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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
I absolutely adored Kristina and Leo and their irresistible love story that held me captive from page one with it's heartfelt emotion, fun banter, and hot and steamy passion. After a difficult divorce, Kristina is on a solo vacation in the Florida Keys, after her girlfriend caught the flu. Now she is trying not to panic, being alone with time to herself, and not focusing on taking care of her two daughters. When she meets a sexy tattooed bartender, and she stops stumbling over her words, she begins to relax and have fun. Leo is taken instantly with the sexy woman who was confident and unsure of herself all at the same time. She made him break all his rules when he wanted to spend more time with her, asking her out after his shift. They connected right away, feeling at ease with each other, and the sparks grew into fiery passion. Leo was only filling in as a bartender, not liking being alone after his shifts as a firefighter and a nurse. He didn't like connections or staying in one place for very long. But Kristina made him feel things he never felt before. After their passionate three days together, Kristina was heading home to her family and life. She wanted more with Leo, but would take home wonderful memories of a sexy man who liked her for who she was, not wanting to change her. When Leo finally realized he wanted more from the woman who got away, he transferred to New York, hoping to find her again. Kristina is shocked to see Leo, and is afraid he won't like the 'real life' Kristina over the 'vacation' Kristina, so she keeps him at a distance. Kristina is 'home' to Leo, and his restlessness is gone. Now he just has to convince Kristina, and her two girls, that he is there to stay and they are all worth fighting for. I really fell so hard for Leo and Kristina. They were so good for each other, helping each other open their hearts to grow, and heal, and see that they are worthy of love. I loved watching Kristina blossom from timid to a confident lover who took what she wanted. Leo was so swoony with his suave and possessive ways, and his sweet interactions with Kristina's daughters really made my heart skip a beat. I loved the beautiful family they were building together. I loved returning to Kelly Lakes, and catching up with Peyton and Jake and more of their family and friends who made this story even more fun and endearing. This is a wonderfully witty, tender, and steamy story that you can't help but devour as it captures your heart.
Kristina is a divorced mother of 2 who takes a solo vacation and meets firefighter/bartender Leo. The attraction is instant but time is limited. Eventually circumstances change but they find that their feelings have not.
This book was a quick and easy read that grabbed my attention pretty quickly and I couldn't wait to find out when and how they would end up back in each other's life.
This book was a quick and easy read that grabbed my attention pretty quickly and I couldn't wait to find out when and how they would end up back in each other's life.
Oh, Lordy, but how this book took hold of my heart from the first chapter and seemed hesitant to let go even after I was done reading the bonus epilogue! Starting Back is the newly published standalone contemporary romance from Stephanie Rose, and it's a companion novel to her previous book, An Unexpected Turn. That being said, you don't need to read the aforementioned title in order to fully appreciate this new one, BUT I do seriously recommend you check it out or add it to your to-be-read list because it was a rather great romance.
If you're new to the author's writing or have yet to peruse An Unexpected Turn, then Starting Back serves as your introduction to female main character Kristina Webber, a forty-two-year-old single mother with two daughters. After her divorce, her best friend encourages her to take a vacation with her, which is all well and good until her best friend gets sick. Not wanting the accommodations to go to waste, Kristina pushes through with the trip to Florida. It's there that she meets a gorgeous firefighter moonlighting as a bartender.
At forty, Leo Reyes isn't looking to settle down--whether it be in one place or with one woman. He's been a wanderer since he became an adult, with Florida being the longest he's ever stayed put somewhere. He's smitten with Kristina from the moment he notices her at the resort, and even though he knows nothing can come from being with her, they decide to spend as much time as possible while she's on vacation. When they part ways, both believe they'll never see the other again...until circumstances give them a chance at forever.
I adored the heck out of this book. Having Kristina and Leo in their 40s was a plus because who doesn't like reading stories about people in their age group? There wasn't any unnecessary drama in this romance, something I find myself becoming more and more thankful for the older I get. These two were at a point in their lives where change was something unavoidable--Kristina with her divorce and Leo with the move to be closer to his aunt and uncle and his cousin's family--but they flourished , both as individuals and as a couple.
There was a lot to appreciate about the journey Kristina and Leo went on, and it was a journey they shared with Kristina's daughters, fifteen-year-old Chloe and six-year-old Emma. I liked seeing the contrast in the two girls--how they were dealing with the divorce and their reception to the knowledge that their mom was with someone new. Stephanie Rose has penned a story that so many readers can relate to, what with it being about love, family, and home. And yes, a return visit to Kelly Lakes is a MUST! Starting Back garners five stars.
If you're new to the author's writing or have yet to peruse An Unexpected Turn, then Starting Back serves as your introduction to female main character Kristina Webber, a forty-two-year-old single mother with two daughters. After her divorce, her best friend encourages her to take a vacation with her, which is all well and good until her best friend gets sick. Not wanting the accommodations to go to waste, Kristina pushes through with the trip to Florida. It's there that she meets a gorgeous firefighter moonlighting as a bartender.
At forty, Leo Reyes isn't looking to settle down--whether it be in one place or with one woman. He's been a wanderer since he became an adult, with Florida being the longest he's ever stayed put somewhere. He's smitten with Kristina from the moment he notices her at the resort, and even though he knows nothing can come from being with her, they decide to spend as much time as possible while she's on vacation. When they part ways, both believe they'll never see the other again...until circumstances give them a chance at forever.
I adored the heck out of this book. Having Kristina and Leo in their 40s was a plus because who doesn't like reading stories about people in their age group? There wasn't any unnecessary drama in this romance, something I find myself becoming more and more thankful for the older I get. These two were at a point in their lives where change was something unavoidable--Kristina with her divorce and Leo with the move to be closer to his aunt and uncle and his cousin's family--but they flourished , both as individuals and as a couple.
There was a lot to appreciate about the journey Kristina and Leo went on, and it was a journey they shared with Kristina's daughters, fifteen-year-old Chloe and six-year-old Emma. I liked seeing the contrast in the two girls--how they were dealing with the divorce and their reception to the knowledge that their mom was with someone new. Stephanie Rose has penned a story that so many readers can relate to, what with it being about love, family, and home. And yes, a return visit to Kelly Lakes is a MUST! Starting Back garners five stars.
emotional
medium-paced
Kristina says: ‘A decent representation of a Kristina in fiction.’
It’s pretty odd to read a book where the main character has the same name as you. It’s never happened to me before with same name and same spelling (thanks mom). So for all the Kristinas out there lamenting that we don’t get personalized mugs or pens or keychains (there is always a Kristen and a Kirsten and a Christina) well here we go, finally one just for us!
This was a pretty sweet little story of a youngish couple (40 is not old and I refuse to write that) who meet on her vacation and have an instant connection. They both have a lot of baggage however, and it takes them a while to work through it, but the journey was heartwarming and engaging.
Kristina is a recently divorced mother of two girls and I related to her quite a bit, though I am not divorced, I do have two girls and am in her young and spry age group. She was a realistic character of how many women end up at 40 (not me, but others). The unfun mom who works hard and puts herself last. She finally lets herself enjoy life and have fun on a trip to Florida where she meets a hot firefighter moonlighting as a bartender at her resort. He is a bit of a nomad, not really a manwhore, but not into making anything permanent due to childhood trauma. But he also feels an instant and sincere connection to her.
The first part of the book, they had an intense *hot* fling but then couldn’t be together because of distance and priorities, but eventually Leo finds his way to her small town and they reconnect. I found their conflict to be very believable and the push and pull of them trying to see if their connection could hold beyond vacation was honest.
The characters in this book were both very mature and thoughtful and even though at times they did fear rejection or happiness, it didn’t last very long and they both had good reasons for it.
However there was no other conflict in this book but that so it dragged and felt long after about the 75% mark. There was some work that Kristina had to do with her kids and ex to resolve their dynamic but mostly the last part of the story was them debating how to reveal their feelings to each other. They both waited too long to admit their love causing all momentum in the plot to stall. When we keep reading many inner monologues like : ‘I told her child I loved her but hadn’t said it to her yet’ and ‘I knew he could read the love on my face but I just couldn’t make myself say it’ it gets frustrating and tiresome.
I remember having the same issue with the last book in this series, that they kept hitting the same notes about keeping a secret for way too long and then because of that it blew up in their faces. This book wasn’t quite so bad but I felt antsy near the end and just wanted it to be resolved already.
But overall this was cute. The dynamic between the mains, her kids, both of their family and friends were all organic and realistic. This was a comforting, sweet read and good if you don’t want anything too angsty. Her ex husband is a bit of a tool and her issues with him come up several times, either through his present actions or through past actions that trigger her memories. But that is resolved in a pretty mature way as well. All strings are tied up nicely and we get great cameos from her brother Jake and Peyton from the last book. It was an enjoyable read, but went on a bit too long.
It’s pretty odd to read a book where the main character has the same name as you. It’s never happened to me before with same name and same spelling (thanks mom). So for all the Kristinas out there lamenting that we don’t get personalized mugs or pens or keychains (there is always a Kristen and a Kirsten and a Christina) well here we go, finally one just for us!
This was a pretty sweet little story of a youngish couple (40 is not old and I refuse to write that) who meet on her vacation and have an instant connection. They both have a lot of baggage however, and it takes them a while to work through it, but the journey was heartwarming and engaging.
Kristina is a recently divorced mother of two girls and I related to her quite a bit, though I am not divorced, I do have two girls and am in her young and spry age group. She was a realistic character of how many women end up at 40 (not me, but others). The unfun mom who works hard and puts herself last. She finally lets herself enjoy life and have fun on a trip to Florida where she meets a hot firefighter moonlighting as a bartender at her resort. He is a bit of a nomad, not really a manwhore, but not into making anything permanent due to childhood trauma. But he also feels an instant and sincere connection to her.
The first part of the book, they had an intense *hot* fling but then couldn’t be together because of distance and priorities, but eventually Leo finds his way to her small town and they reconnect. I found their conflict to be very believable and the push and pull of them trying to see if their connection could hold beyond vacation was honest.
The characters in this book were both very mature and thoughtful and even though at times they did fear rejection or happiness, it didn’t last very long and they both had good reasons for it.
However there was no other conflict in this book but that so it dragged and felt long after about the 75% mark. There was some work that Kristina had to do with her kids and ex to resolve their dynamic but mostly the last part of the story was them debating how to reveal their feelings to each other. They both waited too long to admit their love causing all momentum in the plot to stall. When we keep reading many inner monologues like : ‘I told her child I loved her but hadn’t said it to her yet’ and ‘I knew he could read the love on my face but I just couldn’t make myself say it’ it gets frustrating and tiresome.
I remember having the same issue with the last book in this series, that they kept hitting the same notes about keeping a secret for way too long and then because of that it blew up in their faces. This book wasn’t quite so bad but I felt antsy near the end and just wanted it to be resolved already.
But overall this was cute. The dynamic between the mains, her kids, both of their family and friends were all organic and realistic. This was a comforting, sweet read and good if you don’t want anything too angsty. Her ex husband is a bit of a tool and her issues with him come up several times, either through his present actions or through past actions that trigger her memories. But that is resolved in a pretty mature way as well. All strings are tied up nicely and we get great cameos from her brother Jake and Peyton from the last book. It was an enjoyable read, but went on a bit too long.
This book is like a warm hug from your favorite person in the world. It’s THAT good. I knew Kristina was going to be a phenomenal leading lady when we met her in An Unexpected Turn. As Jake’s younger sister, we got a glimpse inside her not so happy marriage and I couldn’t wait to see what Stephanie Rose had in store for her! Little did I know, Stephanie was about to outdo herself….
The book opens with Kristina going on a solo post-divorce vacation to the Keys. Her best friend’s battle with the flu means Kristina is all by herself in paradise with nothing to do but worry about her children and all the other things moms have on their minds 24/7. Enter Leo. Ah, Leo. A firefighter who moonlights as a bartender to pass the time, she catches his eye and he can’t get her out of his head. The days they spend together are absolutely amazing to read, but it really gets interesting when a twist of fate brings them back together in Kelly Lakes.
Their story is not what I consider angsty (which is perfect for me), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t meaty. The issues that they have to work through are real world and very relatable, so it isn’t always a walk in the park for these two. It’s so nice to read a book about people who are in their 30’s or 40’s and this book really delivers.
I feel like each of Stephanie Rose’s books get better than the last, and that’s really saying something…because I ADORED Jake and Peyton. There’s just something about the characters, the town (which almost becomes a character of its own) and their love story that sucks you in from the first page and makes you bitter that you have to work, cook, do laundry, etc. Trust me when I say, you NEED this book. You don’t have to have read An Unexpected Turn to read Starting Back, but come on – you really should. You won’t regret it and soon you’ll be like me – on pins and needles waiting for more Kelly Lakes!!
The book opens with Kristina going on a solo post-divorce vacation to the Keys. Her best friend’s battle with the flu means Kristina is all by herself in paradise with nothing to do but worry about her children and all the other things moms have on their minds 24/7. Enter Leo. Ah, Leo. A firefighter who moonlights as a bartender to pass the time, she catches his eye and he can’t get her out of his head. The days they spend together are absolutely amazing to read, but it really gets interesting when a twist of fate brings them back together in Kelly Lakes.
Their story is not what I consider angsty (which is perfect for me), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t meaty. The issues that they have to work through are real world and very relatable, so it isn’t always a walk in the park for these two. It’s so nice to read a book about people who are in their 30’s or 40’s and this book really delivers.
I feel like each of Stephanie Rose’s books get better than the last, and that’s really saying something…because I ADORED Jake and Peyton. There’s just something about the characters, the town (which almost becomes a character of its own) and their love story that sucks you in from the first page and makes you bitter that you have to work, cook, do laundry, etc. Trust me when I say, you NEED this book. You don’t have to have read An Unexpected Turn to read Starting Back, but come on – you really should. You won’t regret it and soon you’ll be like me – on pins and needles waiting for more Kelly Lakes!!
FIVE HUGE STARS ⭐️
Kristina and Leo have just surprised Joe and Cat as my favorite Stephanie Rose couple. This love story is going to stay with me for a long time ❤️
One trip can change your life. That is exactly what happened for Kristina and Leo. Kristina is a 42 year old mother of two, who has semi-recently divorced from her husband after being separated for years. She is supposed to go on a girls trip with her best friend to the Florida Keys, but when her best friend unexpectedly gets sick and isn't able to travel, Kristina is left to go on a solo adventure. She goes into it thinking that she is going to stay in her room the whole time, but on the first day, she leaves to go to the pool and meets Leo. And things instantly change.
The instant chemistry between Kristina and Leo was FLYING on the pages. You felt their connection through the pages and I was devouring the few days that they had together. Knowing that they only have a few days, they definitely make the most of them. At the end of the trip, Kristina goes home and knows that nothing will come out of it. She is a single mother and Leo is flaky and a nomad at best. He never likes to stay in the same spot.
Things change for Leo when a family matter brings him home. In the months since Kristina left Florida, he has felt empty and knew that he needed to make a change in his life. So he uproots life and gets a new job taking care of family members. You know what else that brings? Him WAY closer to Kristina. Will they be able to rekindle what they had back in Florida, or was that just a vacation fling and nothing more?
Gosh, I can't explain how much I loved this couple and this story. I am not usually a huge fan of insta-love because it's too cheesy for me, but the way Stephanie Rose wrote these characters really drew me in and had me hooked. There was no cheese, just heat, and lots of it. I loved seeing Jake and Peyton from An Unexpected Turn. Peyton and Kristina's friendship was amazing to see and how much it has blossomed since Peyton's story.
Overall, this has now taken the place for me as Stephanie Rose's best book and I highly suggest anyone looking for a good romcom to just jump right in!
Kristina and Leo have just surprised Joe and Cat as my favorite Stephanie Rose couple. This love story is going to stay with me for a long time ❤️
One trip can change your life. That is exactly what happened for Kristina and Leo. Kristina is a 42 year old mother of two, who has semi-recently divorced from her husband after being separated for years. She is supposed to go on a girls trip with her best friend to the Florida Keys, but when her best friend unexpectedly gets sick and isn't able to travel, Kristina is left to go on a solo adventure. She goes into it thinking that she is going to stay in her room the whole time, but on the first day, she leaves to go to the pool and meets Leo. And things instantly change.
The instant chemistry between Kristina and Leo was FLYING on the pages. You felt their connection through the pages and I was devouring the few days that they had together. Knowing that they only have a few days, they definitely make the most of them. At the end of the trip, Kristina goes home and knows that nothing will come out of it. She is a single mother and Leo is flaky and a nomad at best. He never likes to stay in the same spot.
Things change for Leo when a family matter brings him home. In the months since Kristina left Florida, he has felt empty and knew that he needed to make a change in his life. So he uproots life and gets a new job taking care of family members. You know what else that brings? Him WAY closer to Kristina. Will they be able to rekindle what they had back in Florida, or was that just a vacation fling and nothing more?
Gosh, I can't explain how much I loved this couple and this story. I am not usually a huge fan of insta-love because it's too cheesy for me, but the way Stephanie Rose wrote these characters really drew me in and had me hooked. There was no cheese, just heat, and lots of it. I loved seeing Jake and Peyton from An Unexpected Turn. Peyton and Kristina's friendship was amazing to see and how much it has blossomed since Peyton's story.
Overall, this has now taken the place for me as Stephanie Rose's best book and I highly suggest anyone looking for a good romcom to just jump right in!
After reading An Unexpected Turn, I fell in love with Kelly Lakes. When I found out that Jake's sister, Kristina, was getting her story, I was so excited! And Starting Back did not disappoint!
After her divorce, Kristina goes to the Florida Keys to find who she is without the attachment of "wife". There, she meets Leo, a bartender/fireman, and the two of them hit it off, spending her whole vacation together. But Leo is a man who has difficulty committing to anything long-term, and when Kristina returns to Kelly Lakes, that's the end. Until they happen to run into each other a few months later. This time, they're determined to start back.
Oh, I loved these two together! They complemented each other perfectly, and I loved how Leo was with Kristina's kids (and Emma was just the cutest!).
I'm hopeful that we'll get more in Kelly Lakes in the future!
After her divorce, Kristina goes to the Florida Keys to find who she is without the attachment of "wife". There, she meets Leo, a bartender/fireman, and the two of them hit it off, spending her whole vacation together. But Leo is a man who has difficulty committing to anything long-term, and when Kristina returns to Kelly Lakes, that's the end. Until they happen to run into each other a few months later. This time, they're determined to start back.
Oh, I loved these two together! They complemented each other perfectly, and I loved how Leo was with Kristina's kids (and Emma was just the cutest!).
I'm hopeful that we'll get more in Kelly Lakes in the future!
I liked these two lovers - the insta-lust on both sides, the ways he showed her how she deserved to be treated, how she drew him out on his childhood, and the ways they talked to each other like the grownups they were. Let’s hear it for MCs in their 40s!