4.5 ⭐️ This book was so thoughtful and beautiful. I never wanted it to end.

"Love is nothing if not a matter of timing."

WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ new york setting
✨ magical realism
✨ apartment with a time warp
✨ she’s a workaholic in the publishing world
✨ he’s a tattooed, famous chef publishing a book
✨ second chance-ish romance
✨ insta-love
✨ forced proximity
✨ one bed
✨ 1/5 🌶️ (open door but mild, very PG-13)
✨ grief / healing
✨ HEA
✨ single POV (first person)
✨ TW: suicide and dementia involving family members (past, off page)



My Thoughts:

The Seven Year Slips is hands down one of my favorite reads of 2023. This story is an utter delight and one I will never forget. If you've seen the movie, the Lake House, or are a fan of time-travel/time-warp/destined romances, pick this book up immediately.

There is so much about this story I loved . . .

The romance that blossoms between Iwan and Clementine was enchanting and has irrevocably altered my brain chemistry. Yes, their connection is pretty instantaneous, yet it somehow felt incredibly genuine and real . . . as if they were meant for each other. And the way they admire, encourage, and cherish one another allows both of them to grow and become better versions of themselves. Whenever they were together, you could feel the love and longing radiating off the page as it seeps deep down into your soul.

On the flip side, seeing them interact in the present was always a stab to my heart (but I enjoyed it). While Iwan has met Clementine in his past, she is simultaneously meeting him in both the past and present. During the day, she must deal Iwan - the renowned chef interested in a book deal and opening his fancy new restaurant, but some days when she goes back to her apartment, Clementine is transported seven years ago to a younger Iwan who was just a dishwasher with kind eyes and a zest for life. I enjoyed watching younger Iwan teach Clementine to embrace life and do what makes you happy, whereas in the present Clementine helps Iwan remember where his love for cooking came from in the first place. They ground each other and together, they're able to grow.

The magical realism is subtle and completely believable to the point where I can't help but wonder if perhaps somewhere in the world, there's actually a cozy, little apartment that sits in its own little pocket of time. I really hope so.

There are some heavy topics in this story (death of a loved one, suicide, dementia, grief), yet they were thoughtfully discussed. Ashley Poston crafted a beautiful story that walks us through some dark feelings but she also encourages us to think of the beauty and light. I was reminded that, yes, death of a loved one is incredibly tragic and heartbreaking, but that doesn't take away from all the love you may have felt for them and all the good memories together. You are allowed to feel both sadness for the loss and love/gratitude for the time you shared.

"The things that mattered most never really left. The love stays. The love always stays, and so do we."

And lastly, the writing is simply mesmerizing. Absolutely stunning prose. There were so many sentences I highlighted just because they were beautifully written. Ashley Poston is a gifted writer and I will be reading everything she writes.


Favorite Quotes:

"Always, always chase the moon."
_______

"You are you, and that's a lovely person to be."
_______

Whenever I took a closer look at him, he was disorienting in the kind of way kaleidoscopes were, constantly moving and shifting, full of colors and shapes that shouldn't have gone together but did in a way that made it perfect.
_______

"You can just dance, Lemon. You can take the lead."
"And you'll follow?"
"To the moon and back."
_____

"This - this might be a bad idea."
"You could never be a bad idea, Lemon."
_____

If you want something, you have to go for it. No one else will be more on your side than you."

_______

Being close to him felt like a story I didn't know the ending to. . . He was an adventure. One I suddenly wanted to take.
_______

"Enjoy the rain! You never know when it will be your last."
_______

"It's never a matter of time, but a matter of timing."
_______

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. Love was an invitation into the wild unknown, one step at a time together.
_______

I hated her for leaving, and I loved her for staying as long as she could.
_______

The Dead Romantics was one of my favorite reads of last year, so needless to say when Berkley sent a Netgalley widget for The Seven Year Slip my way, I lost my mind. And, incredibly, it may have beat out The Dead Romantics for being my favorite Ashley Poston book!    
    
This author is just really, really good at striking an amazing balance in her books - there's wit and humor, a good story, and also expert handling of difficult topics like grief. This book made me laugh, swoon, and cry - what more can I ask for?     
    
I really, really enjoyed the time travelling elements of this book - they contributed to the story nicely, adding an element of mystery and a way to contrast the growth and changes in certain time travelling characters. Also - the two leads were so good together - both in the past and in the present as they worked through the changes their years apart had made.    
    
Once again, my list of auto buy authors grows - if you haven't tried her books out yet, I can't recommend them highly enough! If you're looking for a contemporary romance with some serious heart, this is the one to pick up.

An interesting premise that felt like The Lake House set in NYC but instead of Keanu, the main guy is a chef with a southern accent. I enjoyed this somewhat magic romance but not nearly as much as her other book, The Dead Romantics. I keep having too high expectations! .

"It's never a matter of time, but a matter of timing."

After coping with the fact that one of the most important people in her life has left her, Clementine goes home to the magical apartment her aunt left for her. When she arrives she finds a strange man in the living room ... but that isn't the only thing out of sorts. The dates are from seven years ago, her things are nowhere in sight, and those pesky pigeons she hates are back. She's beginning to realize that maybe her aunt's stories were in fact true ... and maybe she needs to consider the two rules she gave her: always take your shoes off at the front door and never fall in love in the apartment.

If you are going to listen to one book rec of mine this year, PLEASE let it be this one!! (i may have cried on my couch for a solid 10 minutes after finishing, but cannot confirm)

Last year I read (and loved) The Dead Romantics, and it was a top contender for one of my favorite books of the year. So when I found out the Seven Year Slip would debut this summer, I knew I had to immediately get my hands on it. I went into this book a bit nervous because of my high expectations after adoring The Dead Romantics, but let me tell you those expectations were far exceeded!

This book is overflowing with love and magic on every single page. The author did such a beautiful job depicting grief, friendship, family dynamics, and of course love in a way that left me hugging my book on multiple occasions.

I truly cannot give this book enough praise and hope you decide to take a chance on it. I understand that it *may* not be for everyone because of the magical realism element and whimsical prose (cries inside), but it is a heartwarming story that I think many readers will connect with.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I don’t think I can properly express how raw and emotional this story was. If you’re looking for a cute time travel romance, you will get that, but you will also get so much more.

Clementine and James Iwan Ashton (otherwise known as my new book boyfriend) are the very definition of soulmates. Their romance was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The writing in this story was so poetic and had so many lovely lines, but this one was by far my favorite.


“Because the things that mattered most never really left. This loves stays. This loves always stays, and so do we.”

Ashley Poston needs to start paying for my boxes of Kleenx at this point. 10 out 5 stars.

I fell in love with author Ashley Poston’s whimsical lush writing last year after reading 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨, and this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Little did I know just how much I needed this story to help heal. I lost my Father a few years ago to suicide after a lung cancer diagnosis, and haven’t fully processed how hard the grief hit me. I’m so thankful to books like this and the authors that write them, as a way to connect and overcome trauma.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧
🥘a hot chef MMC + delicious food
💘forbidden romance
🥘magical elements
💖insta attraction
✨themes of grief and love after loss

*many thanks to Berkley, PRH Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I really enjoyed this plot and characters. Clementine and Iwan are adorable; supporting cast wonderful and genuine.
Clementine is lost after the death of her aunt - a source of inspiration and fun in Clementine's routine world.
She moves into her aunt's apartment - which has always been a little strange. As in bubbles in time. Her aunt fell in love with a women living in the apartment seven years before. Clementine of course does the same. While she interacts with Iwan in real time.
I loved the balance of the past and present. I just devoured this book.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

I had such a great time reading this book! I loved her previous paranormal romance, and I was looking forward to reading this one! I had such a fantastic time, I loved these two and watching them fall in love, while also dealing with the fact that there's 7 years between them.

Iwan was invited to stay at her aunt's for a time while her aunt was out. But that was 7 years ago, and now that period of time is connecting to the present, where Clem had no idea about the offer-or the reality of the time slip in the apartment.

While this is mainly a story about them falling in love, there's also a story of her grief for her aunt, who was so dear to her, that she didn't see her aunt's pain. And it was a tough story, espcailly since her aunt's love because of this slip, left, and the connection she had to the rest of the story.

All in all, this was a really cute story, I love how they connected, in both timelines, and how they changed and stayed the same, when she's dealing with both his past and present selves. It was just a big, warm, loving hug of a book!

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Ashely Poston!

I was late to reading this one but I loved it! I adored the Dead romantics and this book was equally charming and engrossing. Poston is so great at building characters and making them so realistic and robust. I definitely recommend this one!

Ashley Poston is a champion at writing magical reaslism-meets-romance and does it again in The Seven Year Slip, about a woman who falls in love with her temporary roommate - who is actually living seven years in the past - only to reunite with him in her present life as well.

Clementine’s aunt always told her, her apartment was magical, but Clementine always imagined it was just another story. That is until, while grieving the loss of her aunt, she finds a strange man standing in her late aunt’s kitchen. He’s the perfect man for Clementine and exactly what she would normally fall for, but she knows she can never let anyone into her heart since that leaves her open to be left. Oh, and Clementine happens to live seven years in the future, because turns out her aunt’s apartment is magic after all.

This was such a complex and cute story. Clementine was a great lead. She had such a great personality who truly just needed to find herself and understand that it’s better to have been loved and lost than to never have loved. Clementine mixed with our male lead Iwan was perfection. You could feel the chemistry between the two, and while semi open door, this story is way more about sustainable love.

With a mix of wrong timing, second change, and magical realism; this romance is great for all romance readers. While there were still some cheesy pieces (as all good romances have) it was a great story about grief, growing, and always having hope. Definitely recommend.


The Seven Year Slip is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

I loved this book so much. This is perfect for Emily Henry fans. I loved the food descriptions, the NYC setting, and the secondary characters. Such a fun read- I couldn't put it down!

Ashley Poston’s The Dead Romantics was one of my top three favorite books last year. And now, The Seven Year Slip is definitely a contender for a similar position in 2023!

First things first: if you’re not a fan of magical realism and weird time loop-ish storylines, you may not enjoy this. But I couldn’t get enough.

Clementine has been mourning the death of her larger-than-life aunt Analea, with whom she shared many adventures and stories since childhood. Analea believed sadness and ennui could be cured by picking up your passport and traveling somewhere exotic. Her aunt’s loss is devastating, and even though she left Clementine her apartment, she’s finding it difficult to imagine living there without her.

One day she arrives home at her apartment to find a handsome man, Iwan. He has a Southern drawl and a love of cooking. He says he’s the son of her aunt’s friend, and her aunt said he could sublet the apartment for the summer. Then Clementine realizes that he exists in the past. Seven years in the past. And she lives seven years in his future.

Analea told Clementine that the apartment was a pinch in time–a place where the past and present sometimes combined in strange ways. There was no rhyme or reason to when this would happen, but how do you stop your heart from falling for the person who seems to complete you? And when she finds Iwan in her present, what will happen?

Poston definitely knows how to hit all of my buttons. I loved this story so much, and it left me a complete puddle of emotions. I hope others love it as much as I did!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an advance copy of this amazing book. It will publish 6/27.

Time-traveling romance...but this trip didn't go as planned for this reader.

Clementine inherited her aunt's apartment B4. One day Clementine encounters Iwan, an inspiring chef in the apartment who claims to be renting the place while her aunt travels. hmm!?

I love time-traveling stories and this one has a time-bending apartment that sends Clementine back 7 years in the past which sounds really interesting.

But somehow I feel I read a different book. I wasn't invested in these characters and didn't feel the spark whatsoever between the MCs. Frankly, I was quite bored and the flowery prose wasn't for me. I love food and even the food talk here fell a bit flat.

I have many friends who loved this book. Some found it to be moving and beautiful so please check out those reviews and give it a try if it feels like something you may enjoy. 2.5⭐

Thank you Berkley for the DRC.

This book was SO WONDERFUL! I could not have loved it more 🩷 I really enjoyed her first book, but this one was EVEN MORE

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this title.

I loved this book so much! Ashley Poston has become an auto-read author for me. She does so well at describing and portraying grief. Both of her books found me when I was going through a terrible amount of grief myself, and it felt so cathartic to read these books and see what I was going through, but also see light past that experience. Highly recommend.

Clementine has lost the most significant person in her life, her aunt - the woman who served as confidant, adventure buddy, and anchor in the world. A bit adrift in the world Clementine moves into the apartment her aunt left to her and tries to put her world back in order amidst her lingering grief. But not all is as it seems because Clementine's new apartment has a tendency to slip time and takes with it the man Clementine might be falling in love with. The Seven Year Slip is the romance you seek if you're looking for the same energy as the movie The Lake House - romantic, bittersweet, full of longing, and the dash of fear the timing will never be right but also the joy when life knits itself together in the most unexpected ways.

Ashley Poston is back again with another idiosyncratic romantic comedy that has ties to both the book publishing industry and the paranormal. Clementine is a burnt out book publicist living in her late aunt’s New York City apartment which acts, inconsistently, as a time portal to seven years in the past. The problem is, seven years ago, Aunt Anelea sublet this same apartment to a handsome, charming, aspiring chef, Southern transplant Iwan. When Clementine and Iwan cross paths in the apartment, the attraction is immediate, but also, problematically transient. Making the same life-altering connection when Iwan’s past meets up with Clementine’s present, proves to be a fun, satisfying journey

I like this one more than Dead Romantic. I think I had an issue with a whple ghost thing. This one does not have ghost thing but more travel in time. I love twistes and turns and how she connected it all. It is really a romance book with happy ending. The story is a patg to happy ending and I could not wait to finish it.