Oh, be still my heart....

Ashley Poston has written another masterpiece. The Dead Romantics was one of my top 5 books of 2022 so I was honestly nervous to read this one because my expectations were high. I should have known that Poston would knock it out of the park.

This book is truly whimsical and beautifully written. This is a lot coming from me as I have never read a time travel book that I enjoyed. I have yet to really get behind the whole idea as a plot point but this book nailed it for me.

The time traveling apartment that puts Clementine and Iwan in each others lives (at different points of theirs) is magical and just so captivating. Once I really got into this book it was hard to put it down.

I swooned over Iwan every time he was on the page and loved his friends and his story. Clementine also has such a great story of self discovery and her journey through her grief is palpable.

I alternated between the audio book and the E-book of this one and Brittany Pressley is the perfect narrator for this audio book. Her tone and inflection are spot on for Clementine but she also does the perfect (not overbearing) drawl for Iwan. I would highly recommend this audio book.

Do not miss the chance to get lost in this magical apartment with this magical love story. This one is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to Berkley for the EARC and to PRHA for the advanced listening copy of the audio book. All opinions are my own.

Clementine finds a handsome man with an adorable Southern accent standing in her new apartment. Initially frightened and completely confused, Clementine realizes the apartment she inherited from her aunt is truly haunted. She develops a crush on this hot chef named Iwan (pronounced EE-WAN) and they spend a magical weekend together. When she leaves Monday morning to go to work, he is gone. Her extraordinary aunt always told her the apartment had special powers but since she was a little girl Clementine truly believed these were just stories! Her aunt with whom she traveled the world and traded secrets was the love of her life and for the last year Clementine has deeply mourned her passing. Her dream job at the publishing house has lost its luster and her love life - nonexistent. As the summer in NYC approaches she is entranced by the idea that Iwan could reappear at any moment. There are two problems; she doesn’t know when and has realized Iwan exists seven years in the past. In this delicious romcom the saying couldn’t be more true, timing really is everything. This quirky, delightful romance is simply perfect for the beach this summer!

I received a gifted galley of THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP by Ashley Poston for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRHAudio and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review! I really loved the author’s THE DEAD ROMANTICS last year, so was excited to check this one out!

THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP follows Clementine in an unusual situation. Clementine’s beloved aunt has passed away, the woman who always inspired fun and adventure. In that grief Clementine has lost her way a bit, but she still has her aunt’s (now her) apartment to ground her… until she walks in to find her things gone and a stranger in residence.

Clementine’s aunt always told her a story, one she didn’t fully believe at the time. It seems that this apartment is magical and sometimes walking through the front door, particularly at a crossroads in life, will lead you seven years into the past. The man she meets and begins to fall for is subletting her aunt’s apartment seven years prior to her present day.

I really enjoy the way that this author puts a twist on the typical romance. Communication issues in a romance tend to drive me crazy, but when you’re dealing with people living seven years apart, it makes sense! I thought this took a really interesting look at how different people are at different points in their life and the difference seven years can make.

I didn’t know much about this book going in apart from my excitement over the author’s previous book and I think that going in blind is probably for the best so I don’t want to say too much. I will say that I thought this did a good job of wrapping up a challenging situation and I really enjoyed myself.

This does hit on some serious issues, trigger warnings for suicide and grief in particular. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end talking about her own experiences.

I am floored. I am in awe at the brilliance that is Ashley Poston and her otherworldly writing. I feel like I have been transported to a dreamy and swoony world like no other and I do not want to come back to reality. If you only read one book this year, make sure it’s The Seven Year Slip. All-encompassing, ethereal, and emotionally-rich, this beautifully book bewitched me. I am so besotted!

After inheriting and then moving into her late aunt’s apartment, Clementine meets Iwan. A man that steals her heart with his kind eyes and lemon pies. One small problem though…he lives in that very same apartment, seven years in the past.

I am going to keep this as vague as possible. It’s best to just immerse yourself in it and go with the flow. The story of Clementine and Iwan is immensely unique and so deeply emotional. Ashley Poston made me live an experience, and I felt so overwhelmed with so many emotions. This book is a unique romance…intoxicating, so intense, angsty and emotional, UNPUTDOWNABLE, with a poetic prose that takes your breath away. From the first pages I was totally enraptured, I devoured it.

This book was nothing less than spectacular perfection. I love stories with a magical twist and this one was wonderfully crafted. It drew me in and didn’t let me go. Much like The Dead Romantics, The Seven Year Slip has immediately landed itself onto to my top 2023 reads. Another favourite from this author who never stops impressing me!

I could not put this one down and it's definitely a 2023 favorite! I was very intrigued by the premise (I love multiple timeline stories) and Ashley Poston delivered. She balanced the humor and heartbreak so well (just like in her previous book The Dead Romantics) and I am so in love with her writing. While there is a romantic storyline that plays a significant role in the book, it's actually the love story between family, friends, and self that makes up the heart of The Seven Year Slip. The focus on Clementine's grief and chasing joy put this more into women's fiction for me than romance.

Things I enjoyed:
- Tropes like: forbidden romance/star crossed lovers elements, second chance-ish romance, amazing friend groups, multiple timelines, it's always been you
- The writing! I highlighted so many passages and related so much to what the characters were experiencing and feeling. Ashley Poston 100% nailed it.
- A thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of grief. I appreciated the message that it's OK to not be OK and that there's no wrong way to grieve.
- The discussion of themes like: chasing joy, how people grow and become new versions of themselves, letting go, and change versus routine/constancy. The things we might do intentionally/unintentionally to keep ourselves “safe” and the fear of nothing living up to the first experience again.
- I love books about books and I enjoyed seeing those behind the scenes/details and how publishing is ever changing.
- Clever nods to time and the distinction between a matter of time versus a matter of timing. The apartment being B4 was just perfect.
- The amazing friend group/found family. I especially loved the scene when Fiona went into labor and the team "mobilized" LOL
- Cameos from our Dead Romantics favorites *heart eyes*

My romantic heart did wish that we would have gotten more time with Iwan and Clementine in the present so things wouldn't have felt so instalove, but if I can believe that there's a time traveling apartment, I can believe in this too ;)

I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook and Brittany Pressley was amazing! I loved her narration and she voiced all the characters so uniquely and wonderfully regardless of age or gender. I had no issues determining which character was speaking and I was impressed by her comedic timing and her emotional delivery. Truly a wonderful audiobook experience!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4.5 stars

CW: death of loved ones (past, but mentioned and discussed heavily), grief, references to death by suicide, depression

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

Really enjoyed this romance/women’s fiction!

- Unique concept (which I tried not to think too much about)… just accept it!
- I liked that the focus wasn’t entirely on the romance; there was depth and other challenges for the mc.
- Enjoyed reading about the publishing world!
- Fun/likeable supportive characters

Definitely prefer this one to THE DEAD ROMANTICS!

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 1 chili
Pub Date: 6/27

The Dead Romantics was one of my top books of 2022, so it’s safe to say that I had high expectations for The Seven Year Slip. And while I didn’t love it as much as I hoped, it was still an enchanting blend of magic, time travel, and romance that I enjoyed.

After her aunt’s death, Clementine embarks on a journey to rebuild her life. She formulates a plan to guard her heart because she doesn’t think she can take another heartbreak. But her resolve is tested when she encounters a mysterious man in her new apartment, which used to belong to her aunt. Iwan has kind eyes, and he’s exactly the kind of man that Clementine would have fallen for under different circumstances. But Iwan exists seven years in the past, while Clementine resides in the present.

There is something so beautiful about Poston’s writing style. After just a few pages, I was sucked into this heartwarming story, and I needed to know how it was going to end. She effortlessly wove together the two timelines, intertwining past and present and giving us a glimpse into Clementine’s headspace when she first met Iwan seven years in the past.

The relationship between Clementine and Iwan was a whirlwind of fate, passionate cooking, and heart-melting smiles. The yearning and tension between them were palpable, making Clementine’s journey back to the present all the more heartbreaking every time. And even though it’s not a steamy read, this book is full of tension! Iwan’s sexy chef persona and the sensual way he spoke about food raised the temperature enough to make me sweat.

This book not only delivered an engaging love story but also explored the aftermath of loss. It beautifully captured the vulnerability of the characters as they navigated their feelings.

While I adored the relationship between Clementine and Iwan in the past, there seemed to be something missing for me in their present-day moments. I could have used a little more time with them in the present day to build up that connection again and make their love story more believable.

Overall, this was a delightful time-travel romance that tugged at my heartstrings. If you're a fan of magical love stories with a dash of nostalgia and plenty of yearning, this book is a must-read. Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

Read if you like:
*magical apartments
*The Lakehouse movie
*books about books
*tattoos
*delicious food
*second chances
*a quirky heroine

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book about time travel so I was excited to read The Seven Year Slip.

Briefly…an overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past.

Overall I liked this one but time travel is tricky. I got confused at some parts because of how choppy scenes were. The romance was cute and just a bit spicy. BTW if you haven’t read The Dead Romantics pick it up ASAP!

How do you feel about time travel IRL or in books? 🤣

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

It's not like Clementine's aunt hadn't warned her. Her Aunt Annalea even gave her rules to live by. But Clementine is struck down by the grief of losing her beloved aunt and now she is torn between wanting nothing to do with her aunt's things and apartment and all the memories the apartment represents.

Finally what Annalea had talked about happening in this apartment happens to Clementine. All the rules firmly in her head, Clementine does a great job of breaking them. She could fall in love with this guy standing in the apartment of her aunt, the apartment of seven years ago, when he stayed a the apartment while Clementine and Annalea traveled. Just remember the rules, Clementine, and everything will be fine.

But no, Clementine falls hard and this can't work, two people from two different times. Or, can it? Even though it didn't work for Annalea, so many decades ago, I'm an optimist and I could see it happening. Forget trying to figure out how any of this happens, just slip into the time slip and accept things for what they are, a food infused story of chances and second chances. This is my first Ashley Poston and it made me hungry. I've never been one to want to wax poetic about food but I sure would like to eat the food that is discussed here.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

My new favorite magical romance. My new favorite Ashley Poston book. Also my favorite book so far this year. You bet cha.
It took a little bit but I fell in love with this book and I feel hard. I loved the story between Clementine and James; the back and forth, the nicknames, the meet cutes, the butterflies. They were all there and I couldn't stop feeling all warm inside at there story. I think both Lemon and Iwan might both be book crushes for me I want them both to love me.
For a minute I thought I wouldn't work out between them, Ashley really tricked me there. There were also some hard times, her aunt passing and her missing the old Iwan but not seeing how great the Iwan Infront of her was.
I just didn't want to put it down in the end.

I absolutely love time travel - especially when it’s incorporated into romance!! This book gave me all of the time travel elements I look for while also delivering an amazing story with characters you can’t help but root for and a book boyfriend that will have you DROOLING.

I found this book so incredibly readable, I binged it in two sittings. This is the best book to bring to the beach/pool and let yourself get entirely sucked into - perfect for summer!

This book was paradise for a time-travel-loving, foodie reader like myself!

This is my first @heyashposton novel and I absolutely loved it! It was so heartfelt and genuine. It was also set in NYC and even in one of my favorite neighborhoods.

Clementine is mourning the death of her favorite aunt: the one who encouraged her to dream big and follow her heart. She also leaves Clementine her magical one bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side. I say magical because when she moves in, so does Iwan, a son of her aunt’s friend… but he’s from 7 years in the past. They make quick friends and he helps Clementine get past her grief. It grows romantic despite not knowing where this relationship could lead. They both just enjoy it for what it is.

Clementine is a publicist at a publishing company and together with her friend and work colleague, they try to sign and up and coming chef to a new cookbook. But he seems familiar… where has she met him before? I loved the back and forth of this novel. It’s fun to see how both Clementine and Iwan grow up and change into more established adults.

I personally enjoyed the time loop! I know this isn’t for everyone, but I thought it really worked well here. I loved Clementine’s friends and that they all worked together. The cookbook side of the publishing industry isn’t one I’ve seen much of and I loved that the author tied it together with the opening of Iwan’s restaurant. Very NYC, very well done. Clementine’s relationship with her Aunt Analeigh was also so beautiful. I loved that they traveled together every year. I’m trying to cultivate a relationship like this with my twin nieces. I’ve not yet read the Dead Romantics, but I will be asap!

Thank you to @berkleypub and Ashley for my gifted ebook. The Seven Year Slip is out June 27!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston is a unique standalone novel. We meet Clementine, our heroine, who is still grieving her aunt’s death, as she was extremely close to her aunt, who travelled a lot, and took Clementine on many trips. She spent a lot of times at her aunt’s apartment, which Clementine learned that the stories her aunt told her were magical, but as she grew up, Clementine stopped believing the stories. Now with her aunt’s passing, Clementine inherited the apartment, and after she moved into the apartment, she wakes up with a handsome stranger in her kitchen. Clementine remembers the stories that her aunt told her about the apartment moving in time on occasion, either seven years ahead or backwards.
Iwan, our hero, was the stranger, who was told that he could stay at her apartment, and Clementine realizes that the time frame is now 7 years ago. Iwan was a great cook, and hoped to one day be a chef. In a short time, they both enjoyed each-others company, as Iwan was sweet, caring, understanding and great to be around; and Clementine knew she was falling in love with him. When Clementine went to work, she was in her own time, being a successful publicist, who was on track to replace the publisher for Strauss & Adder Publishers; she is good at her job, and has some good friends who work there. She looks forward to going home and to see Iwan, as he cooks her fajitas, lemon cake, dances with her, gives her a kiss, and then one day when she rushes home, he is no longer there.
With her working hard at her job in the present time (only in the apartment magic did she see Iwan seven years previous); to her surprise, she discovers that her publishing house in trying to bid for the famous new chef’s book, which happens to be Iwan (now seven years later in the present time). To say too much more would spoil the book, and I suggest you read this from start to finish, in order to understand the story line.

The Seven Year Slip was an interesting and different story, with a bit of paranormal, as well as complex. The Seven Year Slip was very well written by Ashley Poston. It was very heartwarming, witty second chance romance. I suggest you read this book.

I loved every single thing about this book! Beautifully written and very likely to be my favorite read of 2023!

This book explores grief and first love and finding the courage to chase after your happy. Full of great friends, a magic time loop apartment, NYC in the summer, mouth-watering food, pigeons, a swoony lead and fun insights into the publishing industry.

Ashley Poston has hit it out of the park with her latest and it was just as special on audio read by my very fav narrator, Brittney Pressley. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

CW: death of a loved one by suicide

The Dead Romantics was one of my favorite reads last year, and this book is also a dreamy and magical love story while dealing with a serious issue like grief. There’s something very tender and lyrical about Poston’s writing that just sweeps you away. My only complaint is I wanted more scenes between Iwan and Clementine; it felt like they fell in love too quickly in the past.

I absolutely adored the authors last book, The Dead Romantics so I was thrilled to be able to read this one early. The authors brand of romance is such a delightful mixture of tender and quirky and it just works so well together. This is a gentle romance, everything is handled in such a soft and sensitive manner and it gives the whole thing a deeply romantic feeling. The addition of a time slip just adds a magical quality to everything and the balance between that uniqueness and Clementine working through her grief just worked out so beautifully in the end. There’s something special about this authors books, this one shouldn’t be missed.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, and Ashley Poston for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’m a big fan of this author and was so excited to read this one and it exceeded my expectations. It’s emotional, real, and whimsy.

The romance is super cute, but where this book really shines is with Clementine, the main character, and her relationship with her aunt. They would go on trips together and she remembers her aunt as being spontaneous and fun. While reading I felt like I knew these characters and wanted to go on one of their trips with them.

The premise is super interesting too. It features a magical apartment that can go back and forth in time seven years. It truly shows how much people and places can change in this somewhat small amount of time. I cried more than I have for a book in a long time at the end and I’m already pre-ordering a physical copy because I loved it so much. Please, pick this one up!

“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘪𝘵? 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 -- 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳.”

It's been described as "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘧𝘦" and that is spot on. Iwan and Clementine will make you believe in magic and love.

In words:

Fresh.
Other-Worldly.
Unrivaled.
Hopeful.
Lovely.
Sad but never cruel.
Big Hearted.
Unique.
Sweet.
Tender grief.
Emotional.
Hopelessly romantic.
Sparkling.
Door-ajar.

FWIW- I enjoyed Poston's adult debut 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 but enjoyed this one even more!
CW- Suicide

This was a cute and sweet new time slip romance. Both main characters were sweet and likeable. I also liked that the miscommunication wasn't the main conflict and that the time slip element wasn't too complicated or over-explained. I did have a little trouble getting into this one at first, but once it grabbed me, it was a one-sitting read. Overall a nice, sweet, quick read.

Sadly, this was a miss for me.

I absolutely loved The Dead Romantics (5 stars and in my top reads of 2022). The Seven Year Slip felt like a bland and cheap knockoff of the previous novel. I didn’t feel like the story was complete once I finished. The romance was half-baked (hello, instalove!), the rules of the magical apartment were confusing, and some of the connections were left unconnected.

I am just very disappointed. Part of that may be because my expectations were so high. I just felt like this was a watered down version of The Dead Romantics.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Ashley Poston for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.