Another fun and heartfelt story by an author I always enjoy, From The Start was a pure delight to read. With creative phrasing and charming dialogue, the story did not take long to draw me in. This is fiction that’s realistic, sweet, and funny. It has a purpose and it has a place on my shelf, that’s for sure.
As soon as I met these adorable characters I knew I was going to like them. Of course, it’s obvious they have some things to work out. They’re clearly walking around wounded at the start, but seeing how they learn to let go of the past and watching them change only made me like them that much more. It’s always nice to see faith grow stronger, friendships begin, and true love spark to life. From the Start includes all of this, plus an entire family of sweethearts in its supporting cast. What’s not to like, right? 🙂
While I may have had a general idea/guess of where the story was going, there were some nice little surprises along the way. I’m not always a fan of contemporary romance, but I love it when those special ones come along and refresh your heart and mind.That’s why I continue to pick some up every now and then. It’s nice to read something a little different and mix it up. I love my historicals, but books like these are so fun to add in. They can be light, and yet still carry with them a very strong heartbeat.
I confess I’m not the world’s biggest football fan – I guess I’m more like Kate in that way – but I enjoyed how it was incorporated into this story. I never felt lost or bored with the sports talk. I liked Colton way too much to be uninterested in his side of things. I tell you, he’s a real charmer. 😉 And as a writer myself, I enjoyed those aspects to Kate’s pursuits as well. So many applicable truths in here for the discovery.
I especially loved the small town of Maple Valley and how much it reminded me of another sweet and quirky hometown – “Gilmore Girls” style. 😉 And I loved the witty ways in which the author drew the scenes for her readers. Her voice is unmistakable. I just know readers will come away loving her as much as they do her books.
Thank you to Bethany House and the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
————————————————————————————————————————-
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn’t kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays…until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.
Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend’s hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he’s lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he’s never really done normal before.
While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it’s like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn’t part of the plan, but it just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them.
————————————————————————————————————————-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melissa Tagg, author of Made to Last and Here to Stay, is a former reporter and total Iowa girl. In addition to her homeless ministry day job, she is also the marketing/events coordinator for My Book Therapy, a craft and coaching community for writers. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. She’s passionate about humor, grace, and happy endings. Melissa blogs regularly and loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com .
————————————————————————————————————————-
this sounds like a very good read. thank you for sharing.
It is, Robin! I hope you’ll check it out. Thanks for reading my review.
Hey Savanna! Thanks for the great review of FROM THE START.
Thanks for reading, Caryl! 🙂
Hi Savanna! I’ve seen this book around for a bit now & wondered about it. I have seen some great reviews & lots of talk about it. Glad to have your take on it 🙂 I’m with you on every once in a while mixing up my reading for something light, sweet and entertaining. I’m glad this one would deliver that and at the same time have a great faith message. I love it when characters struggle like we do, but they rely on God. I am a football fan, so I’d probably enjoy that aspect of the book myself. But I’m glad too, that it’s still understandable for those who don’t follow the game! This statement right here lets me know I will enjoy this book “So many applicable truths in here for the discovery.”
Thanks again, Savanna for the great book review! Always enjoy your perspective. You and I, it seems, have similar tastes in books. Blessings to you, sweet lady!
Thanks for reading my review, Trixi. I definitely think you’ll enjoy this one, especially if you love football. It’s full of fun and faith, which is my favorite combination. 😉 On a side note, I happened to read your comments here as I was working on another review and your encouragement gave me such a boost to keep writing. Thank you for that! Blessings to you too!