This is such a sweet book, Mabel is adorable and I just want to keep her in a cuddly warm hug and never let her go.

There are some really hard subjects in this book: death, loss, grief, widowhood, sexuality, lost friends, fertility issues, relationship problems, affairs, loneliness, aging etc. I tend to associate Boldwood with uplifting, easy-to-read, light-hearted, fun books, and whilst this book does have those things, it is a lot more hard hitting than what I was expecting, but I really liked it. It gives an edge to the positives so it doesn't become too saccharine sweet.

I admit I lost the thread slightly at first as to who was who, I'm not very good at remembering names, especially when they're all women in a tightknit group, but I soon got my head around it and I liked them all the same. I liked the cross generational element, with friends that include teenagers, young women, older women, elderly women. They all have their own quirks and their ways and opinions, but at the end of the day, they're all there for each other and they can all rely on each other, and that's lovely to read about.

I love that Laura has made Mabel the main character. Old characters tend to be pushed to the background, are a bit 2D, a stereotypical old person. But Mabel is so much more. She's got so much depth, and layers, she is kind and overprotective, sad but happy, lonely but surrounded by friends. She wants to badly to help others but often sticks her foot in it. But she means well. And by making the protagonist an elderly lady, it shows that we're never too old to find new friends, to find a purpose, and to find love.

It is full of emotion. If you're like me, you'll find yourself smiling, laughing and crying, sometimes on the same page, you'll feel happy and sad, worried and angry. You'll feel that these women are your women, and their story is your story.

I love the exploration of different types of love: romantic love for a partner, love for lost, old and new friends, love for your children and your grandchildren, love for your parents, love for your pets, and even love for strangers. This isn't a one size fits all kind of love story.

It didn't take me long to read. It's such a lovely story that you get lost in it and forget about the page count. It's definitely one I will be recommending because it is just so hopeful and shows the importance of friendship and community for all. Whilst it took me a little while to get into and figure out who everyone was, it wasn't long before I was hooked and I felt genuinely sad that I'd finished it and had to leave these women.

I've not read a Laura Pearson book before but I will look out for any others. She's found the right balance in this book, created loveable, flawed and memorable characters, shown the importance of love, and overall has just written a really lovely story.

A deftly written, joyous novel. One that will stay with you long after the final sentence.

Laura Pearson's characters are three dimensional and.leave the reader deeply moved.

A novel not easily forgotten.
You will not be sorry to have chosen #thelastlistofmabelbeaumont #roisinreads #netgalley
@laurapearsonauthor
@Boldwoodbooks

What an amazing book! I absolutely loved it. The author’s description of loss, love and friendship is just so beautiful. It is equally sad and heartwarming. The characters are very realistic and I honestly want to be friends with them all myself!

Such a lovely book!
One of those life affirming treasures.
A feast of friendship that will stay with me long after the final page.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for the copy to review.

86yr old Mabel's husband of over 60yrs dies and leaves her a task to reconnect with someone from her past. Mabel adds things to this list before it's her turn to go too. The story of female friendship intertwined within Mabels life is something special. There's grief and love and regrets and lessons learned. This was a beautiful and emotional book.

A touching, wholesome read about love, friendship, grief, ageing and regrets.

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, follows the life of elderly Mabel in the grief tinged wake of her husband's death, in a story reminiscent of A Man Called Ove. Upon the discovery of an unfinished note left by her late husband, Mabel is plunged into the quest to ‘find D’ a task, which changes her life in inexplicable ways.

The many different forms of love is at the core of the story, as Mabel finds friendship with a ragtag group of women of different ages, as their lives become intertwined, and they change each other for the better. The female friendship is a beautiful and uplifting aspect of the novel, and all the characters are compellingly written. Mabel is a protagonist who is easy to love, a woman who let fear dictate her life in the past. We see her, with the help of friends, overcome her doubts and self-imposed barriers, as she reconciles with the grief of her past, and the regrets that haunted her.
The book provides a poignant view on the importance of community, and of seizing the opportunities to live the life we wish to lead, no matter how late.

All in all, an endearing comfort read, perfect for curling up with!

I Absolutely loved this novel!
Remember: "We only have today and whatever future we're granted."
This is the takeaway from this fabulous, sensitive story of an eighty-six year old woman named Mabel and her journey from past through the present to find her way forward with the time she has left.
When her husband dies, Mabel finds a beginning list that states "Find D".
Could Arthur want her to find Dot? Dot was her very best friend and she has not seen her in over sixty years!
Is Dot even alive? How should she even begin?
Arthur has provided the beginning of assistance for Mabel which will slowly blossoms in more ways than ever expected.
This new life as a widow is uncomfortable. But... This will slowly change!
The journey of Mabel is heartfelt and very well done!
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to @NetGalley and @Boldwood Books for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.

This book left me with such a warm feeling.
It's very feel good, with so much positivity.
It's OK to be you, and you will find your people.
The characters were all likeable, to the point I'd be friends with any of them.
A book about female friendships, love and loss.
It's funny, and sad and just all so believable.
I've a big soft spot for Arthur, and to be honest , most of these characters.

‘Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone’. Joni Mitchell

Eighty six year-old Mabel and 89-year-old Arthur I’ve been married for more than sixty years. He’s all about moving forward, trying new things and loves a list, whereas she is about quiet contemplation and reflection. The couple are the proverbial chalk and cheese. Now Arthur has suddenly gone and it’s just her and what will she do without him? The final entry on Arthur’s last list says “Find D“. Does he mean Dot, a good friend who drops off the radar who Mabel hasn’t seen for 62 years? After some understandable wallowing due to his loss, she gives herself a metaphorical shake and makes a list of her own, five things which includes “find D“. Though this task seems impossible with the help of new found friends, Mabel is determined to try.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. This is a sensitive, lovely, beautifully written character driven novel, which is sad, poignant, reflective, thoughtful, thought-provoking, funny, and very uplifting. What a wonderful combination of ingredients which encompasses marriage, ageing, love, grief, loss, friendship especially across the age divide but most of all, it’s about courage. How refreshing to read a book that is packed with a fantastic cast of characters, who are so easy to like, who really care about Mabel and vice versa, they’re very different from each other but also extremely complimentary. They support and give Mabel the freedom to find herself and to find that light that she has kept hidden for many years. Mabel‘s expanding list is inspired by the desire to do good and although she doesn’t always get it right, she’s going on a journey here, learning things about herself and gaining clarity. I love the elusive mystery and conundrum of Dot via which everything begins to makes sense.

I love every word of this heartwarming novel with the odd tear and some profound moments. I feel so sad the book is over as it’s one I don’t want to end and so I slow down to savour the last few wonderful moments. Quite simply, I love Mabel.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A really wonderful book about a lady whose husband dies. How she tries to survive in the world. The new friends she makes and the life she sets out for herself. There is lots of character development for all the characters and is rather touching too.

Wow where do I begin with this story.. A great story about a lady in her 80’s whose husband dies. She makes friends with 3 people of different ages. The more you read the clever this book is. . The twists. I don’t want to spoil it but if the story had been set now it would have been so much easier for Mabel You have to read it. A perfect book club read and a tear to your eye ending. . Brilliant . Read in a night . Loved it

I really enjoyed this book, a great selection of unlikely women who become best friends after the death of Mabels husband, all with their individual stories of heartbreak and love. I read this in one sitting, but the characters will stay with me longer, I will definitely be recommending it to everyone

This was a great read about Mabel, an elderly woman coping in the aftermath of her husbands death but in an unexpectedly delightful way. Motivated to find her long lost friend by a half written note she found Mabel finds herself widening her world and surprising herself. Featuring a lovely mix of very different women who each have their own struggles which Mabel feels compelled to help with and a warm and uplifting storyline this is a lovely gentle book with a lot of heart and a very different look at moving in after a loss. 9/10