I didn't love my other foray into the work of Rebecca Serle, but the adult fiction shift for this story definitely appealed to me. The overall concept of the book - actually having that "who are the five people you'd want to have dinner with - dead or alive?" dinner - fascinated me. How would the story be written? Would we get background information about all of the people? It ended up alternating chapters between this dinner and a timeline of her relationship with Tobias. The five people she chose to meet with are Audrey Hepburn, her father (who wasn't a part of her life) Robert, Tobias, her favorite professor Conrad, and her old roommate Jessica. They all talk about different topics while always heading back to the relationship between Tobias and Sabrina.

There was a surprising twist in the middle of the book that really set things in motion; the first half was a slow build. For a book that focused deeply on characters instead of plot, I didn't feel completely connected to the main couple. It showed their ugly parts and really dove deep into their relationship, which I appreciated, but I never fully shipped them as a result. Was I supposed to ship them anyways? It's hard to tell.

“You act like being with him is winning some kind of prize,” Jessica would say to me later—much later. “That’s not what relationships are about.”

But weren’t they? Wasn’t love about feeling like the luckiest woman on the planet? Wasn’t it feeling like the whole world was conspiring for your happiness, and yours alone? (ARC, 31%)

The chapters were short and went back and forth quite frequently, which made it a quick and easy read. I think some of the writing (and characters) were too pretentious for my tastes overall. There were a lot of deep life lessons and topics being discussed, which is fair given the premise of the story, but I just felt like they were trying to hard to be meaningful. I can sniff that out a little too quickly in books though. This had a very ~literary fiction~ kind of feel, which isn't my jam most of the time.

I have to give this a good rating overall because I enjoyed the experience of reading it. This should definitely be a movie, in the same vein as The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Seeing how someone like Audrey Hepburn would interact with your father or your favorite college professor would be fascinating, and that whole element was discussed quite a bit.

Based on the blurb for this book, I was expecting something light and maybe humorous. This is not that novel. Instead, the magical realism that is the premise (out of the blue, your dinner list, dead and alive show up at dinner) happens without any explanation or further magical elements. The dead are going to stay dead when dinner is over. The dinner itself focuses far more on the un-famous persons on "the list" rather than the famous. And, ultimately, the entire dinner recounts a relationship the narrator has with a former boyfriend. All in all, a disappointment for me with a cast that includes Audrey Hepburn, (but, it should be noted, no other celebrity guests).

This is a creative story of life, love, and second chances. At first, I was not sure this was a book for me; admittedly, I tend towards the dark, dramatic, historical, tragic tales, but the premise of this novel is intriguing. Based on a classic conversation in every classroom I've ever led, the question begins with "Who would you invite to dinner, dead or alive, fiction or non-fiction, if you could?" This was always the start of some fascinating English lit class discussions. In Rebecca Serle's book, she tips it a bit towards family and friends, and away from famous and historical. At first, the literary snob in me was put off - where was Shakespeare, Homer, or yes, even Harry Potter? Why do I want to read about a dinner with Sabrina's old college professor, ex-boyfriend, best friend, dead father, and the obligatory famous person, Audrey Hepburn? Ah, the answer is because Serle makes me care. This story wraps itself insidiously around your heart as once again I was reminded that life is not fame and fortune, but the small moments...like when you first see the love of your life, the first apartment with your best friend, a night with a new baby, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this short, sweet little story.

I adored this book! I loved the unique plot on an age old question. Sabrina was so likable and real. I was drawn in to the alternating chapters and the honest conversation. This was the perfect book to end summer vacation with and it will be a fantastic book club selection. So many good conversations to be had! I love that not everything is a happy ending but I loved the ending all the same. Fun, charming book!!

Maybe reading this as you're dropping your only kid at college isn't a good thing.... My Facebook book club (Bitter is the New Book Club) raved about it and I loved the premise but I think this is a true case of "Its not you - its me" as I was more emotional than a menopausal woman having 12 hot flashes at once as I got my only daughter off to college 2000 miles from home while reading the book.

Of course this book conjures up the question of who would I have at my dinner party? Honestly, I think I would just want to spend an hour each with the three grandparents I had growing up.. I realize now that I didn't appreciate all of their amazing stories now as an adult with a child of my own. No food, just 60 minutes of focusing on three people who loved me unconditionally.

Here I go again - an emotional hot flash..Better get back to the book....

Yes - this book is beautifully written, super funny at times and will tug at the heart strings as you think about the past, present and future. I think I will need to re-read it again . Rebecca Serle has an amazing talent on weaving a beautiful story - I think she will be an author to watch.

We've all had that conversation before. If you could have dinner with five people, dead or alive, who would you choose? When Sabrina arrives at her 30th birthday dinner, she finds herself with those very five people. These five people include her best friend, significant people from her past, and ... Audrey Hepburn. Throughout the course of the evening it is revealed why each person is there. Sabrina has unfinished business with some of them, which she has to finish by the end of the meal.

This is a quick read, which I devoured in about a day and a half. Though I was intrigued by the premise of the book, it wasn't until I reached the last third of the story that I truly began to enjoy it. I felt very satisfied with the ending.

This would be a wonderful book club choice, as it would lend itself to interesting conversations regarding which five people would appear on the various members' lists. It's a very clever premise, and I think many people will really enjoy this book.

I read this over the course of a day and loved the Tobias/Sabrina storyline, reminded me a bit of
the classic romantic movies., writ modern. Pretty much could have done without the back and forth
of the Dinner Party, but maybe it’s because I prefer linear storytelling and no plot devices. Very
bittersweet and I wasn’t prepared but loved the realness in the age of instagraming.

I enjoyed this book. The going between the last and the present was seamless. Though sometimes it was slow in parts it was still interesting to keep on reading on how it all ties together. My five words on this book past, present,dinner,interesting and love.

The Dinner List was compared or for fans of Nicholls’ One Day- that was spot on. They are not the same book by any means, however they both captured me in the same way. The Dinner List feels very realistic, which before reading I wondered if it would feel otherwise given the fact of having deceased people for dinner. The interaction is superb and the flow to telling the story of the past is perfect. Just when a “stopping” point happens at dinner, you are pulled in to the past to learn another tidbit as to why that person made The Dinner List. I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book and felt it was a really quick read. Rebecca Serle wrote a very unique book by using the idea of which 5 people living or dead would you want to have dinner with (We have all played that game, right!?). The main character Sabrina in college writes out her list and years later when walking into her birthday dinner her list comes to life. This story is told over the course of 4 hours one night and through stories from the past.

The basis for this book is unique and really draws you in. You want to know what Sabrina's relationship is to each of the people at the table. I found myself laughing and crying during the course of this book. I related to Sabrina because I feel like we all wish we could have dinner with people from our past and get closure. Over the course of the 4 hour dinner you will feel love, loss, regret, anger and empathy.

4.5 Stars

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Flatiron Books but the opinions are my own.

The dinner list was thought-provoking, and not only did it make me think, it got me feeling too. I'm not that far past my 30th and so found it so easy to connect with the main character - remembering well the soul-searching and feeling of crossing a threshold that came with the end of my twenties.

The characters reflected so well the friends that you have by that age - at least one major boyfriend you still think of from time to time, and in your darkest moments question if you'll ever know love, because surely he was the one! The friend who was your other soulmate, the two of you forever having each others backs until you realise it's been over a year since you last spoke. The father figure and actual father finally facing off outside of just her imagination - and finally, Audrey Hepburn. The woman she always held as what she would someday be when she "grew up", the unattainable ideal she'll have to finally release.

It's best to go into this book cold, so I'll go no further than that. Things change halfway through the book and the bitter definitely starts to take it's toll on the sweet. But this was a gorgeous book and one I'm grateful to have read.

That famous icebreaker question.. who would you have dinner with, dead or alive? In this inventive novel, Sabrina is asked this very question. She chooses her father, her best friend, a past professor, Audrey Hepburn and her true love. A story mixed with laughter, sadness and a twist I was not expecting! I wanted more when this one came to a close! Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to enjoy this creative piece.

This was a great book. The character development was fantastic, and I loved the ending ;) I will definitely be reading more of Rebecca Serle in the future--you have a devoted fan!

The Dinner List - Sabrina arrives at her annual birthday dinner expecting to catch up with her best friend, Jessica. Instead Sabrina is greeted by Audrey Hepburn, Robert, Professor Conrad, Tobias and Jessica - all people she put on her list of 5 people dead or alive with whom she'd liked to have dinner. The evening does not go as planned as relationships are tested, alliances shift and old scars break apart. Will this dinner be one Sabby wants to remember or try to forget?

This was a unique book that was much different than I was expecting. Sabrina is dealing with the loss of some important people in her life and this dinner becomes a therapeutic experience. Told in the present and in the past we see how life's events have brought us to this dinner. As the dinner does involve people who are dead, you have to suspend reality a lot which honestly was hard for me to do. I don't know why but to me having Audrey Hepburn there and talking about her personal life seemed forced and unbelievable. There was a lot of back and forth between characters but ultimately you did get some resolution. The love story throughout reminded me a lot of The Light We Lost. I would recommend The Dinner List but it won't go to my top reads of 2018.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flat Iron Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. The Dinner List will be available on September 11, 2018.

"Five."
What Five people you would invite to dinner, dead or alive?
What are Five things you're thinking right now?
The number Five plays a big role in this novel.

When asked the question of whom Sabrina would invite to dinner, these five people are the five people she needs to confront in order to get the unanswered questions dwelling in her life answered, and also they are the five mirrors she has causing her to look back on her previous endeavors through life.

I couldn't help but relate and place myself completely in Sabrina's shoes. It's a novel that makes the reader ask them self if they're making the most out of their lives and full potential. It's definitely one that had me shedding tears here and there (but in the best of ways). Serle did a fantastic job of jumping between Sabrina's past and "present." When faced with a new question to be answered, you're thrown into the back story of why that question is being asked or why emotions are coming out the way they are.

I only wish there was more of it, I wanted it to continue and never end. It was so beautifully written in an easy-going way. This is a great romance and women's contemporary fiction read that will have you wanting to devour its pages with its constant twists and non-dull moments!

A young woman comes to terms with the business of unfinished relationships. This story alternates between telling the reader of the development of her relationship with the love of her life, and a dinner party—a birthday wish—that brings together five characters from the past and present who, in various ways, shed light on her current emotional status.

This was a long book, and I actually took a break mid-way through to read something else. It just seemed like it was going nowhere; I picked it up and finished it to find no great revelations. If you enjoy the lives of 20-somethings and like love stories, then this might be something you would enjoy. It didn't grab me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review.

There was an intriguing potential in the storyline; but for me, it never got where it was going – or maybe I got lost along the way. The dinner, itself, was pure boredom. The alternating chapters of Sabrina’s life’s experiences not only didn’t flow, but weren’t at all interesting nor believable, even. The characters were stilted and dull. I guess Sabrina represents today’s 20-30 aged somethings who have no social skills and no life skills.

I never figured out what Serle’s purpose was or what the theme of the book was. Perhaps she wanted to give us a picture of an immature whiney modern woman or perhaps she wanted to compare and contrast modern day Sabrina with sophisticated and classic Audrey Hepburn. I first thought she was comparing her character, Sabrina, with the character played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1954 movie, Sabrina, but I couldn’t make that work.

This review will be published immediately on Goodreads and on Amazon when the book is released.

The Dinner List was a quick read with an interesting premise. What began as a simple mental exercise with a college roommate (choose any five people, living or dead, to join you for one meal) suddenly becomes a reality on Sabrina's 30th birthday. The result is an unexpected encounter with four people from Sabrina's personal life... and Audrey Hepburn. 

On its face, this seems like it would make for a light, fun read. Serle's novel, however, drags her protagonist into a drawn-out exchange with people who represent a monumental amount of emotional baggage for her. Yes, even Audrey, in a way. While there are fun and light moments in the novel, it primarily feels like an analysis of where Sabrina's life has gone wrong and if/how she can move on from those things. 

While I enjoyed this novel overall, it felt like there was something lacking. I think part of the issue is that fundamental weirdness of Audrey Hepburn's presence as the only person on the list Sabrina did not know personally. The presence of only one stranger, and such an iconic one at that, brought something of a lopsided impression to the plot that I don't feel would have been there if there had been an additional stranger at the dinner. As it was, it felt a bit like a celebrity barging into an intimate family discussion. 

The Dinner List has one bombshell of a plot twist (perhaps you'll see it coming; I certainly didn't) that changes the whole tone of the story when it hits. This book was an emotional roller coaster that ends with a glimmer of optimism and light at just the moment it began to feel too dark. Overall, a unique book that was worth the read. 

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher.*

Sabrina arrives at her 30th birthday dinner and is shocked to find not just her best friend, but three people from her past and Audrey Hepburn! The classic philosophical question of which five people you'd invite to dinner has miraculously come true. As the evening unfolds, Sabrina's past is revealed through lengthy flashbacks and she learns how to heal her relationships with her father and fiance.

I love the basic idea of this novel, having dinner with five people of your choosing, but I felt the story could have been much more intriguing if taken in a different direction. Essentially, this was simply a recap of Sabrina's relationship with her fiance and the dinner was a chance for her to find closure. I wish the dinner had been more of the focus, with perhaps more unique guests from throughout history and how they would interact with each other.

There was one twist halfway through that took me by surprise and added depth to the dinner. However, overall I just didn't connect with the characters as much as I was hoping.

Thank you to Net Galley and Flat Iron Books for an electronic advance of this novel. I'm a very fast reader, and the mark of a great book is one where I keep looking at my percentage left to read and determine if it's worth losing the sleep. This one was, and I was up until 1:30am finishing it. I'd probably honestly give this 4.5, but I felt it was more than 4...hence the 5. Who hasn't answered the question...what five people, dead or alive, would you have for dinner? I hadn't thought about how this might change over time, and the implications of the gathering and group of people. I loved the narrative of the dinner guests and going into the past. There was one point where I actually gasped at something I hadn't anticipated. I enjoyed this book about growing up, being in love, friendship, relationships with our parents, and life.