Delicious but never indulgent, sweet with just the right amount of bitter, Rebecca Serle’s The Dinner List is a romance for our times. Bon appetit! A Bustle Book Club Selection “I have five words for Rebecca Serle’s The Dinner List: wistful, delicious, romantic, magical, love.” —Gabrielle Zevin, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Young Jane Young“We’ve been … Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Young Jane Young
“We’ve been waiting for an hour.” That’s what Audrey says. She states it with a little bit of an edge, her words just bordering on cursive. That’s the thing I think first. Not: Audrey Hepburn is at my birthday dinner, but Audrey Hepburn is annoyed.”
At one point or another, we’ve all been asked to name five people, living or dead, with whom we’d like to have dinner. Why do we choose the people we do? And what if that dinner was to actually happen? These are the questions Rebecca Serle contends with in her utterly captivating novel, The Dinner List, a story imbued with the same delightful magical realism as One Day, and the life-changing romance of Me Before You.
When Sabrina arrives at her thirtieth birthday dinner she finds at the table not just her best friend, but also three significant people from her past, and well, Audrey Hepburn. As the appetizers are served, wine poured, and dinner table conversation begins, it becomes clear that there’s a reason these six people have been gathered together.
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This is one of those books that you think is pretty good as you read it, and pretty great by the time you finish it. It offered many things to reflect on – love and reality, life and death, and so much more. The ending was subtle but breathtaking and I know I’ll be thinking on this one for some time.
Oh my stars…this book absolutely killed me. My heart still hurts, but in that way that’s also good, you know? I can’t stand how it ended, yet I’m inspired by it, too. And the writing is superb. I wouldn’t be so wrecked if the characters hadn’t been so vivid and magnetic. Poignant and beautiful and sweet and painful and…I wouldn’t have missed it.
I read The Dinner List in a single day, unable to tear myself away from this unconventional dinner party. Rebecca Serle draws you in with this clever and delightful story and then (when you least expect it) offers up some of the sharpest insights on first loves, friendships and family. This book is completely original and wildly entertaining.
I absolutely loved this book. Got an advanced reading copy and wasn’t sure what to expect but I loved it. Couldn’t put it down.
The Dinner List has such a an interesting premise. What five people, living or dead, would you love to have dinner with? Sabrina makes her dinner list one day, while in college, with her best friend and roommate, Jessica. Years later she finds herself having her birthday dinner with these people. Some of them are living, some of them are dead, and some of them are famous but all these people played an important part in her life. How did this dinner happened and what is the purpose of it? You will have to read the book to find out. And I promise you, you will not be disappointed. The Dinner List is exquisitely written, emotionally charged and romantic book that will tug at your heart strings and will make you fervently turning pages to find out how the dinner ends and what does it mean for Sabrina.
The premise of this was interesting, and the way the author fleshed it out kept me reading. It’s Sabrina’s 30th birthday and she walks into the restaurant for the traditional birthday dinner with her best friend. That’s where usual ends and unusual begins. Years ago, in college, Sabrina’s best friend had her choose her “five” that she would invite to dinner. Sabrina decided to humor her, and made her list. She only made one change after that, but basically forgot about it.
Why, at 30, were these people at the table? The story unfolds through table conversation and flashbacks, as Sabrina examines her life and what led her to that point. There are some truths to face, some forgiveness, and, time to move on and embrace the past to move forward in her present.
The author was able to intricately weave the different and seemingly unrelated characters into a story that kept me wondering. The magical realism aspect was an additional hook for me. I was lucky I started reading this on a Saturday with nowhere I had to be because I didn’t put it down.
This one has stuck with me and made me think of who my “five” would be, and why I would choose them.
#TheDinnerList #FlatIronBooks
Original premise, wonderful characters and unique storytelling!
Slim but not slight, this story uses the “who would you invite to a dinner party, living or dead?” prompt to unspool the tale of a stormy romantic relationship, how such relationships can define us, and how we find our place in the world. Also there is Audrey Hepburn. Clever but relatable. Read by the author on audio.
I loved this book so much and I think it’s such a cool and unique concept it was such a easy to read/ follow book and it was well written and I love Rebecca Serle so I knew I’d like it and I love how the characters aren’t perfect and are messy
This takes place on the main character Sabrina’s 30th party and 5 people are there her her father who passed away, her best friend,her college professor her ex boyfriend and Audrey Hepburn waiting for her it switches from why she wanted everyone there and to now and i think this book is such a sweet and fun read and would recommend this to anyone who wanted read about a girls dream guest list for a dinner party or just if you want a new and fun read
“At one point or another, we’ve all been asked to name five people, living or dead, with whom we’d like to have dinner.” That is the premise of this very original novel that was unlike anything I have read. Total fantasy and yet so very real. Tragic but also uplifting, fun and hopeful.
I just wasn’t interested in the storyline.
Slow start and the protagonist can be a bit whiny but still an interesting concept.
Original story! Loved the characters and the way the story unfolded as I read it. I would recommend to anyone looking for a read that is just a little different from the usual.
After reading and *loving* Rebecca Serle’s upcoming book IN FIVE YEARS (out in March), I knew I had to get my hands on her debut. I’m happy to report that THE DINNER LIST is just as magical and addictive as her sophomore novel, and once again, she brought me to tears. When Sabrina shows up for her birthday dinner, she never dreamed that she’d see the five people on her list of “Who, living or dead, would you like to have dinner with?” But that’s exactly what happens, and miraculously, in attendance is her estranged father, her best friend, her favorite college professor, her ex-boyfriend Tobias—and Audrey Hepburn. As the night progresses, she tries to understand why all of these people have been brought together, all while reliving her past with Tobias and sharing her epic love story. But can she mend her broken relationship before the magic of the evening runs out? As with IN FIVE YEARS, this book took me on a journey I did not at all expect, but one that was far more meaningful and impactful than the one I was anticipating. There’s an element of magic and fantasy in this story, yes, but the emotions and relationships are so relatable, so rooted in reality, that I hardly stopped to question how on earth Audrey Hepburn got to this dinner! Rebecca Serle is such a masterful storyteller, pulling the reader along with every twist and turn, and all you can do when you read her books is trust that you’re in good hands, that you are about to experience something that will burrow into your heart. Sabrina, the novel’s heroine, is a compelling blend of romantic and practical, and I loved every page of her story.
This book has an interesting premise, what five people living or dead would you invite to a dinner party. This innocent list made by Sabrina at her best friend’s urging while they are in college comes true on her thirtieth birthday. The people in attendance are Audrey Hepburn, Sabrina’s father Robert, her best friend Jessica, her college professor Conrad, and her ex-fiance’ Tobias. The books travels between the present to the past. This was a good read and at times brought me to tears especially at the end. It also made me wonder if I did this exercise who I would invite and why. It wasn’t the light book that I expected but I did enjoy it just the same.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Flatiron Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I enjoyed the premise of this book. Sabrina shows up at her thirtieth birthday party and she surprisingly sees the five people from her list. At the urging of her roommate, she had made a list of the five people she would like to have dinner with- and now they were here. The thing is the list could be anybody living or dead. The book explores the themes of love, family, and at times betrayal. It is a book that you will enjoy reading and might even make you make your own list.
This dinner party was so intriguing that this reader was unable to stop reading until the very end. A book filled with first love, heartbreak, & family dynamics. I found this book to be engaging and fun as soon as I began reading. Who doesn’t want to have dinner with someone famous that we admire? Dinner doesn’t have to be boring if you dream of all the important people you would like to meet and then actually have one of them show up.
The characters are rich and fun, filled with interesting conversations & plotted degrees of thought & twists. The main character uses questions and dialogue to engage the reader to think about their own personal lives & how meeting someone they have always wanted to meet would fit into an everyday scenario of life & adventure.
The reader will gaze into a dinner list of characters that will encourage them to make their own list for the future.
This was an interesting book. Honestly, I’m not sure how i feel about it. First, let me address the writing style. The story is told in alternating chapters of present time and flashbacks. The author masterfully weaves the story together to reveal what is happening. It is easy to read, but did seem to drag a little at times (or maybe I was just really tired!). My uncertainty comes from the story itself. It is the tale of a girl’s great love with her boyfriend who is an artist. The premise is that years before she and her roommate created a list of 5 people living or dead that she would want to have dinner with. On this particular birthday,that dinner takes place with everyone on her list, including Audrey Hepburn. Throughout dinner the conversation centers around Sabrina’s life and love and all the mixed up feelings, hurts, and truths involved. This story is one of deep introspection and healing. The dinner is like an elaborate therapy session. But, I have to give credit to any book that makes me think, and this one did. Now, who would be on my dinner list?
When I read the blurb for this book, it intrigued me. But an imagined dinner with five people–dead or alive–could be the makings of a magical novel. Or a complete disaster. I got the chance to read a sneak peek and was completely hooked. If I could have read this in one sitting, I would have. I didn’t want it to end, but I didn’t want to stop reading. It’s the perfect book for the hopeless romantic in me. And I know I will reread it someday. I loved the characters. I loved the many layers of the characters and how they were woven together. How each chapter uncovered a new layer that revealed something about the chapter before. Fresh and unique, it was heart-wrenching and wonderful. Now, I’ll leave you with my (current) five. Edith Wharton, MLK, my great grandfather, Molly Ringwald, and Maggie Stiefvater!
Who wouldn’t love to have dinner with 5 of wonderful people? This is a well written book that pulls at your heart strings. Each dinner party guest is very important to Sabrina. As the story unfolds you will not want to put it down. You will not be disappointed. Make it your next Book Club read!