Book Club Recap: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

My neighborhood book club read The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman last month, and everyone loved it. Each one of us related to Brett and her life list. We talked about bucket lists, goals and dreams from our youth, our current dreams, family, life, work . . . everything. The Life List had a bit of everything to talk about. It was wonderful. We shared memories, thoughts, ideas. Personally, I don’t remember ever making a “life list” as Brett did when I was a young girl. Some of our book club members didn’t either, but this book definitely made of think of things we would add to a “life list.”

Our hostess for the month contacted the author, and the fabulous Ms. Spielman sent us a few awesome items as well as a nice note. We were blown away by this! Thank you, Ms. Spielman, from all of us! We all loved your book.

 

 

 

The Life List
written by Lori Nelson Spielman
published by Bantam, 2013

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble (Nook) (print), Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Check out  my 5-star review here.

About the book – from Goodreads: In this utterly charming debut — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects.

1. Go to Paris
2. Perform live, on a super big stage
3. Have a baby, maybe two
4. Fall in love

Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she’d written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at thirty-four, Brett seems to have it all—a plum job at her family’s multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies, Brett’s world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth’s will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago.

Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and—just when Brett needs it—tough love.

As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.