Miss Newbury's List

Title: Miss Newbury's List

Author: Megan Walker

Narrator: Justine Eyre

Source: own

My Review:

I can't believe this is the first book I have read by Megan Walker. Her writing felt like an old friend. I was sure I had read something by her before. Well, now I have a new friend, and I will be reading whatever I can get my hands on by her!

I started listening to Miss Newbury's List, and while I love the narration by Justine Eyre, I was not going to be able to listen to the story for a few days, so I had to pick it up and keep reading.

I don't know what I was expecting when I picked this up, but it was more enjoyable than I was anticipating. I am sad I waited a few years to read this one! Rosalind is engaged to be married. Before she ties the knot, she has a list of ten items that she wants to complete. Some are simple, like writing down her childhood memories, but others are more complex, like changing someone's life. Now, before you get judgmental, I have to tell you she compiled this list as a child.

Rosalind wants her best friend, Liza, to help with her list, but Liza needs to watch over Charlie and keep him out of trouble. Well, Charlie had already had an encounter with Rosalind, so he was more than willing to help her achieve the items on her list.

Nothing on Rosalind's list goes quite to plan, and the adventures she has with Liza and Charlie will have you laughing, or groaning in commiseration. I absolutely adored this story. It is a light, fun read, but not fluffy. Rosalind finds herself and has to make hard decisions, decisions that reach much further than herself.

If you can't tell, I loved this story. I was sad it was over and wanted so much more (not that it doesn't have a great ending, it does). It appears to be a standalone novel, but I will be investigating all of Megan Walker's books to see if she has written Liza's story, because I must have it, LOL!

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads):  

England, 1820

Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice. The marriage is more an agreement between two families and less a romantic connection between two hearts, but Rosalind becoming a duchess will elevate her family’s status to dizzying heights. And the duke is a kind man who will care for Rosalind, even if he doesn’t love her.

She only has three weeks before her life changes forever, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her days. As a child, Ros was inspired by her adventurous Aunt Alice and created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, Ros has done none of them.

She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir.

Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart.

With the wedding looming, Ros must decide to either admit her romantic feelings for Charlie and risk her family’s future, or keep her promise to marry the duke and start a new life as a noblewoman.