The Last Word

by Samantha Hastings

London, 1861. Miss Lucinda Leavitt is shocked when she learns the author of her favourite serialised novel has died before completing the story. Determined to learn how it ends, Lucinda reluctantly enlists the help of her father’s young business partner, Mr. David Randall, to track down the reclusive author’s former whereabouts.

David is a successful young businessman, but is overwhelmed by his workload. He wants to prove himself to his late father, as well as to himself. He doesn’t have the time, nor the interest, for this endeavour, but Lucinda is not the type to take no for an answer.

Their search for the elusive Mrs. Smith and the rightful ending to her novel leads Lucinda and David around the country, but the truths they discover about themselves - and each other - are anything but fictional.

• ISBN10: 1250301882
• ISBN13: 9781250301888
• Publish Date: 1 August 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 4 April 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

It wasn't easy being a young woman in 1861. All Lucinda wanted to do was contribute to her father's business, but society dictated that she belonged in the home, bored to tears. When one of her favorite authors died before finishing their book, Lucinda was determined to get those last pages. This search for the "ending" resulted in more than Lucinda had ever anticipated.

• Pro: I rarely read historicals, but for some reason, the majority seem to be set during this time period, and I always enjoy it. I was amused, time and time again, by how prim and proper everyone acted, and loved seeing characters toppling social barriers.

• Pro: Her father tried his hardest to turn Lucinda into a proper lady, but she could not keep that much spirit under wraps. It was fun seeing all the little ways she pushed the boundaries, and David's reactions to her shenanigans were priceless.

• Pro: Speaking of David, he was a great match for Lucinda. Unlike most men of that time period, he delighted in Lucinda's mathematical brilliance, curiosity, and desire to do more than write letters and work on her needlepoint. Hooray, for forward-thinking men.

• Pro: Lucinda won my heart. She was fierce, determined, and very much an independent thinker. That girl had moxie, and I loved the way she challenged people and their ideas of who she should be.

• Pro: It was wonderful watching the spark ignite between these two former friends. The interactions between David and Lucinda were sweet and fun and packed with snappy banter. There were these seriously swoony parts too, that just melted my heart. The romance between these two was absolutely precious, and I was shipping them the whole time.

• Pro: I think readers will appreciate the feminist messages permeating the story. Lucinda was definitely a woman ahead of her time.

Overall: A fun and charming romance between a lovely hero and a spirited heroine, which was filled with a little action, a bit of mystery, witty banter, and lots of swoons.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .

I hadn't really been sure I would read this when I found it in my FierceReads package. It seemed awfully cute, which isn't bad, I just didn't know if it was my "thing". Anyway, after reading a ton of books set in the future, I was jonesing for some historical fiction (and fine, something relatively short, don't judge). So I grabbed it off the shelf, and I am so glad that I took a chance on it! It's such an unexpected gem! 

Yes, it's cute, but not in a cheesy, sugary way. It's more that yes, there are very swoony moments, and it overall made my insides feel happy, but the characters also went through some junk too. It wasn't just adorableness and magic, it was real. Basically the author did an amazing job of toeing the line between adorable and saccharine. 

The main character, Lucinda, thinks that the nineteenth century norms of treating women like possessions is garbage. I agree with Lucinda, so we were getting along right from the start. While her father wanted her to get married and Idk, trot around in fancy garb (look, I have no idea what women did then, but seems frilly and boring), Lucinda wanted to use her amazing math-wizard brain to help the family business. Her father's partner (and her former childhood pal) David seemed to be down with Lucinda doing some work. Because she was awesome at it and he knew it. 

Lucinda was also pretty bummed because the author of her favorite serial story is dead... and has left no clue to the ending. Lucinda is bound and determined to find out the ending, and she enlists the help of David. Sure, she has to bend the truth a little, but such is life. David doesn't want to get in the middle of family arguments, even though he does seem to agree with Lucinda's desire for independence and purpose. They get along quite well, and you can tell that even when they're on opposite sides there's an undeniable spark. 

Bottom Line: Ultimately, it's impossible to not cheer for Lucinda and want her to break free from the nonsense societal norms. Watching her use her intellect and wit to do just that is an adventure you won't want to miss.