Miss Newbury's List - Review

Miss Newbury's List

By: Megan Walker

Expected Publication: February 7, 2023

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Regency

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--England, 1820

Rosalind Newbury loves her family and wants nothing more than to add to their legacy. So when an opportunity arises to marry a duke—a dream come true for her family—despite hardly knowing him, she quickly agrees.

But after rediscovering a childhood wish list, Ros realizes that she has dreams of her own and little time left to fulfill them. She recruits her dearest friend Liza and subsequently Liza’s handsome but wayward cousin Charlie—a gentleman turned rugged boxer—to help her complete her list before her wedding.

From boxing lessons to buried treasure, Charlie helps Ros experience a life and love that she’d never dreamed possible. Soon, Ros is faced with the very decision she’s been running from—to save her family’s future or her own.

Like time travel books, I have found that I don't enjoy "bucket list" books. I find them cheesy. Contrived. And forced. I almost didn't request Miss Newbury's List because of my frustration with bucket list stories of the past, but I really liked Megan Walker's previous book, and I've been looking forward to her next book. So I hoped the historical fiction setting would be enough to change my typical dislike of bucket list stories.

In short, it wasn't.

I am sure, as independent and headstrong as I am, that I would chaff against the situation that Rosalind finds herself in. Yet as the reader, I often root for arranged marriages. I like seeing them work out despite the unromantic start. I knew I was fighting a losing battle. The description tells you all you need to know, but I kind of hoped the description would be wrong and maybe Charlie would help Rosalind accomplish her list while still leading to a path where she fulfills her original goal. Ms. Walker wrote the Duke in such a way that you couldn't really root for him in the end. But I just feel like I was predisposed not to like this book. Sometimes I can be too stubborn for my own good.

As I said, I find parts of executing a bucket list contrived. The part where Charlie hangs Rosalind's painting in the opera house gave me secondary embarrassment. I felt so awkward through that scene.

I don't know. I can't put my complaints into words that make sense. Ultimately, I just don't like bucket list storylines. I knew this ahead of time, but this book solidified my determination to stay away from them. I feel like I should apologize for even requesting this book. I'll do better in the future. Rosalind and Charlie were decent, and ultimately, I am glad things ended the way they did. Miss Newbury's List gets 3 Stars. Have you readMiss Newbury's List? What did you think? Let me know!