The Last Thing You Said

by Sara Biren Narrated by Julia Knippen

Overview

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?
The Last Thing You Said is a deeply felt and romantic novel about listening to your heart and finding your path, whether that path leads to romance, healing, or your best self.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This is a brave debut, a brave look at the raw, messy, confusing bits of young love" 

— S.M. Parker, author of THE GIRL WHO FELL.

"A beautiful, gut-wrenching story about the complexities of grief and the saving grace of family, friendship, and love. Brave, raw, and exquisitely written." 

— Marci Lyn Curtis, author of THE ONE THING

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Biren's debut novel offers a tender look at a particular moment in the lives of two teens...The best kind of tragic love story."

— Kirkus

"Fans of Sarah Dessen and Huntley Fitzpatrick’s books will find much to love in this emotional romance."

— School Library Journal

"Biren’s tender story aches as the teens and their families try to put the pieces of their lives together again and find a way to heal... The compelling story will leave readers feeling the characters’ pain and cheering for them at the same time—and looking forward to more from this author."

— Booklist

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2017-01-17
The first summer after Trixie's death is a hard one for all the families who knew her, especially for her best friend, Lucy, and Trixie's brother, Ben.Though they were close when Trixie was alive, now that she's gone they can't seem to find a way to be together that doesn't hurt. So the two white teens try to stay away from each other. But that's not easy in their small Minnesota town, especially when they both work for the same family at a lakeside resort. Will they ever be able to find their way back to the comfort and love that existed between them before a bad case of survivors' guilt made everything inescapably sad? Lucy's cute new neighbor and Ben's habit of using girls to distract him from his feelings make the situation even more complicated. Biren's debut novel offers a tender look at a particular moment in the lives of two teens, a moment that feels real and uncontrived. Her book begins after the tragedy, and Biren proves deft at filling in the back story without overshadowing the problems of the present. New friends and young cousins provide some levity and comic relief that work well against the backdrop of raw emotion. The best kind of tragic love story. (Fiction. 15-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940195415419
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	01/27/2026
Edition description:	Unabridged