I'm a woman in her mid 40's. I'm "sturdy" as the book terms it. I love my aloneness, and my independence. i saw a piece of myself in Flying Solo, and I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again.

I loved everything about this book, the mystery, the heart, the steamyness.

This is required reading.

I was so excited to receive an advance copy of Linda Holmes’ upcoming book as I loved her prior novel, Evie Drake Starts Over so much! After her beloved aunt passes away, Laurie volunteers to clean out her home back in her hometown in coastal Maine. While cleaning out her aunt’s home, Laurie finds a carved wooden duck that seems like it was hidden, but no one knows what it means. Laurie is convinced to give the duck away against her better judgement and thus begins an adventure of trying to get the duck back and figuring out what it meant to her aunt. Besides the duck story line, Laurie is trying to find herself and understand what she wants from her life as a almost 40 year old woman who wants to live life on her own terms. I really liked how Linda Holmes shared an unconventional romance in the story too- so refreshing and awesome to read about!

Returning to small town Maine for her second novel, Linda Holmes brings comfort, humor, and warmth to *the* romance read of the summer.

Laurie Sassalyn has called off her wedding and now finds herself back in her hometown, cleaning out the house of her recently deceased unmarried great aunt, Dot. Laurie loves her life—her time, her space, her home decor—and never wants to marry, but people seem to pity Aunt Dot for living alone—is Laurie seeing her future? Holmes is not a cynical writer, and the truth of Dot’s life (and Laurie’s, for that matter) is more complicated than even friends and family know.

The central mystery of the story concerns a carved duck decoy, and only Holmes’ wit and charm could make a novel of it. It’s a setup that’s a little goofy, but I’ll take a little goofy from Linda Holmes any day. It was a delight to be back in the company of her characters in this worthy follow-up to Evvie Drake Starts Over. I only wish I could start each summer with a new novel from Linda Holmes.

Set in the same small Maine town as Evvie Drake Starts Over, Flying Solo is a sweet book with romance, heists, friendships, and humor. It's a book about second-chance loves and building lives that defy societal expectations. And it's a book that tries to do too much, although I appreciate the ambition of it.

Laurie has returned to the small town she grew up in so that she can sort through her beloved great-aunt's home after Dot passes away. Like Dot, Laurie seems better solo: nearing 40, she has no plans to marry after breaking off her engagement the year before. She does not want children and sleeps better alone. She's not a loner, though; she has a rich life full of friends in Seattle, and in her hometown, she reunites with her long-time bestie and her first love. They both help her first in sorting through Dot's things, and then in executing a madcap heist/caper. While she rekindles her romance with that first love, she is not sure she can--or wants to--reshape her life on the West Coast to accommodate this new-old romance.

This novel falls in the cozy romance genre, with a definite Hallmark feel. Where it deviates is that the heroine is not ready to give up her life to embrace her second-chance love. Laurie is also trying to understand her great-aunt better, perhaps to better understand herself and the decisions she has chosen to make that have led to her solo lifestyle.

The book tries to do a lot, including grappling with societal expectations for women, teasing out the nuances in different lifestyles women make, and addressing the challenges of pursuing relationships in middle age. All of this takes place atop Laurie trying to unearth the mysteries of her aunt's earlier life, which leads her and her new and old friends on a humorous adventure. The adventure is the best defined aspect of the book, perhaps because it is plot driven. Many other aspects of the plot get thin treatment: we don't learn enough about Dot's life, even though it is ostensibly the driver of the action; important side characters seem more like sketches than actual people; and aspects of the romance are hastily delivered. The thematic elements about how to build a life and incorporate others into it, especially as a woman who chooses not to marry or have children, offer a few moment of depth but largely remain in the shallow end.

We don't see enough romance heroines who chose the life that Laurie has chosen--who do not, ultimately, try to figure out how to rearrange themselves for their relationship rather than making their relationship work within their existing lives. Flying Solo is worth the read for that alone, and you will certainly enjoy the warm and humorous ride it takes you on.

The quintessential "almost 40 year old woman involved in a cozy mystery in an idyllic setting" novel for modern times -- it made me smile, it calmed my brain, and was exactly what I was looking for during the summer months. Don't miss the Evvie Drake mention, either! Thank you to #NetGalley for my copy.

Wow! I read this in one sitting last, crying through big chunks of it. As a librarian who deals antiques on the side, and who has always felt attached to the word "independent," I have rarely felt more seen by a book. She gets librarianship right and she gets independence right. The plot is delightful and funny.

Don't be put off by the other reviewers who are disappointed but the lack of growth in the protagonist! They don't get it!

Flying Solo was a lovely look at love and frief. I think it's been somewhat mis-marketed as I was expecting more of a romance, and this is definitely more of a women's fiction book. That's a positive for me. I appreciated the mild mystery of what did the message in the duck mean. Moreover, I loved the characters and the town and enjoyed the time I spent with them.

Absolutely delicious. Loved this book. I was such a fan of the first book by Holmes and her lead character Evvie. Completely devoured this one. It will be a great summer read for all. I finished, and immediately went. (and loved the tiny Evvie shoutout in this one!)

No spoilers, but I loved how the book ends. As a single, successful, happy 39 year old about to turn 40 this summer (with a birthday eerily close to Laurie's!) I loved the character of Laurie- her assurance in her choices, her kindness, her easy trusting then outrage at being swindled (and her incredibly intelligent revenge) her friendships new and old, and her family relationships. The love interests, the friendships, the career choices, all so well done and real. Great dialogue. An honest and open approach to being confident in your own skin and choices. So well done, and really resonated with me at this stage in my life. Plus, the plot keeps you turning the pages (which I did so quickly that I'm now disappointed I'm done!).

Now, off to research buying a house in Maine...

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. This is my honest review for netgalley, Goodreads, and Instragram.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Linda Holmes can do no wrong. It felt comforting to be back in the same universe as Evvie Drake Starts Over, to explore more of small town Maine. Focusing on the happiness of Laurie as an independent, unmarried woman felt like a fresh take that hasn't been explored much in other titles coming out now, and Holmes provides the perfect voice for that exploration. All that said-- as much as I enjoyed the story, the characters felt a bit flat at times, especially compared to how they were developed in Evvie Drake.

"...you don't have to be single to be independent. And you don't have to be married to be loved. That's not the choice."

Linda Holmes has done it again with an absolute wonderful book that gives you all the warm and fuzzy feelings and the biggest book hangover! This is my favorite type of book...it has a beautiful representation of friendship groups, it has a strong and independent female protagonist, it has a sweet and realistic romance and, of course, a mini mystery involving a wooden duck decoy that had me way more invested than I could ever imagine! Holmes is one of my favorite authors for the way she writes dialogue and banter--it is witty, heartfelt and, many times-laugh out loud funny.

After the death of her beloved Aunt Dot, Laurie temporarily moves back to her childhood hometown when tasked with cleaning out her house. While organizing and de-cluttering a lifetime of cherished items, she discovers a mysterious wooden duck decoy that piques her curiosity. What follows is a journey of self-discovery, new friendships and rekindled romance with her high school sweetheart, Nick.

Holmes writes character development so well; I felt like I was right along with Laurie, rooting for her, grieving with her, celebrating and growing with her. Just an absolute gem of a book and will be one of my favorites of the year!

#FlyingSolo #NetGalley #LindaHolmes

Deaths affect every one differently, especially when it is your favorite relative. Laurie has always admired her Aunt Dot's care-free and independent lifestyle. So when Laurie finds a mysterious decoy duck among her aunt's belongings, she's confused and then conned into selling it to a guy she nicknames the Grim Reaper. Realizing her mistake, she pulls her best friend June, her old high school boyfriend Nick, and her family into this wild, "duck" chase to get back her decoy duck, which may or may not be valuable.

With a bit of everything for everyone (part women's fiction, part mystery, and part rom-com with Nick the sexy librarian) and Julia Whelan as the narrator, the crazy duck drama and June's advice is what kept me listening.

I really enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over but this latest novel from Linda Holmes really fell flat for me. Laurie was an okay character but there was little character development throughout.

Delightful! A different look at what it means to be committed to someone while maintaining independence and freedom.

I liked this book but it was definitely lacking something 🧐

I wanted to like it so much because I loved Evie Drake Starts Over.

And it was a sweet book with like able characters I just think maybe the characters were not right for each other and didn’t fit the roles they played. I don’t feel like the ending was completely fair to either of them…

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for a review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The whole time I was reading Flying Solo by Linda Holmes, I kept hearing the Tom Petty’s song in my head,
🦆
“I'm learning to fly,
But I ain't got wings,
Coming down,
Is the hardest thing”
🦆
This book was about more than a wood duck found in a cedar chest. It was about relationships and expectations. People want to put labels on everyone, and women flying solo are assumed to be lonely. But it is not always so. Some people fly best when they make their own decisions and choose their future. I adored Aunt Dot in this book because she knew she wasn’t meant for a traditional marital relationship which gave the lead protagonist, Laurie, something to consider when making grown-up decisions. Laurie, like Aunt Dot, is a free spirit, and she meets life on her terms even when her first love makes it hard. I loved this book. I thought the message was outstanding and reminded all of us that there are options in life and when there are not…you make new options. In this story, we have the ingredients for a good life, strong friendships, great love, a wonderful family, and an endearing lead character. What more could you ask for? I’m a big fan of Linda Holmes.
🦆
“Now some say life
I will beat you down
Yeah, break your heart
Steal your crown
So I started out
For God knows where
I guess I'll know
When I get there”
~Tom Petty
🦆
#love #relationships #relatives #romance #heartbreak #mystery #oldloves #newloves #Maine #antiques #trust #risk #FlyingSolo #LindaHolmes #netgalley #cutebookcover @netgalley @ballantinecorp @randomhouse
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: June 2022.

#bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #bookish #bookblogger #bookinfluencer

When Laurie's Great Aunt Dot dies she is tasked with going through her belongings and clearing out the house she lived in for 93 years. What Laurie finds will take her on a wild duck chase. This book has mystery, intrigue, friendship and love.

I absolutely loved Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I was very excited to dive into this one. I loved the cozy Maine setting and the small town trope. Although I was able to fly through the book it never quite gripped me like Evvie Drake did. For me I was a little disappointed in Laurie's lack of character growth, and I thought that the duck mystery took away the opportunity for that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I felt the story line was original and fresh. I felt like I was on a journey with Laurie as she was going through her Aunt Dot’s belongings. Through her Aunt Dot’s secrets she was able to find her own way in a relationship she let go of long ago but still enjoyed again on her own terms.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this delightful read. My opinions are my own.

Linda Holmes is an excellent writer, and I also love her podcast, Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. I kept “hearing” Linda’s voice as I read her book, which made it all the more delightful.
The main character, Laurie, is unlike any protagonist I’ve seen before, and I really liked her. She’s a complex, realistic woman, and while I didn’t identify with her challenges, I liked getting to know someone very different from me. She’s also funny and lovable. The plot concerns family history, a heist, and a romance, and it kept me engaged from start to finish.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

This books is a little bit of everything. It's a romance and it's also a family drama with a mystery component. I was invested from start to finish. Laurie is about to turn 40, she's recently called off her wedding, and now she's returned to her hometown to sort through the home of her great aunt who has passed away. She's proud of the life she has back in Seattle but she's torn between it and the comfort and familiarity of being back home. When she finds a mysterious item tucked in her aunt's stuff, she needs to follow through on figuring out its history. This is an emotional story with some great humor. I highly recommend it for fans of romance and women's fiction.

A really lovely exploration of a woman settling into comfort with herself, and finding that happiness cam look however we decide. On the brink of 40 myself, and more than a bit eccentric, I deeply appreciated the delicacy and complexity of the portrait.