This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant
Published: June 27th,2023
Genre: Contemporary, fiction/romance
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: 10/10
Content Warning: This book mentions talks of suicide and grief over the death of a loved one.
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston is a contemporary fiction and romance novel that will tug at your heartstrings. It follows Clementine, a book publicist whose world is turned upside down when she mysteriously travels back in time 7 years.
After the death of her beloved Aunt Analea, Clementine is willed her aunt’s New York City apartment. Still grief-stricken, living there amidst memories proves difficult for Clementine. But one evening, upon returning home, the apartment is suddenly as her aunt left it 7 years prior. Even more shocking, there’s an attractive stranger cooking dinner in her kitchen!
As Clementine tries to make sense of what’s happening, that her aunt is letting Iwan stay there for the summer, and for him it’s 7 years in the past. Faced with this impossible scenario, Clementine must navigate living in her past apartment with Iwan, while hiding the secrets of the future.
Over time, Clementine finds solace and comfort in growing close to Iwan. Their bond helps Clementine reconcile her grief over losing her aunt.
The premise intricately explores love, loss, and fate as Clementine journeys between past and present. While light-hearted at times, the story also touches on serious themes of anxiety, suicide, and coping with death.
After reading the overview of The Seven Year Slip, the main question I’m left pondering is – how would I handle being in Clementine’s shoes? Getting thrust 7 years into your own past would be utterly disorienting. Yet Clementine takes it all in stride.
If I’m being honest, I don’t know if I could adapt so seamlessly to living in my past apartment with a stranger from the present. The secrets I’d have to keep about the future would weigh on me. I’d constantly be paranoid about accidentally changing the timeline.
But for Clementine, this bizarre twist of fate allows her to reconnect with nostalgia and process her grief over losing her aunt. And forming a bond with James gives her comfort, solace, and possibly even love. Their growing relationship across the time slip is undeniably intriguing.
Poston has crafted a truly unique premise that invites reflection on life’s precious moments. Would I want to journey 7 years into the future or past? While tempting, I think I’d ultimately choose to remain in the present. As Clementine learns, cherishing each moment as it comes is what matters most.
The Seven Year Slip explores love, fate, and coping with loss through the imaginative lens of time travel. This whimsical, heartfelt story will leave you pondering – if you could slip through time, where would you go?