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The Seven Year Slip
"A gorgeous love story from one of the finest romance writers out there." --Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023 A Most Anticipated Book by Entertainment Weekly ∙ Harper's Bazaar ∙ PopSugar ∙ Real Simple ∙ BookRiot ∙ and more! An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate...only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics. Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn't want to get too close to anyone--she isn't sure her heart can take it. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt's apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would've fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she'll be doomed. After all, love is never a matter of time--but a matter of timing.
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023 A Most Anticipated Book by Entertainment Weekly ∙ Harper's Bazaar ∙ PopSugar ∙ Real Simple ∙ BookRiot ∙ and more! An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate...only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics. Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn't want to get too close to anyone--she isn't sure her heart can take it. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt's apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would've fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she'll be doomed. After all, love is never a matter of time--but a matter of timing.
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I was excited to finally read this book bc it seemed like the perfect story for me to try out magical realism for the first time esp as l've been on a romance bender lately. Clementine was likable and Iwan was special and the author wrote about
grief and life after someone you love passes in a realistic and beautiful way. I just wish that we had more time to develop their relationship in the past and esp the present more. While sometimes it could be a little repetitive, overall this was a sweet love story with some heartbreaking &
heartwarming lines. I also really love that this book literally EXUDES yellow. Like the color yellow and the smell of citrus fruits is mentioned at certain moments that you can't help but to truly feel the wistful nostalgia or the bubbly newness that's being described.
I can't wait to check out the book pairings found at the back & you knowwww I saved that bit about the grilled cheese w bell peppers, mushrooms and sriracha mayo to try ASAP
It was a very cute book. I was not prepared the grief that was in this book. It was quite sad and hit me in a way I wasn't prepared for. Definitely not as light as I thought it would be, but the romance evened it out. I would recommend this.
Ashley Poston’s “The Seven Year Slip” is a romance novel enriched with elements of magical realism, exploring themes of grief, love, timing, and the importance of staying true to oneself.
Six months after the sudden loss of her Aunt Analea, book publicist Clementine “Lemon” West is still grappling with her grief. Her job at Strauss & Adder, once a source of fulfillment, now feels empty, though it provides her with much-needed stability. When Clementine inherits her aunt’s Upper East Side apartment, she encounters an unexpected surprise: a stranger, aspiring chef James “Iwan” Ashton, who is living seven years in the past. Despite being in Clementine’s present-day apartment, Iwan is trapped in a different timeline. Her aunt had always spoken of fantastical stories about the apartment’s magic, and Clementine now sees those tales come to life. Every time Iwan steps out the door, Clementine loses him and must wait for his next appearance.
During the days they spend together, though separated by time, Clementine and Iwan develop deep feelings for each other. The real challenge arises when their timelines converge in the present day. Iwan, now known as James Ashton, is no longer the person Clementine fell in love with. They must navigate their evolving feelings and choose to love each other in their current forms rather than clinging to their past selves.
Poston is renowned for her poignant and immersive prose, deeply influenced by her personal experience with grief. Having lost her grandfather suddenly, Poston brings a profound authenticity to Clementine’s struggle with her aunt’s death, particularly as she uncovers the possibility of suicide and the hidden depths of her aunt’s mental health struggles.
Time travel novels often present complex challenges, and “The Seven Year Slip” is no exception. The mechanics of the characters’ interactions across different timelines can be difficult to follow. Additionally, the rapid development of the romance is somewhat problematic. Iwan's involvement with other women, which Clementine views with a certain acceptance, raises concerns. She reflects on these past relationships with a troubling sense of validation:
"I suddenly had no qualms with all the women I remembered from his Instagram. They were a lot of practice and I was absolutely reaping the benefits.”
This perspective might suggest that a man’s sexual history is beneficial for his future partners, which can be problematic. It implies that women should accept a man’s past experiences as beneficial rather than expecting him to learn how to please them in a committed relationship.
Rating: 3.5/5
Audiobooked most of this book on my roadtrip to Georgia ◡̈
Overall, a little predictable. The aunt committing suicide was a big turning point for me and probably the biggest plot twist of this book. Definitely brought awareness to mental health.
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