I enjoy the speculative fiction works of Serle. Amazing character development. I loved this premise.

The Dinner List is told from the point of Sabrina, attending her Dinner with the 5 people she has put on her list. With each person at the table having had a significant impact on her life, we learn the specifics of that impact as the story unfolds.

This story was so bittersweet. I was very surprised with a couple of events that took place and the ending brought me to tears. So emotional and such a beautifully written book.

This love story will be a read that you want to finish in one sitting. A Kleenex or two may be in order.

Such a great original premise with a bit of a magical touch that is what can make the best reading just pure escapist fun. This would be fantastic for a book club, complete with your own list of who you would have over for dinner.

We've all played the game- who are the five people, living or dead, that you would want to have dinner with. In The Dinner List, Sabrina gets that opportunity for her 30th birthday with her picks- Jessica, her best friend, Conrad, her college philosophy professor, Robert, the father who abandoned her as a little girl, Tobias, her ex-fiancee, and Audrey Hepburn. I really enjoyed how the story goes back and forth, from the dinner with all of the guests visiting, to the past where we follow Sabrina and Tobias as they meet and fall in love. I really enjoyed this book and felt that it was very well done. Having a magical element in an otherwise realistic story can be tricky, but Serle writes it in a way that makes it feel normal and not gimmicky. I look forward to reading more by her.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I opened The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle thinking I was getting ready to read something akin to a romantic comedy where the story would be cutesy, quirky, and fun. Moreover, I expected all of the characters to get the fairy tale ending they most desired. Boy, was I wrong.

Instead, I read a story that is quite sad. Less quirky and much more analytical, the story explores Sabrina’s life in detail. Her dinner guests get the pleasure of dissecting her past decisions as they see things and weighing in on all the things she did wrong (or right). While I understand the premise and the end goal of the dinner, it certainly is not a dinner party I want to attend.

The entirety of The Dinner List reads like one long therapy session even though the story flashes between the dinner discussion back to Sabrina’s memory of the events being discussed. As we learn more about the other dinner party guests, the story takes on an even greater therapy tone as Sabrina comes to grips with her feelings surrounding each guest (other than Audrey Hepburn). The story is not particularly fun or cute. The quirkiest thing to occur is that the dinner party occurs at all with the guests present, a statement that makes a lot more sense after you read the story.

As for that fairy tale ending, there is not a one in sight. Instead, Ms. Serle wants us to feel hopeful that Sabrina is on the right path to find her happy ever after. Personally, the ending depressed me. To have to explore such weighty topics on your birthday in a public setting while eating when you did not expect your birthday dinner to include five extra people, the whole thing seems like a nightmare to me. This is especially true as you uncover certain surprises about those guests.

I do think The Dinner List is a poignant story. At the same time, I think it is an introvert’s nightmare dinner, and it makes me rethink every ideal guest list I ever created over the years. The story disappointed me only because I expected one type of story and read another. Had I been better prepared for the type of novel it actually is, I suspect my feelings for the story would greatly differ. As it stands, I can only say that while I didn’t enjoy completely The Dinner List, there was enough there to keep my interest for me to finish it.

This book has an interesting premise, what five people living or dead would you invite to a dinner party. This innocent list made by Sabrina at her best friend's urging while they are in college comes true on her thirtieth birthday. The people in attendance are Audrey Hepburn, Sabrina's father Robert, her best friend Jessica, her college professor Conrad, and her ex-fiance' Tobias. The books travels between the present to the past. This was a good read and at times brought me to tears especially at the end. It also made me wonder if I did this exercise who I would invite and why. It wasn't the light book that I expected but I did enjoy it just the same.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Flatiron Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There is always the fun party question of, if you could have dinner with anyone living or dead who would it be and that is what this book is centered on. While this is a hugely entertaining concept the list just didn't seem to jibe.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. After seeing so many great reviews, I had really high expectations but it fell a little flat for me. I wanted more out of the side characters and I had trouble connecting with the relationship we were given most. I enjoyed the overall concept but I just felt like something was missing.

Like the publisher says, the premise of this book is all based on the old party game of choosing who, living or dead, fictional or real, you would want to have dinner with, giving us a fascinating plot outline right from the beginning. I was intrigued by the plot description as soon as I first came across this book. I love that Serle structured her novel around this question, because who among us hasn’t made our own list, even if only in our head?

Through this clever plot device, we learn more about the main character, Sabrina. While Sabrina chooses Audrey Hepburn as the obligatory famous person for her list, her dinner also includes her best friend, a favorite professor, her biological father, and the man she loved and lost.

Through discussions at the table and flashbacks to Sabrina’s real life, we learn more about the role that each invitee played in her life. Sabrina explores how her changing relationship with her best friend and her lack of relationship with her father shaped both her past and present. We watch as Sabrina explores how deeply she is hurt from the great love of her life not having a happy ending, and we see how she struggles with how to move forward. Audrey Hepburn is present throughout the story, both appearing as a glamorous movie star whom few people would not jump at the chance to meet, but also with her films woven throughout the backdrop of Sabrina’s experiences.

I have to commend the author on the skill she uses, both in dialogue and character development. There is not much action in this book; the author does not spend much time describing settings; I’d guess that 90% of this book is made up of character dialogue. It is incredibly difficult to write a book based mainly around talking and have it not end up reading like a script. I can’t help but think how talented Serle is to not only carry a successful plot in this manner, but also to engross the reader and keep their attention through so much back and forth.

If I have to give this book criticism, it would be that, for me, I didn’t feel there was enough of an explanation given for how Sabrina came to find herself at this magical dinner. The reader is left to wonder whether is was a dream, or if Sabrina somehow stumbled into a time warp restaurant. I suppose the ‘why’ doesn’t matter much in the end; this book is so enjoyable, you are willing to suspend your disbelief even without much justification.

Overall, I really thought this book was excellent! I actually shed a tear at the end; the only other time I have cried at a book is during Dobby’s death in Harry Potter, so this is the highest of all praise coming from me. I definitely recommend this book!

One of my new favorite books! This author has such a way with words the pages flew by in no time! I can’t wait to see the next work by this author! This was such a joy to read!

What 5 people, living or dead, would you like to invite to a dinner party? How many times have I answered that question? Countless times, and my answer might be different every time, depending on age and circumstances. Our heroine not only gets to answer the question, she also gets to have that dinner! What a fun premise. What could happen? Rebecca Serle takes readers on a journey that answers that question. The Dinner List definitely kept the promise of it's premise. I was thoroughly entertained by Ms Serle's writing style, lovely character portraits and sense of humor. I would definitely read more from Rebecca Serle.

Since I was a very young child I have asked myself the question that is central to this novel-- If I could have a dinner party with ANY five guests, dead or alive, who would comprise my list? Because that question and topic really resonates with me, I found the subject of this book to be fascinating. Having said that, I found the actual book itself to be just okay. There wasn't exactly anything WRONG with it, but I had a hard time connecting and staying interested. I think the author could have gone much deeper, yet for whatever reason, she chose to keep things in the shallow end. There will be readers who LOVE this book, but for me, personally, it missed its mark.

Posted on Goodreads: After hearing about this book for months... it’s okay, not great. A little too light for me, when compared to similar novels.

Updated Mar 9, 2019: The Readerly Report is discussing this as their March Book Club selection. I'm looking forward to this since Gayle mentioned the audiobook narration was monotone. I listened to this book and wonder if it reads better than listening to.

You know the game: name five people, living or dead, whose company you would most enjoy for your dream dinner party. The book opens on Sabrina's 30th birthday, with her dream come true: she's dining with her best friend, her favorite college professor, the father she never knew, the love of her life, and Audrey Hepburn. The story alternates between the often-tense dinner party and flashbacks to the past, which reveal the origin—and perhaps fate—of Sabrina's great romance. Without Audrey Hepburn, the bittersweet story would dissolve into sappy, but with her wry presence, it works. For publishing nerds: this is an Amy Einhorn book.

While I wasn’t completely enamored with this book, the concept behind it really resonated with me. If you could have dinner party with five people, living or dead, who would you choose? And why? Made me spend many days contemplating my own list, and why, and how important it is to not leave things unsaid because you might never get another opportunity.

The Dinner List was SUCH a good book. I think everyone at one time has been asked who they would want to have dinner with, dead or alive, so reading about how Sabrina got that exact opportunity was simply superb! She gets a few hours to reconnect with the father she never knew, her best friend, Audrey Hepburn, and the lost love of her life. She must face the fact that things are not what they seem and that it is time for her grow up and move forward with her life, while offering and asking for forgiveness. The Dinner List made me teary-eyed, but ultimately it left a warm place in my heart and became one of the best books I have read in a long time!

This book is unique, fascinating, beautiful, and emotional. It alternates between the dinner party and Sabrina and Tobias's relationship. I don't always reach for these types of books, but this one caught my attention and I am very grateful I read it. It's very insightful and will have you thinking about opportunities to tell your loved ones what they mean to you before it's too late.

had such a great time with this book. It was so easy to fall into its spell. Everyone has a list of people living or dead of who they would love to have a dinner with. My list would be my father, Jane Austen, John F. Kennedy Jr. John F. Kennedy, Henry Cavil, Jason Mamoa and Pablo Nerdua. I have a weird list and it changes from time to time. What I loved most about this book was the magic it held, the romance it delivered, and the tears I cried…it was enchanting.

Three and a half stars: An interesting book that explores the complexity of relationships.

When Sabrina arrives at her thirtieth birthday dinner, she is shocked to be greeted by Audrey Hepburn informing her they have been waiting for her for over an hour. Seated at the table are five important people to Sabrina: Her dead father, her boyfriend, her best friend, her college professor and Audrey Hepburn. As the dinner gets started, so does the conversation, and it soon becomes clear that each guest is there for a reason, as Sabrina begins examines the relationships in her life. Who would you like to dine with if you had the chance?
What I Liked:
*The Dinner List was a book I couldn’t resist because I was intrigued by the concept of someone having that dream dinner with their top five guests. This is a book about life, love and the complexities of relationships. I found it intriguing.
*Sabrina is a girl who has a lot of baggage in her past, and soon she finds this dinner is an opportunity to come to terms with unreconciled issues. Seated at the table is her father, whom she barely knew. Dining and conversing with her father gives her a chance to say the things she never could say and to get to know the man who abandoned her and her mother so long ago. I found this part of the book to be the most touching. Like with any of the relationships in the book, this one is full of conflict and many unresolved issues. For me, watching Sabrina have the chance to say the things she never could while he was alive was one of the highlights of the book.
*The main focus of the book is on the troubled romantic relationship between Tobias and Sabrina. The story moves jumps back and forth from the dinner to the past as the details of Sabrina’s and Tobias’ relationship are uncovered. Parts of the relationship were magical and wonderful as it was based on fate and destiny, while other portions were troubling. I think the main message is that love is messy and complicated, and sometimes even with fate and destiny involved things don’t always work out. There were so many ups and downs with the relationship, including a big shocking twist, and I was frustrated and charmed by the relationship. When everything was said and done at the end, I was satisfied with the way it worked out.
*Also at the table is Jessica, Sabrina’s best friend. Just like with Sabrina’s romantic relationship, this friendship is also full of complications. The friends go through their growing pains, they grow apart and they have their differences, but once they really talked, I felt like the friendship was back on track.
*Audrey Hepburn was one of the most interesting people at the table. At first, I wasn’t sure about this character, but as the dinner goes on, Audrey became a favorite. I liked that she wasn’t portrayed as a dazzling starlet. Instead, she is a genuine person with her own faults and troubles. I liked learning more about Audrey’s personal life, and I enjoyed her sage advice.
*The book ends with the conclusion of the dinner. I was satisfied with the way things played out, and I liked that the whole dinner wasn’t chalked up to some elaborate dream. Instead there is the hint that it really did happen by some extraordinary means.
And The Not So Much:
*Even though I liked that this book was all about exploring the complex romantic relationship between Sabrina and Tobias, it got so frustrating. I can’t put it all into words, but I think my main issues was that I never was a big fan of Tobias. I felt like Sabrina was the one doing all the work all the time in the relationship. I guess I wanted more......
*The one guest at the party that didn’t really serve a purpose was Sabrina’s professor. Conrad is a nice guy who offers some advice, but I expected more from him. There was nothing in Sabrina’s relationship with Conrad that was impactful or important. I didn’t feel like this guest offered much at all at the table.
*At first, I was swept up in the book, but toward the final third, everything began to slow. I grew tired of the dramatics in Sabrina’s and Tobias’ relationship, I felt like it dragged down the book.
*Finally, I listened to the audiobook version narrated by the author herself. I was disappointed in the audiobook because I felt like the author was just reading the book to me. There were no character voices or much emotion. It was not up to par with the audiobooks I usually listen to.

The Dinner List was a book I wanted to love. I was fascinated by the concept of the dinner and the guests, and I liked the touch of magical realism. This is a book that explores the complexities of all the different relationships in one’s life. Overall, I liked the book, but in the end, I was disappointed that so much of the story was focused on the unhealthy romantic relationship between Sabrina and Tobias. Still it was interesting enough to recommend to those of you who want a little something different.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.