Flying Solo, the second novel by Pop Culture Happy Hour co-host Linda Holmes, has great rom-com energy, strong characters and relationships, fast-paced plotting, and snappy dialogue. Readers who appreciate Holmes's warm, generous, smart podcast persona will find she treats her characters with the same affection and respect she shows co-hosts and guests, and will recognize her wry wit in many of the characters' conversations. Although I liked this book slightly less than her debut, Evvie Drake Starts Over, primarily because Flying Solo's plot gets a bit too madcap to be believable, I devoured it in one evening and strongly recommend it to readers looking for a fun and funny story filled with the kind of characters you'd like to have as relatives, friends, and neighbors. (Also, thanks to Holmes for the sweet Easter egg early in the book. I hope it signals that she will continue to create a universe of stories in this charming setting!)

Laurie returns to her small hometown in Maine (the same one Evvie Drake lives in) to help her family by sorting out the estate of her late Aunt Dot. Dot was an independent single lady her entire life, and has a multitude of keepsakes to go through. Laurie is determined to do right by her beloved aunt and resolves to go through everything. Deep in the bottom of an old chest, she finds a wooden duck decoy that just might be valuable. That sets her off on an adventure that turns into a fun mystery/caper involving her former boyfriend, Nick, who is now the town librarian, as well as her best friend from childhood and some new friends she meets along the way. All along, there is a "romance problem" for Nick and Laurie to solve as well. Both of them are close to turning forty, and have built their own independent, fulfilling lives on opposite ends of the country. What to do? Without giving anything away, I'll say that they come up with a creative solution. This is such an engaging story, with a bit of mystery, lots of romance, and family looking out for one another. I look forward to recommending this title.

Really enjoyed this one! Some aspects that stood out—the main character was a regular size woman (size 18) and didn’t have a fixation on marriage and children (along with her aunt who features prominently as well). That was a nice and welcome change, Without giving away the ending, I thought it was well done and stuck to the main character’s presented traits while also being a happy ending that most readers would want.

Flying Solo is a gem of a book, a pleasure to read. I loved Linda Holmes first book, Evvie Drake Starts Over and am thrilled that this much anticipated book was such a treat to read. Set again in Calcasset, Maine, it is a unique, satisfying story featuring 40-year-old wildlife journalist Laurie who returns to her hometown after years living in Seattle to sift through the possessions of her adored nonagenarian great-aunt Dot. Laurie was very close to her while growing up and wants to make sure everything Dot has left behind is seen and honored. Digging through endless boxes of life's minutia Laurie finds a beautifully painted duck decoy at the bottom of a cedar chest. This find sends Laurie and several of her closest childhood friends on an almost cozy mystery type quest to find the story behind this duck. In the course of this quest she falls back into a relationship with former hometown boyfriend Nick, now running the local library (a job he loves and does not want to leave). Both Nick and Laurie love the lives they have created and know what they want and what they won't change. But their mutual attraction can’t be denied. I guarantee that you will agonize with Laurie over her life choices and cheer her on as she wrestles with what she really wants . . . and doesn’t want.

Flying Solo is NPR’s, Linda Holmes, second novel. Set in a small town in Maine, with some winks and nods to the author’s previous novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, we meet Laurie. Laurie is an almost 40, kickass nature writer who is tasked with the responsibility of going through her beloved great-aunt’s possessions. Aunt Dot passed away a few months earlier after living a rich life, full of 94 years of adventures as a single woman. In the midst of combing through her late aunt’s possessions, she comes across an intriguing decoy duck. Mystery and adventure ensues. Laurie also reconnects with her first love and grapples with rekindled feelings after 20 years apart. This novel touches on family, love, what it means to be in relationships while respecting yourself as a whole person, what it’s like to be the one at the end of the “family funnel” and so much more.

When Laurie Sassalyn returns to her hometown to clean out her deceased great aunt's house, she finds herself rekindling a high school romance and getting involved with a mystery revolving around a wooden decoy duck. I know that sounds a bit odd but this book was a wonderful, quirky story about friendship, identity, relationships and family. I loved that Holmes set this story in the same world as her previous novel. I'm hoping for more!

a fast and easy read. i’m a sucker for a second-chance romance. i think i liked evvie drake more, though.

#netgalley

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC!

Well, I loved this, obviously. Like Evvie Drake Starts Over, which I also loved, this book is warm and sweet. It is a family story, an incredibly intriguing episode of antiques roadshow (part of Linda Holmes’ inspiration for this book), and a second-chance romance. It all starts when Laurie’s great aunt Dot, an independent, well-traveled, and fascinating 93-year-old passes away, leaving behind a very full house. While cleaning out the house, Laurie finds a beautiful carved duck decoy and has to know more about it. There was just enough mystery and hijinx to keep this book moving, and Laurie’s introspection about her life choices and Dot’s life choices were incredibly relatable. In conclusion, Linda Holmes, can we be friends?!

Perfect for a snowy day at home or a sunny day at the beach, this is a romance novel for people content to end a story with the characters still in the process of figuring themselves and their relationships out. I appreciate a happy ending with nuance and loved the fact that two people can decide to find their way together even if it doesn’t look like what other people consider typical. There’s a lot to like in this book from the witty dialogue to the wide cast of characters. I enjoyed being back in Maine meeting new people who root for the Claws.

I flew through this book. It was adorable and heart-felt and a good read for a weekend. Holmes set it in the same location as her first novel, but with a different cast of characters (equally relatable and fun!).

Laurie returns to her hometown of Maine when she finds herself going through her Aunt Dot's possessions after the funeral. Dot's house is full of various knickknacks, postcards, movie reels, sunglasses, crafts, love letters -- and a carved wooden duck that is signed. She has the task, with the help of a hired contractor, to organize the items and determine what to keep, donate and discard.

Laurie, who resides in Seattle, meets up with Nick while she's there. She was once in love with him at a young age. After she left Maine, he married a girl which just so happened to end up in a divorce with no kids. It's clear that there's still a spark between Laurie and Nick. She has to determine if she wants to jump at the chance of a love affair with Nick or return to Seattle as an independent 40-year-old single woman.

This is the first time I've read a story about valuable art that is not marked and may be sold for very little or tossed by a family member. This is one reason why people scout out art objects and paintings that may be worth thousands at estate sales. There was a whole lot of charm packed in this book which is expected to be released on June 14, 2022 - the perfect time for a fun beach read.

My thanks to Linda Holmes, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

This was just okay for me. I liked her other book. Evvie Drake... much better. This one, though charming, felt more dark and I was much less invested in the characters.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

What an enjoyable read. The characters are delightful and fun. I read it all in one sitting. Perfect for a book club read.

I loved this so much, there aren’t really words, but I’ll try. Linda Holmes creates the kinds of communities in her books that I’ve been lucky enough to have nearby a few times and miss desperately when I don’t. Every page of this was a delight and a hug and I had to force myself to slow down and savor it. As someone who is also not a marrying person, I didn’t know how much I needed a love story that’s messy and sexy and so, so funny and doesn’t end with a wedding. Both of her books are such comforting hugs and I’m looking forward to future re-reads.

NPR's Linda Holmes' long-awaited second novel is just as entertaining as Evvie Drake Starts Over. Set again in Calcasset, Maine, it is a unique, satisfying story featuring 40-year-old wildlife journalist Laurie (next assignment: turtle trafficking), who returns to her hometown after years living in Seattle to sift through the possessions of her adored nonagenarian great-aunt Dot. Her four brothers can't be bothered, but Laurie wants to make sure everything Dot has left behind is seen and honored.

Digging through endless boxes of travel souvenirs, college textbooks, finished and unfinished crafts, vinyl records, books, and love letters from multiple lovers, Laurie finds a beautifully painted duck decoy at the bottom of a cedar chest. With the help of a "bereavement decluttering" service, she tries to determine the provenance and value of the decoy, but when that effort takes an unexpected turn, she marshals her own task force of her actor brother, a former beau, his grandmother, and two new acquaintances to get to the bottom of it.

But there are many more layers to this engrossing story. Laurie had cancelled her wedding over an extravagant waffle maker her fiancé couldn't live without. Former hometown boyfriend Nick, now running the local library, gave up his own marriage because he couldn't bear to leave Calcasset when his wife relocated for her dream job. Nick loves his life and knows what he wants. Laurie loves her life and knows what she doesn't want. But their mutual attraction can't be denied.

There are so many things to love about this book: strong elderly characters who lead active lives beyond all expectation (one lives in a lighthouse and owns a minor-league baseball team); literary and pop culture shout-outs that are alternately hilarious and poignant; relatable personality traits that you don't often read about; sage advice from true friends. I could go on and on, but it's better to read it yourself. I guarantee that you will agonize with Laurie over her life choices and cheer her on as she wrestles with what she really wants . . . and doesn't want.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for affording me the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

This book was just the breath of fresh air I needed after a series of thrillers. About to turn 40, with no kids, unmarried, and having lost a favorite aunt, Laurie takes the reigns of decluttering and packing up her Aunt
Dot's house. While there is much to go through, it's organized, and in the items, she finds a wooden duck that she's drawn to. With her best friend and her first love, she tries to unravel the background from this duck.
Is it going to bring riches, a la Antique Roadshow, or is there something about this duck that will tell her more about her Aunt and the solo, but full life she led. I adored the main characters, and all characters were well done. Laurie had life choices that I thought might go another way, but that's what it's about., living a life you love. Fabulous read. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House/Ballentine for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. If I could've given 4.5 stars, I would've. All opinions are my own.