Friday, July 14, 2023

Book Review: The Seven Year Slip

By Allyson Bales

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I have been sick the last few days and I kid you not, The Seven Year Slip is the only thing that got me through!  I can confidently say this will be my favorite romance read of the year.  Ashley Poston’s writing is quirky, charming and incredibly thoughtful, as are her characters. 

Sometimes I think a review can give too much away and with The Seven Year Slip there is so much I cannot WAIT for you to find out about Clementine and Iwan, and I don’t want to ruin it for you.  It's not just them, it's also Drew and Fiona and Clementine’s Aunt Analea. It's the New York City landscape and the food!  Gosh, I really need to find myself some lemon pie! 

The premise of this book is so unique and interesting and I had so much nostalgia and good vibes reading it.  Can you imagine time traveling and falling in love with someone who lives seven years in the past?  Contemporary romance mixed with magical realism is my favorite kind of read and it was so much fun to think about that and follow along on Clementine’s journey.  If I could, I would time travel in a heartbeat.  To see those I have loved and lost or to catch a glimpse of past or future me; I would LOVE that! Also, Aunt Analea reminded me so much of my beautiful and daring grandmother.  She has so much spirit and spunk and tenderness and definitely makes my list of favorite characters of all time.  

Similarly to the Dead Romantics, The Seven Year Slip has beautiful exploration of grief.  Poston makes grief an open conversation allowing the reader to heal a little bit through the characters.  Grief is complicated and messy, there are highs and lows and the way that is depicted in this story is very well done.  I think there needs to be more of those conversations as so many of us struggling with grief are just looking for understanding and support.  

I will miss these characters tremendously and although I often don't re-read books, I will with this one. I also really recommend you read the author's note.  Poston’s vulnerability is inspirational and I think more of us should be transparent like that.  

Thank you so much to Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book.  It stole my heart.

More by Ashley Poston:

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