The Last Love Note: A Novel

The Last Love Note is a work of romantic women’s fiction published in 2023, the first adult novel by Australian author Emma Grey. Weaving flashbacks into the present action, the book follows the emotional journey of Kate Whittaker, a 40-year-old widow, as a weekend diversion presses her to realize what she feels for her boss, who has been there for Kate through the loss of her husband to Alzheimer’s disease. The work contains elements of romantic comedy but is largely an examination of Different Kinds of Grief and Bereavement, Motherhood and Parenting, and the importance of Attraction and Romantic Love. The book received several nods, was an Indie Next Pick, a Book of the Month Selection and Book of the Year Nominee, and garnered a Noteworthy mention in the Washington Post.

This guide refers to the 2023 Zibby Books trade paperback edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss infertility and miscarriage, the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, brief suicidal ideation, and assisted suicide. 

Plot Summary

Two years before the story opens, Kate is shopping in the supermarket and becomes overwhelmed with grief as she contemplates her widowhood, her young son, Charlie, whom she must now raise alone, and the fact that her husband, Cam, no longer exists.