I got it totally wrong when I thought Just Last Night would be a beach read. Light, it is not. But Mhairi McFarlane’s latest novel is absolutely wonderful.
Now that I’ve read it, I get why the synopsis was so (purposely) vague. It made me think the story was gonna go in one direction, but it took me in another one altogether.
So here’s how I’ll describe it: When a group of four thirtysomething friends who’ve known each other since childhood are struck by tragedy, picking up the pieces in the aftermath is harder than any of them expected. Long held secrets are revealed and friendships questioned as the group navigates their new reality.
Given the year we’ve just been through, this one may be tough for some readers. But Just Last Night explores grief with nuance and intelligence even while it keeps you laughing. There are so many eye opening lines about friendships, moving on, letting go and I can’t even share any of them with you without spoiling the details of the story.
It’s important to know this is contemporary fiction with romance as just one of several elements. Don’t go in looking for a rom-com.
If you liked Dear Emmie Blue or Four Weddings and a Funeral (the limited series, Mindy Kaling edition on Hulu), Just Last Night is totally in your wheelhouse. Or, if you loved Friends, but could do with a more British sensibility, pick up Just Last Night. As the Friends co-creators recently said on the reunion special, it’s a show about that time in your life when your friends are your family. That’s Just Last Night, too.
4 stars
CW: death, grief, estrangement from family, verbal abuse
Get Just Last Night from The Ripped Bodice |Bookshop.org | IndieBound| Amazon | Apple Books
If you’re looking for my reviews of Mhairi’s previous books, check out: