The Next Thing On My List

Jill Smolinski

After the car accident, June found Marissa's list. Marissa was only an acquaintance, but died when June swerved to avoid an obstacle in the road. The list was for 20 things Marissa wanted to do before she was 25. June kept the list. The guilt took over and June decided to complete the 18 remaining items on Marissa's list.

June is a quiet, solitary person. She's content to go home after her workday at L.A. Rideshare and watch television for the rest of the night. But in order to complete Marissa's list, she needs to change her habits. In order to run a 5K race, she starts getting up early to run with a co-worker. In order to change someone's life, she becomes a big sister to a 14 year old Latino girl whose single mother is blind. Although well endowed, she follows through (on a day when the office should be fairly empty) and goes braless. She meets Marissa's older brother Troy, who helps her achieve some of the items on the list.

Some of the to-do's don't go well. She gets to appear on television after a promotion for the Rideshare program goes bad. Kiss a stranger? The first attempt didn't go so well and besides, he kissed her. Then there was the guy who took her to a book signing for their blind date. She has a chance of completing all 18 items only if she can find out who Buddy Fitch is and why he has to pay ("Make Buddy Fitch pay").

What a charming book! OK, it tends to be chick lit. Yet author Jill Smolinski pulled me through as I rooted for June. Before the list is done, Marissa reaches beyond the grave to complete a task. June has to break her own habits and self-image to take on some of the items on the list. That, of course, starts affecting how she sees her world.

The Next Thing On My List is a feel good book that's easy to read. It's told in first person narrative, so doesn't get smarmy. Instead, the reader can identify with June and understand her actions and reactions. Plus the book can be a challenge. What would you like to accomplish in the next year or two? You won't be sorry you read The Next Thing on My List.

After enjoying this book, I reserved Smolinski's earlier novel, Flip-Flopped, to read as well.

Publicist provided for review

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