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Mabel Beaumont #2
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore
The totally uplifting and unmissable follow-on to the No.1 bestselling hit The Last List of Mabel Beaumont ✨📋❤️
There’s just one thing she’s forgotten…
Dot Brightmore has never been one for lists. But now she’s been given one of her own, by the love of her life, with whom she’s finally been reunited. Dot’s list has just two words on it:
1. Marry me
The problem is, Dot can’t get married. Because what Dot hasn’t yet told anyone is that she’s still married. To a man she hasn’t seen in years.
But her beloved Mabel isn’t a woman can be stopped easily. After all, her own last list helped her find Dot again. So now – together and with all the other friends they’ve met along the way – they have to find a way to for Dot to answer ‘yes’ to the question on her very first list…
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is a gorgeous, completely heartbreaking, uplifting story, that’s guaranteed to make you smile. Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Rosie Project.
This novel can be read as a standalone.
There’s just one thing she’s forgotten…
Dot Brightmore has never been one for lists. But now she’s been given one of her own, by the love of her life, with whom she’s finally been reunited. Dot’s list has just two words on it:
1. Marry me
The problem is, Dot can’t get married. Because what Dot hasn’t yet told anyone is that she’s still married. To a man she hasn’t seen in years.
But her beloved Mabel isn’t a woman can be stopped easily. After all, her own last list helped her find Dot again. So now – together and with all the other friends they’ve met along the way – they have to find a way to for Dot to answer ‘yes’ to the question on her very first list…
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is a gorgeous, completely heartbreaking, uplifting story, that’s guaranteed to make you smile. Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Rosie Project.
This novel can be read as a standalone.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
May 11, 2026
Get the tissues ready!
Read
May 23, 2026What a lovely read, really enjoyed catching up with Mabel and Dot xx a beautiful story of love no matter what age or gender
May 10, 2026
Laura Pearson’s The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is, at times, a deeply moving and gently profound exploration of late-life fulfillment. At other times, it’s simply a lot of fun. Following the wonderful The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, this sequel shifts the lens toward Dot, even though it’s again Mabel that narrates this.
The strength of the novel lies almost fully in its lead characters. Dot and Mabel are 86, and their reunion after sixty years apart is handled with such tenderness that it is impossible not to root for them. Their relationship is a poignant reminder that romantic love isn't reserved for the young. But the story is equally enriched by a vibrant supporting cast—a multi-generational circle of female friends ranging from their twenties upward, super characters that provide a vital support system, proving that platonic bonds are just as essential to a happy life as romantic ones.
The overarching theme of “it’s never too late” is executed beautifully. Laura Pearson masterfully conveys that regardless of your age, it is never too late to find happiness, realize long-held dreams, or even travel to new places and try new things. Watching Dot navigate her past—including a long-standing marriage she never legally ended—to finally saying “yes” is pretty life-affirming! Don’t expect edge-of-your-seat thrill or anything, or even a fast pace. Those wouldn’t have worked. Instead, the author has skillfully constructed a deliberate narrative that ambles along comfortably to tell a cozy, uplifting story that encourages readers to believe that our later years can be just as adventurous and transformative as our youth. If you enjoy uplit fiction that leaves you with a smile, this gorgeous book is a brilliant choice (as are all the books I’ve read by this author, as it happens).
4.5 stars for this assured sequel that, while it might not quite match its amazing predecessor, comes pretty close :). Thank you to the author and the publisher and to NetGalley for the chance to laugh and cry along with Dot and Mabel.
The strength of the novel lies almost fully in its lead characters. Dot and Mabel are 86, and their reunion after sixty years apart is handled with such tenderness that it is impossible not to root for them. Their relationship is a poignant reminder that romantic love isn't reserved for the young. But the story is equally enriched by a vibrant supporting cast—a multi-generational circle of female friends ranging from their twenties upward, super characters that provide a vital support system, proving that platonic bonds are just as essential to a happy life as romantic ones.
The overarching theme of “it’s never too late” is executed beautifully. Laura Pearson masterfully conveys that regardless of your age, it is never too late to find happiness, realize long-held dreams, or even travel to new places and try new things. Watching Dot navigate her past—including a long-standing marriage she never legally ended—to finally saying “yes” is pretty life-affirming! Don’t expect edge-of-your-seat thrill or anything, or even a fast pace. Those wouldn’t have worked. Instead, the author has skillfully constructed a deliberate narrative that ambles along comfortably to tell a cozy, uplifting story that encourages readers to believe that our later years can be just as adventurous and transformative as our youth. If you enjoy uplit fiction that leaves you with a smile, this gorgeous book is a brilliant choice (as are all the books I’ve read by this author, as it happens).
4.5 stars for this assured sequel that, while it might not quite match its amazing predecessor, comes pretty close :). Thank you to the author and the publisher and to NetGalley for the chance to laugh and cry along with Dot and Mabel.
May 14, 2026
The first book was cute. The author should have left it at that. This one is a stretch that makes a short story into a novel. There's LOTS of telling and not showing. Not much happens. It's sweet but really over the top smarmy.
September 17, 2026
Do not judge these books by their covers.
I nearly did. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson @laurapauthor was a book club recommendation, but the cover put me off and I probably wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise.
What a book I would have missed.
I loved Mabel. Then I read The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore and loved it even more.
Mabel and Dot reconnecting in their eighties. Love, friendship and discovering what they still want from life. Older LGBTQ+ women at the centre of their own stories, with desires and choices that matter.
Unexpected, beautiful and completely engrossing.
These women felt real to me. I cared about them and didn’t want either book to end. 🥲 “It’s never too late” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re reading their stories.
These books would make a cracking TV series. If you’ve read them, I’m sure you’d agree. @netflixuk @bbc @itv — please take a look. I would love to see Mabel and Dot on screen.
Laura recently shared a health update on Instagram. Her books are a massive hug, so I’m sending a massive hug back to her. ❤️
If you haven’t discovered Laura Pearson’s books, you need to. These two are phenomenal. Buy them, read them and pass them on. I cannot recommend them enough. 🙌
📚 @laurapauthor @boldwoodbooks
#LauraPearson #TheLastListOfMabelBeaumont #TheLastMarriageOfDotBrightmore #LGBTQBooks
I nearly did. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson @laurapauthor was a book club recommendation, but the cover put me off and I probably wouldn’t have picked it up otherwise.
What a book I would have missed.
I loved Mabel. Then I read The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore and loved it even more.
Mabel and Dot reconnecting in their eighties. Love, friendship and discovering what they still want from life. Older LGBTQ+ women at the centre of their own stories, with desires and choices that matter.
Unexpected, beautiful and completely engrossing.
These women felt real to me. I cared about them and didn’t want either book to end. 🥲 “It’s never too late” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re reading their stories.
These books would make a cracking TV series. If you’ve read them, I’m sure you’d agree. @netflixuk @bbc @itv — please take a look. I would love to see Mabel and Dot on screen.
Laura recently shared a health update on Instagram. Her books are a massive hug, so I’m sending a massive hug back to her. ❤️
If you haven’t discovered Laura Pearson’s books, you need to. These two are phenomenal. Buy them, read them and pass them on. I cannot recommend them enough. 🙌
📚 @laurapauthor @boldwoodbooks
#LauraPearson #TheLastListOfMabelBeaumont #TheLastMarriageOfDotBrightmore #LGBTQBooks
July 14, 2026
This is the 2nd book about Mabel Beaumont. It was a lovely, fun read. After Mabel’s husband dies, she decides to find her childhood friend, Dot, who disappeared from her life after she got married. Mabel and Dot reconnect after 60 years, and finally realize that they’ve always loved each other. So, at the age of 86, they decide to get married. A beautiful, fun read!
April 3, 2026
Oh dear, it’s hard to write a review when you’re crying. Not many books or even real life experiences make me cry and this book has on more than one occasion. Definitely not a bad thing,
This book is a second book, I’d not read the first and whilst I’m sure I would have got more had I read the first one at no point did I feel lost. Dot is with Mable and they decide to get married. Both are in their 80s, Mable surrounded by friends Dot by her family and their friends. The story is about their relationship with each other and those they love. There is lots of love and sentimental parts to the story and I think it would be a helpful read at any age, the idea that it’s never too late to live your life to the full.
Trigger warning a historical rape is mentioned and there is a disclosure that feels unreal. The emotions feel totally glossed over, something that is a fundamental thing that a person doesn’t know that causes them to have so many difficulties as a child is disclosded and poof no great distress or contemplation it feels very strange. I was going to take a star off but decided not to as I would still re read the book and not sure how the author could have written it any differently and it was sensitively handled. I did struggle with feeling that it was an uncomfortable plot device but also thought this is not an uncommon experience for women which in its self is a tragedy.
Two women being in love is relatively straightforward now. When I was in school, leaving 1990, no one was openly gay. Yes there were pop stars but that acceptance did not trickle down to school. Section 28, in the UK, and possibly the fear of AIDS had destroyed any potential diversity that might have otherwise happened. I had friends that didn’t come out until the early 2000s. For Dot and Mable when they were younger and some decades before the 90s being out would have been an even bigger leap. I think this is handled so well in the book and also is such an important story. Many people got married to those of the opposite sex because it was the done thing and I think it’s important that people understand how hard it has been, and still is for some to come out. Ok rant over because sometimes I worry we are going backwards.
So in conclusion this is a beautiful romance book, I dislike weddings but even I enjoyed this wedding themed book, and I’ve managed to stop crying. I think I will go back to the first book because I would like more information and then think I will re read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
This book is a second book, I’d not read the first and whilst I’m sure I would have got more had I read the first one at no point did I feel lost. Dot is with Mable and they decide to get married. Both are in their 80s, Mable surrounded by friends Dot by her family and their friends. The story is about their relationship with each other and those they love. There is lots of love and sentimental parts to the story and I think it would be a helpful read at any age, the idea that it’s never too late to live your life to the full.
Trigger warning a historical rape is mentioned and there is a disclosure that feels unreal. The emotions feel totally glossed over, something that is a fundamental thing that a person doesn’t know that causes them to have so many difficulties as a child is disclosded and poof no great distress or contemplation it feels very strange. I was going to take a star off but decided not to as I would still re read the book and not sure how the author could have written it any differently and it was sensitively handled. I did struggle with feeling that it was an uncomfortable plot device but also thought this is not an uncommon experience for women which in its self is a tragedy.
Two women being in love is relatively straightforward now. When I was in school, leaving 1990, no one was openly gay. Yes there were pop stars but that acceptance did not trickle down to school. Section 28, in the UK, and possibly the fear of AIDS had destroyed any potential diversity that might have otherwise happened. I had friends that didn’t come out until the early 2000s. For Dot and Mable when they were younger and some decades before the 90s being out would have been an even bigger leap. I think this is handled so well in the book and also is such an important story. Many people got married to those of the opposite sex because it was the done thing and I think it’s important that people understand how hard it has been, and still is for some to come out. Ok rant over because sometimes I worry we are going backwards.
So in conclusion this is a beautiful romance book, I dislike weddings but even I enjoyed this wedding themed book, and I’ve managed to stop crying. I think I will go back to the first book because I would like more information and then think I will re read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, honest and personal opinion.
May 23, 2026
So incredibly disappointed with this one considering the first has become a fav of all time. Just didn’t think it was something we needed, or if we really had to - it could’ve been so much better. It was still written so well, the author is very talented but it’s got nothing on the first book.
July 10, 2026
Loved this sequel and it tied everything up with a few surprises on the way. Yes it is about love winning through and everyone has a happy ending but sometimes you need a book like this.
October 5, 2026
In the Last List of Mabel Beaumont, Mabel is reunited with the love of her life, Dot Brightmore. Mabel gives Dot a list with two words on it, "Marry Me". The problem is, Dot is married. She married a man years ago to give him the cover he needed to live with the man he loved. When that man died, he went back to the United States and he and Dot have not been in contact. If Dot and Mabel want to marry, she has to find out if Thomas "Geoff" Black is alive, and if he is, they will need to get divorced. Just like in the last book, Mabel and her friends are going to help Dot find Geoff, if he is alive, and end that marriage so that she and Mabel can get hitched.
This is a great uplifting story of late-in-life romance, second chances, and deep platonic friendships. I love how their friends rally around them to help in whatever way they can. We meet up with the same characters from the fist book and it was like spending time with old friends. Mabel and Dot had quite a history, and as we learn about it, it was quite emotional. Mabel married, and it was a happy marriage to a degree, but she never stopped loving Dot. Same sex relationships were not accepted back in the day, so they both tried to make a life without the other. I enjoyed this story and was happy to spend time with Dot and Mabel, as well as with how the story ends. Being a woman of a certain age, it's nice to know that there is always time for romance when the right person comes along. The audiobook was narrated by Penelope Freeman and she does a nice job with this story. I enjoyed listening to it.
This is a great uplifting story of late-in-life romance, second chances, and deep platonic friendships. I love how their friends rally around them to help in whatever way they can. We meet up with the same characters from the fist book and it was like spending time with old friends. Mabel and Dot had quite a history, and as we learn about it, it was quite emotional. Mabel married, and it was a happy marriage to a degree, but she never stopped loving Dot. Same sex relationships were not accepted back in the day, so they both tried to make a life without the other. I enjoyed this story and was happy to spend time with Dot and Mabel, as well as with how the story ends. Being a woman of a certain age, it's nice to know that there is always time for romance when the right person comes along. The audiobook was narrated by Penelope Freeman and she does a nice job with this story. I enjoyed listening to it.
June 24, 2026
Guaranteed to turn the most hardened of hearts into a ball of soppy mush The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore was worth every minute of the wait.
Mabel and Dot are two of the loveliest leading ladies when it comes to book characters. This is their story. A story of second chances and above all else, love.
It's heartwarming, heartfelt, and absolutely bloody gorgeous. I loved every single minute and didn't want it to end!
Mabel and Dot are two of the loveliest leading ladies when it comes to book characters. This is their story. A story of second chances and above all else, love.
It's heartwarming, heartfelt, and absolutely bloody gorgeous. I loved every single minute and didn't want it to end!
May 4, 2026
This book was joyful.
For once, a second book in the series didn't make me feel like I was missing out. I was able to follow the plot and the author explained previous situations briefly, but enough to make me understand what I had missed.
I do, however, think I will be seeking out book one because I would like to know more about these ladies, Mabel and Dot.
Childhood best friends unite after 60 years. It was endearing to see how much the world had changed in those 60 years and now they were free to be open about their feelings for each other. Mabel has amassed quite a group of women who support each other. The whole book gave me warm fuzzy feelings.
It was like reading a warm hug.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
For once, a second book in the series didn't make me feel like I was missing out. I was able to follow the plot and the author explained previous situations briefly, but enough to make me understand what I had missed.
I do, however, think I will be seeking out book one because I would like to know more about these ladies, Mabel and Dot.
Childhood best friends unite after 60 years. It was endearing to see how much the world had changed in those 60 years and now they were free to be open about their feelings for each other. Mabel has amassed quite a group of women who support each other. The whole book gave me warm fuzzy feelings.
It was like reading a warm hug.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
June 9, 2026
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the sequel to The Last List of Mabel Beaumont that I didn’t know I needed but now couldn’t bear to be without. A little trepidation set in: would I love it as much as I loved ‘Mabel’? I needed have worried for ‘Dot’ is just as wonderful a story and exactly the heart-warming experience I hoped it would be.
This book picks up where ‘Mabel’ left off. Mabel and Dot, at 86, have finally got together, having known each other in their youth and then lost touch for decades. Marriage is on the cards but Dot is still married and that’s not all: Mabel knows that there is something else bothering Dot. Out comes the list and on it goes all the things that will hopefully produce a Happy Ever After for this lovely couple with another chance of happiness and some new adventures ahead of them.
Laura Pearson has got this book just right. It made me smile...a lot. The friends that Mabel made in the first book make a reappearance and we, along with Mabel, are introduced to Dot’s family. The characters are portrayed to perfection, full of warmth and support, and I particularly loved Dot and Mabel’s love for each other and their wish to only make the most of whatever time they have left together.
This is a gorgeous, poignant read about second chances and the power of friendship and love, one in which the gentle joys of life are reinforced. I thought it was simply superb.
This book picks up where ‘Mabel’ left off. Mabel and Dot, at 86, have finally got together, having known each other in their youth and then lost touch for decades. Marriage is on the cards but Dot is still married and that’s not all: Mabel knows that there is something else bothering Dot. Out comes the list and on it goes all the things that will hopefully produce a Happy Ever After for this lovely couple with another chance of happiness and some new adventures ahead of them.
Laura Pearson has got this book just right. It made me smile...a lot. The friends that Mabel made in the first book make a reappearance and we, along with Mabel, are introduced to Dot’s family. The characters are portrayed to perfection, full of warmth and support, and I particularly loved Dot and Mabel’s love for each other and their wish to only make the most of whatever time they have left together.
This is a gorgeous, poignant read about second chances and the power of friendship and love, one in which the gentle joys of life are reinforced. I thought it was simply superb.
September 8, 2026
A fitting sequel
A short, but nice follow-up to the first Mabel Beaumont book. The characters are so endearing; although I enjoyed this book and hearing about the next adventures in each of their lives, the sequel itself felt a little too wrapped up in a neat little bow? It’s not that I wanted disappointment or challenges to occur, but each item on the list that Mabel and Dot add, feels resolutely completed without too much effort. Unlike the first book, the challenges Mabel faced after the death of her husband expanded how to think about grief, loss, and rediscovered joy and newfound identities. This didn’t quite have the same effect, but still, it was nice to revisit this small English town and the characters within it.
A short, but nice follow-up to the first Mabel Beaumont book. The characters are so endearing; although I enjoyed this book and hearing about the next adventures in each of their lives, the sequel itself felt a little too wrapped up in a neat little bow? It’s not that I wanted disappointment or challenges to occur, but each item on the list that Mabel and Dot add, feels resolutely completed without too much effort. Unlike the first book, the challenges Mabel faced after the death of her husband expanded how to think about grief, loss, and rediscovered joy and newfound identities. This didn’t quite have the same effect, but still, it was nice to revisit this small English town and the characters within it.
June 24, 2026
Loved revisiting the characters in this book.
August 2, 2026
One of those sweet books you read in one day!
August 16, 2026
A delightful story of 2 high school friends who reconnect in their eighties and renew a love not easy to acknowledge in their youth!
Did Not Finish
June 1, 20262 women in love, not for me
June 3, 2026
Boring and repetitive, same clichés over and over again. Should have been a very short story
August 9, 2026
Whilst I normally love her books when I want a feel good, cosy read. I found this one was just too predictable and there were no twists and turns. OK for reading on holiday or travelling as it's very easy going.
August 18, 2026
4✨ I absolutely adore Dot and Mabel. They are the good I want to see in the world for forever.
May 23, 2026
Beautiful and heartwarming
I have come to love Laura Pearsons writing style and the last list of Mabel Beaumont was one of my fave reads when it was released.
Im over the moon to have read the continuation of Mabel and Dots love story. It really does prove its never too late to find love.
It was great to catch up with the rest of the characters and meet Dots family. There were touching moments throughout and it really is such a beautiful heartfelt feel good story
I have come to love Laura Pearsons writing style and the last list of Mabel Beaumont was one of my fave reads when it was released.
Im over the moon to have read the continuation of Mabel and Dots love story. It really does prove its never too late to find love.
It was great to catch up with the rest of the characters and meet Dots family. There were touching moments throughout and it really is such a beautiful heartfelt feel good story
August 8, 2026
I liked this book very much, a fairytale romance about two ladies finding each other after years apart, knowing individually that the other one was her one true love. They have both lived their life in the meantime but are glad to meet each other and are planning the rest of their lives together, with blessings from friends and families. Their story is well told, emotions dealt with realistically and the attitudes to same sex relationships within society in the last 50 years or so explored. It has a feel good feel and is an easy read, despite some of problems, such as homophobia (a small scene) and rape which are described. I think the only criticism I have is that the women are 86 and their lifestyle doesn't really match that age. Yes you do have sprightly old ladies and no doubt lesbians in that age group, but it would have felt more realistic to me if they had been 10 or 15 years younger. Or is that just me?
I thought I had read the previous book, but according to Good reads seemingly not. It felt very familiar though and I enjoyed their story. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
I thought I had read the previous book, but according to Good reads seemingly not. It felt very familiar though and I enjoyed their story. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you were writing the most important list of your life, what would you put on it?
Dot Brightmore isn’t a list-maker but her partner, Mabel Beaumont, most definitely is. Together they create the most important to-do list and there’s only one item on it - get married. But it soon becomes clear that in order to achieve item one there are lots more things that need to go on the list.
Mabel and Dot are ladies in their mid-eighties who have reconnected after 60 long years apart. Both recognised as teenagers that their feelings for the other extended beyond mere friendship, but in a world where homosexuality was neither allowed nor accepted, each went their own way. Spending the intervening years happy but with a sense that something wasn’t quite right, that there was a piece of their jigsaws missing. Now reunited and having confessed their feelings for each other they are determined to spend the rest of their lives together - regardless of how long that might be.
There are some really emotive topics covered here: death, loss and grief, legality, illegality and social stigma of same-sex relationships, motherhood and the choice to remain childless and familial estrangement and reunion to name just a few. It is to Pearson’s absolute credit that she has tackled these big issues but at no point does the prose feel preachy or dour. Instead it gives the reader time and space to explore their own feelings about what’s going on.
Is The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore a shocking book tackling cold, hard reality? No. Is it a high-octane romp with twists, turns and breath-taking revelations? Also no. If you’re looking for an action-packed thriller then this isn’t the book for you. What this is, is a soothing slice of ordinary life. It’s calm, it’s peaceful, it is explorative but without being confrontational. It is about love, friendship, family and learning to accept who we are.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the sequel to The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. Full disclaimer, I haven’t read the first book in the series but in all honesty I don’t think that matters. Pearson’s writing is so warm and welcoming that you feel you know each of the characters from the very first page and I don’t feel that not having read the first book has dented my enjoyment of this story one bit. This sequel hits that very happy (and very difficult to manage) medium where there are enough hints at what has happened previously that you’re not left floundering, but equally not too much is shared so you still feel like you want to go back to the start and explore the characters’ origins.
‘“Sod all those bloody fairytales I was fed as a child. Handsome princes and all that nonsense. This is what happy ever after looks like.” And I think she’s right.’
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the first book I’ve read by Laura Pearson but I guarantee that it won’t be the last.
Dot Brightmore isn’t a list-maker but her partner, Mabel Beaumont, most definitely is. Together they create the most important to-do list and there’s only one item on it - get married. But it soon becomes clear that in order to achieve item one there are lots more things that need to go on the list.
Mabel and Dot are ladies in their mid-eighties who have reconnected after 60 long years apart. Both recognised as teenagers that their feelings for the other extended beyond mere friendship, but in a world where homosexuality was neither allowed nor accepted, each went their own way. Spending the intervening years happy but with a sense that something wasn’t quite right, that there was a piece of their jigsaws missing. Now reunited and having confessed their feelings for each other they are determined to spend the rest of their lives together - regardless of how long that might be.
There are some really emotive topics covered here: death, loss and grief, legality, illegality and social stigma of same-sex relationships, motherhood and the choice to remain childless and familial estrangement and reunion to name just a few. It is to Pearson’s absolute credit that she has tackled these big issues but at no point does the prose feel preachy or dour. Instead it gives the reader time and space to explore their own feelings about what’s going on.
Is The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore a shocking book tackling cold, hard reality? No. Is it a high-octane romp with twists, turns and breath-taking revelations? Also no. If you’re looking for an action-packed thriller then this isn’t the book for you. What this is, is a soothing slice of ordinary life. It’s calm, it’s peaceful, it is explorative but without being confrontational. It is about love, friendship, family and learning to accept who we are.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the sequel to The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. Full disclaimer, I haven’t read the first book in the series but in all honesty I don’t think that matters. Pearson’s writing is so warm and welcoming that you feel you know each of the characters from the very first page and I don’t feel that not having read the first book has dented my enjoyment of this story one bit. This sequel hits that very happy (and very difficult to manage) medium where there are enough hints at what has happened previously that you’re not left floundering, but equally not too much is shared so you still feel like you want to go back to the start and explore the characters’ origins.
‘“Sod all those bloody fairytales I was fed as a child. Handsome princes and all that nonsense. This is what happy ever after looks like.” And I think she’s right.’
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the first book I’ve read by Laura Pearson but I guarantee that it won’t be the last.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to Laura for sending me a copy of her new book in return for an honest review.
This is a sequel The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, which is my absolute favourite of Laura's books (and I've read them all bar 2, but I do own those 2). When reading Mabel, I don't remember thinking it needed a sequel, but now it feels so obvious and I want sequels to everything.
I haven't read Mabel for three years and I was concerned I would forget what happened in it, but I was straight back in. She's not given us a complete breakdown of what happened in Mabel, I don't think it's necessary, but there are hints to it. But you could still read this as a standalone and get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Mabel is as beautiful as ever and now we have more of Dot, she's just the same. They're opposites in so many ways but they feel so right together, there's this connection of love and friendship that is so warming.
I will never stop shouting about Laura's books, to the point where I worry I'm going to come across as a bit obsessive. But I'm not sorry about how passionate I am about her work. Her stories are so original, never overwhelming, they're happy but honest, heartwarming but sometimes heartbreaking, magical and mundane (in the best way) with absolutely gorgeous characters of all ages, who have been through stuff that every reader can relate to. I haven't read one that's been less than five stars yet. I always know I'll love her books and she remains my favourite author and she deserves to be everyone else's go-to for uplifting fiction.
I love how positive it is. Who says that just because you're in your 80s you're too old for love, for travelling, for new adventures? It shouldn't be a barrier for the things and people you love the most.
At the crux of it, this story is about love. "Traditional" love as it were, but also LGTBQ love, lost loves, missed loves, forgotten loves, love out of convenience, love out of choice, denied love, love for our friends and family, love for our pets and our community, and just a love for life. I think that's missing for a lot of people - me included - so it's been so warming to read this.
Oh how I cried. I won't say if it was out of joy or sadness for fear of spoilers but I found it very moving.
It's a properly gorgeous, uplifting, smiley, but very honest story about life and love and ageing and regrets and promises. She's got the perfect balance between sickly sweet and being morose. She's not hidden the darker aspects, particularly because Mabel and Dot are in their late 80s. But she's wrapped everything up in a great big cuddle, exactly what I've come to expect from her books.
I devoured it in one afternoon, I just couldn't put it down. It is as perfect as I wanted, needed, and expected it to be.
This is a sequel The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, which is my absolute favourite of Laura's books (and I've read them all bar 2, but I do own those 2). When reading Mabel, I don't remember thinking it needed a sequel, but now it feels so obvious and I want sequels to everything.
I haven't read Mabel for three years and I was concerned I would forget what happened in it, but I was straight back in. She's not given us a complete breakdown of what happened in Mabel, I don't think it's necessary, but there are hints to it. But you could still read this as a standalone and get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Mabel is as beautiful as ever and now we have more of Dot, she's just the same. They're opposites in so many ways but they feel so right together, there's this connection of love and friendship that is so warming.
I will never stop shouting about Laura's books, to the point where I worry I'm going to come across as a bit obsessive. But I'm not sorry about how passionate I am about her work. Her stories are so original, never overwhelming, they're happy but honest, heartwarming but sometimes heartbreaking, magical and mundane (in the best way) with absolutely gorgeous characters of all ages, who have been through stuff that every reader can relate to. I haven't read one that's been less than five stars yet. I always know I'll love her books and she remains my favourite author and she deserves to be everyone else's go-to for uplifting fiction.
I love how positive it is. Who says that just because you're in your 80s you're too old for love, for travelling, for new adventures? It shouldn't be a barrier for the things and people you love the most.
At the crux of it, this story is about love. "Traditional" love as it were, but also LGTBQ love, lost loves, missed loves, forgotten loves, love out of convenience, love out of choice, denied love, love for our friends and family, love for our pets and our community, and just a love for life. I think that's missing for a lot of people - me included - so it's been so warming to read this.
Oh how I cried. I won't say if it was out of joy or sadness for fear of spoilers but I found it very moving.
It's a properly gorgeous, uplifting, smiley, but very honest story about life and love and ageing and regrets and promises. She's got the perfect balance between sickly sweet and being morose. She's not hidden the darker aspects, particularly because Mabel and Dot are in their late 80s. But she's wrapped everything up in a great big cuddle, exactly what I've come to expect from her books.
I devoured it in one afternoon, I just couldn't put it down. It is as perfect as I wanted, needed, and expected it to be.
May 19, 2026
EXCERPT: 'You know, I don't remember you being much of a list-maker.'
I smile as I tear off the piece of paper and fold it up so it will go in my purse. 'Well, there's a lot you don't know about me as I am now, Dot Brightmore. When I knew you before, I would have been able to remember these bits of shopping but now I've got no hope. And anyway, don't forget that it was a list that brought us back together.'
We laugh about it now. How my last husband Arthur left the start of a list that read only 'Find D' and I took it as an instruction to find our old friend Dot, and followed it, before remembering that it was something to do with the dog. Find Dog's bone, he'd been writing. Must have got distracted, forgotten to go back to it. And then he died, and that was that.
ABOUT 'THE LAST MARRIAGE OF DOR BRIGHTMORE': There’s just one thing she’s forgotten…
Dot Brightmore has never been one for lists. But now she’s been given one of her own, by the love of her life, with whom she’s finally been reunited. Dot’s list has just two words on it:
Marry me
The problem is, Dot can’t get married. Because what Dot hasn’t yet told anyone is that she’s still married. To a man she hasn’t seen in years.
But her beloved Mabel isn’t a woman who can be stopped easily. After all, her own last list helped her find Dot again. So now – together and with all the other friends they’ve met along the way – they have to find a way for Dot to answer ‘yes’ to the question on her very first list…
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this ever so much more than The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. It just has more heart to it and I came to love the two main characters, Dot and Mabel, and their friends and family.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is a happy read reminding us that our life isn't over until it's over and that we have room in our hearts and minds for new things. It's a fun read, emotional at times, uplifting and moving.
The heart of the story is 'Love', and there are many different kinds of love demonstrated in the storyline.
A warm, funny (at times) and uplifting read with amazing characters.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheLastMarriageofDotBrightmore #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LAURA PEARSON has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester. She lives in Leicestershire with her husband and their two children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via NetGalley for providing a DRC of The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore by Laura Pearson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
I smile as I tear off the piece of paper and fold it up so it will go in my purse. 'Well, there's a lot you don't know about me as I am now, Dot Brightmore. When I knew you before, I would have been able to remember these bits of shopping but now I've got no hope. And anyway, don't forget that it was a list that brought us back together.'
We laugh about it now. How my last husband Arthur left the start of a list that read only 'Find D' and I took it as an instruction to find our old friend Dot, and followed it, before remembering that it was something to do with the dog. Find Dog's bone, he'd been writing. Must have got distracted, forgotten to go back to it. And then he died, and that was that.
ABOUT 'THE LAST MARRIAGE OF DOR BRIGHTMORE': There’s just one thing she’s forgotten…
Dot Brightmore has never been one for lists. But now she’s been given one of her own, by the love of her life, with whom she’s finally been reunited. Dot’s list has just two words on it:
Marry me
The problem is, Dot can’t get married. Because what Dot hasn’t yet told anyone is that she’s still married. To a man she hasn’t seen in years.
But her beloved Mabel isn’t a woman who can be stopped easily. After all, her own last list helped her find Dot again. So now – together and with all the other friends they’ve met along the way – they have to find a way for Dot to answer ‘yes’ to the question on her very first list…
MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this ever so much more than The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. It just has more heart to it and I came to love the two main characters, Dot and Mabel, and their friends and family.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is a happy read reminding us that our life isn't over until it's over and that we have room in our hearts and minds for new things. It's a fun read, emotional at times, uplifting and moving.
The heart of the story is 'Love', and there are many different kinds of love demonstrated in the storyline.
A warm, funny (at times) and uplifting read with amazing characters.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.2
#TheLastMarriageofDotBrightmore #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LAURA PEARSON has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester. She lives in Leicestershire with her husband and their two children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via NetGalley for providing a DRC of The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore by Laura Pearson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After sixty years apart, Mabel and Dot have finally reunited. At the age of eightysix they are determined not to waste the precious time they have left together and decide to get married. However, they have an obstacle to overcome first.
If you're a fan of author Laura Pearson, then you've probably read The Last List Of Mabel Beaumont. This book is probably the gateway novel for many readers discovering the author's work. The Last Marriage Of Dot Brightmore is the sequel to that book, and while it can easily be read as a standalone novel, you will gain a greater understanding of the characters if you read Mabel's story first.
Mabel and Dot were best friends as young women, at a time when anything other than heterosexual relationships were frowned upon. Neither woman acknowledged the feelings they had for each other, instead following tradition and marrying men. Now, sixty years later, they've finally reunited and declared their love for each other. As a symbol of their love, they decide to marry, and it’s then that Dot drops her bombshell.
For me, this book is all about seizing the moment, refusing to sit back and accept the status quo or conform to societal expectations. In a bid to overcome the problem preventing their marriage from taking place, the couple jet off to America, a daunting trip at any age. To experience the trip through Mabel's eyes, someone who had never been abroad before, was wonderful. That mixture of apprehension and excitement was palpable.
There is a tinge of sadness to Dot's story, one that gently unfolds. One of the fantastic aspects of the writing is that, having been apart for sixty years, Dot and Mabel don't miraculously know everything about each other's lives; it takes time to get to know each other again. Dot is very close to her family, and eventually admits that she has lost touch with her youngest son. Mabel decides that the upcoming marriage is the ideal excuse to try to reunite them.
The supporting characters, many of whom featured in the first book, are engaging. They each have problems of their own to deal with, but demonstrate the true nature of friendship. Being there for each other, listening, and offering support, shows that nothing is insurmountable.
Although the story wasn't quite as captivating as the first book, and I do wonder if that is down to familiarity playing a part, it is filled with charm. I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming tale that proves love isn't defined by age.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog
If you're a fan of author Laura Pearson, then you've probably read The Last List Of Mabel Beaumont. This book is probably the gateway novel for many readers discovering the author's work. The Last Marriage Of Dot Brightmore is the sequel to that book, and while it can easily be read as a standalone novel, you will gain a greater understanding of the characters if you read Mabel's story first.
Mabel and Dot were best friends as young women, at a time when anything other than heterosexual relationships were frowned upon. Neither woman acknowledged the feelings they had for each other, instead following tradition and marrying men. Now, sixty years later, they've finally reunited and declared their love for each other. As a symbol of their love, they decide to marry, and it’s then that Dot drops her bombshell.
For me, this book is all about seizing the moment, refusing to sit back and accept the status quo or conform to societal expectations. In a bid to overcome the problem preventing their marriage from taking place, the couple jet off to America, a daunting trip at any age. To experience the trip through Mabel's eyes, someone who had never been abroad before, was wonderful. That mixture of apprehension and excitement was palpable.
There is a tinge of sadness to Dot's story, one that gently unfolds. One of the fantastic aspects of the writing is that, having been apart for sixty years, Dot and Mabel don't miraculously know everything about each other's lives; it takes time to get to know each other again. Dot is very close to her family, and eventually admits that she has lost touch with her youngest son. Mabel decides that the upcoming marriage is the ideal excuse to try to reunite them.
The supporting characters, many of whom featured in the first book, are engaging. They each have problems of their own to deal with, but demonstrate the true nature of friendship. Being there for each other, listening, and offering support, shows that nothing is insurmountable.
Although the story wasn't quite as captivating as the first book, and I do wonder if that is down to familiarity playing a part, it is filled with charm. I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming tale that proves love isn't defined by age.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog
October 10, 2026
I adored The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, and whilst, if I’m honest, I didn’t love The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore quite as much… I honestly couldn’t imagine reading the first book and not reading this one.
Mabel’s story was such a beautiful, bittersweet journey of discovery. A woman who had lived a perfectly nice, contented life, never really realising just how much more life might have to offer her. And then, when she was at her lowest and completely alone… her world did the opposite and began to expand, filling with friendship, colour, love and a family she never knew she needed.
This book gives us the absolute joy of a peak into what happens next.
I loved the trip to America, watching Dot find her place amongst Mabel’s wonderful friends, and seeing the life they’ve built together. There’s something so lovely about getting to spend a little more time with characters you’ve fallen completely in love with, particularly when they’ve waited so long to find their happiness.
Does it have quite the same magic as the first book? Perhaps not... Mabel’s original story had that wonderful sense of mystery… a quest that kept you turning the pages while the real story, the relationships blossoming along the way, quietly unfolded. This book didn’t quite have that same narrative pull… but I don’t think it needed to.
It’s not so much a sequel, as a lovely little epilogue… A chance to see that the happiness at the end of the first book wasn’t really the end, but the beginning of something extraordinary! 🥰👏🏽
And that’s why I loved it.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the cherry on top of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. It might not be quite as good as the first book on its own… but somehow it makes the first book even better.
If these two stories had been published as one novel, it would have been five stars and then some.
But now, please… let’s leave Mabel and Dot exactly where they are, surrounded by love, friendship and their beautiful family—both found and otherwise. My heart can’t take what might come next! 🥹🩷
Mabel’s story was such a beautiful, bittersweet journey of discovery. A woman who had lived a perfectly nice, contented life, never really realising just how much more life might have to offer her. And then, when she was at her lowest and completely alone… her world did the opposite and began to expand, filling with friendship, colour, love and a family she never knew she needed.
This book gives us the absolute joy of a peak into what happens next.
I loved the trip to America, watching Dot find her place amongst Mabel’s wonderful friends, and seeing the life they’ve built together. There’s something so lovely about getting to spend a little more time with characters you’ve fallen completely in love with, particularly when they’ve waited so long to find their happiness.
Does it have quite the same magic as the first book? Perhaps not... Mabel’s original story had that wonderful sense of mystery… a quest that kept you turning the pages while the real story, the relationships blossoming along the way, quietly unfolded. This book didn’t quite have that same narrative pull… but I don’t think it needed to.
It’s not so much a sequel, as a lovely little epilogue… A chance to see that the happiness at the end of the first book wasn’t really the end, but the beginning of something extraordinary! 🥰👏🏽
And that’s why I loved it.
The Last Marriage of Dot Brightmore is the cherry on top of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. It might not be quite as good as the first book on its own… but somehow it makes the first book even better.
If these two stories had been published as one novel, it would have been five stars and then some.
But now, please… let’s leave Mabel and Dot exactly where they are, surrounded by love, friendship and their beautiful family—both found and otherwise. My heart can’t take what might come next! 🥹🩷
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mabel Beaumont #2 (The last list of Mabel Beaumont - a 5 star from me!)
Dot and Mabel live together after their reunion, following many years apart. As we all know, Mabel is somewhat of a list writer and she starts a new one with “Marry Me” and although Dot is very tempted, she asks Mabel to give her time. After all, what’s the rush, they’re only 86 and let’s face it, they have been apart for sixty years until fate or more accurately, Mabel’s late husband Arthur, brought them together. However, it’s a bit tricky as Dot is still married to Geoff, a marriage of convenience, but I’ll say no more because, well, this is Dot, so it’s all just a bit complicated.
This is a lovely sequel to The Last List… and whilst it’s full of delight and charm, for me, the first book is my absolute favourite. It’s hard to think of two more wonderful characters than Dot and Mabel and their relationship is a thing of beauty. All the characters are so likeable which makes such a refreshing change.
The premise is really good, that age is no barrier to true love, wherever you find it and it’s fair to say these two still have plenty of pep! As the plot develops we learn more about both of them, especially Dot and the author does this well and in keeping with their positive personalities and so the tone, which could dip, remains upbeat. As both of them are well into their 80s, they have lived through a time where attitudes are very different and this is done authentically, arising naturally in the storytelling.
Laura Pearson takes me on an emotional journey with this sequel but the overriding feeling is happy, joyous, heartwarming and life affirming. It can easily be read as a standalone but you’d definitely miss out on a real treat if you don’t read book one.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
A really sweet cover matching the charm of the book
Dot and Mabel live together after their reunion, following many years apart. As we all know, Mabel is somewhat of a list writer and she starts a new one with “Marry Me” and although Dot is very tempted, she asks Mabel to give her time. After all, what’s the rush, they’re only 86 and let’s face it, they have been apart for sixty years until fate or more accurately, Mabel’s late husband Arthur, brought them together. However, it’s a bit tricky as Dot is still married to Geoff, a marriage of convenience, but I’ll say no more because, well, this is Dot, so it’s all just a bit complicated.
This is a lovely sequel to The Last List… and whilst it’s full of delight and charm, for me, the first book is my absolute favourite. It’s hard to think of two more wonderful characters than Dot and Mabel and their relationship is a thing of beauty. All the characters are so likeable which makes such a refreshing change.
The premise is really good, that age is no barrier to true love, wherever you find it and it’s fair to say these two still have plenty of pep! As the plot develops we learn more about both of them, especially Dot and the author does this well and in keeping with their positive personalities and so the tone, which could dip, remains upbeat. As both of them are well into their 80s, they have lived through a time where attitudes are very different and this is done authentically, arising naturally in the storytelling.
Laura Pearson takes me on an emotional journey with this sequel but the overriding feeling is happy, joyous, heartwarming and life affirming. It can easily be read as a standalone but you’d definitely miss out on a real treat if you don’t read book one.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
A really sweet cover matching the charm of the book
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