A review by tristatereader
Kit & Basie by Tess Carletta

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Basie Yeats is 77 years old, but stopped aging at 25. He and his mom, Della, are the only two immortal people Basie knows. So when Della unexpectedly decides to end her immortality, Basie finds himself overcome with feelings of grief and loneliness. He vows to leave Long Lily, Pennsylvania (where he’s lived for 77 years) in an attempt to do immortality “the right way”. But when his house is sold to a charming and charismatic outsider from Maryland named Kit Elliot, Basie can’t seem to leave.

This was a sweet story about overcoming grief. Basie is so blinded by anger and sadness, he decides running from the only life he’s ever known is his one lchance at happiness. He makes some unsafe decisions, such as squatting in an abandoned diner in the woods, just to avoid processing his grief. My heart broke for Basie throughout this book. And then it broke for Kit, who couldn’t help falling for this grief-stricken Basie. Don’t worry though, this was a HEA and the epilogue was chef’s kiss. 

Pick this book up for the magical realism, stay for the serendipitous connection between Kit & Basie 🥰

Thank you so much to the author for the gifted copy of this gorgeous book