A review by random_spider
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

This was one of those books that wasn't of my personal taste...yet I still recognized how well-crafted it was. Truly an enjoyable feel-good novel.

------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 8/10
Characters/POVs: 8/10
Prose/Style: 8/10
Themes/Messages: 9/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 7/10

OVERALL RATING: 9/10 (Amazing)
.
"She only ever had two rules in this apartment — one, always take your shoes off by the door.

And two: never fall in love."


Synopsis and/or Premise:
Clementine's (Lemon) life now felt...nothing. Not even a promotion on her job she claimed she enjoyed could revitalize something within her. Not good, not bad, just void. But she doesn't expect someone would disrupt that case. Someone attractive she could fall into, someone who is seven years apart, and perhaps she's seven years too late.

The Good and The Bad:
This was a nice book. Seriously, the prose of the author was easy (but not in a beginner type of way), and it was entertaining all throughout. Funny how I could read the food sections all day, with all their sensual descriptions that had me drooling 😋. Another contributing factor as to why this book was a pleasant read were the characters. Clementine was a relatable protagonist, with all her personal restrictions in the beginning, and even though she didn't connect with me personally the character development she went through was exemplary. The male deuteragonist, Iwan, was charismatic and had this loose yet driven attitude (that blossomed into maturity later on), complementing Clementine's stiffness. Their chemistry, and how they built it, was just...natural. The book, in the end, was neatly wrapped. And that's a lot easier said than done

The romance genre is most safe to use as a sub-genre instead of a main one. It's because without enough substance there's nothing more lackluster. Fortunately, this novel wasn't shorthanded on that department 💪. Reading Iwan experiencing imposter syndrome was compelling, and him full of passion and soul about cooking was engaging. Yup, he's my favorite character here. But Clementine wasn't falling behind. She had to contend with her own internal turmoil while balancing both her personal and professional life. Lastly, the book gave a unique perspective of success and growth, and it played well with the concept of fate.

I do only have one problem with this: The flashback transitions. If they could have been more distinct, I could see myself giving this the coveted 10/10 rating or 5⭐, though I doubt I'll do it based on my scores 😞. These flashbacks often meld with the main narrative, creating some momentary confusions.

Final Thoughts:
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston is a contemporary romance novel (and a chick Lit?) about a book publicist and a chef falling in love in the right timing, yet on a wrong time. It had speculative fiction elements, mystery, and a splash of spice, yet despite its surrealism it's humbly grounded into reality. Yes, it used some popular romance tropes, but overall, a well-package love story with just enough substance to shine by itself. To be frank, this was legit amazing and, even though I didn't click with it personally, it deserves all the praises.

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph