Tag: The Bucket List by RJ Scott

A MelanieM Review: The Bucket List by R.J. Scott

Rating 4 stars out of 5

The Bucket List coverPopular soap actor Mark Wesley, 33,  is shocked when an assistant brings him a note from someone he hasn’t thought about in years.  It’s from the younger brother of his childhood best friend and he has come to find Mark to deliver some devastating news. News that makes Mark realize he has never dealt with his past and now he will never have a chance to make things right.

Jason Craig is grieving over the loss of his beloved older brother, Andrew.  Now Jason is on a mission to carry out all of Andrew’s last wishes, those Andrew wrote on his Bucket List.  It includes delivering a letter to his childhood friend, Mark Wesley, now a star in Hollywood.   But what was supposed to be a brief meeting turns into something more.

Mark is in the closet, in his personal life and in his job, but the attraction he feels towards Jason is unexpected and powerful.  So is the grief he feels at hearing that the man he thought of as his brother, Andrew,  has died.  Mark decides to help Jason finish Andrew’s Bucket list and the process brings them together in a way they never expected.    Along the way Mark must decide whether to stay in the closet or move forward a new future with Jason.

The Bucket List by RJ Scott is one of those sweet, lovely stories you will be keep thinking about days after you finished it.  Something about this story just resonates with you.  It’s not just the main characters, although they were layered and believable.  And it’s not just the present dilemma they find themselves dealing with…no, it’s their past, the memories, and the grief that R.J. Scott’s narrative delivers in such a way that it makes a powerful impression, rendering Mark, Jason, and Andrew’s family’s sorrow and regret both real and immediate.

What would you put on your Bucket List?  Who would you reach out to after death?  Those questions are just a few of the thoughts engendered by this thoughtful, sweet story.  I love how Mark and Jason work through some of their issues, with each other, their present and past,  while working their way day Andrew’s wish list.  Don’t be surprised if you find yourself grabbing for a tissue or two or three throughout this story.  Because The Bucket List will pull a whole host of emotions and thoughts from each reader as they proceed through this story, regret, joy, sorry, and laughter.  It’s all there, along with love.

On a GR note said it was “originally a short unfinished blog story, readers of RJ’s blog insisted the story be expanded and finished and she listened to them.”  Even with the added length, I wish it had been longer.  These two went on quite a journey and I would love to see more of their lives after they returned.

I absolutely recommend The Bucket List by RJ Scott.  It heartwarming and thoughtful.  Its sweet, deep, and lovely.  Once more, R.J. Scott delivers a story for all readers to pickup and love.  Grab it up today!

Cover Artist Meredith Russell. I liked it but wish for something more.

Sales Links:  Love Lane Books    All Romance (ARe)      Amazon       Buy It Here

Book Details:

134 pages
Published January 28th 2015 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published January 26th 2015)
original titleThe Bucket List
edition languageEnglish
url http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Our Focus is On: The Bucket List by RJ Scott

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Checks Out The Bucket List!

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The Bucket List by RJ Scott

About The Bucket List…

When Andrew Craig dies, he leaves his brother Jason a list of places that he wanted to visit but couldn’t. Attending a school reunion, London, Stonehenge, these are all on the list and Jason is determined to cross everything off and work through his grief at the same time.

Closeted soap actor Mark Wesley is shocked when a blast from the past looks him up, and devastated when he realizes he will never have a chance to make things right.

Together Jason and Mark agree to work on the list. But what happens when Jason and Mark grow closer, when passion and even love begins to grow?

Was this what Andrew wanted to happen all along between his brother and his friend?
All buy links will be available here at Love Lane Books

About RJ Scott

RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.

As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.

With over sixty titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.

Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

Where to follow/contact RJ Scott

Email: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Website: http://www.rjscott.co.uk/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Rjscott_author
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/author.rjscott
LibraryThing: http://www.librarything.com/author/scottrj
Tumblr:  http://www.tumblr.com/blog/rjscott (some NSFW (not safe for work) photos)
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/rjscottauthor/

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The Bucket List – Excerpt

“You should write to the studio, sir. Meanwhile, you may want to go stand over there. Some of the actors will be out later to see their adoring fans as per usual.” The guard sounded firm at first, but the second part of the sentence was dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m not a fan,” Jason protested. He looked over again at the chattering women. A couple were staring at him and pointing. Shuffling his feet and suddenly feeling uncomfortable, he wondered where to start to explain so he could get in. “I tried to find out where Mark lived and wanted to track down his family…” He stopped. I sound like some kind of creepy stalker fan. “Look, can you just maybe give him a note for me?”

Bill looked like he was ten seconds away from calling the cops on Jason. That would be just freaking great. How would he explain an arrest record for stalking to the education board when he was back at school? Finally Bill motioned toward a pile of books and notes and teddies that sat on the chair in his small hut.

“You can add a note to the pile.”

The pile? Jason didn’t have time for a note to be added to any kind of disorganized heap. He had exactly two days to get in, talk to Mark, and get him to agree to number one on his brother’s crazy-assed bucket list. The reunion is Saturday. We need to get home.

“If you could move away, sir,” Bill said.

Part of Jason wanted to take a stand and not move, but rebellion wasn’t really part of his makeup and he walked a few steps back. A voice to his side had Jason twisting on his heel.

“Excuse me, my friend made me come over.” Jason faced one of the women from the group. He forced a mask of civility into place. Never let it be said his mom didn’t raise him right. “She thinks you are that Scottish guy from Days. You know, the one with the stepparents who turned out to be practicing voodoo and who ended up kidnapping the sister with the twins.”

“I’m sorry—”

“I said you weren’t him and that you were actually a lot better-looking than the Scottish guy whose name I forget, Niall or Nick or something. Also, up close, you look way younger.” She tilted her head and let out a soft tinkling laugh, then placed a hand flat on his jacket. Jason instantly stepped backward. He wasn’t sure what Days was, but it didn’t sound like a good thing, not the way the rest of the group of women were staring at him like he was a side of beef on sale at the market.