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Flying Solo
Smarting from her recently cancelled wedding and about to turn forty, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown of Calcasset to handle the estate of her great-aunt Dot, a spirited adventurer who lived to be ninety. Along with boxes of Polaroids and pottery, a mysterious wooden duck shows up at the bottom of a cedar chest. Laurie's curiosity is piqued, especially after she finds a love letter to the never-married Dot that ends with the line, "And anyway, if you're ever desperate, there are always ducks, darling."
Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck--and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and first love. Desperate to uncover her great-aunt's secrets, Laurie must reckon with her past, her future, and ultimately embrace her own vision of flying solo.
A woman returns to her small Maine hometown, uncovering family secrets that take her on a journey of self-discovery and new love, in this warm and charming novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over.
Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck--and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and first love. Desperate to uncover her great-aunt's secrets, Laurie must reckon with her past, her future, and ultimately embrace her own vision of flying solo.
A woman returns to her small Maine hometown, uncovering family secrets that take her on a journey of self-discovery and new love, in this warm and charming novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2022
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51562 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,089 reviews
July 1, 2022
I really wanted to love this book but it totally fell flat for me. I have not read Linda Holmes previous book but I knew it was a New York Times bestseller, and I saw a lot of positive reviews for it. So when I saw this new book of hers coming out, I really wanted to give it a try. This book, unfortunately, just wasn’t a winner for me. The writing felt very amateur and the storyline was not interesting enough to hold my attention. There was nothing about this book to keep me excited and wanting to turn the pages. I did like that Laurie’s character was independent and very self aware. I’m sure others will enjoy this book and I still intend to give Evvie Drake Starts Over a try, but this one just wasn’t for me.
Thank you, Net Galley and Ballantine, for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
Thank you, Net Galley and Ballantine, for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
July 8, 2022
nothing inherently wrong with this book, but i just didnt enjoy it as much as LHs debut novel.
for womens fiction, this ticks pretty much all the boxes: wholesome messages, important family discussions, different life paths represented. i just think im more of a romance reader, rather then a womens fiction reader.
and when it comes to the romance, i just didnt like it. i get that relationships are complex and come in all different shapes and sizes, but something about laurie and nick just didnt sit right with me. one-sided and unfair is probably the closest i can get to describe how it felt for me, although other readers may not see it the same way.
so all in all, objectively not a bad book, but it wasnt quite a win for me personally.
↠ 2.5 stars
for womens fiction, this ticks pretty much all the boxes: wholesome messages, important family discussions, different life paths represented. i just think im more of a romance reader, rather then a womens fiction reader.
and when it comes to the romance, i just didnt like it. i get that relationships are complex and come in all different shapes and sizes, but something about laurie and nick just didnt sit right with me. one-sided and unfair is probably the closest i can get to describe how it felt for me, although other readers may not see it the same way.
so all in all, objectively not a bad book, but it wasnt quite a win for me personally.
↠ 2.5 stars
October 15, 2025
don't jinx me. i'm chasing the high of liking a romance novel again.
linda holmes is officially all hits no misses for me.
all of her books are filled with so much yearning and banter (the two actual highs i'm chasing in romance-reading) but also so much complexity and growth. none of her characters are waiting for a love story to fall in their lap and then they have to navigate how to fit it into their already full lives and what happiness looks like for them. it feels so whole.
did i expect how much this would be like 7 year slip with a wood duck instead of time travel? no. in actual fact i wish this had many fewer mallard mentions. this is my least favorite linda holmes, but it's still very much linda holmes...just weird.
bottom line: to quote autocorrect - a ducking good time.
linda holmes is officially all hits no misses for me.
all of her books are filled with so much yearning and banter (the two actual highs i'm chasing in romance-reading) but also so much complexity and growth. none of her characters are waiting for a love story to fall in their lap and then they have to navigate how to fit it into their already full lives and what happiness looks like for them. it feels so whole.
did i expect how much this would be like 7 year slip with a wood duck instead of time travel? no. in actual fact i wish this had many fewer mallard mentions. this is my least favorite linda holmes, but it's still very much linda holmes...just weird.
bottom line: to quote autocorrect - a ducking good time.
June 7, 2022
My fave book of the summer. I was a huge fan of Linda Holmes’ first book, Evvie Drake Starts Over, and Flying Solo, her new book, has that same sparkle, same warmth. Linda Holmes creates characters I can believe in and root for and want to drink wine with on a back porch in Calcasset, Maine. She writes about authentic families, and her dialogue is spot on, funny and real. Flying Solo is such a fresh, original take on romcom. Nobody does it better.
October 2, 2022
"Flying Solo" by Linda Holmes is a Second-Chance Romance story!
Laurie Sassalyn travels back to her hometown of Calcasset, Maine for the sole purpose of settling the estate of her spirited and adventurous nonagenarian Great-aunt Dot. She's looking at this trip as a getaway, of sorts, to distract her from the last-minute stop she put to her wedding plans and the cold, hard fact that she's about to turn 40.
Laurie loved her Aunt Dot, but frustrated by the mountains of stuff to sort through from someone living in the same house decade after decade. Deciding this monumental task is too much for one person to handle, she decides to call in a professional service.
That's Laurie's first mistake! When the second mistake happens, things begin to get unexpectedly complicated, in more ways than one...or two!
This author's previous novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over was a 5 star read for me and there is much to enjoy about this one, as well. I really like how the author works the main character's resolve to live her life on her own terms into the story. This is a second-chance Romance with a bit of Mystery and Humorous Fiction mixed in. It tops off with a couple of twists and a great ending. So, what's not to like?
Mostly, what I'd like is to meet Aunt Dot! I want an Aunt Dot in my life, but I would settle for more depth to this character that is kept virtually invisible to the reader. I want to know about the escapades of this one-of-a-kind woman who lived such a long and remarkable life and I feel a little short-changed by the lack of her physical presence in the story.
I listened to this delightful story via audiobook and found it to be another amazing narration by Julia Whelan. Her voicing is always spot on, in my opinion!
I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy the Romance genre, as I believe this to be the perfect audience for this story!
Laurie Sassalyn travels back to her hometown of Calcasset, Maine for the sole purpose of settling the estate of her spirited and adventurous nonagenarian Great-aunt Dot. She's looking at this trip as a getaway, of sorts, to distract her from the last-minute stop she put to her wedding plans and the cold, hard fact that she's about to turn 40.
Laurie loved her Aunt Dot, but frustrated by the mountains of stuff to sort through from someone living in the same house decade after decade. Deciding this monumental task is too much for one person to handle, she decides to call in a professional service.
That's Laurie's first mistake! When the second mistake happens, things begin to get unexpectedly complicated, in more ways than one...or two!
This author's previous novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over was a 5 star read for me and there is much to enjoy about this one, as well. I really like how the author works the main character's resolve to live her life on her own terms into the story. This is a second-chance Romance with a bit of Mystery and Humorous Fiction mixed in. It tops off with a couple of twists and a great ending. So, what's not to like?
Mostly, what I'd like is to meet Aunt Dot! I want an Aunt Dot in my life, but I would settle for more depth to this character that is kept virtually invisible to the reader. I want to know about the escapades of this one-of-a-kind woman who lived such a long and remarkable life and I feel a little short-changed by the lack of her physical presence in the story.
I listened to this delightful story via audiobook and found it to be another amazing narration by Julia Whelan. Her voicing is always spot on, in my opinion!
I do recommend this book to readers who enjoy the Romance genre, as I believe this to be the perfect audience for this story!
March 17, 2022
I do not really read "cozy" novels nor do I read a lot of romance. It's not that I dislike either, it's that I am looking for something pretty specific in my reading. I like to be surprised. Even in genres I read that have formulas, like mystery for example, I'm not happy unless the book manages to surprise me or take a trope in a new direction. If a romance novel breaks against the tropes too far, it's no longer considered a romance. But I love a love story so I am always looking for books that are not quite romances, and I have found a really wonderful one here.
Laurie has decided that she never wants to get married and she doesn't want kids. She's happy with these choices and she's built a life for herself. She has her choices thrown into sharp relief as she goes through her Great Aunt Dot's house after her death. Dot didn't marry and didn't have kids, so in a way Laurie is seeing her own future and has a chance to consider it more fully. Also complicating matters are her family and friends, who are happy that she's back in Maine for a while, as well as her high school boyfriend who is now a hot, divorced, good-hearted librarian. The path not taken now stands in front of her and she wonders if now she should take it after all.
There are plenty of adventures along the way. This is a warm and homey novel, where you get to know the characters well and they are all good to each other and excellent at banter. It reminded me a little of Katherine Heiny's EARLY MORNING RISER, in the way it looks at life choices in a decidedly unromantic way while also relishing the quirkiness of small town life.
I am a person who plans to spend the rest of my life unmarried, and I saw a lot to relate to in Laurie's thought processes. It was really heartwarming for me to see the way she stands up for herself and her inherent value. Some of her dilemma starts to feel a bit repetitive near the end, I would have liked less pondering and a little more time at the close, but it's a nitpick.
I just want to emphasize that I do not really enjoy a lot of heartwarming and fuzzy books that make you feel good about things. Books about small town charm and all that. But Linda Holmes writes in just enough prickliness in her characters that I am happy to immerse myself in the world she creates here just like I did in EVVIE DRAKE.
I read the first half of this in one sitting and probably could have swallowed it whole if I'd had a little more time.
Laurie has decided that she never wants to get married and she doesn't want kids. She's happy with these choices and she's built a life for herself. She has her choices thrown into sharp relief as she goes through her Great Aunt Dot's house after her death. Dot didn't marry and didn't have kids, so in a way Laurie is seeing her own future and has a chance to consider it more fully. Also complicating matters are her family and friends, who are happy that she's back in Maine for a while, as well as her high school boyfriend who is now a hot, divorced, good-hearted librarian. The path not taken now stands in front of her and she wonders if now she should take it after all.
There are plenty of adventures along the way. This is a warm and homey novel, where you get to know the characters well and they are all good to each other and excellent at banter. It reminded me a little of Katherine Heiny's EARLY MORNING RISER, in the way it looks at life choices in a decidedly unromantic way while also relishing the quirkiness of small town life.
I am a person who plans to spend the rest of my life unmarried, and I saw a lot to relate to in Laurie's thought processes. It was really heartwarming for me to see the way she stands up for herself and her inherent value. Some of her dilemma starts to feel a bit repetitive near the end, I would have liked less pondering and a little more time at the close, but it's a nitpick.
I just want to emphasize that I do not really enjoy a lot of heartwarming and fuzzy books that make you feel good about things. Books about small town charm and all that. But Linda Holmes writes in just enough prickliness in her characters that I am happy to immerse myself in the world she creates here just like I did in EVVIE DRAKE.
I read the first half of this in one sitting and probably could have swallowed it whole if I'd had a little more time.
May 7, 2022
3.5 stars
I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I was very excited for the chance to read this one early. Unfortunately, Flying Solo didn't quite hit the spot for me. I think if I had known the book was more women's fiction and less romance focused, I might have enjoyed it more.
Things to look forward to:
- I loved the overall message that romantic relationships don't need to fit into any box and that you can have a full and happy life without marriage/letting go of your independence.
- A new type of/alternate happy ending. I know it might not work for every reader, but it was refreshing to see.
- Though not the focus of the novel, childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance are both romantic tropes readers will encounter.
- Funny and witty banter and dialogue
- There were plenty of lovable and quirky characters. I loved ride or die June and the sibling relationship between Ryan and Laurie. Nick was also amazing and him being a librarian was the icing on the cake. I loved those tender moments between Nick and Laurie (past and present).
- The small nods to Evvie Drake here and there. The book takes place in the same town - Calcasset, Maine.
I think what didn't quite work for me was the heavy emphasis on the duck decoy mystery and caper. It felt over the top and made the book lose focus. I liked Laurie, but she was so stubborn and set in her ways. I wanted more character growth from her and for the most part she never changed even after these experiences. Overall, this was an entertaining novel, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped.
I both read and listened to Flying Solo and Julia Whelan is phenomenal as always. She truly is such a talented narrator and brings so much life to the characters and story.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5-3 stars
CW: grief, death of loved one (past), implied infidelity (past, secondary character), fraud, theft
*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*
I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I was very excited for the chance to read this one early. Unfortunately, Flying Solo didn't quite hit the spot for me. I think if I had known the book was more women's fiction and less romance focused, I might have enjoyed it more.
Things to look forward to:
- I loved the overall message that romantic relationships don't need to fit into any box and that you can have a full and happy life without marriage/letting go of your independence.
- A new type of/alternate happy ending. I know it might not work for every reader, but it was refreshing to see.
- Though not the focus of the novel, childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance are both romantic tropes readers will encounter.
- Funny and witty banter and dialogue
- There were plenty of lovable and quirky characters. I loved ride or die June and the sibling relationship between Ryan and Laurie. Nick was also amazing and him being a librarian was the icing on the cake. I loved those tender moments between Nick and Laurie (past and present).
- The small nods to Evvie Drake here and there. The book takes place in the same town - Calcasset, Maine.
I think what didn't quite work for me was the heavy emphasis on the duck decoy mystery and caper. It felt over the top and made the book lose focus. I liked Laurie, but she was so stubborn and set in her ways. I wanted more character growth from her and for the most part she never changed even after these experiences. Overall, this was an entertaining novel, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped.
I both read and listened to Flying Solo and Julia Whelan is phenomenal as always. She truly is such a talented narrator and brings so much life to the characters and story.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5-3 stars
CW: grief, death of loved one (past), implied infidelity (past, secondary character), fraud, theft
*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*
July 25, 2022
I CHECKED THIS OUT FROM THE LIBRARY. THANK GOODNESS THEY EXIST. BUYING EVERY BOOK I WANT TO READ WOULD BE RUINOUS!
My Review: There's something really wonderful about reading stories that center your own concerns. I'm older than most of these characters, younger than a few, but they're not just starting out, figuring out Life, for the first time. They're part of it, settled into it, and now...there needs to be More.
Laurie and Nick dated eons ago, fell out of touch, and now that Laurie's back in their hometown to settle up her Aunt Dot's estate, she's back in touch with Nick because...well, because she wants to be. Because he wants to be, too. They're grownups with crack-ups in their pasts. They're adult children of people they love and care for. They're professionals and they're nice people.
And they're still...again...relearning how to be...in love. With each other, with their wildly separate lives and their mutually exclusive homes. They are, in short, deeply relatable to me. This book came to me as a not-quite recommendation from a LibraryThing friend who read it and resonated to its companionate themes. I'm resonating to the, well, the desire to make a relationship work that has a lot of strange contours to it and that precludes cohabitation for the foreseeable future. But is still a full, fun, vibrant, living relationship. It's not that common to see this kind of thing in fiction, though I'm aware that it exists in reality.
What happens in the course of Nick and Laurie's rediscovery of each other is a story that weaves together the best of humanity...generous, kind, unselfish souls sharing gladly all that they're asked for, looking for ways to give even more...and the worst, the dishonest and selfish impulse to lie and cheat and steal. In the course of that element of the story being resolved, in a believable way, these two main charatcers go on the real voyage of discovery inside themselves and in relation to the many, many people in their orbit.
I found a lot to enjoy in this read. I laughed out loud at Author Holmes' trademark funny lines:
Fun, funny stuff that totally makes sense to someone who lives in an assisted living facility, and regularly talks about it to someone who doesn't. Author Holmes never stints on the real-life elements of her stories, so far at least, and we should all pray to the Muses she never tries to.
The real-life stuff's not *all* fun, of course, and there's a lot of relatable material in that as well:
It's not deathless prose that stuns with its lapidary gleam and brilliance; it's the way your smarter-than-you friend with the sense of humor talks sense into you when you're falling off of/under/for something. It's comfortable, comforting, and relatable in the best ways.
It's a book I'm glad I read by an author I'm glad is getting contracts. That's more than enough for me right this minute. It felt like a slightly selfish, wicked little gift I was giving myself, reading this pleasant tale about people like me with concerns I could relate to. Giving it a few hours made a whole bunch more of them more pleasant, and that's worth four starts and a thank you every day.
My Review: There's something really wonderful about reading stories that center your own concerns. I'm older than most of these characters, younger than a few, but they're not just starting out, figuring out Life, for the first time. They're part of it, settled into it, and now...there needs to be More.
Laurie and Nick dated eons ago, fell out of touch, and now that Laurie's back in their hometown to settle up her Aunt Dot's estate, she's back in touch with Nick because...well, because she wants to be. Because he wants to be, too. They're grownups with crack-ups in their pasts. They're adult children of people they love and care for. They're professionals and they're nice people.
And they're still...again...relearning how to be...in love. With each other, with their wildly separate lives and their mutually exclusive homes. They are, in short, deeply relatable to me. This book came to me as a not-quite recommendation from a LibraryThing friend who read it and resonated to its companionate themes. I'm resonating to the, well, the desire to make a relationship work that has a lot of strange contours to it and that precludes cohabitation for the foreseeable future. But is still a full, fun, vibrant, living relationship. It's not that common to see this kind of thing in fiction, though I'm aware that it exists in reality.
What happens in the course of Nick and Laurie's rediscovery of each other is a story that weaves together the best of humanity...generous, kind, unselfish souls sharing gladly all that they're asked for, looking for ways to give even more...and the worst, the dishonest and selfish impulse to lie and cheat and steal. In the course of that element of the story being resolved, in a believable way, these two main charatcers go on the real voyage of discovery inside themselves and in relation to the many, many people in their orbit.
I found a lot to enjoy in this read. I laughed out loud at Author Holmes' trademark funny lines:
“...we were pretty much out of cabinet space between the actual dishes and the food dehydrator he had bought himself and then used to make jerky a total of two—as in ‘one, two’—times.”
“How was the jerky?”
“Wretched. It tasted like wet cigarettes. We could have used it to repel raccoons.”
–and–
“...But yes, she started doing senior synchronized swimming at the Sarasota Y recently. She’s going to be in a recital. The theme is Hooray for Hollywood.”
The sound Dot made was closer to a hoot than a laugh. “Good for her. Whatever it takes to get your legs over your head.”
Fun, funny stuff that totally makes sense to someone who lives in an assisted living facility, and regularly talks about it to someone who doesn't. Author Holmes never stints on the real-life elements of her stories, so far at least, and we should all pray to the Muses she never tries to.
The real-life stuff's not *all* fun, of course, and there's a lot of relatable material in that as well:
“This is just a gruesome job. I feel so bad, like a grave robber.”
{The reseller} nodded. “You are far from a grave robber. Remember, she had these things for as long as she needed them, and they probably brought her a lot of happiness. But they most likely won’t bring you any, so there’s not a lot to gain from your coming down hard on yourself because you want to let stuff go.”
–and–
“Nah. Believe me, you don’t want to get married if the marriage you’re going to have is not the same marriage as the one you’d like to have.”
It's not deathless prose that stuns with its lapidary gleam and brilliance; it's the way your smarter-than-you friend with the sense of humor talks sense into you when you're falling off of/under/for something. It's comfortable, comforting, and relatable in the best ways.
It's a book I'm glad I read by an author I'm glad is getting contracts. That's more than enough for me right this minute. It felt like a slightly selfish, wicked little gift I was giving myself, reading this pleasant tale about people like me with concerns I could relate to. Giving it a few hours made a whole bunch more of them more pleasant, and that's worth four starts and a thank you every day.
February 5, 2022
Linda Holmes just isn’t for me, this book fell completely flat. While there were a few fun elements, the book was lacking in romance, characterization, plot, and setting. I couldn’t connect with anything and Laurie drove me insane. She was so selfish throughout the book and while I’m glad she’s an independent woman, she is also absolutely ridiculous. She seems ditzy and self centered and I hated her.
The only character I like was Dot and she wasn’t even really a character.
The only character I like was Dot and she wasn’t even really a character.
August 25, 2022
As a single, 40something, plus-size woman I loved seeing myself reflected on the page in the main character, Laurie. Laurie travels from Seattle back to her hometown in Maine to go through her recently deceased great aunt's home and belongings. While diving into her single great aunt's life she has a lot of time to reflect on her own life and choices. Along the way she comes across a wooden duck that becomes the central mystery of the story. Is the duck valuable? Why does her aunt have this and why was it hidden? Laurie becomes very focused on finding out the answers. I thought the mystery of the duck was a little kitchy, but still a fun element that helped propel the rather slow book along. I did think the book was well written and though I didn't love the ending I think it made sense for Laurie. This book felt cozy and full of warmth. I really enjoyed reading it and gave it 4 stars.
July 12, 2022
I didn't like this quite as much as Evvie Drake Starts Over, but I really love Holmes's writing!
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
July 15, 2022
oh man, I can't wait to read this book - 2022 is looking GOOD!!!!
love the author's writing but the book didn't was exactly what I hoped for.
3.5 stars
review to come
___________________________________
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
love the author's writing but the book didn't was exactly what I hoped for.
3.5 stars
review to come
___________________________________
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
August 26, 2022
Journalist Laurie Sassalyn had her life figured out nicely. Since growing up with four brothers in a noisy household, she always yearned to be in a quiet space all on her own. It eventually lead to her broken engagement and a fortieth birthday looming as a single woman.
When her beloved aunt passed away, Laurie was asked to close up her house and finalize everything as stated in her will. Among all the well-organized hoarding of a ninety-three-year-old single woman who traveled the world, Laurie found a wooden duck, buried deep underneath blankets in a cedar chest. Unbeknownst to Laurie, it was a secret, as well as a message which Dot left for Laurie to solve and learn from.
Arriving back in her hometown Calcasset in Maine, from Seattle, Laurie met up with her old school friends, including her old school boyfriend Nick Cooper. Between clearing out the house, debating the pros and cons of being single, and sleuthing her way through numerous clues to solve the mystery of the decoy duck, the reader is humming along in a warm and cozy tale of a love story that isn't a lovestory, but must be, but isn't, and could have been, but isn't, but maybe it is. So it's a romcom with a difference. It is also a Nancy Drew experience for adults. The story is also about a family bonding again for a moment in time while Dot's affairs must be sorted out.
An entertaining read with a surprising twist in the decoy duck story. Funny moments, such as when sleuth Laurie and a partner in well, a sort of crime, depends on if you understand the circumstances, are calling each other Snoopy(her brother Ryan) and Pop Tart(Laurie) in their mission to solve the case.
This is Laurie's story. What Laurie wants, Laurie gets. Everybody else is okay with it, at least if they want to be part of her life. Her choices suit her and her alone. A few readers might differ in opinion, judging from the ratings and comments, but otherwise it is a delightful, entertaining experience. It's a story about choices, and not love (well, call it anything but love). A good summer read if a happy ending for the reader corresponds with Laurie's.
When her beloved aunt passed away, Laurie was asked to close up her house and finalize everything as stated in her will. Among all the well-organized hoarding of a ninety-three-year-old single woman who traveled the world, Laurie found a wooden duck, buried deep underneath blankets in a cedar chest. Unbeknownst to Laurie, it was a secret, as well as a message which Dot left for Laurie to solve and learn from.
Arriving back in her hometown Calcasset in Maine, from Seattle, Laurie met up with her old school friends, including her old school boyfriend Nick Cooper. Between clearing out the house, debating the pros and cons of being single, and sleuthing her way through numerous clues to solve the mystery of the decoy duck, the reader is humming along in a warm and cozy tale of a love story that isn't a lovestory, but must be, but isn't, and could have been, but isn't, but maybe it is. So it's a romcom with a difference. It is also a Nancy Drew experience for adults. The story is also about a family bonding again for a moment in time while Dot's affairs must be sorted out.
An entertaining read with a surprising twist in the decoy duck story. Funny moments, such as when sleuth Laurie and a partner in well, a sort of crime, depends on if you understand the circumstances, are calling each other Snoopy(her brother Ryan) and Pop Tart(Laurie) in their mission to solve the case.
This is Laurie's story. What Laurie wants, Laurie gets. Everybody else is okay with it, at least if they want to be part of her life. Her choices suit her and her alone. A few readers might differ in opinion, judging from the ratings and comments, but otherwise it is a delightful, entertaining experience. It's a story about choices, and not love (well, call it anything but love). A good summer read if a happy ending for the reader corresponds with Laurie's.
September 11, 2022
Every Duck Has its Day!
When Laurie returns home to Maine to sort out her grandmother’s possessions, she has no plans to get involved in a caper, and yet that’s exactly what happens! After sorting through a trunk of her grandmother’s, Laurie finds an interesting-looking, hand-carved painted duck and contacts an expert he found on the internet to give her a valuation. Little does Laurie know the man she contacted is a con artist who steals the duck in hopes of selling it to the highest bidder. Once Laurie figures out what happened, she enlists the help of her friends and her former boyfriend to kidnap her duck!
Having read and loved Linda Holme’s Evvie Drake Starts Over, I was really looking forward to this novel. Unfortunately, this book fell a little flat for me.
2.5 stars
A buddy listen with Kaceey.
Thanks to Libro.fm for the alc.
When Laurie returns home to Maine to sort out her grandmother’s possessions, she has no plans to get involved in a caper, and yet that’s exactly what happens! After sorting through a trunk of her grandmother’s, Laurie finds an interesting-looking, hand-carved painted duck and contacts an expert he found on the internet to give her a valuation. Little does Laurie know the man she contacted is a con artist who steals the duck in hopes of selling it to the highest bidder. Once Laurie figures out what happened, she enlists the help of her friends and her former boyfriend to kidnap her duck!
Having read and loved Linda Holme’s Evvie Drake Starts Over, I was really looking forward to this novel. Unfortunately, this book fell a little flat for me.
2.5 stars
A buddy listen with Kaceey.
Thanks to Libro.fm for the alc.
November 3, 2022
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.
June 24, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. A cross between a romance and a cozy mystery.
Short story summary: 39 year old woman, Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine to clean out her deceased Aunt's house. During this process she renews a relationship with an old flame and is assisted by her best friend. While deep in packing, discarding and cleaning she finds a beautiful wooden decoy duck and goes on a hunt to discover why her Aunt would have owned this, leading her on a bit of a wild goose/duck chase.
A very fun audio with wonderful characters involved in a cozy mystery, romance story. I was engaged more with the duck mystery than the romance. It was an addictive listen with snipits of summer Maine which took me right back to the Northeast I am missing so now.
It reminded me a little of the old Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum books without any of the guns or violence. Just a little teasing steaming romance and a mystery/crime to be solved.
The narration by Julia Whelan is perfect as usual.
I could not stop listening, spent half the day on the couch with ear buds in to finish it in two days.
If you loved Holmes first as I did, this one is a winner too. Highly recommend as a wonderful summer listen.
Short story summary: 39 year old woman, Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine to clean out her deceased Aunt's house. During this process she renews a relationship with an old flame and is assisted by her best friend. While deep in packing, discarding and cleaning she finds a beautiful wooden decoy duck and goes on a hunt to discover why her Aunt would have owned this, leading her on a bit of a wild goose/duck chase.
A very fun audio with wonderful characters involved in a cozy mystery, romance story. I was engaged more with the duck mystery than the romance. It was an addictive listen with snipits of summer Maine which took me right back to the Northeast I am missing so now.
It reminded me a little of the old Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum books without any of the guns or violence. Just a little teasing steaming romance and a mystery/crime to be solved.
The narration by Julia Whelan is perfect as usual.
I could not stop listening, spent half the day on the couch with ear buds in to finish it in two days.
If you loved Holmes first as I did, this one is a winner too. Highly recommend as a wonderful summer listen.
December 4, 2024
Unfortunately, I didn’t care about any of these characters and the plot really dragged. I had a hard time believing anyone would care that much about a wooden duck decoy…certainly not in the obsessive way the MC did. My overall feeling while reading this book was part frustration and part apathy.
And, while I am all for women being independent and not needing to get married or be in any sort of traditional relationship (you do you, girl) it sort of ruined the romance aspect of the book. I think the intent was to make the MC seem like a progressive, mature woman who knows her own mind but she came off like a naive brat who wants the best parts of a relationship but doesn’t want to deal with any of the hard parts.
I really liked the author’s debut (Evvie Drake) but this one didn’t work for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And, while I am all for women being independent and not needing to get married or be in any sort of traditional relationship (you do you, girl) it sort of ruined the romance aspect of the book. I think the intent was to make the MC seem like a progressive, mature woman who knows her own mind but she came off like a naive brat who wants the best parts of a relationship but doesn’t want to deal with any of the hard parts.
I really liked the author’s debut (Evvie Drake) but this one didn’t work for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2022
Another charming read by Ms. Holmes. The New England setting, the mystery of the duck decoy, and the romance between a hot librarian and nature nerd were as light and sweet as summer. Fun supporting cast of characters too. Put this one in your beach bag and enjoy.
May 31, 2022
Review coming soon.
June 18, 2022
Tried not to have expectations since this was a bookshop read, but even then it’s still exactly as one would expect. I can see why people like the “beach/vacation” reads (easy, coastal town, summer flings), but it’s just not my cup of tea. No depth to the story, no character development, and honestly, the protagonist just wasn’t likeable. Felt like she spent 3/4 of the novel complaining about how she was almost 40 and alone (despite the fact of having a full life + friends and family who loved her), and the remaining 1/4 of it having sex with her old high school boyfriend without any other real foundation to their relationship other than he was “hot” and “her first love”. Blegh. Just not a fan.
June 29, 2022
Thank you Libro.fm for my ALC copy. All opinions are my own.
Hmmmmm. I was really looking forward to this title. I'm a huge fan of Evvie Drake Starts Over. Big fan.
Flying Solo started strong for me. I enjoyed the audio and the content was interesting. About middle ways I got sooooooo bored. B.O.R.E.D I almost put it down as a DNF. I kept going and I'm not sorry. But I'm not going to be recommending this title. For me personally. I didn't get it. I literally could not relate to Lori. I enjoyed the cute, nerdy librarian and the rekindled relationship...but that's all. I just didn't get it and that's okay.
Hmmmmm. I was really looking forward to this title. I'm a huge fan of Evvie Drake Starts Over. Big fan.
Flying Solo started strong for me. I enjoyed the audio and the content was interesting. About middle ways I got sooooooo bored. B.O.R.E.D I almost put it down as a DNF. I kept going and I'm not sorry. But I'm not going to be recommending this title. For me personally. I didn't get it. I literally could not relate to Lori. I enjoyed the cute, nerdy librarian and the rekindled relationship...but that's all. I just didn't get it and that's okay.
February 22, 2022
Evvie Drake Starts Over is one of my all-time favorite novels and it's hard to overstate how much I adore Linda Holmes. I was so excited to get an advanced copy of her follow-up. Maybe my expectations were a little too lofty, but I didn't find Flying Solo nearly as delightful as its predecessor. Still, it's a charming novel that's sure to appeal to many readers. No one writes banter as well as Linda Holmes. But I think my lessened enthusiasm here stems from the fact that the rom-com elements take a back seat in Flying Solo's plot. There are times where it almost feels like an afterthought.
The bulk of the story here focuses on Laurie, a woman about to turn 40, as she returns to her hometown in Maine to clean out the home of her recently deceased great aunt who never married or had children of her own. During this process, Laurie comes across a wooden duck decoy buried at the bottom of a chest. It seems out of character for her aunt to have such a thing - and it seems even stranger that it might have held a great deal of significance to her aunt. With the help of her high school boyfriend and her best friend, Laurie begins to investigate where the duck came from and whether it has any value aside from the sentimental kind. Hijinks ensue and they're mostly fun, but they definitely overshadowed the romantic storyline in the book. Not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind as you're coming to this.
One of the reasons Laurie was so close to her great aunt is the fact that the older woman never married or had kids. Laurie is 39 and recently ended an engagement. She's not just okay living on her own, she actually prefers it and a traditionallly romantic happy ever after isn't her endgame. That's a totally valid approach to life and it's definitely a unique thing to incorporate into a romantic comedy. I really respect that Holmes wanted happiness to look different for Laurie; it led to some interesting discussions about what women are expected to prioritize in life. But it also meant that the romance didn't feel completely integrated to the rest of the story. Laurie tries to find out about the duck and only after that's resolved does she consider her unresolved feelings for her ex. I found myself wishing the two halves of the story weren't quite so divided, and that's the primary reason Flying Solo falls to four stars for me.
The bulk of the story here focuses on Laurie, a woman about to turn 40, as she returns to her hometown in Maine to clean out the home of her recently deceased great aunt who never married or had children of her own. During this process, Laurie comes across a wooden duck decoy buried at the bottom of a chest. It seems out of character for her aunt to have such a thing - and it seems even stranger that it might have held a great deal of significance to her aunt. With the help of her high school boyfriend and her best friend, Laurie begins to investigate where the duck came from and whether it has any value aside from the sentimental kind. Hijinks ensue and they're mostly fun, but they definitely overshadowed the romantic storyline in the book. Not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind as you're coming to this.
One of the reasons Laurie was so close to her great aunt is the fact that the older woman never married or had kids. Laurie is 39 and recently ended an engagement. She's not just okay living on her own, she actually prefers it and a traditionallly romantic happy ever after isn't her endgame. That's a totally valid approach to life and it's definitely a unique thing to incorporate into a romantic comedy. I really respect that Holmes wanted happiness to look different for Laurie; it led to some interesting discussions about what women are expected to prioritize in life. But it also meant that the romance didn't feel completely integrated to the rest of the story. Laurie tries to find out about the duck and only after that's resolved does she consider her unresolved feelings for her ex. I found myself wishing the two halves of the story weren't quite so divided, and that's the primary reason Flying Solo falls to four stars for me.
October 1, 2022
I listened to this one on audiobook and it is a nice easy listen. It is kind of a mystery, kind of a romance, but mostly just a cozy contemporary of a single woman entering her 40s and trying to figure out what she wants her life to be. I liked Evvie Drake more than this one, but still an enjoyable read.
Watch my discuss this more in my August wrap up: https://youtu.be/N1eHFLs1Oqs
Watch my discuss this more in my August wrap up: https://youtu.be/N1eHFLs1Oqs
January 20, 2023
2.75⭐️⭐️✨
Thanks to libro fm for the ALC
Some parts really dragged but all in all this was a light and fun read
I did like the fact that the FMC did not give up the kind of life she envisioned for herself; did not give up the idea of not wanting marriage and kids but still got the guy , just great
Thanks to libro fm for the ALC
Some parts really dragged but all in all this was a light and fun read
I did like the fact that the FMC did not give up the kind of life she envisioned for herself; did not give up the idea of not wanting marriage and kids but still got the guy , just great
August 31, 2022
A fun read, with a refreshingly different take on the HEA. There were moments the writing was a bit less polished than I would have liked, and Holmes identifies all sorts of things I love as symbols of toxic masculinity (Breaking Bad, Fight Club {the movie}, Jonathan Franzen {this dig seemed gratuitous since the guy she assumes loves Franzen has said he doesn't read}, etc.) But this was a fun book about being a grownup, about defining what committed, respectful. feminist relationships look like. Everyone is white and financially blessed in unrealistic ways, the single freelance writer can take a month off work and still pay a mortgage in Seattle, the 30-something bit-part actor and his wardrobe design wife (actually she is BIPOC but also a VERY minor character) living in New York who are paying rent and doing IVF, and the head librarian at a small-town library that is constantly having funding slashed can pay his mortgage and go out for fancy dinners and fly back and forth across the country whenever he wants, and the librarians parents who were also librarians at the same library can retire and move to Florida. That is fine but obviously not realistic. It was all a fun read and where it was necessary to suspend disbelief it was for me easy and pleasurable to do so. Worthwhile reading if you like this sort of thing. Also, the audiobook was read by the wonderful Julia Whelan, and as usual she was a delight to listen to.
April 15, 2022
I loved what this book has to say about women who do not marry. And women who do not have children. More of this in fiction and in romance specifically please!!
*This is fiction with romantic elements for anyone curious*
4/5 stars to the book
10/10 ducking stars for 🦆 content!
*This is fiction with romantic elements for anyone curious*
4/5 stars to the book
10/10 ducking stars for 🦆 content!
July 28, 2022
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this, but then it kind of fizzled at the end. Once the story of the duck is over, what's left is the relationship. I realize that different things work for different people, but I couldn't help but feel that one of them was giving up a lot more than the other. I just didn't like it. But the duck is good :)
I really enjoyed this, but then it kind of fizzled at the end. Once the story of the duck is over, what's left is the relationship. I realize that different things work for different people, but I couldn't help but feel that one of them was giving up a lot more than the other. I just didn't like it. But the duck is good :)
June 16, 2022
Adored this to pieces tbh, and cried twice! Just some things:
1. I recognize so many parts of this - Laurie's loves and wants and needs and fears, and the fulfilling life that surrounds her, even if it doesn't look like what most people expect a good life should look like. I love that she's poked a bit when she talks too much about her independence, and that she's allowed to be upset about hurtful comments, but that her feelings and thoughts about how she wants to live are firm and clear and justified. I love that she jumps in to help her friends' kids and supports their weddings but doesn't want either, and doesn't frame any of them as good or bad. Increasingly relevant to what I see from my friends IRL, and not given a fair shake in most fiction I access.
2. Holmes has a fantastic way with dialogue - there were parts of this I found bonkers charming, all down to the way these very real people speak and babble to each other and make each other laugh and enjoy each other's company!
3. This is very important - there was a turn this book took near the middle which I found deeply delightful, and the way Laurie pulls in her people to resolve it was WONDERFUL. I also found the resolution itself really rewarding! It's slight but exactly the right level of adventure I wanted from this.
4. Second chance romance. Done.
I'm writing this review distractedly so I'm not doing the book justice but I had an AMAZING time reading this today.
1. I recognize so many parts of this - Laurie's loves and wants and needs and fears, and the fulfilling life that surrounds her, even if it doesn't look like what most people expect a good life should look like. I love that she's poked a bit when she talks too much about her independence, and that she's allowed to be upset about hurtful comments, but that her feelings and thoughts about how she wants to live are firm and clear and justified. I love that she jumps in to help her friends' kids and supports their weddings but doesn't want either, and doesn't frame any of them as good or bad. Increasingly relevant to what I see from my friends IRL, and not given a fair shake in most fiction I access.
2. Holmes has a fantastic way with dialogue - there were parts of this I found bonkers charming, all down to the way these very real people speak and babble to each other and make each other laugh and enjoy each other's company!
3. This is very important - there was a turn this book took near the middle which I found deeply delightful, and the way Laurie pulls in her people to resolve it was WONDERFUL. I also found the resolution itself really rewarding! It's slight but exactly the right level of adventure I wanted from this.
4. Second chance romance. Done.
I'm writing this review distractedly so I'm not doing the book justice but I had an AMAZING time reading this today.
July 8, 2022
I wanted to read this while in Maine because it’s set so close to where I’m vacationing. But alas, it was such a disappointment. Despite the potential of the setting, it could’ve taken place anywhere because Holmes made very little effort on the descriptions. Most of all, though, the story was so boring. And I am not a huge plot person! The character development was weak and I ended up disliking the main character by the end and no one was believable.
Yikes. That sounds harsh but there it is. I liked her first novel and had high hopes for this one.
Yikes. That sounds harsh but there it is. I liked her first novel and had high hopes for this one.
Read
April 18, 2022This was such a funny and original read.
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