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Philippa Flynn's Year of Panic and Piracy: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26An introverted history professor and a former romance cover model collaborate on a life-changing endeavor in a witty and swoonworthy novel about new beginnings in unexpected waters.
When a sinkhole nearly swallows her whole, burned-out history professor Philippa Flynn takes it as a wake-up call. Leaving her carefully planned but unfulfilling life behind, she moves into an old seaside house she inherited from her grandmother, a bestselling author of swashbuckling romances. Philippa expects the clutter, disrepair, proximity to the family she deliberately moved away from, and reclusive writer she’ll be sharing the house with. She doesn’t expect that writer to also be the cover model who personified Iris Flynn’s bare-chested, cavalier-booted pirate king.
While navigating their awkward cohabitation and searching for creative inspiration, the pair discovers the outlines for six more novels they could work on together. But Philippa’s used to facts, Dylan has writer’s block, and neither can craft a love scene while real sparks are flying.
To write the story on the page, Philippa will have to embrace the one she’s living, even if it means swapping tenure for treasure maps and plans for pirate kings.
When a sinkhole nearly swallows her whole, burned-out history professor Philippa Flynn takes it as a wake-up call. Leaving her carefully planned but unfulfilling life behind, she moves into an old seaside house she inherited from her grandmother, a bestselling author of swashbuckling romances. Philippa expects the clutter, disrepair, proximity to the family she deliberately moved away from, and reclusive writer she’ll be sharing the house with. She doesn’t expect that writer to also be the cover model who personified Iris Flynn’s bare-chested, cavalier-booted pirate king.
While navigating their awkward cohabitation and searching for creative inspiration, the pair discovers the outlines for six more novels they could work on together. But Philippa’s used to facts, Dylan has writer’s block, and neither can craft a love scene while real sparks are flying.
To write the story on the page, Philippa will have to embrace the one she’s living, even if it means swapping tenure for treasure maps and plans for pirate kings.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 1, 2026
7 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Firkins
6 books403 followersJacqueline's a writer, costume designer, and lover of beautiful things. She's on the full-time faculty in the Department of Theatre & Film at the University of British Columbia where she teaches character design, world building, script interpretation, and period costume construction courses. When not obsessing about where to put the buttons or the commas, she can be found running by the ocean, eating excessive amounts of gluten, listening to earnest love songs, and pretending her dog understands every word she says.
**A note about my reviews. As is probably obvious, I post reviews primarily to celebrate other authors and their books. I won't say I love a book if I don't, but I will focus on the things I like and/or the things I think readers might want to consider when choosing if a book might be right for them. If you're looking for more critical reviews, they're easy to find on here. We live in a world where tearing people down is often celebrated more strongly than lifting them up. Consider my universal 5-star ratings and my focus-on-the-positive book reviews a teeny-tiny rebellion against that attitude, and one that only works because I'm one voice among many. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to provide thoughtful reviews, no matter the stars. And happy reading.
**A note about my reviews. As is probably obvious, I post reviews primarily to celebrate other authors and their books. I won't say I love a book if I don't, but I will focus on the things I like and/or the things I think readers might want to consider when choosing if a book might be right for them. If you're looking for more critical reviews, they're easy to find on here. We live in a world where tearing people down is often celebrated more strongly than lifting them up. Consider my universal 5-star ratings and my focus-on-the-positive book reviews a teeny-tiny rebellion against that attitude, and one that only works because I'm one voice among many. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to provide thoughtful reviews, no matter the stars. And happy reading.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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January 13, 2026Immediately need this.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5⭐ - A very sweet novel about a thirtysomething woman with her life not together as she deals with the deep grief from losing her beloved grandmother and eventually finds love with her grandmother's co-writer, a somewhat asocial but kind former cover model.
I had a really great time with this story for about ninety percent of it. I really liked Philippa, an extremely normal (complimentary!) woman who is smart but not genius, pretty but not stunning, nice but not particularly charismatic, whose existence takes a turn when she enters a life crisis and decides to drop her tenured job and hole up in the dilapidated old house her grandmother left her. There, she meets Dylan, the man who starred on the covers of her grandmother's romance novels and who later became her assistant and co-writer. Philippa and Dylan's cohabitation starts rocky to later devolve into a multilayered partnership full of classic rom-com beats, some of which were so cinematic they took my breath away (the moment of Dylan coming back from a run in the rain will be seared in my brain for a long time!).
This story leans more women's fiction than romance novel, despite the romance taking a relatively forefront position. We accompany Philippa as she navigates these new, rough waters of uncertainness, of being at an age when one's supposed to have it all together (and so many of us don't), just like her beloved, chaotic siblings seem to; of her trying and failing and trying again to ask for and receive support from her caffeinated know-it-all parents, who love her but don't understand her. Her relationship with Dylan grows into something full of kindness and compassion and awareness, and lacking in judgment, exactly what they both need, and though I thought Dylan remained a bit opaque (we only have Philippa's POV), he was exactly the kind of romantic hero I'm drawn to, and their relationship the kind I most want to root for.
The last ten percent lost me a little, partly due to my own personal preferences, and partly because of what I thought was a bit of a too quick resolution of the various threads. Still, overall a very enjoyable read that made me think a lot about my grandmothers, whom I miss both intensely.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy.
I had a really great time with this story for about ninety percent of it. I really liked Philippa, an extremely normal (complimentary!) woman who is smart but not genius, pretty but not stunning, nice but not particularly charismatic, whose existence takes a turn when she enters a life crisis and decides to drop her tenured job and hole up in the dilapidated old house her grandmother left her. There, she meets Dylan, the man who starred on the covers of her grandmother's romance novels and who later became her assistant and co-writer. Philippa and Dylan's cohabitation starts rocky to later devolve into a multilayered partnership full of classic rom-com beats, some of which were so cinematic they took my breath away (the moment of Dylan coming back from a run in the rain will be seared in my brain for a long time!).
This story leans more women's fiction than romance novel, despite the romance taking a relatively forefront position. We accompany Philippa as she navigates these new, rough waters of uncertainness, of being at an age when one's supposed to have it all together (and so many of us don't), just like her beloved, chaotic siblings seem to; of her trying and failing and trying again to ask for and receive support from her caffeinated know-it-all parents, who love her but don't understand her. Her relationship with Dylan grows into something full of kindness and compassion and awareness, and lacking in judgment, exactly what they both need, and though I thought Dylan remained a bit opaque (we only have Philippa's POV), he was exactly the kind of romantic hero I'm drawn to, and their relationship the kind I most want to root for.
The last ten percent lost me a little, partly due to my own personal preferences, and partly because of what I thought was a bit of a too quick resolution of the various threads. Still, overall a very enjoyable read that made me think a lot about my grandmothers, whom I miss both intensely.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“It’s a fine line between alone and lonely, between needing to be away from the noise, the bustle, and the judgment of others and not wanting a life built on silence and solitude… How do I reconcile my need for aloneness with the growing sense that I’ve been missing something that would prevent the aloneness from becoming a place I can’t escape?”
As an introvert who loves her alone time, I totally relate to this quote.
And while there is not enough piracy 😂, I really loved this book.
There is something genuinely lovely about watching Philippa and Dylan go from total strangers to reluctant roommates to something so much more. The slow burn here is real — and yes, maybe occasionally a bit slow. But it was kind of refreshing to read a romance that lets the relationship breathe instead of rushing to the spice. Sometimes you just want to watch two people actually fall for each other, you know? And if they don’t have all their ish figured put at the end of the book it’s ok because you know you’re guaranteed a HEA.
The excerpts from the Zane Scarlet series woven throughout were an absolute delight. I would 100% read those books. Someone please make them real. Iris Flynn, the magnificent fictional grandmother of the mfc and the writer of the fictional spicy pirate romance books sounds like she would have been a total blast and, I would so want to come to one of her pirate themed parties. So it was of course a bit sad reading through how the mfc Philippa is dealing and also not dealing with the death of her grandmother who was really the only person who truly saw her.
Speaking of family — Philippa's four siblings and the way those five have each other's backs no matter what was one of my favorite threads in the whole story. Her parents, on the other hand? Capital H Horrible. I said what I said.
My only real critiques are that the romance could have used a little more development, and Dylan feels somewhat underwritten in terms of his personal history and backstory — which is a shame because there's so much potential there. So I'm landing at 4.5 stars rather than a full five, but this is absolutely a warm, genuinely charming read that I'd recommend to anyone who wants something a little different from the typical romance.
“Life really does rarely give us simple this-or-that choices, and this book understands that beautifully. It's about priorities, sacrifice, and what we're willing to let go of to build something real.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!
“Life so seldom presents us with a simple question of this or that. It’s a complicated nexus of interlocking priorities. If I can’t have it all, what can I have, and what am I willing to sacrifice in order to have it?”
Ooof who hasn't felt that at one point or another?
As an introvert who loves her alone time, I totally relate to this quote.
And while there is not enough piracy 😂, I really loved this book.
There is something genuinely lovely about watching Philippa and Dylan go from total strangers to reluctant roommates to something so much more. The slow burn here is real — and yes, maybe occasionally a bit slow. But it was kind of refreshing to read a romance that lets the relationship breathe instead of rushing to the spice. Sometimes you just want to watch two people actually fall for each other, you know? And if they don’t have all their ish figured put at the end of the book it’s ok because you know you’re guaranteed a HEA.
The excerpts from the Zane Scarlet series woven throughout were an absolute delight. I would 100% read those books. Someone please make them real. Iris Flynn, the magnificent fictional grandmother of the mfc and the writer of the fictional spicy pirate romance books sounds like she would have been a total blast and, I would so want to come to one of her pirate themed parties. So it was of course a bit sad reading through how the mfc Philippa is dealing and also not dealing with the death of her grandmother who was really the only person who truly saw her.
Speaking of family — Philippa's four siblings and the way those five have each other's backs no matter what was one of my favorite threads in the whole story. Her parents, on the other hand? Capital H Horrible. I said what I said.
My only real critiques are that the romance could have used a little more development, and Dylan feels somewhat underwritten in terms of his personal history and backstory — which is a shame because there's so much potential there. So I'm landing at 4.5 stars rather than a full five, but this is absolutely a warm, genuinely charming read that I'd recommend to anyone who wants something a little different from the typical romance.
“Life really does rarely give us simple this-or-that choices, and this book understands that beautifully. It's about priorities, sacrifice, and what we're willing to let go of to build something real.”
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!
“Life so seldom presents us with a simple question of this or that. It’s a complicated nexus of interlocking priorities. If I can’t have it all, what can I have, and what am I willing to sacrifice in order to have it?”
Ooof who hasn't felt that at one point or another?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Philippa Flynn had long desired to return home to coastal Maine and when a frightening mishap left her shaken and confused, she knew it was time for a change. She always thought the academic world was her calling, but lately she was more disillusioned than ever. The only thing she was certain of was how she felt when the cab driver drove up the noisy, gravel driveway which led to her beloved grandmother's home. Philippa spent every summer with her grandmother, Iris, voraciously reading, while she wrote her popular pirate romance novels. Philippa immediately felt safe because “the house was the only place she’d ever felt at home.”
Upon her arrival, she never expected to be greeted by the man who had graced all of her grandmother’s pirate novels. Dylan Sterling was even more handsome in person and she could see why her grandmother chose him to represent the hero on her book covers. Dylan had been her assistant, confidant and best friend, up until the end. Phillipa was looking forward to hearing all of his stories about the time he spent with her grandmother, so she would feel close to her once again. Philippa was essentially “homeless, jobless” and single, (what a depressing combination) but luckily for her, the house and its contents had been left to her along with a boat that was in desperate need of repair.
Phillippa was at a crossroads in her life and she would soon have to make the biggest decision that had ever landed on her desk. Should she take a chance and pursue a new career, or follow the safe path to a new teaching position? She just wasn’t ready to leave the house, her grandmother’s memories or Dylan, who had become very important to her. They both loved and admired her grandmother and had the desire to keep her memory alive. Together, they knew what had to be done to make everyone’s dreams come true.
Upon her arrival, she never expected to be greeted by the man who had graced all of her grandmother’s pirate novels. Dylan Sterling was even more handsome in person and she could see why her grandmother chose him to represent the hero on her book covers. Dylan had been her assistant, confidant and best friend, up until the end. Phillipa was looking forward to hearing all of his stories about the time he spent with her grandmother, so she would feel close to her once again. Philippa was essentially “homeless, jobless” and single, (what a depressing combination) but luckily for her, the house and its contents had been left to her along with a boat that was in desperate need of repair.
Phillippa was at a crossroads in her life and she would soon have to make the biggest decision that had ever landed on her desk. Should she take a chance and pursue a new career, or follow the safe path to a new teaching position? She just wasn’t ready to leave the house, her grandmother’s memories or Dylan, who had become very important to her. They both loved and admired her grandmother and had the desire to keep her memory alive. Together, they knew what had to be done to make everyone’s dreams come true.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved this mostly for how it made me feel, and how beautifully it crafted the messy relationships we have with our dreams.
favorite quotes :
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.
favorite quotes :
“It’s not laziness, exactly. It’s more like inertia, a tendency to keep doing whatever I’m already doing, even when I know better options exist. It’s just . . . How do you know when something’s worth fighting for? And when you’re just … fighting?
Life so seldom presents us with a simple question of this or that. It’s a complicated nexus of interlocking priorities. If I can’t have it all, what can I have, and what am I willing to sacrifice in order to have it?
There’s a twelve-year-old girl in a photo who will one day pursue a dream. For her, I grieve what that dream became. I’m also excited to discover what new dreams she pursues.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
The book started out strong - the writing was great and the pace hooked me. Then, things slowed down. But my biggest issue was the romance. There's slow burn, and then there's this... Also, I never fully understood the appeal of the love interest who came across as flat and with no real personality.
I like the side characters, particularly the best friend and siblings, but the mother-daughter relationship grated on my nerves and didn't feel like it evolved throughout the book.
Overall, this is a well-written book, but the romance didn’t quite work for me.
The book started out strong - the writing was great and the pace hooked me. Then, things slowed down. But my biggest issue was the romance. There's slow burn, and then there's this... Also, I never fully understood the appeal of the love interest who came across as flat and with no real personality.
I like the side characters, particularly the best friend and siblings, but the mother-daughter relationship grated on my nerves and didn't feel like it evolved throughout the book.
Overall, this is a well-written book, but the romance didn’t quite work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved that both characters aren’t your typical romance characters and that they are quirky. They both struggle with grief, anxiety, and people pleasing. I found this incredibly relatable. However, I wish the FMC stood up more for herself than she did. While I understood the complexity of her grief and her wanting to not get into conflict, I was waiting for more of a conflict resolution with other characters (not the MMC). Overall, I enjoyed the book and the slow burn of the romance.
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March 18, 2026A nice diversion, although that mom is full-on toxic and I’m kind of mad she never gets called out adequately and her kids keep enabling her. It’s not exactly the point (there’s a very sweet romance and a grieving and growing into yourself plot that is) but I found the awful mother seriously distracting
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews