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Title: The Wish List of Albie Young
Author: Ruby Hummingbird
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Publisher supplied copy
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 12th November 2019
Rating: 5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Sometimes you have to hit the bottom before you can float to the top.
Maria Birch is seventy years old and, for her, every week is the same.
On Monday, she does her weekly shop. On Tuesday, she goes for a blow-dry. On Wednesday, she visits the laundrette. But Thursday is her favourite day of all – everything hurts less on a Thursday.
Every Thursday Maria walks to her local café. Waiting for her at one of the red gingham-topped tables is Albie Young, a charming man with a twinkle in his eye and an impressive collection of tweed flat caps. Every week, the pair share a slice of marble cake and a pot of tea.
Except, one week, Albie doesn’t turn up.
When Maria finds out what has happened, her perfectly ordered life is ripped apart at the seams. Suddenly, she is very lonely. Without her Thursday friend – her only friend – she no longer has the energy to circle the weekly TV listings, she has no reason to leave her apartment, no reason to laugh.
Then she discovers that Albie isn’t who she thought he was, and she’s left wondering if she knew her friend at all. But Albie has left behind a legacy – a handwritten list of wishes he never got the chance to complete.
Maria is resigned to facing the rest of her days heartbroken and alone. But fulfilling Albie’s wishes could hold the key to her happiness – if only she’s able to look past his secret…
This life-affirming and heartfelt tale is for anyone who has ever looked at their life and wanted more. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Keeper of Lost Things will love this poignant story, which shows us that for the truest loves, the end is never really the end…
Maria Birch is seventy years old and, for her, every week is the same.
On Monday, she does her weekly shop. On Tuesday, she goes for a blow-dry. On Wednesday, she visits the laundrette. But Thursday is her favourite day of all – everything hurts less on a Thursday.
Every Thursday Maria walks to her local café. Waiting for her at one of the red gingham-topped tables is Albie Young, a charming man with a twinkle in his eye and an impressive collection of tweed flat caps. Every week, the pair share a slice of marble cake and a pot of tea.
Except, one week, Albie doesn’t turn up.
When Maria finds out what has happened, her perfectly ordered life is ripped apart at the seams. Suddenly, she is very lonely. Without her Thursday friend – her only friend – she no longer has the energy to circle the weekly TV listings, she has no reason to leave her apartment, no reason to laugh.
Then she discovers that Albie isn’t who she thought he was, and she’s left wondering if she knew her friend at all. But Albie has left behind a legacy – a handwritten list of wishes he never got the chance to complete.
Maria is resigned to facing the rest of her days heartbroken and alone. But fulfilling Albie’s wishes could hold the key to her happiness – if only she’s able to look past his secret…
This life-affirming and heartfelt tale is for anyone who has ever looked at their life and wanted more. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Keeper of Lost Things will love this poignant story, which shows us that for the truest loves, the end is never really the end…
Beautifully written debut novel from Ruby Hummingbird.
A journey of self discovery and learning to let the world in again for a woman in her 70s.
Maria had more or less closed herself off from the world except for a meeting every Thursday with Albie Young. and has no idea when he doesn't turn up one week.
We soon discover that Albie had been hiding things from Maria, and as they are discovered and come to terms with, Maria starts to come to life before our very eyes.
I loved seeing how Maria grew over the course of the book, and seeing how she progresses with Albie's wish list. Although we don't get to meet Albie properly we do see him through everyone else's eyes and he seemed to be a rather special man.
I found the story was playing on my mind when I wasn't reading it, and the pages turned fast while I was. I has hooked on discovering how it would progress, and even ignored some of my work in order to finish reading as I was enjoying it that much.
Depending how you tend to react to deep, potentially emotional books will affect whether you do cry with this one. It didn't really affect me in that way, but could see it might do if you are more sensitive.
Always refreshing to read something featuring older characters and I can potentially see myself in Maria's position in many years time, which is somehow both worrying and thought provoking.
Fabulous writing, a story with a lot of heart and one that I would happily recommend. I am already very curious to see what Ruby Hummingbird has in store for us next.
Thank you to Kim Nash at Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Please do follow along with the rest of this blog tour
A journey of self discovery and learning to let the world in again for a woman in her 70s.
Maria had more or less closed herself off from the world except for a meeting every Thursday with Albie Young. and has no idea when he doesn't turn up one week.
We soon discover that Albie had been hiding things from Maria, and as they are discovered and come to terms with, Maria starts to come to life before our very eyes.
I loved seeing how Maria grew over the course of the book, and seeing how she progresses with Albie's wish list. Although we don't get to meet Albie properly we do see him through everyone else's eyes and he seemed to be a rather special man.
I found the story was playing on my mind when I wasn't reading it, and the pages turned fast while I was. I has hooked on discovering how it would progress, and even ignored some of my work in order to finish reading as I was enjoying it that much.
Depending how you tend to react to deep, potentially emotional books will affect whether you do cry with this one. It didn't really affect me in that way, but could see it might do if you are more sensitive.
Always refreshing to read something featuring older characters and I can potentially see myself in Maria's position in many years time, which is somehow both worrying and thought provoking.
Fabulous writing, a story with a lot of heart and one that I would happily recommend. I am already very curious to see what Ruby Hummingbird has in store for us next.
Thank you to Kim Nash at Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Please do follow along with the rest of this blog tour
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