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The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart
A hilarious new romantic comedy for fans of Lindsey Kelk and Jane Costello from Anna Bell, the bestselling author of Don't Tell the Groom.
Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten.
Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town...
Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store...
Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten.
Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town...
Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store...
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2016
1040 people are currently reading
3184 people want to read
About the author
Anna Bell
49 books454 followersAnna is represented by the Marsh Agency and published by Quercus. 'Don't Tell the Groom' is released in paperback 5th December 2013.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 459 reviews
February 5, 2017
1 star for the rubbish main character. She was pathetic, useless and brainless, as well as deluded. For some mad, illogical reason the MC thought she could win her boyfriend back by halfheartedly doing his bucket list. Which didn't made any sense as the break up had nothing to do with his bucket list. Why she thought that would magically win him back, I don't know.
Also, she did nothing but whine and be negative about everything on the bloody list, her non stop moaning about doing things she didn't actually have to do was beyond irritating. On top of that she failed at pretty much everything she tried - it wasn't cute nor endearing how much of a cry baby she was when it came to to any kind of physical activity or how clumsy/useless she was at the simplest things, she couldn't even jump on a bloody trampoline without getting into some idiotic accident. Ugh, I don't know what the author was thinking writing a heroine who could who could barely walk and talk. I could totally understand why her boyfriend dumped her.
Also, she did nothing but whine and be negative about everything on the bloody list, her non stop moaning about doing things she didn't actually have to do was beyond irritating. On top of that she failed at pretty much everything she tried - it wasn't cute nor endearing how much of a cry baby she was when it came to to any kind of physical activity or how clumsy/useless she was at the simplest things, she couldn't even jump on a bloody trampoline without getting into some idiotic accident. Ugh, I don't know what the author was thinking writing a heroine who could who could barely walk and talk. I could totally understand why her boyfriend dumped her.
June 28, 2016
The Bucket List to mend a Broken Heart is a heart-warming story of believing in yourself and pushing your boundaries to find a stronger you.
Abi is excited to be planning something special for her and Joseph’s one year anniversary. But when Joseph says “We need to talk” Abi’s whole world comes crashing down.
Abi’s time is now calculated in the number of weeks since the love of her life dumped her. However when Abi finds a list written by Joseph of ten things he would like to do before he turns forty she decides that completing this list is the perfect way to get Joseph back. Now her time is calculated in the number of weeks before she completes the list and gets Joseph back.
This was a fabulous story. Abi’s list was full of things that safe, cautious Abi would never have dreamed of attempting. It was touching to watch Abi grow stronger and more confident as she worked to complete the list.
The story is lighthearted and laced with humour. There is also an interspersed mystery of who is trying to sabotage Abi at work.
I really warmed to Abi. How can you not love a girl who likes to eat cake and not feel guilty about it? Sian comes in perfectly as the crazy friend who supports Abi but also tells her to be true to herself.
I won’t say whether Joseph comes back or not but I will say this has a HEA ending that will leave you smiling.
The novel ends with advice from Abi on making your own bucket list.
With my thanks to the publisher for my copy to read and review.
Abi is excited to be planning something special for her and Joseph’s one year anniversary. But when Joseph says “We need to talk” Abi’s whole world comes crashing down.
Abi’s time is now calculated in the number of weeks since the love of her life dumped her. However when Abi finds a list written by Joseph of ten things he would like to do before he turns forty she decides that completing this list is the perfect way to get Joseph back. Now her time is calculated in the number of weeks before she completes the list and gets Joseph back.
This was a fabulous story. Abi’s list was full of things that safe, cautious Abi would never have dreamed of attempting. It was touching to watch Abi grow stronger and more confident as she worked to complete the list.
The story is lighthearted and laced with humour. There is also an interspersed mystery of who is trying to sabotage Abi at work.
I really warmed to Abi. How can you not love a girl who likes to eat cake and not feel guilty about it? Sian comes in perfectly as the crazy friend who supports Abi but also tells her to be true to herself.
I won’t say whether Joseph comes back or not but I will say this has a HEA ending that will leave you smiling.
The novel ends with advice from Abi on making your own bucket list.
With my thanks to the publisher for my copy to read and review.
February 7, 2017
After the "love of her life" dumps her just before their one year anniversary, 30 y/o Abi Martin's in serious self-pitying mode. She's missed weeks of work, working mostly from home, and has gained a couple pounds in that time. She's truly at her worst and finds herself crying all of the time. After she gets a letter from HR ordering her back to work, she finally starts to get her ass back into gear. After she dramatically cuts her hair and cleans up her apartment, she gets a box full of her stuff from Joseph, her ex. As she starts unpacking all the things she'd left at his house, she finds a book that isn't hers amongst them...and, inside it, a bucket list that Joseph's written. She decides that she's going to completely Joseph's list and, in doing so, win him back.
It seemed like a cute idea. The execution? Not so much.
(Forewarning: Untagged spoilers abound past this point.)
To begin with what I did like, I liked that the author seemed to have a handle on the age group she was writing for. In comparison to a lot of books I've read featuring late-20/early-30-somethings, this one made mentions of past and present pop culture elements relevant to the age group. There are so many times I've complained about NA/Adult characters being big fans of 70s/80s pop culture, so this was quite refreshing. Also, with the way the author included them (like Clueless/Alicia Silverstone, Buzzfeed, Ice Bucket Challenge, etc.), it felt pretty organic. With this one, Abi is constantly checking and updating Facebook in order to get Joseph's attention, so it wasn't something thrown in there as a random namedrop to appease the masses.
The second thing I liked is that the romantic interest, Ben, is a nice guy. He helps her along with her tasks even though he's not at all obliged to. He also doesn't give her a hard time even when she's struggling or whining about the tasks on the list.
Now...what I disliked about the book far outweighed what I liked. Even though it was a pretty easy and lighthearted read for the most part, there were still parts that annoyed me. I was trying to read this book with a mostly uncritical eye because I just wanted to enjoy it, so I may have missed any number of things, but there were things that did stick out to me. It didn't add to her growth as a character because of how incredibly juvenile she sounded.
First of all, Abi is kind of really pathetic. I get her moping around after being dumped by the guy she claims is the love of her life, but I wish she'd had more of a spine to her. She spends nearly the entire book singing Joseph's praises, dismissing anything negative anyone, including her bff, has to say. She makes up excuses for Joseph and his behaviour and treatment of her CONSTANTLY, even though it's obvious that she was the only one making sacrifices in that relationship very early on. I would've liked if she examined their relationship more critically and stuck to it, but whenever she did, she always dismissed those thoughts or forgot she ever had them. Even when she IS being critical of him near the end, she's still quick to try and pursue a relationship with him when he eventually comes calling. She also talks about Joseph CONSTANTLY. Yeah, it's about her wanting to win him back, but I feel like the author should've cut down on it halfway through.
Recall that she's supposed to be 30, not 17.
She also whines and complains about nearly every task along the way. I know part of that is supposed to be because it's not her bucket list, it's Joseph's, and I guess it's to show their incompatibility, but I still could've done with less of that. It just didn't reflect well on her at all, especially when you take into consideration how pathetic she was after Joseph dumped her (when she sat in her house, holed away for weeks). Added to that, while we see her whine and complain over and over again, we don't really see her complete her tasks, barring two occasions. The build-ups led to nothing.
There is also a money aspect that I found rather jarring. I don't know if it's just the difference in where the author set the book and where I live, but it seemed like the author made a lot of cheap and/or convenient financial situations for the characters. What I mean by that is, Abi laments over her lack of funds and having to dip into her savings, but she's able to pay for alllll of these things for less than a grand. She's able to go to Paris and spend the entire day, pay for windsurfing lessons, weeks-long language course, hiking and biking trips, a bicycle for said trip, food, gas, etc. She expresses wanting to learn to bake at the end of the book, so that means she must eat out all the time. She complains about her rent constantly, worried at her increase and wondering if, after she and Joseph get back together, he'd let her move into his place so she can save money and not pay rent.
BUT, at one point, she goes to the supermarket on a frivolous trip and pays £110.57 ($180CDN/$140USD) for groceries! And this wasn't a trip she needed, she only went to go spy on Joseph. She picked up a whole bunch of items she thought would reflect well on her (fresh produce) when Joseph inevitably ran into her in the store, and then actually proceeded to pay for them. If you're struggling for money and wincing every time you take a peek at your savings and worried about your rent increase, you don't just drop that amount of money on groceries you don't at all need.
Ben's financial situation also had me wondering. He owns a bike shop, which he bought after he dropped out of school. He was doing his master's, but decided it wasn't for him. He dropped out, bought a bike shop that was conveniently not doing well, with the inheritance he conveniently got, and then conveniently got a good loan from the bank just before the recession. I mean...what's the tuition situation like in the UK? Is it a thing people do, drop out after starting their master's and have that and tuition for bachelor's and master's not be a financial burden? Unless his convenient inheritance paid for all of it, which isn't mentioned.
It just all seemed a bit farfetched and conveniently convenient.
Now onto the things that bothered me the most.
I admit that this is meant to be a fun book, especially if you're not looking for anything deep. And it's not that I want a super angsty read. However, some deeper hits of emotion would've been good. It had its fun parts and the rom-com aspect was totally there, but it lacked depth. When Bianca (Joseph's sister), makes a point to belittle her, she feels despondent at first, but then the chapter cuts away and it's the next morning and she's hungover. It felt really off with how it just skipped over the emotional aspects. It almost felt like the author was either afraid to go there or didn't know what to do once she got there. Her bff, Sian, is super angry with her near the end and it's supposed to be a totally serious exchange...
It's a super serious moment...why is that Katie Hopkins line even necessary? Why ruin the momentum by trying to throw a joke in there...?
Then later, when Ben's angry at her and they have an uncomfortable exchange...
Why is it necessary to mention indigestion...? Seriously? Like above, why ruin the momentum and impact of this scene by throwing this completely unnecessary point in there?
Some other times included the love interest, Ben. Ben has a girlfriend during the book, which I didn't mind because Abi is also working towards getting her ex back. They both start as friends and it slowly works towards something more (no infidelity!). However, my issue here is that the author doesn't show much emotion on Abi's part. I know she's working to get Joseph back, but I would've liked to see some hints of emotion from her for Ben earlier on. Two-thirds in, Ben is telling her about his trips and warm baths and she starts thinking about baths and Joseph. Soon after, Ben's girlfriend shows up to take him away to a B&B, and instead of feeling jealousy, she's "lost in the thought of luxury and want to suggest that [she] take Ben’s place." It's not that I want her falling head over heels for him here, because I know it'd defeat the purpose of the book and her objective, but I would've liked for her to express jealousy for him going off to a B&B with his girlfriend rather than jealousy over his comfortable accommodations. And this is nearly two-thirds in.
That was one of my biggest issues--the romance didn't kick in until very, very late. I know that this book is about her self-discovery and putting herself back together after getting dumped (though totally not her intention), but if you're going to introduce a love interest, at least show hints of some romantic interest from the character earlier on, even slight hints that they brush off. I didn't get that here because Abi pretty much has a one-track Joseph mind. And that goes back to the point about her being pathetic, because she thinks about this dude ALL. THE. TIME.
And then, on top of that, when she finally does show interest in Ben, it pretty much goes from zero to a hundred in no time. At the end of one chapter they're being friendly, then in the next one (one their trip to Paris), she suddenly starts blushing around him and wants to hold his hand and kiss him and blah blah blah. It felt very inauthentic and super forced with how it was just in your face all of a sudden.
And? And she still gets back together with Joseph after this. She agrees to meet with him, agrees that they should take things slow (because he wants to get to sex asap), agrees to starting things anew. Honestly, if Joseph hadn't pointed out the cheering sign Ben had put up for Abi at the end, would she even have ditched Joseph? Doesn't seem like it. Even at 93%, when Joseph comes over to her place and initiates sex, she wants to do it, but her brain kicks into gear and puts a stop to things. Oh, and not because of whatever feelings she might have for Ben, because she still hasn't realized those, but because she and Joseph still haven't resolved their relationship issues and talked properly. When Joseph tells her he wants to take her away for a weekend, "the elastic in [her] knickers almost pings off at the thought of being wrapped up in crisp white sheets with a naked Joseph," but it's something that never happens around Ben.
She doesn't even realize she actually has a thing for Ben until 97%. And sorry, you could make them get together late if you want, but I want some sort of realization of feelings earlier than the nine-tenths mark!
The last thing I had an issue with were the female friendships that Abi has. There are six women, aside from Abi, that make appearances in this book and have any sort of impact. First we have Linz, who's the new temp worker at Abi's workplace. She's been brought in as a replacement for another co-worker who's on maternity leave. Abi doesn't like her right off the bat because she's too peppy and flirts with the boss and blah blah blah. She also thinks Linz is trying to sabotage her in the workplace so Abi can be fired and Linz can take her place.
Then we've got Bianca, Joseph's sister. Her appearance in the book is simply to look down on Abi and belittle her, which she unnecessarily does at one point.
Then there's Tammy, Ben's girlfriend. Abi and Tammy got along well in the beginning, but when Tammy realizes there might be some emotions growing between Abi and Ben, she quickly tries to squelch that, making sure to let Abi know that, once this list of Abi's is over, she expects her to never make an appearance in Ben's life again. Ben's friends even joke about how she's sort of like the boiler-bunny variety.
Then there's Sian, Abi's bff. Abi slut-shames Sian throughout the entire book, though she does it in a more subtle way. She's sure to point out how she disapproves of Sian's promiscuity. Whenever they're in a social situation, Abi makes a note of how Sian probably already found her mark for the night. And how Sian always gives her necessary information about her sex life. Sian became like this after her fiance cheated on her years ago, and thus Abi considers her to be "broken." At the end, when Sian finally settles down with a steady boyfriend, she makes sure to note that "for once she’s kept her knickers on," seeing as how she's choosing to date this guy before sleeping with him. And hey, it's not bad on its own to worry about your friend in this manner. However, when you consider how the author wrote Abi's interactions with nearly every other woman in this book, it's something to question.
Finally, we have the "good" women of the book that Abi actually gets along with. The first is Laura, the wife of a co-worker of Abi's. Laura makes an appearance here and there, but she's not a very impactful or important character for the most part. The other is Abi's co-worker, Fran. Fran is "nice, quiet Fran"...that is, until it's revealed that Fran is actually the one who'd been sabotaging Abi all along in the hopes of getting Linz, another woman in this book, fired. I just side-eyed this whole thing. Like, you have all these negative female interactions...couldn't Fran just have been kept...nice? Couldn't it have been a male co-worker trying to sabotage Abi for some other reason? Did it have to be one woman attacking another woman because she disliked a separate woman altogether...?
And this is what I mean by the Sian thing above. The Sian business wouldn't have been bad on its own, because friends worry about one another, but when you take it within context and consider that nearly every female character of substance is someone Abi has a bad interaction with, it makes you pause. Why is all of this necessary? One or two bad female characters, sure, but her co-worker, who's been with her for YEARS, had to be a bad person in the end, too? Really? Ugh.
It seemed like a cute idea. The execution? Not so much.
(Forewarning: Untagged spoilers abound past this point.)
To begin with what I did like, I liked that the author seemed to have a handle on the age group she was writing for. In comparison to a lot of books I've read featuring late-20/early-30-somethings, this one made mentions of past and present pop culture elements relevant to the age group. There are so many times I've complained about NA/Adult characters being big fans of 70s/80s pop culture, so this was quite refreshing. Also, with the way the author included them (like Clueless/Alicia Silverstone, Buzzfeed, Ice Bucket Challenge, etc.), it felt pretty organic. With this one, Abi is constantly checking and updating Facebook in order to get Joseph's attention, so it wasn't something thrown in there as a random namedrop to appease the masses.
The second thing I liked is that the romantic interest, Ben, is a nice guy. He helps her along with her tasks even though he's not at all obliged to. He also doesn't give her a hard time even when she's struggling or whining about the tasks on the list.
Now...what I disliked about the book far outweighed what I liked. Even though it was a pretty easy and lighthearted read for the most part, there were still parts that annoyed me. I was trying to read this book with a mostly uncritical eye because I just wanted to enjoy it, so I may have missed any number of things, but there were things that did stick out to me. It didn't add to her growth as a character because of how incredibly juvenile she sounded.
First of all, Abi is kind of really pathetic. I get her moping around after being dumped by the guy she claims is the love of her life, but I wish she'd had more of a spine to her. She spends nearly the entire book singing Joseph's praises, dismissing anything negative anyone, including her bff, has to say. She makes up excuses for Joseph and his behaviour and treatment of her CONSTANTLY, even though it's obvious that she was the only one making sacrifices in that relationship very early on. I would've liked if she examined their relationship more critically and stuck to it, but whenever she did, she always dismissed those thoughts or forgot she ever had them. Even when she IS being critical of him near the end, she's still quick to try and pursue a relationship with him when he eventually comes calling. She also talks about Joseph CONSTANTLY. Yeah, it's about her wanting to win him back, but I feel like the author should've cut down on it halfway through.
‘Then you’ll get the train or the bus back. And you’ll try again another day. I don’t know why you’re in such a desperate hurry to get this list done so quickly.’
So I get Joseph back before he gets another girlfriend.
‘If it was me then I’d be spreading it over the year. What are you going to do with yourself when it all comes to an end?’ asks Sian.
Spend my days with Joseph who’s going to come back to me of course. Duh.
Recall that she's supposed to be 30, not 17.
She also whines and complains about nearly every task along the way. I know part of that is supposed to be because it's not her bucket list, it's Joseph's, and I guess it's to show their incompatibility, but I still could've done with less of that. It just didn't reflect well on her at all, especially when you take into consideration how pathetic she was after Joseph dumped her (when she sat in her house, holed away for weeks). Added to that, while we see her whine and complain over and over again, we don't really see her complete her tasks, barring two occasions. The build-ups led to nothing.
There is also a money aspect that I found rather jarring. I don't know if it's just the difference in where the author set the book and where I live, but it seemed like the author made a lot of cheap and/or convenient financial situations for the characters. What I mean by that is, Abi laments over her lack of funds and having to dip into her savings, but she's able to pay for alllll of these things for less than a grand. She's able to go to Paris and spend the entire day, pay for windsurfing lessons, weeks-long language course, hiking and biking trips, a bicycle for said trip, food, gas, etc. She expresses wanting to learn to bake at the end of the book, so that means she must eat out all the time. She complains about her rent constantly, worried at her increase and wondering if, after she and Joseph get back together, he'd let her move into his place so she can save money and not pay rent.
BUT, at one point, she goes to the supermarket on a frivolous trip and pays £110.57 ($180CDN/$140USD) for groceries! And this wasn't a trip she needed, she only went to go spy on Joseph. She picked up a whole bunch of items she thought would reflect well on her (fresh produce) when Joseph inevitably ran into her in the store, and then actually proceeded to pay for them. If you're struggling for money and wincing every time you take a peek at your savings and worried about your rent increase, you don't just drop that amount of money on groceries you don't at all need.
Ben's financial situation also had me wondering. He owns a bike shop, which he bought after he dropped out of school. He was doing his master's, but decided it wasn't for him. He dropped out, bought a bike shop that was conveniently not doing well, with the inheritance he conveniently got, and then conveniently got a good loan from the bank just before the recession. I mean...what's the tuition situation like in the UK? Is it a thing people do, drop out after starting their master's and have that and tuition for bachelor's and master's not be a financial burden? Unless his convenient inheritance paid for all of it, which isn't mentioned.
It just all seemed a bit farfetched and conveniently convenient.
Now onto the things that bothered me the most.
I admit that this is meant to be a fun book, especially if you're not looking for anything deep. And it's not that I want a super angsty read. However, some deeper hits of emotion would've been good. It had its fun parts and the rom-com aspect was totally there, but it lacked depth. When Bianca (Joseph's sister), makes a point to belittle her, she feels despondent at first, but then the chapter cuts away and it's the next morning and she's hungover. It felt really off with how it just skipped over the emotional aspects. It almost felt like the author was either afraid to go there or didn't know what to do once she got there. Her bff, Sian, is super angry with her near the end and it's supposed to be a totally serious exchange...
‘Abi, I am so mad at you. Have you any idea how it feels to find out your best friend’s been lying to you for months?’
She stands up and slips her bag on her shoulder.
‘Please, Sian, let me explain.’
‘I thought you already had, and FYI it wasn’t good enough.’ She sighs and gives me a look of disappointment. ...
She walks over to Pete without so much as a backward glance. She whispers to him and he finishes the rest of his pint and pulls on his coat. I watch them say their goodbyes to the others, before they walk out of the pub.
I have never known her to be so angry. It’s even worse than the time she had to interview Katie Hopkins for her newspaper.
It's a super serious moment...why is that Katie Hopkins line even necessary? Why ruin the momentum by trying to throw a joke in there...?
Then later, when Ben's angry at her and they have an uncomfortable exchange...
‘So are you getting back together with Tammy? If you’re going to watch her race,’ I say, trying to deflect his anger away from me.
I’m staring at his almost empty plate, I can’t bear to look at him whilst I hear what he has to say.
‘No. She hasn’t taken the news of our break-up well and I think she needs me to be there for her – just as a friend, nothing more.’
He pulls out his wallet from his back pocket and throws some money down on the table. He’s somehow managed to finish the rest of his sandwich in record time, even for him. I know I should be pleading with him to stay so that we can talk but all I can wonder is how he’s not got indigestion.
Why is it necessary to mention indigestion...? Seriously? Like above, why ruin the momentum and impact of this scene by throwing this completely unnecessary point in there?
Some other times included the love interest, Ben. Ben has a girlfriend during the book, which I didn't mind because Abi is also working towards getting her ex back. They both start as friends and it slowly works towards something more (no infidelity!). However, my issue here is that the author doesn't show much emotion on Abi's part. I know she's working to get Joseph back, but I would've liked to see some hints of emotion from her for Ben earlier on. Two-thirds in, Ben is telling her about his trips and warm baths and she starts thinking about baths and Joseph. Soon after, Ben's girlfriend shows up to take him away to a B&B, and instead of feeling jealousy, she's "lost in the thought of luxury and want to suggest that [she] take Ben’s place." It's not that I want her falling head over heels for him here, because I know it'd defeat the purpose of the book and her objective, but I would've liked for her to express jealousy for him going off to a B&B with his girlfriend rather than jealousy over his comfortable accommodations. And this is nearly two-thirds in.
That was one of my biggest issues--the romance didn't kick in until very, very late. I know that this book is about her self-discovery and putting herself back together after getting dumped (though totally not her intention), but if you're going to introduce a love interest, at least show hints of some romantic interest from the character earlier on, even slight hints that they brush off. I didn't get that here because Abi pretty much has a one-track Joseph mind. And that goes back to the point about her being pathetic, because she thinks about this dude ALL. THE. TIME.
And then, on top of that, when she finally does show interest in Ben, it pretty much goes from zero to a hundred in no time. At the end of one chapter they're being friendly, then in the next one (one their trip to Paris), she suddenly starts blushing around him and wants to hold his hand and kiss him and blah blah blah. It felt very inauthentic and super forced with how it was just in your face all of a sudden.
And? And she still gets back together with Joseph after this. She agrees to meet with him, agrees that they should take things slow (because he wants to get to sex asap), agrees to starting things anew. Honestly, if Joseph hadn't pointed out the cheering sign Ben had put up for Abi at the end, would she even have ditched Joseph? Doesn't seem like it. Even at 93%, when Joseph comes over to her place and initiates sex, she wants to do it, but her brain kicks into gear and puts a stop to things. Oh, and not because of whatever feelings she might have for Ben, because she still hasn't realized those, but because she and Joseph still haven't resolved their relationship issues and talked properly. When Joseph tells her he wants to take her away for a weekend, "the elastic in [her] knickers almost pings off at the thought of being wrapped up in crisp white sheets with a naked Joseph," but it's something that never happens around Ben.
She doesn't even realize she actually has a thing for Ben until 97%. And sorry, you could make them get together late if you want, but I want some sort of realization of feelings earlier than the nine-tenths mark!
The last thing I had an issue with were the female friendships that Abi has. There are six women, aside from Abi, that make appearances in this book and have any sort of impact. First we have Linz, who's the new temp worker at Abi's workplace. She's been brought in as a replacement for another co-worker who's on maternity leave. Abi doesn't like her right off the bat because she's too peppy and flirts with the boss and blah blah blah. She also thinks Linz is trying to sabotage her in the workplace so Abi can be fired and Linz can take her place.
Then we've got Bianca, Joseph's sister. Her appearance in the book is simply to look down on Abi and belittle her, which she unnecessarily does at one point.
Then there's Tammy, Ben's girlfriend. Abi and Tammy got along well in the beginning, but when Tammy realizes there might be some emotions growing between Abi and Ben, she quickly tries to squelch that, making sure to let Abi know that, once this list of Abi's is over, she expects her to never make an appearance in Ben's life again. Ben's friends even joke about how she's sort of like the boiler-bunny variety.
Then there's Sian, Abi's bff. Abi slut-shames Sian throughout the entire book, though she does it in a more subtle way. She's sure to point out how she disapproves of Sian's promiscuity. Whenever they're in a social situation, Abi makes a note of how Sian probably already found her mark for the night. And how Sian always gives her necessary information about her sex life. Sian became like this after her fiance cheated on her years ago, and thus Abi considers her to be "broken." At the end, when Sian finally settles down with a steady boyfriend, she makes sure to note that "for once she’s kept her knickers on," seeing as how she's choosing to date this guy before sleeping with him. And hey, it's not bad on its own to worry about your friend in this manner. However, when you consider how the author wrote Abi's interactions with nearly every other woman in this book, it's something to question.
Finally, we have the "good" women of the book that Abi actually gets along with. The first is Laura, the wife of a co-worker of Abi's. Laura makes an appearance here and there, but she's not a very impactful or important character for the most part. The other is Abi's co-worker, Fran. Fran is "nice, quiet Fran"...that is, until it's revealed that Fran is actually the one who'd been sabotaging Abi all along in the hopes of getting Linz, another woman in this book, fired. I just side-eyed this whole thing. Like, you have all these negative female interactions...couldn't Fran just have been kept...nice? Couldn't it have been a male co-worker trying to sabotage Abi for some other reason? Did it have to be one woman attacking another woman because she disliked a separate woman altogether...?
And this is what I mean by the Sian thing above. The Sian business wouldn't have been bad on its own, because friends worry about one another, but when you take it within context and consider that nearly every female character of substance is someone Abi has a bad interaction with, it makes you pause. Why is all of this necessary? One or two bad female characters, sure, but her co-worker, who's been with her for YEARS, had to be a bad person in the end, too? Really? Ugh.
January 31, 2021
A super feel-good novel!!
March 11, 2020
In 90% of this story, I wanted to give it a 1 star. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the whole story, it was funny even though it was quite predictable.
Up to some 70%, I even wanted to give 3 stars but then Abi was starting to annoy me.
It pissed me off.
Up to some 70%, I even wanted to give 3 stars but then Abi was starting to annoy me.
It pissed me off.
March 15, 2017
Iznenađujuće dobra 
Više o knjizi na blogu Crni biser & Prodavnica snova http://crnibiser87.blogspot.rs/2017/0...
Više o knjizi na blogu Crni biser & Prodavnica snova http://crnibiser87.blogspot.rs/2017/0...
March 8, 2016
Dumped and heartbroken, Abi is desperate to get ex Joseph back and thinks she has found a way when she finds his bucket list of things he wants to do before he is 40. She decides there and then that she is going to do everything on his bucket list and post the pictures on Facebook to show him that she is actually the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with. This is despite the fact that there are things on that list that she absolutely dreads the idea of doing.
This is a really fun feel-good read. I couldn’t help warming to Abi as she soldiered on with the list and I really felt her pain and dread of some of the things she had to do. The story is really nicely paced and I liked the way that her character grew throughout the read. It is funny and romantic and cosily predictable. The characters are mostly likeable and enjoyable to read about. There is an awful lot of story packed into the read and it all felt believable. Abi’s pain at being dumped felt very real, her fears were well founded and realistically portrayed, and the romance had that perfect combination of “will they, won’t they” and (bike) spanners in the works to keep you reading.
I cannot think of anything I didn’t like about the book at all and highly recommend it. I received an advance review copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes.
This is a really fun feel-good read. I couldn’t help warming to Abi as she soldiered on with the list and I really felt her pain and dread of some of the things she had to do. The story is really nicely paced and I liked the way that her character grew throughout the read. It is funny and romantic and cosily predictable. The characters are mostly likeable and enjoyable to read about. There is an awful lot of story packed into the read and it all felt believable. Abi’s pain at being dumped felt very real, her fears were well founded and realistically portrayed, and the romance had that perfect combination of “will they, won’t they” and (bike) spanners in the works to keep you reading.
I cannot think of anything I didn’t like about the book at all and highly recommend it. I received an advance review copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes.
January 8, 2019
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Synopsis - Girl gets dumped by boyfriend. Finds his bucket list. Decides if she will do his bucket list he will take her back.When she starts doing the bucket list she meets a guy who actually ends up helping her complete the list and slowly and slowly steals her heart too by being the perfect support system during her whole bucket list ( if someone can support you through a crazy bucket list they can Damn support you anywhere and everywhere.)
So what I really liked about it was that its a love story of two characters in their early thirties. That you can have a cheesy romance , and the finding yourself period even when you are actually supposed to have gotten these things pretty much sorted . That the main guy Ben is how you would want your main guy to be.! That he was so SUPPORTIVE.
And that sometimes a love story doesn't have to be about lightning and fireworks. That it can also be about someone with whom you can spend the whole day and still not realise that the days going to get over. That they can become your best buddies. And you would have telepathy just before your first kiss 😉
Synopsis - Girl gets dumped by boyfriend. Finds his bucket list. Decides if she will do his bucket list he will take her back.When she starts doing the bucket list she meets a guy who actually ends up helping her complete the list and slowly and slowly steals her heart too by being the perfect support system during her whole bucket list ( if someone can support you through a crazy bucket list they can Damn support you anywhere and everywhere.)
So what I really liked about it was that its a love story of two characters in their early thirties. That you can have a cheesy romance , and the finding yourself period even when you are actually supposed to have gotten these things pretty much sorted . That the main guy Ben is how you would want your main guy to be.! That he was so SUPPORTIVE.
And that sometimes a love story doesn't have to be about lightning and fireworks. That it can also be about someone with whom you can spend the whole day and still not realise that the days going to get over. That they can become your best buddies. And you would have telepathy just before your first kiss 😉
March 29, 2017
Eig. süß aber total absehbar von Anfang an.
February 10, 2017
Anna Bell’s The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart is the perfect read for a lazy day – snuggled up with smiles and laughs and giggles a plenty and if that’s somehow not enough, a dreamy hero to sweep you off your feet as well. Who knows – you might be inspired to write your own bucket list too? I was looking for a cosy, romantic and feel-good read and Anna Bell’s new novel was definitely a book I was drawn to – an irresistibly warm and engaging novel.
Abi is devastated when her boyfriend Joseph dumps her. She’d been expecting them to make plans for the future, or at the very least celebrate their anniversary, so for it to end so suddenly sends her into moping overload. But when she stumbles upon his “Things To Do Before I’m 40” list, she knows what she has to do: complete Joseph’s list for him, impressing him and winning him back in the process. It’s a mad but original idea – inspired by the author’s own experiences - and I really enjoyed seeing how it all played out.
A huge part of this book is about friendship. I loved Abi’s group of friends – Sian, Giles, Laura and Ben – how even though they were unsure about her list (why abseil when you’re terrified of heights?) and didn’t understand why she wanted to start and complete the list so quickly (they didn’t know her plan to win Joseph back), they still wholeheartedly supported her and I think it just showed how having your friends around you when you’re going through a bad break-up really truly helps. There was so much content fit into this book and everything just worked. I couldn’t put it down. It was so easy to root for Abi to find what she really wanted from life, but the supporting characters really lifted the tone of this book too.
The flow and pace to this book made it an effortless read. The bucket list aspect wasn’t formulaic like it could have been – it didn’t just follow the list with no depth and no development in between. Actually it was the complete opposite of that as we really get to see Abi’s character grow and change and from the moping, semi-desperate stage she’s in at the beginning of the book, it was refreshing and inspiring to see her slowly begin to pick up the pieces, despite her motives for doing so.
The thing I loved most about reading The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart is when I was nearing the end and on the inside, at least, shouting at the characters to work everything out because you want that happy ending. That moment where you’re sure you know how it’s going to end but it’s just not happening and you’ve become so invested in the story that you need it to happen. It’s always so satisfying when it does all work itself out and I adored how this book finished, despite mourning the end of the story!
Full of laugh-out-loud moments and one-liners, this was a really lovely book from beginning to end, an enticing and entertaining romantic comedy and a must-read if you’re looking for a pick-me-up.
(review copy)
Abi is devastated when her boyfriend Joseph dumps her. She’d been expecting them to make plans for the future, or at the very least celebrate their anniversary, so for it to end so suddenly sends her into moping overload. But when she stumbles upon his “Things To Do Before I’m 40” list, she knows what she has to do: complete Joseph’s list for him, impressing him and winning him back in the process. It’s a mad but original idea – inspired by the author’s own experiences - and I really enjoyed seeing how it all played out.
A huge part of this book is about friendship. I loved Abi’s group of friends – Sian, Giles, Laura and Ben – how even though they were unsure about her list (why abseil when you’re terrified of heights?) and didn’t understand why she wanted to start and complete the list so quickly (they didn’t know her plan to win Joseph back), they still wholeheartedly supported her and I think it just showed how having your friends around you when you’re going through a bad break-up really truly helps. There was so much content fit into this book and everything just worked. I couldn’t put it down. It was so easy to root for Abi to find what she really wanted from life, but the supporting characters really lifted the tone of this book too.
The flow and pace to this book made it an effortless read. The bucket list aspect wasn’t formulaic like it could have been – it didn’t just follow the list with no depth and no development in between. Actually it was the complete opposite of that as we really get to see Abi’s character grow and change and from the moping, semi-desperate stage she’s in at the beginning of the book, it was refreshing and inspiring to see her slowly begin to pick up the pieces, despite her motives for doing so.
The thing I loved most about reading The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart is when I was nearing the end and on the inside, at least, shouting at the characters to work everything out because you want that happy ending. That moment where you’re sure you know how it’s going to end but it’s just not happening and you’ve become so invested in the story that you need it to happen. It’s always so satisfying when it does all work itself out and I adored how this book finished, despite mourning the end of the story!
Full of laugh-out-loud moments and one-liners, this was a really lovely book from beginning to end, an enticing and entertaining romantic comedy and a must-read if you’re looking for a pick-me-up.
(review copy)
February 8, 2017
All I wanna say is, "you go girl!" Ain't got no time for emo begging after a break up. I mean, we all do crazy stuff when we're heartbroken but who the fadafak goes conquers an island on a bike, or windsurf, or abseil like a heartbreak ain't bringing her down? Abi fucking Martin. Joseph better cry his pants off for losing such a crazy brave girl who'd prolly dump him just before she'd jump off a bloody tall tower. Oh wait, she did, didn't she?
Abi reminded me so much of myself back when I was heartbroken like her - I got myself a boyshort pixie haircut, performed onstage for the first time, went on a spontaneous weekend trip, went on a GForce slingshot ride, tried diving, joined marathon runs, hiked to waterfalls, danced in the rain with friends, took up yoga, learned to do headstands, and many more never-done-before things!
It's a chick lit with a predictable ending, but nevertheless it's the kind of chick lit I would read as I don't read chick lit very often.
Abi reminded me so much of myself back when I was heartbroken like her - I got myself a boyshort pixie haircut, performed onstage for the first time, went on a spontaneous weekend trip, went on a GForce slingshot ride, tried diving, joined marathon runs, hiked to waterfalls, danced in the rain with friends, took up yoga, learned to do headstands, and many more never-done-before things!
It's a chick lit with a predictable ending, but nevertheless it's the kind of chick lit I would read as I don't read chick lit very often.
February 15, 2019
Ich schwanke zwischen 2.5 und 3 Sternen. Es war ok, aber nichts Besonderes.
March 4, 2017
4.5 stars
This is such a nice story, I really enjoyed reading it. It had a nice pace, the love-part developed in a pleasant way and I liked most of the characters.
Abi had some hints of being one of those dumb incompetent main characters that stumble through their story with more luck than judgement. Fortunately, she usually turned out to be not as bad after all and proved that she's capable of reaching stuff instead. That was great :D
I've no idea what else to say, I can't think of anything that really bothered me. Except maybe the office sabotage thing. The suspense built up quite well, but the revelation in the end was a little bland.
This is such a nice story, I really enjoyed reading it. It had a nice pace, the love-part developed in a pleasant way and I liked most of the characters.
Abi had some hints of being one of those dumb incompetent main characters that stumble through their story with more luck than judgement. Fortunately, she usually turned out to be not as bad after all and proved that she's capable of reaching stuff instead. That was great :D
I've no idea what else to say, I can't think of anything that really bothered me. Except maybe the office sabotage thing. The suspense built up quite well, but the revelation in the end was a little bland.
June 24, 2016
Momentan kann ich einen Liebesroman nach den anderen verschlingen und ich mag sie alle.
Auch "Eigentlich bist du gar nicht mein Typ" hat mich in den Bann gezogen.
Ich mag Geschichten, in denen Listen abgearbeitet werden (ich hab selber auch eine) und die Hauptprotagonisten eine Wandlung durchmachen. Wenn dann noch ein bisschen Romantik ins Spiel kommt, bin ich Feuer und Flamme. Dabei war diese Story gar nicht so kitschig, wie ich erwartet hatte...
Auch "Eigentlich bist du gar nicht mein Typ" hat mich in den Bann gezogen.
Ich mag Geschichten, in denen Listen abgearbeitet werden (ich hab selber auch eine) und die Hauptprotagonisten eine Wandlung durchmachen. Wenn dann noch ein bisschen Romantik ins Spiel kommt, bin ich Feuer und Flamme. Dabei war diese Story gar nicht so kitschig, wie ich erwartet hatte...
October 22, 2019
Around 3.8
I liked several things, others were a little annoying (like the heroine's tunnel vision in regards to Joseph without any ability to put things into perspective) but for the most part I had fun reading and not even the way some details were predictable made this a bad read.
It's not the best book ever but it was entertaining.
I liked several things, others were a little annoying (like the heroine's tunnel vision in regards to Joseph without any ability to put things into perspective) but for the most part I had fun reading and not even the way some details were predictable made this a bad read.
It's not the best book ever but it was entertaining.
April 15, 2016
Originally posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*
And Anna Bell has done it again! In such a short time span and two pregnancies included, she's managed to write so many books, and good ones at that. I seriously don't know how she does it and what exactly is her secret in creating such brilliant, feel-good rom coms. Could it be her amazing sense of humor? Probably. Could it be her bubbly personality? I bet that could be it too. But no matter how many things I add to my list 'Why is Anna Bell such an amazing writer', I'm pretty sure I'm going to miss the secret ingredient. However, that doesn't stop me from fully, thoroughly enjoying her books and jumping ecstatically up and down every time I hear she's got a new novel out.
The best thing about Anna Bell's books is that the reader can actually feel how comfortable she is writing chick lits and her expertise when it comes to this genre. Simply put, she owns it! She delivers and manages to stand out in a sea of so many rom coms appearing each day.
After reading her previous novel, 'Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be', I honestly thought her writing couldn't get any better. Why? Because it was already perfect! You know how exactly reading an Anna Bell book feels like? Like watching a briliant rom com or a re-run of Friends, and no matter how many times you've seen that particular scene you can't help but laugh out loud. THAT is what Anna Bell's books are like. They are simply hilarious and the romance simply flows.
No matter how much I loved her previous books, I must say 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' is by far her best book yet! Too much praise? Trust me, once you pick up this book you'll see what I'm talking about. Abi's story and her bucket list (mostly of things she's scared of doing) will immediately pull you in, making you laugh and forgetting about every problem that was previously bothering you. Once you start reading, there's no stopping. It's that addictive!
Abi is such a wonderful character. She's slightly confused as one would expect from a chick lit heroine, and so not over her ex. Despite thinking that Joseph is the one, after all they did share a year full of bliss, she ends up being dumped and more clueless than Alicia Silverstone (I think I just quoted Anna Bell on this). But after finding Joseph's bucket list, she comes up with a plan to win him back. If she could manage to do all the stuff on his list, show him the adventurous side of her and prove him that they are not that different after all, she might just get her man back. The problem might be that most of the stuff on the list are something she dreads, but she's determined and on a mission. As she ticks off the things from the list, we see her transform into a new, better, more confident person and this seriously made me even think of creating my very own bucket list. To be honest, I've never thought of that but after reading this book and finding out even Anna went through similar experience (thus the inspiration for this book), I'm eager to get that list and start working on it.
The romance was gradually built and oh so sweet! I absolutely loved all of the characters, her BFF and colleagues, even her flirty boss. Only character I didn't like that much was Linz (yes, with a Z), her young and sexy colleague who does everything to be the star of the day. Love 'em or hate 'em, all of these characters felt way too real, and once I was done reading I couldn't believe they are gone! Seems to me like I'm showing the usual symptoms of a book hangover, I loved this book so much!
To sum it up, if you're looking for a light, warm, hilarious rom com to devour in a day, look no further. I can't really compare Anna to any author as honestly, her writing is so genuine it's like she's in a league of her own. I'm definitely not exaggerating when I say this is certainly the best chick lit I've read this year and definitely stands pretty high on my all time fave list. Anna Bell, I'm your fan for life!
March 28, 2016
I recieved this book from a good reads giveaway and im very glad and thankful that I did. A must-read, 5/5 star worthy book with the most beautiful and attractive cover.
This was An absolutely lovely, fun and original read, i mean, completing someone ELSES bucketlist? Very VERY original i must say. loved it through out and was unable to put down the book at night. Last night I was up till 4:00 AM reading it.
Heartbroken about her breakup with Joseph and desperate to get him back Abi decides to complete a bucket list that he'd. At times I felt like wringing Abis' neck for making some of the stupid decisions that she did. I hated how she kept moping around over josephf who seemed no more than a douche to me, I felt like going into the and shaking her shoulders telling her to snap the hell out of it. the characters came to life in this book and I instantly connected with them each with their distinct and indivial personalities. I loved Anna's writing style, her humour and how effortlessly the story went making me want to read more and more and more. Can't wait for another outstanding read by this vet talented author. She's defiantly now one of my favorite authors. Proud to have a book like this residing in my bookshelf.
This was An absolutely lovely, fun and original read, i mean, completing someone ELSES bucketlist? Very VERY original i must say. loved it through out and was unable to put down the book at night. Last night I was up till 4:00 AM reading it.
Heartbroken about her breakup with Joseph and desperate to get him back Abi decides to complete a bucket list that he'd. At times I felt like wringing Abis' neck for making some of the stupid decisions that she did. I hated how she kept moping around over josephf who seemed no more than a douche to me, I felt like going into the and shaking her shoulders telling her to snap the hell out of it. the characters came to life in this book and I instantly connected with them each with their distinct and indivial personalities. I loved Anna's writing style, her humour and how effortlessly the story went making me want to read more and more and more. Can't wait for another outstanding read by this vet talented author. She's defiantly now one of my favorite authors. Proud to have a book like this residing in my bookshelf.
August 18, 2016
My chick-lit/rom-com rating scale is basically based on: "Did this offend me horribly on a personal level?" This did not, and it was cute in places, but I still spent most of the time wondering why the protagonists of these things have to be so frakking DUMB 99% of the time.
July 10, 2016
The cover is so cute, which is basically why I read the book. I would've liked this book more if I was older. I, currently, enjoy YA more than anything else, and this book wasn't a one :(
April 18, 2020
Gostam de comédias românticas?
Então, têm aqui uma excelente opção! Super divertido, descontraído, e com aquele final que todos esperámos 😉
Sim, não pudemos dizer que o livro é surpreendente, mas deixa-nos presos à suas páginas na mesma 🙂 até me fez rir feita parva 😂
Agora era ver isto no grande ecrã 🥰
Então, têm aqui uma excelente opção! Super divertido, descontraído, e com aquele final que todos esperámos 😉
Sim, não pudemos dizer que o livro é surpreendente, mas deixa-nos presos à suas páginas na mesma 🙂 até me fez rir feita parva 😂
Agora era ver isto no grande ecrã 🥰
April 12, 2017
Livro tão bom! Faz pensar naquilo que realmente gostamos e queremos para nós!
July 13, 2022
Not bad, romantic light reading.
February 19, 2016
HOW CUTE IS THE COVER FOR THIS BOOK?!?!?
I loved The Bucket List To Mend A Broken Heart as soon as I read the title! I thought the idea of someone trying to complete a bucket list to try and fix their broken heart was really original. I love Anna’s novels and was so excited when the lovely people at Zaffre got in touch and sent me a copy…it is even more beautiful in the flesh!
The Bucket List To Mend A Broken Heart follows the story of Abi who is heartbroken when her boyfriend Joseph decides, out of the blue, that they’re just not compatible with each other anymore. Abi is devastated but when sorting through a box of things that Joseph has given her back, she stumbles across Joseph’s bucket list and suddenly she has an idea. If Joseph doesn’t think they’re compatible, surely he will if she does everything on his bucket list? What better way to prove her love than to learn how to windsurf, cycle around the Isle of Wight and abseil from the tallest building in her town? Surely he’d fall in love with her all over again?
What follows is a heart-warming, funny journey that Abi takes to try and win back the love of her life. Aided by friend Sian and colleague Giles, Abi begins the bucket list and starts to learn a lot about herself along the way…
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was truly escapist fiction and I loved following Abi around and seeing what she got up to. I thought the idea of trying to complete someone else’s bucket list was really unique and Anna executed the idea perfectly. From learning to ride a bike to climbing up Snowdon, Abi was pushed to her limits and learnt so much about herself in such a short space of time.
Abi was a fantastic protagonist who I warmed to pretty quickly. I was rooting for her the entire time and constantly wanted her to realise how awesome she was on her own. She didn’t need someone like Joseph raining on her parade! Her relationship with Sian was really fun to read about too and the scenes between them had me giggling sometimes – their banter was brilliant.
The outcome was predictable but ever so satisfying; I wanted to jump up and down for joy when I read the last few pages! Whilst the ending was predictable there were many moments leading up to the ending when I thought it wouldn’t happen or something would go wrong; it certainly kept me on my toes!
This book is one you can easily read in a couple of sittings and is one you find yourself getting easily lost in. I read about eighty percent in one go as I just couldn’t put it down! This is the perfect book to read snuggled up in bed or would make the perfect holiday companion. A definite must read for 2016.
I loved The Bucket List To Mend A Broken Heart as soon as I read the title! I thought the idea of someone trying to complete a bucket list to try and fix their broken heart was really original. I love Anna’s novels and was so excited when the lovely people at Zaffre got in touch and sent me a copy…it is even more beautiful in the flesh!
The Bucket List To Mend A Broken Heart follows the story of Abi who is heartbroken when her boyfriend Joseph decides, out of the blue, that they’re just not compatible with each other anymore. Abi is devastated but when sorting through a box of things that Joseph has given her back, she stumbles across Joseph’s bucket list and suddenly she has an idea. If Joseph doesn’t think they’re compatible, surely he will if she does everything on his bucket list? What better way to prove her love than to learn how to windsurf, cycle around the Isle of Wight and abseil from the tallest building in her town? Surely he’d fall in love with her all over again?
What follows is a heart-warming, funny journey that Abi takes to try and win back the love of her life. Aided by friend Sian and colleague Giles, Abi begins the bucket list and starts to learn a lot about herself along the way…
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was truly escapist fiction and I loved following Abi around and seeing what she got up to. I thought the idea of trying to complete someone else’s bucket list was really unique and Anna executed the idea perfectly. From learning to ride a bike to climbing up Snowdon, Abi was pushed to her limits and learnt so much about herself in such a short space of time.
Abi was a fantastic protagonist who I warmed to pretty quickly. I was rooting for her the entire time and constantly wanted her to realise how awesome she was on her own. She didn’t need someone like Joseph raining on her parade! Her relationship with Sian was really fun to read about too and the scenes between them had me giggling sometimes – their banter was brilliant.
The outcome was predictable but ever so satisfying; I wanted to jump up and down for joy when I read the last few pages! Whilst the ending was predictable there were many moments leading up to the ending when I thought it wouldn’t happen or something would go wrong; it certainly kept me on my toes!
This book is one you can easily read in a couple of sittings and is one you find yourself getting easily lost in. I read about eighty percent in one go as I just couldn’t put it down! This is the perfect book to read snuggled up in bed or would make the perfect holiday companion. A definite must read for 2016.
March 18, 2016
When Abi's boyfriend splits up with her she is really upset. When she finds a bucket list that he had written she decides that it would be a good way to try and win him back.
She has 10 items on her list that she wants to try and complete as quickly as possible and a new group of friends encourage and support her as she approaches each challenge.
The characters were so vividly brought to life that you could imagine yourself on some of the challenges with them. It really was a lovely read, drawing you in and making you want to just read on and on. It had romance, friendships and amusing stories. I will definately look out for more books by this author- as she has a very engaging writing style.
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
She has 10 items on her list that she wants to try and complete as quickly as possible and a new group of friends encourage and support her as she approaches each challenge.
The characters were so vividly brought to life that you could imagine yourself on some of the challenges with them. It really was a lovely read, drawing you in and making you want to just read on and on. It had romance, friendships and amusing stories. I will definately look out for more books by this author- as she has a very engaging writing style.
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2016
Actually, I would give it 4.5 stars, or 4.25 more like. But as this is not possible...
I did really like the book. It's about Abi, who gets dumped by her boyfriend Joseph. He thinks they are not compatible. One day though, Abi finds Joseph's bucket list of things he wants to do before he turns 40. So to proof that they are very well compatible and to therefore get him back, Abi starts doing all of his tasks. Unfortunately she isn't the kind of person to enjoy climbing mountains or long, exhausting bike rides..
Well, as I said, I really did like the story and Abi and her friends. But all these climbing and bike riding adventures were not for me. It wasn't like the book was full of it and there was nothing else in it, but still. It was just a tad too much for my liking. Therefore not the full five stars.
But the love story itself was nice and the ending was great as well.
I did really like the book. It's about Abi, who gets dumped by her boyfriend Joseph. He thinks they are not compatible. One day though, Abi finds Joseph's bucket list of things he wants to do before he turns 40. So to proof that they are very well compatible and to therefore get him back, Abi starts doing all of his tasks. Unfortunately she isn't the kind of person to enjoy climbing mountains or long, exhausting bike rides..
Well, as I said, I really did like the story and Abi and her friends. But all these climbing and bike riding adventures were not for me. It wasn't like the book was full of it and there was nothing else in it, but still. It was just a tad too much for my liking. Therefore not the full five stars.
But the love story itself was nice and the ending was great as well.
September 9, 2018
Very cute story, very predictable, but very cute.
September 19, 2020
O carte amuzantă, ușurică. 3,5*
June 10, 2017
A heartwarming and fairly uncomplicated read, The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart really satisfied my need for a new adult book without serious amounts of cringe.
Anna Bell provides much-needed humour and sophistication in the new adult genre. (Though, I suppose the main character isn't really a "new" adult anymore, at 30 years of age.)
Bucket List weaves light-hearted fun into a series of bucket list items, to be checked off by the protagonist, Abi. Problem is: the bucket list belongs to her surprisingly adventurous ex-boyfriend, whom she is desperate to win back by doing all the things he has secretly wanted to do. Along the way, she meets another love interest, and discovers what she has been missing out on by letting her ex dictate their romance.
As with any new adult romance that hasn't really taken off, I was wary about the sophistication in writing, the depth in characterisation and grasp on reality. I have no qualms with romances that are a tad dramatised or poetic; same goes for simplicity in writing. I do, however, have an issue with the extremes in either case. I have read too many romance novels (new adult or otherwise) that have really annoyed me with its petty characters and fights and complications.
Though Bell's novel was not perfect, by any measure, it did provide some much-needed clarity in its storytelling—no frills or waxing poetry to be seen here. The narration is direct, clear, and relatively concise. At one point, it might have become too concise, as the ending did seem rushed—a letdown, considering the careful structuring of the rest of the novel.
Along with the rushed conclusion, I didn't connect with any of the characters. There was a small amount of petty competition between the protagonist and a contracted worker, and a love triangle, but none of this really brought out the best in any of the characters. These plot points were really placed in the novel to add drama, without any forethought to what it would add to the character arcs. (If there was forethought, I didn't get a substantial amount of the fleshing out of characters growing as people.)
While it is a shame that Bucket List didn't tick all the boxes for me, it did provide some relaxing reading, with a sweet romance and a great heaping of humour. Three stars.
Anna Bell provides much-needed humour and sophistication in the new adult genre. (Though, I suppose the main character isn't really a "new" adult anymore, at 30 years of age.)
Bucket List weaves light-hearted fun into a series of bucket list items, to be checked off by the protagonist, Abi. Problem is: the bucket list belongs to her surprisingly adventurous ex-boyfriend, whom she is desperate to win back by doing all the things he has secretly wanted to do. Along the way, she meets another love interest, and discovers what she has been missing out on by letting her ex dictate their romance.
As with any new adult romance that hasn't really taken off, I was wary about the sophistication in writing, the depth in characterisation and grasp on reality. I have no qualms with romances that are a tad dramatised or poetic; same goes for simplicity in writing. I do, however, have an issue with the extremes in either case. I have read too many romance novels (new adult or otherwise) that have really annoyed me with its petty characters and fights and complications.
Though Bell's novel was not perfect, by any measure, it did provide some much-needed clarity in its storytelling—no frills or waxing poetry to be seen here. The narration is direct, clear, and relatively concise. At one point, it might have become too concise, as the ending did seem rushed—a letdown, considering the careful structuring of the rest of the novel.
Along with the rushed conclusion, I didn't connect with any of the characters. There was a small amount of petty competition between the protagonist and a contracted worker, and a love triangle, but none of this really brought out the best in any of the characters. These plot points were really placed in the novel to add drama, without any forethought to what it would add to the character arcs. (If there was forethought, I didn't get a substantial amount of the fleshing out of characters growing as people.)
While it is a shame that Bucket List didn't tick all the boxes for me, it did provide some relaxing reading, with a sweet romance and a great heaping of humour. Three stars.
June 29, 2017
A cute, light-hearted and easy read. Good for the beach.
December 22, 2018
Um livro extremamente divertido, que me fez rir em todo o lado.
Opinião completa: https://quandoseabreumlivro.blogspot....
Opinião completa: https://quandoseabreumlivro.blogspot....
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