After not loving The Dead Romantics (I think romances with ghosts are just not for me,) I was greatly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Seven Year Slip.

Told through a single POV, I really enjoyed Clementine’s story and watching her grow as a character. Learning about her relationship with her late aunt and their bond over traveling and their memories at the UES apartment was special and easy to connect with. Poston did a great job handling this theme of grief, which I think a lot of readers will relate to. The supernatural piece, which I was most nervous about, was done very well and didn’t overpower the plot. There were definitely more scenes in the present day than when she was “time traveling,” but the alternating time periods connected perfectly. With regards to the second chance romance, I loved seeing how Clementine and Iwan’s journey began and how they reconnected seven years later. Plus, Iwan was a chef and Clementine was a publicist, so both books and food played a role in the story. I couldn’t pick up the story without wanting to go to the closet food truck.

Read if you like:
-Magic realism
-Second chance romance
-NYC setting
-Book publishing
-Food trucks and trendy restaurants
-Stories that handle grief well

Thank you Berkley for the ARC! Pub date: 6/27

What a delightful book. I found myself thinking about reading this book when I wasn't, and I had a hard time putting it down. The characters were all relatable, and the love story was sweet and believable. There was no explanation of how the time travel worked in the apartment, and while a few times I had a hard time suspending belief that it could happen, I also found that I didn't need an explanation. It existed, it happened, and that was enough.

I loved the characters. From the main characters Clementine and Iwan to her best friends Drew and Fiona - the diversity and unique personalities of the characters kept me invested in the story and to their lives.

Clementine's grief was beautifully portrayed, as was the way in which her aunt died. Mental health was interwoven into the plot but not made the entire underlying theme, which I appreciated, as I read to escape my own mental health struggles.

This has definitely encouraged me to add more books by Ashley Poston to my reading list.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

I was obsessed with Dead Romantics - passing copies out to our libraries, recommending it for our romance book club, giving it to friends, and even adding it to my permanent collection.

I couldn't make it past 8% of this one. The premise sounded great, but the opening is just so slow. I felt like I must have been reading the incorrect book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.