A bucket list to follow, with a lot at stake, at Christmas

Synopsis

When talented chef Molly’s best friend and business partner, Ava, passes away, she leaves Molly their beloved restaurant – and a wild, impossible bucket list to complete. But thanks to a legal mix-up, Molly’s inheritance is at risk unless she ticks off every outrageous item before the Christmas Eve deadline: just twelve days away.

Determined to honour Ava’s wishes and desperate to save her dream, Molly searches for a billionaire willing to share Champagne with her in a hot tub – one of the more extravagant challenges on the bucket list. She’s in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps so it might just be doable. But then she meets Levi. A devastatingly handsome billionaire, yes, but infuriatingly resistant to getting involved!

As the snow falls and sparks fly, Molly is entangled in a series of increasingly embarrassing escapades. With time running out, can she pull off the impossible – and maybe even find love along the way?

Hot enough to melt the Alpine snow, this romantic comedy is perfect for fans of Portia MacIntosh, Olivia Spring and Sophie Kinsella.

My review

Molly had great plans with her best friend Ava. They even had a restaurant together and they were planning to go from strength to strength. That is, until Ava passes away and leaves Molly heartbroken over the loss of her best friend. Ava has left Molly her shares of the restaurant, but due a legal mix – up, Molly must complete Ava’s crazy bucket list in order to have those shares. To make things even worse, she only has twelve days, as the deadline is set on Christmas Eve. As Molly is in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps, a few of those items on the list may me more doable than expected, like sharing Champagne in a hot tub with a billionaire. And when she meets Levi, indeed a handsome billionaire, she may have find the perfect person. But Levi isn’t willing to play any kind of games, in fact, Levi is sending Molly complete mixed signals, going from hot to cold in just mere seconds. So while Molly keeps finding herself in embarrassing situations, often involving Levi, can she manage to achieve her big goal and tick off all the items of the bucket list? And where will things end up with elusive, annoying, yet irresistible Levi?

I cannot imagine how it feels to lose your best friend. So even if Molly’s pain is something I can only attempt to imagine, my heart went out to her. The love between Molly and Ava is so palpable from the memories we read, even if Molly and Ava were complete opposites. Where Molly is the more introvert, calm one, Ava is the more extravert, adventurous one.

So while Molly is obviously heartbroken, it was also in a way fitting that Ava would come up with an outrageous bucket list for Molly to complete.

Now, I have to admit, I don’t know if I would be able to complete that same bucket list, because while it would be perfect for Ava to do such things, I am too introvert and too alike with Molly have the courage to do them! Of course, there is a lot at stake for Molly, giving her no other option than doing whatever Ava has put on the bucket list.

The level of embarrassments Molly goes through the first part of the story, would make me hide away, run away, never wanting to show my face anywhere in France anymore! For the readers though, it was hilarious to read. But it also shows us how much courage it takes from Molly trying to fulfil that bucket list. Her discomfort and her awareness of how things may seems is so obvious to the readers, and it made me truly feel sorry for her too, because we know that it is out of character and it isn’t Molly’s way to behave at all.

So when her paths cross on an embarrassing way too, with Levi, I knew that those levels would only go up. Because while Levi may be a way to complete that bucket list, but I also knew that it wouldn’t go as straightforward as Molly would think.

On the contrary, because Levi isn’t waiting for another woman to throw herself at his feet.

I have to admit though, while I knew that Levi would redeem himself, I wasn’t a big fan of him after his first appearance. He is blowing hot and cold all the time, he is attracted to Molly, but then he quickly pushes her away, he is even being rude at her for no apparent reason.

But it also felt for me that Levi needed to be this way, allowing Molly to stand up for herself. Because the more the story progresses, the more Molly makes it clear that no matter how much there is an attraction between her and Levi, she doesn’t deserve to be treated the rude way.

It was frustrating to read how Levi at moments wouldn’t listen to Molly, to hear her side of the embarrassing story. Because we know that not everything is what it seems, as we get not only extra proof of this in this book, but we also know this from real life, don’t we?

Seeing things shift, evolve, change between Molly and Levi was great to read. We see how the more the story evolves, the more the pair of them realize what the feelings they are having. And the more they understand and act upon them, doing the right things.

While this book is filled with many moments of laughter (whether or not caused by embarrassing moments for Molly), this book is also a learning curve for both Molly and Levi. Because Molly clearly steps outside her comfort zone, but she also finds her voice and finds the courage to stand up for herself. While Levi learns that not everybody has a second agenda. But for him, most important, that he has to be patient and actually listen to those around him.

I enjoyed reading this book that shows in a funny way what can happen by stepping outside our comfort zone. And who knows which we may encounter. And just because things don’t start off with the right foot, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a chance of something more!