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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
theespressoedition's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm not sure why I was surprised by how much I liked this book. After reading and loving Evvie Drake Starts Over, I should've made the assumption that I'd adore this. However, it's been several years since I read Linda's previous book and my tastes have changed so much that part of me just thought I'd be let down. Thankfully, I wasn't let down at all!
The book opens with the most heartwarming flashbacks to Laurie's precious relationship with her great-aunt, Dot. You immediately fall in love with the tenderness they felt toward one another and you see that Laurie's adult life was greatly impacted by Dot's influence on her as a child. There's this very nostalgic feeling that takes over right away. It's comforting, even.
Then you learn about the duck. Out of context, this sounds strange. However, the mystery of the duck is way more intriguing than you can even imagine. While the answer to this mystery wound up feeling slightly predictable to me, I did enjoy the journey to finding out more about the creator of the duck and all of the hijinks they had to go through along the way to reach this conclusion. It gave the story a well-rounded feeling and brought so much more depth to the secondary characters as well as the primary cast.
I was immensely pleased by the romance aspect of this novel. Laurie's second-chance romance is sweet, meaningful, and just a little bit sexy (in all the right ways). It's also a breakthrough for her. I absolutely loved watching the character development that took place as she fell in love (all over again) and realized what that meant for her life and the way she'd been living for so long. It was impactful and well-written. There wasn't an excessive amount of grandeur or fluff. It felt real.
I truly did love Flying Solo. I can see myself picking it up again and again as a comfort read. It's entertaining and creative, with just the right balance of humor and depth. I highly recommend it.
The book opens with the most heartwarming flashbacks to Laurie's precious relationship with her great-aunt, Dot. You immediately fall in love with the tenderness they felt toward one another and you see that Laurie's adult life was greatly impacted by Dot's influence on her as a child. There's this very nostalgic feeling that takes over right away. It's comforting, even.
Then you learn about the duck. Out of context, this sounds strange. However, the mystery of the duck is way more intriguing than you can even imagine. While the answer to this mystery wound up feeling slightly predictable to me, I did enjoy the journey to finding out more about the creator of the duck and all of the hijinks they had to go through along the way to reach this conclusion. It gave the story a well-rounded feeling and brought so much more depth to the secondary characters as well as the primary cast.
I was immensely pleased by the romance aspect of this novel. Laurie's second-chance romance is sweet, meaningful, and just a little bit sexy (in all the right ways). It's also a breakthrough for her. I absolutely loved watching the character development that took place as she fell in love (all over again) and realized what that meant for her life and the way she'd been living for so long. It was impactful and well-written. There wasn't an excessive amount of grandeur or fluff. It felt real.
I truly did love Flying Solo. I can see myself picking it up again and again as a comfort read. It's entertaining and creative, with just the right balance of humor and depth. I highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity