Smarting from her recently canceled wedding and about to turn forty, Laurie Sassalyn returns to her Maine hometown of Calcasset to handle the estate of her great-aunt Dot. Alongside boxes of Polaroids and pottery, a mysterious wooden duck shows up at the bottom of a cedar chest. Laurie is told that the duck has no financial value. But after it disappears under suspicious circumstances, she feels compelled to figure out why anyone would steal a wooden duck—and why Dot kept it hidden away in the first place. Suddenly Laurie finds herself swept up in a righteous caper that has her negotiating with antiques dealers and con artists, going on after-hours dates at the local library, and reconnecting with her oldest friend and her first love.
... a whimsical and heartfelt testament to choosing the love story that fits you best and learning to live with yourself when love isn’t right next to you ... Holmes shines with her small-town setting, lovable characters and underdog heroine. She has a natural cadence for dialogue, grasping the dynamics of different relationships --- sibling, best friend, lover --- and giving voice to every inside joke, playful squabble and, even better, the words that go unsaid between the banter ... Perhaps what I loved most about Flying Solo was Holmes’ compassionate and tender exploration of legacy and inheritance ... While Flying Solo features a beautiful, moving journey of self-acceptance, a tender second-chance romance and a hilarious heist, it is this passage that truly will stay with me as I continue to build my own collections…which undoubtedly will include a shelf dedicated to Linda Holmes’ books.
Holmes blends humor, emotional depth, and small-town charm in this delightful story about the bonds of family and friendship, showing how even the most independent people need someone to lean on. Readers will love spending time with Laurie and her friends; suggest to fans of Katherine Center and Abbi Waxman.
Deeply entertaining and heartfelt ... [An] absolute winner ... It’s hilarious and insightful, with vivid characters who act and speak in utterly human and believable ways ... Flying Solo has it all: a mystery, shady con artists, a fabulously funny and supportive friend group and even a steamy romance.
