By: Marianne Cronin
Many thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
From the author that brought you The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is another great story of Bella and Eddie. Eddie is 90 years old and he’s never been kissed. He loved once, but she was married and he walked away. Since then, he’s never found anyone again. Bella recently lost her boyfriend. She met Eddie when she brought his things to a charity shop to donate. Eddie and Bella strike up an unlikely friendship at a time when they really both need it. Eddie helps Bella through her grief and Bella gives Eddie hope that even at 90, he can still find love, and get his first kiss.
Cronin seems to like to put together two unlikely characters that unknowingly need each other at this certain point in their lives, and she does it really well. The chapters tell the story both in the present and sometimes in the past, we learn how Eddie came to be in the position he’s in – 90 and never been kissed. I really love Bella’s spirit and hopefulness when it comes to Eddie. And while I’ve never been through something like Bella has been through, I can understand that everyone handles grief differently and she needed to handle her grief the best way she knew how.
This book really feels like a warm hug. It’s a reminder that happiness can happen at any age. It let’s us know that it’s okay to let us process our grief, no matter how long that takes, but that there is something on the other side of that. It makes the reminds readers that life is worth living, smiles and laughter are good things, and not all friendships look the same.
This is really an enjoyable read. If you couldn’t tell already, I found it to be very uplifting. I really think this book could be for anyone, especially those who love Lenni and Margot.
This will be available on December 31, 2024. You can pre-order it/find it here.
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