Hannah’s List by Debbie Macomber
Addition: Library book, paperback
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
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 her cousin, Winter Adams, a trained chef who owns a café 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. More than a year earlier, Winter broke off her relationship with another chef. Leanne is divorced from a man who defrauded the hospital for which she works. And Macy lacks family of her own, the family she craves, but she’s a rescuer of strays, human and animal. Macy is energetic, artistic, eccentric — and couldn’t be more different from Michael.
During the months that follow, he spends time with Winter, Leanne and Macy, learning more about each of them…and about himself. Learning what Hannah already knew. He’s a man who needs the completeness only love can offer. And Hannah’s list leads him to the woman who can help him find it.
This is number 7 in Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Series. I love this series – it is about friendship, love and knitting. These are fun, easy-to-read, heartwarming books that will appeal to most women.
This book follows Michael, a man who a year ago lost his wife to cancer. Hannah was the love of his life and her death devasted him. On the anniversary of Hannah’s death he goes out for dinner with her brother, who gives him a letter Hannah has written. In it she writes that she wants him to re-marry and has suggested three ladies who might be suitable. Michael hates the idea of this but to honour Hannah he meets all these woman – and one of them will change his life.
I was reading what Debbie Macomber had to say at the beginning of this book and I was touched to find out that this is based on a true story – she had a friend who did this and I thought that was lovely.
I love the Blossom Street books. I find I can’t put them down once I’ve started. Macomber has a way of drawing me into the story and adding in the characters from other books in the series to keep it all tied together. I felt for Michael – how hard must it be to lose your spouse and then to receive a letter they have written asking you to remarry? I felt his character was well written – sometimes he was sad, other times angry – at everything, including Hannah – and yet we watched him heal so often by the end he was happy – and of course he fell in love, which was so nice to read.
Honestly, the storyline is not a surprise. The ending isn’t hard to guess but I don’t mind that in Macomber’s books because I get very engaged in the story. I liked the characters – all had their own story and I loved reading about their lives and seeing the effect one person could have on them all. Hannah seemed so special and friends and family really were rooting were Michael to love again.
These books are enjoyable, lovely, engaging reads. I can easily read one straight after the other. Macomber is one of my favourite authors and I highly recommend her. I love the storyline, her books don’t contain bad language or graphic love scenes, her writing is easy to read and easy to follow and I love these books! It isn’t hard for me to give this book four out of five – maybe next time the ending will surprise me!
