went on. It was real, it was raw and it was heart-breaking. I adore McFarlane's writing and this book just confirms that I need to pick up more of her books.

I liked seeing Eve grow as a character, especially when things come to light and she realises that the people she trusted the most were keeping secrets from her.

This is so much more then a romance novel, it's a story of friendships, of grief and loss and most of all forgiveness.

Make sure you have tissues at the ready for this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh, Mhairi is an auto-buy for me for. a. reason!

You're guaranteed great friends supporting our lead heroine. Justin is that bff this time. Absolutely cracked up at his many one-liners.

You'll also get something a little different each time. She doesn't just pump out novels from the same cookie cutter. This was much heavier than her previous novels. I read it through blurry eyes for a while because hot damn she got me in the feels really early and just kept dragging my heart through the mud gasping for air and relief. But oh, what a beautiful story. It turned out different than I expected and I loved it.

I laugh and cried and squeeled and cried some more.

I wanted to wrap this story in a hug so many times.

READ THIS BOOK!!! It is beautiful, excellent and one of my favourite books this year. Eve is my new hero! Dont miss this book!

Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favourite authors and I'm always eagerly waiting to get my hands on her next book. Last Night didn't disappoint and my favourite so far. Thought provoking, made me happy and there were tears too, the characters are all so believable. 5 big fat stars from me

What an emotional rollercoaster of a read! Definitely not what I would call traditional romance, more women's fiction. It deals with quite difficult themes really well and doesn't shy away from the reality of grief and mental health issues. If you're feeling fragile you might want to wait before you pick this one up, and don't forget the tissues! Saying that, as always, Mhairi writing is witty and fresh and it was a pleasure to read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect for fans of Marianne Keys amd Lia Louis! Last night was a sweet & witty page-turner. A perfect escape from reality!

Another great read from Mhairi McFarlane.

Last night tells the story of four thirty something friends who have known each other from school. Together they have been through many ups and downs that life has thrown at them.

Suddenly a night out ends in tragedy and in the aftermath a few revelations make them question if they ever really knew each other at all.

A wonderful story of friendship, loss, healing and love.

Last Night by Mhari McFarlane is by far the book I’ve enjoyed most this year. I’m usually immersed in crime and mystery reading and this just transported me to a place and a life that felt authentic. The characters totally captivated me. I liked them all, even Hester (but just a little).
Mhari’s writing is fantastic. She is witty, insightful and just captures personalities succinctly and mercilessly. I don’t want to give any spoilers so am going to forgo outlining the plot other than to say you’ll meet best friends and travel a bit of a rollercoaster with them, finding out along the way that we have blind spots about ourselves and others and there are depths of hang ups and insecurities and trauma that aren’t readily apparent but which influence our perceptions of others and of ourselves. Eve’s journey to greater self awareness is only possible through better understanding of her friends and significant others in her life.
This is a truly lovely read and I miss Eve, Ed, Justin, Susie and Finlay already (ok Hester not so much). This is my definite favourite type of book and reminds me of Maeve Binchey and her fantastic stories of girls forging friendships and making their way to adulthood though various routes. I’m desperate for more......Five stars all the way

“Last night” is the second book written by Mhairi McFarlane that I read, after “If I never met you”. I really liked her writing in that one, so I decided to give this one a go and I wasn’t disappointed. McFarlane can deliver a great page turner, a book that can not be put down, even when one never expected it!

Eve, Justin Susie and Ed have been friends ever since they were teenagers. It’s a friendship that goes on for years and they know each other very well. They don’t keep any secrets from one another, or so some of them think. Throughout the years they have established a routine and Thursday night bar trivia is the very base of it. It’s usually the four of them competing with a specific other group mostly, but in many occasions, Ed’s girlfriend joins them as well. Eve and Susie that are best friends since primary school, don’t really like Ed’s girlfriend, Hester, but they don’t share this information with him. Especially since Eve is still in love with Ed after so many years.

Now, on the age of thirty four, the four of them love spending their Thursday nights at The Gladstone, just like every Thursday. Only this one Thursday seems to be so different than the others! By the end of the night, everything will change in their lives, especially in Eve’s life, as she will find herself in a position she never expected. The day after will mark a new era in her life, one where she will find herself wondering how well she really knows her friends and how many more secrets are hidden in their small group.

Two things happen that night. Ed and Hester get engaged out of the blue. Yes, they were in a long term relationship but this marriage proposal was a bit unorthodox and certainly not expected by both parties. And the second incident is one that will break their little group apart and bring them down with grief. It will get the best of Eve. It will leave her devastated. But she has to keep living with herself and her memories and a box full of letters and diaries she swore she would not open and read. But when she is requested to give that box to someone that barely deserves having it, she will find herself reading at least one of those letters only to have her world shuttered once more.

This book is so much different than “If I never met you”. It is full of emotions! It is about friendship, relationships and grief. But it is also about forgiving, making changes, understanding one’s feelings and moving on when it’s actually time to do so! I really liked Eve’s journey throughout all this turmoil she had to go through. It really matured her and helped her see things from a different angle. She was then able to make some decisions with respect to her life. To really understand what she wants in life and finally let herself be her and lead her own way.

“Last Night” is already out there, so go and get your copy!

Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Eve Harris, aging Goth (well, she’s 34) has been in love with Ed Cooper for sixteen years but he’s with Hester who no one in their tight knit group especially likes. Her life is stalled from job to love until one night when their lives are shattered.

As a writer Mhairi McFarlane had me at hello but for me this is her best book yet. Although this book deals extremely well with difficult events being somewhat darker in tone than her other novels, her lively, engaging writing style and humour are never far below the surface. I love the way it’s written with witty Eve talking to the reader which makes you feel her emotional turmoil more deeply. All the characters are well developed but I particularly like Eve as she very individual, clever, funny, you just know she’d be great company at the pub, she’s loyal and kind. The friendship of Susie, Eve, Ed and Justin is something to envy. Their dialogue is smart, laugh out loud, sardonic and ironic with some sadness at times. There are several jaw droppers as Eve goes on an emotional journey of self discovery taking the reader through a range of emotions. I really like the 180 we do on Susie's brother Finlay who is nothing like you imagine as he reveals his secrets and we come understand family rifts. There’s a lovely feline character going by the grand name of Roger Piecrust Harris and a chihuahua/Yorkie cross called Leonard! I greatly enjoy the ‘Trip’ to Nottingham and the suburb I was born in near the famous cricket ground and the journey to Edinburgh with Fin and Eve is probably the closest I’ll get to ‘Auld Reekie’ this year so big thanks for that!! I really like the pop culture and film references which keep appearing throughout and add a fun element to the storytelling.