The Life List: A Novel

Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she'd written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at 34, Brett seems to have it all - a plum job at her family's multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, passes away, Brett's world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth's will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago.

Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother's decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and - just when Brett needs it - tough love. As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: sometimes life's sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.