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: stay busy, 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.
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.
Introduction
Following the success of The Dead Romantics, Ashley Poston once again delivers an emotionally resonant novella. Featuring a chef in NYC and a publisher, I was already captivated even before delving into the pages of the book. However, as the narrative unfolds and its layers are revealed, it becomes clear that this story is no sour lemon; it’s deliciously sweet.
“My aunt used to say, if you don’t fit in, fool everyone until you do. She also said to keep your passport renewed, to pair red wines with meat and whites with everything else, to find work that is fulfilling to your heart as well as your head, to never forget to fall in love whenever you can find it because love is nothing if not a matter of timing, and to chase the moon. Always, always chase the moon.”
Overview
The story unfolds around Clementine and her seemingly ordinary life in NYC, six months following the loss of her beloved aunt and travel companion. Upon inheriting her aunt’s apartment, she chooses to reside there, despite the bittersweet memories it evokes. Her aunt had always hinted at the apartment’s enchanting qualities, a reality that Clementine came to experience firsthand. Remarkably, timelines intersect, granting the ability to enter the apartment and be transported seven years into the past – even encountering the prior inhabitant from that era. During one summer, this individual happens to be Iwan, a captivating Southern man to whom her aunt had sublet the apartment while both were overseas (an intriguing coincidence involving Clementine). A swift and deep connection blossoms between the two, yet Clementine wrestles with revealing the bewildering temporal anomaly. The question looms: if she confides in him, will he perceive her as unstable and distance himself, or will time elapse, risking the dissolution of their connection?
“I think,” he finally said, choosing his words carefully, “that nothing lasts forever. Not the good things, not the bad. So just find what makes you happy, and do it for as long as you can.”
Trigger Warnings
Content warnings in the realm of fantasy literature often tread a curious path, yet I find it necessary to illuminate aspects that could serve as potential triggers for fellow readers. Be advised that these warnings should be taken with care as I am not a licensed therapist and in no way could I identify everything. The following is what stuck out to me and other readers.
Suicide
Death of a loved one is touched upon a lot throughout the book, the author has even put a cautionary warning in the back of the book that you can read before the book.
Grief
Clementine deals with the passing of her aunt through the whole story and there are some intense descriptions that might be triggering to some.
Pregnancy
Our MC is not the one who is pregnant in this story it is a side character.
Tropes in the Story:
- Second Chance
- Insta-love
- Emotional scars
- Magical Realism
- Misconnections
“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.”
Thoughts
It took me some time to write this review after experiencing this piece, but it quickly became one of my favorites of the year (and that’s saying something, as I have read some great reads this year.). It was inevitable that I would enjoy this book due to the characters’ striking resemblance to those in my real life. This allowed me to see glimpses of myself within the characters, evoking genuine grins and laughter.
One notable trait of Ashley Poston’s works is their genuine humor. The jokes land solidly, offering a much-needed reprieve, particularly since her books often tackle weighty subjects. For those unacquainted with Poston’s writing, her stories tend to revolve around death, a sensitive topic for some. As always, I recommend reviewing trigger warnings before delving into any book.
While the main plot did incorporate elements of “insta-love,” I found it to be entirely believable. Our main character was navigating one of life’s most challenging periods, and her connection with Iwan seemed entirely natural—akin to finding a life raft in the midst of a tempestuous sea. Normally, I’m not one for plotlines driven by miscommunication, but the time jumps in this narrative actually made the ensuing drama plausible, as the characters were operating on different timelines, inevitably leading to misunderstandings.
“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.”
Conclusion
As I mentioned earlier, this stood out as one of my top reads of the year. The characters were thoroughly developed, and their individual storylines felt entirely plausible. Poston’s writing possesses a graceful beauty that manages to uncover joy even within life’s most challenging aspects. It struck me as remarkably courageous that she embarked on this particular book, given the personal experiences she has faced (for more details, refer to Poston’s citation prior to reading).
Considering the prevalence of darker themes on platforms like BookTok and Bookstagram as of late, this book is a refreshing departure—a genuine and relatable real-life narrative. It offers a glimpse of how one can persevere, providing a sense of hope. Poston adeptly guides the reader through Clemintine’s journey of grief, allowing for a profound connection.
Of all the books I read I highly recommend picking up one of Poston’s books yourself.
