Book Review: A Thousand Little Goodbyes
On found family, road trips, and the fierce weight of female friendship
Book Details
Title: A Thousand Little Goodbyes
Release Date: August 11, 2026
Format: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC via NetGalley)
Themes: Female friendship, grief, road trips, found family
The Premise
Chrissie Thomas has spent her life putting everyone else first—a struggling single mom carrying a mountain of guilt and rarely making space for herself. Enter Scarlett Sanderson: her lifelong best friend, her opposite, and the spark in every room. Scarlett insists it’s finally time for the cross-country road trip they dreamed about as kids.
As they set out to chase roadside attractions, hot springs, and spontaneous detour adventures, Chrissie starts to realize this journey isn't just a fun getaway. Beneath Scarlett's laughter lies a truth she hasn't found the courage to speak aloud: this trip is a farewell, and Scarlett is quietly teaching her best friend how to survive and thrive without her.
My Review
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one. A Thousand Little Goodbyes is a beautiful and heartbreaking story about two best friends, Chrissie and Scarlett, and what happens when one of them is facing the end of her life.
If you’re looking for a book that captures what a "true" best friendship looks like—the kind where you fight like sisters, hold each other up, and define what found family really means—this is it. The dynamic felt so grounded and real. I’ll admit, I cried several times while reading this; it really gets under your skin.
The pacing of their cross-country road trip was the perfect backdrop for their story, balancing light, quirky moments with heavy emotional undertones. While some readers might pick up on the twist at the end before it lands, it honestly caught me completely by surprise—which made the emotional payoff hit that much harder when everything finally clicked.
Overall, this was such a moving read. I’d recommend it to anyone who needs a good cry and a quiet reminder of how precious those close, formative friendships really are.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
