This was a good book. It was slower than I prefer, but I powered through because I needed to know how it ended.

Did Eddie Winston find love??? You'll have to read the book to see, but the journey was lovely. It's not often you read about a 90-year-old bachelor. His relationship was Bella is so endearing, I love them!!

I would recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet book! I love the friendship that blossoms between 90-year-old Eddie and 24-year-old Bella. Their friendship illustrates the importance of having a community!

Eddie Winston is Looking for Love is a delightful and uplifting read, filled with memorable characters.

Eddie is an incredibly lovable character, and I found myself completely invested in his story. His zest for life is infectious, and my heart went out to Bella, especially as we see their odd yet endearing friendship unfold. Bella and Eddie make for the perfect odd couple, but there are so many funny, tender moments between them.

What makes this book particularly special is how it deals with grief and loss in such a unique and relevant way. The relationships in the novel feel real, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Eddie would find love again, whether it’s with Birdie or someone else. The secondary characters are also delightful, and of course, there's Pushkin the guinea pig, for whom Eddie is determined to find a companion.

This was a story I didn’t realize I needed, but I’m so glad I found it. It’s insightful, touching, and ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful.

Gosh, it is exceptionally hard not to fall in love with Eddie Winston. In his 90s, Eddie has never kissed a woman. Upon meeting a young woman who has recently lost her boyfriend, he sets out to rectify this, with her help.

I have read the "old man gets a new lease on life" book before. Even when done well, the montage seems very much the same: new young friend teaches old man about social media (or cell phones, or the internet), old man is wise even beyond his years (or curmudgenly, or nearing death). It was very fun to see a fresh take. Eddie is just... a sweet man. He has a unique style. He owns a guinea pig. Bella is not his savior, but truly, his friend. And he is, truly, hers. It is genuinely just so heartwarming.

Marianne Cronin's previous book has been on my TBR for awhile, so I was really excited to receive an early copy of her new one!

I loved everything about this book -- it was so sweet and I loved Eddie to pieces. He is such an endearing character, and I badly wanted things to go right for him. I loved his friendship with Bella, and I loved the descriptions of the shop. Bella's storyline is so heartbreaking and I loved being able to see her start to heal.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet and sad quasi-love story, that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I am excited to read more by Marianne Cronin! Her characters and descriptions of settings were so lovely.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Such an unpopular opinion, but I did not love this. It felt slow and boring to me at times. Don't get me wrong, I loved Eddie, I want him to be a part of my life. I loved his goodness, positivity and glow. I just found the actual story line and pace to move too slowly for me. I wanted more to happen in the story - whether from Eddie or from those surrounding him. I liked that the story switched back and forth, between today and the past, but I did not love the different points of view. Yes, the book worked seamlessly, the storyline ties together perfectly, I just felt myself more interested in certain parts than others, not as focused during some chapters. Overall, a really sweet, happy and wonderful book. If you are looking for something to make you feel good, this is the PERFECT read.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Such a sweet and precious story about waiting for love! Eddie is 90 years old and works in a Charity shop. He is inspired by the used items that are donated, and always curious about the story surrounding each item. After young Bella donates her deceased boyfriend's things, Eddie and Bella become unlikely friends and help each other find the love that they need. This story moves back and forth in history as we learn about Eddie's first true love in the 1960s, and Eddie's life today as he signs up on an online dating site. The story does move a little slowly in parts, and could possibly been edited down a touch. I was able to skim a bit. But I was glad I stayed with it because ultimately the ending is joyful and perfect!

I absolutely loved the friendship between Eddie and Bella.
I don't think you could find a more likable cast of characters with such vibrant, colourful personalities.
This is the kind of book that sticks with you, and even though it's only January, it's a strong contender for one of my top reads for 2025

Forever young is Eddie Winston. A heartwarming story of a young at heart Eddie who is now 90 years old and never been kissed. He has been a love but unfortunately timing was wrong, but the heart never forgets. The story flashes back and forth and Eddie tells us of his life now and then. I enjoyed the telling of Eddie’s story and the glass is half full altitude.

3.5

I've been loving the older generation story telling of how life still really can be involved. Eddie Winston has never been married and he gets wrapped up with a young friend to sign up on a social dating platform. What evolves is a fun journey for the reader to watch our endearing main character seek out love. With past and current time intertwined, we become almost friends with Eddie as the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the gifted e-ARC of this book.

Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love is the feel-good book you probably need right now. The heartwarming story of 90-year-old, never-been-kissed Eddie and grieving 20-something Bella is sweet, fast-paced and a read-in-a-day pick-me-up . This one's for anyone who loves intergenerational tales or books about friendship. Save it for a day when you're feeling stressed out or less than optimistic about life—it's a balm of a book.

If you've read Marianne Cronin's debut novel "The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot" then you know this author writes touching stories about intergenerational friendship.

In "Eddie Winston is Looking for Love", Eddie is a nonagenarian with a caring nature and magnetic personality who volunteers his days at The Heart Trust Charity Shop sorting through bits and pieces from loved ones who have passed, donated by those who remain.

Bella Williams is one of those who remains. She is 24 years old and deeply distraught after her boyfriend's death. She meets Eddie at the charity shop as she drops off a box of Jake's items she can't bear to keep.

An unexpected friendship develops between Eddie and Bella driven by their need to help each other. He wants to help her through her grief for Jake and she wants to help him find something he's never had, a first kiss...

What stands out to me the most in "Eddie Winston is Looking for Love" is the unconditional love that develops in Eddie's and Bella's relationship. They talk together, listen to each other, and share their deepest secrets without risk. They've built an intergenerational friendship based on respect, trust, and selflessness. Their focus always remains on the other person.

What a wonderful main character Cronin has created in Eddie Winston, who has a deep history to tell that pushes the story forward through the past and present timelines. He's kind, a hopeless romantic, and I'm already missing the days and nights I spent with this dear, sweet character.

"Eddie Wilson is Looking for Love" is a story about friendship, resilience, and kindness sprinkled with humor, sadness, and joy. I'm forever a fan of the short chapters that make the pages turn quickly. With one teeny niggle, I felt the story ended a little abruptly and I wanted a tiny bit more of Eddie. Can you blame me?

4.5⭐

Thank you to Harper Perennial and Marianne Cronin for the DRC via NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

4.5 stars rounded down. I have to admit I have been putting off this book for months because I assumed it would just be another well-trod “grumpy old man learns how to love through community support” story a la Man Called Ove, and while are obviously some similarities, I found this to be absolutely wonderful and special. I was incredibly moved by the details of these characters and the way they interact with each other. This book has so much heart. It reflects the kind of world I want to live in, where people trust each other and are kind to one another. The scene with the bells made me sob out loud (I may cry again just writing this.) Absolutely loved it in every way.

4+🌟I love a cozy and heartwarming read and this was a perfect start for the year.. In it we meet 90 year old Eddie Winston former university lecturer and now a charity shop volunteer. Eddie has suffered loss in his life and has a sense of when someone might not be ready to part with a memento that has sentimental value. It’s through his job that he meets twenty something Bella who is grief stricken about her boyfriend Jake, the love of her life. Bella can’t seem to mourn or let go of Jake and her memories, and in an attempt to do so, she drops off a box of Jake’s belongings.

There’s something about Eddie and the pull of these mementos that takes Bella back to the charity shop. And so begins this unconventional friendship. Eddie and Bella begin having lunch and conversation most days. During these talks, Bella learns Eddie has never been kissed. And this begins their quest to see if they can make this happen for Eddie.

Eddie Winston is an intelligent, kind and compassionate character. He was basically content with his life though there was something he was searching for and someone he had loved. But Eddie is game to go along with Bella’s plan. And we see Eddie open himself up to change. There’s humor, joy, sadness and adventure along the way as we see growth in both characters. And learn more about Eddie and his past.

This was a lovely book of friendship, love lost, possibilities and most of all love and sacrifice. Throughout it, I was rooting for Eddie and Bella as they navigate through this part of their life and what is to come for each of them on their particular paths. And we see some of the joy and sadness along the way and discover if the search and the sacrifice were worth it or is it too late?

#Eddie WinstonIsLookingforLove #NetGalley
#Harper Perennial and Paperbacks

What an absolute delight! Eddie is a 90 year old romantic with a heart of gold. A lot of side characters play into the story and they all contribute meaningfully to the life-affirming storyline full of kindnesses, hope, and healing hearts. Highly recommend!

I loved this story so much! I love that it centered around an older character- even if his circumstance would be unlikely in the "real world." I loved the friendship that grew between Eddie and Bella as she takes him on an adventure. This was such a lovely read from beginning to end and I will definitely be watching for more from this author.

Cronin has done it again, writing a book that may end up being another of my favorites of the year like The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot. Eddie Winston is a 90 year old man who I just want to hug forever. He works at a charity shop where he interacts with people on some of their worst days - once taking in a guinea pig from a family (the faithful Pushkin who brings joy to Eddie's home life) and also taking in the belongings donated by Bella, a girl who has just her boyfriend and thinks that giving away his things will help. Thank goodness that Eddie knows better, as he adds her things to his cabinet in case she decides differently and when she does that begins a wonderful, sweet friendship between the two. No one can make you ugly cry like Cronin and this book doesn't disappoint. A big thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was so sweet and wholesome and heartwarming!! I loved Lenni and Margot and even though this one may not have hit me in quite the same way, it’s still a beautiful story full of beautiful people. Cronin’s writing is so effortless and you can just feel the story unfolding in front of you This book is pure sunshine even though it delves into deeper topics like grief. I just loved Eddie and Bella and their adventures. I do feel like I’ll be thinking about them long after finishing. They feel like friends.

𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝗪𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 was the perfect book to start my 2025 reading year.

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥.”

This is *UpLit without an old curmudgeon. In this case you get 90-year old dearheart- Eddie Winston, who is looking for his first kiss. It was feel-good and heartwarming with an endearing cast of characters, consistent pacing and beautiful writing. I adored this tender and emotional story about unexpected cross-generational friendship, love, loss and kindness. The way Cronin took these seemingly simple everyday moments and unraveled them in a quiet, yet poignantly complex way. It was subtle yet intentional.

*𝐔𝐩𝐋𝐢𝐭 is one of my most reliable, go-to sub genres. I’ve seen it described as books that have real-life elements of sadness, but also have an emphasis on empathy and hope. The novels often have a focus on the human connection through community, friendship and found family while being uplifting and affirming.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃: Concurrently in print and audio (via Spotify). Both formats were excellent.

I received this book after the Pub Date, and I am so happy I received it! I loved the way Eddie and Bella's friendship grew throughout the book and how they were there for each other. Eddie is the sweetest soul and has always held hope to be reunited with his young love and finally begin what they could never before. I really enjoyed reading about Bridie's backstory, however I do wish we would've gotten a little more of young Eddie. This book will make you feel all the feels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC!