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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
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
This is a silly, inconsequential—one might almost say *cozy*—book that is largely about the retrieval of a wooden duck, and I liked it very much.
I really love Linda Holmes. I'm in for her whole thing, after this book. I was hoping Evvie Drake Starts Over wouldn't be a fluke, and it wasn't. While I didn't like Flying Solo as much as I loved Evvie Drake, this was a really good time.
You don't often get stories from the POV of a woman who isn't interested in a traditional romantic relationship (and is just fine on her own, thank you, hence the title). In fact, I don't think I've ever read one that was also a romance, at least where the arc of the book was to rid the troublesome spinster of her delusions. Here, our thirty-nine year old main character Laurie, who pretty recently canceled her own wedding, is back in her hometown for the first significant period of time since leaving for college two decades before.
Unfortunately, it's to help her family clean out her recently deceased great-aunt's house in order to prep it for sale. Laurie was very close to her aunt, almost closer to her aunt than her own mother, who had a full house of many boy children in addition to Laurie (I don't remember exactly how many, but it was a lot). Like Laurie herself, her aunt was a solo act, very much on purpose. We of course get a very nice emotional arc for Laurie, in which she learns that just because she doesn't want the life that everyone expects her to want (marriage, house, kids) doesn't mean she can't find her own way to having romance in her life.
But also, the duck. She finds this old wooden duck in a chest in her aunt's bedroom when she's cleaning it out, as well as an old letter with the mysterious phrase, "And anyway, if you're ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling." She's at first told the duck is worthless, but when it goes missing from her aunt's house, a series of ridiculous events ensue. What kind of secrets was Dot keeping? Where did she get the duck? And why would someone want it bad enough to steal it.
I just had a really genuine good time with this book, and though the romance is secondary here, the main plot is so fun it's totally worth giving a shot. I also really, really liked her love interest, and I thought the way things resolved felt exactly right.
I really love Linda Holmes. I'm in for her whole thing, after this book. I was hoping Evvie Drake Starts Over wouldn't be a fluke, and it wasn't. While I didn't like Flying Solo as much as I loved Evvie Drake, this was a really good time.
You don't often get stories from the POV of a woman who isn't interested in a traditional romantic relationship (and is just fine on her own, thank you, hence the title). In fact, I don't think I've ever read one that was also a romance, at least where the arc of the book was to rid the troublesome spinster of her delusions. Here, our thirty-nine year old main character Laurie, who pretty recently canceled her own wedding, is back in her hometown for the first significant period of time since leaving for college two decades before.
Unfortunately, it's to help her family clean out her recently deceased great-aunt's house in order to prep it for sale. Laurie was very close to her aunt, almost closer to her aunt than her own mother, who had a full house of many boy children in addition to Laurie (I don't remember exactly how many, but it was a lot). Like Laurie herself, her aunt was a solo act, very much on purpose. We of course get a very nice emotional arc for Laurie, in which she learns that just because she doesn't want the life that everyone expects her to want (marriage, house, kids) doesn't mean she can't find her own way to having romance in her life.
But also, the duck. She finds this old wooden duck in a chest in her aunt's bedroom when she's cleaning it out, as well as an old letter with the mysterious phrase, "And anyway, if you're ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling." She's at first told the duck is worthless, but when it goes missing from her aunt's house, a series of ridiculous events ensue. What kind of secrets was Dot keeping? Where did she get the duck? And why would someone want it bad enough to steal it.
I just had a really genuine good time with this book, and though the romance is secondary here, the main plot is so fun it's totally worth giving a shot. I also really, really liked her love interest, and I thought the way things resolved felt exactly right.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
As someone who likes being alone and feels no anxiety about it I loved this book, the main character, Laurie, and hope to find my own Nick
lighthearted
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:
No
It will not be a surprise to anyone that I loved this book. It has all the things I loved best from EVVIE (charming characters, sparkling dialogue, complex emotions) while also going in a very fun but never too silly direction. As someone who also adores her child-free aunt, I empathized a lot with Laurie about having a sacred space when your own home is too loud. A fantastic summer read.
I think the cast of characters could have been expanded and more helpful in coming in and out of the story in the way Laurie talks about her own life
She writes stories with such great characters!!! People who are interesting, and feel really filled out.
(And, as someone who didn't want to get married and didn't want to be tied down to fussy expectations - I feel really lucky to have the perfect marriage for me. I really like that not everyone's choices need to be the same in this book!)
(And, as someone who didn't want to get married and didn't want to be tied down to fussy expectations - I feel really lucky to have the perfect marriage for me. I really like that not everyone's choices need to be the same in this book!)
I loved this!! The beginning felt a bit awkward, but about 1/3 of the way though I was really into it. I liked it better than her first book
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of this title.
I loved Linda Holmes' first book, and this is a great follow-up. If cozy mysteries are a thing, we need more cozy heist novels like this one. This manages to tell so many different kinds of story in one, and to do it well, which is all the more impressive.
I loved Linda Holmes' first book, and this is a great follow-up. If cozy mysteries are a thing, we need more cozy heist novels like this one. This manages to tell so many different kinds of story in one, and to do it well, which is all the more impressive.