The Me List by Julee Balko
What's It About?
Olivia’s trying to get out of her suburban mom funk, and when she takes a job working with her town’s top realtor, Patricia — also her next-door neighbor and nemesis — she gradually starts to learn the power of facing her fears and putting herself first.Let’s face it, we all have that one person in our lives who we secretly envy because they seem perfect at everything. We may grudgingly admire this person, and we may even hate them for being so put together all the time. But overall, we feel intimidated by them for doing what we feel like we are incapable of. This is how Olivia feels toward her accomplished realtor neighbor, Patricia.
When Patricia offers her a job as her assistant, Olivia initially feels insulted. Yet, she can’t resist the opportunity to earn some extra cash — cash she could add to their family vacation fund to compensate for the money she loaned to her mother. At first, working for Patricia feels uncomfortable, and her condescending tone drives Olivia nuts. But it makes her feel good to be productive at something else other than just being a doting wife and stay-at-home mom. Not that these roles are any less important, of course.
When Patricia introduces her to a list of ten things she can do to improve her life, that’s when Olivia’s life of routine starts changing gradually. Olivia slowly begins to transform her life as she begins facing her fears and putting herself first. Still, she must face her biggest challenge yet: repairing her relationship with her alcoholic mother.
The Me List (Black Rose Writing) by Julee Balko is a captivating women’s fiction novel that takes readers on a heartfelt journey of self-discovery, friendship and the complexities of strained family relationships. The narrative skillfully weaves together themes of empowerment, resilience, and the impact of addiction on family.
Creatively Combines Humor with Complex Themes
Overall, Balko’s writing style is characterized by a balance of humor, descriptive richness and a keen exploration of interpersonal dynamics. The pacing of the narrative keeps the reader engaged as the author maintains a delicate balance between moments of tension and moments of relief.
Balko effectively utilized character interactions and intense emotional reactions to propel the narrative and engage the reader in the unfolding story. The dialogues between characters (especially between Olivia and Patricia) are laced with a mix of humor, annoyance and a subtle undertone of tension.
I especially enjoyed the situational irony scene where Olivia let Patricia and her “gloriously fancy navy pumps” stumble in the mud, just for her to experience her own missteps into the mud as well. This added a layer of amusement to the story and contributed to its light-hearted tone.
A remarkable feature of The Me List is Balko’s ability to create characters that resonate with readers long after the story concludes. Olivia’s insecurities, Patricia’s hidden struggles, Rose’s inability to put her daughter first, and the emotional intricacies between Steve and Olivia’s mom make this story very relatable and the book too interesting to put down. Additionally, The Me List is marked by emotionally charged moments that tug at the heartstrings, showcasing Balko’s talent for creating powerful, relatable and moving stories.
The Me List is a must-read for those who appreciate a well-crafted women’s fiction novel that creatively combines humor, raging emotions, and a thoughtful exploration of personal growth, family relations and friendship. Julee Balko’s storytelling talent shines through, making this novel a remarkable addition to the genre.
About Julee Balko:
Julee Balko is an author who loves writing novels with complicated women characters. Her debut novel, The Things We Keep, takes on grief, secrets, and family dysfunction. The Me List is her second novel and is full of snark and heart as it brings to life an unlikely friendship between neighbors. You can find Julee somewhere in the woods of Washington hiking with her husband. Or at home, enjoying her three daughters, rescue hound, two cats, and axolotl.
