“You’re going to love the characters that populate Morgan’s Grove in Love Starts Here. They could be your neighbors… if you’re lucky enough to live in a Hallmark town!” Christy’s Cozy Corners“This is a sweet, well-written story with central themes of family, pursuing one’s dreams, history, friendship, a budding romance, and small-town community. Fans of Denise Hunter and Mary Alice Monroe will … Monroe will surely enjoy Love Starts Here.” Librarian Laura Reviews
Feeling her life is at a standstill, Jill McCallister jumps at the chance to visit Morgan’s Grove, the town founded by her great-great-great grandfather. Eager to discover her roots and do research for a new book, she drives from Colorado to Texas, excited to meet the inhabitants of her grandfather’s legacy.
Jill immerses herself in the charming community, enjoying the residents and their quirky traditions. When she meets the mysterious Rick Wright, she almost forgets she’s sworn off men, but she’s not willing to risk getting too involved, especially since she will be returning home in a few weeks.
When the winter festival kicks into high gear, Jill and Rick are thrown together to work on a project, and sparks soon fly. Although she fights it, Jill can’t help falling hard for his soulful eyes and flirty smile. But as tempting as Rick is, he’s hiding something, and the mystery writer in Jill is determined to discover his secret.
With the clock running out on her time in Morgan’s Grove, Jill needs to decide what “home” really means to her.
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I always enjoy a book set in Texas, even if it starts out in Colorado. This book has that Hallmark feeling, and I could see it being made into one of their Christmas movies since it is set at Christmas time.
Jill McCallister has writer’s block so she turns to a friend with an online magazine for an article to write to jumpstart those creative juices. Her assignment – genealogy. Since Jill has a mother that does not stay in one place and her father is deceased, she is rather perplexed as to where to take this article. That is until her roommate suggests Jill’s own family history. Little did Jill expect to find roots from her father’s side of the family thanks to an online genealogy website. It is that spark of information that takes her to Morgan’s Grove, Texas and her real adventure begins.
Jill is a kind soul but she has walls built up around her heart to protect herself from getting too close to anyone. This could be because of her childhood and never staying in one place too long. We also find out she was bullied as a child over her curly hair, so that doesn’t help matters any. However, when she encounters the citizens of this small Texas town, she realizes that maybe there could be more to her life and an extended family since she is a descendant of the founders. She is treated like a celebrity, once she lets people know her ties to the town because everyone loved the founder and everything he and his family did to create this small town wonder.
Lucille is a widow with a heart of gold. I think Jill coming into her life while visiting this town saves both of them. And of course, it wouldn’t be a romance without a male lead and in this case, it is Lucille’s son, Rick. He seems to be the strong silent type (with some similar walls around his heart) but there are some developments happening in his life that have him appear standoffish and moody. When you learn the full story it makes a lot of sense and there is an element of surprise for Jill. It was refreshing to watch Rick and Jill’s banter back and forth as they got to know one another.
I enjoyed watching Jill research her family but I wish we could have learned more about her ancestors and what resources she used to learn about them. I would have enjoyed reading more about the article she wrote for her friend’s magazine and what she included and the direction of the article. I say that because I want to learn more about my dad’s family but it will take a lot of research to learn more.
This is one of my favorite quotes from the book. Lucille is one wise woman.
“Well, most people think love is roses and candlelight, but it’s hard work. It’s learning to compromise and live with each other’s flaws and staying firm during the hard times, the ebbs and flows of a marriage. You choose to stay. That’s how a marriage really lasts. You both make the choice, every single day, to stick it out.”
I can’t finish this review without mentioning the dogs, Gracie and George. Two Corgis that were full of life and a bit mischievous.
This is a very enjoyable read and I had a hard time putting the book down. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. We give this book 5 paws up.
The first book in the A Morgan’s Grove Novel series a well written story that held my interest until the end. I enjoyed reading Jill McCallister and Rick Wright’s story. This is a new Author to me and I want to read more by her. I received a copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Great Slow-Down-and-Smell-the-Roses Read
So many authors put out novellas these days, and as I am a quick and voracious reader, I can plow through them fairly quickly. It almost comes as a surprise to find a true well-paced and well-written novel. At first, it seemed to move too slow for me, until I realized the author had given the story and characters enough word space to allow it all to breathe and flex. Once I settled into the idea that this was a longer story, I enjoyed the author’s rich descriptions of character, place, and people and her attention to detail. I loved her depiction of what life is like in this small Texas town. Who wouldn’t want to live there and be a part of those people’s lives, as integrated into the community as they are… with such care and concern for each other? And, of course, we have a delightful slow-burn romance with a hero who seems a little brooding and tough on the outside but has a heart of gold. I love that kind of hero. And the heroine was certainly at a crossroads of her life, needing to shake it up a little bit. Her writing assignment and researching her roots was just what she needed. I love the idea of being able to take such a genealogical journey. What the fun that would be! Especially if you could be paid to do so… LOL! All in all, I found this to be a delightful contemporary romance.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I loved this book about the great support for a small town. Not only for the people who have lived there forever but how they embrace new comers and make them feel like family. Great characters who show love, support and compassion for all the residents.
The characters are more than just likable. They quickly feel like family.
The town and it’s inhabitants are wonderful, too.
I like that we meet Jill before she gets to Morgan’s Grove and we get to meet the people and places with her.
The whole story just pulls you in from the beginning.
I love a good small town, sweet contemporary romance story. Traci Borum wrote exactly what I was looking for. Jill is an author struggling to find her next story, Rick is a successful man who has realized that being successful is not all that he wants in life. As their friendship grows, their feelings develop, and they both find what is important to them.
The small town of Morgan Grove is rich in history and full of wonderful citizens. I love how the citizens were quick to share their stories, tell their histories, and accept Jill into their town. Morgan Grove is also home to Jill’s ancestors. She arrives to find out more about her ancestors and learns so much more than she expected.
Love Starts Here is a fun story. It was easy to read, quick to fall into, and had a story that was perfect for a summer read.
Love Starts Here by Traci Borum is a sweet love story of finding out more about yourself while unknowingly falling in love.
Will finding out about Jill’s family help her out of her writer’s block?
Jill McCallister
Jill McCallister is the main character and the one that we follow throughout the book. It’s written in the third person, and I think that is an excellent way to deliver this book. Even though we aren’t in the character’s thoughts, but it still works wonders. Jill, as a character, is a riveting person. She has so much drive for her writing, but Jill ended up with a writer’s block while trying to start a new novel/series.
Jill starts as a closed-off person, not wanting to do anything with the holidays approaching until she gets an assignment that leads her to Texas. She is not a character that I thought I would be rooting for since she isn’t much like the regular heroines that I have read, but that’s what makes this book so enjoyable. What I like about Jill is that she is an entirely different person when you get to know her. Not only that, but she has so much passion that comes alive when she is away from her normal day-to-day life back in Colorado. The one thing that I dislike about her is that she didn’t realize sooner how much Morgan’s Grove helped her.
The Story
We start around Thanksgiving and end up somewhere in December. I won’t tell you when, since that is a spoiler, but I loved every minute of reading this book. Jill experiencing the town that her paternal family founded is amazing. Reading this book, especially about the small town, made me think of a lot about small towns and how small towns do bring out not only the best in people but a great sense of community. I know that I cherished my time in a small town whenever I visit one. Morgan’s Grove sounds like a fantastic place to see, and I am glad that maybe Jill found a great place to settle down even more than what she is doing in Colorado.
Five Stars
Love Starts Here by Traci Borum is my first book from this author, and I have to say that I am in love with this story. Everything that Ms. Borum has written made me feel like that I was right there with the characters experiencing the things that they were. I could literally taste the gingerbread cookies that Jill was eating. Love Starts Here by Traci Borum deserves the five stars I am giving it and a recommendation to anyone that is looking for a little fall/winter book to read anytime.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Love Starts Here by Traci Borum.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Love Starts Here, the first installment from A Morgan’s Grove series. It is, also, my first introduction to Traci Borum’s writing. It definitely will not be the last. I enjoyed this book. I loved Jill from the start. As the family’s historian, I felt connected to her wanting to know her roots. I thought her and Rick had great chemistry and wanted to see how it play out for them. I found the story to be sweet and heartwarming. The setting of Morgan’s Grove was a perfect addition. It was fun and entertaining meeting everyone from the town.
I am giving Love Starts Here five plus stars. I look forward to more by this author and seeing what happens next in A Morgan’s Grove series.
I received this book from the Kindle Unlimited Program and was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Jill McCallister is struggling with writer’s block on her new novel. It’s so bad she doesn’t even have an idea of what it’s going to be about. Feeling the need for a break she travels to Morgan’s Grove, a town her great-great-great grandfather founded. Jill quickly finds herself immersed in this small town and the wonderful people who inhabit it. When she meets her landlord’s grandson Rick, she finds it hard to fight her attraction because she knows both of them will be leaving soon.
This was a sweet, small town, holiday romance! I really enjoyed watching Jill and Rick slowly fall in love and fight their feelings for each other. Jill is an independent woman who has achieved her dream of writing books. Rick is a handsome, closed off man, who loves his grandmother dearly. They fell for each other while helping Rick’s grandmother, Lucille, with making her gingerbread cookies to sell. Their relationship was very slow and sweet.
“Well, most people think love is roses and candlelight, but it’s hard work. It’s learning to compromise and live with each other’s flaws and staying firm during the hard times, the ebbs and flows of a marriage. You choose to stay. That’s how a marriage really lasts. You both make the choice, every single day, to stick it out.” – Lucille
Lucille was the sweet old lady who you wish was your grandma! She actually really reminds me of my grandmother because she is the center of the family and is constantly trying to feed and take care of everyone. We see her, and Rick, still struggling with grief over the death of her husband a year later. She is finally getting back on her feet and starting a new chapter in her life. I love that Lucille is finally finding new happiness and reaching for old dreams of a bakery. Rick really stepped up and supported Lucille with her dreams when the time came. He doesn’t let her push the dream away.
Overall, I really enjoyed this slow, sweet romance. It was a nice change of pace from what I have been reading lately.
*ARC provided by the author for an honest review.*
Jill McCallister, a best-selling writer, has recently wrapped up her wildly popular mystery series and is in a bit of a slump. Seeking inspiration, she agrees to write an article on genealogy for her friend’s floundering magazine. In her research, Jill learns the history of her ancestors, the founders of a town called Morgan’s Grove.
Intrigued, Jill travels to Morgan’s Grove and rents an apartment from a lovely woman named Lucille. Jill is there to find out about her genealogy and to write an article about it. She never imagined that she’d find such a wonderful community with endearing citizens, a place that feels like home. And when Lucille’s grandson, Rick, comes home, Jill realizes that maybe by looking into her past, she might have found her future.
This is a wonderful contemporary romance with well-developed characters and an interesting story. The story focuses on Jill and Rick, two dynamically developed and complex characters. Rick doesn’t trust easily, a result of being orphaned at a young age and being very wealthy. Though he seems aloof, he is actually very kind and caring, and he is beloved within his community. He is also willing to work through his own insecurities and misgivings for those he cares about.
Jill is a perfect compliment to Rick. Her enthusiasm, curiosity, and effervescent personality draw people to her. She is also lonely and a bit guarded, much like Rick. They are both kind, helpful, and strong, and they both lost their parents when they were young. Where Rick has a strong sense of home, Jill seems like she is still searching. It isn’t until she arrives in Morgan’s Grove that she feels a sense of home.
Morgan’s Grove is a quaint town with a wonderful array of people. Characters from the librarian, the museum curator, local shopkeepers, and neighbors add to the optimistic charm and personality of the place, and I can easily see why Jill is so drawn to it.
Other than Jill and Rick, Lucille is my favorite character. A well-respected resident of Morgan’s Grove, Rick’s grandmother is a wonderful and intelligent woman who dearly misses her beloved husband. Her character is realistic and complex, as is her relationship with the other characters in the story. I particularly like her relationship with Jill. They have a bond almost upon meeting. It is clear that Jill has brought some light into Lucille’s life at a time when she needed it, and Lucille is the mother-figure that Jill is missing. Their friendship is a highlight of the novel.
This is a sweet and clean story with a slow-burning romance and an interesting plot-line that includes themes of family, community, and starting over. Thanks so much to the author for giving me a copy of this heart-warming contemporary romance. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
All the character in this story are wonderful. They are quirky, imaginative and each has their own distinct personality. Rick is our typical brooding male. Jill is lovable and sees the world through heart endearing eyes. It is what makes her an excellent writer, whether it’s journalism or a book. Lucille is a warm, and lonely old woman whose generosity is the size of Texas. This story takes a slow start, but gradually works its way into your heart and keeps you wondering how these two are going to get together.
Author Traci Borum is well known for her crisp, clean and well-written women’s fiction and tender romances, including the popular Chilton Crosse series. With her new release, “Love Starts Here,” Traci is at the top of her game with a richly told, gentle and authentic story about two people falling in love as they work side by side in helping a recent widow.
Jill McCallister lives in Colorado and is a successful, young novelist. However, she hits a creative wall, and decides to write a nonfiction article on genealogy for a magazine, hoping to jump start her artistic juices and break out of her writer’s block. Pursuing information on her own family roots, she travels to a small Texas town near Austin called Morgan’s Grove, which was founded by her great-great-great grandfather. Her room at the B&B isn’t ready, so she rents a garage apartment from recent widow Lucille Wright. Though Jill is the main female character in this story, charming and tender-hearted Lucille and her two pet corgis come close to stealing the scenes.
Lucille is an excellent baker, and now that she is a widow, she longs to start a business with her gingerbread cookies and perhaps even a bakery. As Jill and Lucille become friends, Jill offers to help. Christmas is coming soon, and the season is just right to sell Lucille’s cookies at stores and an upcoming festival.
Rick Wright, Lucille’s devoted grandson, comes home from California for Christmas to be with his grandmother, who raised him like a son. There is a mystery surrounding Rick, and some tension is evident in his life. He takes intense but secret phone calls, but Jill exercises restraint and does not pry. She also does not reveal that she is writing an article for a magazine that might involve Rick and Lucille and Morgan’s Grove.
Though Jill and Rick are keenly aware of each other, they are cautious, even aloof. But when something happens to Lucille, they step in with the secret gingerbread recipe to do the baking, packaging and delivery of the popular cookies. As they work side by side, respect for each’s other fine character traits develops. They can’t deny their attraction, though neither will speak or act upon it. There are too many problems keeping them a part. Geography, their secrets, trust issues, and wounds from their pasts might conspire to keep them a part. Yet, their love grows.
From this boy-meets-girl beginning, Traci Borum develops a warm, authentic tale that evokes all the giddiness and anxiety of new love. Captivating characters, a realistic plot, a charming town, two adorable corgis, a sweetheart of a grandmother figure, and a dose of mystery (what is Rick facing back in California and who is he really?) combine to make this a wonderful read.
What a fantastic start to a new series. I loved it! Jill and Rick are wonderful characters, both searching for what they really want out of life and where they belong, finding each other along the way. Rick’s grandmother, Lucille, is charming, and the town of Morgan’s Grove is filled with interesting and delightful characters. I loved the story and look forward to a return to Morgan’s Grove!
Love Starts Here begins with a case of writer’s block! If you are a writer, or you’ve participated in #NaNoWriMo as a pantser, you can probably relate. Jill McCallister is an author who’s desperately trying to begin a new novel. She’s written several, but she’s starting a new series…if she can break through her block. Through a series of conversations, Jill finds out that she is related to the town founder of a small Texas town called Morgan’s Grove. Jill takes on a freelance job with a friend’s online magazine. She wants to write about genealogy with a personal touch by finding her roots.
Once Jill gets to Morgan’s Grove, she’s got no place to stay thanks to an overbooking at the B&B. But, the owner comes up with the perfect solution. Jill moves into a small apartment belonging to a sweet, widowed lady named Lucille. Lucille and Jill become quick friends and bond over baking gingerbread cookies! Jill not only feels at home at Lucille’s but also in Morgan’s Grove. She also begins to feel at home with Lucille’s grandson, Rick. Of course, you’ll love how Jill and Rick’s friendship develops into a sweet romance.
Morgan’s Grove has that small town feeling appeals to many of us. Sure, I’ve been captivated by the thought of living the big city life. However, the older I get, the less appealing that is! Think about it. Noisy streets with no place to park? Or wandering through a picturesque town square where everybody knows your name? Yes, please! I love watching Hallmark movies and complain about the fact that I don’t live in a cute, cozy town. Morgan’s Grove feels like a Hallmark town.
You’re going to love the characters that populate Morgan’s Grove in Love Starts Here. The author describes them in a way that makes them feel very real. They could be your neighbors…if you’re lucky enough to live in a Hallmark town! I can’t wait to find out whose story we’ll discover in the next Morgan’s Grove Novel! I highly recommend Love Starts Here as well as the author’s Chilton Crosse novels!