This is a relatively simple 'time slip' story but sweetly and gently told. The characters are adorable and the love story believable. A lovely summer story

4.5 stars

I knew I was going to love this book and I'm so glad that I was right! I really enjoyed The Dead Romantics, and having now read The Seven Year Slip, I can safely say I'm always going to pick up an Ashley Poston romance and I hope she writes many more!

This author has such a unique take on romances - I love the inclusion of grief that is tackled so beautifully and gently, and this book includes a bit of time travel within this magical apartment. Her romances feel so original and I love them!

The characters in this book are wonderful - Clementine, in the present, dealing with the grief of losing her aunt, struggling to work out what she wants out of life, having lost her past sense of adventure and creativity, and then Iwan, in the past, an aspiring chef filled with passion... but this version of himself is from seven years ago... they were both so endearing and I loved watching their lives weave together even when they are seven years apart.

This romance felt really magical and whimsical and yet heavy at the same time - the romance isn't even necessarily the biggest part of this book, the biggest part is Clementine coming to terms with the death of her aunt and her grief, and there were a lot of moments where I was tearing up.

I found the beginning to be a little stiff, which is why I took off half a star, but overall this was so wonderful and cosy and beautiful and I would also highly recommend reading the author's note at the end to understand why she wrote this book and this version of grief.

The Seven Year Slip is the second novel from Ashley Poston, the first having been one of my favourite books in years (The Dead Romantics).

The paranormal comes into play again here, but not in the way you might expect.

Clementine inherits an apartment when her beloved Aunt dies suddenly. Her Aunt has always said that the apartment is magical - but Clementine has never believed her. Until now.

When Clementine goes to the apartment, she finds a man, Iwan, staying there - she's understandably shocked, especially when she realises that her Aunt was right - and the apartment acts as a portal to the past. Seven years in the past, to be precise.

Clementine and Iwan become closer, but how can you fall in love with someone who you may never see again outside of the apartment?

I adore Ashley's writing. I love it, it's so warm and witty and it's right up my street. She's not afraid to play with paranormal storylines and somehow makes them seem believable, and her characters always have depth to them. Clementine is dealing with a lot of grief after her Aunt's (self-inflicted, I should mention) death, and she's at a crossroads in her career.

However.

I couldn't wrap my head around the time travel element. I am notoriously bad at reading time travel novels, I've never ever managed to love one, it's like my brain eats itself trying to work it out - so if you have a similar issue, just don't even try. Most of your questions will be answered if you just go with it.

Ashley Poston is fast becoming one of my must-read authors, and I can't wait to see what she does next.

This has echoes of one of my comfort films "Just Like Heaven", so if you like that, you might enjoy this too.

This is such a wonderful book. I had loved The Dead Romantics and this had a similar theme to it in terms of some kind of paranormal activity happening. The time travel aspect here was really interesting to watch develop.

The storyline involving Clementine's aunt, her struggles with depression, and her suicide, were as heartbreaking as they were at times heartwarming. It was a great insight to the impact suicide can have on those "left behind" and I felt it was written with so much respect and love.

I can't wait to see where Ashley Poston goes next.

I’ve read a previous work from this author and while I liked it, I wasn’t super enamoured with it. This however absolutely but punched me in the feelings.

I feel a mixture of love and hate for Ashley Poston's books: she has stratospheric ideas, but I always find the execution a bit lacking. This is the second book of hers that I've read (the other being The Dead Romantics), and this one, too, traces the same issues.

Let's start with what I liked. As already mentioned, the plot has enormous potential. It reminds me a lot of The Lake House, a film I adore. The writing flows really well. And in this novel too there is enormous grief, rough and moving.

But I found the behaviour of the protagonists often illogical. She is deeply depressed; she knows the secret of this flat and its rules (never fall in love) and she repeats it over and over again; she wants this stranger out of her house immediately. But what does she do, after not even 24 hours together? Exactly. There is already talk of love. Okay, even if there's no mention of it, these two seem destined to be together and, yes, my insta-love hatred is a limitation of mine, but damn. You don't know anything about him, woman! And she spends all the time saying she doesn't want to be like her aunt, but in the end she walks the same path. Oh, well.

"Past" Iwan is kind of perfect but flat; "present" Iwan is a giant WTF. I understand that in 7 years a a person can change, but it's not clear what this change is due to or some choices he makes.

I couldn't empathise with either of them, except for Clementine and her feelings towards her job: she's in love with it, but it doesn't give her the joy it once did — although it's not clear where this hasty doubt comes from.

And by the way, it feels all very rushed and predictable. It lacks tension and there's not much at stake, and I'm really sorry because it really had huge premises. But it's quite enjoyable for a light reading session (and makes you hungry, because he is a cook).

TW: death of a close family member, mention of suicide.

This was my first Ashley Poston novel and it CERTAINLY won't be my last! I'm now even more excited to read The Dead Romantics than I was before because this one was so absolutely perfect and adorable. I really loved the magical realism with the time-travelling apartment. A crazy cute romance novel with a twist! I don't want to give anything away so I can't say much, but the way the time travel worked I thought was great, and there were no annoying things that didn't seem like they should within the story or would have created paradoxes as you often find with time travel books. It was all nicely contained and worked really well. The romance was adorable and I love both Clementine and Iwan (who is like the perfect book boyfriend, I mean omg). I loved Ashley's writing and this book will always hold a special place in my heart I think.
I read this as a buddy read, split over seven days and it pained me so much having to put it down each day, I honestly think I could have binged it in a day! It pained us so much that on the sixth day none of us did and just read straight through to the end.

What I love most about Ashley Poston’s books are that they marry a world of magic into a real world of matter and create a beautiful story of love, opportunity, and fate. The web that intertwines the stories of these two main characters is filled with hope and loss and the also how the smallest moments can impact us of for a lifetime. I loved the character development and depth of feeling that she created for each driving plot point. I could not put it down.

The Seven Year Slip is INCREDIBLE! We follow book publicist Clementine who is adjusting to life in the apartment that used to belong to her beloved aunt. The apartment reminds her of happy times like when her aunt told her it was magic… only it is. The apartment allows Clementine to meet a strange man standing in her kitchen. The pair begin talking and slowly fall for one another on a series of circumstantial meetings and as the pair fall for each other, Clementine realises there’s one tiny snag. This dream guy lives seven years in the past… so where can she find him in present day?

As a book publicist, I saw a lot of myself in the character of Clem and I LOVED the dynamic of her relationships with her friends / Co workers and also her journey to find herself. The romantic aspects of this being embroiled with some magic was dreamy and I found myself rooting for the couple through and through. This is beautifully whimsical and lovely and ugh I loved this book. This is just so magical yet heart wrenching and beautiful. It’s a tender look at finding yourself and love along the way.

Thank you for the gifted copy HQ!

"No, like the lucky number! Seven."

A romance story that brought me out of a reading slump.

This story reminded me of how I could be engrossed and obsessed with a romance book. The fantasy and whimsical elements that elevated and added to the plot that placed this story apart from a simple romance.

The characters bounced off of each other and their chemistry allowed for their scenes to flow beautifully. Scenes focusing on one character also flowed well, but the chapters and scenes of the two main characters sung. It was effortless to fall into the rhythm the story was creating.

Overall, a romance book that I will quickly add to my re-read pile.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Stories for this eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Romance meets fantasy put together by a sensational writer? Sign me up! This was such a joyous read and I loved every second.

I ADORE by romance books with a touch of fantasy and this hits the spot! I had big expectations after the dead romantics and I was not disappointed!
It was magical and drew me in so thoroughly that I literally could not put this book down!

“This kind of magic is heartache “

I took another sip of my rosé, debating whether or not to tell him the other things about me - the trips abroad, the passport filled with so many stamps it’d impress any lifelong traveler, but every time I showed it to someone they’d get this idea about me. That I was some child of chaos with a wild heart, when, in reality, I was just a scared girl hanging onto my aunt’s blue coattails as she spirited me across the world.

Nothing stayed - or so I had always thought. Nothing stayed and nothing lingered.
But I was wrong.
Because there was an apartment in the Monroe on the Upper East Side that was full of magic, and it taught me how to say goodbye.

I had long been looking for a time travel romance; a book that HAD to be exactly what I wanted, without me being able to describe it. A book that was, at its core, a love story, that had that rush of uncertainty and adventure that I always had with any kind of time travel storyline. A book that was created by someone who cared about all the details and "science" of what they were putting their souls into. This is that book.

I read The Dead Romantics a few months ago, and it made me FEEL in the way that only certain books do, books that I think of as 60% romance and 40% women's fiction, the only ratio that works for me when it comes to this combination. As someone who will never again voluntarily read a love story without a happily ever after, these are the books that *almost* make me feel like it would be okay if I didn't get an HEA while reading them. Where there is so much heart and soul, that I could almost imagine the possibility of an ending that was happy without the happily ever after. (please take note of the fact that I said almost lol)

Ashley Poston does such a good fucking job at managing the timeline, in-between all the intersections of the past and the present. Each, for lack of a better word, easter egg, is so meaningfully placed, with the exact amount of impact, always perfectly targeted. I almost never knew what was going to happen next which is one of my favorite things about a time travel story.

But above everything this story was about grief and I FELT it, in every page. About allowing yourself to feel it, fully, and giving yourself permission to consider the possibility of a life after that grief. I stopped reading so I could sit and cry at least twice (and read through the tears a few more times), and laughed and giggled twice as much.

I may or may not ever reread this book, but I will always think about it. It's given me a new appreciation for the possibility of magic, and the magic of joy. I also have this itch to pack up my bags and just go...

(Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

First of all big thankyou to H.Q publishing for such a gripping book .

So I really do enjoy going into books blind not knowing the plot and I know Ashley's first book was amazing , so for this one i didn't read any spoilers no pre jugment ,and boy am I glad I didn't .
My gosh this book will have my heart forever .

There is so much magic and love poured into this book , I loved that it had a time shifting element . Real raw emotions which just hit me hard but in the best way possible. The journey that both charaters go on devoured my heart and soul. It shows you how anything can be possible.

I loved that it did have a bit of spice to the love story but also very clean and cozy at the same time that's great writing, not many can do that .

Ashley writing is just so beautiful she will have you hooked from the first page , Its so well paced , I love how much magic she brings to this book but also keeping it grounded at the same time .

I can't wait to read more from Ashley she done such a fantastic job on this book she is now becoming one of my favourit writers.

I'm giving this book a great big magical loving 5 stars

I've wanted to read The Dead Romantics, Poston's previous book, since it came out, but haven't got around to it yet - so when I saw this newest work, it intrigued me almost just as much! I'm not normally the biggest fan of plots that play around with time, like Groundhog Day-esque stories, so I was a bit apprehensive about the different timelines in this, but ultimately I think Poston used it so well to tell this story that I ended up becoming a fan of it as a plot device. I love a Southern gentleman, and I loved Iwan, but not James so much, and wish there was a bit more character development with him towards the end once he finally figured out what he wanted. However, the connection between him and Lemon was always great, and I loved the food element to this story too - it's always my favourite in books and I don't read enough about them!

After reading and absolutely loving The Dead Romantics I was really looking forward to Ashley's next book and The Seven Year Slip did not disappoint. I couldnt put it down. The whole idea and execution of the story captivated me. I'm not normally a lover of time travel books but this one was so well done. It felt magical and romantic but also touching and sad all rolled into one. I don't want to give much away because you need to read it to fully appreciate its beauty. One of my top Reads of the year. Loved it

I need Ashley Poston to write romance novels forever. There is something she puts in these books that has me well and truly hooked. After reading The Dead Romantics I was so excited for there to be another magical romance. The Seven Year Slip lived up to and exceeded all of my expectations.

Six months ago, Clementine had the worst day of her life. So, she plans on staying busy, working hard and taking no risks to keep her heart safe and it seems to be working. Until one day, she finds a man standing in her kitchen. The kind of man that, before everything she could have fallen for. He’s perfect but he lives in the past. Seven years in the past, to be exact.

Sometimes with books, it takes me a few chapters to get into the story and connect with the characters. With The Seven Year Slip, I was hooked into the story immediately. I absolutely love the first line of this book and it gripped me instantly. The chapters are on the shorter side as well, so I couldn’t help but keep reading the book as I wanted to keep learning about Clementine and Iwan.

Our two main characters, Clemintine and Iwan are amazing. Both of them are vulnerable, funny and caring. We can see they are both extremely determined to live their lives out as they’ve planned. As the book progresses they learn more about how they actually want to live their lives and it was lovely to see them both grow individually and together.

The way grief is discussed in this book is beautiful. We see Clementine go through a range of emotions following the loss of her Auntie and how this affects her. It allows for all the characters to have important and necessary discussions about grief and how if can affect you in different ways. I’d love more books to discuss grief like this.

Also I loved how this book discusses who we think we are and will always be but how over time this can evolve. There are some things that we keep and other things that change about ourselves. All of this is discussed in a positive way which I enjoyed.

I loved the magical element that this book has around the apartment that Clementine is living in. Ashley Poston has written this is such a way that it feels like it could happen to any of us with our own apartments. Ashley has written a beautiful, magical and heart-warming love-story that I loved. I cannot wait to read more books by her.

Overall, The Seven Year Slip is an incredible romance novel that I would highly recommend picking up for yourself. You will be swept into Clementine’s magical apartment and won’t be able to put this book down.

This is a beautiful story 🥰 Such a poignant portrayal of love, loss and finding oneself. I’m always in awe of writers who craft stories with time shifting elements to them - like it must be so difficult to keep track of everything! And Ashley Poston manages this expertly, allowing us to fall in love with Clementine and Iwan and their story.

The romance is adorable - somehow spicy and wholesome? But I also loved Clementine’s journey to coping with her grief and figuring out what she wants to do with her life.

It has an epilogue! But I needed MORE from it 😭 (5/10)

What to expect:

- bereavement
- supernatural (time shift)
- soulmates
- medium spice

This was such an easy book to get sucked into in the best way. It was a wonderful story to be immersed into.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Very easy 5/5 starts. After reading The Dead Romantics I knew I would want to read Ashley´s next book and I am so glad I got a copy because I absolutely loved it. She writes "supernatural" romance like no one else.
Also for anyone that might get confused by just reading the plot and thinking it will be a difficult story to follow because of the time travel aspect, it is nothing like that and everything comes together at the end beautifully.
Highly recommend this book if you like her previous work.