The Last Time We Said Goodbye

"The Last Time We Said Goodbye" is a novel by Cynthia Hand published in 2015. The story is about a teenager named Lex, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of her younger brother, Tyler, who committed suicide. Lex blames herself for not noticing the signs that Tyler was in trouble and for not being able to save him.

The novel is set in a small town in Indiana, where Lex lives with her parents. Tyler's death has had a profound impact on Lex and her family. Her parents are struggling to cope with their grief, and Lex feels like she is constantly walking on eggshells around them. She has also become distant from her friends and her boyfriend, because she feels like they don't understand what she's going through.

In an effort to come to terms with her brother's death, Lex begins attending a support group for teens who have lost someone to suicide. There, she meets a boy named Ben who has also lost his sister to suicide. Lex and Ben develop a friendship and begin to bond over their shared experiences.

As Lex tries to make sense of what happened to her brother, she starts to uncover some disturbing truths about Tyler's life that she didn't know before. She also begins to realize that she can't blame herself for his death and that she needs to let go of her guilt and move on.

Throughout the novel, Lex struggles with her grief and her feelings of guilt, but she also learns to lean on her friends and family for support. She discovers that healing takes time and that it's okay to not be okay. In the end, Lex is able to find some closure and come to terms with her brother's death.

"The Last Time We Said Goodbye" is a powerful and emotional novel about the impact of suicide on those left behind. It explores themes of grief, guilt, and healing in a sensitive and realistic way.