Happily married to her college sweetheart, Poppy lived a blessed life with the husband of her dreams. Then everything changed. She is no longer a wife. She is no longer the envy of her single friends. Now, people look at her with pity as they whisper a single word behind her back.
Widow.
Years after her husband’s tragic death, years of pain and sorrow and wishing for the life she’ll never get back, Poppy decides to finish Jamie’s birthday list. She’ll do the things he wanted to most. Because maybe, just maybe, if she can complete his list, she can start to live again.
Poppy expects going through the birthday list will be hard. She expects it to hurt. But what she doesn’t expect is Cole. Could the man who delivered the news of her husband’s death and shattered her heart be the one to help her put it back together again?
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EXCERPT:
“I hear you’re saying yes to everything today?” I chased a bite of macaroni with some water. She nodded, smiling again as she chewed. “A guy could take advantage of that.” Her chewing stopped and her blue eyes snapped to mine. “Me, for example. I could use this to get exactly what I want.” I didn’t miss the way her eyes flared, and damn, it was sexy. If things were farther along—if this were a year from now and we were in a different place—I could have used this game to have her moaning yes all night long. But we weren’t there, and I wasn’t a complete asshole. But I did love to tease. “Poppy,” I whispered, leaning closer. Her breaths were shallow as she waited. “Will you bring me both the mixed berry and the apple pie?” She blinked twice, then a hand flew over her mouth—still full of salad—covering it as she laughed. “Yes.” I grinned, sitting back in my chair and digging into my food. “Maybe you can tell me more about this list too? It seems like every time I see you you’re on to something new.” Her hand fell. “You really want to know?” “I really want to know.”
REVIEW:
4.25-4.5 stars
****
This was a really good book for me! This was my first read by Devney Perry and I don't know why I waited to read her books. This is Poppy and Cole's book. Poppy was married to Jamie for two years when he was murdered in a robbery. Cole was the police officer who came to her house to inform her of his death. He sat with her for hours that night as she cried and informed her family. Now five years later, Poppy is still recovering from her loss. She has opened her own restaurant and is trying to begin the very slow process of moving on. The birthday list is a list her husband made before he died of things he wanted to do before his next birthday. Things like going to a karate class, swimming in a pool of green jello, and hiking to a lake nearby. Poppy decides to start doing the things on Jamie's list as a tribute to his life. She goes to do her first item on the list and comes face to face with Cole. They both remember each other and feel a connection to each other because of the evening of Jamie's death. Slowly they begin spending time together and Cole volunteers to help her check off the items on her list. Along the way, they fall for each other and begin a new journey towards love together.
Poppy had gone through so much with her husband's death. It had been 5 years when the book began and she was still very depressed and full of grief. I thought she might should have been farther along in her healing process. When Cole met her and started spending time with her, he saw her as charismatic and charming, while I didn't see that at all. I wondered why he liked her so much when it was obvious she was still grief stricken. But gradually I began to feel their connection. As Poppy began to heal and grow, I grew to like her character more and more. Cole, I liked from the beginning. He was pretty much perfect. Protective, a good guy, patient and understanding. He let Poppy set the pace in their relationship. This book was slow burn (first kiss at 58%), but it suited the circumstances and didn't bother me at all. Cole even knew he loved her before they first kissed. They had spent so much time together, becoming friends first and had grown so close that their relationship progression felt very natural. Cole and Poppy were a great couple and their personalities complimented each other perfectly.
The Birthday List is a "dead ex" book and that trope doesn't always work for me. But the sensitivity shown by the author to the circumstances, the slow burn, the pretty much perfect hero who is endlessly patient and doesn't push, along with the deceased spouse not being vilified or placed on a pedestal all worked together to make this a fabulous exception. I never felt like Cole was her second choice. I felt they were equal in Poppy's eyes, even though I liked Jamie's character less than Cole's, personally, just based on personality.
Overall, The Birthday List is an emotional, heart wrenching story of a woman overcoming tragedy and finding hope for the future in new love. There are sweet, funny, sexy, and heart breaking moments. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Ms. Perry!
Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own
stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.
Poppy had gone through so much with her husband's death. It had been 5 years when the book began and she was still very depressed and full of grief. I thought she might should have been farther along in her healing process. When Cole met her and started spending time with her, he saw her as charismatic and charming, while I didn't see that at all. I wondered why he liked her so much when it was obvious she was still grief stricken. But gradually I began to feel their connection. As Poppy began to heal and grow, I grew to like her character more and more. Cole, I liked from the beginning. He was pretty much perfect. Protective, a good guy, patient and understanding. He let Poppy set the pace in their relationship. This book was slow burn (first kiss at 58%), but it suited the circumstances and didn't bother me at all. Cole even knew he loved her before they first kissed. They had spent so much time together, becoming friends first and had grown so close that their relationship progression felt very natural. Cole and Poppy were a great couple and their personalities complimented each other perfectly.
The Birthday List is a "dead ex" book and that trope doesn't always work for me. But the sensitivity shown by the author to the circumstances, the slow burn, the pretty much perfect hero who is endlessly patient and doesn't push, along with the deceased spouse not being vilified or placed on a pedestal all worked together to make this a fabulous exception. I never felt like Cole was her second choice. I felt they were equal in Poppy's eyes, even though I liked Jamie's character less than Cole's, personally, just based on personality.
Overall, The Birthday List is an emotional, heart wrenching story of a woman overcoming tragedy and finding hope for the future in new love. There are sweet, funny, sexy, and heart breaking moments. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Ms. Perry!
Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own
stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.
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