This is a melancholy tale about living the life that was expected of you, instead of the one you want, but it’s also about the ways in which the saying “When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens” is absolutely true. Mabel Beaumont’s husband Arthur loved lists. He’d leave them for her everywhere. ‘Remember: eggs, butter, sugar’. ‘I love you: today, tomorrow, always’. Arthur loved to make lists and leave them for Mabel to find, from the ordinary everyday grocery items to ‘I love today, tomorrow, always’. But now Arthur has gone, passed away in the gentle manner that was his way in life, quietly without a fuss. It’s gorgeously written and the reader easily becomes absorbed in the story and invested in the characters and the outcome. Mabel and her friends will take over a warm space in your heart, and they’ll stay there for a very long time! Arthur was always the list maker but Mabel made her own task list to accomplish. Despite her age, her judgement seemed rather questionable at times although the decisions were made with good intent and I did worry at what the outcomes would be.

I absolutely loved this book... I adore an older protagonist... who is feisty and not afraid to speak her mind. The story is like a warm hug - but it had spark and wit and humour too. I loved it, and was bereft when I finished it (far too) late last night!... Gorgeous!' Clare Swatman, authoryear old Arthur and 86 year old Mabel have been married for 62 years. Though Arthur is more outgoing, more excited by new possibilities and Mabel is the introvert, not interested in new experiences, they can take the small silences that older marriages are comfortable enough to endure. What a beautifully written and heartwarming story about love, aging, friendships, self-discovery, loss, grief, loneliness, regrets and second chances. Most of all, it relates to having the courage to make a change and becoming the person you were always meant to be despite expectations of society. I absolutely loved this book so much!! The characters were so real and relatable and I was so emotionally invested. I could just picture myself spending time with this amazing group of women. I was hooked from the very beginning and could not stop reading! ALL the emotions!! 💙💙💙💙 I adored it... A heartbreakingly beautiful story about love in all its different forms. (And she made me cry again, of course). Bravo.' Nikki Smith, author

The Piano Tuner” by Chiang-Sheng Kuo – Book Review #NovNov23 @skyhorsepub @arcadepub #ThePianoTuner#BookReview November 28, 2023 What she doesn’t know is that her list isn’t just about finding her old friend. And that if she can admit the secrets of the past, maybe she could even find happiness again… Secrets On The Estate” by Mel Sherratt – Book Review @writermels #SecretsOnTheEstate #EstateSeries #BookReview#NovNov23 November 28, 2023Another reason I didn't warm to Mabel was Ollie, the dog. Mabel really didn't like Ollie, couldn't be bothered with him, and Ollie didn't much like her in return. I always trust a dog's instincts. This beautifully written story of friendship, love, loss and second chances captured my heart. I adored Mabel and her unlikely gang of colourful characters… Leaves you feeling warm, hopeful, and satisfied.’ Lisa Timoney This is a very uplifting novel. With themes of aging, loss, societal expectations, and the acceptance of change, it was a poignant and very satisfying story of female friendships. But now Arthur is gone. He died: softly, gently, not making a fuss. But he's still left her a list. This one has just one item on it though: 'Find D'.

I’ve been inundated with books in the uplit genre but this is by far the best I’ve read… moving, life-affirming and utterly wonderful.’ Matt Cain Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Apart from the list Arthur has also paid for Mable to have a carer 2-hours every day. While Mable does not feel she needs a carer she finds Julie comforting and soon become friends. She confides in Julie that her husband has left her a list directing her to find her long lost friend and Julie is immediately on board to help in the search.

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Since we have YA (young adult) books why not SA (senior adult) books because this book is about age, the choices we have made in the past, the outcome and the regrets. I am not sure if the complete personality change in Mabel after Arthur's death was intentional in the "I am out of prison now, so I no longer have to pretend" or if it was just a plot device to show character growth, If it was a plot device, it failed for me, because the change was so dramatic. With the home health aide's help, Mabel develops three close friendships and reaches out on her own to a young adolescent. These three women come to support her in her quest to find her best friend, Dot, who disappeared right before her wedding to Arthur. The young adolescent allows Mabel to be giver. This novel is about finding new meaning in life, whatever your age, overcoming fears that have limited the possibilities that could have been, making new friendships that on paper shouldn’t really work and it’s really touching.

But then Mabel finds that Arthur left her one, unfinished list: “Find D”. It’s cryptic, to say the least, and Mabel’s really not in any frame of mind for game-playing. But once she’s taken some time to think about it and to realize that her life didn’t stop when Arthur’s did, she gives the ‘list’ some thought. Could Arthur possibly have known he was dying? And did he mean that she should go and find her long-lost best friend Dot? She hasn’t seen her since she suddenly disappeared just before Mabel and Arthur got married. It’s been a very long time!Mabel is not your most pleasant person and Arthur is such a kind soul. They have been together for 62 years and when Arthur suddenly dies, Mabel is left alone. She isn’t what you call a lover of life – not like Arthur. In fact, I wondered why they married at all. Going through Arthur’s lists (he is a list maker), Mabel discovers a notation ‘Find D’. This discovery marks the beginning of a new life for Mabel outside her comfort zone. A mystery to solve, making unlikely friends and doing things she has never done before. Mabel and Arthur Beaumont live in a small Surrey town and have been married for sixty-two years. They are the best of friends. When she wakes one morning to find Arthur has passed away in the night, she feels adrift. They never had children and now she is completely alone... When Arthur was alive he structured their days around lists he would make. Mabel finds his last, unfinished list which says only "Find D". Her mind immediately goes to Dot, her best friend, whom she hasn't seen since before her marriage to Arthur. Did he want her to find Dot again?