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Maysen Jar #1
The Birthday List
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B079WL3WH6
I carry a journal with me. A journal with a list.
Take a karate class. Go skydiving. Learn to play the ukulele. Say yes to everything for an entire day. The list goes on, line by line, of youthful dreams.
For too long that list has haunted me. But starting today, I’m going to cross one item off. Today, I’m opening my new restaurant in Bozeman, Montana. The Maysen Jar.
It should have marked the first day of a new life. A fresh start. But then Cole Goodman waltzed through the door and brought with him the past. A man who shattered my heart. A man I tried to forget.
Maybe it’s a good thing he insists on sticking around. Because the only way I’ll finish the list is with Cole’s help. And then I can finally say goodbye.
I carry a journal with me. A journal with a list.
Take a karate class. Go skydiving. Learn to play the ukulele. Say yes to everything for an entire day. The list goes on, line by line, of youthful dreams.
For too long that list has haunted me. But starting today, I’m going to cross one item off. Today, I’m opening my new restaurant in Bozeman, Montana. The Maysen Jar.
It should have marked the first day of a new life. A fresh start. But then Cole Goodman waltzed through the door and brought with him the past. A man who shattered my heart. A man I tried to forget.
Maybe it’s a good thing he insists on sticking around. Because the only way I’ll finish the list is with Cole’s help. And then I can finally say goodbye.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2018
About the author
Devney Perry
71 books18.4k followersDevney is a #1 Amazon, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.”
Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.
www.devneyperry.com
Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.
www.devneyperry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,509 reviews
April 6, 2018
4.25 stars!!!
The Birthday List is an emotional, moving, and romantic stand-alone novel. I was drawn in to Poppy's story straight away and I loved it from start to finish!
Poppy Maysen has been alive the last five years, but she hasn't been living. Not really. She's still grieving the loss of her husband, Jaime, who died suddenly and tragically five years ago. Things have been hard for her, but she's trying to move forward. Things are starting to change for Poppy now that she's going through Jamie's Birthday List.
Jamie was a fun-loving guy and a free spirit. He had this amazing idea to make a Birthday List. For each Birthday, he had something big he wanted to do. Unfortunately, he never got to check these things off the list. Poppy is determined to honor Jamie's memory and work on doing those things for her. She's hoping that maybe, just maybe, she can learn to heal a little and move on with her life.
Cole Goodman is the police detective who had the difficult job of notifying Poppy of Jamie's death. Though it's been years, he's never forgotten her. Cole and Poppy run into each other while Poppy is doing something from the list. For some reason, Poppy feels compelled to tell Cole about the list and he decides he wants to help. It's apparent these two have a strong connection and I couldn't wait to see what would come of this.
Cole is such a fantastic, stand-up guy. He has a huge heart and is always patient with Poppy. He gets what she's been through and is willing to wait as long as it takes for her to be ready for him. He also never wanted to replace Jamie or his memory and I appreciated that. Poppy showed how much strength she had by doing the list. I admired that about her. The two of them had loads of chemistry and I adored them together.
This story is one that touched me. It was inspiring and sweet, but had just a bit of suspense to keep me on my toes. It's a story of growth, healing and beauty. It was an all around great read. Definitely my favorite from this author to date. And can we talk about that cover because OMG it's beautiful! I loved the concept of the story and it's one I would recommend.
The Birthday List is an emotional, moving, and romantic stand-alone novel. I was drawn in to Poppy's story straight away and I loved it from start to finish!
Poppy Maysen has been alive the last five years, but she hasn't been living. Not really. She's still grieving the loss of her husband, Jaime, who died suddenly and tragically five years ago. Things have been hard for her, but she's trying to move forward. Things are starting to change for Poppy now that she's going through Jamie's Birthday List.
Jamie was a fun-loving guy and a free spirit. He had this amazing idea to make a Birthday List. For each Birthday, he had something big he wanted to do. Unfortunately, he never got to check these things off the list. Poppy is determined to honor Jamie's memory and work on doing those things for her. She's hoping that maybe, just maybe, she can learn to heal a little and move on with her life.
“I wanted to do this for Jamie and let it go. Every day, I was getting stronger. I was getting back on my feet. I was starting to live again – for me. And until the list was done, I’d still be living for Jamie.”
Cole Goodman is the police detective who had the difficult job of notifying Poppy of Jamie's death. Though it's been years, he's never forgotten her. Cole and Poppy run into each other while Poppy is doing something from the list. For some reason, Poppy feels compelled to tell Cole about the list and he decides he wants to help. It's apparent these two have a strong connection and I couldn't wait to see what would come of this.
Cole is such a fantastic, stand-up guy. He has a huge heart and is always patient with Poppy. He gets what she's been through and is willing to wait as long as it takes for her to be ready for him. He also never wanted to replace Jamie or his memory and I appreciated that. Poppy showed how much strength she had by doing the list. I admired that about her. The two of them had loads of chemistry and I adored them together.
This story is one that touched me. It was inspiring and sweet, but had just a bit of suspense to keep me on my toes. It's a story of growth, healing and beauty. It was an all around great read. Definitely my favorite from this author to date. And can we talk about that cover because OMG it's beautiful! I loved the concept of the story and it's one I would recommend.
April 22, 2018
4.5 In A Heartbeat! Stars
What a swoon fest of a read!
Prologues .... how profound they can be. This one knocked my socks off, and made my stomach flip. Within the first few pages, I fell in love with the characters and storyline .... then I wanted to cry.
By the third sentence of chapter two, I knew the healing process had begun, and also knew without a doubt, I was in for one terrific read!
I went in totally blind, of course! Those of you who read any of my reviews know this is my preferred method. Once again, it was the best choice and I encourage you to do the same. DON’T CHEAT and read the blurb either. I am warning you it will ruin the experience if you do! LOL ;)
I am purposely being vague, but know this is very well written and is .....
The sweetest slow burn! A heart tugger! And captivating!
What a swoon fest of a read!
Prologues .... how profound they can be. This one knocked my socks off, and made my stomach flip. Within the first few pages, I fell in love with the characters and storyline .... then I wanted to cry.
By the third sentence of chapter two, I knew the healing process had begun, and also knew without a doubt, I was in for one terrific read!
I went in totally blind, of course! Those of you who read any of my reviews know this is my preferred method. Once again, it was the best choice and I encourage you to do the same. DON’T CHEAT and read the blurb either. I am warning you it will ruin the experience if you do! LOL ;)
I am purposely being vague, but know this is very well written and is .....
The sweetest slow burn! A heart tugger! And captivating!
April 4, 2018
*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
My heart had been in pieces since the night Jamie had been killed. It had taken every day of the last five years for the pain in my chest to fade to a dull ache. Still, it was there. And after every one of my interactions with Cole, that ache flared. Because when I was with Cole, I wasn’t remembering Jamie. Cole made me forget the pain.
”THE BIRTHDAY LIST” is my first read by the amazing Devney Perry and it will definitely not be my last. I’ve got yet another author to add to my ”Must Read” shelf. This story was simply INCREDIBLE!! It had a gripping plot, loveable Heroine, and one of the most amazing and swoon worthiest Heroes I’ve come across in a while. Cole Goodman is absolutely perfect, so much so, that I sighed quite often because let’s face it, there isn’t a man like him that exists outside the pages of this wonderful book! All I can say is that I see why there’s been so much love for this author’s previous works. If you haven’t tried anything by her yet, this would be a perfect one to start off with.
Poppy Maysen was once married to her college sweetheart. They were deeply in love and unbelievably happy. But one tragic night before their first wedding anniversary, Jamie is killed during a senseless act of violence and life as Poppy knows it is never the same again. Five years have passed, and Poppy has not found a way to move on from her grief. She doesn’t know how to let go and deep down she’s afraid that if she did, she would be dishonoring Jamie’s memory. After so many of her loved ones encourage her to pick up the pieces of her life and start living again, she opens up a restaurant. This has been a lifelong dream and it’s one of the items listed on Jamie’s ”birthday list”. Before Jamie died, he put together a list of tasks he wanted to complete before each of his upcoming birthdays. Tasks like taking a karate class, buying a restaurant for Poppy, skydiving, etc. Poppy thinks that if she completes all of Jamie’s birthday list tasks that somehow it will give her closure and then she might be able to move on from the past. Early on in her journey to tackle Jamie’s list she runs into Cole Goodman, the police officer that delivered the heartbreaking news on her doorstep that changed her life forever. She can’t ignore the strong connection she feels towards him and it’s messing with her head.
Cole recognizes Poppy the moment he lays eyes on her. He remembered how strong she was after getting the devastating news, and she hasn’t forgotten the warm and compassionate man who stayed by her side in her living room until her brother was able to come and take care of her. Cole is stunned by Poppy’s beauty and all he wants is to get a chance to be a part of her life. He senses right away that Poppy hasn’t been able to let go of her husband and that if there’s any chance for him to be in her life, he’s going to have to take things super slow and does he ever! Cole finds out about Poppy’s restaurant and conveniently shows up for lunch on a regular basis and the two form an easy friendship. He’s completely smitten with Poppy and deep down she is incredibly attracted to Cole but is so afraid to let him into her heart because she fears that she’ll end up forgetting about Jamie and what they once shared.
Cole is a man on a mission. He wants Poppy more than anything and will take her any way he can get her, and so he offers to help complete all the tasks on Jamie’s birthday list. As they set out on this incredible journey together, Poppy’s heart is starting to beat again but now it’s for someone new, and yet she still finds it hard to let Jamie go.
Will Poppy wake up and realize that true love can come in someone’s life more than once? Is Cole fighting impossible odds and how long will he truly wait on the sidelines for the woman who has stolen his heart?
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5++++
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
THE BIRTHDAY LIST is currently available and highly recommended!!!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ENlNr3
iBooks: https://apple.co/2n1oo6W
B&N: http://bit.ly/2DupsKN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2FWFj2h
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
My heart had been in pieces since the night Jamie had been killed. It had taken every day of the last five years for the pain in my chest to fade to a dull ache. Still, it was there. And after every one of my interactions with Cole, that ache flared. Because when I was with Cole, I wasn’t remembering Jamie. Cole made me forget the pain.
”THE BIRTHDAY LIST” is my first read by the amazing Devney Perry and it will definitely not be my last. I’ve got yet another author to add to my ”Must Read” shelf. This story was simply INCREDIBLE!! It had a gripping plot, loveable Heroine, and one of the most amazing and swoon worthiest Heroes I’ve come across in a while. Cole Goodman is absolutely perfect, so much so, that I sighed quite often because let’s face it, there isn’t a man like him that exists outside the pages of this wonderful book! All I can say is that I see why there’s been so much love for this author’s previous works. If you haven’t tried anything by her yet, this would be a perfect one to start off with.
Poppy Maysen was once married to her college sweetheart. They were deeply in love and unbelievably happy. But one tragic night before their first wedding anniversary, Jamie is killed during a senseless act of violence and life as Poppy knows it is never the same again. Five years have passed, and Poppy has not found a way to move on from her grief. She doesn’t know how to let go and deep down she’s afraid that if she did, she would be dishonoring Jamie’s memory. After so many of her loved ones encourage her to pick up the pieces of her life and start living again, she opens up a restaurant. This has been a lifelong dream and it’s one of the items listed on Jamie’s ”birthday list”. Before Jamie died, he put together a list of tasks he wanted to complete before each of his upcoming birthdays. Tasks like taking a karate class, buying a restaurant for Poppy, skydiving, etc. Poppy thinks that if she completes all of Jamie’s birthday list tasks that somehow it will give her closure and then she might be able to move on from the past. Early on in her journey to tackle Jamie’s list she runs into Cole Goodman, the police officer that delivered the heartbreaking news on her doorstep that changed her life forever. She can’t ignore the strong connection she feels towards him and it’s messing with her head.
Cole recognizes Poppy the moment he lays eyes on her. He remembered how strong she was after getting the devastating news, and she hasn’t forgotten the warm and compassionate man who stayed by her side in her living room until her brother was able to come and take care of her. Cole is stunned by Poppy’s beauty and all he wants is to get a chance to be a part of her life. He senses right away that Poppy hasn’t been able to let go of her husband and that if there’s any chance for him to be in her life, he’s going to have to take things super slow and does he ever! Cole finds out about Poppy’s restaurant and conveniently shows up for lunch on a regular basis and the two form an easy friendship. He’s completely smitten with Poppy and deep down she is incredibly attracted to Cole but is so afraid to let him into her heart because she fears that she’ll end up forgetting about Jamie and what they once shared.
Cole is a man on a mission. He wants Poppy more than anything and will take her any way he can get her, and so he offers to help complete all the tasks on Jamie’s birthday list. As they set out on this incredible journey together, Poppy’s heart is starting to beat again but now it’s for someone new, and yet she still finds it hard to let Jamie go.
Will Poppy wake up and realize that true love can come in someone’s life more than once? Is Cole fighting impossible odds and how long will he truly wait on the sidelines for the woman who has stolen his heart?
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5++++
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
THE BIRTHDAY LIST is currently available and highly recommended!!!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ENlNr3
iBooks: https://apple.co/2n1oo6W
B&N: http://bit.ly/2DupsKN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2FWFj2h
March 5, 2022
4.75 🌟 THE WAY I CRIED…. in the PROLOGUE???? send help immediately. this book had me so emotional but in the best way possible!!!! the plot is one of my favorite things to ever exist & it had some lil twists I didn’t expect. we love to be blindsided over here! 😃 Cole was one of the most perfect hero’s EVER??? the patience and kindness this man holds— i’m amazed. I know he’s written by a woman but i’m still shocked. & my pretty Poppy, what a strong queen honestly. This really dove into the topic of grief, moving on, starting over, finding yourself and love. and it was done effortlessly. Devney Perry, you never cease to amaze.
“in a heartbeat.”
“minute by minute.”
“the rest is still unwritten..”
“in a heartbeat.”
“minute by minute.”
“the rest is still unwritten..”
March 30, 2018
MY REVIEW can also be found on my blog:
KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
THE BIRTHDAY LIST: Is a full length Contemporary Romance Novel by new to me author Devney Perry.
In the ‘PROLOGUE:’ Poppy and Jamie had met each other on the the first day of their sophomore years at Montana State, that was the day she had met the man of her dreams. Her future husband to be. James Sawyer Maysen.
On the eve of their one year wedding anniversary Poppy receives news that we never want to hear in our life time, that her husband had been killed. Leaving her as a twenty five year old widow.
Life from that day forwards life had seemed to have stopped for Poppy.
FIVE YEARS LATER:
Since Jamie’s life had been cut so short Poppy has decided to work her way through her deceased husband's birthday list. The first on the list was to open their dream cafe, ‘The Maysen Jar’ which she had accomplished and was proving to be a huge success.
My heart had been in pieces sine the night Jamie had been killed. It had taken every day of the last five years for the pain in my chest to fade to a dull ache.
Jamie’s birthday list had become an obsession of his, it was his own version of a bucket list except it would be a birthday list instead of a list of things he wanted to accomplish before each birthday.
She’d also already braved skydiving, the next thing on his list was to learn karate. That day when she turns up for class she runs into Cole Goodman, the cop that came knocking on her door many years ago informing her that her husband was dead. Going through his birthday list and accomplishing each activity set out was in some ways offering her closure, allowing her to finally put him to rest and allowing her to say goodbye to him.
There’s electricity sizzling between them which Cole felt straight away which he's never felt towards any other female before and he's sure she feels the same way he just has to wait until she's ready to move on.
I really enjoyed the simplicity of this story, just a straight up raw emotional beautiful story of Poppy’s struggle to find her ground after the brutal death of her husband. I would’ve liked to have seen the effects this had on her personally instead of the jump that occurred (5 years later) I just wanted to stay in that moment for a wee bit longer, to feel the build up of emotions of losing someone so dear to her heart but with the big jump that occured I didn't get to fully feel the debilitating struggle she would've gone through losing the love of her life..
But where I did get those feelings was the ticking off of Jamies birthday list, so beautiful, so unique, that's where all the feels came rushing at me. Add in Cole and he was just the icing on the cake.
November 1, 2024
this was very underwhelming
rtc maybe
____________
ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.
well, after reading letters to molly and loving it now I’m interested about Poppy and Cole’s story😋
I can already see myself crying as I read this.
rtc maybe
____________
ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.
well, after reading letters to molly and loving it now I’m interested about Poppy and Cole’s story😋
I can already see myself crying as I read this.
June 11, 2022
4.5 ⭐️ — review coming soon!!
February 3, 2018
Every now and then, a book comes into your world and touches something deep down that you never knew you needed. That, is The Birthday List. So much healing love, pouring from every word, I know I’ll never forget a single page.
March 8, 2023
The Birthday List by Devney Perry was the ULTIMATE love story. I was consumed by it. Entirely invested in this absolutely gorgeous story from beginning to end. It was PERFECTION!!! Beautifully composed, masterfully written, a heartwarming, sweet, and swoony story that is by far the BEST work that the author has written so far!
I'm incredibly picky. It's a curse, and unfortunately limits my reading experience to a few amazing books a year, and many more DNFs each month. Devney Perry has been someone I admired from the very first time I heard of her. Luckily I realized from the very beginning that she had talent, I just had to wait for the right book to wow me and knock me off my feet.
And The Birthday List was exactly that book. It spoke to me in its entirety. There was nothing in this book that I didn't love.
From the premise of the story to the events that brought Poppy and Cole together - this book had it all. The plot was beautifully executed, from heartwarming dialogues to a cast that made me smile and chuckle. Poppy and Cole's love simmered and grew with each chapter. They were a couple that worked in every sense of the word. iThey worked together to fulfill Jamie's birthday list. They also worked on each other, by giving space and being patient, as well as letting go and moving forward when the time was right. iI fell in love with the characters because they took their time. I fell in love with the author because of the way she handled this sensitive time in Poppy's life. lI fell in love with a book that made me happy instead of breaking me.
I fell in love with The Birthday List!!!!
The author did a marvelous job in bringing two people together that were just right for each other. It's hard for me not to gush all day long about a story that touched me in a way that only a few manage to do. This comes from the bottom of my heart when I say, that this book was a LOVE STORY that should be on everyones reading list. I adored it.
I'm incredibly picky. It's a curse, and unfortunately limits my reading experience to a few amazing books a year, and many more DNFs each month. Devney Perry has been someone I admired from the very first time I heard of her. Luckily I realized from the very beginning that she had talent, I just had to wait for the right book to wow me and knock me off my feet.
And The Birthday List was exactly that book. It spoke to me in its entirety. There was nothing in this book that I didn't love.
From the premise of the story to the events that brought Poppy and Cole together - this book had it all. The plot was beautifully executed, from heartwarming dialogues to a cast that made me smile and chuckle. Poppy and Cole's love simmered and grew with each chapter. They were a couple that worked in every sense of the word. iThey worked together to fulfill Jamie's birthday list. They also worked on each other, by giving space and being patient, as well as letting go and moving forward when the time was right. iI fell in love with the characters because they took their time. I fell in love with the author because of the way she handled this sensitive time in Poppy's life. lI fell in love with a book that made me happy instead of breaking me.
I fell in love with The Birthday List!!!!
The author did a marvelous job in bringing two people together that were just right for each other. It's hard for me not to gush all day long about a story that touched me in a way that only a few manage to do. This comes from the bottom of my heart when I say, that this book was a LOVE STORY that should be on everyones reading list. I adored it.
April 4, 2018
★ 4 “minute by minute” stars!!! ★
Esse é o primeiro livro que leio da autora e estou encantada pela escrita dela! Eu gostei bastante dessa história, dos personagens, o ritmo e como tudo foi acontecendo no “tempo” certo, sem pressa e sem afobação.
Gostei muito da Poppy e sua personalidade. Os seus medos, inseguranças e dúvidas que surgiram no decorrer da trama expôs uma fragilidade que nem sempre vejo quando esse tema é abordado. Acho que nessa parte, a autora conseguiu me deixar bem satisfeita. Acompanhar o florescer e crescimento da personagem foi bem gostoso.
O que falar do Cole? Eu só tenho elogios pra ele, realmente foi o personagem que mais gostei e que ganhou minha simpatia e adoração rapidamente.
Impossível não se apaixonar pela sua determinação, dedicação e personalidade.
Fiquei encantada e torcendo muito por esse casal.
A autora através de sua escrita fluída, narrativa envolvente e gostosa conseguiu me cativar completamente. Eu simplesmente devorei esse livro e não consegui parar a leitura por muito tempo.
Apesar de ter muitos pontos positivos, um fator que me incomodou foi a quantidade de “coincidências” que surgiram. Eu não sei explicar, mas nessas situações em especial, achei que ficou forçado demais.
Outro fator, é que eu senti falta de mais “emoção”, no entanto, creio que isso é mais culpa minha do que da história em si. Não que o livro não seja emocionante, ele é, mas não na intensidade que eu imaginava e esperava. Como disse, isso é uma questão minha, talvez minhas expectativas em torno disso estavam muito altas e com isso ficou aquela pontinha de decepção.
Ainda assim, terminei essa leitura com um sorriso no rosto e com o coração satisfeito.
Foi uma bonita história de amor e recomendo muito!
“I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”
Esse é o primeiro livro que leio da autora e estou encantada pela escrita dela! Eu gostei bastante dessa história, dos personagens, o ritmo e como tudo foi acontecendo no “tempo” certo, sem pressa e sem afobação.
“Crying doesn’t make you weak, Poppy. Sometimes, it takes more strength to let go than it does to keep it all inside.”
Gostei muito da Poppy e sua personalidade. Os seus medos, inseguranças e dúvidas que surgiram no decorrer da trama expôs uma fragilidade que nem sempre vejo quando esse tema é abordado. Acho que nessa parte, a autora conseguiu me deixar bem satisfeita. Acompanhar o florescer e crescimento da personagem foi bem gostoso.
“His face drew you in with his chiseled jaw and straight nose, but those eyes were what made you stay.”
O que falar do Cole? Eu só tenho elogios pra ele, realmente foi o personagem que mais gostei e que ganhou minha simpatia e adoração rapidamente.
Impossível não se apaixonar pela sua determinação, dedicação e personalidade.
“I’m just saying, you think he’s cute. From the look in his eye, he thinks you’re cute too. You two should spend some time being cute together.”A forma como o relacionamento dos dois progrediu me agradou muito. Aos poquinhos foi ganhando força, se solidificando. A amizade, o companheirismo e compreensão do Cole foi essencial e tão lindo de se ver.
Fiquei encantada e torcendo muito por esse casal.
“Maybe I didn’t have to be strong enough to banish the pain away all by myself. Maybe being strong meant learning to lean on those who would take some of the pain away.”
A autora através de sua escrita fluída, narrativa envolvente e gostosa conseguiu me cativar completamente. Eu simplesmente devorei esse livro e não consegui parar a leitura por muito tempo.
Apesar de ter muitos pontos positivos, um fator que me incomodou foi a quantidade de “coincidências” que surgiram. Eu não sei explicar, mas nessas situações em especial, achei que ficou forçado demais.
Outro fator, é que eu senti falta de mais “emoção”, no entanto, creio que isso é mais culpa minha do que da história em si. Não que o livro não seja emocionante, ele é, mas não na intensidade que eu imaginava e esperava. Como disse, isso é uma questão minha, talvez minhas expectativas em torno disso estavam muito altas e com isso ficou aquela pontinha de decepção.
Ainda assim, terminei essa leitura com um sorriso no rosto e com o coração satisfeito.
Foi uma bonita história de amor e recomendo muito!
“Because of you, I wake up smiling. I look forward to each and every day. Because of you,” she took my hand off her cheek and pressed it against her heart, “this only has happy beats.”
Read
April 20, 2018
➦Well, I'll keep it short. I wanted to take Cole, the hero of this novel, put him in my pocket and RUN!
➦Seriously, I wish a Cole for every woman. lol He is perfect but not totally perfect. Know what I mean?
➦If you like a romance story about healing after a tragedy and finding peace and love again, then don't hesitate and pick this one up. Devney Perry wrote an inspirational novel that has everything a romance reader should wish for. Well, except.. if you're really set on not reading about dead exes. But the author did a wonderful job with this book. Super sealed!
May 10, 2018
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: I was fully going into this expecting an epic angst fest, but sadly it wasn't that for me. I didn't shed a single tear. I'm not saying I disliked it, but those darn expectations hit again! I f-loved the H! I usually like my Hs obviously alpha, but I think he was absolutely perfect for the h and the situation they were in. He made the book for me! At times I wanted to shake the h because I do think it was all about her all the time, but that very well could be just because I loved the H so much and I wanted her to deserve him a little more. I felt like the story was more about the h moving on and healing more than a romance tbh, which wasn't my favorite. I wanted more time with them connecting romantically without the list dictating what they were doing! I wouldn't say that this is one of those books where the dead spouse feels like the third in a love triangle. I think the h was understandably guilty at times, but not so much it felt OTT. The H also was completely open and understanding that the h's husband will always hold a place in her heart, but that he had a shot at helping her heal and being a part of her future. Overall, it was a sweet story about healing with little drama and a great H.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Poppy and Cole's story. Poppy's life is turned upside down when Cole informs her that her husband has been murdered. About five years later, they meet again when Poppy signed up for a karate class taught by Cole. Poppy's late husband had a "birthday list" that had things that he needed to do before certain birthdays, and she is trying to finish it in hopes of moving on. Cole doesn't hesitate to offer his help in getting the items checked off, especially if that means more time spent with Poppy. The more time they spend together, the more feelings develop and they fall in love. There is a little drama, some sexy times, and some sweet and funny moments...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Poppy and Cole's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No. Instant attraction after reunion for sure, by I wouldn't call it instalove.
H rating: 5 stars. Cole. Wow. If any of us ever have something tragic happen to us like it did for Poppy, I can only hope that we all can have someone like Cole to put us back together! He was flipping' amazing! So patient. So sweet. So understanding. Just Perfect.
h rating: 3.5 stars. Poppy. I liked her for the most part, but I did feel like she took advantage of the H at some points (but that might be simply because I liked him so much).
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed surprisingly. I expected tears here, but the never came for me 🤷🏻♀️
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is probably what I would consider a "slow bun" as they don't kiss for the first time until around 56%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: I was fully going into this expecting an epic angst fest, but sadly it wasn't that for me. I didn't shed a single tear. I'm not saying I disliked it, but those darn expectations hit again! I f-loved the H! I usually like my Hs obviously alpha, but I think he was absolutely perfect for the h and the situation they were in. He made the book for me! At times I wanted to shake the h because I do think it was all about her all the time, but that very well could be just because I loved the H so much and I wanted her to deserve him a little more. I felt like the story was more about the h moving on and healing more than a romance tbh, which wasn't my favorite. I wanted more time with them connecting romantically without the list dictating what they were doing! I wouldn't say that this is one of those books where the dead spouse feels like the third in a love triangle. I think the h was understandably guilty at times, but not so much it felt OTT. The H also was completely open and understanding that the h's husband will always hold a place in her heart, but that he had a shot at helping her heal and being a part of her future. Overall, it was a sweet story about healing with little drama and a great H.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Poppy and Cole's story. Poppy's life is turned upside down when Cole informs her that her husband has been murdered. About five years later, they meet again when Poppy signed up for a karate class taught by Cole. Poppy's late husband had a "birthday list" that had things that he needed to do before certain birthdays, and she is trying to finish it in hopes of moving on. Cole doesn't hesitate to offer his help in getting the items checked off, especially if that means more time spent with Poppy. The more time they spend together, the more feelings develop and they fall in love. There is a little drama, some sexy times, and some sweet and funny moments...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Poppy and Cole's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No. Instant attraction after reunion for sure, by I wouldn't call it instalove.
H rating: 5 stars. Cole. Wow. If any of us ever have something tragic happen to us like it did for Poppy, I can only hope that we all can have someone like Cole to put us back together! He was flipping' amazing! So patient. So sweet. So understanding. Just Perfect.
h rating: 3.5 stars. Poppy. I liked her for the most part, but I did feel like she took advantage of the H at some points (but that might be simply because I liked him so much).
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed surprisingly. I expected tears here, but the never came for me 🤷🏻♀️
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is probably what I would consider a "slow bun" as they don't kiss for the first time until around 56%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
July 17, 2024
What a beautiful story! I'm gonna be one of the first ones to say that having a deceased spouse as a major part in a book rarely works for me, however what Devney Perry did here was just beautiful.
The way she wrote how Cole helping Poppy on the journey to letting Jamie go was stunning. I've never read a more perfect way to introduce a new love into someone's life who wasn't ready to let go of the last love.
Poppy has been mourning Jamie for 5 years. She knows she needs to get to a better place and maybe completing her husbands birthday list will help get there. Just before Jamie was murdered, instead of doing a bucket list, he created a birthday list of things he wanted to do before each of his birthdays. Since the police never found his killer, Poppy is hoping that completing his list will bring her some closure.
One of the first items on the birthday list was taking a karate class. When Poppy shows up to class, she runs into Cole Goodman. Cole is instantly drawn to Poppy. He's never had a woman capture his attention so thoroughly. Knowing that she lost her husband, he knows he has to tread carefully or he may scare her off.
The way Cole integrated himself into Poppy's life and how patient and kind and protective he was of her will make you fall so far into love with him. I can't stress enough how perfect the author wrote Cole's character and his pursuit of Poppy in this delicate situation. I was riveted! This is one book that will stay with me for a very long time.
The way she wrote how Cole helping Poppy on the journey to letting Jamie go was stunning. I've never read a more perfect way to introduce a new love into someone's life who wasn't ready to let go of the last love.
Poppy has been mourning Jamie for 5 years. She knows she needs to get to a better place and maybe completing her husbands birthday list will help get there. Just before Jamie was murdered, instead of doing a bucket list, he created a birthday list of things he wanted to do before each of his birthdays. Since the police never found his killer, Poppy is hoping that completing his list will bring her some closure.
One of the first items on the birthday list was taking a karate class. When Poppy shows up to class, she runs into Cole Goodman. Cole is instantly drawn to Poppy. He's never had a woman capture his attention so thoroughly. Knowing that she lost her husband, he knows he has to tread carefully or he may scare her off.
The way Cole integrated himself into Poppy's life and how patient and kind and protective he was of her will make you fall so far into love with him. I can't stress enough how perfect the author wrote Cole's character and his pursuit of Poppy in this delicate situation. I was riveted! This is one book that will stay with me for a very long time.
March 12, 2018
Oh my gawd!!! This book! This absolutely beautiful, heartfelt book! There are really no words to describe how amazing it is or how it made me feel as I moved through the story. I am not a writer but it is at times like this that I wish I had the talent to express how incredible a story is and how it touched my heart and my soul.
After the death of her husband, Jamie, Poppy is struggling to find some closure even as she lives with the heavy weight of guilt upon her shoulders. Before his death, her husband made a list of things he wanted to do each year prior to his birthday. Taking the task upon herself, Poppy sets out to fulfill the list, knowing it may take her years. The first is opening her own restaurant.
Cole is one of the good guys. He believes in second chances much as someone in his past extended another chance to him. When he meets Poppy he is instantly drawn to her. He acknowledges that the look in her eyes is from a deep sadness and he’d like nothing more than to help chase the sorrow away.
Learning of Poppy’s determination to check off items from her husband’s list, he offers her his help. He hopes that along the way she will come to trust and rely upon him, smile with true delight at him, and dare he hope, grow to have feelings for him.
I have without question fallen irresistibly in love with Cole Goodman. I cannot recall another hero that has ever taken over my heart as quickly nor as thoroughly as Cole. His sole dedication once meeting Poppy was to help her to move on. And yet, he never expected to replace Jamie in her heart. He was so patient and caring, tender and giving. How could you not fall in love with such a man who’s every moment was centered on the heroine in some manner?
Watching the strength it took for Poppy to move forward was inspirational. She may have started out broken but with each checkmark she grew in confidence toward a life that held hope.
There were so many moments that broke my heart before bringing the pieces back together assuring me that these characters were stronger with each step they took. It’s definitely a story of “incredible coincidences” that were completely believable. The secondary characters were extraordinary. They added such richness and texture to the book without stealing the focal point. While this is a bit of a slow burn, it was within reason and understandable. The journey this couple took could not be rushed. And I loved every moment of it.
If anyone should ask if you will be reading The Birthday List, you’re prompt reply can only be, “In a heartbeat!”
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dual POV
Safety
No apparent triggers
February 12, 2023
This was just okay the first time I read it and it stayed okay upon reread.
As tragic as the story was, I didn’t really connect to the main characters, nor was I convinced by their relationship. Parts of this felt a bit cheesy for my taste.
I enjoyed the aspects of it being set in a small town, the heroine owning a restaurant that served food in a mason jar, her working through her grief and finding hope/love again.
But it just wasn’t as heart-hitting or emotional as I would’ve liked.
I mainly reread this because I wanted to complete the series and the couple has been introduced in this book. We get a good amount of their story and I’m very interested to see what happens between them in Book 2.
As tragic as the story was, I didn’t really connect to the main characters, nor was I convinced by their relationship. Parts of this felt a bit cheesy for my taste.
I enjoyed the aspects of it being set in a small town, the heroine owning a restaurant that served food in a mason jar, her working through her grief and finding hope/love again.
But it just wasn’t as heart-hitting or emotional as I would’ve liked.
I mainly reread this because I wanted to complete the series and the couple has been introduced in this book. We get a good amount of their story and I’m very interested to see what happens between them in Book 2.
September 29, 2023
I knew I was in trouble when I kept grousing about how stupid Poppy's business is—a restaurant based on things you could make in jars. Little apple pies and quiches and junk like that. It's "cute" and "original" but it's also a terrible business plan with limited appeal beyond the novelty. It might work in a place with a large and continually rotating customer base (Venice Beach, say, or Downtown Portland), but in Bozeman, Montana? Not so much. And that only matters at all because I only notice crap like that (stuff that comes from the premise, in particular) if I'm not engaged with the story. And I really, really wasn't. For two main reasons and a pervasive third.
First, Cole is a walking hormone with a continual internal patter about body parts (hers and his own in response). So much of the story was stereotype and this was the worst expression of that.
Second, Poppy is a watering pot who can't get past her husband's death. Now, I'm not going to knock it just because it seems long (it has been five years). People grieve how they grieve. But she shows zero progress and little inclination to even try, clinging desperately to the dumbest list ever conceived as a way to hold him close. I mean, this is a list that includes "swim in green jello" and "skydive" and "attend a karate class". It's shallow and stupid and since it was created when the dude was 25, I have to wonder what the heck kind of idiot he was. That prologue didn't help because he comes across as a winsome dork with the imagination of a three year-old.
The pervasive problem is probably the real killer, though. And that's the flat dialogue and pedestrian characterizations. Cole has a whole discussion with the owner of the karate studio where he attends/teaches and I'm all "this is awkward exposition setting up generic plot elements that will show up to disrupt things at some point." Like I could almost see a list of plot points the author intended to introduce early so that she could lean into them later on in the story.
I finally quit when Poppy thinks "I love my husband and these feelings are a betrayal" as she feels attracted to Cole. Generic attraction, not even anything deep or meaningful. Like, if you think a guy is hotter than your dead husband, that's a betrayal and threatens that love, like, retroactively. So, apparently she hasn't seen any of the Avenger movies, then? I mean, come on.
Anyway. One star. I get the feeling that the author could do better. But since the next book is the stupidity between Molly and Finn, I can't imagine being interested. That's got "these idiots didn't bother communicating and will continue not communicating until the author gets tired of it and they communicate and get together" written all over it. I particularly hate that it's all "Molly cheated" and then we learn that Finn-the-self-righteous-snotrag was the one who pulled back emotionally, refused counseling, and had moved out for a separation, and then gets all huffy when Molly makes a single drunken mistake. Like he's the one who was actively destroying their marriage and yet she bears all the blame because she made a single mistake, in extremis, as it were? Which is worse, a single action or consistent, persistent action that undermines the relationship? Bah.
First, Cole is a walking hormone with a continual internal patter about body parts (hers and his own in response). So much of the story was stereotype and this was the worst expression of that.
Second, Poppy is a watering pot who can't get past her husband's death. Now, I'm not going to knock it just because it seems long (it has been five years). People grieve how they grieve. But she shows zero progress and little inclination to even try, clinging desperately to the dumbest list ever conceived as a way to hold him close. I mean, this is a list that includes "swim in green jello" and "skydive" and "attend a karate class". It's shallow and stupid and since it was created when the dude was 25, I have to wonder what the heck kind of idiot he was. That prologue didn't help because he comes across as a winsome dork with the imagination of a three year-old.
The pervasive problem is probably the real killer, though. And that's the flat dialogue and pedestrian characterizations. Cole has a whole discussion with the owner of the karate studio where he attends/teaches and I'm all "this is awkward exposition setting up generic plot elements that will show up to disrupt things at some point." Like I could almost see a list of plot points the author intended to introduce early so that she could lean into them later on in the story.
I finally quit when Poppy thinks "I love my husband and these feelings are a betrayal" as she feels attracted to Cole. Generic attraction, not even anything deep or meaningful. Like, if you think a guy is hotter than your dead husband, that's a betrayal and threatens that love, like, retroactively. So, apparently she hasn't seen any of the Avenger movies, then? I mean, come on.
Anyway. One star. I get the feeling that the author could do better. But since the next book is the stupidity between Molly and Finn, I can't imagine being interested. That's got "these idiots didn't bother communicating and will continue not communicating until the author gets tired of it and they communicate and get together" written all over it. I particularly hate that it's all "Molly cheated" and then we learn that Finn-the-self-righteous-snotrag was the one who pulled back emotionally, refused counseling, and had moved out for a separation, and then gets all huffy when Molly makes a single drunken mistake. Like he's the one who was actively destroying their marriage and yet she bears all the blame because she made a single mistake, in extremis, as it were? Which is worse, a single action or consistent, persistent action that undermines the relationship? Bah.
April 2, 2018
“The rest is still unwritten…”
OMG… I fell in love with this story and I fell hard. I loved everything about it, from the all-consuming love story, to the heart-wrenching emotions that this story evoked, to the flawless storytelling and the unbelievable characters that brought The Birthday List to life. It doesn’t happen very often when an author and her stories live up to the hype. I had heard amazing things about Devney Perry’s Jamison Valley series and after reading this phenomenal story, I now have the series waiting for me on my kindle. It doesn’t happen very often when an author lives up to the hype and you instantly fall in love.
Poppy and Jamie are college sweethearts, madly in love and are set to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary, well that is until tragedy strikes. Jamie leaves one night to run some errands when he is murdered during a liquor store robbery.
Poppy, who was starting to get worried when Jamie didn’t arrive home when expected developed a sinking feeling in her stomach. Then there was a knock on her door, a knock that would change her life forever. A uniformed police officer appeared to deliver the grave news, a young wife’s worst nightmare; that her husband would never be coming home again. Little does Poppy know at this stage that the police officer delivering her the worst news of her life, might also be the man to save her life.
“I wanted to do this for Jamie and let it go. Every day, I was getting stronger. I was getting back on my feet. I was starting to live again – for me. And until the list was done, I’d still be living for Jamie.”
Prior to his death, Jamie had started a birthday list, a list of things he wished to achieve by each birthday. Some activities on the list were extreme, some were silly and some were scary. Five years have passed since that horrible night and Poppy makes the decision to conquer Jamie’s list and achieve what he never got the opportunity to do. This list becomes a coping mechanism for the grieving widow, and she hopes it will help her move on with her life, the way Jamie would want her too.
One of the items on Jamie’s birthday list was to take a Karate lesson and when Poppy arrives at the lesson, she is not prepared to face the man who not only delivered her the worst news of her life, but also the police officer who stayed with her all night to make sure she was ok and to look after her.
Cole is the police officer that had the unfortunate job of delivering the horrible news to Poppy and he can’t believe that she is standing right in front of him in his Karate school. He is drawn to her by unexplainable forces and has never felt this undeniable attraction and electricity towards anyone before. Cole knows Poppy feels something for him too, but will wait as long as it takes until she is ready to let him into her heart.
“Jamie would have wanted you to be happy and have love in your life. And I think it’s time for you to open your heart again to that possibility.”
Cole is the perfect swoon worthy hero who is a patient and understanding man with a heart of pure gold. I loved how he took his time with Poppy, gave her space when he felt she needed it and was there for her. He proved time and time again that he would move mountains for Poppy if she needed him too. I especially loved how he never once wanted to take Jamie’s place in Poppy’s heart, but just hoped one day Poppy would find room for him too.
The Birthday List was such a beautifully written love story that pulled at my heart strings big time and captivated me from the very start. This heart-warming story about love, loss, healing and ultimately giving love a second chance really moved me beyond recognition and showcased that even after going through the ultimate loss and grief, you can move on and give love a second chance by entwining your past with your present and future. If you’re anything like me and love your slow burning romances then I urge you to one click The Birthday List, because I have a feeling Cole Goodman will be melting hearts around the world.
March 30, 2018
Moving with the curves…
I started this review thinking 4 stars, but getting all these feelings down, it's a bloody 5 all the way.
When I was younger, I swore to my hubby that he would be my one and only. For me, at the time, I felt like there was no chance that I could move on if something happened to him. Sorry hubby, but I think I’ve changed my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I would be devastated, my heart would break, and life wouldn’t be worth living…for a while. But, eventually, I think I would live my life. I don’t think I would go looking for another love like the one I have, but I think there is room to love more than one person.
Geez, that’s the first time I’ve admitted, thought and committed to that, and hubby, if you’re reading this, love you to the moon and back. Heart and soul hubby, you are the best thing since sliced bread.
Are five years enough or too much time to grieve over the death of a “love of your life”? Is there a time limit before you can move on? Should a wife or husband forgo their own happiness (with someone else) because the person you committed to, is no longer living? It’s such a hard question to answer. I think, deep, deep down, that if it’s the type of love where you gain pleasure from your loved one finding pleasure, that they (and I) would want you to move on. Sure, if you moved on the next day, they’d probably be a little peeved but five years is a decent amount of mourning. But, then again, who’s to say?
In this case, Poppy is still young, mourned hard for five years and was definitely not happy. The Birthday List was her chance to move on, find a little closure and hopefully say goodbye to the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with. With each item marked off her husband Jamie’s list, she said goodbye. Some of the items were goofy, while others were a little naughty. Each time though, Poppy savoured while missing and wanting, the opportunity to say goodbye.
Then, one day, one of the items on her list lead her to a man, a man she would never forget. This man ruined her life…but would one day be her future.
Goh blimey, this book was EMOTIONAL. But, as usual, Devney Perry has treated us to an absolute cracker of a hero. Oh my lordy, Cole, was HOT!! Ok, he was more than hot, he was sweet, patient, loving and HOT, with a side-order of a man in a uniform (without the uniform because he’s made Detective and gets to wear polos and jeans, seriously I think that’s just as good as the hot guy in uniform…and now this bracket has gone on too long and I feel like a goose…).
Seriously, I really enjoyed The Birthday List. It was a little confronting because no person who’s in a loving and committed relationship wants to face the idea of their loved one dying too early. What it was, was an opportunity to acknowledge and accept that life does go on. People die, make mistakes, learn from mistakes…or not, and you move forward.
This story is not just a look at life after death, we also get to see other relationships and how they live and die. I’m going to try and not get too specific, but there’s one relationship that was as confronting as Poppy and Cole’s. This relationship came to an end like a lot of relationships in this day and age. Making work a priority over family, separating, and then making a catastrophically bad decision, then learning to deal with guilt and the repercussions. I admit, I crossed my arms and tutt, tutted at first, then, as time went on, my view became a little skewy…iff. What was once a nail in a coffin sort of offence became a, maybe it wasn’t so bad. I loved that this story made me think and analyse my narrow-minded views.
If you’re looking for a good story, look no further than Devney Perry’s, The Birthday List. She has again made me stop, think and realise that life is full of paths, and sometimes those paths are not straight. You’ve got to learn to move with the curves.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I started this review thinking 4 stars, but getting all these feelings down, it's a bloody 5 all the way.
When I was younger, I swore to my hubby that he would be my one and only. For me, at the time, I felt like there was no chance that I could move on if something happened to him. Sorry hubby, but I think I’ve changed my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I would be devastated, my heart would break, and life wouldn’t be worth living…for a while. But, eventually, I think I would live my life. I don’t think I would go looking for another love like the one I have, but I think there is room to love more than one person.
Geez, that’s the first time I’ve admitted, thought and committed to that, and hubby, if you’re reading this, love you to the moon and back. Heart and soul hubby, you are the best thing since sliced bread.
Are five years enough or too much time to grieve over the death of a “love of your life”? Is there a time limit before you can move on? Should a wife or husband forgo their own happiness (with someone else) because the person you committed to, is no longer living? It’s such a hard question to answer. I think, deep, deep down, that if it’s the type of love where you gain pleasure from your loved one finding pleasure, that they (and I) would want you to move on. Sure, if you moved on the next day, they’d probably be a little peeved but five years is a decent amount of mourning. But, then again, who’s to say?
In this case, Poppy is still young, mourned hard for five years and was definitely not happy. The Birthday List was her chance to move on, find a little closure and hopefully say goodbye to the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with. With each item marked off her husband Jamie’s list, she said goodbye. Some of the items were goofy, while others were a little naughty. Each time though, Poppy savoured while missing and wanting, the opportunity to say goodbye.
Then, one day, one of the items on her list lead her to a man, a man she would never forget. This man ruined her life…but would one day be her future.
Goh blimey, this book was EMOTIONAL. But, as usual, Devney Perry has treated us to an absolute cracker of a hero. Oh my lordy, Cole, was HOT!! Ok, he was more than hot, he was sweet, patient, loving and HOT, with a side-order of a man in a uniform (without the uniform because he’s made Detective and gets to wear polos and jeans, seriously I think that’s just as good as the hot guy in uniform…and now this bracket has gone on too long and I feel like a goose…).
Seriously, I really enjoyed The Birthday List. It was a little confronting because no person who’s in a loving and committed relationship wants to face the idea of their loved one dying too early. What it was, was an opportunity to acknowledge and accept that life does go on. People die, make mistakes, learn from mistakes…or not, and you move forward.
This story is not just a look at life after death, we also get to see other relationships and how they live and die. I’m going to try and not get too specific, but there’s one relationship that was as confronting as Poppy and Cole’s. This relationship came to an end like a lot of relationships in this day and age. Making work a priority over family, separating, and then making a catastrophically bad decision, then learning to deal with guilt and the repercussions. I admit, I crossed my arms and tutt, tutted at first, then, as time went on, my view became a little skewy…iff. What was once a nail in a coffin sort of offence became a, maybe it wasn’t so bad. I loved that this story made me think and analyse my narrow-minded views.
If you’re looking for a good story, look no further than Devney Perry’s, The Birthday List. She has again made me stop, think and realise that life is full of paths, and sometimes those paths are not straight. You’ve got to learn to move with the curves.
Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
October 6, 2018
OMG!!! That Prologue...........................Shattered
December 13, 2018
3.5 stars
Very touching and poignant love story.
I expected to love it more.
I still clicked 4 stars, but I wish there were less issues, that bothered me.
No time and desire to write a long review.
I limit my complains to 2 points:
- they dismissed H's ex-gf too fast. They didn't really bash her, but I felt sorry for her. Big fat minus for the hero.
- sub-story with h's brother and his ex-wife. Ugh! Poor woman, they put her in bad light, made her a cheater and I guess she would be the one to grovel in the next book. And her 'saint' ex-husband had a gf at the end. I already 'smell' the plot of their story... Ugh!
It was my 1st book by this author. I checked all previous ones, unfortunately not my coppa. I hope there will be another one in the future I like.
Very touching and poignant love story.
I expected to love it more.
I still clicked 4 stars, but I wish there were less issues, that bothered me.
No time and desire to write a long review.
I limit my complains to 2 points:
- they dismissed H's ex-gf too fast. They didn't really bash her, but I felt sorry for her. Big fat minus for the hero.
- sub-story with h's brother and his ex-wife. Ugh! Poor woman, they put her in bad light, made her a cheater and I guess she would be the one to grovel in the next book. And her 'saint' ex-husband had a gf at the end. I already 'smell' the plot of their story... Ugh!
It was my 1st book by this author. I checked all previous ones, unfortunately not my coppa. I hope there will be another one in the future I like.
August 7, 2022
This book was amazing! I don’t usually like books about one of the MCs being a widow because it usually goes one of two ways. Either they put down their dead spouse and make them seems like a terrible person in order to prove that their current love interest is the right one for them, or I’m left feeling like the love interest is second best to the previous spouse and I hate when the MCs are not first in romance books. But I was pleasantly surprised with how well done the author did in making Cole seem like her number one but also being able to fondly think of Jamie.
I liked how the author handled Poppy coming to terms with Jamie’s death and how she moved on. Five years have pasted from his death to the present and in that time she was coming to terms with the closure she needed but wasn’t quite there yet. I liked how it was still her decision to move on and was 100% her doing, not just her moving on to be with the MMC. It was a good balance with her doing it for herself but also being able to lean on Cole when she needed it. I also liked how they touched on Cole’s jealousy without making it this big toxic thing. Same with the OW situation. It was very mature and healthy how they handled it.
I really liked this book. It’s not my absolute favourite because I wish they expanded on the ending a little bit rather than Cole summarizing what happened but overall I really enjoyed it!
I liked how the author handled Poppy coming to terms with Jamie’s death and how she moved on. Five years have pasted from his death to the present and in that time she was coming to terms with the closure she needed but wasn’t quite there yet. I liked how it was still her decision to move on and was 100% her doing, not just her moving on to be with the MMC. It was a good balance with her doing it for herself but also being able to lean on Cole when she needed it. I also liked how they touched on Cole’s jealousy without making it this big toxic thing. Same with the OW situation. It was very mature and healthy how they handled it.
I really liked this book. It’s not my absolute favourite because I wish they expanded on the ending a little bit rather than Cole summarizing what happened but overall I really enjoyed it!
April 2, 2018
Title: The Birthday List
Series: Standalone
Author: Devney Perry
Release date: April 3, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
He was a dream. How had I found a man who was so understanding and patient, who saw me so clearly? It was nothing short of a miracle.
Believe it or not, this is my very first read by Devney Perry. I've heard so many good things about her writing, but somehow never got around to checking out any of her books. When the early praise and excitement for The Birthday List started to flood in, I knew it was time to go for it.
I don't shy away from a highly emotional book, in fact, if an author can make me feel so intensely for her characters, I know that they've created something really special and meaningful. I was expecting a more weighty narrative due to the subject matter, but honestly, it felt more uplifting than anything. Perry managed to infuse a lot of humor and lightness into Poppy's journey that made for a really fast-paced read.
This is the story of a woman's rebirth in a sense, how she discovered that there was the possibility of life after loss. Poppy thought she had everything she could ever hope for when she married the love of her life right out of college, and they started to build a home together. She took for granted that the future promised years of laughter and love with her husband Jamie. Then in the blink of an eye, that future suddenly dawned dark and grim.
Logically it makes sense that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was stolen from her. But the guilt gnawing at her seems to contradict that. After four years of surviving a unrelenting grief and living in limbo, she's finally at a place where she feels ready to try to give herself permission to find happiness again. So she comes up with the birthday list plan.
The birthday list was Jamie's own version of a bucket list. Things that he wanted to accomplish and experience in his lifetime by each of his birthdays. Poppy decided that completing his goals would give her a sense of peace and freedom, and fearlessly jumped into each challenge in order to honor the man she loved.
I wanted to do this for Jamie and let it go. Every day, I was getting stronger. I was getting back on my feet. I was starting to live again—for me. And until the list was done, I’d still be living for Jamie.
Despite her brother Finn trying to talk her out of such an emotional upheaval, she knew it was the right thing to do. She was taking steady steps to reach a happier future. Until she walked into her next challenge at the karate dojo, and the past confronted her in the form of Cole Goodman. He was the man who once shattered her entire world. The irony was, he was going to be the one to help her glue all of her pieces back together again. This man was so perfect for her, and so deserving of the fragile woman that needed to be handled with extreme care.
Cole was so utterly patient and understanding of her need to keep things slow, and sensitive to what she needed to feel comfortable with him. He knew that there was a powerful attraction brewing between them, but he needed to help her to see past her guilt for feeling it. One of the things I thought was really amazing was the fact that he realized that he had fallen in love with her before their first kiss. Not because of insta-love, but because he put their physical relationship on hold until she gave him the signal that she was ready.
When I pictured kissing another man, it was Cole. When I imagined sleeping with another man, it was Cole. He was the man of the future, patiently waiting on the other side of the line. I could imagine him standing there, holding out his hand.
Poppy was such an incredibly strong character. She faced each task on Jamie's list with courage and grace, all while managing to launch her new restaurant and make it a huge success. Her budding feelings terrified the living daylights out of her, but she faced her fears and put one foot in front of the other in order to let love in her life again. There was an additional conflict involving the unsolved murder of her husband Jamie. Cole worked his fingers to the bone in order to bring Poppy closure, but what he uncovered was something that neither of them could have anticipated.
I'm really glad I gave this story a chance, and I know without a doubt that I will be reading more from this author. My reason for a four instead of a five was partly because I was expecting more of an ugly cry book, and while it had some sad moments, it didn't really delve into the darkest days of her struggle. I really appreciated the overall tone, but I wouldn't have minded seeing her work through those initial stages of grief. Also, there were a couple of things in the book that occurred that I thought were a little bit too coincidental or convenient to be 100% realistic towards the end. However, if you're looking for a slowburn romance with a heartwarming message about love and new beginnings you can't go wrong with The Birthday List.
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April 4, 2018
<3 4 stars <3
This is my third book from Devney Perry and she doesn't stop surprising me each time I start a new book by her!This was a lovely, heartwarming and emotional story.
The love story between the characters was slow burn and sweet, I enjoyed it.Cole was perfect for Poppy, he was exactly what she needed!The story was told from both Cole and Poppy made the story intimidate!
Even though the story was interesting and the romance was good there were parts where it was a little bit slow for my taste and this make me not to give it 5 stars.However, it was a beautiful story!
This is my third book from Devney Perry and she doesn't stop surprising me each time I start a new book by her!This was a lovely, heartwarming and emotional story.
The love story between the characters was slow burn and sweet, I enjoyed it.Cole was perfect for Poppy, he was exactly what she needed!The story was told from both Cole and Poppy made the story intimidate!
Even though the story was interesting and the romance was good there were parts where it was a little bit slow for my taste and this make me not to give it 5 stars.However, it was a beautiful story!
December 9, 2021
Looks like some stupid fool forgot to review this and just noticed it. I am that stupid fool.
But still, I really liked this, so I'll try my best:
1. This was sweet and perfect for people who like angst but with comfort and bittersweet smiles rather than just ugly tears. Even those who like ugly tears might get a break with this one.
2. The main characters had depth, though the chemistry was a little amiss for me.
3. I loved the character development and the the way their relationship progressed. The pacing was absolutely perfect and the twists at the end were unnecessary but good.
4. The coincidences were so unrealistic and beautiful, I couldn't help but like them even though I thought they were unbelievable. It's fiction and *clap* anything *clap* is *clap* possible *clap* in *clap* fiction.
I know I don't remember much and it's all my fault but if asked, I will recommend this to anyone and everyone who can get past the dead ex thing.
But still, I really liked this, so I'll try my best:
1. This was sweet and perfect for people who like angst but with comfort and bittersweet smiles rather than just ugly tears. Even those who like ugly tears might get a break with this one.
2. The main characters had depth, though the chemistry was a little amiss for me.
3. I loved the character development and the the way their relationship progressed. The pacing was absolutely perfect and the twists at the end were unnecessary but good.
4. The coincidences were so unrealistic and beautiful, I couldn't help but like them even though I thought they were unbelievable. It's fiction and *clap* anything *clap* is *clap* possible *clap* in *clap* fiction.
I know I don't remember much and it's all my fault but if asked, I will recommend this to anyone and everyone who can get past the dead ex thing.
February 23, 2020
MY HEART!!!! This was so beautiful. I loved it so much!
Read
April 8, 20184.5 Adorable Stars🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
This was my first book by Devney Perry, but it definitely will not be my last..... this was such a sweet love story with the perfect amount of angst, heartbreak, humor,romance, and steam..... The book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it left me with a big smile on my face....
Poppy was married to her college sweetheart Jamie the love of her life.... and then one day when running errands he got caught up in a robbery and was murdered.... Jamie was a fun loving guy.... and created a list the “Birthday List“ listing an activity he wanted to complete on or before each of his birthdays.... it is now five years later and Poppy is still heartbroken but starting to move on.... she has opened a restaurant and now is attempting to complete all the items on Jamie’s “Birthday List“.... One of the items on the list is to attend a karate class... while at this karate class she runs into Cole the police officer who had informed her of her husband‘s death five years ago.... and there is definitely something between them but how can she dishonor the memory of Jamie?
Poppy was such a real and likable character... absolutely a girl I would love to go to lunch with... preferably at her restaurant and have a yummy chicken pot pie in one of those adorable mason jars topped off by some apple pie in a jar as well....Cole was in a word perfection.... sweet, nice, patience of a saint, hot hot hot, muscles for days, not clingy, not controlling, not overly romantic, and did I mention patient and hot hot hot..... unfortunately there is no man like Cole walking around in the real world, he only exists in this book, and that’s why reading is so wonderful..... The chemistry between the two of them was both hot and adorable.... I loved how Cole wanted to help Poppy complete Jamie’s list (see what I’m saying no man in the real world) I also loved a lot of the items on the list it was so much fun especially swimming in Jell-O and the paint fight.....
Strongly recommend to fans of romance, with a sweet story line, and fabulous characters💕
~~~ thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of this wonderful book ~~~
This was my first book by Devney Perry, but it definitely will not be my last..... this was such a sweet love story with the perfect amount of angst, heartbreak, humor,romance, and steam..... The book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it left me with a big smile on my face....
Poppy was married to her college sweetheart Jamie the love of her life.... and then one day when running errands he got caught up in a robbery and was murdered.... Jamie was a fun loving guy.... and created a list the “Birthday List“ listing an activity he wanted to complete on or before each of his birthdays.... it is now five years later and Poppy is still heartbroken but starting to move on.... she has opened a restaurant and now is attempting to complete all the items on Jamie’s “Birthday List“.... One of the items on the list is to attend a karate class... while at this karate class she runs into Cole the police officer who had informed her of her husband‘s death five years ago.... and there is definitely something between them but how can she dishonor the memory of Jamie?
Poppy was such a real and likable character... absolutely a girl I would love to go to lunch with... preferably at her restaurant and have a yummy chicken pot pie in one of those adorable mason jars topped off by some apple pie in a jar as well....Cole was in a word perfection.... sweet, nice, patience of a saint, hot hot hot, muscles for days, not clingy, not controlling, not overly romantic, and did I mention patient and hot hot hot..... unfortunately there is no man like Cole walking around in the real world, he only exists in this book, and that’s why reading is so wonderful..... The chemistry between the two of them was both hot and adorable.... I loved how Cole wanted to help Poppy complete Jamie’s list (see what I’m saying no man in the real world) I also loved a lot of the items on the list it was so much fun especially swimming in Jell-O and the paint fight.....
Strongly recommend to fans of romance, with a sweet story line, and fabulous characters💕
~~~ thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of this wonderful book ~~~
April 2, 2018
5 “Minute by Minute” Stars
“This man took me breath away”
That quote pretty much sums up this book for me. Cole is an amazing character and he now owns a little piece of my heart.
I loved every single little thing about Cole and Poppy’s story. Devney Perry has cemented her place as a force to be reckoned with. The Birthday List is thoughtful and thought-provoking. I felt all the feels and experienced the full array of emotions while reading. It’s a magnificent journey of love and loss that I’ll remember for years to come.
What I absolutely loved. The characters. Not only the main characters, but the secondary characters are all so well developed. I feel as though I got to know them. I was interested and invested in their stories.
Cole and Poppy are stunning! He’s pure male perfection and she’s one of the strongest female leads I’ve read. Both are very well written and fleshed out. They’re love story jumps off the page and completely consumed me. While I loved them both and Poppy certainly appealed to my emotions due to her loss, but Cole stole the show. He's swoony PERFECTION!
The storyline, plot, and execution couldn’t have been more beautifully rendered. The pace is spot on. The emotional triggers well placed. But most of all the writing is fantastic.
You’ll hear no critique from me. I loved it! From the beautiful cover and story, to that amazing ending, it’s sheer perfection! If you love heart-wrenching love stories with feeling, you have to one-click The Birthday List. It’s UNPUTDOWNABLE!
Highly recommended.
“This man took me breath away”
That quote pretty much sums up this book for me. Cole is an amazing character and he now owns a little piece of my heart.
I loved every single little thing about Cole and Poppy’s story. Devney Perry has cemented her place as a force to be reckoned with. The Birthday List is thoughtful and thought-provoking. I felt all the feels and experienced the full array of emotions while reading. It’s a magnificent journey of love and loss that I’ll remember for years to come.
What I absolutely loved. The characters. Not only the main characters, but the secondary characters are all so well developed. I feel as though I got to know them. I was interested and invested in their stories.
Cole and Poppy are stunning! He’s pure male perfection and she’s one of the strongest female leads I’ve read. Both are very well written and fleshed out. They’re love story jumps off the page and completely consumed me. While I loved them both and Poppy certainly appealed to my emotions due to her loss, but Cole stole the show. He's swoony PERFECTION!
The storyline, plot, and execution couldn’t have been more beautifully rendered. The pace is spot on. The emotional triggers well placed. But most of all the writing is fantastic.
You’ll hear no critique from me. I loved it! From the beautiful cover and story, to that amazing ending, it’s sheer perfection! If you love heart-wrenching love stories with feeling, you have to one-click The Birthday List. It’s UNPUTDOWNABLE!
Highly recommended.
September 25, 2024
DNF @ 15%
Okay so I have a love/hate relationship with Devney Perry books. She has written some books I loved(!) and some that I did not enjoy, and this is one of them.
To be straight up with you, I really don’t think I read enough of the book to truly give it a chance, but do you ever get put off from one particular thing in a book that makes you immediately want to stop reading it? Because this happened to me with this book.
For some info, the male main character Cole met the female main character Poppy on the day Poppy’s husband died. He had been killed in a robbery and Cole was the police officer who had to deliver the news.
They met on this ONE occasion and didn’t see each other again until 5 years later.
Now I understand Poppy remembering him, because he was the man who gave her the worst news of her life. But why does Cole remember her so clearly? Shouldn’t these people just blur into each other with the type of job he does?
I mean this dude straight up remembered her because of how attractive he thought she was and because he admired her strength from when he told her about her husband.
Now in the 5 years later/present chapters. They bump into each other for the first time after her husbands death at a karate lesson, at which he is an instructor, and already he is going on about her appearance, attractiveness and how she makes him so hard that he needs to subtly readjust himself in class. He also started comparing her to his ex gf (who he only broke up with last week), noting that his ex couldn’t turn him on like she has. UMMMMM?????? Ew.
He then asks her at the end of class if they can meet up another time to catch up. She said that she was unsure and she’ll think about it and it’s left at that.
But no, what does he do? He googled her and saw that she was having a restaurant opening the next day. So he straight up ignored her request to think about seeing him again and decides to turn up at the opening anyway.
Dude is giving stalker vibes for a police officer. I’m sorry but I cannot keep reading this for this reason alone. It’s giving uncomfortable and inappropriate vibes and I don’t like it🤷🏼♀️.
Okay so I have a love/hate relationship with Devney Perry books. She has written some books I loved(!) and some that I did not enjoy, and this is one of them.
To be straight up with you, I really don’t think I read enough of the book to truly give it a chance, but do you ever get put off from one particular thing in a book that makes you immediately want to stop reading it? Because this happened to me with this book.
For some info, the male main character Cole met the female main character Poppy on the day Poppy’s husband died. He had been killed in a robbery and Cole was the police officer who had to deliver the news.
They met on this ONE occasion and didn’t see each other again until 5 years later.
Now I understand Poppy remembering him, because he was the man who gave her the worst news of her life. But why does Cole remember her so clearly? Shouldn’t these people just blur into each other with the type of job he does?
I mean this dude straight up remembered her because of how attractive he thought she was and because he admired her strength from when he told her about her husband.
Now in the 5 years later/present chapters. They bump into each other for the first time after her husbands death at a karate lesson, at which he is an instructor, and already he is going on about her appearance, attractiveness and how she makes him so hard that he needs to subtly readjust himself in class. He also started comparing her to his ex gf (who he only broke up with last week), noting that his ex couldn’t turn him on like she has. UMMMMM?????? Ew.
He then asks her at the end of class if they can meet up another time to catch up. She said that she was unsure and she’ll think about it and it’s left at that.
But no, what does he do? He googled her and saw that she was having a restaurant opening the next day. So he straight up ignored her request to think about seeing him again and decides to turn up at the opening anyway.
Dude is giving stalker vibes for a police officer. I’m sorry but I cannot keep reading this for this reason alone. It’s giving uncomfortable and inappropriate vibes and I don’t like it🤷🏼♀️.
April 13, 2019
Solid 4 Stars 🌟
June 27, 2019
Overview:
Cole & Poppy. Standalone novel. Dual POV. Instant attraction but slow burn. It has a HEA and an epilogue.
How do you move on when the love of your life is taken away from this earth way too early. And how do you cope with the feelings of guilt when memories fade. And how do you say goodbye to in-laws that you loved but who no longer want to be part of your life because it's just too painful to be around you now? These are some of the things our dear heroine has to work through in this book.
Poppy (29)
Shattered after her husband was murdered, it has taken Poppy 5 years to begin to crawl out from underneath the weight of that tragedy. She feels guilty and blames herself for how he was killed. She still misses him immensely, but she has opened a new restaurant and is finding a new normal and a purpose to move forward and emerge from the fog she has been in since his death. Her brother and her best friend Molly (who is also her ex sister-in-law) are a fantastic support system. Poppy is afraid to move forward and let go of her life with Jamie, but she knows she needs to take that leap.
Cole (31)
Cole is a cop and 5 years ago he was the officer who told Poppy that her husband was killed in a liquor store robbery. His dad is the Chief of Police and has placed Cole as head of a new drug task force. He is feeling a bit of pressure from his dad to one day take over the role as Chief, and that is definitely not something that Cole wants to do. Cole is a straightforward guy. He doesn't try to run from or mask his feelings and he doesn't pretend to be anything other than who he really is. He is sexy, gorgeous, has a heart of gold and is my new BBF 😉. Swoon ❤️
Together
Cole's first impression of Poppy is that she has "graceful strength". There is an instant attraction and some potent lust on the part of Cole. Poppy is also attracted to Cole and she recognizes that they have chemistry, but she is terrified to explore it. When she is with Cole, he helps her forget the pain of losing her husband. Cole is patient with Poppy. He never pushes her to share or do more than she is willing. If she needs space to think and gather her thoughts, he always provides that to her. Cole is the one person who can convince her it's ok to start living again.
”I looked up into his eyes, so kind and compassionate, and nearly cried again. He was a dream. How had I found a man who was so understanding and patient, who saw me so clearly? It was nothing short of a miracle.”
Overall
I absolutely loved this book and all the characters. I felt that Poppy’s struggle to hold on to the past while knowing she needed to move forward and find a new normal was authentic. The healing process of losing a loved one is different for everyone and the concept of fulfilling a birthday list was unique and I was fully engaged throughout the entire book. Poppy’s restaurant, The Maysen Jar, was also extremely cool. I loved the way this book had ideas that were outside the box. Kudos to the author for her creativity.
The author wove a beautiful story that highlighted the complexities of finding new love juxtaposed with the crushing weight of saying goodbye to a lost love. I loved that Jamie was not cast as a bad guy so that we could love Cole more. The author told the story in such a way that the reader fell in love with Jamie and mourned his loss and celebrated his life right along with Poppy. And Cole....OMG. Totally swoon-worthy!!! Absolute perfection. Poppy said he took her breath away, and I’m pretty sure he took mine away too. 😍
This was an incredibly beautiful story and one that will stay with me for awhile. I highly recommend.
Trigger: loss of spouse
Quotes
“I miss him every day. At the same time, I want to move on with my life. I know Jamie would be pissed that I’ve spent the last five years crying for him. But if I move on, who will remember him?”
“Crying doesn’t make you weak, Poppy. Sometimes, it takes more strength to let go than it does to keep it all inside.”
“Maybe I didn’t have to be strong enough to banish the pain away all by myself.
Maybe being strong meant learning to lean on those who would take some of the pain away.”
“Because of you, I wake up smiling. I look forward to each and every day. Because of you,” she took my hand off her cheek and pressed it against her heart, “this only has happy beats.”
“Jamie would always be a part of my heart, but going through his birthday list had given me an outlet to say good-bye.”
Cole & Poppy. Standalone novel. Dual POV. Instant attraction but slow burn. It has a HEA and an epilogue.
How do you move on when the love of your life is taken away from this earth way too early. And how do you cope with the feelings of guilt when memories fade. And how do you say goodbye to in-laws that you loved but who no longer want to be part of your life because it's just too painful to be around you now? These are some of the things our dear heroine has to work through in this book.
Poppy (29)
Shattered after her husband was murdered, it has taken Poppy 5 years to begin to crawl out from underneath the weight of that tragedy. She feels guilty and blames herself for how he was killed. She still misses him immensely, but she has opened a new restaurant and is finding a new normal and a purpose to move forward and emerge from the fog she has been in since his death. Her brother and her best friend Molly (who is also her ex sister-in-law) are a fantastic support system. Poppy is afraid to move forward and let go of her life with Jamie, but she knows she needs to take that leap.
Cole (31)
Cole is a cop and 5 years ago he was the officer who told Poppy that her husband was killed in a liquor store robbery. His dad is the Chief of Police and has placed Cole as head of a new drug task force. He is feeling a bit of pressure from his dad to one day take over the role as Chief, and that is definitely not something that Cole wants to do. Cole is a straightforward guy. He doesn't try to run from or mask his feelings and he doesn't pretend to be anything other than who he really is. He is sexy, gorgeous, has a heart of gold and is my new BBF 😉. Swoon ❤️
Together
Cole's first impression of Poppy is that she has "graceful strength". There is an instant attraction and some potent lust on the part of Cole. Poppy is also attracted to Cole and she recognizes that they have chemistry, but she is terrified to explore it. When she is with Cole, he helps her forget the pain of losing her husband. Cole is patient with Poppy. He never pushes her to share or do more than she is willing. If she needs space to think and gather her thoughts, he always provides that to her. Cole is the one person who can convince her it's ok to start living again.
”I looked up into his eyes, so kind and compassionate, and nearly cried again. He was a dream. How had I found a man who was so understanding and patient, who saw me so clearly? It was nothing short of a miracle.”
Overall
I absolutely loved this book and all the characters. I felt that Poppy’s struggle to hold on to the past while knowing she needed to move forward and find a new normal was authentic. The healing process of losing a loved one is different for everyone and the concept of fulfilling a birthday list was unique and I was fully engaged throughout the entire book. Poppy’s restaurant, The Maysen Jar, was also extremely cool. I loved the way this book had ideas that were outside the box. Kudos to the author for her creativity.
The author wove a beautiful story that highlighted the complexities of finding new love juxtaposed with the crushing weight of saying goodbye to a lost love. I loved that Jamie was not cast as a bad guy so that we could love Cole more. The author told the story in such a way that the reader fell in love with Jamie and mourned his loss and celebrated his life right along with Poppy. And Cole....OMG. Totally swoon-worthy!!! Absolute perfection. Poppy said he took her breath away, and I’m pretty sure he took mine away too. 😍
This was an incredibly beautiful story and one that will stay with me for awhile. I highly recommend.
Trigger: loss of spouse
Quotes
“I miss him every day. At the same time, I want to move on with my life. I know Jamie would be pissed that I’ve spent the last five years crying for him. But if I move on, who will remember him?”
“Crying doesn’t make you weak, Poppy. Sometimes, it takes more strength to let go than it does to keep it all inside.”
“Maybe I didn’t have to be strong enough to banish the pain away all by myself.
Maybe being strong meant learning to lean on those who would take some of the pain away.”
“Because of you, I wake up smiling. I look forward to each and every day. Because of you,” she took my hand off her cheek and pressed it against her heart, “this only has happy beats.”
“Jamie would always be a part of my heart, but going through his birthday list had given me an outlet to say good-bye.”
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