26 Jul Book Review: The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

Lori Nelson Spielman’s The Life List is a debut novel with a strong hook and a big heart. It blends contemporary women’s fiction with an emotional journey of rediscovery, as one woman attempts to live out a list of childhood dreams—after her mother’s death turns her tidy, adult life inside out. Part grieving story, part romantic adventure, and part personal reset, this one definitely leans into “feel-good fiction,” but with enough genuine emotion to keep it from feeling too fluffy.

What’s it about?

Brett Bohlinger seems to have it all: she’s 34, works at her late mother’s wildly successful cosmetics company, and is in a stable relationship with a good-looking man who fits well into her polished, safe world. But when her beloved mother Elizabeth dies, everything shifts. At the reading of the will, Brett expects to inherit a significant share of the company—and instead is blindsided.

Her mother has left her nothing. Or at least, nothing immediate.

Instead, Brett is handed a sealed envelope and a challenge: she must complete a list of life goals she wrote for herself when she was 14 years old. Only after completing every item on the list will she receive her inheritance. It’s a gut punch—especially because the goals are, well, very 14. They include things like: “Have a baby,” “Become a teacher,” “Buy a horse,” “Fall in love,” and “Help poor people.”

At first, Brett is furious. She thinks her mother is punishing her from beyond the grave. She’s mourning, overwhelmed, and frankly humiliated by being publicly stripped of her professional standing. But her mother’s long-time lawyer, Andrew, is calm and firm: complete the list, or forfeit the estate.

What follows is a winding, unpredictable emotional journey as Brett sets out—reluctantly—to tick off the items on her list. The process forces her to reevaluate nearly every aspect of her life. Her relationship with her boyfriend fizzes out once she realizes there’s no real love there. She walks away from the executive role she never actually wanted. She reconnects with old friends, makes new ones, and even starts tutoring at a low-income school, discovering a passion for teaching she’d completely buried.

Some goals feel impossible—like “have a baby”—especially without a partner. But others open up new possibilities, like when she buys a horse and connects with a young girl with cerebral palsy who helps her rediscover wonder and resilience.

The most emotionally charged parts of the novel come when Brett finds herself falling for someone she never expected—a warm, grounded man who sees her for who she’s becoming, not who she used to be. But this is not a story of rushing into love. It’s about unraveling your assumptions, doing hard emotional work, and learning that sometimes you have to lose everything to understand what you actually want.

In the end, The Life List is not about Brett “becoming” someone new. It’s about her remembering the kind of person she once hoped to be—and having the courage to make space for that version of herself in her adult life.

What This Chick Thinks

A Premise That Pays Off

The whole “live out your childhood goals” idea could have gone corny fast—but it doesn’t. Spielman lets the premise unfold with emotional honesty. Some goals are ridiculous, others are painful, and watching Brett wrestle with all of it is surprisingly grounded.

Emotional, But Not Manipulative

Yes, there are a few tear-jerker moments (especially around Brett’s memories of her mother), but it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to wring out emotion for its own sake. The book earns its sentimentality. Brett’s grief is messy, real, and laced with resentment, which I found refreshingly honest.

The Love Story is Soft, Not Showy

The romance subplot is low-key and slow burn—which worked for me. It’s not the focus, but it supports Brett’s arc without hijacking it. I loved that the love interest didn’t exist to “fix” her; he just meets her where she is.

Occasionally Predictable

There are moments where you can guess exactly what’s going to happen a chapter or two ahead. It’s not trying to be twisty, and if you like a bit of emotional surprise, this might feel a touch safe. But in this case, I think that predictability is kind of the point—it’s comforting.

Final Thoughts

The Life List is the kind of book that reminds you it’s okay to hit the reset button on your life—even if that means revisiting old dreams that once felt silly or impossible. It’s sweet without being saccharine, and thoughtful without being too heavy. A perfect pick if you’re craving a feel-good story with real emotional stakes.

Rating: 8.5/10

Try it if you like:

• The Next Thing on My List – Jill Smolinski
  Another story centered on completing someone else’s bucket list, with humor and unexpected emotional depth.
• Eat Pray Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
  A personal transformation journey that’s all about rediscovery through travel, heartbreak, and healing.
• In Five Years – Rebecca Serle
  For readers who like stories about life not going to plan, and how even detours can lead to purpose.