when popular things are good
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
5/5
This book is something I discovered a little while ago, but I actively fought the urge to pick it up. I have this weird thing where if I see too much of something—on social media, in public, in Barnes and Noble book displays—it takes a lot for me pick it up on my own. I have a heavy distrust of things that are popular.
I know, I know. That’s practically illogical. The things that are enjoyed by so many people are usually pretty good right? I used to answer this question with a resounding yes, but lately I’m not so sure.
This book appeared over and over again. I was seeing it everywhere. It was always on the display shelves in bookstores, in teenage girls’ videos on social media. I was even seeing it subliminally.
And here’s what finally did it for me. I was watching this cute little video of a girl pranking her wife in their kitchen, and The Seven Year Slip was sitting on the corner of their island. It wasn’t the focus of their video, but it was right there. Maybe the 45th time I’d seen it over the course of the month, and I’m not even sure if I’m exaggerating that number.
I make weekly trips to my local bookstore. Birmingham’s Thank You Books knows my face well. It was a Friday afternoon, and I’d had a long week. Obviously, I was itching to add something to my bookshelf. The Seven Year Slip sat in the romance section, on display. I remember feeling like yeah, this is today’s impulse buy.
I picked it up that Saturday morning to give it shot.
No joke, I was done with the book by Saturday night.
The Seven Year Slip follows Clementine, who has recently acquired her deceased aunt’s magical apartment in New York City. A southern gentleman—my favorite!—appears not long after, and within those enchanted walls, romance follows. Clementine doesn’t know where this man came from, or where he is outside of the apartment where time seems to stand still.
Now, I won’t lie, I was wary about the magic in a romance novel. I was worried it would feel too ridiculous and distract from everything else in the story for me. But Ashley Poston seemed to have the magic touch I needed. Clementine’s struggles with satisfaction in her job combined with a handsome, Southern stranger named Iwan—this book seemed to be perfectly crafted just for me.
On a different note, I loved the name Clementine so much, it took me a second to warm up to “Lemon” for a nickname, but our Southern gentlemen sold it so well. There’s truly nothing like a guy with a little drawl and an emotional connection to food. Iwan feels like if FX’s The Bear was a magical romance instead of a psychological thriller.
I can’t help but draw parallels to my own life in anything I read. Obviously, reading is pretty personal for me. I know this book deals with the weight of heavy loss and grief, but it still felt light-hearted. I think that is a testament to Poston’s talent.
The Seven Year Slip ripped me out a book slump, and you know the feeling I’m talking about. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you love reading; you just can’t bring yourself to pick up another book. Sometimes that feeling will persist for weeks before you can dive into a new one. Thankfully, diving into this one revitalized my love for magic, romance, and the way words can pull things together in the most beautiful way.
I’ll attempt to tie all of this into my own life here (with a vagueness). I’ve been told this is controversial, but I don’t think anyone stays the same. When Clementine finds herself moving back and forth between seven years, she gets to learn that too. It’s a lesson worth remembering. Falling in love seven years later has to mean falling in love with a new person. You may still know parts of them—but they will have grown up. You have to let go of the notion that you already know that person. Let them reintroduce themselves. Reintroduce yourself. Maybe you’ll fall in love all over again.
As it turns out, seeing The Seven Year Slip everywhere happened for a reason. This is one of those moments where I can breathe a sigh of relief. Popular things are good again.
