November 13, 2019

I don’t get emotional when I read books. I may hate/love/enjoy characters and their interactions, but I rarely have a deep connection that makes me feel more than what the story demands.

That is most definitively NOT the case with The Wish List of Albie Young. I felt this book deeply in so many ways I have a hard time knowing where to start. It has vaulted to the top of my best reads of the year.

From the beginning, it was thoroughly unique that the reader never actually meets the main character, the man who was the catalyst for the entire story. We only learn about Albie through the eyes of Maria, a woman who got to know him through weekly meetings at a local café.

Maria is one of the most “real” characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Watching her move through the stages of grief was touching and emotional. I could visualize exactly what was happening to her and empathized with how she tried to cope with her new reality. It wasn’t always easy, but she drew strength when she needed to, and she did so with the help of Albie.

Her heartache (that preceded the loss of Albie) had caused her to withdraw from living until she became a shell of a person. She eventually realized that he was an amazing man, and if he thought she was special, then maybe it was time she gave herself a chance to live.

It is so true that sometimes the dead need to show us how to continue living. And this was the heart of the book for me. By continuing Albie’s wish list, Maria finds a new lease on life, learning that it is never too late to start living. Her blossoming brought tears to my eyes, which continued through the rest of the book.

I also had a feeling about one aspect of the plot (no spoilers), but that didn’t stop me from absolutely bawling like a baby when I read the section confirming it.

Honestly, even though there was sadness at missed opportunities, the hopefulness that Maria had by the end of her story absolutely leaped off the page at me. I wanted to spend more time with her to see her continue her journey.

This is a story that has everything, and it should not be missed. As we head into the holiday season, it is an excellent reminder of how simply we can have an impact on others and to be thankful for those interactions that improve our lives – if we just remember to look for and recognize them.

Author Bio

Ruby Hummingbird is a novelist based in the English countryside. She loves nothing more than writing uplifting and heartwarming fiction that gets her readers reaching for the tissues. When she isn’t storytelling, she can be found tending to her beloved sunflowers or sipping on hazelnut lattes. The Wish List of Albie Young is her debut novel, and it promises to be a real heartbreaker.

**Twitter:** @HummingbirdRuby
**Facebook:** /ruby.hummingbird.58
**Instagram:** rubyhummingbirdauthor

I have read a lot of erotica and books that claim to be erotica. Some are tantalizing and keep things subtle until a big moment when everything becomes overt. Others are more “in your face” from the beginning. Both types have their place within the genre and can be significant in their rights.

The one thing that makes an erotic novel really work, however, is a plot that provides a reason for all of the sex the characters have. That, unfortunately, is where this novel seems to be lacking.

There was a decent set-up, as the wedding that led off the story was the perfect situation to explore several different relationships and experiences. Unfortunately, there were a lot of characters that were introduced in short order and with very little detail, so it was difficult to get a full grasp of relationships right from the beginning.

While the scenes moved quickly from one to another, I had a difficult time keeping the thread of the plot as it seemed rather thin. Joe has a devil-may-care attitude towards life, which Abbie appears to be fascinated with, but events take some odd turns, and everything gets out of control.

This is the best that I can describe the plot because while there were times that the characters reacted realistically, there were others where it seemed like events were just in the story to move from one sex scene to another.

Joe, as the catalyst, was an unlikeable character, as he did not seem to have any compass or direction other than moving from one pleasurable experience to another. I will give the author points for creativity because Joe certainly experienced the gamut of sexual choices.

The author had a high command of the language, and her word choices were different from many other erotic novels. This kept the reading interesting, at least because it did not devolve into the more familiar gutter language of other erotic books.

Honestly, I’m not quite sure what to think of this one. There were hints of a really good erotic story, but the cohesiveness left something to be desired. So, if you’re looking for a lot of well-described, quickie scenes, you should give this one a try. But if you prefer a plot with erotic scenes interspersed, you would be best to look elsewhere.