Book Review: Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin
Rating: 4.5⭐
Having read and loved The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin, I was eagerly looking forward to her most recent novel and I’m glad to say that Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love did not disappoint!
Ninety-year-old retired academic Eddie Winston spends his days sorting through donations at The Heart Trust Charity Shop, where he volunteers. As he goes through boxes of donations both from those who visit the shop personally or items collected from the estates of the deceased, he endeavors to gain a deeper understanding of the lives of the original owners. Items he feels to be of special significance find a place on his “Eddie Shelf” at home, often intending to return them to their rightful owners under special circumstances or if they decide to come back for the same. Eddie lives alone with his pet guinea pig and has never been in a relationship despite having fallen in love once in the past and has never even been kissed. In the course of his work, he meets twenty-four-year-old Isabella “Bella” Williams, who has recently lost someone close to her. As Eddie and Bella become friends, Eddie tries to help Bella through her grief and Bella takes it upon herself to find Eddie a romantic partner. The story follows Bella and Eddie as they embark upon a beautiful journey of friendship, hope and healing.
With its endearing cast of characters, consistent pacing and beautiful writing I found this novel to be an immensely moving and heartwarming read that touches upon themes of intergenerational friendship, found family, love and kindness, grief, hope and healing with compassion and humor. Eddie is a lovable character and my heart went out to Bella. The story also features an interesting cast of secondary characters and, of course, Pushkin the guinea pig, for whom Eddie makes an effort to find a companion! The author deftly combines past and present timelines into a fluid narrative featuring short chapters. Both timelines are well-developed, and at no point does the story lose momentum.
Overall, this was a delightful and uplifting read with memorable characters that left me with a smile on my face! A perfect read to end the year on!
Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. To Die For was published in the USA on December 31, 2024.
“The remnants of a life don’t add up to much, really. Not once the big things–the fridge freezer, the three-piece suite, the body–are all boxed up and gone. What remain are the little things.”
Ninety-year-old retired academic Eddie Winston spends his days sorting through donations at The Heart Trust Charity Shop, where he volunteers. As he goes through boxes of donations both from those who visit the shop personally or items collected from the estates of the deceased, he endeavors to gain a deeper understanding of the lives of the original owners. Items he feels to be of special significance find a place on his “Eddie Shelf” at home, often intending to return them to their rightful owners under special circumstances or if they decide to come back for the same. Eddie lives alone with his pet guinea pig and has never been in a relationship despite having fallen in love once in the past and has never even been kissed. In the course of his work, he meets twenty-four-year-old Isabella “Bella” Williams, who has recently lost someone close to her. As Eddie and Bella become friends, Eddie tries to help Bella through her grief and Bella takes it upon herself to find Eddie a romantic partner. The story follows Bella and Eddie as they embark upon a beautiful journey of friendship, hope and healing.
With its endearing cast of characters, consistent pacing and beautiful writing I found this novel to be an immensely moving and heartwarming read that touches upon themes of intergenerational friendship, found family, love and kindness, grief, hope and healing with compassion and humor. Eddie is a lovable character and my heart went out to Bella. The story also features an interesting cast of secondary characters and, of course, Pushkin the guinea pig, for whom Eddie makes an effort to find a companion! The author deftly combines past and present timelines into a fluid narrative featuring short chapters. Both timelines are well-developed, and at no point does the story lose momentum.
Overall, this was a delightful and uplifting read with memorable characters that left me with a smile on my face! A perfect read to end the year on!
Many thanks to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. To Die For was published in the USA on December 31, 2024.
“The remnants of a life don’t add up to much, really. Not once the big things–the fridge freezer, the three-piece suite, the body–are all boxed up and gone. What remain are the little things.”
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