This is a fantastic book, by the same author of one of my favorite books last year, The Dead Romantics. This book made me smile, laugh, and cry. It’s beautifully written and I was sorry it had to end.

Clementine (Lemon) is still grieving the death of her beloved aunt Analea, with whom she travelled and lived with in a beautiful apartment that belongs to her now. Her aunt always hinted that there was something different about the place, but Clementine never believed her until one night she came home to find a young, good-looking guy named Iwan making dinner in the kitchen.

He said he was a chef and that his mother was friends with Analea. He’d be subletting the place over the summer, looking for a job in a restaurant, and he called her Lemon. Their chemistry was instant and very strong, and their relationship goes on from there.

The book brings up all kinds of existential questions. If this is the past, where is Iwan now? Her aunt is still alive in this timeline, is it possible for Lemon to see her?

I can’t say enough about the quality of this book, you have to read it. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

3.5 Stars

‘When did you get this?’

He looked down at the tattoo, and then sheepishly back to me. ‘About seven years ago. It’s a bit faded now—’

‘It’s a lemon flower.’

‘Yes,’ he replied, looking up into my eyes, searching them. He’d gotten a lemon flower tattoo over his heart.

‘What do you tell people, when they ask about it?’

His shyness melted into a smile, warm and gooey like chocolate. ‘I tell them about a girl I fell in love with at the right place, but the wrong time.’

A knot lodged in my throat. ‘And what are you going to tell them now?’

‘That we finally got the timing right.’
Clementine West is grief-stricken after her aunt passes away and moves into her magical apartment that can transport the tenant back into the past seven years. The apartment transports her to seven years in the past, where she meets aspiring chef Iwan, and they begin a friendship that turns to love. Her aunt always warned her there are two rules to the apartment, and the biggest one is to never fall in love because no one stays the same. When a serendipitous chance meeting in her time pushes these two back together again, sparks fly.

This book is hard for me to rate because while it is extremely well written, it deals with some very heavy topics like grief and suicide. I wasn’t expecting that. I did find that Clementine’s friends provided some much-needed comedic relief. I just wish there had been more of it to balance out that darkness that we see in Clementine.

Her aunt always said that the apartment would take you back to when you were at a crossroads, and I believe that Clementine absolutely needed that version of Iwan. He was kind and funny and brought her back to life a little bit. Ashley Poston didn’t shy away from discussing hard topics, and for that, I commend her. Be prepared that this is not a light and fluffy read, and you will want to make sure that you’re in the right head space when you do.

If you’re a fan of Libby Hubscher and Chloe Liese, then you will probably enjoy this one!

~ Michelle

The Seven Year Slip by @heyashposton is a truly magical romance that I devoured in one sitting.

When we meet Clementine, she is grieving the loss of her beloved aunt and has been keeping herself busy through her work as a book publicist. She is also moving into an apartment she inherited from her aunt. When Clementine was a child, her aunt told her a secret about the apartment but she had yet to experience it for herself until the day she finds a handsome stranger named Iwan in her kitchen. He says he's subletting the apartment while her aunt is traveling, which is obviously not possible. Or is it?

As Clementine realizes, Iwan's present is actually seven years in Clementine's past. The apartment apparently does this at will & this time slip only takes place within its walls. Outside, time is as it should be.

In spite of being out of sync with one another time wise, Iwan and Clementine grow close and really start to care about one another. Clementine never knows from one day to the next if she'll walk into her apartment and find Iwan there or if she'll walk into any empty apartment in the present. She finds herself getting upset every time she returns and he isn't there, and I was equally upset because I was so invested in their budding romance.

I flew through the pages because I just had to know if there was any way they could find their way to one another in present day and if so, would the connection between them still be there?

I really loved how layered this story is. The themes of grief & loss had me grabbing for tissues, while the slow-burn, swoony romance had me grinning from ear to ear. Iwan and Clementine are both fantastic characters, and the secondary characters are a lot of fun & add so much to the story.

I don't want to say anything else for fear of spoilers, but I truly adored The Seven Year Slip & want to recommend it to everyone!

I loved it! So magical, whimsical, and romantic. I literally read this and played it out like a movie in my head. Such a “not a right time, right moment” story that surrounded around an apartment full of magic. Of course, I loved everything this was about New York City! This needs to be a movie. Where can I advocate for this???

I love Ashley Poston’s writing, she’s so talented. Will continue to read anything she writes because she writes with so much heart and gorgeous storytelling. This book really can get you in the feels too.

Check your triggers for this one, especially for grief!*

Clementine West has always loved and admired her larger-than-life Aunt Analea. They travel and go on big adventures together. Analea has also told Clementine that her century-old apartment is magical. When her aunt passes, and Clementine is bequeathed her apartment, she wakes up one day to find a strange man has moved in temporarily. She soon comes to realize that the fabric of time ripples behind the door of B4 in time spans of seven years. The man's name is Iwan, and he has big dreams, too. But his dreams have already happened seven years in the future. And hers are unfolding seven years later than his.

In the spirit of The Dead Romantics, Ashley Poston has done it again, weaving fantastical elements throughout this sweet, heartfelt, melancholic, romantic novel. It's a great story about grief, dreams and growing up, beautifully told. It's a love letter to every adult who made you feel special, loved, seen and heard. It's a reminder to hold your loved ones close, and to appreciate every moment. It's a reminder to live while you can.

Make sure you read the acknowledgements, it will make the book even more meaningful.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
After reading and enjoying The Dead Romantics last year, I had to see what the author wrote next. I actually went into this one blind and was pleasantly surprised by the story. I love getting blindsided by a really fun and unique story! And I must say, I enjoyed this one more than The Dead Romantics!

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for my copy

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝: (Skip, if you wanna go in blind like i did😉)
When Clementine’s aunt passes away, she inherits a magical apartment that displaces you in time. As she moves in, she meets a strange man. A man so attractive, but apparently is from the past. She just so happens to be 7 years into the future.

“𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I was so drawn to this story specially since i went in blind. I had to get answers ASAP and the first chapters made me wanna keep reading as it unfurled. The short chapters made it even more of a page turner which i loved. And what a truly magical ride! I really enjoyed every moment. Every mini twist that came along as the chapters ended, the nicknames, the food, the family dynamics. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a unique love story with a touch of magic. You will surely love these characters that were so adorably created by the author.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘕𝘠𝘊, 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Let's Talk Books for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

The Seven Year Slip is a time slip romance set in a magical apartment. In that space, Clementine goes back seven years and meets Iwan. But she knows that her aunt always warned her never to fall in love in the apartment.

I loved both Clementine and Iwan. Clementine is in publishing, so I loved that element of the book world being included. Iwan is a chef, and the descriptions of food throughout were phenomenal. This is one of those books that made me hungry. And the way the time slip seems to work is by bringing people together when at a crossroads in their lives. I really enjoyed that aspect of timing.

I find Ashley Poston to be such a special and unique author. In many ways, this book had a similar feeling to The Dead Romantics. However, it was a unique story with entirely new characters, plot devices, and themes. I didn't find it at all repetitive. Indeed, I found it deeply moving with incredible magical realism. The book made me cry and think and want to believe.

The audiobook was absolutely fabulous, especially since it was narrated by one of my all time favorites, Brittany Pressley. And I loved the amazing author's note

CW: grief, DM for more

4.5 stars rounded up

Ｈａｐｐｙ Ｐｕｂｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ Ｄａｙ!

I absolutely loved this book! Ashley Poston is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! The Dead Romantics was a favorite of 2022 for me and I loved this one even more! Definitely a favorite for 2023!

This book was definitely an emotional roller coaster. The sadness with the loss of Clementine's aunt (plus reading the author's note at the end). The romance ups & downs. The love/hate relationship I have with this apartment!

The relationships in this book are just wonderful. The bond between Clementine and her Aunt was very relatable to me (I have that one special Aunt too). Clementine and Iwan's relationship was so very sweet. I loved their besties too! They were so much fun!

Everything about this book was amazing! There were definite Lake House vibes to it (which I also loved)! Ashley has such a way with words. While I did find myself connecting the dots, the twists & turns kept me flipping the pages. I read this book in a day - I couldn’t put it down! I rarely re-read books but I would 100% read this one again!

The ending may have been a touch rushed but I still loved it nonetheless! Definitely a must read!!!

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬
Dual Timeline
Forced Proximity
Second Chance Romance
Time Travel / Magical Realism
Books About Books (Publishing)

CW: Depression, Mention of Suicide, Grief/Death of a Family Member

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley & Ashley Poston for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book so much! I wanted the world to go away while I was reading this novel so that I could completely lose myself in this story. Clementine is incredibly close to her free-spirited aunt and inherits her aunt’s apartment after her death. This isn’t just a normal New York apartment. This apartment sometimes sends you back to a time 7 years earlier which is where she meets Iwan.

I loved Clementine and Iwan and thought that they seemed perfectly matched if they could just get the timing right. I had such a hard time putting this book down and couldn’t wait to see this pair figure out how to find their happily ever after. Watching Clementine and Iwan together was wonderful, almost magical. I thought that the chemistry between them was palpable. I thought that the time slip of the apartment was incredibly well done and added a unique and original element to the story.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I fell in love with the characters in this book and found many moments that melted my heart. I thought that the issue of grief was handled very well. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group.

Do you ever wish that you could time travel? I have some things that I wish I could tell my younger self…

The Seven Year Slip absolutely stole my heart. It is the story of Clementine, a woman living in her aunt’s apartment that has a magical ability to take you 7 years in the past. So Clementine is living in the present but the apartment, with its resident from 7 years ago, is 7 years in the past. I cannot say this enough but I loved this book. Clementine is so likable and flawed and honest with her workaholic persona, grieving the loss of her aunt and trying to figure out who she wants to be. Her relationship with Iwan is complicated and messy but so swoonworthy. Her friends are the best. My heart broke, I cried and I gushed. It was heartwarming and witty and so clever as the puzzle pieces came together.

Ashley Poston is quickly becoming one of my auto-buy authors. I absolutely love the way she creates these super romantic contemporary novels with a touch of magical realism. Most importantly, she provides a meaningful look at grief and the complicated ways we must all handle our losses. I read the author's note at the end and I really felt how much she put her loss into Clementine. Lemon and Iwan had fantastic chemistry, I actually preferred their interactions in the future rather than seven years in the past. I absolutely loved that the book wasn't predictable at all, their romance doesn't take the obvious path, which I appreciated. And the easter egg for the Dead Romantics was chef's kiss. Can't wait to read more from her!

Ashley Poston never misses for me. I loved her YA novels, but I REALLY LOVE her adult romances! The Seven Year Slip has so much of what I love in a novel- lovable characters, witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments (I’m looking at you, pigeons, and the ravioli! IYKYK!) It was the kind of story I found myself daydreaming about on my drive home from work. Wondering how it would work out for Clementine and Iwan. I loved the romance, but I also loved the way she touched on grief. Gently and with care. I read an ebook version, but I’ll be getting a physical copy for my self because I can see this becoming a sweet comfort read.

Wow wow wow. This book. I don’t have words. As I was reading I thought “oh wow, this is so sweet and so unique.” And then Poston hit me so hard with Clementine’s grief journey that I had to stop and sit in my feels for a bit. Honestly, this book healed a part of me. And I know that sounds dramatic. But grief is something I really struggle with processing and reading about Clementine’s journey through really made something click for me. I truly love this book. The writing is fantastic. The characters are fun and unique and a wide range. The romance is sweet and fresh with a teeny bit of familiarity. The entire premise is beyond unique. But the emotions throughout were fantastic. I adore Clementine and I adore this book.

Thank you endless Berkley for the early access!

✨ Review ✨ Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

While I know a lot of people were obsessed with the Dead Romantics, it didn't really do it for me, so I was skeptical going into this one.

But ohmigosh, this is going to be one of my favorite romances of the summer!!!! I absolutely LOVED this!

It's the perfect mix of a big scoop of sweet romance, a pinch of humor (those mf pigeons 😂😂), just the right amount of magical realism (time travel but only within very specific conditions and where the world still felt very real), and lots of food for taste!

The book starts in the present day with Clementine -- she's put in lots of workaholic hours at a publishing company and might be up for promotion soon, she's grieving the loss of her beloved aunt, and she's just moving into her aunt's old apartment. But, her aunt warned Clementine, even as a child, that the apartment likes sending you back 7 years in time sometimes when you're at a personal crossroads. Clementine experiences this, meeting Iwan, a friend of her aunt's 7 years in the past.

I thought this was done perfectly -- the conditions of the time travel, the relationship between Clementine and Iwan, the fun banter and sense of humor -- I adored it!

With that said, I can see where this resonates differently with people. The time travel might not be for everyone, the 7-year-gap might annoy some people. Despite that, I'm going to wholeheartedly recommend with this with all my heart. One of my favorite romances of the summer so far!!

Audio: I listened to about a quarter of it, but I loved the narration by Brittany Pressley! It really captured me into the story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/m romance, magical realism (time travel with narrow conditions)
Setting: NYC
Pub Date: June 27, 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ romance with a bit of magical romance
⭕️ humor, both subtle and a little over the top
⭕️ citrusy sweet relationships
⭕️ grief amidst a lot of hope
⭕️ FOOD & travel & art & books

Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

The Seven Year Slip é um romance com vibes de A Casa do Lago. A protagonista, Clementine, trabalha em uma editora e herda um apartamento após a morte de sua tia querida. Um dia, ela é surpreendida por um homem estranho que já morou no apartamento sete anos antes. Clementine, ainda lidando com o luto, reflete sobre sua vida e seus desejos no presente por meio desses encontros com James no passado.

Clementine é divertida, alegre e com uma personalidade cheia de vida. James é charmoso, fofo e carinhoso, e é interessante ver suas duas personalidades distintas através dos olhos de Clementine, que no fundo percebe que são a mesma pessoa. O desenvolvimento do romance entre eles é intrigante, com a história explorando a ideia do amor sobreviver ao longo do espaço-tempo.

Ashley constrói uma trama conectada ao apartamento herdado por Clementine, brincando com elementos de realismo mágico/sobrenatural. A história vai e volta no tempo, explorando a perspectiva dos personagens sobre o conceito abstrato do tempo, que é vivenciado de forma diferente por Clementine e James, embora seus sentimentos sejam os mesmos.

Enquanto Clementine e James se apaixonam de uma forma única, a narrativa também mostra a jornada de Clementine em busca de si mesma. A dor da perda de sua tia é evidente, mesmo que a relação delas seja retratada apenas por meio de narrações no passado. A amizade de Clementine com Drew e Fiona é um elemento precioso na história, e sua amizade em desenvolvimento com Juliet ao longo do livro também tem um bom destaque.

A escrita é fácil e um tanto poética, com a narração sendo feita apenas por Clementine, mas eu queria um pouco do ponto de vista de James. A autora aborda conteúdos sensíveis, como lut0, morte de entes queridos e menção a su1c1di0.

This is a cute, summer read, about Clementine (fondly referred to as Lemon by Iwan) hopping through time back 7 years, and brings all the Dead Romantics vibes.

Thanks to @berkleyrom for my copy of Ashley Poston’s new novel!

After the loss of her aunt, Clementine is reeling and ungrounded in her life as a publicist. She ends up traveling back in time 7 years as she enters her aunt’s apartment, thus beginning her encounters with James Iwan Ashton, who is on his way to honor his grandfather by becoming a chef.

This was an interesting mix of “then and now” dialogue as the two characters encounter each other in the past and present (clearly remembering the past as well). I thought the last 20% of the novel was the best (same as with Dead Romantics!).

I loved this book! Ashley Poston is a new to me author and now I want to go back and read her debut. I'm not normally a magical realism person but I LOVED the magical aspect of this book - she wrote it so well. I loved trying to figure things out and I loved how perfectly it all weaved together. I don't want to give too much away because I went into this book blind and I was pleasantly surprised by how it all went down.

Without giving too much away, the story starts with Clementine's aunt passing away and leaving her her apartment. When she shows up to move in, she realizes someone else is already there!

This was the perfect romance mixed with magical realism. I loved all the characters. My only criticism is that I wish we knew more about her aunt. Otherwise, this was a perfect romance and made me feel things - I cried. This was definitely a great book to get me out of my book rut.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. I highly recommend this one!

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston 🍋

Clementine has decided to keep her heart safe she will stay busy, work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. Which her late aunt always told her to do. Things had been going relatively smoothly other than finding someone to love since she isn't sure her heart can take getting close to someone again. One day she finds a man - Iwan - standing in the kitchen of her late aunt's apartment. One with kind eyes, a southern drawl, and taste for lemon pies. Someone she could see herself falling head over heels for, the only problem is that is he is from seven years in the past. Her aunt always told her the apartment was magical and now she's worried if she lets herself fall, she'll be doomed. Until she might have found Iwan in her present time...

I loved The Dead Romantics and was very excited to read this one, it did not disappoint! Ashley has this magical way of writing that gives me constant butterflies and feels like a big hug. There's romance in this book (albeit light) but there's also so much more with Clementine figuring out what makes her happy after her aunt had passed away and learning to open herself up to people. This is a book that you'll pick up and not be able to put down because you get sucked in wanting to know what happens next.

I loved the romance between Clementine and Iwan. His nickname for her of Lemon was so cute and he always said or did the right thing for her. I was swooning hard for him in both the past and the present. It was so interesting to see Clementine interacting with these two version of him and I love how the magical realism of it was done. Their relationship is so real and emotional. You can tell they understand each other in such a special way and compliment each other so well. There even was a micro-trope towards the end that I LOVE and made me squeal.

I recommend checking the full list of content warnings as this book deals somewhat heavily with grief.

Tropes:
✨ strangers to lovers
⏱️ magical timeline
💕 second chance romance
🥰 no third act break up

single POV
5/5 stars ⭐️
0.5/5 spice level 🌶️

Clementine has a hard time getting over the loss of her beloved aunt six months ago. Swearing off love and throwing herself into work hasn’t helped much, but the big promotion on the horizon just might be the push she needs.

In the interim, she takes over her aunt’s apartment which proves to be equal parts therapeutic and heartbreaking. Her aunt always told her how special her place was, the magical quality enchanting a young Clementine. But when an adult Clementine begins to experience the magic firsthand herself, she sees her aunt’s insights in a whole new light.

Upon awaking after moving in she is startled to find an attractive young man named Iwan living there as well. His explanation, he’s a friend of her aunt’s friend, would make perfect sense. Only her aunt is no longer alive, and this man keeps talking about her actions in the present tense. Soon Clementine pieces together the impossible- she’s somehow journeyed seven years into the past, but only within the confines of those four walls.

Despite her best intentions, Clementine can’t help but to be impressed with Iwan, an affable guy with sincere intentions to work his way up the ranks in the food industry. Iwan becomes equally enthralled with Clementine, or as he affectionately dubs her, Lemon. But when present day Clementine seems out present day Iwan she sees how time has changed things, reminding her the right time and place really do mean everything.

The Dead Romantics was my favorite read of last year, and now that I’ve devoured The Seven Year Slip I can confidently say @heyashpostonhas has become an auto buy author. There’s a common theme of dealing with death and loss in both books, both also managing to do so in the perfect blend of seriousness and satire. In addition to exploring love and loss, there’s also self discovery interwoven throughout the novel.
If I had one complaint is that I didn’t want it to end!

Needless to say, The Seven Year Slip is a delightful romance readers should not let slip through their fingers this summer!

Do you ever just close a book and sigh, because it was exactly what you needed? That was this book!

It dealt with grief, which can be a heavy topic, but it was done so beautifully. I enjoy some magical realism and time travel, and loved the way this was done!

I found myself just wanting to hug Clementine (Lemon!). Her relationship with her aunt seemed so special and I found myself missing her aunt myself when she talked about her.

And that Iwan! A chef. Southern accent. Tattoos. In present time he seemed a bit of a grump, but we knew what was truly underneath.

I enjoyed The Dead Romantics, and I feel this one came in even stronger. Definitely recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Berkley Romance and Let’s Talk Books Promo for a #gifted ARC and allowing me to take part in this Berkley Buddy Read!