Book Review - Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber

Synopsis:
"My darling Michael, I know this letter will come as a shock to you…."

On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him.

In it she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request—I want you to marry again. She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving her. And to that end she's chosen three women she asks him to consider.

First on Hannah's list is her cousin, Winter Adams, a trained chef who owns a café on Seattle's Blossom Street. The second is Leanne Lancaster, Hannah's oncology nurse. Michael knows them both. But the third name is one he's not familiar with—Macy Roth.

Each of these three women has her own heartache, her own private grief. More than a year earlier, Winter broke off her relationship with another chef. Leanne is divorced from a man who defrauded the hospital for which she works. And Macy lacks family of her own, the family she craves, but she's a rescuer of strays, human and animal. Macy is energetic, artistic, eccentric—and couldn't be more different from Michael.

During the months that follow, he spends time with Winter, Leanne and Macy, learning more about each of them…and about himself. Learning what Hannah already knew. He's a man who needs the completeness only love can offer. And Hannah's list leads him to the woman who can help him find it.

Review:

"Hannah's List" is a fascinating story of one man's struggle to make the step forward of finding love again, while 3 women try and find their own life paths. Debbie Macomber writes an amazing story of personal loss and learning to go on with life around you. The main character, Michael, struggles to understand why his wife choose these 3 women for him to date and possibly marry. I enjoyed the differences between these 3 women and how they interacted differently with Michael. How do you know what you're type is after being with the same person for so long? As the story went along, I kept switching between the women who I thought he would end up with because he seemed to fit with all of them! The side characters were wonderful, especially Macy's neighbor, Harvey, who would be a real hoot to meet in a real life situation. I love people who just speak what is on their mind!

On a personal note, I can relate to a lot of what Michael felt and struggled with in his loss. My husband and I had conversations about the 'what if' situations while he was sick, but he didn't leave me a letter like Hannah did. Will you remarry or not? Do you want me to or not? Do I want to or not? It's a thought you really don't want to think about...at anytime. My answer keeps changing. Before he died..I said maybe..after he died...no way...and now.. 5 years after he passed?? I just take each day and see what happens.

The book is an easy read and hard to put down once you get started. It's a great story of the strength of love that can be had between two people and the hope that maybe it can happen again some day.....

Rating: 5 out of 5