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Quick answer: If you loved Seven Year Slip, read Book Lovers, The Dead Romantics, The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Time Traveler's Wife. All mix romance with a pinch of magic, memory and unusual love stories.
Ashley Poston's novel follows a woman who finds a strange connection with a man living in her apartment seven years apart. It is cozy, magical and tender, full of grief and gentle humour. The books below share its romance, quirky settings and soft touch of the impossible.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | witty small-town romance |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | writers in love |
| Happy Place | Emily Henry | Adult | exes pretending |
| The Flatshare | Beth O'Leary | Adult | sharing a space |
| The Time Traveler's Wife | Audrey Niffenegger | Adult | love across time |
| Outlander | Diana Gabaldon | Adult | historical time slip |
| Bid Time Return | Richard Matheson | Adult | time-travel romance |
| The Bookish Life of Nina Hill | Abbi Waxman | Adult | cozy book love |
| The Dead Romantics | Ashley Poston | Adult | ghostly romance |
| The Hating Game | Sally Thorne | Adult | office rivals |
| The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | Adult | what-if lives |
| Before the Coffee Gets Cold | Toshikazu Kawaguchi | Adult | gentle time travel |
| The House in the Cerulean Sea | TJ Klune | Adult | found family |
| The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | V. E. Schwab | Adult | love and memory |
| The Ex Hex | Erin Sterling | Adult | witchy romance |
1. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A cynical literary agent and a grumpy editor keep running into each other in a small town. Funny, warm and bookish.
Best for: witty small-town romance.
2. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival authors swap genres for a summer. Sharp, sweet and emotional.
Best for: writers in love.
3. Happy Place by Emily Henry
A broken-up couple hides the truth from their friends on a holiday. Heartfelt and funny.
Best for: exes pretending.
4. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
Two strangers share a flat and a bed, never meeting. Sweet, quirky and a great fit for fans of unusual meet-cutes.
Best for: sharing a space.
5. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
A man who slips through time and the woman who loves him. A romantic and heartbreaking classic.
Best for: love across time.
6. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
A nurse steps through stones and lands in eighteenth-century Scotland. Long, passionate and adventurous.
Best for: historical time slip.
7. Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson
A man wills himself back in time to meet an actress. The inspiration for the film Somewhere in Time.
Best for: time-travel romance.
8. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
A shy bookshop worker meets family and a trivia rival. Gentle, funny and full of book references.
Best for: cozy book love.
9. The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
A ghostwriter for romance novels meets a ghost in her editor's house. Funny, sad and sweet.
Best for: ghostly romance.
10. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Two assistants compete for a promotion. Banter and tension make this a modern favourite.
Best for: office rivals.
11. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora explores the lives she could have lived. Gentle and hopeful.
Best for: what-if lives.
12. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
A cafe lets customers visit the past, but only while the coffee is hot. Quiet and moving.
Best for: gentle time travel.
13. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
A caseworker visits an orphanage of magical children and finds love. Warm and funny.
Best for: found family.
14. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
A cursed woman is forgotten by everyone, until someone remembers her. Lush and romantic.
Best for: love and memory.
15. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
A witch accidentally curses her ex in a small town. Light, funny and magical.
Best for: witchy romance.
How to Choose
For witty romantic comedies pick Emily Henry or Sally Thorne. For paranormal and magical romances choose The Dead Romantics, The Ex Hex or The House in the Cerulean Sea. For time-slip love read The Time Traveler's Wife, Outlander or Bid Time Return. For quiet, cozy comfort try Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Seven Year Slip is a gentle read, so these will suit an evening with tea and a blanket. If you like the time-slip element most, begin with Bid Time Return, The Time Traveler's Wife or Before the Coffee Gets Cold. If you want banter and romance, choose Emily Henry or Beth O'Leary. If you want the gentle, ghostly mood, pick The Dead Romantics or The House in the Cerulean Sea. Many of these are available as audiobooks with warm, expressive narrators.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Seven Year Slip about?
A woman finds she shares an apartment with a man who lives seven years in the past.
Who wrote it?
Ashley Poston, who also wrote The Dead Romantics.
When was it published?
2022.
Is it a romance?
Yes, with a magical element.
Is it sad?
It deals with grief but is mostly warm and hopeful.
Is it a standalone?
Yes.
Is it similar to The Time Traveler's Wife?
They share time and love, but Poston's tone is lighter.
Is it spicy?
It is mostly sweet. Check content notes for details.
Is it a cozy read?
Yes, it is soft, romantic and mostly gentle in tone.
What should I read first from this list?
Book Lovers for banter, or The Dead Romantics for more Poston.