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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
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual content
imds's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Infidelity, and Grief
mariposa517's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexism
jg34's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I really liked Evvie Drake so I was excited to read another Linda Holmes book but this fell a bit flat for me. I didn’t find the main plot all that interesting nor was I very excited about the love story. I give it 2.5 because I didn’t dnf and it was funny at times and the main character had some relatable qualities but overall a very forgettable book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual content
The whole premise of this book surrounds taking care of a a family members affairs after they die but the book is never all that sad about it nor does it ever go in detail about the deathitsheyfay's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Gaslighting
Minor: Body shaming
xeniba's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I liked the writing, but found the story to be a bit lackluster. I also hate the whole “OMG I’m going to be 40” cliche and the repeated insinuation that being a size 18 is a major hurdle, even if the character is ok with it. 🤷🏻
I did like the side characters. Books about Dot and Ginger, please!
I did like the side characters. Books about Dot and Ginger, please!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Fatphobia
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
Journalist Laurie has been living life on her own terms in Seattle. This was her plan all along after growing up in a noisy, busy house with four brothers. She returns to her small hometown in Maine to help settle the estate of her great aunt, Dot, taking the burden off her parents and aunts, and off her brothers who would not be interested since they did not share a personal relationship with Dot. As she goes through personal belongings and pictures, she discovers a commonality and a family secret, and with help from old friends, new friends, and her first love, she sets out to solve the mystery and right a wrong. Along the way, she learns more about herself and what she wants in her life. She comes up with a solution that seemingly enables her to have it all, but it felt too one-sided to be sustainable, in my opinion. Although I felt the ending was unrealistic, I still enjoyed the storyline.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Infertility
crystalleighwrites's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, and Mental illness
leighannezinsmeister's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Body shaming and Alcohol