A tale of sibling rivalry,love, loss and hope amongst the aftermath of grief. At times raw, this book explores the multiple angles of scenarios and quite cleverly shows there's always more than one side to an experience. Tender, exasperating and intuitive this book is a great anecdote to family drama .

A simply lovely heartwarming tale of a mother's legacy intended to bring back together her warring girls. There will be tears, there will be uplifting moments and you will want things to end the way you imagine. It doesn't quite! There is more to this book than you might imagine, an interesting story with laughs along the way and one I just wanted to keep on reading.

Three sisters, very different in personalities and temperaments are bought together by the death of their mother, who leaves them a 'bucket list' of tasks. This is a fun read,

Really enjoyed this book, despite the sad circumstances surrounding the topic. Would definitely recommend to my friends to give it a try.

The story opens with three sisters, Rose, Fleur and Dee, sitting in the solicitors office, waiting to hear the reading of their mother's will. None of them have talked to each other since they fell out over how to best care for their mother, nearly three years ago. But their mother has a surprise for them. Before they inherit, one year from now, they must complete a list of tasks, designed to bring them back together again.
This novel explores the feelings of the sisters, mostly from Dee's point of view but with some chapters looking at it from Rose or Fleur's perspective. It follows the sisters as they complete the kicking the bucket list, spending a weekend in each other's company every other month. The addition of Daniel, the love interest, brings added tension to the sisters and the outcome of the book.
I thought Hopkins was perceptive to explore the immature reactions of the sisters, for no matter how 'grown up' we get, when we return to our childhood home or get together with siblings, we do revert to childhood behaviours and patterns.
The ending was poignant and right without being schmaltzy. A good read.

Given the cover, I was expecting a light hearted read, but this book had moments that really got to me. The idea of having to complete tasks set by your deceased mum, was a bit far-fetched and the reason the sisters were estranged, I found, was a bit weak, nonetheless the story moves along at a good pace with laugh out moments as well as tug on your heartstrings ones. Worth a read and I would recommend to people

When Iris Parker dies, she is determined that her death will bring her three daughters (her dollies as she calls them) back together again. "She cared deeply that you should all be happy in your lives and she regretted that you are no longer close." They are three very different characters and over the years have drifted apart, though not after any major fall outs. Iris has put a condition in her will which means that her daughters, Rose, Daisy and Fleur, must spend six weekends together carrying out various tasks she has set them in order to inherit what must be some considerable wealth. All the tasks she has planned involve them not only spending time together but hopefully realising and appreciating the various different ways that people can feel happiness and contentment. "The list looks at some of the different approaches to finding happiness..... Of course, that happiness can be random, just comes across you out of the blue.....But there are times when one needs a helping hand." She has appointed Daniel, who oversees a meditation centre, to make sure that the terms of her will are met over the course of a year.

I didn't realise that this is Cathy Hopkins first foray into women's fiction as I recognised her name. I suspect her books have been on my daughters' bookshelves at some point. I was amused to see that one of her books is entitled 'Portobello Princesses' though I suspect it's the London Portobello and not the Edinburgh one.

I very much enjoyed The Kicking the Bucket List and felt quite emotional at times reading it. I could imagine how the women felt having the chance to hear their mother talking directly to them, as she did in video messages, from beyond the grave. In some ways, it must have been a comfort but in others it must have reminded them so much of their loss. One thing they all had in common, different though they were, was that they all loved their mother. There was a lot of humour in the book too though, mostly provided by Iris and her two friends in the video messages. They seemed as mad as hatters and despite being in their 80s, they knew all about the value of having a laugh with good friends.

The story was told mostly through the point of view of Daisy, or Dee as she preferred to be known. I really liked Dee and although in a different situation in my own personal life I felt I could really identify with her problems. She is nearly 50, turns 50 during the book actually, single, with her only daughter living in Australia. As well as losing her mum, the owner of the house she has rented has recently died and her sons want to sell it. Without her inheritance, she has no chance of affording it so is very keen that her sisters comply with the terms of the will. Rose seemed really stand-offish and controlling at first but through the sections told from her point of view, I came to understand her more and why she was behaving as she did. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about Fleur as I felt I didn't get to know her quite so well.

There is inevitably sadness in this book, and perhaps more than you might expect at the beginning. But overall it is a very enjoyable read which will play with your emotions as you journey with the sisters throughout the year. It is a book which made me think about valuing relationships with family and friends more and not taking them for granted. It also made me think about how we often misjudge people, as I misjudged many of the characters in this book, and how we don't always know what is going on in others lives. I was quite absorbed in the sisters' lives while I was reading and I feel I would like to know about how things turn out for everyone in future. I don't know if any sequel is planned but would be keen to read more if the author does write one.

Fun book. Yes it has its serious subject matter ie the broken relationship of sibling sisters, but right from the beginning you sense the amusement birthed by the dying mother who wanted to give her children a challenge and better, more rounded lives. Good uplifting read.

The Kicking the Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins

Iris Parker, aided by two of her friends, leaves a series of video messages to her three daughters, a fact that they discover on the reading of her will. They will receive their inheritance once a series of tasks have been completed over the coming year provided all three stick to the plan. Daniel has been chosen to administer the tasks (along with the video and random text messages of encouragement) and to ensure that the terms of the will are met.

Iris has done this in an effort to bring her three daughters closer together. The eldest, Rose lives and works in London and also has a family. The youngest Fleur (runs an prosperous property portfolio) and lives between various locations but has an apartment in the swanky part of London. Dee, twice divorced, is an artist living in Cornwall who is struggling to make ends meet.

Over the following year the girls have to get together every other weekend at various locations. During this time we discover their different traits, their different problems and their separate relationships with Daniel.

Cathy Hopkins has given us a very enjoyable book which is well written and great characterisation. I loved the character of Iris and her two friends – quite batty but what a way to reach the end of your days! As for the three daughters, I found myself drawn to Dee who in my opinion is the main protagonist but also to Rose who appears to have the least happy life.

I suppose you could say it is all a bit predictable, but there is a bit of a sting in the tail. Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it is a nice, comfortable read which left me hurrying back to it as soon as I could.

NetGalley provided an ARC copy of this via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Joyful and uplifting but also so sad. Lovely book - and such a fabulous idea.

This book was well written and would appeal to many readers but unfortunately it was too fluffy for me. It just didn't ring true.

The Kicking the Bucket List is a poignant ,wonderful heart warming sometimes sad book .The story of three estranged sisters and a Mum who decides before she dies to try and bring her daughters together after her death with an intriguing plan .I loved this book it made me cry and I was sad when it finished .

At the reading of their Mother's will, Rose, Daisy & Fleur learn they have to wait one year before they will inherit anything. Their Mother knew the sisters are not getting on and this was her attempt to get them together, once a month, for a year. The catch, they all had to,do whatever was asked of them or none of them would inherit.

The story is mostly told through Daisy, although we also get a little bit from Rose and Fleur as well. This is a nicely written, easy to read book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Cathy Hopkins for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had looked forward to reading this book and giving a review for NetGalley. It didn't grab me from the start and took forever to make me hang in and read to the end. 3 sisters not getting on and a dead mother who wished they did. Nothing new there really. She had made videos leaving them tasks to do together after her death, failure to complete them would forfeit their inheritance. That's ok in books but annoyed me no end. I need to believe and didn't.

I am not close to my sister and we have a mother aged 100, we will never agree on many things and I can't imagine doing any of the shared projects in the book.In fact it would drive us further apart. It was too crazy to me and considering they don't get along or spend time together it all fell into place to easily. Money! works everytime.

I was about to give up then Rose is given terrible news and grimly and sadly that at least kept my attention and there were some twists I didn't expect. The weekend at the cat sanctuary though was utterly stupid.

I didn't enjoy it and reading it became like a challenge. There was sadness and a sweet, poignant ending but the book as a whole was not for me.

A wonderful tale - very well written and very plausible. Three sisters, no longer on speaking terms, but forced to meet regularly to fulfil the requirements of their mother's will, have the reader in fits of laughter at times and close to tears at other times as well. A story to which I am sure a lot of readers could well say " sounds familiar", I shall certainly be recommending this to many of my friends

Easy to read book about family, love and loss. It is a light hearted and sometimes funny look at life that tries to deal with some of the sadder and harsher facts of life as well.

An enjoyable read which was involving with well drawn characters.

I was looking forward to reading this as it was slightly different from what I usually read. Three sisters all of whom are different are brought together at the will reading for their Mum. Dee, Rose and Fleur haven't spoken for many years and as they sit in the solicitors office they think that they can go another few years without speaking to each other once the will is read. However, their Mum has other ideas and has made it a condition of the will that before they are eligible for their inheritance they must complete a series of tasks over the coming year.

Initially it took me a while to get into the story and at times it was a little slow going. However Dee seemed to be the main character written about even though we see the POV chapters from all three sisters as the story continues. I liked the 3 sisters but not overwhelmingly so! For some reason I didn't feel like I could really connect with any of them and wished I could. The tasks see them meeting up every two months and this element of the story was fun, but not fun enough. For me there was a sense of too much gloom and to be honest it just depressed me a little bit.

Some moments in the book were sad, and we saw a lot of the sisters bickering but there wasn't enough laughter and too few light up moments. That aside the writing was great and the story flowed well. By the last quarter of the book I had warmed up more and felt like the sisters were really bonding and the moments when you saw them stick up for each other were lovely but there were just too few of those for my liking. I think maybe I would love other books by this author in the future as there was nothing wrong with this book, but for me I just didn't connect enough with the characters and was hoping for a little more humour and fun within its pages.

It was with a contented sigh that I finished The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins.
I was going to say a “happy sigh” because I enjoyed it so much but, while the story has a fitting ending, there is a tinge of sadness to it so that word didn’t seem right.
The book is a lovely, warm read with a lot of heart and it flows so easily even though it tackles some huge subjects such as love, relationships and possibly the biggest, death.
Afterwards I felt like I learned a lot of things about mindfullness, meditation and life lessons in general but never that I was being taught, it was all cleverly weaved into the plot.
Here’s the blurb.

The Kicking the Bucket List
‘Oh, I wish I could see your faces now. How are you going to refuse the last wish of your dead mother?’
Meet the daughters of Iris Parker. Dee; sensitive and big-hearted; Rose uptight and controlled and Fleur the reckless free spirit.
At the reading of their mother’s will, the three estranged sisters discover that their inheritance comes with very tricky strings attached. If they are to inherit her wealth, they must spend a series of weekends together over the course of a year and carry out their mother’s ‘bucket list’.
But one year doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for them to move past the decades-old squabbles and misunderstandings. Can they grow up for once and see that Iris’s bucket list is about so much more than any of them realise…

I only have a brother and I have no idea what growing up with sisters is like but I imagine it the way Cathy, who herself has brothers and no sisters, describes.
Along with the happy memories and family jokes there are old hurts stacked up along with new arguments and bouts of jealousy to contend with.
Luckily Iris has a plan to mend those fences and along with her two friends comes up with tasks to turn her single flowers back into a bouquet.
It’s Daisy/Dee who tells us the majority of the story but there is input from Fleur and Rose too, which helps to carry the tale along nicely.
This is Cathy’s first book for the adult market – not that you can tell – and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Format: Kindle.
Price: £3.99.
My rating: Four stars.

With thanks to Harper Collins UK (via NetGalley) for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I've just finished this book and I was completely charmed by it, it's a simple story about a mothers love, trying to reconnect her daughters love for one another from beyond the grave, Rose, Dee and Fleur have lost their way somewhere as they've grown up and the sisters are no longer close as they once were, so when their mother has passed away they find that to inherit their mothers estate they have to complete their mothers kicking the bucket list, a list of challenges to help them reconnect and find each other again, it is very reminiscent of PS I love you, in the fact that it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you think, but most of all it will make you realise that life is short, you never know when your time is up so enjoy the simple things, grab the opportunities as they come your way and most of all cherish the people you love. All in all a great read.