The Kicking the Bucket List

You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. Three sisters, Rose, Daisy, and Fleur must learn to deal with one another after the death of their mother, Iris. Their inheritance depends on it. Iris has concocted a plan where her three long estranged daughters must spend a weekend together every other month for a year doing things Iris plans out for them in an effort to make them see that family is everything and to find true happiness in life.
But, like of times happens, plans don't always work out the way they are intended.
There is a great deal of hurt and jealousy among the sisters and they have not spoken nor seen each other in 3 years, something their mother deplores. With the help of her nursing home friends, she makes several videos that force the sisters to spend time together doing things of Iris' choosing. Her ultimate goal is to get them involved in one another's lives again. The tasks she sets out for them to accomplish every other month are arbitrary and slightly looney, but if the sisters don't do as she asks, their inheritance will be null and void.
Hopkins delves into each sister's reasons for not wanting to partake in the challenge and there are a great many secrets that get told throughout the story that let the reader understand why the rift occurred. Old hurts. childhood mental traumas, and just plain old sister-stuff issues are revealed from each sister's viewpoint.
Through the use of an intermediary, Daniel ( a man I loathed from the first time I met him..just saying) the sisters are forced to face their pasts and their uncertain futures.
I found the "challenges" or tasks, Iris devised for her girls a little odd, but within the context of the storyline, they played out well. The majority of the story is told from Daisy's viewpoint, but Fleur and Rose do have their own sections as well.
All in all, a good read.

Cathy Hopkins - the kicking the bucket list was a real joy to read. It also took me on an emotional rollercoaster, one minute laughs the other tears. It is a lovely story and the cover doesn't do the beautiful story inside its pages justice.
The story of 3 sisters who 3 years ago fell out after a massive argument, no longer in contact let alone talking, the sisters are brought together at the will reading of their mother iris. Hoping to inherit then be on their separate ways again the girls (daisy, fleur and rose) are shocked to discover that mother has laid out a plan called the kicking the bucket list. All the girls must complete it together over the course of several weekends for a year if they are to receive their inheritance. This wonderful story takes you on the girls journey of self evaluation, self discovery and understanding what really matters.
It's a beautiful tale and even though at first I had trouble connecting with the characters by the end of the book I didn't want to leave them. A great read and would thoroughly recommend.

It was with a contented sigh that I finished The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins.
I was going to say a “happy sigh” because I enjoyed it so much but, while the story has a fitting ending, there is a tinge of sadness to it so that word didn’t seem right.
The book is a lovely, warm read with a lot of heart and it flows so easily even though it tackles some huge subjects such as love, relationships and possibly the biggest, death.
Afterwards I felt like I learned a lot of things about mindfullness, meditation and life lessons in general but never that I was being taught, it was all cleverly weaved into the plot.
Here’s the blurb.

The Kicking the Bucket List
‘Oh, I wish I could see your faces now. How are you going to refuse the last wish of your dead mother?’
Meet the daughters of Iris Parker. Dee; sensitive and big-hearted; Rose uptight and controlled and Fleur the reckless free spirit.
At the reading of their mother’s will, the three estranged sisters discover that their inheritance comes with very tricky strings attached. If they are to inherit her wealth, they must spend a series of weekends together over the course of a year and carry out their mother’s ‘bucket list’.
But one year doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for them to move past the decades-old squabbles and misunderstandings. Can they grow up for once and see that Iris’s bucket list is about so much more than any of them realise…

I only have a brother and I have no idea what growing up with sisters is like but I imagine it the way Cathy, who herself has brothers and no sisters, describes.
Along with the happy memories and family jokes there are old hurts stacked up along with new arguments and bouts of jealousy to contend with.
Luckily Iris has a plan to mend those fences and along with her two friends comes up with tasks to turn her single flowers back into a bouquet.
It’s Daisy/Dee who tells us the majority of the story but there is input from Fleur and Rose too, which helps to carry the tale along nicely.
This is Cathy’s first book for the adult market – not that you can tell – and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Format: Kindle.
Price: £3.99.
My rating: Four stars.

With thanks to Harper Collins UK (via NetGalley) for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I've just finished this book and I was completely charmed by it, it's a simple story about a mothers love, trying to reconnect her daughters love for one another from beyond the grave, Rose, Dee and Fleur have lost their way somewhere as they've grown up and the sisters are no longer close as they once were, so when their mother has passed away they find that to inherit their mothers estate they have to complete their mothers kicking the bucket list, a list of challenges to help them reconnect and find each other again, it is very reminiscent of PS I love you, in the fact that it will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you think, but most of all it will make you realise that life is short, you never know when your time is up so enjoy the simple things, grab the opportunities as they come your way and most of all cherish the people you love. All in all a great read.

The concept at the centre of this story really struck a chord. It is so easy for siblings to drift apart as they grow older and their families and relationships become their focus rather than their parent's family. It certainly resonated with me. Iris came across as lovely, fun and down to earth whereas Daisy was more of a dreamer. Each of the women (mother and 3 daughters) had their own character traits which were described and reasoned. The impact of Daniel on the lives of them all gave another facet to the story. All in all an interesting book which I found difficult to put down.

This is a great read. The characters are sympathetically and warmly described, we get to know them as friends, and they each have their own distinct personalities. The 'self help book' words of wisdom don't irritate but add depth to the story. I recommend this book. It will make you appreciate your family.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, some laugh out loud moments and some sad ones. Characters were believable, would recommend

I really enjoyed this book, I found it to be light and funny despite having quite a heavy storyline.
I could relate to all the characters and enjoyed the dynamics of the family. I would recommend this book to friends.

The Kicking the Bucket List is a poignant ,wonderful heart warming sometimes sad book .The story of three estranged sisters and a Mum who decides before she dies to try and bring her daughters together after her death with an intriguing plan .I loved this book it made me cry and I was sad when it finished .

A wonderful tale - very well written and very plausible. Three sisters, no longer on speaking terms, but forced to meet regularly to fulfil the requirements of their mother's will, have the reader in fits of laughter at times and close to tears at other times as well. A story to which I am sure a lot of readers could well say " sounds familiar", I shall certainly be recommending this to many of my friends

Joyful and uplifting but also so sad. Lovely book - and such a fabulous idea.

The Kicking the Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins

Iris Parker, aided by two of her friends, leaves a series of video messages to her three daughters, a fact that they discover on the reading of her will. They will receive their inheritance once a series of tasks have been completed over the coming year provided all three stick to the plan. Daniel has been chosen to administer the tasks (along with the video and random text messages of encouragement) and to ensure that the terms of the will are met.

Iris has done this in an effort to bring her three daughters closer together. The eldest, Rose lives and works in London and also has a family. The youngest Fleur (runs an prosperous property portfolio) and lives between various locations but has an apartment in the swanky part of London. Dee, twice divorced, is an artist living in Cornwall who is struggling to make ends meet.

Over the following year the girls have to get together every other weekend at various locations. During this time we discover their different traits, their different problems and their separate relationships with Daniel.

Cathy Hopkins has given us a very enjoyable book which is well written and great characterisation. I loved the character of Iris and her two friends – quite batty but what a way to reach the end of your days! As for the three daughters, I found myself drawn to Dee who in my opinion is the main protagonist but also to Rose who appears to have the least happy life.

I suppose you could say it is all a bit predictable, but there is a bit of a sting in the tail. Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it is a nice, comfortable read which left me hurrying back to it as soon as I could.

NetGalley provided an ARC copy of this via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

Fun book. Yes it has its serious subject matter ie the broken relationship of sibling sisters, but right from the beginning you sense the amusement birthed by the dying mother who wanted to give her children a challenge and better, more rounded lives. Good uplifting read.

A funny and sometimes thought provoking story of a mother's dying wish to see her estranged daughters reunited. She attempts to bring them together through a series of somewhat bizarre tasks to be carried out over six weekends. If they all complete them, they will receive their inheritance.
Although she has died, her presence is felt throughout and you come to see how she understood her daughters and their very different personalities. The characters themselves are well written.
Contains some good humour, while treating death with sympathy and feeling.
An enjoyable read

The story opens with three sisters, Rose, Fleur and Dee, sitting in the solicitors office, waiting to hear the reading of their mother's will. None of them have talked to each other since they fell out over how to best care for their mother, nearly three years ago. But their mother has a surprise for them. Before they inherit, one year from now, they must complete a list of tasks, designed to bring them back together again.
This novel explores the feelings of the sisters, mostly from Dee's point of view but with some chapters looking at it from Rose or Fleur's perspective. It follows the sisters as they complete the kicking the bucket list, spending a weekend in each other's company every other month. The addition of Daniel, the love interest, brings added tension to the sisters and the outcome of the book.
I thought Hopkins was perceptive to explore the immature reactions of the sisters, for no matter how 'grown up' we get, when we return to our childhood home or get together with siblings, we do revert to childhood behaviours and patterns.
The ending was poignant and right without being schmaltzy. A good read.

A simply lovely heartwarming tale of a mother's legacy intended to bring back together her warring girls. There will be tears, there will be uplifting moments and you will want things to end the way you imagine. It doesn't quite! There is more to this book than you might imagine, an interesting story with laughs along the way and one I just wanted to keep on reading.

A tale of sibling rivalry,love, loss and hope amongst the aftermath of grief. At times raw, this book explores the multiple angles of scenarios and quite cleverly shows there's always more than one side to an experience. Tender, exasperating and intuitive this book is a great anecdote to family drama .

I loved this story of family relationships through good times and bad. The three sisters are delightfully human characters and I would have loved to meet their wonderful mother. The book had me laughing and crying. I thoroughly recommend it. It is a joy to read.

Iris Parker was eighty seven but has suffered a heart attack and sadly died, leaving behind her three middle age daughters, Dee, Rose and Fleur.

We first meet the girls at the will reading of their mum's after she passed away two months before. We soon learn why the sisters havent been in touch with each other and not just through their mum for years due to the argument that stopped them all talking was over their mum's care plan after she had a stroke. The sisters soon learn that they need to spend a year rekindling their relationships with each other to inherit the money left behind.

Dee lives in Cornwall but now her landlady has also passed away, her teo sons want to sell the house which currently means Dee is losing her house unless she gets her sum of will money sooner to allow her to buy, she relies on her best friend Anna for support through all the drama.

Fleur is a high power professional.

Rose is secretly suffering behind the hard face mask she wears, a secret health war means her husband and kids are facing losing her and Rose just wants to not have to break her sisters hearts as well.

As the story goes on we are hit full force with the reality of coming to terms with changes, trying new things and the reality of death and its wake.

The story is endearing and adventurous as their mum and her two friends whom helped her set up the Kicking The Bucket List left Daniel a man unknown to the sisters at first, in charge of guiding them through the list as their mum beyond the grave forces them to become sisters again. However Dee believes Daniel is her soulmate whilst really he's taking advantage of his situation with the girls in an awful way.

Cathy Hopkins has smashed the chick lit genre right here, I love her young adult fiction but this shows how talented she truly is once again and more so. Brilliant and tear jerking from Cathy, thanks so much to her publishers for allowing me to review her latest book!

I laughed, I cried, I cringed... sometimes all at once. What a beautifully written book, this looks at the death of a loved one from such an honest point of view and I could relate to the characters on differing levels but all of them I found endearing in one way or another. I will be looking for more books from this writer.

This book surprised me, it was definitely not what I expected. I laughed and cried and it made me think, It's the story of three sisters who are distanced from each other, and their mothers beyond the grave plot to bring them all closer. I expected a fluffy read but got so much more. It covers grief, the need to sieze the day, sibling relationships. and acceptance. Don't get me wrong this isn't a book that takes itself seriously, quite the opposite, in parts it's funny and throughout it is written with a lightness. The characters are memorable, although you may be irritated by them at times, but more irritated at who they are rather than how they are written. I did think that more could have been made of the tasks but perhaps that would have made them too predominant in the overall story. Read this if you want a change, if you've suffered a loss and it has affected relationships, or if you need a reminder of the the Joys of life and the benefits of having balance.

I loved every single minute of this book.

If I could award 10 stars I would.

Cathy has put a lot of work into getting this book just right.
 It's original and clever.
I applaud her for creating something different for death and grief is often such a sensitive subject.

I loved the Kicking the bucket list idea, the characters and the challenges.
I felt like I was part of the story I was drawn in from the very beginning and felt like I was on the journey with the Sisters.

The story starts with Rose, Dee (Daisy) and Fleur.
Their mother passes away and they are called in to read the will.
However their mother has other ideas!
All 3 sisters have to complete a series of bucket list challenges set by their mother and her 2 friends in order to get their inheritance.

Simple you may think!
However each sister has to participate or they all lose everything!

Slight problem with this..... None of the Sisters get on and have been estranged and barely speaking.

It quickly becomes clear. Their mum wants them to repair their relationships with each other. Part of the agreement is that they spend several weekends together completing the challanges.

Now I don't want to give any more away except, I laughed alot, I shed tears as there are some tender heart breaking moments, there is love, lust and relationships, family drama, friendship bonds, and a whole lot of sass between the Sisters which I loved!!

Each sister is own their own personal journey within the story. Dee is about to be evicted from her home and needs her inheritance, Rose wants for nothing and Fleur is desperate to be part of a family again.

Then there is Daniel. He is in charge of the Sisters bucket list. Making sure each sister participates and handles the expenses.
Daniel is charming and intriguing. But what is he's end game? There is just something about him!

My only critiscm is that it ended too quick I wanted more!
I felt there was a few questions that i needed answering for my own curiosity!
I have since spoken to the Author and she has cleared my curiosity.
I would be interested to see if anyone else felt there was answers they would of liked to of known.

But overall I absolutely loved this book.
Such a gem to read.
The chapters were short and snappy and kept me engaged the whole way through.
I loved each and every character and felt I really got to know them all on a personal level which was so nice.

I highly recommend this book as it has a great original concept.
Kicking the Bucket List is such an original idea and each challenge is perfectly thought out and researched.
You can tell Cathy Hopkins has spent alot of time researching the challenges to get them perfect for the journey each sister takes.

Totally absorbing, first class book. I thoroughly loved it.

This is a lovely book about three sisters grieving for their mother in their own way. They all have very different lives and issues that come along with middle age. I liked the idea of the mother creating a video for her daughters to help them come closer. I would have preferred another ending but I don't want to give too much away!

What an amazing book. The premise of a mother setting a bucket list for her three separated daughters is enough to make a story as is but the best thing that I found from this book was the inner peace and friendship that it brought to the girls and inspired in myself. The 6 weekends of activities were so varied and oh so thoughtfully planned. I loved this book from start to finish and then at the end the section 'About the Author' added even further inspiration to the story. The author's ten steps to happiness will be reflective in most people's lives and adds incredibly to the impact already made. The three girls are so different and I am sure that all of the readers will be able to associate themselves with at least one aspect of their lives. To end with the full Desiderata was such a beautiful ending and so thought provoking after having read the book and felt the love grow back for the sisters.
I cannot sing the praises of this book enough. It is esoterical, thought provoking and full to the brim with sound words. Highly recommend that everyone reads this to be able to reach inside themselves.

What a super book this is. I can't think of anything more heart breaking for a mother than knowing that her children just do not get on together and haven't done for the last three years and the only time that they do communicate is to arrange visits to see her that will not coincide with each other. So when Iris, their mum, died not only did she leave her three daughters, Rose, Daisy (Dee), and Fleur  equal shares in her substantial Will, she also left a condition, which if it wasn't fulfilled would mean no one received any money.
I love good feel books that get me emotionally involved with the story and this story just pushed all the right buttons for me. It is told by each of the sisters so I knew what was happening in all of their personal lives even if they oblivious  to each others. Every other month the women had to meet to complete tasks, or as you could say a bucket list complied by their mother. The tasks were described to them by video recordings Iris and two of her friends made before her death. Like she says it was inevitable that it would happen one day, and I thought what a lovely idea, especially not having a mother myself now. How precious would that be.
This is a journey of discovery for the three sisters, a second chance to make amends because you never know when death will come, there is no age restriction. Well what I can say is Iris had a wicked sense of humour. I loved the tasks she set for her girls. The question is can they change their ways and not only get the money from the Will but also make amends with each other. 
When you finish the story do please continue to read to find out what Cathy Hopkins Ten Steps to Happiness would be. It is a lovely little piece to read.

This book is so different to the usual books I read ,I decided to branch out and read some different genres and I am so glad I chose this book.I loved it, for me its the sort of book that will stay with me long after reading the last page.I thought it was believable, the characters were great and realistic, and it made me laugh the humour was right up my street, it also on more than one occasion brought tears to my eyes.More than anything it was beautifully written and offered little pearls of wisdom, not in a heavy or overbearing way but in a way that makes you stop and pause for thought, and that is never a bad thing.I can't praise this book enough and if I could give it more stars I would.I suspect I might have found my book of the year although its early to be saying that but it will be a very good book that I would heap more praise on than this one.I am very grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Rating 4.5/5

This book has a brilliant storyline; I was engrossed within a few pages. I think it is a really original way to deal with the subject of grief, it is, of course, a sad situation but the tasks that Iris sends them on gives the book a good dose of humor and more of a cheerful feeling than a morose one. I also liked that whilst the money was a factor in the story, it was actually more about bringing the sisters closer together and them being able to share these moments with their mother after she had passed.

The story is mostly narrated from Dee’s point of view, I think it was good that she was the main voice of the story because she often felt like the mediator between her sisters, so it felt like you were getting the most unbiased version of events. There are some parts that are told from Rose and Fleur’s perspectives and I liked that these were included because you got to see into the background of all the characters and it also makes it clear how much they assume about each other.

The only thing that I will say in way of criticism is that it would have been nice to hear a little more from Fleur, it might just be me but I felt that I didn’t get as much in depth with Fleur as I did with Rose. Her segments appeared a lot more surface and anything of more substance about her seemed to come from Dee.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Rose, Dee, and Fleur, when Dee had errant thoughts about her sisters or when she thought one of them was saying things to be hurtful, these were things that I could relate to (I’m sure plenty of people would as well). Their actions felt realistic, perhaps occasionally immature, but that’s not to say that age means maturity and there were plenty of occasions when I was reminded of ways that my sister and I have acted towards one another when someone’s been annoyed or upset.

It was wonderful to see how these relationships evolved and that they gradually started getting a little bit more in sync with each other. It was especially interesting as they were all really different personality wise, so their approaches to the tasks and situations caused some friction between them, which added to the fun.

I definitely went through a range of emotions reading this book and in my case, that usually means I have been wholly invested in it. It had me giggling one minute and in tears the next. This is a really enjoyable book; it’s easy to read and deals with a subject that many of us have experience of with a bit of humor and a different outlook. It makes you think about what happiness is and that life is too short not to pursue it.

This was excellent, an easy read which followed three sisters carrying out their dearly departed Mothers Bucket List. One minute I was laughing out loud, the next I was feeling sad. I almost felt like I was one of the sisters. A brilliant read.

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The Kicking the Bucket List – Cathy Hopkins
Posted on April 2, 2017 by Kate

Iris Parker is a badass Mum who leaves a lasting legacy for her three floral-named daughters Fleur, Rose and Daisy when she realises that she is dying and her girls need to be there for each other.

In order to claim their inheritance, the girls who have drifted apart over the years, have to spend a weekend together every other month in an attempt to re-establish their relationships. Organised by their late Mum, Iris has it planned down to the finest detail and each meet-up is accompanied by a video message from beyond the grave.

This is such a lovely premise to set this story of loss, love, grief and the importance of family. I absolutely adored this book! Each of the daughters has their own secrets and watching them deal with the loss of their Mum and slowly reveal these secrets and rebuild their relationships with each other was at times heartwarming and others heartbreaking. I cried more than once and laughed out loud even more. As someone with two sisters I could totally relate to the bickering, banter and closeness like no other. There is also some genuinely helpful life advice from the ultra-wise Ivy; Mum really does know best. Cathy has written this so well!

In the spirit of no spoilers I will simply add that I knew he was a douche right from the outset. If you’ve read it, you’ll know who I’m talking about. Psh. Shame on him.

This is a truly gorgeous book, a perfect spring read and gets a perfect five cwtches from me. Get it here. Thanks to the lovely publishers for my review copy, you’re lush.

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Wow .. this one hit a few nerves, and then some. It is the story of three sisters, adults in their own right, who don't mix together anymore and their mother's 'last will and testament' - The Kicking the Bucket List.
This is both uplifting and sad, but most of all the characterisation is so very, very good. Rose, Daisy - or Dee as she prefers - and Fleur really come to life on the page and it a novel which you close with a sigh of satisfaction at a good book well read.
I do have two sisters who I don't get on with (and no, not running to establish contact any time soon) but the honesty in this tale is remarkable. Such a worthwhile read.

I received an arc via Net Galley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins is an amusing contemporary read about love, family and relationships. It is also a study of grief. "Grief is like standing on the edge of the ocean. Some days... it's manageable. Other days... it blasts like a tsunami." Grief can be all consuming as one adjusts to a new 'normal.'
The novel follows three sisters over a year. Each one is unique. The relationship has been fractured. Can they rebuild as they unite in grief?
There are many themes and as well as studying grief, the novel is a study of life. "Life isn't made up of what is thrown at you, it's about how you react to it.". The novel is a study of hope. A study of the past, present and future. It will make you smile. It definitely made me laugh out loud. And it will make you cry.
Life is about love, laughter and families. The Kicking The Bucket List will make you realise that life is not about money. At the end of the day, life is about love and belonging. My favourite line was "Home is where my books are" and really sums it all up. We all need a place where we feel comfortable and loved.
A marvellous novel set on location in London and S.E. Cornwall. It was refreshing to read about familiar places. We have had many holidays in Looe in Cornwall so I recognised the location straight away.
A fabulous read.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

I'll be honest, this book wasn't what I was expecting at all. I was expecting a storyline that was centred around the 'typical' bucket list and somewhat predictable. However, what I actually got was a novel that had me in absolute hysterics one moment, to then finding myself ugly crying the next, whilst also having some incredibly bold and unique characters thrown in for good measure. So you see, sometimes judging a book before you have even read it, can be a good thing. After all, we all like surprises, especially when they're good ones like this!

Dee, Rose and Fleur were expecting a bog standard will reading. You know, letters from the deceased read out, inheritance (if any) spoken about and other wishes discussed, ending with a signature from all those involved. Snigger, that was NOT what they got. There was a condition attached to any inheritance money, as laid out via the deceased's wishes. All three ladies have one thing in common; they have all lost their mother. The deceased, their mother, has one thing which trumps her daughters ten times over; she was their mother and she knew them better than they even knew themselves. Therefore, mummy knows best, right? Especially as the three sisters haven't exactly been bosom buddies over the years...

Iris Parker is a L-E-G-E-N-D! Her last wish to her daughters via her will, had me in absolute hysterics! I totally envisaged all three daughters faces at the news. In any other circumstance; such as the sisters getting on really well, it probably wouldn't have come as such a shock to them, nor would I have found it as funny. But, because they couldn't stand the sight of one another and one of them really needed the money, Iris Parkers last wish was an absolute belter.

Obviously, I forged my own opinion of Fleur, Dee and Rose, I always do. At first, I disliked Rose with a passion. Her stuck up nature and arrogance riled me up the wrong way, I'm sorry to say. I adored Dee as I found her personality incredibly warm and soft natured, even though she was incredibly bouncy and energetic. As for Fleur, I kept changing my mind with her. One moment I liked her 'company' and found her humour to be quite similar to mine, yet the next moment I struggled to bond with her as she came across a bit self-centred and far to free and easy about a lot of things.

The weekends the sisters had to endure were a mixture of events, some being funny and some being rather thought-provoking. Despite the weekends being their mother's 'bucket list', the three women couldn't seem to open their eyes to what was directly in front of them, nor could they see further than the money. However, watching the sisters go on their journey of self discovery by reminiscing and trying new things, was such an emotional one. Even though the ladies refused to see further than the inheritance money at first; watching them get to the point where things started to make sense was an ingenious idea on the authors part. Without even realising it, their mother had given them an incredibly powerful gift which, unfortunately, they seem to realise far too late.

Because most of Cathy Hopkins' book was light-hearted and turned the negative circumstances into positive ones, when the dynamic of the storyline completely changed my hand flew to my mouth and my eyes began to sting. You know what I mean, yeah? Think of this; you're reading a storyline that seems to make you laugh more often than none, has such an important underlying message to it yet all of a sudden....WHAM. Every single thing you thought you understood, you no longer understand and it's made you far more emotional than you thought it would. Does that make sense now? Good, because that's what happened to me when I read the last third or so of the novel.

The last third of Cathy Hopkins' novel also gave her characters a well needed kick up the backside, too! I hadn't realised how invested in the storyline and the characters lives I was, until that moment. Dee, Fleur and Rose's relationship finally decided to mosey on down the path that their mother clearly knew that it would, Iris just had no idea under what circumstances/weekend or event, that that would happen.

I bawled like a baby, no lie. I was absolutely devastated by the turn of events! I couldn't keep a lid on it, AT ALL. Yes folks, it surprised me too. It was as though I was feeling their emotion first hand.
I LOVED 'The Kicking the Bucket List' from the moment I read about Iris' last wish, right until the very end of the book. The attention to detail in regards to the sisters personalities, was unbelievable, I have never read a character like those before. Incredible realistic and more than just words on a piece of paper. Those ladies stole my heart (yes, even Rose), and I took their hidden message. There were highs and there were lows. Good times and bad times. Funny moments and absolutely hilarious, sexy snorting moments. And you know what? It was absolutely brilliant. Cathy Hopkins has written such a clever and unique storyline, putting a twist on the usual 'bucket list' by making it her own.

Don't be like Dee, Rose and Fleur and leave things too late. Don't break a close relationship thinking that you have all the time in the world to fix it again. You don't. Go and do those things that you want to do before you end up being in Iris' position. Although to be honest, Iris is an absolute genius. So is Cathy Hopkins, especially as she has written her own 'Ten Steps to Happiness' at the very end. Definitely worth a read.

Completely unexpected and surreal, Cathy Hopkins novel is definitely one of my most favourite books of 2017 so far.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins

I loved this book. I literally couldn't put it down. The idea that you could still see and hear your. Mother after her death via. video and she loved you so much to want you to do a bucket list, steals my heart. It's such a perfect idea for a book, for real life actually, I can't believe we don't all do it.

Thank you for writing this book, it was in the moment for me and helped me over a slightly roughish patch. I think we all need reminding sometimes of how important love and happiness are and that they should be our top priorities however much other stuff gets in the way.

This book was a wake up call for me, a personal mantra to repeat. Thank you for shaking me awake,

Please read and devour this book it's too important not to.