The Checklist

By: Addie Woolridge

Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo

In an energetic debut novel about personal and professional chaos, author Addie Woolridge introduces a multicultural cast whose exploits are redefining the modern rom-com.

Killing it at work? Check. Gorgeous boyfriend? Check. Ambitions derailed by an insecure boss? Sigh - check.

Things were going a little too well for Dylan Delacroix. After upstaging her boss on a big account, she gets dispatched to the last place she wants to be: her hometown, Seattle. There, she must use her superstar corporate-consulting skills to curb the worst impulses of an impossibly eccentric tech CEO - if she doesn’t, she’s fired.

The fun doesn’t stop there: Dylan must also negotiate a ceasefire in the endless war between her bohemian parents and the straitlaced neighbors. Adding to the chaos is a wilting relationship with her boyfriend and a blossoming attraction to the neighbors’ smoking-hot son.

Suddenly Dylan has a million checklists, each a mile long. As personal and professional pressures mount, she finds it harder and harder to stay on track. Having always relied on her ability to manage the world around her, Dylan’s going to need a new plan. She may be down, but she’s definitely not out.

©2021 Alexandra Massengale. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

The slowest of all slow burns

If you’re looking for primary romance plot, please look else where. The primary story focuses on career and family challenges with a dash of hot romance on the side. I mean it was decent for what it was but would not pick up for a reread as a romance novel

Perfect

This book will grip at your heart strings. It doesn’t just tell a love story it has you rooting for every character. Couldn’t put it down, can’t wait to see what she has to offer next.

Coming Home

Dylan left her family and friends behind for a life of normalcy (organization and schedule time). When she has to return home due to a work project, she never realized how important family and friends will be come.

I really enjoyed it

I'm glad I ignored the low reviews or I would've missed a really good story, The narrator did a great

Narration detracted from story

The narration wasn't necessarily bad, exactly, and I'm sure the reader does good work in other stories, but there were Seattle-specific references that were said in a way that wasn't quite right. (well, and one non Seattle one: Statler's buddy is not named Wardolf). besides that, I wished there was a second narrator with a deeper voice, because there were enough different male characters that "raspy" wasn't an adequately-defining trait and I don't think every man in greater Seattle has a store throat all the time.

Cute book but more womens fit, not romcom

The Checklist by Addie Woodridge is her debut book. It was cute, well written and flowed well. My only issue is that it was marketed as a rom-com and it felt more like women's fiction. The romance was minimal and left me feeling unsatisfied on that front.

Dylan is a woman that is strong and independent, but falling for the wrong guy has kind of left her in a rut and basically just following him in what he likes to do. When her job has her going back to Seattle where her family lives, she is not looking forward to it since she has a very odd relationship with them. Also, the job seems like it is not going to be easy with a CEO that just doesn't really listen.

The Checklist focused on Dylan and her workplace drama in addition to her family. That was what 90% of the book was about. While that was ok and left me with a few laugh out loud moments, I didn't even really get the romance until towards the end. AND it's not even with the boyfriend that was obviously a dud. Although I was thankful that it wasn't with the initial boyfriend, I wish we would've gotten more with the romantic interest. Their relationship had a little bit of butterflies there, but it was mostly something that seemed to build from when they were younger and neighbors. Again, that was ok, but it didn't create the tension that I would've looked for in a true rom-com. Add in the fact that there is one love scene and it's fade to black and I was left a bit disappointed.

With that said, I did enjoy the writing and the multi-cultural cast of characters, I only wish there was more tension and more romantic scenes to be correctly marketed as a rom-com because I didn't feel that connection. Overall, it was ok, just not what I expected. The audio was good and performed well, but the overall length of the book seemed a bit long. I would read more by this author knowing what she writes and more prepared for that.

The Checklist

struggle to finish this book the narrator was not the best. That made it hard to listen to the story just got on my nerves. Could have been better

cute

This was a cute story. Great boy next door story. looking forward to more from this writer.

loved it

I really enjoyed reading this author.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the near future.

IRKSOME!!!

I bought this book on the strength of the narrator, and that's the saving grace. This is my first time with this author, and it was an irksome story. 9hrs of this girl being a push over, and a ding bat consultant. This story line worked my nerves. The one love scene was so vanilla!!! I'm grown give me some spice. My need for to finish what I start is the only reason I completed the book. I found myself yelling at main character to get a back bone. I was so glad to hear the closing outro "this is Audible"