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kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Title: Flying Solo
Author: Linda Holmes
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: June 14, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wholesome • Relaxing • Quiet
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Smarting from her recently canceled wedding and about to turn forty, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown of Calcasset to handle the estate of her great-aunt Dot, a spirited adventurer who lived to be ninety-three. Alongside boxes of Polaroids and pottery, a mysterious wooden duck shows up at the bottom of a cedar chest. Laurie’s curiosity is piqued, especially after she finds a love letter to the never-married Dot that ends with the line “And anyway, if you’re ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling.”
Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck—and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and her first love. Desperate to uncover her great-aunt’s secrets, Laurie must reckon with her own past and her future—and ultimately embrace her own vision of flying solo.
💭 T H O U G H T S
The synopsis for Flying Solo had me at hometown and inheritance, which are two buzzwords I cannot resist. I'd previously liked Linda Holmes simple and lighthearted writing style, and that was exactly what I needed when I picked this one up during a hectic period of summer.
With a cast of quirky and fun characters, a distinct humour, and a mysterious duck decoy, this story lifted my spirits. I adored the humanity behind the people taking care of another and not getting swept up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. What made it even better was the romance was the main focus and it showcased that happily ever afters come in different shapes and sizes, which doesn't happen often in fiction. Additionally, it was a breath of fresh air to see some middle aged characters looking for a second chance and to discover themselves.
The main plot centers around a mysterious duck decoy Laurie unearths in her aunt's attic. I was invested in unraveling the mystery of said decoy and this plot line added another layer to an already interesting story.
I know I am in the minority, yet I appreciated Flying Solo so much more than Evvie Drake Starts Over. Maybe it isn't all that memorable, but I enjoyed my time with these characters and was rooting for Laurie right from the start. It's a story of self discovery and living life on your own terms and there honestly isn't enough of those out there. Will continue to add Linda Holmes' books to my TBR, especially for when I need a lighter read.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• inheritance stories
• alternative happily ever afters
• romance light
⚠️ CW: gaslighting, infidelity, death, grief, body shaming, fatphobia, sexual content, cursing, alcohol, misogyny, infertility
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"And while she would not be the first woman to ever feel a love story slipping away, she wished she could stitch it, or carve it, or quilt it, and then save it, tucked into the bottom of a cedar chest and never entirely gone."
"You don't have to be single to be independent and you don't have to be married to be loved."
Author: Linda Holmes
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: June 14, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wholesome • Relaxing • Quiet
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Smarting from her recently canceled wedding and about to turn forty, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown of Calcasset to handle the estate of her great-aunt Dot, a spirited adventurer who lived to be ninety-three. Alongside boxes of Polaroids and pottery, a mysterious wooden duck shows up at the bottom of a cedar chest. Laurie’s curiosity is piqued, especially after she finds a love letter to the never-married Dot that ends with the line “And anyway, if you’re ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling.”
Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck—and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and her first love. Desperate to uncover her great-aunt’s secrets, Laurie must reckon with her own past and her future—and ultimately embrace her own vision of flying solo.
💭 T H O U G H T S
The synopsis for Flying Solo had me at hometown and inheritance, which are two buzzwords I cannot resist. I'd previously liked Linda Holmes simple and lighthearted writing style, and that was exactly what I needed when I picked this one up during a hectic period of summer.
With a cast of quirky and fun characters, a distinct humour, and a mysterious duck decoy, this story lifted my spirits. I adored the humanity behind the people taking care of another and not getting swept up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. What made it even better was the romance was the main focus and it showcased that happily ever afters come in different shapes and sizes, which doesn't happen often in fiction. Additionally, it was a breath of fresh air to see some middle aged characters looking for a second chance and to discover themselves.
The main plot centers around a mysterious duck decoy Laurie unearths in her aunt's attic. I was invested in unraveling the mystery of said decoy and this plot line added another layer to an already interesting story.
I know I am in the minority, yet I appreciated Flying Solo so much more than Evvie Drake Starts Over. Maybe it isn't all that memorable, but I enjoyed my time with these characters and was rooting for Laurie right from the start. It's a story of self discovery and living life on your own terms and there honestly isn't enough of those out there. Will continue to add Linda Holmes' books to my TBR, especially for when I need a lighter read.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• inheritance stories
• alternative happily ever afters
• romance light
⚠️ CW: gaslighting, infidelity, death, grief, body shaming, fatphobia, sexual content, cursing, alcohol, misogyny, infertility
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"And while she would not be the first woman to ever feel a love story slipping away, she wished she could stitch it, or carve it, or quilt it, and then save it, tucked into the bottom of a cedar chest and never entirely gone."
"You don't have to be single to be independent and you don't have to be married to be loved."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Grief
Minor: Cursing, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Alcohol
kenny_2288's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I love a book that brings in elements of various genres, even though it makes it hard to shelve and can invite harsher reviews due to an expectation gap. I rarely write reviews in response to what others are saying about a book, but I feel oddly compelled to clarify: This is decidedly "women's fiction," if that label retains any meaning, and "white women's fiction" at that. But along with the heartwarming, feminist, midlife story of a woman returning home to a small town in Maine to clean out the house after her favorite, never-married, great-aunt dies, there are elements of mystery and romance. It isn't a mystery and it isn't a romance, but it's a story that could appeal to readers of either genre who occasionally dip a toe into general or literary fiction when the right book comes along. I like to dip a toe, especially if it's for the rare general or literary specimen that has hope for a satisfyingly happy ending, like this one.
Things I loved:
Things I loved:
- The friend group. Some reviewers found the dialogue and banter a *bit much* but it's what drew me in and kept me around until the mystery of the duck and deeper personal development kicked in. Yes, the dialogue is a bit more witty and polished than you might get in real life, but these are writers and librarians and long-time friends. I've been in and around such groups often, and it felt spot-on to me. Thoroughly enjoyed eavesdropping on them.
- The journey the duck takes us on. I don't care much about wooden duck decoys and couldn't really engage in the beauty or artistry of it, but of course it's not really about the duck. I enjoyed the heck out of the ride from secret relic to thrilling intrigue to sweet, complicated, empowering truths.
- The uncompromising compromises. Life and personal needs are complicated and sometimes, for the sake of the story or harmony or whatever, those complications are forced into a tidy box, or rolled over with toxicity positivity, or wallowed in for the good misery of it all. That wasn't the approach here. Yes, there was some angst, but complications are allowed to be complicated and solutions are allowed to be creative, and I appreciated it.
- The sexy librarian guy and the friends-to-lovers/second-chance-romance vibes. I'm not understanding any of the hate for the sexy librarian guy. Research is definitely one of my love languages, so Nick is prime book boyfriend material.
- The representation. The non-issue presentation of Laurie as a size 18 was refreshing. And so were the multifaceted, non-infantilizing portrayals of the over-80s characters.
- The whole Scooby gang feel to the investigative/researching/mystery aspects. And every single time Laurie thinks "This f*cking guy."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Infertility, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thanks to Random House for the free copy of this book.
- FLYING SOLO is a wonderful exploration of living and loving outside the traditional path. I loved both Laurie and Dot (and Ginger!) and how they forged their own paths, knowing what they liked and didn't like and not letting anyone try to mold them into something else.
- I loved that Laurie knew she liked living alone and doing things just her way. I loved that this book breaks apart the idea that romantic love is worth blowing up your existing life and putting yourself into a life you otherwise did not want.
- The mystery (and small heist!) embedded in this story was great fun, too. I was on the edge of my seat for some scenes!
- FLYING SOLO is a wonderful exploration of living and loving outside the traditional path. I loved both Laurie and Dot (and Ginger!) and how they forged their own paths, knowing what they liked and didn't like and not letting anyone try to mold them into something else.
- I loved that Laurie knew she liked living alone and doing things just her way. I loved that this book breaks apart the idea that romantic love is worth blowing up your existing life and putting yourself into a life you otherwise did not want.
- The mystery (and small heist!) embedded in this story was great fun, too. I was on the edge of my seat for some scenes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Fatphobia