The Life List A Novel

In this utterly charming debut-perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern's P.S., I Love YouandAllison Winn Scotch's Time of My Life-one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects. 1. Go to Paris 2. Have a baby, maybe two 3. Fall in love Brett Bohlinger seems to have it all: a plum job, a spacious loft, an irresistibly handsome boyfriend. All in all, a charmed life. That is, until her beloved mother passes away, leaving behind a will with one big stipulation. In order to receive her inheritance, Brett must first complete the life list of goals she'd written when she was a naïve girl of fourteen. Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother's decision-her childhood dreams don't resemble her ambitions at age thirty-four in the slightest. Some seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other goals (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. As Brett reluctantly embarks on a perplexing journey in search of her adolescent dreams, one thing becomes clear. Sometimes life's sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places. "Irresistible! Everything I love and look for in women's fiction . . . a clever, funny, moving page-turner."-Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Timesbestselling author of The Great Escape "A remarkable debut . . . The Life Listhas great heart, and even greater soul." New York Timesbestselling author Sarah Addison Allen Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader's Circle for author chats and more.

Lori Nelson Spielman, a former speech pathologist and guidance counselor, currently works as a homebound teacher for inner-city students. She enjoys sailing, running, and reading, though writing is her passion. She lives in Michigan with her husband and a very spoiled cat.