An enriching story of family ties, broken hearts, and second chances from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.When Ethan Bishop returns to the Hudson Valley, his body and spirit are a little worse for wear. As a former Special Forces paratrooper, he saw his fair share of conflict, and he came home with wounds, inside and out. At his sisters’ B & B and farm, he can keep all his … farm, he can keep all his pain at a safe distance. But quiet time isn’t easy when a fiery woman explodes into his life…
It’s business—not pleasure—that brings Manhattan PR agent Mia Thrush reluctantly to the farm. Tightly wound and quick tempered, Mia clashes immediately with the brooding Ethan. Everything about him is irritating—from his lean muscles and piercing blue eyes to his scent of sweat and musk.
But as the summer unfolds and temperatures rise, Ethan and Mia discover how much they have in common: their guarded histories, an uncontrollable desire, and a passion for the future that could heal two broken hearts. But will their pasts threaten their fragile chance at a brand-new future?
more
I’ve read a few of Jennifer Probst books, love the thought process she puts into her stories, and I always walk away from them with a tissue in my hand and loving each book a little more than the last. But, having said that, this is by far my favorite book of of hers! Where do I start. Ethan is a wounded warrior with the special forces after an assignment gone wrong, he’s realized that he needs to get back to his roots, and the small town where his two sisters live taking care of the Inn and horse rescue farm their mother started before she passed away from cancer. Mia is the owner of a PR firm in Manhattan that is tasked with babysitting her number one political clients daughter (Chloe) who has found herself in some trouble and is sentenced to do community service work on Ethan and his sisters farm. Chloe has also lost her mother to cancer, and although her father loves her, he’s busy with his campaign to become Mayor, so he tasks Mia to keep an eye on her throughout the summer while Chloe completes her community service. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Ethan and Mia, their banter, sassiness, humor, loved Mia’s obsession with the fear with carbs and sweets, and eventual hot, steamy, off the charts connection they end up having. Hei Hei was absolutely hysterical. Wheezy adorable, and Harper and Ophelia were the perfect match as Ethan’s sisters. Loved the perfect ending, and can’t wait for the next installment in this series. Very well written, difficult to put down, and definitely an emotional rollercoaster, Jennifer Probst really outdid herself on this one, incredible read!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD is the first instalment in Jennifer Probst’s contemporary, adult STAY romance series focusing on the Bishop siblings of Hudson Valley, New York. This is former Special Forces paratrooper Ethan Bishop, and Manhattan PR agent Mia Thrush’s story line.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Ethan and Mia) THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD follows the acrimonious relationship between former Special Forces paratrooper Ethan Bishop, and Manhattan PR agent Mia Thrush. Mia’s latest client is running for the mayor of New York City but his rebellious, nineteen-year old daughter Chloe found herself in some legal trouble that could have reflected badly upon her father’s political campaign. Assigned mandated community service meant Chloe had to be supervised at all times by someone willing to spend the entire summer on leave. With Mia the only ‘available’ adult willing to accept the responsibility, our heroine begins a three month community service of her own at the Bishop owned B&B, and horse boarding stables. Enter Ethan Bishop, former Special Forces paratrooper, and the man with whom Mia would fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Mia and Ethan, and the potential fall-out as Mia’s time with Chloe, and thusly Ethan, comes to an end.
Ethan Bishop doesn’t take too kindly to Mia Thrush-a woman he’s deemed high maintenance due to her expensive clothing and chosen profession. Too quick to judge Ethan will verbally attack our heroine at every opportunity but Mia isn’t willing to go down without a fight. Able to hold her own against a man whose own secrets are heart breaking and dark, Mia finds herself attracted to the man who had the ability to break her heart.
At the outset of the relationship Ethan’s attitude towards Mia is caustic and acerbic. He is quick to judge our heroine based on appearances and career, thusly verbally insulting Mia without forethought to insult or injury. Mia never expected to come face to face with the arrogance of Ethan Bishop but as a New Yorker, she is able to give as good as she gets. The back and forth banter and jibes hides a palpable sexual attraction. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Ethan’s spirited and dynamic sisters: Ophelia and Harper who own and operate the family B&B. Along the way, a group of animated, spirited and feisty seniors will add plenty of color and antics for all to enjoy.
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD is a sexy, fun enemies to lovers romance. The premise is engaging and entertaining; the characters are energetic; the romance is seductive and sassy. THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD is the start of something good.
A wonderful beginning to a new series by this talented author.
The story centers around Ethan Bishop, and Mia Thrush. Ethan is a former Special Forces and bodyguard, that has suffered devastating injuries not only physically and psychologically. He has returned home to the family ranch and B & B to recover and has become sort of a hermit.
MIa is a PR agent , working to get her client elected to be the NYC major. She goes to the B & B for the summer with her client’s troubled daughter. Little do Mia and Chloe realize that their lives will be changed.
Ethan and Mia have instant chemistry but one is a country boy suffering from panic attacks, and the other one is a career city gal.
This is a touching story that is at times heartbreaking but also heartwarming. A story about how goals can change when you find “the one” if you are willing to take the chance. But it also a story about a family’s love and support.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series.
I was entrusted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Ethan has basically become a hermit allowing himself little joy in his life. He was injured in his last mission & suffers from his wounds, PTSD, & survivor’s guilt. He’s come home to bury himself at the horse farm & try to survive. Mia is a big town publicist. She’s sent to the B & B after her client’s daughter was assigned community service at the horse farm. From the beginning Alex & Mia struck sparks off each other. He didn’t like her persona & felt she was spoiled & self centered. Mia thought Alex was rude & boorish. Can they find a way to survive the summer?
Ethan & Mia both have been damaged in different ways & are fighting back the best way they can. They both needed someone to push them out of their comfort zone & into changes. At first, I couldn’t see this relationship work out but as I read, the characters seemed to learn from past mistakes & began to grow. I enjoyed these characters & the premise. The use of animals just seemed to underscore the way they comfort & love us unconditionally. A great start to a new series.
Hei Hei steals the show and your heart
What happens when a city girl gets thrown into the country and a rooster falls in love with her? Well, you’ll find out when you read The Start of Something Good!
Ethan is an ex-special forces military man, who finds himself back on his family’s farm after a mission gone wrong. Mia is a city girl, stuck babysitting a clients daughter for the summer after finding herself in trouble and assigned to a horse farm for community service. These two are the polar opposites of each other… or are they. They two form a bond, that turns electric – but will the big city girl ever be able to leave for the tranquil life of the farm. Or can the ex-military guy even see himself back in the life he swore to leave behind?
Ethan and Mia were magnetic and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! Another Must Read Series from Jennifer!
The last place PR professional and true Manhattanite Mia Thrush wants to spend her summer is a farm in the middle of nowhere. But when the daughter of a prominent client running for public office gets in trouble and is sentenced to community service on a horse ranch, that’s exactly where Mia finds herself. And the only thing worse than being stuck babysitting at a bed and breakfast far, far away from a Starbucks is being stuck in close proximity to Ethan Bishop. After getting injured in the line of duty as a Special Forces paratrooper and retiring from the military and his side gig as a Hollywood bodyguard, Ethan’s looking forward to spending some solitary time at his family’s farm. Unfortunately the whirlwind that is Mia keeps finding her way into his business and under his skin. She thinks he’s rude and arrogant. He thinks she’s high maintenance and her profession naturally makes her a liar. But as they keep getting thrown together, Mia and Ethan eventually learn that they don’t just have chemistry when it comes to fighting and deep down, they actually have way more in common than either one of them think.
I’d never read a Jennifer Probst book before this one and if her other books are anything like The Start of Something Good, I clearly need to be kicking myself over that decision. Not only was I fan of the main characters, I also absolutely adored the supporting characters (who I really hope get their own books soon?) and the story wound around them all.
Mia and Ethan both had incredibly compelling backstories and I really appreciated that their stories and motivations absolutely made sense and explained why they acted the way they did, especially towards each other at the start of the novel. Their enemies to begrudging friends to lovers story felt really solidly written and was beyond heartwarming. Both of them needed a little fixing, and I loved that while they each helped each other, in the end, they really healed themselves. I especially loved Mia for all the times she stood up to Ethan and wasn’t willing to put up with his rude behavior. Their banter was hilarious and electric and I couldn’t help but root for them to just kiss and make up.
More than anything though, I loved the plot that existed around their burgeoning romance. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a rebellious daughter being babysat by the heroine storyline, but I truly loved every scene Chloe was in. She had just as much intrigue and character development as Mia and Ethan did and that’s really what made the story a page turner for me. I wanted to see more of Chloe’s personal growth and Mia wearing down Chloe’s walls made me love both characters even more.
I’m incredibly hopeful that future books in this series also take place in Gardiner because I can’t wait to see more from this adorable little town. Probst did a fantastic job of painting the picture of this small, intimate town and making me fall in love with all the supporting townsfolk.
I loved this book! Real people with real-life problems, none of the extra angst and conflict that you find in some romance stories, that seems manufactured and is just annoying. Throughout the book there is a sense of hope and second chances. The romance between Ethan and Mia was wonderful, and adult. Chloe, the troubled teenager who brings them all together, is great to watch as she opens up and grows up. The ranch, with the rescue horses, is a perfect setting for seeing and taking second chances. The town, and the townspeople, were awesome. I want to live there! Looking forward to seeing future stories about this family.
Jennifer Probst never ceases to amaze me with her fantastic writing style and her fabulous plots and storyline and characters. This book was no different. A perfect storyline with all the ingredients of drama , love and a grasping plot and believable characters to make it an enjoyable and engaging summer read . Highly recommend this book.
I fell in love with Ethan and Mia’s characters. They were multifaceted and totally believable. This story has it all so much depth and it literally pulls you in from the get go. The title says it all the story was heartwarming and heart meltingly beautiful. It has so much feels.
You can trust blindly Jennifer Probst to deliver something truly phenomenal and beautiful. She has been my auto buy Author and I know for a fact anything she will write will be phenomenal. This story was no different, truly a perfect summer read .
If you are a fan of Jennifer’s book and series then this one shouldn’t be missed and if you’ve never read Jennifer’s Book and missed out on a hidden gem then maybe this book is your chance to get introduced to this amazing and talented author.
Mia Thrush has her life in order and her ultimate goal in sight until her client pushes her to head to a horse farm to babysit his troubled teen daughter. The first person she meets is Ethan Bishop. Ethan is a former Special Force member who only came home because he was injured and had no choice. The chip on his shoulder is HUGE. He is struggling to find his way in civilian life. The minute they met I could feel the sparks. Holy cow… these two have to get together. The pull between them is just too much.
It was so very much fun getting to know both Mia and Ethan. They both had to get over themselves, find what they really wanted in life, and figure out how to get there…together. I love the promise of no feelings, no commitment. From the beginning the reader knows it is a lie, there is no way either of these characters can be together and not fall for each other. The falling is the part of the story that I couldn’t get enough of.
The other character that I love is Chloe. She is the client’s daughter who is doing her community service at the horse farm. I love that she is sassy, full of herself and looking for fun but not sure what kind of fun she wants to have. These are things that a teen girl embodies. She was real, she was true, and she was perfect. She worked hard, gave lip to both Ethan and Mia, and was quick with her comments on all things happening in her life and in the rest of the characters life.
The Start of Something Good is a great start to a series, Stay, that is now on my must-read list. Jennifer Probst is a talented author that pulls the reader in, makes them invested in the characters, and doesn’t let them go until the last word is read.
This book just wasn’t for me. So, based on my rating, I didn’t really like the book. I tried to like it but I couldn’t read past the first couple of chapters.
I usually love her books, but I was 45% into this one and had to stop. It simply didn’t interest me. Not her characters, stories or anything. Usually, she has me hooked from the beginning, but not on this one.
I thought this book was fantastic! Ms. Probst’s writing style seemed really smooth. The story really flowed well. She has taken a character who is severely injured inside and out and one that has something to prove to try to make up for the past destruction of her family and brings them together seamlessly. Ethan may have trauma to his body and soul, but Mia manages to soothe the beast inside him and bring him a semblance of peace that was so gratifying. Mia works so hard to keep destruction away from the clients in her PR firm, that she has lost sight of what really makes her happy–until she meets Ethan.
This book had it all: snarkiness, gentleness, sexiness, drama, humor, sadness (who would have thought I’d cry over a character telling a chicken goodbye?) and romance that will bring you to your knees. Pretty sure The Start of Something Good made by heart bleed! I cannot wait for the next in the series. I’m already invested in the characters that are Ethan’s sisters! Awesome writing by Ms. Probst!
The Start of Something Good is the first book in the Stay Series by Jennifer Probst. This book follows the story of Mia and Ethan. As a former Special Forces Paratrooper and bodyguard, he’s seen his fair share of pain and drama. So, when he finally makes his way home, his wounds are far deeper than people imagine. He hides out at the family farm so he won’t have to deal with people and the town he once lived in. All is going to plan until Mia blows into his life and turns everything upside down….Being in the country for the summer is the last on her mind. But when a client needs help with his teenage daughter, she has no choice but to help. Only the farm is no place for an uptight and quick tempered Mia. She butts heads with Ethan from the moment they meet. To say they don’t hit it off would be an understatement. Their disdain for one another is completely palpable and leads to a passion that neither one of them can deny…
I’m going to be totally honest with you, I didn’t really like this book in the beginning. I had a really tough time with it. I didn’t really like the characters and had a really hard time connecting with them. Mia was your total cliched city girl: snobby, stuck up and acted like she was better than everyone else. Ethan had his own share of issues and thought he had Mia pegged from the very beginning. I found him to be a bit arrogant and didn’t like his behavior towards Mia. He wouldn’t give her a chance even when she was trying to do the right thing. Now, don’t get me wrong, sometimes this behavior in characters works for me, but I think in order for it to work, I’ve got to find something in the beginning that makes me want to invest in them and sadly, it took a while for it to happen for me. I had a few times where I put this book down and honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to finish it, but I’m happy to say that I did finish and I’m glad that I stuck it out. The characters did end up winning me over. Once they got over themselves and stopped fighting, I saw the redeeming qualities in them that I was looking for. I felt their passion and pull and wanted to get to know them better.
I actually really liked Chloe, the girl that Mia was looking out for. She was 19 and wasn’t perfect. She made a lot of mistakes and was sent to the farm to hopefully learn from them. I enjoyed getting to know her and there was definitely more to her than what meets the eye. Don’t get me wrong, she definitely acted immature at times, but I felt like her father didn’t see her as an adult at all. He wanted to make her life fit with his agenda and it just frustrated me to no end.
Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. It was a little rough in the beginning, but won me over in the end. It is a stand-alone, enemies to lovers romance. I loved the small town feel of this story and think that there is a lot of great potential there. The old couples from the B&B were a hoot. I loved how they were up in everybody’s business and was entertained by their matchmaking skills.
Even though this book wasn’t a 100% hit for me, I’m glad that I checked it out and gave it a chance. I think this series has a lot of great potential and would open to checking out more from it in the future.
ARC received for an honest review
Start of Something Good was all sorts of adorableness. Right from the start I was hooked, and didn’t want to put it down until I had finished.
Ethan and Mia’s story was just what this girl wanted this past weekend. The country, sex-crazed grandmas that had me laughing out loud, cookies – oh, the cookies had my searching my cupboards for goodies to eat!
I adored the progression of Ethan and Mia’s relationship from hating each other to somewhat more. And I also adore their relationships with Mia’s charge for the summer, Chloe.
However the scene stealer in this story is definitely a little bit cocky. No, what, he is a big cocky. This rooster had me in stitches!
This made me want to hit the farm – though not near horses, those things are the beasts of Satan! I live in the country and loved the vibe this story gives the reader.
I can’t wait to see where this story goes, and can’t wait for the sister’s stories.
Ethan just came back home to his family’s Bed & Breakfast slash horse farm. He’s been hurt on his last job in the military and he needs a bit time to heal – body and mind.
His sisters have been running the business perfectly. But now he’s here and they immediately give him the task of becoming the mentor of 19 year old Chloe who was sent to the farm by a judge for doing stupid stuff at college.
Enter Mia. She’s gonna be Chloe’s ‘guardian’ for the summer. Mia works as Chloe’s dad’s PR person. Jonathan is running for Mayor of New York City and they need to keep whatever Chloe did upstate hidden from the press, that’s why Mia is sent to keep her in line.
Mia HATES everything country. She’s a city girl from head to toe. And her first meeting with Ethan is not really a good one. But they have to see each other all the time the whole summer long… And there are definitely some sparks flying around – even though both can’t stand what the other stands for. Rich city girl vs. country horse man. Let the fun times begin!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MIA & ETHAN???
WILL THERE BE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT
Awww that was adorable!
I just love those kinds of books.
So I’ll keep this short ….
A beautiful, homey family-run B&B with cookies and iced tea on the porch for guests and a horse farm and a small town with great people. And all those different kinds of problems of the past that both Mia and Ethan and even Chloe and Ethan’s sisters bring into the story.
It was the perfect romance!
Sweet, adorable, moving, sparky, sexy, exciting, country-ish.
I just adored it all. Especially the animals!! Hei Hei is the best!!!!! LOL!
This was a really great romance! I can’t wait to see what Ethan’s sisters will have to tell us. We already know who Ophelia’s guy will be!
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD was a mega-adorable romance! I just adored everything about it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Ethan – this one is mine!