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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
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 deathlaheath'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
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
atamano's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Infidelity
prettiestwhistles'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Grief
Minor: Fatphobia, Racism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
quasinaut's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gosh, I loved bits and pieces of this book, but there were certainly parts that didn't work for me.
Some stuff I liked: Laurie and her friendships with June and Nick and Daisy, the evolution of these relationships (as well as Laurie's understanding of her own independence), Nick's research skills and library commentary, and the nefarious discovery and resulting caper/heist.
On the other hand, the overall premise didn't feel quite right to me. I found it odd that Laurie would be left so on-her-own by her family to clean out Dot's belongings. Her brothers couldn't each come for a few days? Where are her aunts?
Also, just because something is tucked in a box doesn't mean it was intentionally hidden away and therefore special. I was surprised Laurie let the duck go over momentary embarrassment (especially since she originally wanted to keep it regardless of its value). Maybe I'm just being nitpicky! But I wanted everything to fit together a bit more cohesively than it did for me.
Some stuff I liked: Laurie and her friendships with June and Nick and Daisy, the evolution of these relationships (as well as Laurie's understanding of her own independence), Nick's research skills and library commentary, and the nefarious discovery and resulting caper/heist.
On the other hand, the overall premise didn't feel quite right to me. I found it odd that Laurie would be left so on-her-own by her family to clean out Dot's belongings. Her brothers couldn't each come for a few days? Where are her aunts?
Also, just because something is tucked in a box doesn't mean it was intentionally hidden away and therefore special. I was surprised Laurie let the duck go over momentary embarrassment (especially since she originally wanted to keep it regardless of its value). Maybe I'm just being nitpicky! But I wanted everything to fit together a bit more cohesively than it did for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Fatphobia, Infertility, and Racism
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