The Seven Year Slip

When Clementine receives the keys to her late aunt’s cozy New York apartment, she’s looking for a fresh start—somewhere to heal, regroup, and focus on her demanding job as a book publicist. She doesn’t expect to find a man standing in the kitchen, barefoot and baking a lemon pie, as if he belongs there. His name is Iwan, he’s warm, charming, and speaks with a soft Southern drawl, but there’s one impossible detail: he’s not from her time. He’s seven years in the past, living in the same apartment while chasing his dream of becoming a chef. The apartment, it seems, bends time in quiet, mysterious ways—letting two souls meet across the years in fleeting, intimate moments.

As Clementine navigates her high-pressure career and the quiet ache of unresolved grief, her encounters with Iwan become the highlight of her week. Their connection grows through shared meals, late-night talks, and an easy, sparkling chemistry that feels both magical and real. But every time she sees him, she’s reminded that he doesn’t know the person she’s become—and she knows far too much about the man he will one day be. The more she falls, the more she questions whether love can survive when timing is working against it. Is it possible to build something lasting with someone who literally lives in your past?

Ashley Poston weaves a story that’s equal parts tender and uplifting, blending the ache of loss with the spark of new beginnings. The novel doesn’t shy away from the weight of grief or the exhaustion of burnout, but it also celebrates small joys—like a perfectly baked pie, a favorite book, or a quiet moment of connection. The magical element never feels forced; instead, it serves as a gentle metaphor for how love and memory can transcend time. Through Clementine’s journey, readers are reminded that healing isn’t linear, and sometimes the people who change us the most arrive in the most unexpected ways.

The writing is warm and inviting, full of humor, heart, and just the right amount of whimsy. Poston has a gift for creating characters who feel like friends—flawed, funny, and deeply human. Their friendships, banter, and emotional honesty ground the story, making the magical premise feel believable. The novel moves at a comfortable pace, giving space for both quiet reflection and joyful romance. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to read with a cup of tea, wrapped in a blanket, letting the story wash over you like a comforting breeze.

Perfect for fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Lake House, The Seven Year Slip is a modern love story that believes in second chances, even when time is not on your side. It’s about learning to live again after loss, rediscovering your dreams, and realizing that love isn’t about perfect timing—it’s about showing up, again and again, for the person who makes your heart feel at home. This is a novel that stays with you, not because of its twists, but because of its truth: that love, in all its forms, is always worth the risk.