Name: The Last Anniversary
Rating: 3.685950413223141 (121 reviews)
ISBN: 9781410475299

Liane Moriarty

"Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one she let get away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie's house on Scribbly Gum Island -- home of the famously unsolved MunroBabymystery"--Publisher website.

The Last Anniversary

They say trouble always comes in threes. And for triplets Lyn, Cat and Gemma Kettle, their thirty-third year is no exception. Sensible Lyn is struggling to balance being a mother, wife and business woman without losing her mind. Cat, whose perfect marriage is the envy of all her friends, never suspects that her husband has been hiding a secret that will tear her life apart. And directionless Gemma, who changes jobs and boyfriends every few months, has just met a new man who might be the answer she didn't know she was looking for. Through everything, the bonds of the sisters are strong enough to withstand whatever life throws at them. That is until the night of their thirty-fourth birthday dinner, when things are said that can't be taken back . . .

Three Wishes

Joanna Tweedale

Lamia Hajani

3 stars

I think I give this 3 stars mainly because I know Liane Moriarty can do better. I've read enough of her work now to know that she is better than what this book was. The story is interesting and the ending is surprising enough, but it's just a bit too long-winded for what it ended up being. Plus, I'm not sure all the little caveats were necessary to make this book interesting. There are many eccentric characters to keep track of, and I found myself needing to remind myself who each one was, because they were not interesting enough for my brain to remember on its own.

Still, I liked it, because Liane Moriarty does know how to write a readable book, whether it's my favorite or not. Would recommend, although it took me a little longer to get through than books I truly enjoy do.

last anniversary

Briar's Reviews

Liane Moriarty is a hit or miss author for me. I enjoy her writing style, but sometimes her books just don't hit right. The Last Anniversary was one of those books where I just thought there would be... more to it. It was a fantastic idea and it hit for a while, but then it felt like it went off the tracks. There was so much more this book could have been, but then it rushed it's way to the end, and the end was kind of dull... I expected something much more mind blowing and crazy than the ending we got.

This book had a lot of potential but it just didn't do it for me. I wish there had been more thought and more follow through on the many ideas and strings brought forward in this book.

Two out of five stars.

A Novel

I am now very attached to the Kettle girls. I think that Cat should have murdered Angela and Dan and her sisters should have helped her get away with it. I only took half a star off because I didn’t like how Lynne and her husband made fun of her ex boyfriend for being fat- I know it was the early 2000s, but that always rubs me the wrong way. I will probably just make my way through Liane Moriarty’s books this year- I love her writing style!

Kendra Leigh 

Jessica Ford

I have loved every book I've read by Liane Moriarty, and this was no different. Not quite as good as What Alice Forgot, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. The sisters were fun-loving; I would like to be friends with all of them. I really liked how the story was told, with little snippets interspersed told by strangers who observed the girls as they were growing up.

Eva Bailey

This has not aged well. Ableism, sexism and a sprinkle of homophobia.
Also the story was just boring, I skimmed to find out the 'twist' and then skim read the rest of the book. I love Liane Moriarty but this was nottttttt it.

The funny, heartwarming, and completely charming first novel from Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Nine Perfect Strangers and Big Little Lies. Lyn, Cat, and Gemma Kettle, beautiful thirty-three-year-old triplets, seem to attract attention everywhere they go. Together, laughter, drama, and mayhem follow them, but apart, each is dealing with her own share of ups and downs. Lyn has organized her life into one big checklist, Cat has just learned a startling secret about her marriage, and Gemma, who bolts every time a relationship hits the six-month mark, holds out hope for lasting love. In this wise, witty, and hilarious novel, we follow the Kettle sisters through their tumultuous thirty-third year as they deal with sibling rivalry and secrets, revelations and relationships, unfaithful husbands and unthinkable decisions, and the fabulous, frustrating life of forever being part of a trio.

Megan Vaughn

** spoiler alert **
           I really like Liane Moriarty’s writing style. I didn’t think this book (or many of her books, for that matter) had an extraordinary plot but the settings and level of detail of her books are always an enjoyable journey for me. 

Overall I fell in love with Gemma and her free spirit personality, combined with darker, more serious layers. I was pleased she and Charlie ended up together and I felt like she had a decent level of growth and character development, given that the book spanned less than a year. I felt Lyn was kind of a background character and didn’t see much arc to her story - whatever happened with her panic attacks? And finally, there was Cat who I found both humorous and heartbreaking. I was pleased with how things turned out for her - it didn’t seem like she was going to end up alone (given the photographer at the end) but also it seemed that she found her way forward without needing to rely on her preset dependency on her relationship. 

Overall I really like Liane Moriarty books because they usually leave me feeling good and they are peaceful, easy reads.

Cindy Lieberman

A quick, light read with a mystery that managed to keep me guessing almost to the end.

Melissa Schwartz

Liane Moriarty is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors!

Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one that got away. When she turned down his proposal three years ago, she broke his heart. Now that Sophie is single, longing for a baby and nearly 40, he's starting to look a lot more attractive... Sophie is just as shocked as Thomas when his Aunt Connie dies and leaves Sophie her beautiful house on Scribbly Gum Island. This tiny island is home to the famous 'Munro Baby Mystery' - a seventy-year-old unsolved crime. Sophie soon discovers that nearly everyone has a secret, and the biggest secret of all, the truth behind the Munro Baby Mystery, is set to explode on an extraordinary night that will test a marriage, a family and a friendship - the Last Anniversary.'Original and entertaining...deeply affecting' The Australian'A stunner several shades darker than typical chick lit... Moriarty's prose turns from funny through poignant to frightening in an artful snap.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'Intriguing mystery-cum-drama...things nearly fall apart before coming together in this endearing story that, like life, is a mix of the sad, the happy, the absurd and the magical.' AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY BOOK OF THE MONTH'A brave author who takes a risk to write about subjects not often found in this genre...This is a great read.' GOOD READING

chloe mcpherson

This book was meh for me. 
The story is told from several perspectives, which most I found unlikeable 
The mystery for me wasn’t much of a mystery because I kind of like ‘oh i bet this is what happened’ and then it turned out like how I thought it would happen so I was kind of let down. 

This book does touch on some heavy subjects, such as postnatal depression, rape of a minor.

Tracey O’Rourke

3.5 really - pretty good book but far from my favorite by this author.

Elena Garcia Navarro

4.5*

Moriarty did it again. 

I don't know how she always gets it right (in fact, I was quite surprised because this was her debut and it was perfectly constructed and wrapped up, no wonder she went on to write the big hit Big Little Lies was). The thing I love the most about Moriarty's books is how relatable and flawed her characters always feel. In this book we follow the ups and downs in the lives of the Kettle triplets. What a delight it was to get to know them and see how they handle their problems and every-day issues, always supporting each other. I really liked that each of them had such distinct and defined personalities but that at the same time their connection was so palpable and fierce, it even made me wish I was a triplet myself. Sisterhood, motherhood, trauma, abuse and betrayal, are some of the themes portrayed and discussed in this novel. 

I'm going to keep reading all of Moriarty's books 'cause I can't get enough of her stories.

Moon of Pages

Moriarty has this ability to hype a story that ends in a disappointment. Without spoilers, the entire book is about a mystery which you would think would be actually sinister and interesting, but it always ends up being not that great.

4 stars because the journey was better than the end.

Magdalene Lim

More chick lit than anything else, if you're looking for a thriller/mystery of sorts. Characters are well developed and it was an easy read but I didn't feel like there was much of a payoff from reading this book.

Jan Talkington

Perfect palate cleanser after a psychological read. I loved the triplets and enjoyed a glimpse into their life.

“Riveting.” —Washington Post Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one who got away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was going to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie’s house on Scribbly Gum Island—home of the famously unsolved Munro Baby Mystery. Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family, where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it’s about time she started making her own decisions. As Sophie’s life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around—and come up with your own fairy-tale ending. “A stunner…[Moriarty’s] prose turns from funny through poignant to frightening in an artful snap.” —Publishers Weekly («Starred Review«)

Last Anniversary

An enjoyable book about family and the love they have for each other even in their differences and at times dysfunction.

Alyssa Jacunski

Liane Moriarty has a way of capturing your attention from the very beginning with conversations between characters during this novel. You have no idea what the conversation is surrounding, nor do you know who is even speaking. Throughout the novel, I had inkling's of what the big reveal to the Munro Baby Mystery was going to be. However, I was off - boy was I off! Her writing is never what you expect it to. If you've read any of her other novels, I recommend this one. You won't be disappointed.

I really enjoy Moriarty's writing and can't wait to devour other books of hers.

The Last Anniversary

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