Book Review: The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

At the age of eighty-six, Mabel Beaumont loses Arthur her husband of over sixty years. Mabel is a quiet and reserved individual and her husband was the one who was relatively more outgoing and expressive and also fond of making lists. As Mabel grapples with her loss, she finds her husband’s unfinished list with an item “Find D” on it. Mabel believes Arthur meant to find Dot, once Mabel’s best friend and her deceased older brother’s love interest. After Bill’s sudden demise and Mabel’s engagement to Arthur over sixty years ago, Dot disappeared from their lives. Mabel embarks on a quest to find Dot and finds a kindly and supportive group of people who are intent to help her – Julie, the new caregiver Arthur had arranged for her; Kristy a kindly neighbor and new mother in her thirties; Patty, a dance instructor in her seventies and Erin, a sixteen-year-old girl who Mabel meets in her local grocery store. For someone who has mostly kept to herself all her adult life, Mabel finds herself increasingly involved in the lives of her new friends, adding more items to her (Arthur’s which she expands upon) list and reflecting on people and events from her past – the people she loved and lost, her regrets and secrets about herself she has never been able to share with anyone. Mabel's quest for Dot and her plans to help her friends, (though efforts don’t always produce the desired results), each of whom is struggling with personal problems, gives Mabel a sense of purpose, in turn inspiring her to approach her own life from a fresh perspective.

“I think we’re all grieving for something. Our childhoods or a relationship or a dream.”

Revolving around themes of friendship, love, kindness, hope and self-acceptance, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson is an evocative, heartwarming and thought-provoking novel that inspires reflection. The narrative is presented from Mabel’s first-person –perspective in the present with past events shared in segments interspersed throughout the novel. There is a lot to unpack in this story and I thought the author addresses several heavy topics such as bereavement and grief, childlessness, aging, loneliness and homophobia with sensitivity and compassion. The pacing is on the slower side which suits the story The secondary characters are well-developed and I thought the author does a wonderful job in depicting how Mabel’s friendship with each of them evolves and the rapport between the group is developed I enjoyed getting to know the characters and though I felt there was the opportunity to explore a few of the subplots in more depth, overall I felt the author does a commendable job of weaving the stories of these characters into a cohesive, engaging narrative. The final reveal is well-executed in keeping with the overall calm and dignified tone of the novel.

Written in elegant prose with superb characterizations and a realistic and relatable take on relationships – family, marriage, love and friendship -  I found this to be a lovely story that will touch a chord in your heart.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“It isn’t possible, to erase the lives we’ve lived. We only have today, and whatever future we’re granted.”