Book Review·Lesbian Review

Not part of Claire Lydon’s plan It’s a romance from friends to enemies to lovers.

Bobby Voss has been through a rough patch. Her grandma died, and then her mom had an aneurysm and died suddenly. Poppy fell down the rabbit hole of sadness and became listless.

Eliza Carpenter’s life has not been going well recently. She just divorced her wife and doesn’t know what her next step will be.

When Poppy’s Aunt Margot announces that she is selling her sister’s watch-making business (the family business started by Poppy’s grandma), Poppy decides to keep the company and her mother’s memory alive, even though she has never wanted to have anything to do with it before. But when Aunt Margot announces a three-month trial to see if Poppy can handle the business with her old friend Eliza, whom she shut out when she was 18, old feelings surface.

Add in some worried ghosts, queer pop influencers, some beautiful scenery in Scotland and Switzerland, and you have a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Can Poppy find happiness in a company that took her mother away from her in more ways than one? Can she find love with her once-infatuated, now-misunderstood friend?

Or is there something lurking beneath the surface that could send Poppy into despair again?

writing

This is at least 5^th Books by Claire Lydon that I have read or listened to. Lydon writes very well without too many lengthy scenes, allowing the reader to get right into the character’s head or place. The prose leaves a deep impression on you. Whether she’s describing a place or how one of her characters feels about another character or themselves, her writing begs to be read. I reread and/or highlighted passages that made me laugh or left a warm impression.

The book is told from Poppy’s perspective, and we follow her journey from selfless daughter to determined daughter who keeps her mom and grandma’s watch company in the family instead of selling it to a big company. As her aunt throws Eliza’s wrench into Poppy’s life, we get to see how they cope with the inconvenience of going from business associates to close associates, and all the upheaval that comes with it.

Pros and my favorite part

I’ll say it shamelessly…the prose is one of the things I really enjoyed about this book. I highlighted some passages that really stood out to me. For example, “Margot strutted toward me in high heels that would have given me a nosebleed if I tried. She bursts into the restaurant like a perfectly mixed martini: It’s cold and can easily make you shiver. “

The scenery descriptions also put you right in the middle of the scene and you can almost see yourself with the characters.

It’s a familiar trope, but not too saccharine or too angsty. As the book progresses, Poppy’s maturation feels organic and honest. As the relationship between Poppy and Eliza transitions from a professional to a personal one, it’s interesting to see the effects on Poppy and the way her brain (and body) reacts to Eliza’s. There are some really funny lines throughout the book that emphasize this.

There are ghostly supporting characters that move the storyline forward and provide closure for a sad and guilty Poppy. Whenever they appear, their influence is loving and soothing.

careful

Not for me

in conclusion

If you’ve never read a Claire Lydon book, this is a great introduction to her catalog of stories. If you’ve read Lydon’s other books, know that this will be a great read that you’ll content yourself with reading at your leisure.

I really enjoyed reading about Poppy and Eliza’s past and present, and the friend-to-enemy-to-lovers trope is one I don’t read a lot about, but Lydon does a great job here. Poppy’s handling of her grief and guilt over her mother’s death is subtle and thoughtful.

Lydon’s writing is solid and tight. A relaxing Sunday read or coffee break. These words will leave a lasting impression on you and make you smile somewhere.

Excerpted from Not part of Claire Lydon’s plan