When I read the book description for this I knew I'd enjoy it. The main character who, despite the title isn't Albie Young but Maria Birch, is 70 years old. Every time I've read a book (and there's been a few) with a more mature female protagonist, they've all been quite special and this one is no exception.

One recurring theme in these books featuring older people is that of loneliness. Of course loneliness isn't just associated with older people and can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons but it is a fact that the older you get then the more prone you become to ending up feeling isolated from society.

Maria tends to stick with quite a rigid timetable for her week. She allocates one chore or task for each day and then looks forward to catching up with TV in the evenings. She lives alone, there is no mention of a husband or children in the beginning, just Maria and her TV. However she has one highlight in her life on Thursdays when she goes to meet Albie in the local cafe for a pot of tea, a slice of cake and most of all Albie's company and attention. We get the impression Maria is more than a little smitten with Albie and she looks forward to her meetings with him.

Sadly one day Albie doesn't turn up at the cafe. Disappointed she consoles herself with the week after, only there's no Albie again. Maria doesn't have a very high opinion of herself and as the book moves on we start to understand why she feels this way about herself. At first she thinks it was maybe something she said or perhaps something she didn't say, or maybe Albie just got bored with her.

When Maria finds out what has happened to her only friend, she's at first in shock and retreats into her safe place - her flat, refusing to go out, to see anyone, even to shop and eat properly.

When Maria finds a wish list of things that Albie wanted to do, she decides to try to carry them out on his behalf. This is when Maria starts to realise how much of life she's missed out on. That helping others can be very rewarding and as she moves through the list Maria becomes firm friends with each of the characters in the book. It's a kind of bucket list, and yes it's been done before in other books but that doesn't matter because each book and each set of stories that goes with these bucket lists are personal and heartfelt including this one.

It isn't all plain sailing for Maria. The list throws obstacles in her way, and often fearful of being rejected or thought of as intrusive Maria sometimes has to just bite the bullet, feel the fear and do it anyway. As a result she ends up with a far more fulfilled life than she had ever experienced before.

I liked all the characters in the book. They all have a story to tell, often sad but with hope and light at the end of the tunnel. After living many years under a heavy blanket of guilt, Maria eventually reconciles her present with her past and through the legacy left by Albie, Maria starts to live life again with all the joy and sometimes heartbreak that life brings. Perhaps a lesson to us all that life should be lived in the present, not in the past.

A warm-hearted read with many different challenges for Maria to deal with and to keep the reader interested. I give this book five glowing stars, it was everything I anticipated it to be and more besides.

*this review to be posted to my blog as part of a blog tour for the book*

The Wish List of Albie Young is a very enjoyable read. It’s a simple concept but one of those books that warms your heart, gives you all the emotions and finishes with putting a smile on your face. I’ll certainly recommend it to my mum who will love it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

A touching story about an older woman who is brought out of self-imposed isolation but the kindness of one man and how that kindness blossoms. A truly delightful story. If you enjoy Fredrik Bachman's Brit Marie was Here or Phaedra Patrick's The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, you should give this novel a read!

Spoiler alert - books about old people always make me cry! And you'll have to have a heart of stone if you don't find yourself shedding a tear or two during this stunning debut from Ruby Hummingbird that captures beautifully those little moments that often end up meaning the most and how just a simple action can start a wonderful chain reaction off, bringing hope to those who need it.

It's set in Brighton, and we follow the story of Maria. She lives alone and has a weekly routine that she sticks to rigidly - Thursday is her favourite day though after a chance encounter with a man in a cafe, means she now meets up with him every Thursday for tea, cake and a chat. Until one day he doesn't show and she's devastated to lose that connection.

When she receives a call from a lawyer, the truth about Albie is revealed and it was heartbreaking to see how Maria reacted to the news. But Albie has done something rather wonderful for her and her life and routine is set to change, if only she can cope with the loss.

With the discovery of a list that Albie left behind, she finds out he's been a good samaritan in his life, with a wish list where he helps a number of local people. Many of the plans he had are still unticked so she sets out to carry on his good work and starts to meet up with the people that Albie had gone out of his way to spend time with. From a homeless man, to a troubled youngster and even to Albie's sister, Maria starts to disover a life outside of her routine and the wonderful feeling you get when you can help someone - it's one of those stories that makes your heart burst with happiness when you see the positive effects a simple action can create.

Maria finds her own name on the list and ticking her 'wishes' off the list might prove the most difficult as she has to face some heartbreak from the past.

Maria finds that helping people isn't always taken in the right spirit but the sense of purpose and responsibility really makes her shine, and knowing that Albie wasn't doing these things for attention, but just to help, is just another heartwarming aspect of this whole book.

Totally adorable and a wonderful antidote of a read to the often heartless and harsh world we are living in. A must read!!

Maria Birch is seventy years old & lives a very mundane life. Every Monday she does her weekly shopping, Tuesdays she goes to the hairdresser, Wednesdays is laundry day. But Thursdays are her favorite day. On Thursdays she gets all dolled up and goes to the local cafe where she meets Albie Young. He is always there waiting for her with a pot of tea and a slice of marble cake and two forks..... except for one week when he isn't. Maria gets a call from Albie's lawyer. Albie passed away and left everything to Maria. When Maria goes to his home for the first time she discovers a list of things he wanted to do, and she decides the best way to honor his memory and to hold him close is to finish his list for him. What she doesn't expect is all of the surprises that list will bring her way.
This book was SO good. I laughed and cried. I can not wait to read more by this author. I highly recommend this book!

What an absolutely fantastic book which I loved from start to finish. Very heartwarming and emotional but such a lovely story. Would definitely recommend this book

The Albie Effect took my heart by a storm and showed me how tender and caring some hearts were. Even after they were gone, their goodness remained forever.

Every Thursday, Maria Birch met Albie Young until one week when he didn't come and she got a call from the lawyers. Albie Young was no more, but the list with his wishes were still live and pending. And it was up to Maria to fulfill them, and in the process, find her joie de vivre.

My first book by Ruby Hummingbird, the blurb told me to carry tissues. So I was well prepared. But this story didn't need any. There was sorrow when I read about Maria's life. She had undergone quite a bit in life. But Albie, his presence in the backdrop of the story, prodded her on when she wanted to give up. I liked how she found the courage to get up and live life. She made quite a few friends, more than she ever had.

The writing was poignant, filled with so many emotions that I slowly found myself wanting to live life along with Maria. Hope sparkled in every page like a rare diamond, showing me all the perfect facets. All that it needed was a bit of polishing.

Sometimes, we make these bonds with people in our every day life that we are not aware of. Every chapter, when Maria found the various people on Albie's list, made me aware of how precious those bonds were. Family is not only by blood but also by feelings...

The book affirmed, through its simple yet emotional story, one simple thing - life is today and now. And every moment is a good time to start living. If Maria could start life once again at the age of 70, why can't I?

I really liked this story. The premise sounded very warm and lovely but the actual story, as it unfolded, was very different to what I expected.

It was a bit surprising in places, not always easy to follow, but overall enjoyable and worth sticking with.

I look forward to more from this author.

I skimmed through about half of this book. I like the premise of the book but couldn’t get into the story.

Heartbreaking and sweet. Love and loss and friendship all within the pages. I loved it from front to back.

Maria Burch a seventy year old woman lives herbdaily life by schedule each day a specific errand.Except for Thursday,Magic Thursday the day she dresses up heads into town and meets Albie her special friend, cake coffee conversation Till one Thursday Albie does not show up and what has happened to him will completely change her world.A charming story with moments of sadness really enjoyed.#netgalley#bookouture.

Couldn't really get on with this book, a different genre to my normal read so this may be why. It did remind me, in part, with Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

To be honest I did a bit skim reading just to get to the end so I honestly cannot recommend this book but that is purely my own opinion, I am sure a lot of people will love this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The premise behind this book intrigued me in and really made me want to read it, however, I just couldn't get into it and it really fell short for me. It read a little disjointed in the beginning and I gave it til the 30% mark hoping to get pulled in but just couldn't get there. Some of the reactions the main character had to the situation with Albie were confusing and felt extreme given what we knew of their friendship. I feel like if we had "met" Albie for at least one Thursday tea and cake "date" I would have been better able to emotionally connect to them both. As it stands I found Maria unlikable and felt like some of her actions (like taking a teenager she didn't know to a house she's never been to before) questionable.

I did like Rosie's character and hope they were on their way towards a friendship- I love that a young person was portrayed in a way where she made the move to befriend an older person and make sure they were okay when they looked like they were struggling.