The Last Thing You Said

Written by Sara Biren

Narrated by Julia Knippen

Lucy always loved summers on Halcyon Lake — sunning on the lake raft, relaxing on the boat, and spending every possible minute with her best friend, Trixie, and Trixie’s brother, Ben, Lucy’s lifelong crush. Until last summer, when one tragic event turned their idyllic world upside down.

Now nothing is the same. This summer, Trixie is gone, and Ben is distant, numbing his pain with parties and a string of interchangeable girlfriends. Lucy does her best to move on and avoid this cold new Ben. She throws herself into babysitting, waitressing, and a sweet new romance with the renter next door.

But in their small lake town, forgetting the past — and Ben — proves impossible. He still seems to be everywhere: at work, at the movies...and in Lucy’s heart. Lucy so wants to move on, but how can she forgive when she can’t forget?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abrams Books
• Release date: Feb 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781419740510

Reviews for The Last Thing You Said

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent story about the different ways people deal with grief. Lulu lost her best friend when Trixie had a heart attack and drowned one summer day. Ben lost his sister. They also lost their relationship with each other.Lulu has loved Ben since she first met him when Trixie brought her home with her from Kindergarten but it is only the summer when she turns sixteen that Ben returns her regard. But when Trixie dies, Ben blames his fascination with Trixie on not being able to save her. He takes out his anger on Lulu. He is consumed with guilt, drinking too much, hooking up with too many girls, and withdrawing from his family.Lulu has found a new friend in Hannah who is a recent arrival in town and a potential new boyfriend in Simon. He and his mother are renting the house next door for the summer. But her heart is still fixed on Ben. In their small northern Minnesota town, it's impossible to avoid people you don't want to see. Their lives keep crossing and Ben keeps hurting her. We also see how Trixie's death affected the adults in the story. Both Lulu's parents and Ben's parents are still dealing with their own grief as the summer progresses. I loved the setting of this story because I'm a Minnesota girl. I've been to all the real places that were mentioned. I loved the way Trixie was not forgotten. Lulu often told Trixie's young cousin Trixies about the things Trixie said and did. We learn to see Trixie as a girl who knew how to love and how to make each minute special. I heartily recommend this story to any fan of contemporary young adult fiction.

[Joannah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a good one, an engaging read centred on how people cope and live with grief. Beautifully narrated too.

[Amanda Wonders · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a Minnesota girl myself, I especially enjoyed this book! I didn't put it down!