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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes so I was looking forward to Flying Solo. Now I am having trouble deciding which one I liked better. Bottom line, I like this author's stories. I like how she does not tie everything in a neat bow at the end of the novel because life is messy and our problems donot resolve beautifully all the time. However, she leaves us with hope and what better resolution is there than to remain hopeful?
Whenever Laurie needed a break from her obnoxiously loud brothers during her childhood, she went to her great aunt Dot's big quiet house for refuge. Dot's house was only a short bike ride away from her loving but loud family in a small, seaside town in Maine. Young Laurie was Dot's favorite niece and best friend. When Dot dies at 93, Laurie is the one who takes up the responsibility of going through Dot's possessions and readying her house for sale. Laurie is on the cusp of 40, she has just broken off her engagement and is going through a midlife crisis as she tries to figure out what she wants in life. The huge responsibility of sorting through Dot's photos and belongings is somewhat of a distraction when her own life is falling apart. Laurie discovers a beautifully carved wooden decoy duck lovingly stored in a chest under some blankets. Puzzled about the significance of the duck, so lovingly hidden, Laurie sets to find out more. In her journey to uncover the mystery of the duck, she falls victim to con artist, rekindles the romance with her high school sweetheart and comes in touch with some genuine and unforgettable characters who become important parts of her life. This journey also reveals the colorful life of charismatic Dot and helps Laurie discover what she actually wants in life.
Told in a lucid voice, the story is relatively light read, yet it makes the readers think about their own relationships and what they want out of them.
Whenever Laurie needed a break from her obnoxiously loud brothers during her childhood, she went to her great aunt Dot's big quiet house for refuge. Dot's house was only a short bike ride away from her loving but loud family in a small, seaside town in Maine. Young Laurie was Dot's favorite niece and best friend. When Dot dies at 93, Laurie is the one who takes up the responsibility of going through Dot's possessions and readying her house for sale. Laurie is on the cusp of 40, she has just broken off her engagement and is going through a midlife crisis as she tries to figure out what she wants in life. The huge responsibility of sorting through Dot's photos and belongings is somewhat of a distraction when her own life is falling apart. Laurie discovers a beautifully carved wooden decoy duck lovingly stored in a chest under some blankets. Puzzled about the significance of the duck, so lovingly hidden, Laurie sets to find out more. In her journey to uncover the mystery of the duck, she falls victim to con artist, rekindles the romance with her high school sweetheart and comes in touch with some genuine and unforgettable characters who become important parts of her life. This journey also reveals the colorful life of charismatic Dot and helps Laurie discover what she actually wants in life.
Told in a lucid voice, the story is relatively light read, yet it makes the readers think about their own relationships and what they want out of them.
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was comfort and an easy read. It’s also nice to have the romantic lead by almost 40.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I found this book to be quite charming and lovable. The main character of Laurie is a really sweet character and I loved how this book explored the big questions about home and how you define it. I've been wrestling with those same questions the last few years and so it felt good to see them discussed in a book. I found the romance between the two leads to be very adorable but also very mature. They'd known each other for so long so it was perhaps inevitable that they would fall back into each other's lives. And yet, they knew it wouldn't be easy and would lead to more complications than anything. I loved all of the characters in this as they felt like actual fleshed out people. This is a great follow up to Holmes' previous book, Evvie Drake Starts Over. Some very similar beats but enough that was different to make it feel like its own book.
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
emotional
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
A charming, cozy read. But of mystery, bit of romance. I enjoyed it.