This is a story about Laurie, who is back in her hometown tasked with cleaning out her great aunt Dot’s home after her passing. While going through Dot’s (many, many) things Laurie discovers a decoy duck she is taken with.

Laurie has hired an appraiser, so after he’s sold a few of Dot’s things for her on consignment she entrusts him to have the decoy duck evaluated, as it may have some value. After the appraiser confirms to Laurie it has no value, she agrees to sell it to him for $50 but she almost immediately realizes her mistake when reviewing the, not so authentic, appraisal invoice that she may have been conned.

Laurie gets together with her friends (old and new) and family (including her old boyfriend, Nick, the local librarian) to get back her decoy, while learning more about her Great Aunt Dot along the way.

This book is lots of fun with lots of great characters and a realistic take on relationships and love while maintaining your own identity.

I had a really good time with this; four stars!


Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What do your possessions say about you? What secrets do they carry? These questions are explored in Flying Solo by Linda Holmes. When Laurie’s Aunt Dot passes away she leaves a house full of knick-knacks, Polaroid photos, and souvenirs from many trips and adventures. Among the possessions is a wooden carved duck that becomes integral to this story as Laurie tries to figure out where it came from and why her Aunt Dot has it.

Laurie Sassalyn is almost forty, newly out of a broken engagement and very happy living her single life. But coming back to her hometown brings up memories, emotions, and her first love, Nick Cooper. Together they try to figure out Dot’s past and in the process old feelings come to the surface.

Mystery, intrigue, old flames, family, best friends, and a con man all come together in this romantic comedy that made me laugh out loud and cheer desperately for Laurie and Nick. I love the characters, the charm of the small town setting, and the second chance romance between two people who never stopped loving each other. This was a very enjoyable and heartwarming story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This author’s debut, Evvie Drake Starts Over (set in the same small Maine town), was a real winner for me. Unfortunately this second effort, not so much.

Laurie, a single Seattle journalist on the cusp of 40 (she is overly obsessed with this number), is tasked with returning to her hometown to clean out her beloved late aunt’s house. She reconnects with her bf June and first love Nick who is now a librarian. She discovers a hidden wooden duck decoy in a chest, and they set out to solve the mystery of why it meant so much to her carefree, adventurous aunt.

I liked the witty banter between characters, and the writing itself was fine. I did feel the duck “mystery” was too overdone/predominant and not as interesting as I had hoped when resolved, with the romance not center stage.

While I did enjoy Nick and June as characters, I did not like Laurie. I appreciate and applaud that Holmes was making a point through Laurie’s independent nature that women do not have to marry and birth babies to be “normal”, fulfilled and happy. However, Laurie came across as selfish and too rigid and at times as if she were trying to convince herself that she was right. While I wasn’t necessarily expecting her to change, she also experienced no growth arc at all which was rather a letdown for me. She seemed “stuck”.

I ended up seeing her as a bit of a “user”, and I had a hard time with her wishy-washiness in her relationship (both past and present) with Nick. And by the end, she just came off to me as wanting what she wanted with not much wiggle room for others in her life. I rate this as an OK read but not really up to what I had hoped.

My thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Ballantine Books for providing the free early arc of Flying Solo for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I’ve been a fan of Linda Holmes for a very long time having listened to her podcast for ages. I also.very much loved her first book. It took me a bit longer to get into this one, but I ultimately enjoyed it. I’m not a romance expert, but it felt like it deviated from the some of the standard tropes, but that made it fresh and less predicable than many books.

I feel like I know Ms. Holmes cultural touch points and references through her podcast so I appreciated those types of references throughout. I’ve also thought, ‘But I’m going to be 40’ many times. I enjoyed all of the characters and also love a good heist so that was fun.

Overall it was a lovely book that I think readers will enjoy.

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes is a book that gives a realistic look at family, second chances, and the possibility of living a life outside of society’s pre-patterned form. Laurie, just shy of 40 years old, isn’t obsessed with marriage, children, or the house with the picket fence but is satisfied with the ‘solo’ life she has created. Aunt Dot’s house was always her respite, a childhood escape from her own family’s household of seven. She returns home to clean out Dot’s house and reconnects with teen boyfriend and librarian Matt. With his help and that of a wooden duck decoy, she uncovers Aunt Dot’s love story.
In this tale, the reader strolls through a quaint town and meets endearing characters. There are comfort books just as there are comfort foods. Flying Solo is best served with a warm bakery treat.

This book was earthy, cute, and about unique quirky characters. The storyline wasn't nearly as good as Ms. Holmes's previous book, but it was still interesting. Would recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC
#FlyingSolo #NetGalley

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes is her follow-up novel to Evvie Drake Starts Over. (And yes, there is an Evvie Drake reference)

“Laurie Sasslyn has recently canceled her wedding and is approaching 40. Her favorite aunt dies and Laurie is the family member available to go through her aunt’s possessions. She finds an odd object stashed under some quilts. Her aunt never told anyone about it. Laurie searches for her aunt’s story at the same time as she tries to find her own. Especially with an old boyfriend she’s still attracted to.”

I love this character from Holmes. Laurie knows what she wants and how she likes things. Many will relate to her comments about wedding gifts. (Who has a waffle maker with an app? 😂) There are lots of great observations about what makes a fulfilled life. Some great interactions with friends and family. And a dislikable villain 😡
Pretty sure this is going to make my Top Ten this year. This is a wonderful book from Holmes.

I was such a huge fan of Evvie Drake Starts Over that I couldn’t wait to check out this author's next novel. I think I went in with too high of an expectation to only be slightly let down. The writing style was flawless in execution with a flow that made the book well throughout, but I couldn’t connect with the content. I craved more romance than women's fiction.

I did appreciate the overall message that was portrayed and how the author redefined the meaning of a happily ever after, the quirky characters, and the wonderful banter, but at times the story lagged and became repetitive. I desired that emotional attachment to either the story or the characters and sadly I didn’t find that with this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC

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.

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), it sort of ruined the romance aspect of the book. My overall feeling while reading this book was one part frustration and one part apathy. 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 to 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 but this one didn’t work for me.

I loved Holmes' previous book, so I was very excited for this one. My favorite part of the story is how unique it is. Such a specific situation that makes for a great read. Would definitely recommend!

The author of Evvie Drake Starts Over offers a new rom com story just in time for Spring!
Laurie is still hurting from her cancelled wedding and returns to her hometown in Maine to deal with her Great-Aunt Dot's estate. Dot was an amazing individual and featured in many of Laurie's childhood memories. She provided a much needed escape from a boisterous home and provided a role model of a strong independent woman.

Upon arrival Laurie finds eclectic and interesting items throughout the house including a precious wooden duck. When the duck disappears, Laurie embarks on nothing less then a caper to identify the meaning of the duck and it's value. Toss some unresolved feelings for her ex and a handful of interesting characters to spice up the story and you have a gem!

Flying Solo is a bright, sharp and fabulous book for anyone who has felt apart from the pack, behind in the race of life or just strives for an independent lifestyle. #FlyingSolo #NetGalley #RandomHouse

This book really spoke to me. It’s like it was meant for me. I’m loving Linda’s books. I hope there will be another. Just loved this one!

I had really been looking forward to this book, as I had enjoyed Linda Holmes first novel, Effie Drake Starts Over. And while there were parts of Flying Solo that I did enjoy and admire, overall I was not that engaged with the story or even fully invested in the characters. Maybe in part because much of the plot involves the mystery surrounding a duck decoy (yes, you read that correctly) that Laurie, the main character, discovers hidden as she is clearing out the home of her beloved great Aunt Dot, who had recently died. I did not care about the duck, it's provenance, or the crime surrounding it.
What I did appreciate is the reignited romance between Laurie and her former high school sweetheart, Nick, who is now the librarian in her small Maine hometown. Of course I'm a sucker for all things library related, although Linda Holmes must know that public library directorships don't just get handed down from parents to son, but I digress. There is genuine caring between these two, smart and witty dialogue, exes that aren't villains. Real life quandaries about relationships as you approach middle age.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I started and finished this book in one sitting and really enjoyed it! Huge thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy. Much like Evvie Drake Starts Over, this is a cozy, low-steam romance that’s perfect for swapping with your mom or grandma. I feel like the pacing was a bit off and it ran a tad long, but since this was an uncorrected ARC that may change before pub day. It was a warm, cozy romance with a tiny bit of heist/mystery-solving thrown in and was a throughly enjoyable read!

After Laurie's 90 year old great aunt passes away, she heads back home to help clean out her aunt's home in her home state of Maine. She discovers a wooden duck hidden in a trunk that sets her on a course to find out if it is valuable or just special to her family. With a smidge of plot about friendship, rekindling relationships, and a tiny bit of mystery, this was cute but did not have the pull that Evvie Drake had for me. The main character's insistence on certain aspects of her independence drove me crazy towards the end. I have to say, I am a huge Linda Holmes fan, so while I might have disliked a book by another author, I still left this one feeling ok about it and would still recommend it.

I loved Linda Holmes’s debut novel and was so excited to read her latest book “Flying Solo”. The story kept me intrigued until the very last pages, but I was disappointed with the ending. It was somewhat confusing, but I appreciate her attempt at trying something different. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Another warm and appealing tale from Holmes. These characters as well as their deeply realistic and relatable issues are so strongly drawn, and it's fun how the book incorporates elements of mystery and even a heist into its entertaining story. I especially liked how the couple from Evvie Drake Starts Over gets a shout-out here, like Holmes is building her own cozy romance universe.

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 was excited when I saw this second novel by Holmes, whose debut Evie Drake was such a great read. This one is just as good. The characters are really terrific, both Laurie and Nick as well as the peripherals. Laurie is back in her hometown to clean out the home of her beloved great aunt Dot, who was her safe harbor to escape a good but loud home with four brothers. What unravels is both a rekindling of a relationship with Nick, reconnecting in person with her best friend Junie and just in general trying to figure out not what she DOESN'T want, but what she DOES. All this is going on around the mystery of a wood duck decoy that Laurie finds while cleaning. I really enjoyed this story, and I enjoyed it more and more as it went along.

When Linda Holmes' last book came out--Evvie Drake Starts Over--I devoured it in a day. I did the same with Flying Solo. Her books always have a way of making me connect with her characters in ways I did not think I would. In Flying Solo, Laurie has gone back to her hometown to clean out the house that belonged to her beloved great-aunt. While there, she runs into her first love, and it sets her back in time. In the meantime, she finds a wooden duck hidden under some blankets in her great-aunt's home and it send her on a mysterious adventure to find out where it came from. This book was cute and funny, and I don't think I have connected so much with a character like I did with Laurie in a long time. Her need for independence, her want to gather as much information about her great-aunt's life as possible, and her desire to be in a relationship that doesn't make her feel as if she will lose her identity all hit me right where it hurts. I loved this book and I cannot wait for her next one!