Inspirational, heartwarming and uplifting, this delightful debut novel was a joy to read and is one that will linger long after reading.


Seventy-year old Maria Birch lives a solitary life on a rigid routine. The one day she looks forward to, the only day she breaks free of her self-imposed isolation, is Thursdays. On Thursdays, she goes to the local cafe to share a slice of marble cake and a pot of tea with her friend Albie Young. Until the week he doesn’t show. When she learns her beloved friend has passed away Maria is devastated, hiding herself away once more, until she comes across a handwritten note Albie left behind. The note is a wish list of things he wanted to do for others and has some of them ticked off. Maria decides to complete Albie’s wish list to honour her friend and finds herself on a journey of self-discovery she never expected.

This poignant tale started slowly and sadly and I was beginning to wonder when it would start to be the uplifting story I was promised, but I am glad I persevered, and after a while we follow Maria out of the darkness and into a lighter, life-changing time that was deeply moving.

When we meet Maria we see she is a lonely figure and that she lives for her Thursdays with Albie. He’s her only friend and we know she shut herself off from life many years ago after an unknown event that haunts her. She’s been overtaken by a crushing sadness leaving her broken, full of regret and feeling unworthy of love and happiness. We get brief glimpses of happier times in her life that slowly reveal the heartbreaking tragedy she endured and help us understand her actions. For me it made Albie’s death becomes all the more devastating in light of all she has already lost and I was fighting back tears. But Albie’s list gives her a new lease of life. In carrying out the acts of kindness she sees that she is loved, finds joy in human connection and realises she still has a life to be lived to the fullest. I loved this character from the start, the sadness and fear radiating from her made me root for her to find a better life for herself and I was invested in her journey every step of the way.

This was a wonderfully written story about love, loss, kindness, fractured people and what can happen when you bring people together. It reminds us not to wait to tell someone we love them, mend a broken bridge, to follow our dreams and live life to the fullest because we never know what tomorrow may bring. It also shows us that we matter even if we think we don’t and that there are people who love us and miss us in our absence and that we can make a greater impact on those around us than we ever imagined.

The Wish List of Albie Young is a touching, tender, honest and hopeful story that will leave you feeling determined to live your best life and to share a part of “The Albie Effect”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"Gone. And she hadn't noticed a thing."
Maria lives alone and had a weekly routine that she adamently sticks to. Thursdays are her favorite day. She meets Albie for tea and cake. Until he doesn't show.

This story made me laugh and cry at the same time! It's for anyone that has pushed pushed people away and become a loner. I'm a planner addict, so I relate to the list!

I will be telling everyone about this book!!!!! Fantastic read!!!!!
Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

☕🍰Terrifically touching and inspiring😌

👍👍This story won me over hook, line and sinker despite its slow, sad start. Persevere past the first quarter of the story, with all its grief, depression and rued lost chances and you'll find a poignantly positive tale of the power of love and good deeds. Maria is such a tragic figure but, as the story enfolds, it's clear her own withdrawal from society after a devastating loss has kept her in a staid funk. Cue Albie Young to come to her rescue and get her involved in lending a helping hand to a disparate set of local characters, most of whom Albie himself had targeted for his largesse. Yes, some money is involved, but it's the befriending act itself that gives Maria a fresh chance at fulfillment and happiness.

This novel was superbly written, bringing a brief, tempting glimpse into Maria's past joy and pain in at the end of each chapter. Albie's life is revealed slowly and lovingly through the reminiscences of the people he has touched. The characters are wonderful and the whole world lends itself to a quiet, thoughtful read, tissues at the ready. 😥

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Wow! Wow! Wow! This book is absolutely beautiful! A heartwarming story of love and loss. An absolute joy to read. One that makes you think and question, to hold y0ur loved ones dear and to make the most of your life. A stunning story told with heart. Everyone should read this book. A masterpiece.

I really liked this book. It is lovely to think that Albie helped Maria make more friends so that she would not be lonely.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Maria’s world is very small, by design. After the death of her daughter, her world compressed into a series of days spent without interaction, a specific task for each day, friends and fun eliminated. Except for Thursdays – the one day she allowed herself a treat at the local café, a pot of tea, perhaps a slice of cake. Alone. Always alone. Until a man budged up to her table and her Thursdays became the highlight of her week. Albert (or Albie) was kind, made her laugh, and perhaps fall just a little bit in love with him. If it weren’t for her secrets – secrets she was sure would send him packing. But one Thursday he wasn’t there – nor the next, or the one after that. A call from the solicitor explained the situation, and Maria soon found herself in possession of Albie’s home and not inconsiderable fortune. All meaningless to a woman who had specific days for shopping, laundry, hair appointments and rarely varied her routine.

Fortunately for Maria – Albie had left a list of tasks that he was working on – and it was his wish that Maria finish this list – from helping the homeless Keith to redecorating the café, to finding a way to encourage a troubled, but talented teenaged boy. Each of the ‘tasks’ required that Maria stretch herself and step out of the carefully constructed box that she has erected to contain her life and allow her to live without the highs and lows of emotion and loss.

Oh this was a lovely story with Maria’s tale of woe for the last 40+ years gradually revealing itself as she comes to grips with her own failures and guilts. It’s not that Maria is unfeeling – but very afraid of being hurt again, and shys away from interactions that may lead to someone rejecting her – just as she feels that life rejected her after her daughter died. It’s a slow process for Maria with many setbacks, but it seems that in trying to make amends for his own shortcomings when younger, Albie has found the keys to help others achieve their dreams with a bit of help. From providing others with an ear to truly hear them, to finding ways to ‘improve’ their situations – intentionally or not, Maria blossoms as she follows the list, finally able to free herself from the stranglehold that grief and guilt had upon her, and with the final discovery, a sort of happiness and a list of her own. A lovely and heartwarming story, full of emotion from laughter to tears, all with the spirit of Albie driving, coaxing and cheering on an often reluctant Maria who gains strength through helping (and being helped) in the most unexpected ways. A wonderful debut that will be sure to put this author on many reader’s auto-buy list.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-az1/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

If ever there was a story to remind us not to wait to tell the people in our lives that we love them but to do it right now, then this is most definitely the book! It’s a book about missed opportunities, ‘what if’s’, ‘if only’s’ and ‘I wish’s’. But far from being melancholy and depressing, this is an inspiring and uplifting story that will leave readers smiling and hopefully encouraged to go out and pursue all that life has to offer while making an added effort to make the time for others.

Maria Birch is 70 years old. She’s extremely set in her routine, and quite used to her solitary life, having shut herself away from the world many years ago. Except for Thursdays; four years ago, Thursdays became different when a lovely gentleman by the name of Albie Young pulled up a chair opposite her at the table where she was having tea in the cafe near her home and shone some light into her otherwise dark world. They’ve been meeting at that same cafe, at the same time, and at that same table for tea and marble cake, every Thursday ever since. Until the day that Albie doesn’t arrive and Maria’s world turns dark again.

But one day soon after that, Maria receives a call from Albie’s lawyer. She knows then, that Albie is never going to return. Reluctantly she eventually confronts reality and agrees to meet with the lawyers, as requested. She’s shocked to discover that Albie has left everything to her … and ‘everything’ is rather a substantial sum! Apart from that though, he’s also left a ‘to-do’ list of the numerous things he’d intended doing to help those around him whose lives he’d wanted to improve: people he’d met who’d poured their hearts out to him about their lives, loves and regrets, and some who simply by not talking had revealed what they needed most, allowing him to sense what he could help with … including Maria herself.

After getting over her despair, anger and astonishment, Maria has a sudden epiphany and realises that she can take over where Albie left off. Hesitantly at first (she’s not quite as confident a personality as Albie was), she selects the items that she feels will be the easiest ones to tick off this list before tackling the more challenging ones. Little does she know how her life is about to change or how she will impact the lives of others. She suddenly realises what she has been missing for all those years that she chose to cut herself off from everyone and everything and learns how bittersweet it can be to make that discovery without being able to share it with that one person who you most want by your side.

This is an absolutely beautiful read that shows how easy it can be to jump to conclusions about people and how we can look at others without truly seeing them. It’s written with sensitivity and a great deal of warmth. The characters are each given the detail and background needed for their roles in both Albie and Maria’s lives – some require more information, and some less. It’s delightful to follow Maria’s journey … almost like a caterpillar, emerging from a chrysalis to become the butterfly that she is meant to be.

This is a fabulous 5-star read – although try not to race through it (as I did!) Try and take it slowly and savour it. It needs to be absorbed and enjoyed for the many wise life lessons it contains.

What a lovely debut novel.

The main character in this book, Maria, is a 70 year old lady. This is different demographics from most books and this was a welcome change.
All the characters in this book were likeable and they all had their own story to tell.

The writing in this book was very good and it was a heartfelt story with lots of emotion. This book will restore your trust in people and it shows how kind and selfless some people are.

An absolutely heartwarming and heartbreaking read, it’s so beautiful, I cried a lot reading this. The story is so well done, the characters ‘real’ and truly relatable, showing that Marie and the reader can still learn no matter our age. This book was a complete delight to read (even with the emotional side affects) and I thoroughly recommend this, one of my favourite reads this year.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

When something devastating happens, it's not easy to pick yourself up and move on. Some people still suffer sometimes many years later. You build a wall  around you and you only feel good in your little bubble. 

It's only when you have to go through something that turns everything upside down again, that you realise how little you are living. 

Based on a piece of paper, left by a very special person and with the help of another special one, you dive into the challenge head first. While you might struggle from time to time in the middle, but you arrive as a different person on the other side.

You deal with your past and you welcome the future with open arms.

A beautiful story where you see how Maria blossoms and friendships are built. The author added a few nice surprises to make the story even more heartbreaking and warm at the same time.

Thank you, Ruby Hummingbird and Bookouture

Sigh. Maria is heartbroken when she loses Albie, her only friend. Then-and this is the best part- she finds purpose and meaning in fulfilling Albie's bucket list. This isn't the conventional travel-the-world list, it's more about other people. It turns out that Albie did good works and now Maria will too. It's delightful to watch her grow and change. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A very good read about how age doesn't matter.

I fell in love with the cover and then I fell in love with this lovely story that made me smile and gave food for thought.
I loved the engrossing plot, the fleshed out cast of characters and the setting.
It's well written and the characters are fleshed out.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was such a heartwarming story. Such a lovely message about that work and money don’t mean everything, time spent with and helping others can be much more rewarding. I loved the characters they had so much depth and it was very well written. I will definitely be recommending this book.

Maria is seventy years old and very set in her routine so when her friend Albie, who has met her every Thursday for the last four years, doesn't show up at their regular cafe, she is concerned. When he doesn't come the following Thursday she is very upset and withdraws into herself in her flat. When her phone rings and it is his solicitor she has to accept that Albie won't ever be going to meet her again. When the solicitor asks Maria to go to their offices she finds out that there was more to Albie than she could have ever imagined.
What a wonderful story this is. Yes, there are so many regrets and if only moments in the story which really touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes about what could have been, but it was too late. When she found a list written by Albie she began to piece together snippets of conversations from Albie, people he had mentioned, places he went too and it began to make sense. Maria got a new purpose in life.
There are some lovely characters in the story each with their own memories of Albie and what he had done for them. Maria was seeing a new side to the gentleman that sat with her each Thursday that told her only a little about himself but was always ready to hear about her week.
I loved the changes that happened in the people she met and facing the biggest challenge of all. This is a really good feel factor read that made me glow inside. It makes you really get behind Maria. I still cried at the 'if only' thoughts I had though. A super book, couldn't have asked for more from this lovely story.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Maria is an absolute delight and my heart went out to her as she embarks on this journey COMPLETELY out of her comfort zone.

Her entire week is usually planned out over one task a day; she has mostly shut herself off from the world apart from having her hair done and on Thursdays she meets Albie Young at the café for tea and cake. Her lonely and isolated existence comes in to focus when suddenly her Thursdays will never be the same again.

She knew that there were parts of Albie's life that made him special, such as his faith in others and his generosity, yet she soon discovers there was so much more that lurked under the surface. His list, that Maria discovers, not only reveals hints to secrets in his past, but also gives Maria something to focus on when everything else is in turmoil.

The list provides tasks to be completed and these lead Maria on adventures far and wide, all with different intentions. Interweaved between the journey Maria takes now to tick off her new list, there are flashbacks to memories that start to fill in the gaps of why Maria is on her own and what haunts her.

This book explores the pandemic of loneliness amongst people, especially older generations, and how life can suddenly become very difficult through no fault of anyone. It examines the complex relationships between generations, between families, between differing sectors of a community, and also how little gestures can make a big impact to someone.

This "butterfly effect" of tiny steps that Maria embarks on trickles down to all the people she encounters and provides an uplifting, heartbreaking and touching story that I couldn't put down.

I just finished reading this lovely, heart-full novel and I know that Maria and Albie’s story will stay with me for a very long time. On the one hand, it is the story of Albie, an older man who leaves behind a wish list of things he wanted to do for other people before he died. But it is mainly the story of Maria, a woman who is grieving something painful from her long-ago past.

It was heartening and like a blessing to watch Maria’s journey unfold as she strives to complete Albie’s list. This book is full of kindness, compassion, creativity and the power of community. I will definitely be looking for more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Live, Love & Learn
The Wish List of Albie Young by Ruby Hummingbird is the unexpected, poignant story of finding oneself in the face of an overwhelming tragedy. What do you do when your world turns upside down for the second time in your life? When the one bright spot in your dull day to day life no longer shines? For Maria Birch, she didn’t know what to do. Until the answer came unexpectedly, and she had no choice but to follow the wish list that was left behind.

The Wish List of Albie Young is a big change for me. Normally, I’m not drawn into stories written in third person. There are few exceptions, which are: the writing has to be phenomenal, and the story has to suck me in. Ruby Hummingbird (fabulous name!) instantly drew me in her story about Maria Birch because her writing is both thoughtful and phenomenal. The storyline and plot is both intriguing and emotional.

What I liked best is that with each task on the list, Maria slowly starts to re-enter the land of the living. Not that she was dead before, but that she was a husk of the person she once was. At the end of each chapter, there’s a small snippet of memories told in first person. Throughout the book you start to realize that the mother in the snippets sharing these memories is Maria, and that she’s sharing memories about her daughter. Folks, this is why I called the book “poignant.” These memories, even though they are short, evoke so much emotion that there were times that I felt an ache while reading.

Set in England, in Brighton, there is a whole crew of characters that Maria interacts with that really help to guide and shape her while she complete’s Albie’s wish list. Not to mention,despite the fact that we don’t actually meet Albie in the book, his spirit is so prevalent throughout that he becomes as dear and beloved as Maria.

One lesson that I will for sure takeaway from Ruby Hummingbird’s The Wish List of Albie Young is that you’re never too old to change or to do what’s right.

We all get one life to live, and The Wish List of Albie Young is a testament to living a life of no regrets. Live your life. Love with your whole heart, and learn new things every day.

The Wish List of Albie Young is Ruby Hummingbird’s debut novel, that will be available in e-book form on November 12th, 2019! I highly recommend!

This book was an emotionally heartwarming read! Our character Maria, uses the help from Albie's wishlist to reconnect with people and create meaning in her life as well as others. She struggles with her own grief, while finding a way into the lives and hearts of others.
When Rosie first showed up, I was questioning the actions of this stray teen, but it all tied together and really showed you how isolated Maria really was until Albie came along.
The book read fast enough that I stayed engaged, and although there were alot of characters it was easy to keep story lines together and see them as individuals.
Would definitely recommend to others!

It is a hertwarming and uplifting story about starting again and finding a new meaning and purpose to our life. The heroine has a secret, a past grief in her life that cripples her, making her unable to really live and enjoy her life. Her only companion of the past couple of years suddenly disappears. This unexpected change in her routine starts Maria on a new path that gives her relief and comfort at last. There are interesting and loveable characters in the story that captures the reader's interest from the very start. I can recommend this book to anyone who wants to believe in second chances and enjoys a good story.

Maria withdrew from the world after the death of her daughter 36 years earlier. She goes to a neighborhood cafe regularly but is surprised when a gentleman sits down with her . Over the next several years of Thursday afternoon meetings they become close, however that is the only time they ever see each other, until one afternoon when Albie doesn't show up. Maria withdraws from the world again, until she learns of an inheritance left to her by Albie. Among other things, she finds a list Albie had written of things he wanted
to accomplish, but his death put paid to that, so Maria decided it would be a wonderful way to honor him. She fulfills every wish he had, adds a few of her own, and suddenly realizes that there are people who care and that life is worth living. A really fine book.