by Lara Avery
Published by William Morrow (August 22, 2023), Hardback – $30, 288 pages
Hardback edition
Kindle edition
Reviewed by Penny A Parrish
The bride, the groom, the vows: “To love and to cherish until death do us part.” Almost everyone who has spoken those words to a spouse expects that the latter phrase is WAY down the road. But for Robin Lindstrom, the ending came much too fast. She is a young widow, in her 30s, desperately missing Gabe, the love of her life. This was not the plan.
But another plan was created by Gabe before he left his earthly bonds. On the one-year anniversary of his death, Robin gets a previously scheduled email from him, telling her she is signed up for an online dating service called “Fluttr.” Gabe wants her to move on, to not be alone, to do this for him if not for herself.
With help from her lackadaisical brother Theo, Robin enters the virtual world, answering questions about her likes, dislikes, habits, pet peeves, etc. Gabe has even provided a wonderful photo of Robin on a bicycle that he took one day when they were still together – her hair blowing in the wind, a surprised smile on her face. Suddenly her phone is pinging with interested men. Sorting the proverbial wheat from the chaff is no easy feat. She is propositioned, lied to, shown fake photos of potential dates, blocked and about to stop when one guy starts an online conversation with potential. A meeting – in a public place – is set up.
Thus readers will meet a few different guys. Her date with Colin begins at a bowling alley and ends at a stand-up comedy show. Jake is from a neighboring town and they meet at the fair. Ted gets her involved with makeup for a little theatre group.
But this book is much more than “new guy in new chapter.” We learn the back story of how Robin and Gabe met, how they spent their time together, how they lived in rural Minnesota in a farmhouse built by his ancestors. We meet Levi, the best friend of the couple. We meet Robin’s mom, who runs a restaurant and lives on cigarettes and alcohol.
Grief often shares space with guilt. How can you move on with someone else without feeling like you are betraying the one you lost? How do you deal with the pity once your date learns you are a widow? When is “the” time to move on, to create a new life and hold memories close but not let them rule you? Those questions are the heart of this book, which made me cry, laugh, smile, ponder – and vow never to try online dating!
