The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle Book Review

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date September 11, 2018

We’ve been waiting for an hour. That’s what Audrey says. She states it with a little bit of an edge, her words just bordering on cursive. That’s the thing I think first. Not: Audrey Hepburn is at my birthday dinner, but Audrey Hepburn is annoyed.

At one point or another, we’ve all been asked to name five people, living or dead, with whom we’d like to have dinner. Why do we choose the people we do? And what if that dinner was to actually happen? These are the questions Rebecca Serle contends within her utterly captivating novel, The Dinner List, a story imbued with the same delightful magical realism as One Day,and the life-changing romance of Me Before You.

When Sabrina arrives at her thirtieth birthday dinner she finds at the table not just her best friend, but also three significant people from her past, and well, Audrey Hepburn. As the appetizers are served, wine poured, and dinner table conversation begins, it becomes clear that there’s a reason these six people have been gathered together.

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle Book Review

Listen in on the most important dinner party of Sabrina’s life. One of the guests is none other than Audrey Hepburn. SQUEAL! Get ready for in-depth conversation, a meaningful look at the past & so many feelings!

Judging a Book by the Cover

One of these days I may stop judging a book by its cover. The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle boasts a bright yellow cover that evokes a fancy dinner party in NYC. I’m thinking I’m in for a delightful jaunt down memory lane. This will be fun, light & enjoyable. Well, two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Tears & Time

First, let me say The Dinner List gives me SO many feels. Don’t let the bright yellow cover fool you, this book has so much depth! I love when a book surprises me & this one is no exception. There are tears y’all. Serious tears at the end. Rebecca taps into the notion of time. How much time do we spend in relationships & how much time we each have left. Out of nowhere, she seems to bring the dinner party to an apex where I am left breathless.

Except, it’s not out of nowhere. Rebecca Serle knows exactly what she’s doing. Her writing style immediately has readers relate our own experiences to Sabrina. We are left asking what we would do with more time with our loved ones. Who will be on our Dinner List? If we are lucky enough to have one final dinner, what questions would we ask & what those discussions will look like? Just typing this out now gives me tears in my eyes. Like I said, all the feels!

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into This book! The Dinner List is a hell of a book club selection. It’s also a book you will immediately pass along to your friends so you can chat about it. Best is that it’s a quick read that evokes emotions & is a story I think all readers may be able to connect with. You can check out Bianca’s review of Rebecca’s novel, In Five Years here.

Another book I loved recently is Rush by Lisa Patton. It gave me all the feels.

Special thanks to Rebecca Serle, Flatiron Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: REBECCA SERLE

Rebecca Serle is an author and television writer who lives between New York and Los Angeles. Serle most recently co-developed the hit TV adaptation of her young adult series FAMOUS IN LOVE, now on Freeform. She loves Nancy Meyers films, bathrobes, and giving unsolicited relationship advice.