The Birthday List by Devney Perry

Narrated by Melissa Moran and Jeremy York

Standalone First in a Related Series. Contemporary Romance.

I’m so glad I picked up this wonderfully unique and emotional story. The Birthday List by Devney Perry was heartbreaking, romantic, fun, heartwarming, and hopeful. So many books nowadays remind you of others, and The Birthday List truly stood apart with a story that was completely different from anything I’ve read.

Poppy Mayson met and fell in love with her college sweetheart. They had a wonderful relationship until tragedy struck a year into their marriage. She has been grieving for five years, but is now looking for closure by doing all the things on Jamie’s birthday list—a list he wrote of things he wanted to do each year before his next birthday.

“I wanted to do this for Jamie and let it go. Every day, I was getting stronger. I was getting back on my feet. I was starting to live again – for me. And until the list was done, I’d still be living for Jamie.”

She tackled the hardest item on the list first, and opened her restaurant, The Mayson Jar, where everything is served in jars. I loved the cast of characters who came into the restaurant. While working on one of the easier items on the list, Poppy met a man from her past who befriended her and helped her finish the list

Cole was the best. He was so patient and brought Poppy back into the land of the living. I loved how he respected her memory of Jamie and never tried to replace him.

“I’m not trying to take Jamie’s place or erase his memory or make you forget that you loved him. I’m just trying to explore this thing between us.”

The list was such a neat way to put the couple in all kinds of unique situations and I loved the creativity of it. It was a very slow burn, but that was basically the point of the story, and I felt like the pacing was perfect.

“Will you do something for me?”
“In a heartbeat.”
“Kiss me.”

Likes:

A completely unique story.
I loved the Mayson Jar idea!
Despite a sad premise, it was hopeful and healing.
I loved the slow burn. Cole was so wonderfully patient.
It was just a mature, well-written adult story.
Sweet and heartbreaking and fun all in one.
I loved the side characters and I can’t wait for Molly’s book.

Dislikes:

I wish we got to know Jamie just a little more or at least saw a little more of what happened in the 5 years she grieved.

The Narration:

I think I have only heard Melissa Moran once before, and I really loved her narration. It was nice hearing a different narrator for a change. I keep trying with Jeremy York, but he just seems older and not sexy to me, which in turn made me not quite as swoony for Cole.

The Down & Dirty:

I had The Birthday List for so long, and I’m so mad I waited! I now see why there is all the hype about Devney. I read her first two books, and they didn’t strike a chord with me, but The Birthday List has really shown me her growth as an author and how much she has come into her own. As soon as I finished, I bought the next in the series, Letters to Molly.