Our Last Goodbye: An absolutely gripping and emotional World War 2 historical novel

· Bookouture
4.7
6 reviews
Ebook
350
Pages

About this ebook

‘Absolutely fabulous… Had me hooked from the very first page… Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and had me in tears by the end of the book.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars


A heart-wrenching, poignant and totally unforgettable tale of a young woman who must finally face up to the secret she has hidden for a lifetime. A beautiful World War Two novel for fans of Wives of War, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe, that will have you reaching for the Kleenex.


1943, England: On a foggy night during the blackout, twenty-five-year-old May Robinson’s mother is tragically killed. Heartbroken, May isn’t sure she has the strength to harbour the secret she has kept for so many years – a secret her mother devoted her life to hiding, that would tear their broken family even further apart.


Vowing to make her mother proud, May trains to be a nurse at Edgemoor General hospital in South Shields, against a backdrop of wailing air-raid sirens and the eternal drone of enemy planes. Tending to wounded, ashen-faced soldiers, fighting to save lives, May is immediately drawn to kind-hearted Richard Bentley, who works tirelessly alongside her. He has sparkling brown eyes, and makes her laugh.

 

In the darkest of days, amongst death and despair, May and Richard are beacons of hope for one another. But why isn’t he fighting in the war like thousands of other brave young men?


May knows how she longs to escape her own past, and her mother’s. In this perilous time of such uncertainty, she finds herself asking – how well do they really know each other? And when the shocking truth of May’s secret comes to light, just as the war comes too close to home, can their love survive the impossible?


Readers are absolutely loving Our Last Goodbye:


'What an emotional journey... Had me spellbound... A truly emotional read that had me shed tears of happiness and sadness… May’s story is one that will certainly pull on the heart strings and I loved every minute of it.’ By The Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars


‘This book is an absolute treasure beyond words! From page one I couldn't put it down! May's story of true sadness and loss during World War Two brought me to tears!… Any one that loves a great historical read will fall in love with this book immediately as I did!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


'I absolutely loved it!... An emotional, heart-wrenching story of love and loss amidst the horror of war... Will tug at your heartstrings... Will have you reaching for the tissues throughout... Wonderful.' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


‘Oh boy, I have to say that Our Last Goodbye was one seriously awesome read. I absolutely loved it… Is exceedingly well written... Unputdownable… Oh my word... Will tug on even the toughest of heartstrings… My eyes welled up and I definitely needed a box of tissues.’ Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars


‘Fantastic… Loved this beautiful story… Fabulous… Have tissues handy.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


‘An absolutely fabulous read!... The writing was absolutely wonderful and had me hooked from the very first page. I loved the characters and really connected with them all… The story took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and had me in tears by the end. I’d love there to be another book to follow up May and Etty’s stories (please say there’s going to be one!!).’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars


‘I'll say no more except Our Last Goodbye by Shirley Dickson is a must read for everyone. So emotional, a beautiful story.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


‘Wonderful… Your heart will just ache… I didn’t want to leave.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars


‘Good job Shirley Dickson… A rollercoaster of emotions – love, relationships, mistakes, sadness and suspense.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars


‘Superb and beautifully written… Fascinating and insightful… Will completely draw you in and not let go.’ Sibzzreads, 5 stars


‘Unputdownable and emotional… Shirley Dickson has captured my heart in her stories. Dickson is truly a gifted author who will pull every emotion out of you… This one is definitely another 5 star read for me and another top book of the year.’ Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews, 5 stars


‘Just too good to miss. The story builds to an enthralling conclusion which had me reaching for the tissues and desperately wanting to know MORE!’ Waggy Tales, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

4.7
6 reviews
Gaele Hi
July 20, 2019
May has taken her mother out for a film to celebrate her birthday, but fog and the blackout lead to her mother falling off the curb and being hit by a trolley. . Devastated and feeling very alone, May is just moving through life, with no real firm plans, only a vague belief that she will, one day, be reunited with Billy and marry. But with her father having moved on to another woman, and her own position in the house jeopardized, she’s decided to take a chance at being a nurse. Egged on by her best friend, she takes the exams and is accepted into a rigorous training programme, one where she finds friends and hard work make her feel a part of things. During her time as a trainee nurse, there is one porter who always seems to be about and around: but her friendship with him is frought with difficulties. He’s a conscientious objector, and while there are sparks between them, and he’s always watching out for her – her own beliefs and quick judgments mean that she’s not always kind. Discovering more secrets from her best friend and her supposed fiancé, needing to tell her brother (evacuated to a farm up north) about the death of her mother and his own actual birth parent, and a relationship with a man who seeks more to control than love her, May is full of contradictions and confusion. Through it all, May weathers on and tries to make the best decisions for herself and her future in a very uncertain time. From discovering her talent for nursing and her ‘blunt honesty’ a knife that cuts through most superficial interactions, her growth and determination stand out to make her a heroine of her own story. Taking on her troubles with a sense of ‘get on with it’, May seems to epitomize the ‘keep calm and carry on’ of a duck – paddling like mad where none can see – while outwardly she is simply moving forward. A lovely story that contains great personal tragedies and triumphs that is set against the second world war, this is a story full of hope and optimism that holds a sense of days gone by, with plenty of moments to stir the emotions. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
1 person found this review helpful

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