Apart from her heart surgeon husband, two young children she loves, and her rather privileged lifestyle, Rachelle Covington isn't exactly sure who she is or what she truly wants for herself. Her journey to figuring it out, and dealing with her past, begins in The Someday List by author Stacy Hawkins Adams.

I can tell how much I'm enjoying a novel when, at some point or another, I hear myself as I read: hear myself laughing, hear myself gasping, hear myself talking back to a character who needs to catch a clue. In this case, a number of points during the reading were punctuated with an audible "Mm" from me as Rachelle's situation incited my interest, my reasoning, my emotions. The story deals with some hard, real, messy issues without being "messy" about it but also without sugarcoating it all for faith's sake—the strong faith theme notwithstanding.

Now, while I could feel for Rachelle and a good handful of the other characters, there was one key character who didn't quite have me convinced. When an antagonist is headed for a change down the road, that character is most intriguing when he or she doesn't seem "bad" just for the sake of it, when there's a little deeper dimension to who the character really is and why. This story's "villain" didn't intrigue me that way, so his portion of the plot eventually fell a bit flat to me.

Still, this novel kept me invested from the first page to the last, and I deem it a worthwhile pick for other fans of contemporary Christian Fiction. ( )

Title: The Someday List
Author: Stacy Hawkins Adams
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"The Someday List" by Stacy Hawkins Adams...

"Rachelle Covington has it all. A fabulous home, a handsome and prestigious husband, two beautiful children, and a place in the upper crust that's quite comfortable. But her life is not all it's cracked up to be. When her husband goes away on business trip and the kids are sent off to the grandparents for a month, Rachelle takes up the challenge of a dying friend to start a list of things to do before she dies. She heads back to Jubilant, Texas, to reconnect with her past, her purpose, and herself. But when her ex shows up in town looking very fine and very single, Rachelle must confront feelings she thought she'd long buried. Will she give up everything to recover the past? Or will she find a reason to plan for the future?
"The Someday List" is an honest look at what makes us who we are and what can throw us off track. Author Stacy Hawkins Adams writes with a voice that is fresh, sincere, and completely real. Her characters jump off the page and into her readers' hearts."

What I enjoyed from the read...

I found this novel one awesome Christian Fiction read. The characters...Rachelle, Gabe, Aunt Irene, Aunt Melba, Uncle Charles, Troy to name a few were all very interesting people...being well developed, defined, colorful and believable giving this story a worth while read. I found myself really being caught up in the read where I was able to laugh, tear up, liked some of the character, didn't care much of a few other characters but in the end coming to drip with it all...it was a good read. Now, I must say even though it was a good read it wasn't a 'easy read' for me due to the subject content...marriage issues.

I loved how this author brought to the reader of a 'Someday List.' It really made me stop and think about my own life long after this riveting read. Be ready for a plot that will have many twist and turns of a read about 'life, faith, relationships, marriage and family.' Would I recommend? YES! ( )

I wasn't sure about this book, I had had it on my to read list for a long time. I am so glad I got it and read it. I couldn't put it down. I love how real the characters on and how she speaks the honestly about God and what makes relationships work, etc.
great read. ( )

This is one of those heartwarming books that tries to remind the reader that even though bad things happen, good things can come out of the bad. Rachelle Covington is married to an emotionally abusive, controlling husband- a big-shot heart surgeon who thinks very highly of himself. When Rachelle finds out that an old friend is dying she decides it's time to reassess her life, and goes to spend time with her aunt and uncle in the small town where she attended college. While there Rachelle discovers her first love (and first husband) has come to town too. The bulk of the book deals with Rachelle trying to figure out what to do about the man she has always loved, and the arrogant guy to whom she's married. Good things about this book- fast-moving plot, and I wanted to find out what happened to the characters, particularly Rachelle. Bad points- overly preachy. People only become better or improve their lives if they find God. Also, some seriously unrealistic consequences for drunk driving. A bit too "feel-good" for my tastes. I have a darker view of the world. ( )