Flying Solo is a nice romcom novel that focuses on Laurie who is determined to never get married. She returns to Maine to settler her great-aunt's estate, and finds herself deep in boxes of memories and a few mysteries. A duck decoy confuses Laurie and leads her into an investigation and some intrigue as she explores more about her aunt's past, and also starts to reflect more on her own life path.

This is Laurie Sassalyn's story. She's back in her hometown, Calcasset, Maine to clean out her favorite great-aunt's house after she passes away at the age of 93. Laurie's almost 40 and single. Her best friend and her high school boyfriend (also single) still live in Calcasset, so she's able to spend time with both of them. As she sorts through her aunts possessions, she learns more about her aunt's life including a secret that make her think and reflect both about her aunt and her own life. And there's a duck decoy. An Antiques Roadshow kind of duck decoy that becomes quite a fun mystery/adventure for a number of people.

I really enjoyed Laurie's journey. Both the trip home and opportunity to reconnect with old friends, but also her internal journey to figure out what makes her happy and how to make that happen. A bonus is that this is one of my all time favorite covers- I love it!

I switched between audio and print. The narrator, Julia Whelan, is amazing. When I could, I switched to print just because I can read faster than I can listen and I was eager to see what happened next.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Flying Solo is set in the same location as Holmes' previous novel but completely stands on its own. I loved this story that was part family drama, part romance, part small town life, and mainly about discovering yourself and that what you want does not have to be what is expected of you.

I went into this book expecting to enjoy it as I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over - and I got most of the way through realllllly loving it, but I felt like the ending just really let me down and left me feeling unsatisfied. I understand why Holmes felt she needed to write the ended she did, but I personally didn't care for it.

I did, however, like the clever way she integrated the setting for Evvie into this book.

2 1/2 stars.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was excited to see that Linda Holmes, author of Evvie Drake Starts Over, was releasing a new book.

A cozy romance set in Maine, had a very different take on a happily ever after.

While I enjoyed the book, and appreciated Laurie’s steadfast desire to retain her independence, I wish we would have seen more growth and development from her character. I also felt the emphasis on the duck decoy was over the top and prevented some of the rest of the story and romance from fully developing. I could have seen more from Daisy and Melody, and they would have assisted in helping to bring more of Laurie’s widening friendship circle to life.

Overall, this was an entertaining read, and certainly helps to show that not every relationship needs to fit into a neat little package.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Laurie is very happy being single and loves living in seattle, thank you very much. When she returns to her small hometown in Maine to close her great aunt's estate, though, she is still drawn to her high school boyfriend. Can they navigate their mutual attraction as well as their irreconcilable lives? Yes, yes, they can.

A fun, humorous tale! Evvie Drake Starts Over was one of my favorite debuts of the past couple of years, and I had been eagerly awaiting Linda Holmes’ sophomore novel, which I devoured in a day. Linda Holmes’ distinct, often quite witty voice shines again in Flying Solo, in which a single, soon to be 40 woman returns to her home town to sort the belongings of her never married, 93 year old great aunt.

Holmes’ characters are relatable. The banter between those characters is particularly exquisite. And I applaud the overall messages that women are entirely capable of having rich, wonderful, adventurous, home-owning lives outside the structure of traditional marriages - and that romantic relationships in general need not fit into the traditional marriage box. Kudos as well to Holmes for featuring a main female character who wears a size 18. I must admit I did not find the plot of Flying Solo - especially the wood decoy duck story line - all that compelling. That said, this enjoyable story is entertaining and well suited for beach reading, especially for readers who loved Evvie Drake and for single, independent women of any age.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Random House Publishing for providing an e-ARC. This review reflects my honest opinion.

I requested Flying Solo because I enjoyed reading the author’s debut novel Evvie Drake Starts over. Unfortunately, Flying Solo wasn’t as entertaining for me, personally.

If you like light, heart-warming women’s fiction, you may want to pick up Flying Solo. The protagonist is 39-year-old Laurie who has returned to her hometown to help sort through beloved great aunt’s possessions after her death. (Laurie’s hometown is the same Maine small town that is the setting of Evvie Drake Starts Over.)

The plot revolves around Laurie researching a wooden duck she finds in her aunt’s home, which I found a bit boring, to be honest. Also, Laurie’s strong feelings about wanting to live alone and “break the mold” of what a woman's life should look like is a focal point of the novel. The connection between Dot, Laurie’s aunt who never married, and Laurie is strong. Laurie was raised amidst four brothers, so her desire for solitude is understandable, but her unwillingness to compromise can be frustrating to those around her, especially when Laurie has a strong romantic connection with a character in the story.

A highlight of the novel lies in the conversation about caring for our elders and what we do when our loved ones die and to whom the responsibility often falls.

Find this review on Instagram and Facebook @beginandendwithbooks and Goodreads Michelle Beginandendwithbooks

I loved the book about a woman almost my age. Well with different problems bit still determinated and she was great. I did read and listen thanks to Phrinternational publising and Libro.tm for the kindle and audio coppies.

Beeing there you have done quite a lot in your life and you know more about your desire, limitations, dreams. And beeing back to your home time and single and finding your old love... well a perfect combinations. To relax and enjoy. Nothing is so bad as it seems is my moto.

Cute! Leaps and bounds better than Evvie Drake. I like listening to Holmes on NPR for her wit and humor. She was able to put it to paper better in Flying Solo, and this turned out to be a sweet and light summer read. With that said, a few parts dragged on and I’m still not a fan of her attempt at sex scenes. I assume she thinks those round out a romance novel? The story was an entertaining twist to typical romances. A non romance romance novel?

Thank you to New Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be perfectly honest, the book cover or synopsis doesn't matter -- if Linda Holmes wrote it, I want to read it.

In FLYING SOLO, Laurie's returned to her Maine hometown to go through the belongings of her oft-traveled, amateur photographer great-aunt Dot. She provided respite to Laurie growing up in a house with four loud brothers, and was somewhat of a signpost, showing Laurie that you are indeed a full and complete person without a spouse.

As in Evvie Drake, Linda Holmes' dialogue is great, but the real highlight of this one for me is the friendship between Laurie and June. That's followed by the reconnecting with Laurie's high school sweetheart, then the mystery of the wood duck.

At its heart, FLYING SOLO is about a woman in her late 30s who's cancelled a wedding and not been on a real date since, thinking that maybe she's a hummingbird, rather than a bird with a big flock. Of course, she has a loving family and loads of good friends, it's just the romantic partner thing that's a question mark.

I loved inhaling the first 40% or so of the audiobook, excellently narrated by Julia Whelan. The book lost a little of its luster for me around the three-quarters mark, but I really can't say if that's due to the pacing and some comments I found frustrating, or my own reading pace and lack of patience (as ever: both?). Regardless, this is a book friends loved and one I really liked -- would recommend, especially if you're in the mood for likable characters, a small-town vibe, and reflection on independence.


Review posted to Goodreads on June 17, 2022
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4339263656?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Review to be posted to Instagram, http://www.instagram.com/christine_queenofbooks (by July 17, 2022)

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes takes some very captivating paths in telling Laurie's story. Well written with characters fully portrayed.

I loved this book and I find it almost impossible to talk about why without including spoilers. I just read the synopsis of the book - and yeah, you can check that out - but to me this book was about so much more than what it’s about. I didn’t know anything about it before I started - just that I’m a fan of Linda Holmes and knew I would be in line to read whatever she wrote next.

Laurie is almost 40 and recently chose not to go through with her planned wedding. She ends up temporarily leaving Seattle to return to her hometown in Maine and handle her great-aunt’s estate. Aunt Dot was an adventurer who traveled a lot and experienced a lot in her 90 years and Laurie feels like it’s right to witness that and take care of her possessions.

There is some intrigue around items that are found that make Laurie want to dig deeper into Dot’s past. There’s an ex from high school who is still in town. There are plot things that happen. But as far as I’m concerned - that’s all just background to Laurie figuring out Laurie. And I am HERE FOR IT.

There were times when I wondered how this book could possibly end and how I even wanted it to end - and as far as I’m concerned, it ended perfectly. This would make a great book club book or book to pass around on a vacation w friends because I think there are a lot of interesting themes to discuss and probably a lot of different viewpoints.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Libro.fm for the advance reading and listening copies.

I enjoyed every second of this book: the story was sweet, with a cozy little mystery at the forefront but a deep philosophical look at the vast possibilities of relationships in seasons of life. We follow Laurie as she takes on the challenge of clearing out her favorite great aunt's home after her passing. She finds a wooden duck buried in a cedar chest and cannot shake the idea that this duck is significant. With the help of her life-long best friend, her high school sweetheart, and a rag-tag team of allies, Laurie uncovers the mystery of the duck and the secrets her aunt held for so long. Along the way, Laurie confronts her own ideas about how she wants to live her life: like how she'd always seen her aunt, alone and happy or the path she'd almost taken, marriage and compromise. Or is there another option out there?

I'm not sure I'll be able to tell why after just one read, but this is absolutely a favorite book already. Holmes has a way with dialogue that is so realistic, devoid of any clunkiness or cringe that often needs to be overlooked in cozy stories. Her characters are real and complex and, though a bit absurd, the little mystery was so fun to watch play out. I recommend this book to everyone who wants a good story with more depth than a typical cozy romance/mystery.

**Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine for the eARC**

This novel is about Laurie, who is almost 40 and newly single again after calling her wedding off not long before the book begins, who had returned to her small home town in Maine to help clean out the house of her beloved Aunt Dot, who recently died in her 90s, and who also never married. Laurie reconnects with her best friend and her first boyfriend who both still live in town, and also comes across a duck decoy while cleaning the house and becomes invested in finding out why it’s there and what it’s worth.

I’ve literally been a fan of Linda Holmes for decades, dating back to when she was known as Miss Alli on Television Without Pity, and I also absolutely loved her debut novel Evvie Drake Starts Over, which was one of my top ten books of 2019. So I am disappointed to say that I liked this book but just didn’t love it.

First of all, there was just way too much focus on the duck decoy which was just so random. Some of the shenanigans around it later in the book were fun, and the ultimate resolution to the story about it was good, but it just was not fully convincing why Laurie would become so obsessed with it at the outset, and it just occupied too much of the book. Second, while I really appreciated the message that you don’t need to be married to be complete, Laurie’s unyielding stubbornness about her independence got a little old at times.

Things I did like - I loved the characters and the dialogue definitely rang true, I loved the small town setting, I loved that Laurie was a plus size character but it was barely mentioned. And like I said, I did like that it wasn’t giving off the message that so many books do that marriage is the be all and end all - but just know going in that while a second chance romance is one small part of the storyline, this is definitely not a romance book, and certainly not to the extent Evvie Drake was.

All that is to say, I still enjoyed reading it - I just wanted to love it more than I did. 3.5 stars.

Thank you #NetGalley @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #FlyingSolo upon my request. All opinions are my own.

On the heels of her unexpectedly canceled wedding, Laurie returns to her small hometown in Maine to recover from the disappointment and to handle the estate of her great-aunt. At the bottom of a storage chest, Laurie finds a hand-carved decoy duck and a love letter to her never-been-married aunt. These mysterious items cause a great deal of curiosity and send Laurie on a hunt to uncover the secrets in her aunt’s life. In the process, she reconnects with her old high school friend/boyfriend and begins to reevaluate her decisions about marriage and children.

In the romance genre, we often encounter a “second chances” trope. A single woman (recently jilted) meets a high school boyfriend who is now a handsome, divorced librarian, We think this might go the direction of a tried and true second chance trope. However, Laurie has decided she doesn’t really want to commit to marriage again and also doesn’t want children. Yet, she really likes this guy! Should she rethink her life decisions? Is a complete breakup or a friendship her only two options here?

For me, the missing duck storyline didn’t hold my interest, but the theme of “how much independence can you expect or ask for in a committed relationship” certainly did. I’m sure that certain readers might appreciate this thoughtful and serious question and maybe share Laurie’s thoughts.

Will Laurie get her HEA on her terms? Will she “fly solo”?

Readers who might appreciate Flying Solo include fans of women’s fiction who like a spin on a standard trope, readers who enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over, and those looking for a light beach read.

If you are here for a romance novel, approach with caution. Ye be warned!

The publisher classifies Flying Solo as women's fiction, not romance. The Goodreads page tags it as fiction first, and romance second. Most mentions of the book in press or from the author call it "romantic fiction" or a "love story." This book is about as close as you could possibly get to the romance genre without actually being a romance novel... which is probably isn't.

Every few months, somebody becomes the Romancelandia Twitter Main Character of the Day by deciding that it's "gatekeeping" or "close-minded" that the romance genre has... a definition. They charge in to challenge romance's one ironclad requirement, the HEA, and declare that romances shouldn't have to be stories about people getting together romantically as though 1) they are the first person ever to say this and 2) it makes any damn sense.

The romance community is pretty accustomed to beating these people off with sticks, so I think it's very understandable that this Time interview with author Linda Holmes ruffled some feathers (hah). The article refers to Flying Solo as a romance novel, and went with a pointlessly provocative lede:

"When you’ve spent the majority of your adult life single, sometimes the last thing you want to do is read yet another book with a traditional happy ending—or write one, for that matter. But that doesn’t mean it can’t still be a romance novel."

This quote, along with the dumb title ("Author Linda Holmes Doesn’t Believe in One-Size-Fits-All Romance") was rightfully dragged, but I think it's unfair to dismiss this book because the Times writer said something ridiculous. This take isn't backed up by the author or the content of the book. And when you read the full article (especially the actual quotes from the author) it's pretty clear that the emphasis here is on "traditional." This is a book with a happy ending, just not a traditional one.

While Linda Holmes doesn't call the book a romance novel, it is definitely in conversation with the romance genre, particularly when it comes to the idea of the HEA. What Flying Solo offers, though, isn't a repudiation of the HEA, but a potential expansion of it. It's similar to the push for the HFN to be recognized as valid--not instead of a proper romance ending, but as one possible kind. The traditional, usual trappings of the HEA (cohabitation, major life change) don't make sense for this character. Could there be other options?

This is a question our protagonist, Laurie, is consciously grappling with. She looks to the examples set by women in her life, but they just don't feel right for her. If she's not willing to uproot her life at 40, not interested in living with or intertwining her life with another person, does that mean she has to be alone? She claims she's happy by herself, but is that just because she assumes there are no other options?

If you want assurance before you begin, I can tell you that [the book ends with an epilogue of the couple happily together in a committed, long-term relationship. The arrangement is unconventional. The couple doesn't live together, not even always in the same city, but it seems implied that they are exclusive and they are clearly quite in love. (hide spoiler)]

That said, I still think it would be wrong to shelve this book as romance, simply because relationship development isn't the focus of the story. Laurie's relationship with Will feels fleshed out to me, but it doesn't shape the major contours of the book. It's mostly a catalyst for Laurie's self-reflection. When she comes back to her hometown and reconnects with her first love, it forces her to confront those big questions about her own HEA.

I went into this book expecting romance-ey women's fiction, so I felt satisfied. If I had gone in expecting a true romance novel, I probably would have been disappointed.

Anyway... how was the book, you say? The thing I'm supposed to be talking about?

I adored it. This is the coziest thing I've ever read. I was wrapped in a warm but respectfully loose hug the whole time. Linda Holmes' dialogue hits the sweet spot for me. It feels so natural but elevated just 10% with extra wit and precision. The whole thing is just so warm and affectionate. I don't usually go for really quiet women's lit; I tend to find it boring. But this sweet little plot about a carved duck had me honestly on the edge of my seat. I was SO INVESTED in this duck, and invested in Laurie's search for meaning in it.

This book vibrated exactly at my frequency. I related so deeply to this protagonist (we even wear the same dress size!) and the little punches of humor hit me just right. [About halfway through, I realized what was about to happen and started chanting out loud, "duck! heist! duck! heist!" I turned the page to see: " "Heist!" Lisa repeated. She started clapping her hands. "Heist! Heist! Heist!"" So joyful. (hide spoiler)]

Many thanks to Ballantine Books at Random House for the advance copy of this book for review. No money changed hands for this review and all opinions are my own.

Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine to clean out her deceased aunt's house. They were very close; Laurie is from a family with four loud brothers and her single aunt Dot's house was her quiet refuge. As Laurie goes thru her aunt's possessions, she gets to know her aunt and herself in a whole new way. Throw in an old boyfriend, a best friend who is at a different stage in her life, and a caper to do with a stolen and possibly valuable carved duck, and this book strikes the perfect balance between plot and character driven.

I loved Laurie and how honest she was about her less "acceptable" choice in life to remain single. I loved that at 40 and a self-descripted not slim woman, she was also thoughtful, independent, clever, and loving. I loved her friends and the storyline of the duck (who knew an old wooden duck could cause so much trouble and be so interesting?)
Linda Holmes' second book is just as warm and wise as her first book, Evvie Drake Starts Over, and I loved it just as much.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Laurie is facing turning forty and recently called off her wedding. Her favorite Aunt Dot has died, and Laurie is given the unenviable task of cleaning out her aunt’s house when the rest of her family is too busy to do so. She finds herself back in her small Maine childhood hometown, trying to solve the mysteries of Aunt Dot’s life and reconnecting with old friends and lovers. When she finds a strange wooden duck figure in one of her aunt’s trunks, she looks more into it, and hijinks ensue, for fun and caper-level results.
This book, this book. I have so much love for Evie Drake Starts Over that I was worried I would instantaneously not like this book, just because. It is a very different book, and Laurie and Evie are very different people. Linda Holmes has this ability to write in a way that is eloquent and soothing. There’s a genuine nature to the happenings in the story that can’t be faked. I just loved the earnest energy of this novel. Flying Solo is like going on a nice weekend R&R trip without ever leaving your house. Even though I stayed up late reading, I still didn’t feel tired the next day. I can’t recommend this one enough, it’s the perfect chill summer read.
Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

When Laurie Sassalyn returned to the small Maine town she grew up in, she just planned to clean out her great-aunt’s house and then move on. She would see her best friend from childhood and maybe her high school boyfriend who is now the town librarian. And she would clean out the house her 93-year-old great-aunt had lived in.

When Laurie was a kid, with four brothers in the house, she would have a hard time finding some peace and quiet. She would head down to Dot’s house, and Dot would immediately open the door and invite her in. Dot’s house had been Laurie’s sanctuary from the chaos of her home. Dot had never married, and she had no children, so Laurie had volunteered to clear out the house. As a freelance nature writer, she had a more flexible schedule than her brothers, and her parents had moved to Florida.

Dot had loved to travel and had packed her house with souvenirs as well as photos and books. Laurie found boxes and boxes of Polaroids in the third bedroom’s closet. The books had been stacked all over. The travel souvenirs had been displayed on shelves. But the duck had been wrapped in blankets and placed in a chest. All Dot’s other pieces had been out for everyone to see, but this one wood duck decoy had been hidden away. Laurie knows that there is a story there, but she doesn’t know what the story is.

When an antiques dealer comes over to help survey Dot’s belongings, he doesn’t think that the duck is worth much. Laurie agrees with him and ends up selling him the duck for fifty dollars. But when she does some more research on the duck, she finds that it might be worth something. In fact, it might be worth a lot of money. A little more research, and Laurie figures out that the antiques dealer may not be the nice guy he pretends to be.

As Laurie tries to figure out the story behind the duck, and behind the antiques dealer who may have conned her out of it, she also finds herself with warm feelings for her ex-boyfriend Nick. While she loves her home in Seattle and absolutely doesn’t want to move back to Maine, she can’t deny how happy she is around Nick. Laurie had already walked away from one engagement, and she was happy with that decision because she wanted a relationship she could believe in. One that she could be herself in. Is it possible to find her answers and find love in Maine, or will she end up heading back to Seattle alone and duck-less?

Flying Solo is the latest novel from NPR’s beloved Pop Culture Happy Hour host Linda Holmes. This novel is part coming home, part love story, with just a hint of Ocean’s Eleven, and it’s filled with sweetness and charm. Like all the sentimental treasures in Dot’s house, Flying Solo has lots of small moments and phrases that bring genuine smiles of surprise and delight. But the best part of this story is the characters, particularly Laurie, who is a bit of an odd duck and will appeal to others who don’t quite fit the mold themselves.

I thought that reading Flying Solo was a beautiful experience. It was like a respite in the chaos of daily life, a break from all the noise, to get to spend some time in Maine, in the library, or in Dot’s house, or plotting to con a con artist. I felt like this was inventive and inclusive, and I would recommend it to anyone who is searching for a book that will feel like a mini-vacation. Grab some wine or make yourself a cranberry mocktail and curl up with this novel on a quiet weekend and learn the true story of Dot’s duck.

Egalleys for Flying Solo were provided by Ballantine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.