I really loved this story. It is another that asks that question, "Do you believe in soulmates?" As the story begins, Leila has lost her charm bracelet and in order to prove that it is really hers to the person who has found it, she tells the story of each and every charm on it. Her story starts when she meets Jake as a young girl. His family has bought her house from her father after the disappearance of her mom. They have to move for his dad's new job, but her grandfather lives next door to her old house, so her and Jake do cross paths again and again and again.

The story is told from Leila's POV and is very linear. We watch as Jake and Leila cross paths and become friends. There is laughter, sadness, frustration and fear in this story. I loved Jake's character, he was so real and honorable. Leila was lovely as well, but she has her moments. There were times I wanted to shake her, and others where I wanted to hug her. The secondary characters were all important to the story and development of their relationship. I became invested in their lives and their story. I wanted them to have their HEA and I listened intently to their story. It was beautiful, realistic and heartbreaking all at the same time. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sarah Lambie. This is a new narrator to me, but I will not hesitate to listen to others she narrates. Her voice, expression and intonation all added to the story. Her voices for the various characters was well done and pulled me into this story as if I was right there listening to Leila share her story with me.

A charm bracelet is often a collection of memories and its novelty comes not only from what the individual charms represent but who you share those memories with.

When Leila Jones loses her precious charm bracelet and a stranger finds it, she needs to prove her ownership by telling the story of how she got the charms - each and every one a precious memory of her life with Jake. So Leila starts at the beginning, recounting the charms and the experiences that have led her to the present. A present she never could have expected when she met Jake nearly twenty years ago.

Leila’s charm bracelet tells a story born from a blend of memories – unexpected connections, missed chances, and unfortunate misunderstandings. Her stubborn beliefs only serve to drive a wedge between them every time they meet and yet Leila and Jake’s journey – together and apart, over the course of time, is achingly romantic. You yearn for that HEA moment and when it finally arrives, the charm bracelet refuses to let it be the end.

A poignant story of friendship, hope, and a love that never ends; it will tear you apart in pieces before it fills you with warmth and makes you whole again.

This review is for the Audiobook version as narrated by Sarah Lambie. A 2020 audio production from HarperCollins UK. This audio ARC courtesy of NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

The Last Charm by Ella Allbright is a heartbreaking story of Leila Jones and Jake Harding.
Leila Jones has lost her beloved charm bracelet which is found by someone and in order to get it back, she has to prove that it belongs to her. For this Leila gave the detailed story behind each charm on the bracelet starting from Leila's 11th birthday. The story covers the span of 15 years and each charm represent an event in Leila's life.
Jake Harding parents purchased the house in which Leila used to live and he moved in Leila's Room. He falls for her when he sees her room and the art that she left behind in that room. They met again several times over the years.
Leila and Jake both belong to the dysfunctional family, Leila's mother left her and Jake's father was abusive. Both are imperfect but perfect for each other.
I am not a very big fan of sad stories but ended up liking it. It broke my heart and mended it back but the scar is there.
You should definitely read this one as it is all about family, hope, love and friendship.

A genuinely breathtaking read that will take you on an emotional journey. I couldn’t put this down and actually listened to the audiobook as well to get through it even faster. Gorgeous characters whose stories are woven into an enchanting read.

The audiobook is completely enthralling, Read with such passion and conviction. I felt completely pulled into this tale and felt myself holding my breath at certain parts.

A fabulous read and an even better listen!

The Last Charm is one of my favourite romance stories of 2020. It is heart-warming, emotional and memorable: the kind of read that will have you thinking about Leila and Jake for a long time afterwards.

The story surrounds Leila’s charm bracelet, which was given to her by her mother prior to leaving Leila and her father. On the heart is a single charm. By the time Leila loses the bracelet years later, it is full of unique and beautiful charms. Each charm represents a special time in the romance between Leila and Jake: a story she has to tell the stranger who has found the bracelet in order to have it returned. The story is told in a series of memories starting when Leila is 13 until she is 30.

I respect that this romance does not happen immediately. Both Jake and Leila have a dysfunctional parent which impacts their identities and self-respect. As a result, each of them has personal growth to experience before they can commit to one another. These issues are presented with impact, and sensitivity.

I absolutely love the theme of the book for its originality and sentimentality. I appreciated learning about the story behind each of the charms. These characters are well developed and likeable. In summary, I found the story to be very engaging and I had a hard time putting it down.

I listened to the audiobook version which was narrated by Sarah Lambie who does a fantastic job as bringing Leila’s voice to the story. I found her voice to be youthful, sweet and joyous in all the right places. Her articulation and cadence made this book a joy to read. If you are a fan of audiobooks, I would definitely recommend this version of the book which enhances an already wonderful story.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Audio UK and One More Chapter for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

I loved the concept of the story being told by explaining when each charm was given to Leila from Jake.

This was not a light breezy, cupcakes and sunshine love story. Both the characters had their flaws stemming from their difficult childhoods. At times I found them difficult to like, but that was part of the story, part of their journey of growth.

It was a very well told story that will leave you reaching for tissues.

I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the narrator.

This was a beautiful and moving book. I read a lot of books and don't find that many have an emotional impact but this one surprised me at the end. I didn't realise how deeply I had connected with the characters and the story. Although I didn't like Leila too much, I could still understand why she acted the way she did even if it was frustrating and unfair to Jake. I loved the character of Jake, he is the perfect man really. I also liked all of the supporting characters and felt that they added to the story. I really enjoyed how the charm bracelet pulled the whole story together. I don't read a lot of romantic fictions any more but this one seemed a bit different so I thought I would give it a go and I'm glad I did. I listened to the audio book version of this and thought that the narrator was also very good. Her slightly different voices for the characters were different enough to distinguish between people but didn't take you out of the story.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me listen to this book!

What a lovely book! I expected this to just be a simple romance but there were so many complex themes discussed including loss of family members. I enjoyed listening to this as an audiobook. It could have done with being narrated by a guy as well as a girl which would have given it a little more depth but I still really enjoyed it. 4*’s given! Thank you for this lovely easy read.

I've only recently started reading audio books and the narrator is so important. I think this is spot on. Although Layla seemed spoiled and childish throughout, it added to the overall story. I loved Jake from the outset and didn't see the ending coming. There were so many times I cried during this story, sometimes due to sadness and sometimes due to happiness and at the very end it was bittersweet but loved the story from start to finish.

Oh my gosh where do I start with this book?

Firstly let me say I got both the ebook and the audiobook from netgalley and read them alongside eachother so thank you for that!

The story was heartbreaking but beautiful, we follow Leila, who has been raised by her dad and grandad since her mum left at the age of 11, upon leaving she leaves her a charm bracelet which is the crux of the story. - the book opens with an advert for a missing charm bracelet, you can feel the sentimental value through the advert but obviously at the point we have no context.

The story also follows Jake, who moves into Leila’s old house, he discovers beautiful paintings on the walls and floor of her old bedroom and is determined to know more about the person who left them - he’s having a hard time at home and the paintings help him to realise that there is hope and light in the world.

I can’t tell you anything else because it would spoil the reading experience, but I do highly recommend the audiobook, it helped pull me into the story and experience it in a way that felt so real and left me totally invested

Such a charming read! (No pun intended!)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and joining in with the read along. A great book that I will want to pick up and reread again!

What a truly touching and enchanting story this is about the relationship between Jake and Leila.

As I read this book I made notes of all the little bits that really touched me as I read it, but there are so many to mention that I would be here forever.
I will mention one briefly where they are at a Coldplay concert and it refers to the song “Fix You”... this was such a tender moment between the friends and was delivered beautifully by the narrator.
As I read this book I was totally immersed in the story and thanks to such a fantastic writer and narrator, I felt as though I went through every emotion with Jake and Leila. It’s just a truly beautiful read with such a stunning storyline.
I have to admit, my heart ached so much throughout this book, and I lost count of how many times it brought a lump to my throat and made my eyes sting... it’s just beautifully written.

I have to give a big mention to the narrator of this book, although the book is written so beautifully, this narrator delivered it with such love and tenderness that it made it even more special for me.

This audiobook is a prime example of a great piece of writing coming together with a fabulous narrator to deliver it. This is very much the perfect audiobook for me.

This book comes with all of the feels be prepared!

I loved the story behind each charm, and although I sometimes wanted to shake the main character, I also understood her.

Grab this one as soon as you can, it is a wonderful book.
Narration was perfect, I was really impressed with the narrators and I will certainly look out for other books that they have narrated.

All the feels with The Last Charm!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I still have a book hangover from this moving book written by Ella Allbright @authorbythesea1207

I loved the way in which Jake & Leila’s story unfolds as Leila recounts the significance of each charm on her missing bracelet. I was engaged from the very start as Jake and Leila’s connection deepened over time and these troubled characters developed, stumbled and matured over the years. Their relationship came across as authentic and there’s a beautiful poignant quality in the storytelling that had me invested in the lives of both Jake & Leila as well as the fantastic cast of secondary characters around them.

I have to admit that Leila’s behaviour frustrated me at times, but for me that’s a sign of wonderful writing - that an author can elicit a strong emotion out of me! I savoured #The LastCharm over several days, it’s the type of book to take your time with and appreciate the various themes explored.

This delightful and touching story will stay with me for a long time and I look forward to reading more from Ella AllBright in the future.

I also had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and Sarah Lambie was an excellent narrator

Huge thanks to HarperCollins UK - One More Chapter & Netgalley for providing an eARC for review

The Last Charm is the bittersweet love story of Leila and Jake - laugh out loud funny to heartbreaking I really enjoyed this audiobook and I’m sure if I had been reading the book would have struggled to put it down.

Beautiful and emotional. Tender and touching. Heartwarming and heart wrenching. Ella Allbright’s enchanting storytelling hit me right in the feels. This is the story of Leila and Jake. The story spans 15 years and highlights the events that the charms on Leila‘s charm bracelet represent. A heart, a key, a dog, a car, a rainbow, a champagne bottle, A pencil, a book.... The story is told linearly so we really get to watch Layla, Jack, and their friends and family laugh, cry, and live through the years. The story has such a raw and authentic quality and I was completely invested in the lives of these characters. Leila was a great character, but wow did that girl frustrate me. Jake I just loved him he really was an honorable man. All the secondary characters added so much heart and charm to the story. This book really took me by surprise, it exceeded my expectations, and will stay with me for a long time. A stunning heartfelt story.

This book in emojis ✏️ 📖 🐶 🎨 🎼 🌈 🚗 🗝

*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

The Last Charm Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
Ella Allbright (Author), Sarah Lambie (Narrator)
This story starts with Leila posting on social media about her treasured lost charm bracelet in the hope that she will be reunited with it. Someone comes forward and in a bid to prove that the bracelet is in fact hers she tells the story of how she obtained each and every charm and exactly what they mean to her.
This is a delightful read and is very well narrated. The narration is set at a good pace and is clear and easy to follow.

The Last Charm by Ella Allbright.
Narrated by Sarah Lambie.
Omg wow. Such an emotional read. I was balling by the time I finished this audiobook. The ending. I was surprised. So beautiful and well written. 5*. Highly recommended.

This one sadly wasn’t really for me. I like a calm book but this was incredibly slow moving. The narrator was excellent and I enjoyed listening to her but I feel the plot just dragged on and in the end was looking forward to the end. It is a beautifully emotional book and the concept is intriguing but I just didn’t warm to the main character at all. Jake was a sweet and loving guy but Leila was irritating me throughout! I will listen to more from this narrator but this book wasn’t the one for me.

I went through EVERY. SINGLE. EMOTION while listening to the beautiful and heartbreaking story. This is a book that will stay with you for a long time and I book I will be recommending to everyone in my book club.
The narrator was amazing bringing this story to life.