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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I adored Evvie Drake Starts Over, but I couldn’t quite get into this Flying Solo. It could have been my state of mind (hello, February 2025). I kept hoping it would click eventually but not my jam. Looking forward to Back After This.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
I loved this author’s debut, Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I don’t know why I kept putting off her sophomore effort. Once she got her third book under he belt I thought I should get moving on this one. It wasn’t quite as enjoyable as her first book for me, but it’s still a great story.
Although this story has a lot of romantic elements, Laurie is back in her hometown to close out her aunt’s estate and she reconnects with her first love, I wouldn’t classify it as a Romance with a capital R. I didn’t find their love story to be the central theme of this book. Laurie grapples with being independent but also wanting more. But more what? She is adamant she does not like living with anyone else, regardless of who they are. She loves her house, her friends, and the life she has on the other side of the country. Yet she cannot deny how much she enjoys being with Nick and being back in the same city as her best friend. While trying to protect her lifestyle, which is just being a never been married single woman pushing 40 with no kids, she makes a lot of assumptions about what those around her want from her.
This is a coming-of-age story…coming of middle age that is. In many ways, Laurie is immature. Again, she doesn’t think outside the box of what she thinks is right for her. In no ill-intended way, she judges her best friend’s life of typical suburbia, thinking she had to give something up to be where she’s at. Compromise isn’t something Laurie is good at, without even realizing it herself.
Running through this book is a mystery about Laurie’s deceased aunt and a possible heirloom that is found in her things. That part of the story helped to lighten things when Laurie was getting too in her head about love and what she ultimately wants for her life.
Again, not nearly as good as that first book, but I still enjoyed my time reading this one. For you Romance readers out there, there is a HFN. It’s not typical and it’s not a HEA, but it works for this story and this character.
Although this story has a lot of romantic elements, Laurie is back in her hometown to close out her aunt’s estate and she reconnects with her first love, I wouldn’t classify it as a Romance with a capital R. I didn’t find their love story to be the central theme of this book. Laurie grapples with being independent but also wanting more. But more what? She is adamant she does not like living with anyone else, regardless of who they are. She loves her house, her friends, and the life she has on the other side of the country. Yet she cannot deny how much she enjoys being with Nick and being back in the same city as her best friend. While trying to protect her lifestyle, which is just being a never been married single woman pushing 40 with no kids, she makes a lot of assumptions about what those around her want from her.
This is a coming-of-age story…coming of middle age that is. In many ways, Laurie is immature. Again, she doesn’t think outside the box of what she thinks is right for her. In no ill-intended way, she judges her best friend’s life of typical suburbia, thinking she had to give something up to be where she’s at. Compromise isn’t something Laurie is good at, without even realizing it herself.
Running through this book is a mystery about Laurie’s deceased aunt and a possible heirloom that is found in her things. That part of the story helped to lighten things when Laurie was getting too in her head about love and what she ultimately wants for her life.
Again, not nearly as good as that first book, but I still enjoyed my time reading this one. For you Romance readers out there, there is a HFN. It’s not typical and it’s not a HEA, but it works for this story and this character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
I did not get the duck plot at all and thought the dialog was stilted and flat. Also the focus on turning 40 was weird as someone who is also approaching 40.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes