Yes to trigger warnings.
Yes to mental health rep.
Yes to friends to strangers to friends to lovers.
Yes to making the reality of having a dream means you have to work hard and that you might actually fail. I think that is where a lot of books lose me, because they have this dream or dream job and then everything gets handed to them? I'm sorry but that is not how most of us live. This book was charming, bold, and sexy!

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Certain aspects of this book worked perfectly, but certain fell short.

I'll start with what worked.

I applaud the author for including her own experiences with sexual assault in the book. I think it was incredibly brave and well done. I love that each spicy scene started with asking for and granting consent. In that regard, this book was excellent. I also really enjoyed the smut, it was pretty well executed.

Another thing I loved was the mental health rep. I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, and I think that these conditions were portrayed truthfully. I also love the message that we are all a work in progress, and that it's okay not to be okay from time to time.

However, this is where I have to turn to several elements that didn't really work for me.

For one, I found the language far too simplistic. The dialogues didn't sound realistic at all, and some parts were incredibly cringey to me. There is indeed potential, and I hope future books in the series show the author has made some progress in this regard.

Next, the side characters were not at all developed. It seemed as if they were just three to fit into roles: the overprotective brother, the funny friend, the stern dads, the depressed mom... Besides these traits, the characters were flat and didn't make me care one bit.

The romance... I thought it was rushed. We didn't get to see many scenes of them as teens, and we were suddenly thrust into their meeting ten years later. As such, this meeting didn't really hold any weight or make me feel anything. We were told, again and again, that they were close and that he was in love with her back then, but I think showing that would have made the story more moving and powerful. I found the whole reason they fell out of touch incredibly stupid. It felt a bit lazy, like the author needed a reason for them to fall out and this was all she could think of. And then they literally just jumped into being in love and obsessed with each other, so there was no chase or pining or longing. I think those elements are necessary in a second chance romance, especially if it's friends to lovers.

I feel like the author had a good idea and included all the right tropes, but the execution wasn't the greatest. Some parts could've been omitted, others were just too cringey (Josh's dad hearing him play and suddenly forgetting a decade old grudge, for example), while some needed to be rewritten in more detail and expanded.

All in all, it was an easy read with great mental health rep, but it needed a lot more work. Seeing as this is a debut, I will definitely pick up more books from the author in the future, all in hope that she'll improve. One thing is for sure: the potential is definitely there.

The Last Encore

✨ARC Review✨

While I thought this was an adorable debut by one of the sweetest Bookstagrammers in the community, I think I struggled with it. I didn’t have a hard time with any of the content, and the premise of the story was cute. I just struggled to stay engaged and to finish. It could have been a case of right book, wrong time. It’s difficult for me to place a finger on what exactly though. I think in simplest terms, the pacing and lengthy chapters were hard for me to digest.

I did find Avery to be quite a relatable character, especially with her anxiety, family drama, and past trauma. And I just want to take a moment and appreciate how adorable Josh is! A man who goes out of his way to play sweet reminiscing music on the piano, and picks out a dress for Avery to wear because he just KNOWS it’s perfect for her! What a cinnamon roll!

The Last Encore was a cute, swoon-worthy embodiment of old flames, new sparks, and all the feelings! It sheds light on first loves, but also trusting and loving yourself! I highly recommend giving this one a try if it has been on your radar!

What’s On The Pages:
-childhood best friends turned ex best friend
-friends to lovers
-slow burn / steamy
-an old flame with new spark!

⚠️CW/TW: per author: sexual assault, depression, anxiety, loss of a loved one

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5 rounded up)
Steam Factor 🔥🔥/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and Elodie Colliard for this eARC! The Last Encore is out November 1st!

I requested this because I thought the cover was really cute, and it was set in Toronto - I am always down to support Canadian authors writing books set in Canada. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get through it. The pacing was just too slow for a romcom, and it didn’t feel very well edited (not because of errors! Just general… awkwardness). By the time the love interest finally came on page, I was already skimming. I do commend the author for putting her first book out there, and if it’s self-published I’ve definitely read far worse, but sadly it didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for this earc

Sadly, this book wasn’t for me.

Let me start with the fact that writing played a huge role in that. It just felt very basic, scenes felt completely disconnected from each other and sometimes just awkward.

This book was sold as a second chance romance but was missing all the important parts of that. First, we didn’t get enough flashbacks to see how the relationship between Avery and Josh began and grew. They talk about how close they were, including Brooke, but you don’t feel it at all. And after Josh is back neither Avery or Brooke gave him a hard time for long enough. Also Brooke and Josh barely have any page time so their friendship feels completely made up.

I was absolutely not sold on the “new” relationship between Avery and Josh either. They haven’t seen each other for 10 years, from when they were tenagers to now adults. They barely talk about anything and somehow they are madly in love? You’re telling me they didn’t change at all as people in 10 years and were able to jump right back into it? I don’t buy it. I didn’t see any ups or downs or even a serious conversation.

And of course Avery herself. I couldn’t connect to her at all as a character. But the scene I am still confused about when she got super jealous when she saw text from Brooke on Josh’s phone. Like girl, a Brooke is lesbian, b aren’t you all friends? You are that insecure about this whole “love of your life” thing?

Also, totally a side point, but can anyone explain to me how Josh left his home at 16 and was able to live in Europe for 10 years? Like who supported him? How did he pay for anything? Where did he live??? I got the part that he went to college but the rest of it? Makes absolutely no sense.

Overall, nothing about this book hit the spot.

The Last Encore was such a great friends-to-lovers, second chance romance! After Josh disappeared from her life wordlessly for a decade, Avery was heartbroken. Ten years later and her life is in complete disarray from both a personal and a professional standpoint. What better time for Josh to show back up!

Avery was such a unique character to get to connect with. Her character felt really flushed out and easy to love, no easy feat for a debut author! Her relationship with Josh was such a fun read. The characters could be a little overly dramatic at some times, but that could just be a personal perspective. Over all I really liked the book!

This was a great debut from Elodie Colliard. I loved the story and thought the history between Evie and Josh gave this story a unique spin on the friends-to-lovers and second chance romance tropes. The Toronto setting really shined, too.

Some of the middle felt laggy, and the dialogue could get overly dramatic. But, my thoughts about that were softened a bit after reading the author’s note at the end about wanting to champion main characters who are emotional and wear their heart on their sleeve.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to whatever comes next from this author!

First of all, thank you SO MUCH Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will give this as many stars as possible! 5/5! it was great, spicy and filled with everything I love in a book!

Oh god I loved loved LOVED this book! It was so sweet and filled with romance and spice! It's a sweet and charming story. This is a slow burn and friends to lovers story that had me hooked throughout the entire book and i read it in two sittings! I loved Josh and Avery as characters, and the story is filled with flash backs, which gives the reader a much better understanding for their past. Such a cute an fast read! That this is Elodie's debut novel blows my mind! I cannot wait for Miles' and Riley's story nor can I wait to see what else Elodie brings into the world!

Josh and Avery used to be best friends, but when Josh suddenly left for Europe their friendship broke apart. After 10 years, he finally returns and their story continues!

The Last Encore will be release November 1st so get ready to fall in love with Josh and Avery!

Before I start, I just want to acknowledge the fact that this book is the author's DEBUT NOVEL! Like, I am super impressed and I definitely wouldn't have known if it wasn't written in the back of the book. I really enjoyed this book, I loved Josh and Avery both individually and together.

Once upon a time Josh and Avery were the best if friends... Until Josh upped and left, leaving Avery behind, leaving her broken hearted and never hearing from him again.

That is until he shows up one night unexpectedly at an event, which Avery is being forced to go to for her father, and their worlds collide once more. Meaning that Avery has to deal with the inner struggles of deciding whether or not she can put her trust into him again.

I don't usually love friends to lovers books but I think the fact that they weren't exactly friends when the romance came about made this so much more enjoyable for me. I loved the fact that Avery is so independent too, like she's not like all the other FMC who would drop their dreams that they've spent their entire lives working towards for a guy, she knows what's important to her and I appreciate that.

But I do also love the sexual tension between them both and were desperate for them to be together so my morals would go straight out of the window😂. I also enjoy that there was more to the story than just the romance, we also got to see a lot of Avery's job and the competition she enters and it's all just really exciting, the romance just makes it even better of course.

I'm so glad I got to read this so thank you to netgalley and the author for the review copy of this book.

The Last Encore by Elodie Colliard is a sweet and cute read as two friends reunite and unable to hide their feelings anymore, finally end up together like they were always meant to be. I had a great time reading this book as I'm always a fan of this trope. Their history and chemistry has nothing against their emotions, as they get to know one another again, they fall madly in love. I highly recommend you to read this book as soon as its out. Its cute and sweet - everything a romance book should be.

The Last Encore focuses on Avery, a photographer who just really needs for life to stop throwing her curveballs. Family drama on top of problems with her photography business just do not make for a fun time for her. Then, add in an ex-childhood friend to the mix, and things get really messy. Or do they?

Josh and Avery were childhood friends before he took off to chase his music career. But, now he’s back in Avery’s life. Their story is one of friends to lovers and second chances.

To be honest, The Last Encore didn’t really do it for me. I never felt a connection to Avery and I didn’t feel her connection to other characters, either. The slow burn wasn’t slow or burn enough for my tastes—it didn’t feel organic. I would have loved to see more of the friendships in the past between Avery and Brooke and Avery and Josh so that they could feel more fleshed out to me.

The Last Encore gets 3/5 stars from me. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Clumsy and awkward writing in this. It opens with a huge amount of backstory and how the main character feels about it in long paragraphs. It feels more like a first draft than a finished product, and did not generate enough interest in the first two chapters. This might work for someone new to the genre.

THE LAST ENCORE is a roller coaster of emotions from start to finish. What I loved most about what Elodie has written was the emotional depth and honesty of her characters and what they’ve gone through. The mental health rep in this book resonated with me a lot - and sometimes it’s tricky to write and nail with sincerity but Elodie did a beautiful job.

Avery and Josh’s story is a slow burn and the tension between these two after so long had me SO ANXIOUS. Honestly, I could’ve used even MORE angst - but the emotional connection between these two makes their relationship special.

THE LAST ENCORE has a really special musical aspect to it that really sealed the deal for me - Elodie crafted a playlist that is 🤌🏾💋 and I couldn’t be more obsessed. (Swifties… you’ll love it!)

This was sooooo cute! All the happy and good vibes! It was a cute lil romance and I recommend for a fun and quick book!

I love a second chance romance with all my heart, but this one was only just okay for me.

I think there was a lot of potential with this book, and with some more intensive editing it could have been much better, but the relationships felt underdeveloped, as did the writing. There was a lot of very repetitive language, and the love interest felt a little too obviously in love with the main character from the start. There was no build up, no tension. I don't regret reading it per se, but I likely wouldn't recommend it to others. It is a debut, which makes me think future novels from this author may be much better as she develops more as a writer.

Overall, I'd give this 2-2.5 stars.

What a incredible debut novel. I absolutely fell in love with both Avery and Josh. I loved that this novel took place in Toronto (fellow Canadian living in the prairies!) and it is just so nice to read a book with Canadian representation. There was great mental health representation with Avery dealing with her panic attacks. I don't enjoy when a book forces certain subjects down your throat, but the mental health rep was done very well. I was hoping to see more of Brooke in the book as I felt she did kind of fall off in the second half once Avery and Josh were spending so much time together. I also felt that the storyline with Avery's dad really didn't get concluded when it was a bigger talking point at the beginning of the book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for Elodie's next one! Thank you so much for the ARC and allowing me to provide feedback. 4.5 stars rounded up.

This had all of my favorite things. Friends to lovers along with second chance romance. I eat those troupes UP!!!!!

This book was a cute and fun read, was it my favorite no. But I will recommend it to others to read. I love fast paced books but this was just a little too face pasted for me. I love a good slow burn ❤️❤️

Thank you @netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an arc of The Last Encore by @elosreadingcorner in exchange for an honest review. 🤍

The Last Encore is absolutely beautiful friends to lovers, second chance novel, and I can't believe it's the author's debut novel! Absolutely fantastic and overall short and sweet. It tells the story of Avery and Josh, who were childhood best friends but had drifted apart after Josh leaves the country after promising to never leave Avery. They haven't spoken in years until Josh comes back to town.

I'm not really a fan of second chance romances as it often has slow pacing, with all the trying hard to get, struggling with conflicting emotions (should I get back together with him/her, should I give it another shot), but the story gave me so many emotions as I was reading it - it was quite fast-paced for the trope and I honestly want to smack Avery in the beginning when she didn't make Josh at least work for winning her affection back and just jumped into him and letting him in her life again almost instantly. Come on girl, at least let him beg a bit more? 😅

After they reconnected I quite enjoyed their characters, especially Avery. I can relate to her very well as someone who also deals with high levels of anxiety every day. I loved that despite her anxiety and panic attacks, she chose to be strong and resilient.

Although I would have liked to have read more about the depth of their history together, I loved how Avery and Josh's relationship grew even more passionately after all those years apart, how they grew to discover and accept their feelings for each other.

The author touched on the struggles with mental health, in dealing with anxiety and depression, loss of a loved one and sexual assault. I appreciated that she took the time to write out a trigger warning to her readers and she absolutely nailed it and handled mental health delicately all throughout the book.

Rating The Last Encore ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. This gem comes out November 1st, 2022!

PS: The cover is just too damn beautiful! 😍

#TheLastEncore #NetGalley

One thing to know going into this novel is that this author is a beautifully die hard romantic. If you love Christina Lauren or Elena Armas (The Spanish Love Deception & The American Roommate Experiment), this is a book on your wavelength. If you love grand gestures and emotions run wild, this is the book for you.

I love a good 'What If?' pining story and this is the epitome of that when Avery and Josh run into each other after 10 years apart. This may not be a typical second chance romance but it asks the question 'what happens when the person you thought you lost returns again?'. The intensity that sizzles between Avery and Josh is immediate and electric. It's a less of a 'will they or won't they' than 'is this a good idea' and 'will they crash and burn'?

What else is there to love?
- As a Canadian, the descriptions of Toronto + Kensington Market just made me so happy
- The mental health portrayal of Avery as a real girl with real insecurities and anxiety
- The steam and LOTS of it
- The suggested playlist

I also really appreciate the author sharing her TW at the front with a note about her own experience with sexual assault. It happens to many of us but you don't often see the long-term ramifications and how that factors into real (or fairytale) life. The topic was broached so well and I LOVED how consent was at the forefront of Avery and Josh’s interactions. SO IMPORTANT!!

Overall an excellent debut from Elodie!! And this cover is stunning!

This was a good showing for a debut novel. This is billed as a second chance romance but Josh & Avery didn’t actually have a first chance. With that said, I personally find their reconnection and romance believable enough. I wish there had been earlier exploration of WHY Josh leaving was traumatizing - it ingratiates you to both characters once you know what happened to Avery when they were in high school. I enjoyed it, and the spice was 5/5. 3 stars here for me.

There were some characterization quirks that keep this from being more than 3 stars. There are a number of ancillary characters in the book who are *important* to the story & the MCs but aren’t fleshed out at all (namely, all of them but Josh & Avery).

Editing errors were noticeable & common for me, but since I have an ARC copy from Netgalley I’m not including them as a factor in my rating :)

I’ll definitely be tuning in for book 2