Books On Tour: The Wish List of Albie Young

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.