Hannah's ListBy Debbie Macomber
Publishing on April 27th 2010 by Mira
Hardcover, 400 pages
From GoodReads.com,
Make time for friends. Make time for Debbie Macomber. On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him. In it she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request: I want you to marry again. She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving her. And to that end she's chosen three women she asks him to consider. First on Hannah's list is Winter Adams, a trained chef who owns a cafe on Seattle's Blossom Street. The second is Leanne Lancaster, Hannah's oncology nurse. Michael knows them both. But the third name is one he's not familiar with - Macy Roth. Each of these three women has her own heartache, her own private grief. During the months that follow, he spends time with Winter, Leanne and Macy, learning more about each of them...and about himself.
My Thoughts: This book traces the life of a 40 something Pediatrician, Michael who has lost his beloved wife, Hannah of 11 years and whom he loved immensely. Even after an year, he is still sad, broken from inside and not ready to accept her non-existence. He accepts the fact that she is dead, but it is not ready to let go. Hannah's brother and Michael's best friend hands him a letter from Hannah. Hannah had asked Ritchie to wait an year and then give this letter to Michael. In the letter, Hannah asks Michael to move on with his life and goes as far as listing 3 probable women he could date. Knowing him, she is sure he needs this help more than anyone else. And thus Michael to honor Hannah's last wish meets and spends time with the 3 women.
Michael is a guarded and stubborn person who is not ready to let go of the grief that he has in his heart because of the loss of his wife. He holds on to it and his past and is not ready to acknowledge the fact that it is futile. He feels that if he was happy again, he would be guilty. All through, Hannah just wants him to let go of her and remember their times together as beautiful and just move on. She wants him to let go off of his guilt and walk towards happiness.
I definitely thought this was a slow read in the beginning but on the entry of the 3 women and there individual stories it suddenly became interesting and a great read. Of course it is a bit predictable but I really liked all the 3 women. There individual relationship problems, were lessons from which I learned a lot. Of course, Macy is a favorite and her quirkiness is her charm and it is a great experience seeing Michael winning over his emotional struggle and feeling happy.
All in all, it was a nice, fluffy and cozy read. I am sure it will put a smile on anyone's face and you get to learn a thing or two about relationships as well. Recommended.
On a side note, I don't like that cover but it is relevant to the books plot :)
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.
"It isn't the big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones."— Jean Webster
