I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom Also by this author: No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday, No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs, No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day, Dinner Party
Published by Bookouture on 23rd February 2018
Genres: Chicklit, Humour
Pages: 308
Format: eARC
Source: from Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle, Audible
‘I’ve googled it, how to die,’ Jenny says to Maureen. ‘It was full of climbing this mountain, swimming that sea, becoming a marathon runner and raising millions for charity.’
‘Sounds like bloody hard work. You can make it more fun than that surely?’
Jenny discovers her days are numbered at the same time she discovers her husband is having an affair…
Frankly, her life was tough enough already. Two tricky teenagers, her mother’s constant complaints, friends who aren’t up to the job and a career which has been spiralling downwards since she won ‘Sunseeker Tour Rep of the Season’ twenty years ago.
And now this: a cheating husband and a death sentence.
Enough is enough. Jenny vows to keep both catastrophes a secret. She takes her life – and death – into her own hands and decides to live as she did when she was happiest… in 1996. She plans a spectacular 1990’s themed party in place of a wake that she herself will attend. But will she be able to keep her secrets for long enough to have the party of a lifetime?
Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour. I loved Tracy’s No-one ever has sex series so when I heard that Tracy had a brand new book I had to read it.
Jenny finds out that she is terminally ill the day after her 40th birthday. She decides that instead of telling everyone that she is dying she will live life to the fullest for as long as possible. When I read the first few chapters of this book I thought oh that’s a bit different to the authors previous books and set myself up for a bit of a sob fest but in true Tracy style I didn’t shed a tear until the last 3%.
I really admired Jenny. She gives us lots funny stories and moments throughout this book. She is an extremely strong and brave character. While battling cancer she manages to deal with a cheating husband, a typical teenage daughter and a son with anxiety issues. Oh and continue to go to work and plan an awesome party. Personally I don’t think I could have done it. You would have found me under a duvet sobbing.
The only person Jenny tells her fate to is Maureen. Maureen lives at the old people’s home where Jenny works. I absolutely loved Maureen. She was such a good friend to Jenny. She was funny but also straight talking. She was exactly what Jenny needed.
I loved the party and the flash backs to 1996. I love Corfu and really enjoyed the little glimpses we got in this book.
The end of this story was perfect. I have seen other people say they thought it was abrupt or that they wanted to see what happened after. For me I am happy to live in the 1%.
Tracy’s writing is funny and poignant. She has taken some of the worst moments imaginable and put a positive light on them. This is not an easy job but Tracy makes it seem effortless. Tracy has proved she can not only write laugh out loud stories but, also those that make you take stock of your life and live for the here and now.
About Tracy Bloom
Tracy started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote her romantic comedy, NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY. This debut novel went on to be successfully published internationally and became a #1 Best Seller.
Back in the UK she has continued her writing career and has just launched her sixth book.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Leave a Reply