Flying Solo

Not everyone will love this book as much as I did, but if I could give this six stars, I would. It's so well written, funny and touching, that I feel like it elevates the genre of romance novel, if genre even matters here. Personally, much like Evvie Drake came along when I was leaving a marriage and I still have pieces of that book with me, Flying Solo arrived after I had experienced loss, and I felt parts in my solar plexus. It is a charming book that made me laugh again and again, and deeply thoughtful in a really impressive way. If it is a romance it avoids cliches and tropes and I ended up somewhere I didn't expect, which was a total pleasure. I feel like Linda is only growing as a writer; this may be even better than her first book and I'm thankful she has a deal for another, I would basically follow her anywhere she chooses to go.

3.5 stars. Not as cohesive or charming as Holmes debut, [b:Evvie Drake Starts Over 40514431 Evvie Drake Starts Over Linda Holmes https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538446504l/40514431.SY75.jpg 62869040] but still enjoyable. Much of the plot is devoted to the mystery of the duck decoy that Laurie finds among her great-aunt Dot's belongings, and the lighthearted caper that Laurie, her oldest friend June, and her high school boyfriend Nick engage in when they lose possession of the potentially valuable item and go to great lengths to retrieve it. Much fuss is made of the fact that the second-chance-at-love romance has a non-traditional ending Laurie and Nick live on separate coasts but maintain their relationship with monthly visits, and while it's good to acknowledge that wanting marriage and children is not a universal female desire, the concept is hammered home with such vehement frequency that it comes across as overly defensive. Points to the author for casually mentioning the Laurie is a size 18 but not making her weight an issue.