Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love

by Marianne Cronin

A “wonderfully joyful read” (Good Housekeeping) a funny, uplifting story about the power of friendship and finding love in unexpected places from the author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: When twentysomething Bella learns that 90-year-old Eddie has never been kissed, she makes it her mission to help him find love.

Eddie Winston is 90 years old. He has lived and loved, but he has never been kissed.

A true gentleman and incurable romantic, Eddie spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, where he sorts through the donations of the living and the dead, preserving letters and tokens of love. It is here that he meets Bella, a troubled young woman who, at 24 years old, has just lost the love of her life.

When Bella learns that Eddie is yet to have his first kiss, she resolves to help Eddie Winston finally find love, sparking an adventure that will take them to unexpected places and, they hope, bring Eddie Winston to the moment he has waited for all his life.

A tale of friendship and kindness that reminds us that those we love are never forgotten and it is never too late to try again.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Book Club, Adult Fiction, Chick Lit

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2024

About the author

Marianne was born in 1990 in Warwickshire, England. After gaining a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham, she worked in academia until becoming a full-time writer.

Her debut novel 'The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot' has been published in 30 languages and is being adapted into a feature film by a major Hollywood studio.

Her second novel, 'Eddie Winston is Looking for Love' is scheduled for release in August 2024 in the UK and September 2024 in the USA.

In her spare time, Marianne performs improv comedy and documents the adventures of her giant rescue cat, Puffin, on her Instagram.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”
― Gabriel García Márquez

90 year old Eddie Winston has never been kissed, but he’s an incurable romantic, ever the optimist, and a true gentleman to boot!

Former university lecturer, Eddie, loves carrying out his voluntary work in a charity shop in Birmingham, UK, sifting through the remnants of others lives, and it’s here that he meets Bella, a young woman who has recently lost her boyfriend who was the love of her life. Though there is a huge gap in their ages, this meeting will transform into a most beautiful platonic friendship that will change both their lives for the better.

What can I say about this beautifully written book that hasn’t already been said? Well honestly I can’t. It’s warm and funny, moving and optimistic. As characters go you just can’t improve on Eddie, he’s a truly wonderful human being, and we would all benefit from an Eddie in our lives. A lovely story.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️

A GREAT BOOK TO START THE NEW YEAR WITH!

Eddie Winston is a 90 year old who laughs easily and loves with all of his heart.

An incurable romantic, Eddie spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, where he sorts through donations and secretly salvages love letters and other items that he knows will be missed. It is here that he meets Bella, a 24 year old who has just tragically lost the love of her young life.

When he sees the items she is donating, he sets them aside, knowing that one day she will regret parting with them. And, when that day comes, and he is able to return them to the heartbroken young woman, a fast friendship is formed.

When Bella learns that Eddie has yet to be kissed, she resolves to help Eddie Winston finally find a love that can be reciprocated. You see, he knows what love is having spent his life hopelessly devoted to a devout woman who would never break her vow to another.

Helping Eddie (and his Guinea pig, Pushkin) find love, is healing for Bella too. And, I loved Pushkin’s love story! 🐹

And, the ending to this story-chef’s kiss!

But will it lead to a kiss for Eddie?

A buddy read with DeAnn. Be sure to watch for her review for additional thoughts!

This heartwarming little tale can be read in one sitting as the chapters are very short and things move along at a brisk pace. If you need a “feel good” story to start the new year with this is it!

Thank You to Harper Perennial for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just what I needed. A dose of charm and whimsy with a character who is so loveable!
Meet Eddie Winston. A 90 year old who has never been kissed! Can you imagine?!

This story gives one further appreciation of nonagenerians -how often have you ever used this word?Their life experiences, their hopes, their dreams and their losses.
This is a layered story - past and present.
It’s never too late to experience life.
This was the chef’s kiss 💋
4.5⭐️

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Having read and loved The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin, I was eagerly looking forward to her most recent novel and I’m glad to say that Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love did not disappoint!

Ninety-year-old retired academic Eddie Winston spends his days sorting through donations at The Heart Trust Charity Shop, where he volunteers. As he goes through boxes of donations both from those who visit the shop personally or items collected from the estates of the deceased, he endeavors to gain a deeper understanding of the lives of the original owners. Items he feels to be of special significance find a place on his “Eddie Shelf” at home, often intending to return them to their rightful owners under special circumstances or if they decide to come back for the same. Eddie lives alone with his pet guinea pig and has never been in a relationship despite having fallen in love once in the past and has never even been kissed. In the course of his work, he meets twenty-four-year-old Isabella “Bella” Williams, who has recently lost someone close to her. As Eddie and Bella become friends, Eddie tries to help Bella through her grief and Bella takes it upon herself to find Eddie a romantic partner. The story follows Bella and Eddie as they embark upon a beautiful journey of friendship, hope and healing.

With its endearing cast of characters, consistent pacing and beautiful writing I found this novel to be an immensely moving and heartwarming read that touches upon themes of intergenerational friendship, found family, love and kindness, grief, hope and healing with compassion and humor. Eddie is a lovable character and my heart went out to Bella. The story also features an interesting cast of secondary characters and, of course, Pushkin the guinea pig, for whom Eddie makes an effort to find a companion! The author deftly combines past and present timelines into a fluid narrative featuring short chapters. Both timelines are well-developed, and at no point does the story lose momentum.

Overall, this was a delightful and uplifting read with memorable characters that left me with a smile on my face! The perfect read to top off my 2024 reading journey!

Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love was published in the USA on December 31, 2024.

“The remnants of a life don’t add up to much, really. Not once the big things–the fridge freezer, the three-piece suite, the body–are all boxed up and gone. What remain are the little things.”

Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read Marianne Cronin's debut novel The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot then you know this author writes touching stories about intergenerational friendship.

In Eddie Winston is Looking for Love, Eddie is a nonagenarian with a caring nature and magnetic personality who volunteers his days at The Heart Trust Charity Shop sorting through bits and pieces from loved ones who have passed, donated by those who remain.

Bella Williams is one of those who remains. She is 24 years old and deeply distraught after her boyfriend's death. She meets Eddie at the charity shop as she drops off a box of Jake's items she can't bear to keep.

An unexpected friendship develops between Eddie and Bella driven by their need to help each other. He wants to help her through her grief for Jake and she wants to help him find something he's never had, a first kiss...

What stands out to me the most in Eddie Winston is Looking for Love is the unconditional love that develops in Eddie's and Bella's relationship. They talk together, listen to each other, and share their deepest secrets without risk. They've built an intergenerational friendship based on respect, trust, and selflessness. Their focus always remains on the other person.

What a wonderful main character Cronin has created in Eddie Winston, who has a deep history to tell that pushes the story forward through the past and present timelines. He's kind, a hopeless romantic, and I'm already missing the days and nights I spent with this dear, sweet character.

Eddie Wilson is Looking for Love is a story about friendship, resilience, and kindness sprinkled with humor, sadness, and joy. I'm forever a fan of the short chapters that make the pages turn quickly. With one teeny niggle, I felt the story ended a little abruptly and I wanted a tiny bit more of Eddie. Can you blame me?

4.5⭐

Thank you to Harper Perennial and Marianne Cronin for the DRC via NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And so, we come to the end.”

How does one contemplate a well-lived life?

Several weeks ago, I looked up at my well-loved books on my bookshelf as I contemplated my own life with cancer, and wondered why I was holding on to my old Dr. Seuss books that I no longer read. I also reflected on some of my other children’s books that seemed to be collecting dust. And, I looked at my husband, and I said, “I think it is time for these books to find a new home where they can be loved again.” He smiled at me, and knew that I had made my decision.

We decided to give them to some dear friends of ours that have a one-year-old. We believed eventually her time would come where she would cherish the books in her life-time. And, in the meantime, her parents would love reading these cherished books to her. I felt a happy sigh that I was letting go of something I loved and giving them to people that we adored who would appreciate them as much as we did.

Why do I share this personal story? Because as I began this book, I could feel the sadness and emptiness of loss that happens when the collection of things occur after one passes, especially when no one cares about the “things” that may have meant something to the person that once loved them. And, I didn’t want that to be my story.

But here it clearly was…

“Mr. McGlew’s life arrives in a black bin bag packed by a stranger.”
“Do you happen to know the first name of Mr. McGlew?” I ask, taking out a donation form.
“…I think it was bud.”

We soon learn that it is Eddie who is observing and asking this question. He is our protagonist who volunteers at the charity shop where the donations of Mr. McGlew’s things are being dropped off.

Eddie is 90 years old. Eddie is compassionate, observant, caring and curious. And, as readers we feel his awareness of the aloneness of those who are left with no one who cared for them upon their passing. Eddie is acutely sad for those individuals even if he never met them. And, he watches as Mr. McGlew’s things are divvied out into various piles for dissemination – to be sold, recycled, or thrown out. But we also see that there is an Eddie pile. That will soon become part of an Eddie shelf.

An Eddie shelf is special. On this shelf, Eddie considers the “better evidence of a love that never wavered.” As an example, it could be letters, or a list, or pressed wedding flowers, or a box of photographs, or a wedding certificate, among many things. It will always be something that is a memory that conveys love. Because Eddie Winston is looking for love. (Hence: the title of the book!)

And, the more I read, the more in love I became with Eddie. Each time a character enters the charity shop readers can feel the emotions that Eddie feels. And, wonder what drove the donations that the shop is receiving. Because Eddie senses these things acutely. And, as readers, we can’t help but be right there with him.

Like when the girl with the pink hair with the red eyes named Bella, dropped off a box of donations. Eddie knew something was terribly wrong about this particular box of things. And, as he sorted through the box it was only right for him to come to this conclusion…

“I will keep them safe, until she’s ready to come back.”

I’m only on page 17, readers! Pass the Kleenex please!

By page 20, Eddie knew he had a mission. Part of his collection includes a series of love letters and poems written by Mr. McGlew. And, in this particular case, these letters of love to someone named Elsie were never sent, but they were addressed to her. So, Eddie decides to contact Elsie, in hopes that she will respond. Will she respond? Why did Mr. McGlew never send the letters in the first place? What door is Eddie opening here?

With Eddie’s many good deeds and “love” collections, mysteries abound. Leaving readers anxious to learn more.

But wait. We turn more pages and readers are now in 1954 meeting Bridie Brennan. Will we also learn Eddie’s backstory, too? And as we do, will we ever understand what happened?


As readers weave back and forth in time, more is revealed.

And, each time readers are thrust back into the present we can’t help but wonder if, even at 90 years young, is it possible for Eddie to find a long-lasting love for the rest of his life, too?

This book truly is a love story like no other. It is sensitively felt, poignant, thoughtful, delightful, heart-full, joyous, heart-breaking, heart-warming, and elegantly written with memorable, multi-layered characters. Readers will be taken on a journey. A journey filled with love. Buckle up, readers. And, bring your Kleenex.

Could this possibly be my favorite book of 2025 already?

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5★
“I’m lining up dead men’s shoes on a rack. How strange that for all their lives, the men who wore these shoes walked a path that would lead to me. At any point, through their childhood or in their teenage years, we were destined to be linked. ”

Eddie seems unlikely to be such a captivating protagonist of a love story. He’s an old man in his nineties, working in a charity shop, sorting through family donations of the treasures and detritus of the dead. Some boxes are dumped unceremoniously as the younger people hurry to get on with Life. But he cares. Eddie cares about everyone, the people who once were and the families they’ve left behind.

“And there is no telling if the shoe brush (£3) or the pink enamel mirror (£7.50) are pieces of historical importance, of meaning and metaphor, or if they are just bits of old junk. Things picked on whims that eventually become the bones of a house. Maybe it is in fact the game of Mouse Trap (50p, missing its boot piece) that is the thing that this poor deceased person treasured so dearly.”

Mirrors may have other significance, of course.

“A sturdy boat of a woman sails into the shop. She browses the women’s jackets for a moment and then docks at the till.
. . .
‘I’m not filling in a form!’ she scoffs. ‘It’s just a mirror – take it or leave it.’ And then she weighs anchor and steams towards the door. And I am left looking into her mirror.
. . .
And what is it lately, that this highly polished glass showed, or did not show, to the woman that she felt the need to banish it from her home for ever? Did it whisper to her, ‘You are not what you once were?’ ”

Her mirror won’t make it to the Eddie Shelf at home, where he keeps things he thinks someone might regret having given away.

“Sometimes, they come back.

‘Did you sell that Pink Panther jumper yet? My mother knitted it by hand.’

‘Has the gold clock gone? I hated the thing, but it reminded me of Grandad.’

‘I donated an emerald ring. Is it still here?’”

He is so taken with a packet of love letters found in a box with a man’s things, that he’s determined to find the sender so he can return them to her. Another find is a series of love letters that were never posted, and he wants to track down the intended recipient. He loves a good love story.

Not all donors drop and run. A young woman with pink hair comes in one day, carrying a big box. Eddie helps her and asks the name of the donor for their records.

“‘Um, it’s, but it’s for . . . on behalf of. You can just put “Jake”. ’ Her voice cracks when she says his name.”

We know immediately what Eddie will do with Jake’s things. (He knows a love story when he sees one.) We also know that he and Bella are bound to adopt each other, which they do, meeting accidentally having lunch in the park one day.

Bella learns he would still like to find love, so she decides to spruce him up and get him out of beige cardigans and into online dating. He is taken with the idea.

“ ‘Take a good long look in the mirror, Eddie’, the shirt says. ‘You don’t belong in camel-coloured comfort. You belong in splendour.’”

Of course he does! As well as Eddie and Bella in the present, we meet nineteen-year-old Bridie Brennan in 1954 on her wedding day, where she has stopped outside the church, considering making a run for it. But the priest comes out to convince her she’s ready to get married.

She thinks to herself, that’s easy for him to say – he’s married to Jesus, who “doesn’t need his food cooked or his clothes cleaned, would never dream of making snide comments about how your hips look in your Sunday dress… Doesn’t embarrass you down the pub by calling you piglet when you’ve asked him not to.”

But in she goes - how could she?! We meet her again from time to time, as she regrets her choices.

Both Eddie and Bella, however, have some kind of infectious, irrepressible enthusiasm that doesn’t allow them to be flattened by regret. They get caught up in everyone else’s lives and love stories with the letters and donations.

Cronin’s stories seem so full of life, and I like her attitude. Her previous book, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, has a new companion on my favourites shelf.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Transworld/Random House UK for a copy of #EddieWinstonIsLookingForLove for review.

My review of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-5 stars

The much anticipated follow up to the wonderful One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is an equally wonderful read.

Meet 90 year old Eddie Winston, in a previous life he was a university lecturer and now he works in a charity shop in Birmingham with Marjie. Now, Eddie has quite the backstory but that would be telling and despite his obvious gentle and charming personality, he’s never been kissed. His newfound young friend in grief stricken Bella, who he meets via the shop, informs him that it’s never, ever too late to find love. So, he is indeed looking for love and is it never too late??

Oh Eddie, Eddie what an absolute diamond of a bloke you are and I love every moment of reading about you, your past life and your present day one, surrounded by an equally fantastic cast of characters. Bella, eclectic in her dress sense despite the dourness of her Sainsbury’s uniform, is absolutely brilliant and despite the huge age gap, her friendship with Eddie proves that age is no barrier, and it’s a thing of beauty. Marjie is great fun as are Ham and Cheese (you’ll have to read it to find that out!) and Emmeline, but let’s not forget Pushkin the guinea pig. It’s so refreshing to read a gentle and captivating story with quirky characters that are all so immensely likeable. It’s quite simply warms the heart, it’s a read with a smile but with some moving moments of loss. It’s beautifully written with some excellent dialogue some of which makes me laugh out loud.

Fabulous. Read it, you won’t regret it!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to. Penguin Random House, Transworld, Doubleday for for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to end 2024 with a book that would end on a note of hope, but I didn’t finish before the year ended. It turned out to be a great way to start the new year, though . I loved The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, a book about the unlikely , but beautiful friendship between an elderly person and a much younger one so I had a feeling that I’d enjoy about this one, too. It’s also about that special kind of friendship between 90 year old Eddie Winston and 24 year old Bella. While it’s funny at times and mostly predictable, although not always , this is more than just a light read about an old man looking to have his first kiss. There’s sadness, loneliness, grief and loss and I couldn’t help but be moved by the ways that these characters become the friend that each of them needs to help one another through the saddest things in their lives. The best thing about it for me was that it was full of hope as I was looking for. Well written.

I received a copy of this from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.

[Alya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts
I really hope they turn this into a movie 😭 plots centred around elderly people hits the heart differently -- its like you get to experience it from their perspectives ...The simplicity of life we lose along the way while navigating our own... I just LOVE getting lost in stories like this😭❤️‍🩹🥲 for readers who loved A Man Called Ove you'll definitely love this one!

Plot Summary
Eddie Winston is 90, gentle-hearted, and has never been in love. He spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, quietly collecting stories behind forgotten items. When he meets Bella, a young woman grieving the sudden loss of her boyfriend, an unexpected friendship forms. As Bella helps Eddie explore dating for the first time, both begin to heal old wounds. Their journey—funny, tender, and a little chaotic—proves it's never too late to find love, or at least go looking for it.

[Lisa B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well my heart ❤️ is melting after reading this book, the characters are delightful & endearing what can I say I just loved this beautifully written book which I could not put down.


Eddie is 90 years old a former lecturer 🧑‍🏫 at a university in Birmingham but
He has never been kissed, he volunteers at a charity shop doing things for other people he meets Bella a young woman who has lost her husband they form a close bond she helps him achieve what he desperately wants!

This is my favourite contemporary novel so far this year loved everything there is to love Eddie is a gentleman likeable character that you can love highly recommended.

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
Eddie Winston finds joy in almost every aspect of his life. He volunteers at a charity shop in Birmingham, England, sorting through the donations brought in by the living and from those who’ve passed on. He’s highly perceptive, knowing when he needs to put something aside until the original donator returns to see if the item can be returned. Bella was one of those who had turned in some very precious items belonging to her late boyfriend and love of her life. She’s only 24-years old and is struggling with her grief. She and Eddie develop a friendship, especially when she learns that he’s never been kissed and it becomes her mission to help him find love. Did I mention he’s 90-years old?

the heart of the story…
I don’t know what I loved more, Eddie’s zest for life or the friendship between him and Bella. They were most certainly the odd couple, she with her youth and pink hair and he a nonagenarian. There are so many funny and heartwarming moments but none more than the flashbacks to his youth when he had found his true love, forbidden in that time. Her name was Birdie Bennett and we learn everything from her point of view.

the narration…
Separate narrators are used to provide the points of view for Eddie, Bella and Birdie. I loved Kim Durham’s performance as Eddie, capturing his sunny spirit and smiling voice. Natalie Nightingale and Clare Corbett were equally compelling as Bella and Birdie, respectively.

the bottom line…
What a lovely story, one that I found delightful but also deeply insightful. It adeptly deals with grief and loss in a unique but relevant way. I loved Eddie and the only angst I had was whether or not he’d find that love, be it Birdie or someone else. This was the story I didn’t know I needed in this moment.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

[Books_the_Magical_Fruit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book with a fierce, protective love. It’s so, so sweet.

You will fall in love with Eddie Winston and his young friend, Bella. Eddie is the best, and I definitely want to be his friend. The conversations between him and everyone he meets are engaging, and Eddie’s thoughts and observations will often make you burst out laughing. He’s hilarious.

Bella finds out that Eddie has never been kissed, and she promptly sets out to remedy that. Hijinks ensue!

This is a must-read!! Coming September 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[SusanTalksBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 12/14/24 *** Mark your calendars for this upcoming 12/31/24 release! This author seems to specialize in heartwarming cross-generational friendships between quirky and kind people. Please see my 5-star review of her prior novel, 100 Years of Lenni and Margot: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

In her newest novel, we find a man near the late stages of his life still thinking about a special woman from when he was a younger man, even as he enjoys positive friendships and a generally happy life. Each person in his life has special stories to tell related to romantic love. This is a sweet story to kick off the new year with and I hope author Marianne Cronin enjoys as much success with this new book as she did with her last one. 5-stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the pre-release ARC!

*** 12/3/24 *** Thank you Netgalley for access to this ARC. Excited to read a book by Marianne Cronin, author of 100 Years of Lenni and Margot. Review coming soon!

[Valleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eddie Winston is a story about the power of intergenerational friendship and finding love in unexpected places!

Eddie is ninety years old. He has lived and loved, but he has never been kissed. A true gentleman and incurable romantic, Eddie spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, where he sorts through the donations of the living and the dead, preserving letters and tokens of love, just in case someone wants them back at some time. It's there that he meets Bella, a troubled young woman who, at 24 years old, has just lost the love of her life.

I absolutely loved Bella and Eddie who form the most unlikely of friendships! The book goes back and forth from the 1960s to the present. The chapters taking place in the 1960s are marked, so there is no confusion. (I'm not sure how realistic it is that a ninety-year-old man has never been kissed, however...)

Many thanks to both #HarperPerennial and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Eddie Winston is Looking for Love It has an expected publication date of December 31, 2024.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most precious,heartwarming, endearing, moving, lovely book. Just what the heart needed.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh gosh, I’m so sad. I was really enjoying this book. Eddie is a sweet and lively old man who seems ready, after many decades, to make a change in his life. Bella is a heartbroken young woman that Eddie befriends as he sees her struggling. Seeing them interact, become friends, and help each is so heartwarming. 🥰 So is Eddie coming out of his shell. Oh, and there’s a mysterious lost love in Eddie’s past (of course).

But the small, “diversity” bombs started dropping in at 47%, leaving me to parachute out 🪂 at 49% after a full-on glitter bomb explosion. (Seriously, publishers - the average reader is so tired of this garbage.)

A sugar cinnamon roll of a novel, with a hopeful underpinning, but reader beware the diversity bingo checklist that occurs, only after you get your heart invested.

- Desiree Reads
The Bookish Birder
January 22, 2025

https://bookshop.org/shop/TheBookishB...

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's never too late for love. This is a warm hug of a book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly don't think I have the words to express how much I loved Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin, and this is one of those books that will live in my head rent free forever. The animals in the book stole my heart just as much as the characters did, and it kinda made me wish I had a guinea pig named Pushkin. There are a few different viewpoints throughout the story, but Eddie and Bella are 2 of our mains and oh how I felt for them. Eddie is 90 and has never been kissed (having also lost the love of his life along the way) and 24-year-old Bella is grieving her beloved boyfriend who recently died. There is so much grief here, but also a strong dose of humor to balance the seriousness of the topics.

I loved that there were 3 narrators for the audiobook, and it comes highly recommended by me. Kim Durham, Clare Corbett & Natalie Nightingale were fantastic and I especially loved Durham as the voice of Eddie. There weren’t any pesky editing issues with this one, and overall, I didn’t have any issues understanding the narrators. Whoever voiced Bella was probably my least favorite, but I was still completely enamored with the audio. The found family and unlikely friendship tropes were very prominent and so incredibly touching. The flashbacks to Eddie and Bridie’s past were blended perfectly with present day and I found the ending to be incredibly satisfying while making me want even more.

Read this if you are looking for memorable characters, a quick read, and a feel-good story!

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet story about multi-generational friendship, grief, and missed chances. I love a senior romance and I especially loved that our hero, Eddie, was 90-years-young and had such an amazing outlook. His job was fascinating, and I loved the descriptions the items coming into the charity shop and how much respect the staff paid to these relics of lost family members. A truly heartwarming story about found family and second chances.

[MicheleReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Winston is a funny, kind, and sentimental 90-year-old who volunteers at the local charity store in Birmingham, UK. He brings home personal items with no monetary value such as old letters. Everything changes for Eddie when Bella, mourning the loss of her boyfriend a year earlier, walks into the shop to donate his belongings. With pink hair and a flair for fashion, the 24-year-old has more in common with Eddie than anyone might think, and they become unlikely friends. While a romantic at heart, Eddie confesses that he's never been kissed. Bella becomes determined to help Eddie find love. 

Marianne Cronin's first novel, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, was wonderful. Her latest book, Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love, is another heartwarming story that left me feeling warm and fuzzy. It is filled with an endearing group of characters. Eddie's backstory explains why he's never been kissed and Bella, who has yet to cry over her loss, believes it's never too late to find love. What a great pair. What a great book! 

Rated 4.5 stars.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved ‘The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot ‘so when I was offered this book, I was really looking forward to reading it. The copy I read would have benefited from some further editing, hence the 4 stars not 5, but the intrinsic story is wonderful.

Eddie is 90 and after a career in academia he is now volunteering in a charity shop. There he meets Bella who at 24 has lost the love of her life and is grieving. When Bella brings some of Jake’s belongings to the charity shop and unlikely friendship grows and blossoms and they are both soon involved in healing each other’s lives. Bella to get over Jake and start grieving properly and living again – and Eddie who has searched for love his whole life after his heart was broken as a young man by Bridie Bennet, and who has never been kissed.

Eddie Winston is a warm hug in a book, and you won’t want to stop during the final quarter as you will be heavily invested in Eddie and Bella’s stories.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by this same author, I was keen to read this next book. Eddie Winston is Looking for Love is another story with inter-generational characters and I must tell you – I loved Lenni and Margot but I absolutely adored Eddie Winston.

Eddie is 90 years old and has never been kissed. The reader discovers the background to this nonagenarian’s life and the story moves seamlessly between timelines of a younger Eddie when he was an academic in 1965 and the present day. It is a story that will bring a lump to the throat with its poignancy, regret and missed opportunities. Eddie is far from being a miserable man though. It was his sunny attitude, his love of quirky clothes and young at heart optimism that made the book so special.

Bella is 24 years old and dealing (not very well) with her own heartbreak. She comes across Eddie whilst he is working in a charity shop. She has several items to donate but Eddie senses that Bella may not be quite ready to relinquish all of the items just yet and saves them for his secret ‘Eddie Shelf’ at home. A place where he stores for safekeeping any donated personal items such as photographs, letters or ‘junk’ that have no monetary value whatsoever but have such a unique personal value that he simply cannot bear to throw them away.

“I sort through the donations made by the living and the dead and I put a price tag on the souvenirs of someone else’s life”.

The developing friendship between Bella and Eddie was lovely to see, the two just gelled with their shared lunches in Pigeon Park and Bella took it upon herself to find Eddie someone to love – so that he could have that first kiss. What follows is a humorous and compassionate tale involving dating apps and finding that elusive ‘one’.

Eddie and Bella were undoubtedly the stars of the show but there were several supporting characters deserving of a commendation. Eddie’s charity shop boss Marjie with her love of beef drinks was truly eccentric but very loveable, as was Cheese and Ham with his man bun and routines. And I couldn’t not mention Emmeline, a wonderfully brash and charismatic character.

Set mainly in Birmingham, this was a fairly quick read, although that was possibly because I was glued to the book at every opportunity. The book made me smile and I was willing Eddie to find that special someone, and if he couldn’t, then well, just someone to make him happy. Amongst the humour there were emotional tugs at the heart which nearly broke me.

Beautifully written with captivating characters this will definitely be on my list for favourite books of the year. I couldn’t have loved it more and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

[Keri Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Winston is 90 years old and works in the local charity shop. When asked, he says that retirement was too lonely, but he looks forward to working in the shop and interacting with the people. And occasionally, when a family member or someone drops off the belongings of their deceased loved one… Eddie can’t resist taking something. Nothing of value, but sweet memories of a life lived. He wants to save them in case someone regrets letting go of them. Letters found, trinkets that were treasured, or even a pair of worn tennis shoes with words of love written on them.

It is Bella who drops off the tennis shoes. Bella is a young woman in her mid-20’s whose boyfriend recently died. Eddie has the feeling she may come back and want them. And… she does. And the two of them strike up an unusual friendship.

In their long talks, often over lunch on a park bench, they both open up about their lives. Bella discovers that Eddie was once in love, but they didn’t feel free to have a relationship. And she discovers he’s never been kissed. Bella and other friends help him with online dating - which is very humorous. Will Eddie find love in his golden years and have a long awaited kiss?

This is such a sweet and gentle story of unlikely friends who help each other while creating a deep bond. It’s a reminder to enjoy each day and never give up hope.

I guess I’ve had a string of heart warming books recently that have touched me. 4-1/2 stars rounded to 5.

[Angie Miale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a heartwarming novel about an elderly person EVERY DAY OF THE week. Eddie Winston works at a charity counter, he takes boxes of donations and goes through them. Most of the time not everything is sale-able. Sometimes he sees something in the box that he just can’t bear to throw away. It’s how he adopted his guinea pig Pushkin Spider-Man Winston. And every once in awhile they come back looking for it.

One day a young pink haired girl came in with a box from her boyfriend Jake. His converse with writing all over them were in the box and Eddie knew they were special. Bella and Eddie become friends, and when she finds out he is a romantic that’s never been kissed, she become a Cyrano sort for him. He gets on the dating apps and starts dating. And Bella finally starts seeing a therapist to deal with her grief.

We also get a multiple POV timeline in the past with Eddie and Birdie, who is the one who got away.

This book is just as sweet and endearing as it sounds. There are several conversations that had me laughing out loud, the characters are so well developed, I won’t forget them anytime soon. I got into the narrative right away. If you like books like A Man Called Ove and The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, add this book to your TBR!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC. Book published today!

[Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eddie Winston is Looking for Love is a story that was just a pure joy to read. Truly, it’s one of those books that just touches your heart and soul.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

Marianne Cronin has written an utterly beautiful and inspiring story of hope, friendship, wisdom and the joys in life. I absolutely loved how this is a story about living life to the fullest, no matter how much time one has left.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Found Family
Dual Timelines
Finding love in unexpected places
An absolute joy to read

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Fast! I flew through this book and didn’t want it to end.

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Is this a story that had me shedding tears? Of course! Did I laugh and celebrate the joyful moments? Of course, and even more so! This was a story that truly focuses on LIFE - the joyful, the heartbreaking, and the serious moments. I can already tell you that this will be one of my top reads from 2025, so go get a copy NOW!

Thank you Harper Perennial for this gifted copy

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most likable nonagenarian of all time has somehow never been kissed. When he isn’t working at the local charity shop or sharing his lunch with the park pigeons, Eddie Winston is sporting stylish bowties and ogling his pet guinea pig - more aptly described as a quaffed toupee with legs. Eddie is always considering the wellbeing of others, and he befriends a grieving Sainsbury’s employee who quickly becomes his confidant and dating wing-woman. The market for 90-year-olds in search of love is surprisingly active, and we follow Eddie as he encounters a mix of new, unrequited, and star-crossed connections, as well as a match for his guinea pig familiar. There’s a tailless ragdoll cat, a misidentified death, and a lot of Catholic guilt that made me appreciate my agnostic upbringing. Thou shalt not covet, but it’s hard when men like Eddie Winston exist. I’ve yet to find an author that writes intergenerational relationships and dual timelines better than Marianne Cronin - a ringing endorsement that still somehow undercuts the breadth of her talents. Does age gap romance give you the ick? Try a whimsical age gap friendship instead!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this bittersweet novel and the relationships which grow

[Virginie Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟

[Kari Ann Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect book to start my 2025 reading year.

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥.”

This is *UpLit without an old curmudgeon. In this case you get 90-year old dearheart- Eddie Winston, who is looking for his first kiss. It was feel-good and heartwarming with an endearing cast of characters, consistent pacing and beautiful writing. It’s a tender and emotional story about unexpected cross-generational friendship, love, loss and kindness. Cronin took these seemingly simple everyday moments and unraveled them in a quiet, yet poignantly complex way. It was subtle yet intentional. I wish these characters existed in real life so I could be part of their world.

*𝐔𝐩𝐋𝐢𝐭 is one of my most reliable, go-to sub genres. I’ve seen it described as books that have real-life elements of sadness, but also have an emphasis on empathy and hope. The novels often have a focus on the human connection through community, friendship and found family while being uplifting and affirming.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃: Concurrently in print and audio (via Spotify). Both formats were excellent.