Synopsis: When Arthur, Mabel Beaumont’s husband of more than sixty years passed away, she discovers a list that he had been working on just before he died. On the list it states “Find D”. This gets Mabel to thinking what does “D” stand for? Could it be possible he means Dot, Mabel’s best friend that she has not seen for more than sixty years? Many years ago, Dot was engaged to Mabel’s brother but tragically he died due to an undiagnosed heart defect prior to their wedding. Just before Mabel and Arthur’s wedding, Dot leaves town and Mabel never sees her again and Mabel has always been in the dark with respect to why Dot left without even saying goodbye. With the assistance of new friends, Mabel is determined to find Dot and learn the truth of what happened all those years ago.

My thoughts: I found this to be an enjoyable read of later-in-life female friendship. These were not women that had been friends for decades but women in later life that discovered the joy and support of meeting new friends and doing new things together. While I guessed the reason Dot left town, I enjoyed the build-up of Mabel discovering the truth of the past and I gave this book 3/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book.

An enjoyable characters-led novel and one in which the main character has a lot to come to terms with as the story develops. Long-held secrets come to the fore when Mabel's ever-loving husband dies. Written with compassion and a sympathetic approach to the depths of emotions exhibited.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Say hello to my first read of August and a favorite of the year!

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont reminded me of a mix of Iona Iverson Rules of Commuting and A Man Called Ove.

I love stories that allow me to be reflective and warm my heart and this book was exactly that.

Mabel is definitely a favorite character of the year. She's spent her whole life kind of on the outskirts, kind of quiet, and always allowing others to take charge. Until now.
She has doubted herself so much over the years and I found myself loving her more and more as the story progressed.

There is such a beautiful representation of the strength it takes to process grief. Of taking chances no matter how old you are. Of being vulnerable when it is uncomfortable. We can all learn a bit from Mabel.

I loved this story and I’m really sad to have to say goodbye to Mabel and the rest of this amazing cast of characters.

This one is out today and one I highly recommend!

5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @bookandtonic for the early copy

@laurapauthor thank you for writing such a beautiful book that fit right into my heart! I cannot wait to read the rest of your backlist!

At the age of eighty-six, Mabel Beaumont loses Arthur her husband of over sixty years. Mabel is a quiet and reserved individual and her husband was the one who was relatively more outgoing and expressive and also fond of making lists. As Mabel grapples with her loss, she finds her husband’s unfinished list with an item “Find D” on it. Mabel believes Arthur meant to find Dot, once Mabel’s best friend and her deceased older brother’s love interest. After Bill’s sudden demise and Mabel’s engagement to Arthur over sixty years ago, Dot disappeared from their lives. Mabel embarks on a quest to find Dot and finds a kindly and supportive group of people who are intent to help her – Julie, the new caregiver Arthur had arranged for her; Kristy a kindly neighbor and new mother in her thirties; Patty, a dance instructor in her seventies and Erin, a sixteen-year-old girl who Mabel meets in her local grocery store. For someone who has mostly kept to herself all her adult life, Mabel finds herself increasingly involved in the lives of her new friends, adding more items to her (Arthur’s which she expands upon) list and reflecting on people and events from her past – the people she loved and lost, her regrets and secrets about herself she has never been able to share with anyone. Mabel's quest for Dot and her plans to help her friends, (though efforts don’t always produce the desired results), each of whom is struggling with personal problems, gives Mabel a sense of purpose, in turn inspiring her to approach her own life from a fresh perspective.

Revolving around themes of friendship, love, kindness, hope and self-acceptance, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson is an evocative, heartwarming and thought-provoking novel that inspires reflection. The narrative is presented from Mabel’s first-person –perspective in the present with past events shared in segments interspersed throughout the novel. There is a lot to unpack in this story and I thought the author addresses several heavy topics such as bereavement and grief, childlessness, aging, loneliness and homophobia with sensitivity and compassion. The pacing is on the slower side which suits the story The secondary characters are well-developed and I thought the author does a wonderful job in depicting how Mabel’s friendship with each of them evolves and the rapport between the group is developed I enjoyed getting to know the characters and though I felt there was the opportunity to explore a few of the subplots in more depth, overall I felt the author does a commendable job of weaving the stories of these characters into a cohesive, engaging narrative. The final reveal is well-executed in keeping with the overall calm and dignified tone of the novel.

Written in elegant prose with superb characterizations and a realistic and relatable take on relationships – family, marriage, love and friendship - I found this to be a lovely story that will touch a chord in your heart.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming (a little slow)

Mabel Beaumont and Arthur have lived sixty years of their lives together. When Arthur doesn’t wake up one morning, Mabel feels overwhelmed by the changes. Being all alone at eighty-six is not easy. However, when she comes across one of Arthur’s lists with a single task – Find D, she decides to complete it for him and herself.
Dot was her friend, one of the four in the group, with Mabel, Arthur, and Bill (Mable’s dead brother). Dot left without a word more than six decades ago, and no one knows if she is even alive. As Mabel tries to find her, she realizes that she needs to do a lot more than search for a friend.
Along the way, Mabel makes friends with women of different ages, dealing with their own issues. Can she go through the past and accept the secrets she hid? After all, it could be her last chance to find happiness and peace.
The story comes from Mabel’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
The book almost lives up to the cover and the beautiful premise. It is a story of love, loss, friendships, relationships, bonding, learning, acceptance, and being brave enough to go after what you want.
The story begins with a sample of how Mabel and Arthur live and have lived for most of their married life. Right away, Mabel’s thoughts hint at things outsiders don’t see in a relationship.
The pattern continues throughout, which is an advantage and a disadvantage. Mabel doesn’t reveal the details she doesn’t want to acknowledge. This means we keep trying to connect the dots until she is ready to share (at the end).
I love how Mabel’s arc develops as she meets different women and comes to terms with the past and present. She starts off as a closed person who likes to play it safe and stay away from others. Yet, with Arthur’s absence, she begins to crave some company. Fortunately, she has Julie - the temporary caregiver, Erin - a teenage girl she meets at the supermarket, Patty - a lively dance instructor, and Kristy - Patty’s neighbor and dog lover.
Olly is Mabel’s dog, or rather, Arthur’s dog, which doesn’t like people. It’s great to see how Mabel and Olly’s bonding is presented. It’s different from what one would expect, making it even more real. Furthermore, Mabel's lack of desire for children adds another layer to her character. It's refreshing to see a woman from her era defy the norms of having kids.
The side characters are well-developed. Everyone has flaws and makes mistakes. It’s heartwarming to see women from different age groups and backgrounds come together and form a bond. They all have issues to deal with. Of course, things get worse when Mabel tries to ‘help’, but they learn and sort out.
While the actual reveal, as such, is a common trope, the execution is effective and elegant. I would have preferred another approach to lead to the reveal (the current one leaves me with a couple of questions).
The narration is slow and steady, which suits the premise. It cannot be rushed. However, it’s not so slow or boring. Things do happen, to the side characters, if not to Mabel, and she invariably becomes a part of it.

To summarize, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is much more than finding a person or reconnecting with lost old friends. It is a story exploring different kinds of love and how the right friends enrich our lives.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Mabel and Arthur have been married for years and although they have very different personalities they have so much love for each other. Arthur likes making lists and leaves a final cryptic list for Mabel which tells her to simply find C. Mabel assumes he means her long lost best friend Connie and sets out on a mission to find her but has a few more tasks along the way. What a beautiful uplifting story that is very character driven and the characters are so easy to love particularly Mabel. It's a story of love, loss, friendship, grief, getting older and the human spirit. I love books written from the older generation perspective as it is very rare but seems to becoming more common and I love that we have now included them as they have so much more life experience and there stories always make me smile and laugh. In this one I did smile and laugh but I also shed quite a few tears as well. A tenderly and uplifting written book that I will easily recommend.

Mabel Beaumont is 86 and a recent widow. When her husband Arthur died and he left her a list with just one item on it. Find D. Mabel is convinced it means find Dot, her best friend until Dot moved away when Mabel married Arthur. Arthur also employed Julie as a carer for Mabel and paid for three months upfront. Arthur loved Mabel and she loved him in her own way but not the all encompassing love she wanted. This is a well written and heartwarming but bittersweet story mainly set in the present but with flashbacks to Mabel’s late teens.

Briefly, they were always together; Mabel, Dot, Arthur and Mabel’s brother Bill. Two couples torn apart when one of them died. Following Arthur’s death Mabel makes friends with a small group of women who offer to help find Dot. And Mabel’s list grows as she adds more things ‘to do’.

This author is very good at writing character. I felt like I could see them all in my head and I knew exactly what they looked like, how they acted and how they talked. I did find Mabel’s interference in her friends lives a bit irritating even though it came from a good place and I did have an inkling about why Mabel’s marriage was less than exciting. But none of this took away from what was a beautiful and uplifting story, full of messages of acceptance, love, friendship and second chances. A wonderfully heartwarming read.
4.5⭐️

In a Nutshell: A heartwarming story about friendship and love and accepting oneself. Interesting characters, though some of them could have been benefitted with more depth and less predictability.

Story Synopsis:
Eight-six-year-old Mabel has just lost Arthur, her husband of sixty-two years. He loved lists, and while she is clearing his belongings, she discovers one last list by him. This has just a single item on it: “Find D”. Mabel understands that Arthur wants her to locate Dot, her estranged best friend whom she hasn’t seen since before her wedding. Is Dot still alive? Mabel is determined to find out. Without meaning to do so, Mabel finds a new set of friends who are willing to help her on her quest. Each friend is battling their own personal issue, and Mabel’s search ends up becoming a life-changing journey for all of them.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Mabel.

Honestly, I don’t have many points to talk about because the book is true to its genre, delivering sweet and sentimental scenes with regularity, and goes only a little beyond the tried-and-tested. As the title indicates, the book isn’t about Albert’s final list but is “The Last List of Mabel Beaumont.” The items in Mabel’s checklist form the main events of the book.

Having a geriatric lead character is quite a trend nowadays, but to read about one who is willing to step out of her comfort zone is a nice experience. Mabel is an endearing protagonist, a good mix of interfering and caring. I love how she doesn’t restrict her friendships only to women of her own age, and isn’t judgemental about the younger generation. I also appreciate how the plot never made her justify her decision of not wanting children.

At the surface level, the story seems quite easy-going. But Mabel’s life contains many secrets, and as we learn her thoughts through her own first-person perspective, we understand how her life isn’t what it seems. While her biggest secret was quite guessable to me, it was still written well.

There is a minor touch of the surreal in the book, through Mabel’s habit of seeing Albert around the house. I simply adored their relationship. How such a long marriage results in such compatibility and comfort despite certain basic differences in marital expectations comes out wonderfully through this story.

The rapport between Mabel and her new coterie of friends is lovely. These friends come from different age groups and financial backgrounds, though I wish there had been some cultural diversity as well. Nevertheless, these women have their own baggage to handle, and these create some interesting secondary arcs in the storyline, though most of these are quite predictable.

Some parts of the book reminded me of ‘The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle’, another British novel with a geriatric lead character, and this is what made me guess the big reveal. Still, both books have their own charm and uniqueness, and both are rewarding experiences.

All in all, this is a really sweet and touching book, filled with moments of love, care and concern. I guess the only negative for me was that even in its USP, it doesn’t venture much out of its comfort zone. Still, if you want a warm and fuzzy read, this is a great book for that mood.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Last List of Mabel Beaumont”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Such a lovely read!

Arthur Beaumont is dead - and his wife, Mabel, is understandably missing him. It's hard to get out of the habit of things they did together and for each other, but she knows he's not coming back. Arthur was a list-maker, and she misses those too. Finding a note with 'Find D' on it, she comes to the conclusion that it refers to Dot who was her very best friend sixty years ago - until she just disappeared. Without knowing whether Dot is alive or not, Mabel reaches out for help, but every person she comes across also needs help. Can she sort it all out?

There's so much more to this than meets the eye. Slowly and gently, we discover all about Mabel and Arthur's marriage and how good a friend Dot was in their younger years - so why didn't she keep in touch? But Arthur must have meant for Mabel to find her, and she is not going to give up until she has exhausted all possibilities. A tender, warm story incorporating characters from all walks of life and demonstrating just what can be achieved with a little support from your fellow woman. A gorgeous read which I feel I disappeared into, and came out the other side full of love and happiness. 5* and one I'm very happy to recommend - and don't forget the beautiful cover!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Mabel and Arthur Beaumont have been married for sixty-two years. Both octogenarians , Arthur is the grand age of eighty-nine, Mabel eighty-six.
Stuck In the ways of her lifestyle routines, Mabel is cast adrift after the death of Arthur.
Arthur liked writing to-do lists, and Mabel finds an unfinished list of Arthur’s. Find D.
Find D thinks Mabel. That is a much needed distraction for her she thinks. Find D!

What a thoughtful and thought provoking book, and such a good read.
Mabel in her strength and courage, encouraging those around her. Female bonding, and friendship. Love, loss, life in all its up and down messy little ways. A reflective book, which gave me much food for thought.
I could have read on and on, didn’t want the book to end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

When I started The Last List Of Mabel Beaumont, I wasn't really sure what to expect but what I got was a life affirming, uplifting, simply beautiful story. Laura Pearson is brilliant at bringing out the emotions in every scene, even the abstract feelings and the ones we don't have names for, and I loved every minute that I spent with Mabel and her friends.

Although the mysterious element of The Last List Of Mabel Beaumont kept me invested in the story and eager to read until the very end to find out what happened, it is the characters that really make this story shine. Our protagonist, Mabel, has been protected by her husband for six decades, but I loved seeing her come out of her shell as she grew closer to her new friends and began to try new things. Occasionally, Laura Pearson takes us back in time to when Mabel was in her twenties, and this really helped me to build a stronger picture of her personality. She is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast of characters who are kind and vibrant and help Mabel learn to laugh again, but they are all vulnerable themselves too, and I loved the way that the author explores their stories in such a gentle and sensitive but thought provoking way.

Despite most of the characters having little in common with me in terms of age or life experiences, I felt that the themes within the novel were universal and it was interesting to look at them from the points of view of the characters, who themselves are very different to each other. I will be thinking about Mabel and her friends for a long time to come.

The best book I've read in ages. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is so beautifully written. I thought I knew where the story was heading and I was wrong, and I love it for that. It's heart-warming without being twee, feel-good without being unrealistic. If I could give 6 stars, I would. I am normally quite a slow reader, but devoured this one in less than 24 hours and now want to get my hands on this author's other books!

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is a quick read about a widower getting a second chance at love. I enjoyed the plot and the friend characters were great. I did not really care for the main character Mable, she inserted herself in several situations that she did not belong in and just came across as a busybody. The story is solid and it has a good ending.

This one started out strong for me but then when I realized that it was largely character driven and the mystery of finding Dot was not as mysterious as I was hoping I quickly lost interest, sadly.

A perfect length for a wonderful story about loss, lists and love. Mabel's husband Arthur has died and he has left one last list for her. Will she be able to fulfil this last list item, is there more to it than just 'Find D'. Are there secrets to be told?

This is a book that will make you laugh and cry, it will make you smile and will make you want to keep reading until the last page. It is such a well written book making it so easy to read. It will touch your heart and your soul. A story of life, love, loss and friendship but it is also about living on after loss and finding yourself.

A wonderful read and one I highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the first novel I've read by the author and I was drawn to it by the cover and the good reviews on social media.
After Mabel Beaumont's husband Arthur dies he leaves her a list with one item on it- 'find D'. Mabel sees this as an instruction to find Dot, her best friend that she hasn't seen for 60 years.
I loved the initial chapters of the novel, the relationship between Mabel and Arthur and her response to his death was moving and insightful. This part of the novel reminded me of Jennie Godfrey or Joanna Cannon, authors whose work I love. However , I did find that the novel lost momentum about a quarter of the way through and although it's well written and observed there was something missing for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Firstly, make sure you have tissues near by! Following the death of her husband, Mabel finds one of Arthur’s notes which simply reads ‘find D’. She takes this to mean that she should find her long lost childhood friend, Dot.

For me, I found this had a similar vibe to it as Harold Fry did (which I adored). As like Harold, Mabel is a more mature character effectively on a mission and along with her carer, and a few friends they meet along the way, they set off to find Dot.
This is a beautiful but heart breaking read which will warm your heart, make you laugh and cry.
An easy 5⭐️ read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this stunning book.

Laura Pearson is an author who never fails to evoke an emotional response in her writing. Her book I Wanted You To Know still makes my eyes well up if I think about the storyline! I was so excited when I found out she had another book incoming and had to double check if I would need a family pack of tissues or if a smaller one might suffice before I jumped in. For transparency – I help with the The Bookload Facebook group although this is relatively recent, so do speak with Laura re this on occasion.

Anyway, back to Mabel – I had been looking forward to this story as I mentioned and saved it for my recent holiday and it was such a delightful treat. So much recent fiction seems to be based around young, stylish and rich people finding their way in the world, nothing wrong with this at all, so it was really nice to have a cast of characters which spanned multiple generations and with the spotlight shone on an older group. We meet Mabel and Arthur together briefly before Arthur sadly dies in his sleep. They had been married for a very long time and had been in each other’s lives through so many major life events. Their personalities were not identical and of course there were irritations for both but they rubbed along together and the shock of finding him gone was great. After a period of being rather lost, a few events occur which help Mable begin to find her way again and start to action the last list of Arthur’s by trying to find Dot. In doing so she encounters many different people she might not otherwise have met, or indeed engaged with, and life starts to take on more meaning.

As I’ve mentioned, I loved the spread of characters. I don’t want to take you through each in detail as these are the little things that are nice to find out and savour as you read. The way in which each comes into Mabel’s life works beautifully and builds into a lovely set of unintentional missions for Mabel. I loved the exploration of relationships: the lifelong partnerships, the fledgling relationships, the mother and child at various stages, the stages of friendship and sibling bonds. Mabel has the opportunity to both observe and impact upon many of these and perhaps her choices are questionable at times, she has a good heart and the best of intentions.

This is a gentle but powerful read which is comforting and uplifting and sure to put a smile on your face as you read. In reference to the tissue conundrum, I recommend having one or two to hand! Perfect reading when you want to indulge in a gorgeous story and an ideal book for those days when life just feels grim and you need to restore some faith in humanity.

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is about family, new friendships, long-held secrets revealed, and acceptance. After 86-year-old Mabel Beaumont's husband Arthur passes away, she decides to try and finish a to-do list he had started. As she starts meeting new people who become her friends she adds her own items to the list. This is a satisfying story that shows friendship has no age limit. Thanks to author Laura Pearson, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a lovely story I loved all the different characters all different ages but all became such good friends and I loved the message that's it's never to late to go after what you want and find love