It wasn't really my cup of tea, but I can see lots of people enjoying it. Great writing style and an overall engaging story even if I prefer something else.

“And it all begins,” she says, “with just one moment where something tips, from friendship into something else.” @itsmariannecronin

When you talk about people who see the good and embrace life- Eddie Winston is that very person. And he’s been at it for 90+ years. We meet this nonagenarian at his job- minding the local charity store in Birmingham, England. We find that he is the keeper of secrets and the items you don’t know mattered so much until they were no longer there. He is the protector of those items until you find your way back to take them once again. His own unrequited love has made him the man he is today and this man- this perfectly kind, honor-bound, full hearted man- has never had a first kiss.

He meets Bella at the store where she unloads treasures of her lost love and they form a true friendship. A friendship built a shared desire for connection rooted in the love of spending time in one another’s company.

As Bella grieves her love, these two besties set off to find that first kiss for Eddie.

This multiple POV novel explores the hollow and fullness left by love. It weaves in and out of all the ways one can love- as friends, as lovers, as married couples, as caretakers, through unabashed truth, through unrequited acts, through chance meetings, through signs, through devotion, through fate, and even through death.

This is an ode to the love story and it filled my heart so completely.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @netgalley and @harperperennial for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub date was 3/31/24

#2025bookchallengebook29of100
#eddiewinstonislookingforlove
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#bellaandeddie

Eddie Winston is 90 years old and has never been kissed. When he meets Bella, a 24 year old grieving her boyfriend, the two strike up a friendship. She is determined to get him his first kiss, and he helps her deal with her loss. He has loved one woman his whole life, Bridie. Unfortunately, they met after she was already married. They met when he was a PhD student at the University of Birmingham and she worked in his department. When her locket goes missing, Eddie goes on a hunt for it for the rest of his life. He can never let the thought of Bridie out of his mind. Eddie looks for love online, but strikes out, mostly because he is still thinking of someone else.

Eddie WInston is Looking For Love is such a sweet story of love and loss and friendship. I loved Eddie and Bella's friendship and the other supporting characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Heartwarming and perfect. I loved The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margo and was so excited to receive an early copy of this one.

Eddie is a 90 year old man who spends his days volunteering at a charity shop. Salvaging all the old love letters ha can find he’s a hopeless romantic. He loves life and is a beautiful soul. Here at this shop he meets Bella. A 24 year old who recently just lost the love of her life. When Eddie sees what she is donating he sets aside the items, knowing that one day she will miss them. When that day comes Eddie is able to return them to Bella and they form a lovely friendship.
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Bella takes it upon herself to help Eddie Find the love he so free gives to others. This book was so sweet and warmhearted. I enjoyed every second of it. I was sad to say goodbye to Eddie when it was over.
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Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

💖 For my friends who love stories about happy-go-lucky 90 year olds making friends, taking chances, and living their best lives.

EDDIE WINSTON IS LOOKING FOR LOVE by Marianne Croninn (Kim Durham, Clare Corbett, & Natalie Nightingale, Narrators)

Thanks, @harperperennial, for the digital review copy via #NetGalley, and my local library for the audiobook.

The author of my beloved THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOT returns with another charm-your-socks-off story about a generation-gap friendship. Sweet, kind, generous Eddie is 90 years young, and is volunteering in a charity shop when he meets broken-hearted 20-something Bella. They form a deep friendship, sharing lunches in the park and adventures in online dating as Bella helps Eddie find love (or at least finally have his first kiss).

There are books you hug, but here is one that hugs you back. There is a bit of drama, some twists and turns, a touch serendipity, and loads of joy, found family, friendship, love, and even a guinea pig.

Oh, Eddie. Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. Just when I couldn’t love him enough, I looked up the narrator who voiced him perfectly. Google Kim Durham. Then go get a copy of the audiobook. You’re welcome.

A lovely whimsical yet grounding tale. The different character tones and all the details really made this a fantastic read. When ever you want to make a change it a good time to do it, and never too late ❤️

I originally requested this one because of the gorgeous cover and I am SO glad I did. One of my favourite reads of the year, which I know is a bold statement considering it’s only March but I’m confident that it’s that good. I didn’t know I needed to read this today but I think the Universe did.

Eddie Winston needs to be protected at all costs. What a beautiful MMC with an amazing outlook on life. At first I thought I wanted him to be my grandpa but I really think it would be such an honour to be his friend.

Eddie Winston is Looking For Love is a reminder that it’s never too late to truly live and that being kind costs nothing. It also touches on the complexities of grief and is a great example that grieving isn’t a straight line. I went through ALL the feels while reading but mostly it was just a smile on my face the whole time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marianne Cronin and Harper Perennial for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

A charming read about a 90-year-old's lost love. . .and that's all you'll get from me - if you enjoy lost love stories, do not miss this one. Here's a snippet that shows the joy of Eddie:

. . .if you’re not against a big name at a conference, it is all about the title and Eddie’s is a good one, “Sealed with a Kiss: Fictional Representations of Love.” And then there he is, bow tie askew and making him look like a young man dressed up as his own grandfather. His face is a straight line of concentration as the chair and his assistants manage to get the overhead projector working and the first slide is illuminated on the wall. It says, simply and in his own handwriting on the acetate, “Eddie Winston.” The room looks up at this. “There’s more,” he says, and there’s a ripple of laughter. And with that, Eddie Winston smiles his lopsided smile and says, “This paper is going to examine the literature of the kiss . . .”

He’s made the audience laugh more in his fifteen minutes than the entire lineup has all morning. He’s at ease in front of people. They’re at ease with him. He is going to make a fantastic lecturer when he passes his PhD, she is sure of it. . . .as if the universe can hear her, a question is raised that is asked by kindly academics of novice speakers, “What inspired you to do this research?”

Eddie was expecting this one. “In my teenage years, I began researching kisses because I had not yet had my own first kiss,” he says. “I wanted to know what Shakespeare and Brontë and Austen had to say about the matter, so that I might be better prepared.” It is an unflappably honest answer.

Treat yourself to Eddie Winston's story, and do pay attention to the birds.

*A sincere thank you to Marianne Cronin, Harper Perennial, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #EddieWinstonIsLookingforLove #NetGalley

Marianne Cronin, the woman that you are! I have been looking forward to this book since reading and loving The 100 Years of Lenni and Margo, and Eddie Winston has turned out to be my favorite out of the two! Marianne Cronin has such a talent for telling touching stories with loveable and genuine characters and beautifully portraying the ups and downs of life. I immediately fell in love with Eddie, who, at 90, is not just telling stories about the good old days but actively living an interesting and dynamic life. I loved the cast of characters and felt we got to see the multiple facets of everyone's personalities. I appreciate being able to read about people and relationships that I don't normally see in mainstream literature. The ending gave me several mini heart attacks and left me tearing up. I'm already looking forward to the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was such a beautiful and heartwarming story with characters you can’t help but fall in love with. There is so much warmth on these pages, and you can’t help but feel hopeful as you read. We all need an Eddie in our lives.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Quaint story about love and loss told with a light hand. Eddie Winston is a charming gentleman with a passion for life and a flair for fashion making the book an enjoyable read. It's a feel-good story filled with unconventional friendships and humor that comforts like a nice cup of tea.

I was hoping for a more whimsical story, but this tale about a 90 year old man and his guinea pig looking for love while working in a donation shop kept me enthralled all of the way through. I loved the assortment of characters. I was truly able to picture each of them and their idiosyncrasies. This is a tale that I found to be endearing and one I will be thinking back on for a long time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the DRC of Eddie Winston is Looking for Love! All opinions in this review are my own.

It is so easy to fall in love with Eddie from the opening pages. I loved seeing how he interacted with people and was able to figure out what they needed. I understand the need for the flashbacks, but I felt like I was always impatient to get back to the present.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Eddie Winston is looking for Love by Marianne Cronin!

This was a charming emotional rollercoaster ride with a quirky cast of characters. I will admit, it took me a bit to get into it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Although this novel is about love, loss, and grief, it's also about friendship, community and the fact that happiness can happen at any age. It was a cozy read that felt like a nice friendly hug.

Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin is a heartwarming, uplifting story about the unexpected connections that can change our lives. At 90 years old, Eddie Winston has led a full life but has never experienced the simple yet profound act of a kiss. A true romantic at heart, he spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, where he preserves tokens of love from the past, quietly longing for a connection of his own.

Everything changes when he meets Bella, a 24-year-old woman grieving the recent loss of the love of her life. Upon learning of Eddie’s unkissed status, Bella resolves to help him find love, and the two embark on a journey of friendship, healing, and self-discovery. Through their adventures, Eddie and Bella remind each other that it’s never too late to pursue happiness, no matter how old we are.

Cronin’s narrative is tender and filled with empathy, creating a poignant tale that speaks to the power of kindness, love, and the beauty of second chances. Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love is a touching exploration of how love transcends time, and that it’s never too late to seek joy and human connection.

I loved the positive nature of the main character, Eddie Winston. He broke the mold of the typical curmudgeonly elder character and was like a breath of fresh air. I also adored the age-gap friendship. This story will restore your faith in love.

I loved this book! This story of friendship and longing is just what I needed on a cold winter day. Eddie, Bella and the entire cast of quirky, endearing characters are people I would actually like to know.

Having read and adored the author’s previous book, The One Hundred Years of Lennie and Margot, I had serious doubts this book could live up to it. I was very happily incorrect. This is a delightful book.

I look forward to more from this author.

I was a bit confused the first part of the story, but eventually settled in. It was a sweet book about friendship. There were a lot of timeline and POV changes to keep up with though.

Not a bad read, but I didn't love the back and forth narration, especially because it took me a few switches to understand what I was reading. The bird connection in the past POV was a bit confusing. I did like the connection between Bella and Eddie, though.