Can you truly forgive and forget? Ambri and Henry have been best friends forever. They’ve been through the highs and lows of life with each other by their sides. Together, they can face it all. Until one night destroys everything. Two years after he stepped out of it, Henry walks back into Ambri’s life and she’s more than a little shocked. But as old friends fall into even older habits they need … into even older habits they need to decide whether they can forget the past and embrace their future.
Perfect for fans of Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult and Anna Bell.
Praise for The Last Dance:
‘Perfectfor a hopeless romantic, Ambri and Henry’s story feels real, and honest, and it was incredibly easy to get utterly lost in – completely un-put-downable!’ Hannah Brown.
‘The book is just perfect!’ NetGalley Reviewer.
‘The Last Dancehad me cryingand laughingand just feeling good’ Phyliss Hasen.
‘I adoredthis book’ Emma Lewis.
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Aimee Brown does it again! This emerging author delivers another “must read,” showcasing her writing chops and proving her bestselling debut, THE LUCKY DRESS, was not a one-hit-wonder!
THE LAST DANCE is a complicated, unconventional contemporary romance, tugging at the heartstrings from the first pages. Contrary to popular pastiche of this genre, the protagonists have soul, all the rough edges and imperfections we find in real life.
When Henry moves back to #WeirdPortland with his new girlfriend, he soon realizes that the ghosts of his past are around every corner, and it’s clear within moments of seeing her, he’s not over Ambri, his ex-best friend / one-time lover / sister of his deceased wife (See? It’s complicated.)
So many layers are peeled away as Brown deftly reveals their past through a series of memories. As Ambri and Henry confront their unfinished business, we are treated to heart-stopping, messy moments:
“‘Why are you telling me this?’
‘Because I’m tired of living my life without you in it. We used to tell each other everything. You are my person, Ambri.’
I grunt a disbelieving laugh. ‘I’m your person? Just like that.’”
Lots of believable, funny dialog told through Ambri’s and Henry’s alternating first person point of views, sensual scenes, and likable characters, along with the authentic vibe of this quirky Pacific Northwest city, drive the story to its happily-ever-after and kept me turning pages into the early morning hours. Despite our heroine Ambri’s disdain for the word “epic”— “I hate that word. I hate that people use it for everything. What an epic coffee. I had an epic adventure…Just no. Not everything can be epic.” —THE LAST DANCE is an epic read that you don’t want to miss!
I’m going to be completely honest and admit that this is my first time reading the author, Aimee Brown’s work and I must say that I definitely wasn’t disappointed at all! 🙂
In this story, the main characters, Henry and Ambri, have to go through some serious obstacles that life throws in their path to truly make them realize what’s in front of them. This was honestly an emotional, funny, intense story of how it’s never too late to get a second chance at forgiveness, acceptance, honesty and most importantly, love <3 🙂
I definitely recommend this read to anyone who's interested in a great story. This comes out in 2019 and I can guarantee you guys won't regret reading it because it's worth it 😉
Great book
This was a great story that made me cry and swoon. I enjoyed these characters, but I do wish there would have been an epilogue.
Ambri doesn’t know how to help her best friend, Henry, now. He’s still grieving his wife, who happened to be Ambri’s sister, and Ambri’s worried because Henry just is not dealing. And when things get intimate between the two and Henri takes off after, dealing Ambri the biggest blow of her life, will she ever forgive him? Give him a second chance when he walks back into her life two years later? Honestly, if I were Ambri, I’d never have spoken to him again, but that’s just me. I’m vindictive when I’m hurt and it’s obvious Ambri’s a much better person than I. Luckily for Henry.
I enjoyed this story. It’s much more realistic than any of the other friends to enemies to lovers romances I’ve ever read. I especially loved Ambri, as she’s fun and funny and tough, and a normal woman. Henry I had a much harder time with, even toward the end when he sorta redeemed himself. But because I loved Ambri so much, and the story was so realistic and heartwarming, I can kinda give him a big pass. So, 4 stars because Ambri and the story are top notch. 1 star taken away though, because Henry is a douchenozzle.
GOOD CHARACTERS INTERESTING READ
At first it frustrated me, but it became wonderful as the author explored Henry and his mental health issues with real sensitivity. A really good overall book with very likeable characters.
The Last Dance hits on all my favorite “angst” inducing tropes; unrequited love, rejection, friends to lovers, and redemption. Aimee Brown sets the story in Portland, Oregon (another draw for me), and gives us the story of teen-age friends becoming family and having it all fall apart after one emotional night. After having recognized deeper feelings for his best friend and “sister-in-law” Ambri, Henry finds himself at a cross roads and takes the cowards way out. Henry makes a few too many mistakes and finds that path to forgiveness is not an easy one. But you can’t help yourself in rooting for these two to find their way back to each other.
After leaving Portland and abruptly cutting ties with Ambri, Henry returns home with him his new love interest. At this point Ambri too has seemingly moved on, but fate has other ideas about their future. Ambri is a spunky and brave young women. She’s incredibly in-tune with how she feels, talented and compassionate, and she doesn’t give herself enough credit – making her entirely relatable. As her best friend, Henry was always there for her, well, until he wasn’t:
“Not that I’m anyone special, but he always made me feel as if I were. He was always the one to remind me that I could do anything I wanted.”
The story is told from both of their perspectives so we are always aware of the intesity and depth of their relationship. Henry knows his mistakes are monumental, and when he finds himself a part of Ambri’s life again he begins to see the inevitable.
“What’s left of my heart now feeling like it would only show a flat line if on a heart monitor. I’m not over her like I’ve been telling myself I was. Not even a little bit.”
I was a bit worried about the “sister in law aspect”, after all Henry was married to Ambris’ sister Rory. But Brown does a masterful job at the intricacies of connection between these three individuals. We get to know Rory through both Ambri’s and Henry’s memories and see what an amazing person she was.
Brown creates an amazing world is this circle of friends; Ben and Claire, Noah, Karmen, and of course Ambri and Henry. There are so many nuances in their relationship, and moments that show who they are to each other. Their history is deep and not being in each others lives took it’s toll on their spirits. I found myself completely immersed in their world and read this in one afternoon and I can’t recommend this book enough. Browns’ writing is impeccable and I look forward to reading more from this new to me author.
Great friendship, great love story. Was lucky enough to get to read an ARC of this book. Read it, you won’t be disapointed. You also will want to read the rest of Aimee’s books.
The Last Dance is a sweet and emotional friends to lovers novel.
Ambri and Henry were best friends since they were students. They were always side by side during the good and bad days, until they go through such a terrible heartbreak and loss that will test their friendship.
I liked how this story unfolds,I didn’t feel like it was rushed at all.
I appreciate how the main characters come back together little by little also with some help from their friends.
I will defintely pick up Aimee Brown next book because I enjoy her writing and her characters.
This romance novel follows childhood best friends Ambri and Henry on the twisty and sometimes jagged path from friendship to maybe more.
This book gave me all the feels! This is not an “everything is happy all the time” romance novel. A major plot point is that Henry was married to Ambri’s sister. I appreciate that the author didn’t attempt to put Ambri and Henry together immediately after Henry becomes a widow – a lengthy period of time passes within the novel. Ultimately this book was about friendship and I think the author does a beautiful job of demonstrating not just the problems the characters face in trying to come together but their deep and genuine emotions of betrayal and love.
If you enjoy realistic romance novels I recommend The Last Dance!
I read an ARC copy. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.
4 1/2 stars. This is my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. This is a beautifully written friends to lovers story that took me from A-Z with my emotions. It is so full of heart and soul and has everything you could ask for. Henry and Ambry are just so special and amazingly deep characters, and they are so good together. The best of friends! Until one day something happens to change all that. I found myself rooting for them to get past what had led to their time apart and bring them back stronger than ever. So much goodness in this book!
Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
Walking through a lightning storm to get to love
Here we have AlwaysDoTheRightThingHenry and AlwaysDatesTheWrongGuyAmbri. Best friends forever. Never more. Firmly friendzoned. Henri even married Ambri’s sister, only to have her die on him. And he doesn’t deal with that. He’s understandably depressed and shuts Ambri out. And really hurts her. Destroys her. That was 2 years ago.
And now he’s back. How will they find each other again? When they both have new partners? And can they be more than ‘just’ friends?
I loved it. Easy-to-read. Good flow. Some foul-mouthed language, but not too bad and it actually never goes THERE. You know, first person present tense is not my favorite writing style. But Aimee Brown makes it work in a seemingly effortless way. The story was depressing in the beginning. It depressed me a bit as well, to the point where I even ugly-cried. Heart-breaking! Writing about depression is important; so many people deal with it and it shouldn’t be a taboo. So, it was not a light-hearted beginning. But it was such a good story! I really liked Henry. Of course I didn’t like what he DID, but he’s a good person who does one bad thing. And I also really liked Ambri. She’s honest. I did feel bad for their new partners, until…no, that’s for you to find out. You won’t regret it.
I was immediately pulled into this wonderful story and couldn’t put the book down!! Put this one on the top of your to-be-read pile!
Aimee Brown blended the past and the present seamlessly, yanked on my heart strings with grief, and built me back up with the oh so perfect love story.
As a huge fan of music (especially live shows), coffee, food, and people watching, I feel I’d fit right in and be friends with this tight-knit group! You won’t want to leave once you join them!!
This book was so raw and real. I loved it! The Last Dance is a story of love lost through heartbreaking circumstances. Brown’s characters are the real deal and the reader will feel the angst of their heartbreak and hope for their reconciliation. Brown was a new-to-me author but I plan to gobble up her other works!
I really wanted to like this story and the start was promising.
I read for enjoyment and a little romance. There was no romance, only heartbreak and depressing reminiscing
I gave up half way through.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.