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chloewakham's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of the best books I've read in the long time.
If you want to read romance, but don't want Hallmark fluff, this is the book for you.
If you want to read romance, but don't want Hallmark fluff, this is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
theonlybaillie's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death and Mental illness
Minor: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship
laheath's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I really liked that the main characters in this book were flawed. Sure, they still had a lot going for them, but they were both dealing with their own issues and they worked through things for a positive relationship. I thought the emphasis on mental health was a mature and important addition to the usual romance storyline. I enjoyed the side characters too. I wished the ending had been a little more drawn out though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death, Cursing, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content and Car accident
kelly_e's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: Evvie Drake Starts Over
Author: Linda Holmes
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: June 25, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Basic • Warm • Feel-good
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Evvie's bags are packed, and she's finally made the decision to leave her emotionally abusive husband. When Evvie gets a phone call, her plans will be completely derailed when she learns her husband is dead. Fast-forward a year, Evvie rarely leaves her house. She finds herself unable to grieve, and in some ways still feels stuck.
Meanwhile, in New York City, former MLB pitcher, Dean Tenney has seemingly lost his ability to pitch for no apparent reason. As pressure from the media mounts, Dean finds himself desperately in need of a change of scenery. When an offer to spend some time in Maine from his childhood best friend, Andy, comes trough, it's an opportunity he cannot pass up.
When Andy moves into Evvie's rental apartment, they strike up a deal that he won't ask about her late husband, and she won't ask him about baseball. As the two come to rely on one another, an unexpected friendship begins to form, and they will each have to face the past in order to move forward.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historically, I haven't had great success with Read With Jenna selections, I was drawn to the premise of this second-chance romance. And while it's definitely not terrible Evvie Drake Starts Over wasn't a hit either.
What I like:
• older main characters. It's no surprise here as older characters are a favourite of mine (#grumplit anyone?). I always enjoy the perspective and wisdom these books tend to have.
• take on complicated grief. I appreciated the exploration of complicated grief, something rarely done. And it also showcases how grief manifests in different timeframes and forms.
• baseball aspect. As a sports fan, I'm always here for the inclusion of baseball/hockey in the books I read.
• platonic friendship. Andy was honestly my favourite character. I thought he was wonderful and supportive, and their relationship felt real.
• small town vibes. The welcoming, quaint seaside town setting in Maine just felt so homey.
What I didn't like:
• the romance. Close proximity is maybe just not for me. It isn't the romance I wanted and would have preferred Evvie and Drake kept on the friendship root. It all just felt too predictable.
• the lack of emotional depth. Due to the serious nature of some of the content, I'd have expected a little more emotional depth. It ended up being pretty surface level.
• how contrived it all felt. For me there were just holes in the plot line I couldn't get past. At times the narrative was flat and way too predictable.
Overall, Evvie Drake Starts Over had the bones of being a real winner, ticking many of my boxes, yet it ended up being very forgettable. I'm glad I picked it up, and will likely try Flying Solo at some point.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Abbi Waxman
• readers looking for a quick read
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Your head is the house you live in, so you have to do the maintenance."
"When she started to cry, the upside was as it always was; the shower cry takes the logistics out of it. Crying has to be dealt with - it makes a mess, it swells up your face, it creates a little pile of tissues that are a tell. But the shower cry is the superspy's cry, Evvie had always thought. It was between you and the tile walls, and everything that hurt turned into water, and the water went away."
Author: Linda Holmes
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: June 25, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Basic • Warm • Feel-good
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Evvie's bags are packed, and she's finally made the decision to leave her emotionally abusive husband. When Evvie gets a phone call, her plans will be completely derailed when she learns her husband is dead. Fast-forward a year, Evvie rarely leaves her house. She finds herself unable to grieve, and in some ways still feels stuck.
Meanwhile, in New York City, former MLB pitcher, Dean Tenney has seemingly lost his ability to pitch for no apparent reason. As pressure from the media mounts, Dean finds himself desperately in need of a change of scenery. When an offer to spend some time in Maine from his childhood best friend, Andy, comes trough, it's an opportunity he cannot pass up.
When Andy moves into Evvie's rental apartment, they strike up a deal that he won't ask about her late husband, and she won't ask him about baseball. As the two come to rely on one another, an unexpected friendship begins to form, and they will each have to face the past in order to move forward.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Historically, I haven't had great success with Read With Jenna selections, I was drawn to the premise of this second-chance romance. And while it's definitely not terrible Evvie Drake Starts Over wasn't a hit either.
What I like:
• older main characters. It's no surprise here as older characters are a favourite of mine (#grumplit anyone?). I always enjoy the perspective and wisdom these books tend to have.
• take on complicated grief. I appreciated the exploration of complicated grief, something rarely done. And it also showcases how grief manifests in different timeframes and forms.
• baseball aspect. As a sports fan, I'm always here for the inclusion of baseball/hockey in the books I read.
• platonic friendship. Andy was honestly my favourite character. I thought he was wonderful and supportive, and their relationship felt real.
• small town vibes. The welcoming, quaint seaside town setting in Maine just felt so homey.
What I didn't like:
• the romance. Close proximity is maybe just not for me. It isn't the romance I wanted and would have preferred Evvie and Drake kept on the friendship root. It all just felt too predictable.
• the lack of emotional depth. Due to the serious nature of some of the content, I'd have expected a little more emotional depth. It ended up being pretty surface level.
• how contrived it all felt. For me there were just holes in the plot line I couldn't get past. At times the narrative was flat and way too predictable.
Overall, Evvie Drake Starts Over had the bones of being a real winner, ticking many of my boxes, yet it ended up being very forgettable. I'm glad I picked it up, and will likely try Flying Solo at some point.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Abbi Waxman
• readers looking for a quick read
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Your head is the house you live in, so you have to do the maintenance."
"When she started to cry, the upside was as it always was; the shower cry takes the logistics out of it. Crying has to be dealt with - it makes a mess, it swells up your face, it creates a little pile of tissues that are a tell. But the shower cry is the superspy's cry, Evvie had always thought. It was between you and the tile walls, and everything that hurt turned into water, and the water went away."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Grief, Cursing, and Gaslighting
Minor: Car accident, Death, and Sexual content
death of partner, complicated grief, verbal abusealysereadsbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. I liked the characters and the overall plot and Evie’s overall growth, grief, and journey. I also enjoyed how the author explored platonic men and women friendships too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content and Domestic abuse
bookrecsbyjess's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Sexual content, Death, and Emotional abuse
caitlinjadams's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I say this with allll respect to tropes, but this book is much more than it’s trope and the ways in which it is more are very very good. It’s funny and sad, an escape and real, light and deep, a sexy romance and a pair of personal journeys. It’s a lot of things and it does all of them well and it was truly enjoyable to read. I’d read it again and I’d try anything by Linda Holmes having read this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident and Sexual content
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