The Seven Year Slip Book Review

Though I try to mix up our monthly book club pick genres, I’d pick a steady stream of romance novels if they could all be as good as The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston.

I’ve been in an especially stressful season (Mom of a senior, IYKYK) and this book was a balm to my nerves every night before bed.

One character is a chef, another works in the publishing industry — food and books?? My two favorites! Add in one of the best happy endings I’ve read in a while and here’s a recipe for a good time.

P.S. If you enjoy this book, you might want to check out this list of 20 Book Club Books for Food Lovers!

Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.

Summary of The Seven Year Slip

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.

Book Stats

Published: June 27, 2023
Pages: 348
Genre: Time Travel, Romantic Comedy
Get Your Copy: Paperback | Kindle | Audiobook

What I Liked

Here’s what I would tell my best friend about the book:

1. Their Careers: The two main characters managed to combine two of my favorite things: cooking and books. I appreciated the passion both main characters had around their work in restaurants and the publishing industry respectively.
2. Accidental Time Travel: The time travel is not something that can be chosen, it simply happens. I loved watching them fall in love over two different timelines.
3. Love Letter to Cooking: I appreciated the descriptions of what makes a “perfect meal” and how the romantic leads connected in the kitchen.
4. Gentle Exploration of Grief: My reviews are always spoiler free so I don’t want to say too much. I appreciated this element of the novel because it added enough realistic depth without being heavy. You may want to reference my Trigger Warnings at the very bottom of the post if you’re sensitive to this topic.

What I Didn’t Like

Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part so take this with a grain of salt.

Though I did love the time travel element, I had a bit of a hard time following the timeline and how things connected. By the end, it made more sense to me but it was a little confusing in the middle.

Overall Score

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I give The Seven Year Slip 4 stars.

This was an especially creative romantic story with a big pay off at the end. While romance novels are fun reads all the way through, this was an extra-happy happy ending for me.

If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.

Similar Books You’d Enjoy

If you enjoyed The Seven Year Slip, you might also like reading:

You, With a View Book Review

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone Book Review

First-Time Caller Book Review

The Love of My After Life Book Review

Trigger Warnings

The Seven Year Slip is a lovely novel that features two characters falling in love over a split timeline. There is nothing terribly graphic but it does cover some heavier themes around grief.

Suicide is mentioned and a loved one left behind struggles with grief and anger.