Thank you to NetGalley for an earc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely excited for this book because I loved Evvie Drake so much! However, this one fell a little flat to me. I felt like there was so much potential to dive into Laurie’s life and the life of Great Aunt Dot. I wish the focus would have been more on Dot’s life and how it was so full even though she didn’t have a “conventional” life. I feel like all of this got lost because we had to follow the duck. I found that storyline a little dull and because we were so focused on that, it felt like the connection to the characters, particularly a relationship between Nick and Laurie, was lost.

This one had so much potential but ultimately fell short for me.

I loved Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I was very excited for the opportunity to read Linda Holmes newest release. While Flying Solo was a quick, enjoyable read that mixed women's fiction with elements of contemporary romance and mystery, the story itself fell a little bit flat for me. I loved Laurie's connection to her aunt, the funny and witty banter, the second chance romance storyline and the small Maine town setting. However, what didn't work for me was the heavy emphasis on the duck decoy mystery. I think it took away from Laurie's character growth and made me lose focus in the story. 

I did a read/listen combo and if you are to pick this one up, get the audiobook because Julia Whealon was great! Thank you Ballantine and PRH audio for a copy of this ARC and ALC.

I never thought I’d read a book about a wooden hunting duck, but here I am. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine to after her great-aunt passes to pack up her house. Laurie comes across lots of relics but hones in on a wooden duck. What was its meaning? Why does her great aunt have this? Is it worth something? While she’s discovering this, she also reconnects with her first love.

It’s definitely more women’s fiction than romance. I loved Laurie’s story about not settling and be confident and strong in who you are. It was a bit odd to have a whole story about this wooden duck though. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Flying Solo is the latest novel from Linda Holmes and will be released on June 14, 2022. Random House Publishing provided me an early galley in exchange for an honest review.

My first exposure to this author was through her debut novel Evvie Drake Starts Over; I selected it for the book club at the library where I work. It was an enjoyable, character-driven contemporary novel set in a fictious small town in Maine. And while Flying Solo is not a sequel to that one, it does take place in the same fictious town with an Easter egg reference to that novel as well.

Holmes again serves up a varied cast of characters who speak and act like folks you'd find in your day to day life. That tells me that she has a good observational eye as well as a good ear for dialogue. I also find it interesting that this book's plot centers around a duck while the lead character of her first novel was named after a male duck (a drake). Do I sense a pattern here? We'll see when she puts out her book three.

As a librarian myself, I naturally had an affinity towards the character of Nick Cooper. Holmes must either know a librarian or done her research into the profession as his actions and words had a very familiar, very authentic ring to them. Beyond that, I also felt a lot of sympathy towards him as the story progressed and as Laurie repeatedly pointed out how she wanted to spend the rest of her life. I couldn't fault Laurie for wanting what she wanted or fault Holmes with how she presented Laurie as a strong, independent woman who held firmly to that vision. Given all that, I found the ending unsatisfying. A commitment to a relationship means compromise; I seemed like Laurie was compromising a lot less than what Nick was. In the end, I don't think Nick would have ended up happy.

Flying Solo is part general fiction, part contemporary romance, and part mystery. I found myself laughing out loud many times, but also thinking through the situation of being a woman approaching 40 who just called off her wedding. I loved the connection from Laurie back to Dot and seeing the parallels in their lives. I was really engaged in this the whole time and found it to be a really enjoyable story… I think the whole focus on the wooden ducks just threw me for a bit of a loop because it was a little random. Thank you to Ballantine for the copy of this ARC and to PRH Audio for the ALC!

Holmes takes us back to Calcasset to explore the life of another awesomely nontraditional woman, Laura. Laura's great aunt, Dot, passes away & she is elected by her family to tie up all the loose ends. Who knew that sorting through her aunt's things woudl take her on a wild goose chase. Lucky for Laura, she knew just how to rise to the occassion & obtain the support she needed to do such. Things get complicated when Laura sparks up an old flame, but has to be blunt about her aversion to marriage. Holmes does an excellent job in keeping the reader engaged & invested in the juicy storyline provided.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

This is a story about family.  Laurie is on the verge of turning 40 when she returns to the small Maine town where she grew up to help pack up the house of her beloved aunt who recently died at 93.  Dot's house served as Laurie's refuge when she was growing up, a place to escape her often raucous house full of her four brothers.   As Laurie is going through Dot's collectibles from her travels and her decades of Polaroid pictures, she comes across a mysterious wooden deck hidden away in a chest.   Laurie's interest is piqued, especially when she comes across what she believes in a reference to the duck being valuable in a love letter to her aunt, who never married but had a series of suitors.

After consulting with an estate expert, Laurie is informed that the duck is one of many and has no financial value, so sells it for a nominal fee to the person helping to dispose of her aunt's belongings.  But then Laurie comes to believe there is more to the duck then she was led to believe -- and engages in an increasingly intense caper to reclaim the duck and learn its true provenance.  In the course of her efforts, Laurie reconnects with her best friend from growing up, still living their in hometown; reconsiders the role she plays in her large family; and grapples with what she wants from her future once she turns forty -- and whether she, like her aunt, wants to continue flying solo.

I read this book in a single day.  I really enjoyed the author's previous book, Evvie Drake Starts Over, so I was excited to receive this one.  Like the author's first book, this was a nuanced exploration of family life and romantic relationships.  Laurie was a compelling main character, and the author did a terrific job of showing how she struggled with figuring out what she wanted for her next phase.  I really appreciated how seriously the book took Laurie's desire to be independent and why that was important to her.  The relationships between Laurie and her best friend and Laurie and her first love felt authentic.  I enjoyed this exploration of whether it was possible, or desirable, to ever go home again -- and how there is no single answer to that question.  And the mystery about the duck and truth about its background was, on its own, fun and fully engaging.

Strongly recommended!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley. There are a few stories threaded into one. Staying true to yourself in love and pursuit of happiness, while making tough decisions. Society’s expectations for couples, especially women to conform to certain roles. Spinster aunt, with untold loves, has kept a few secrets for over 50 years. After she passed away, her niece is in charge of cleaning the house and estate. A duck decoy is discovered. This item holds the key to her aunt’s history and ignites a retrospective look at Laurie’s relationship with Nick. Lots to think about when the story has ended. Kept me wondering. Recommend if you like romance and mystery.

A perfect light romantic summer read! Laurie returns home to her hometown to discover herself and in the midst of that in walks an old friend who quickly becomes a love interest. A wonderful cozy romantic read.

3.75

I adored Evvie Drake Starts Over so I had high hopes for Flying Solo and while it didn't quite hit the bar Evvie set it was still an engaging and enjoyable read.

What I loved about this novel was how well Ms. Holmes set the place and made me feel as if I was right there alongside Laurie as she packs up her Great Aunt Dot's home. As a childless Aunt myself, this story hit a lot of chords and I hope that I leave a few mysteries behind for my nieces and nephews to find and wonder about!

I also loved that it showed that there isn't one path to happiness. One can find the love of their life and it doesn't always have to end in marriage OR in a human at all! That's the true beauty of this book IMO.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very charming read! Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine as the "volunteer" to go through her great-Aunt Dot's house after her death, a house filled to the brim with all sorts of pictures, collectibles, and years of souvenirs. As Laurie starts clearing everything out in the house, she comes across a wooden duck. This duck seems like all the rest of the items in the house - just another item not worth much - until it becomes part of a larger mystery on how Dot came to own it.

While Laurie is back home, she also confronted by her own past in the form of her old high school/college boyfriend, Nick. He's recently divorced, and as luck would have it, Laurie recently canceled her wedding. She is immediately drawn to him but is concerned that she is only in town temporarily and plans to return back to Seattle once she completes the house clean up. Nick and her childhood friend June help Laurie out with the mystery of the duck, along with some other quirky characters.

This was a sweet, charming story. Definitely an easy read, perfect for summer reading at the beach. There's a little mystery, plus a second chance romance thrown in, and a cast of characters and setting that you will fall in love with.

Thank you to Random House for the opportunity to read and review.

This was cute! I didn’t enjoy it as much as Evvie Drake Starts Over, but it was a cozy read set in the same fictional universe as Evvie Drake. I liked that Laurie was in her late 30’s and very self aware. She knows what she wants and what makes her happy and she’s not going to settle for someone just because “he’s fine and he didn’t rule you out.” I also liked how Holmes was able to organically write about a size 18 woman without making it a big deal or a huge plot point. She’s just that size. Moving on. I love reading about women of all shapes and sizes but there’s nothing worse than when it’s forced (like the author is just trying to check some boxes).

Flying Solo is definitely a cozy and comfortable story. I enjoyed reading about a woman who doesn’t feel the need to conform to what society thinks she should want. The plot was a bit too uneventful for my particular tastes and I usually like more romance, but this was charming nonetheless.

Flying Solo is another gem from Pop Culture Happy Hour host and novelist Linda Holmes. While I didn't love it as much as Evvie Drake Starts Over, this is well worth a read!

Laurie returns to her small hometown in Maine to pack up her late great aunt Dot’s house. Dot was in her 90’s and lived a carefree life and never married. Present day Laurie is unsure if she ever wants to settle down. In Dot’s house is a wooden duck that may hold monetary value, it is stolen and Laurie goes on a heist to get it back all while learning so much more about herself and her aunt.
It is rare that a book makes me laugh out loud, this book did it. Such an engaging and endearing book.

I really liked Ms. Holmes' first romance and this one had a lot of promise for me but in the end it was a lot of jigsaw pieces that really really really looked like they should fit but didn't. It felt a bit like a bait and switch to me. And it's not a romance. She's a great writer though.

After her canceled wedding, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown to settle her great-aunt's estate. Digging through her aunt's house, Laurie is surprised to find an old love letter with a strange signoff and a gorgeous carved wooden duck. When the duck disappears under suspicious circumstances, Laurie dives into her great-aunt's secrets and discovers what it means to make a life for yourself.

Flying Solo is a cute summer romance about discovering yourself in your midlife full of silly hijinx as Laurie fights to get back her aunt's duck with the help of old friends and a handsome ex-boyfriend. Holmes's story heavily relies on the concept of an alternate happily ever after, showcasing that marriage is not for everyone.

I know of Linda Holmes from her Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast so of course I had to check out her book. I kind of feel the same way about this book as I did with her first book. It was ok, but not anything that really sticks with you. It’s just an easy beach read.

As a fan of Evvie Drake Starts Over, I was excited to read this one. I find Ms. Holmes' characters are much more true to life than is typical in the romcom genre. I enjoyed that Laurie is an independent woman who has lived life, and isn't the quirky female lead so common in these books. Really fun plot and creative ending!

Flying Solo was absolutely charming and such a cozy read! Linda Holmes wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of Linda Holmes' second book, Flying Solo. I'm sorry to say that I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book. I was far more interested in the life of the recently deceased aunt Dot rather than those of the people left to sort through her things after her death. I'm not generally a huge fan of romance, so we'll chalk my disinterest up to that. As a huge fan of Linda Holmes' work on NPR and Pop Culture Happy Hour, I found the writing to be the best part of this book.