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?
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Jen Probst writes stories you don’t want to put down…sigh-worthy heroes and fulfilling happily ever afters, every time!
You can’t go wrong with Jen Probst. She’s an auto buy for me for sure.
A story full of heart with a memorable hometown feel, The Start of Something Good was a slow burning, heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers romance!
From the very beginning Mia Thrush comes off as high maintenance and superficial-the sterotypical rich city girl. So much so that I was apprehensive of Mia at first… until she said “I steamroll over nice guys— they can’t keep up.” Now, from that moment on I saw another side of her. All those prejudgements I had disappeared and I saw her for the confident and successful, loyal and fierce woman that she was. And the further I dove into her mindset this woman began to unravel more.
Broody and somber, Ethan Bishop is a hardworking recluse, yet vulnerable and so very broken on the inside. As the story progresses, so does he. Jennifer Probst opens up his character and we see that yes, he is all that, but he’s more. He’s swoony, sweet, protective, and caring. He has the ability to make connections with people and animals, and not only heal pieces of them, but inspire and uplift you as the reader as well, all while being transformed himself.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Probst novel, the Marriage to a Billionaire series to be exact, I know. Believe me, I know! I’m literally stunned right now. Left wondering what have I missed out on!! The Start of Something Good was surely a feel good romance and when I say feel good, I mean f e e l good! Some of the underlining emotions spur different feelings in you like a chain reaction being set off. This book was unexpected. A gem. A wake-up call to the once crazed fan of Jennifer Probst that lay dormant in me!
Lasting and descriptive with characters and animals who’ll steal your heart, The Start of Something Good was exactly what I needed!
The Start of Something Good Book 1 of Stay by Jennifer Probst
Very well written. Pure perfection!! What a fabulous funny romantic story! I can always go to her books and find just that!!
Mia Thrush, owner of a PR firm in Manhattan. A client of hers asks her for a favor.
Ethan Bishop, who was in the Special Forces. He got hurt. Coming back to his sister’s ranch.
I definitely can not wait to read the next book in the series!!
Another fantastic read by Jen Probst.
This truly was the start of something good! Great story and a great intro to the series!
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD (Stay Book 1) by Jennifer Probst is definitely a GOOD start to a new contemporary romance series. The H/h start as enemies, but Ms. Probst weaves a story that gradually brings out their backstories, insecurities and vulnerabilities and turns them into a sexy couple who find they fit and have to decide what they truly want to get to their HEA.
Ethan Bishop has returned to his family’s B&B and animal rescue farm in the Hudson Valley. His last mission with his Special Forces team left him seriously wounded physically and mentally. He wants to hide out at the farm, heal and try to find some peace.
Mia Thrush owns her own PR firm in Manhattan which is about to hit the big time. She is big city and designer clothes all the way. When her most prestigious client asks Mia to be a “guardian” to his daughter as she does community service at the farm over the summer, Mia cannot refuse.
Ethan hates high maintenance women. Mia hates everything country. City girl vs. country horse man. It is going to be a long, hot summer.
I absolutely loved this romance! Ethan is the wounded hero that you cheer for throughout to get a happy ending. At first, I did not like Mia at all, but Ms. Probst knows how to turn a character around with great writing. Their attraction and growing understanding of the other was well paced, realistic and heartwarming. There are several sex scenes that are explicit and I feel appropriate to the romance. I loved everything about the B&B and animal rescue ranch. Hei Hei, the chicken was the funniest animal character I have read in a romance and that he fell for Mia was extremely entertaining.
I am looking forward to the continuation of this series. I am also looking forward to Ethan’s sisters’ stories and to continue to follow all the towns people introduced in this book. This story has everything I am looking for in a well written contemporary romance genre book.
Ethan Bishop grew up in Hudson Valley on a B & B and a horse farm and while he had a talent with horses, he felt he needed to do more. He wanted to save people and became a Special Forces paratrooper. Between missions, stateside he also worked in Hollywood as a body guard and was engaged to a movie star. But on his last mission, he was injured and the man he tried to rescue was killed. He has come home to Robin’s Nest B & B, to join his sisters and recover from the physical wounds and PTSD. Interrupting his tranquility, comes Manhattan PR agent Mia Thrush, to keep an eye on her client’s daughter, Chloe, who was sentenced to community service at the B & B. Mia likes nice things and hates the country. But as the two clash there is also a zing of attraction and as they spend more time with each other and Chloe they all help heal each other.
I read the book in one afternoon, not able to put it down. All the characters are very enticing, the animals endearing and the story very real.
“So others may live.”
It’s been a while since I indulged in a Jennifer Probst story, and it was just as awesome as I remembered. Her writing is so smooth and she never fails to make me fall in love with her characters. I’m thrilled that I found this treasure at the beginning of the new series so I can keep my eye out for the ones that follow. And let me tell you, after reading the sneak peek she snuck into the ending, the anticipation is gonna kill me.
The author introduced me to ‘city Mia’ first. I got a taste of her ambition and the things that checked her boxes. She has her future all mapped out and is very close to realizing her dream of being the most sought-after PR agent in Manhattan. And the client that’s going to help her accomplish that is the reason she ends up at the Hudson Valley B&B. While a horse farm is the last place she wants to be, it’s a necessary evil to get where she wants to go.
It was ‘broody Ethan’ that I met first. He’s broken, inside and out, and just wants to be left alone with his misery. He came back home, but instead of staying in the B&B with his sisters he chooses to stay in the more remote bungalow on the property. So, you can imagine his surprise when she unexpectedly crashes into his solitude and starts throwing sass his way. He sets her straight and makes such a bad impression on her he doesn’t expect to see her again. And me, I couldn’t wait for them to see each other again. The sparks were flying and it was exciting to wait for the explosion that I knew was coming when they did.
I was totally invested in these characters quickly, including the amazing support characters that will be part of the series going forward, including the animals. The local residents along with Ethan’s sisters are an interesting bunch that has me smiling just thinking about them. And then there are the B&B customers that come and go that add a splash of color too. And speaking of colors, red is the one that comes to mind. Not only does it reflect the tempers that flared it also represents the hotness that had me concerned that the barn might go up in flames.
This beautiful story has it all. Broken characters that will pull your heartstrings. Local flavor that will make you want to visit the area yourself. Delectable sweets that will have your mouth watering. Furry friends that will give you the giggles. Secrets and suspense to keep you guessing. And best of all love. But will love be enough? Do yourself a favor and one-click to find out, you won’t be disappointed. The line forms here…
I enjoy this book. It’s a sweet story but so entertaining, never bored while I read/listen to the book. I couldn’t get enough of the characters even the animals especially Hei Hei. Now, I need to get a chicken as affectionate as Hei Hei.
A sweet story with a nice side of heat that will leave you feeling so good. Ethan and Mia are from two different world’s. She’s city, he’s country and a bit broken. How can a business-driven, Prada-wearing princess and an ex-Special Forces, broken horse-man ever find their way to each other and find happiness. Which one will have to give up something they love? ….. or will either of them be able to?
With great MCs, as well as other wonderful secondary characters too, this standalone will probably leave you wanting more stories about the other characters.
My first read by Ms. Probst definitely would not be my last. Ethan has come home after years of being away in Hollywood as a bodyguard and also being in the Special Forces. Ethan is coping with PTSD and remembering the horrifying last rescue he did that went horribly wrong. Mia a powerful PR woman has come upstate to babysit her client’s daughter Chloe . When Ethan and Mia first meet its quite amusing. They are both obnoxious to each other. As the days and weeks go by both individuals get to know each other and realize they prejudged each other and fall into a friendship that turns into lovers. This book had it all comedy, a group of elderly couples staying at the inn who are quite entertaining. There is teenage angst and dealing with peer pressure. This book is set in an Inn and horse rearing farm so we learn all about these informative subject matter. I enjoyed how Ethan and Mia relationship gradually changed it wasn’t instant and very realistic. A very unexpected read and quite inspirational.
I absolutely loved The Start of Something Good by Jennifer Probst, it is an incredible love story, and is the first book in her Stay series. I so enjoyed the book that I am looking forward to reading the other books in the Stay series. I have read other books by Jennifer Probst and really enjoyed the wonderfully written stories. Jennifer Probst has once again shown that she is an amazing storyteller. I could not put it down. I loved every page. I really enjoy how the book is told from the perspective of the main characters. I love getting the insight and feelings from the different characters. The Start of Something Good is wonderful love story and is filled with heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. I love the lighter moments where I find myself smiling and laughing out loud and the bittersweet moments that cause me to sigh, say aww to myself with tears filling my eyes. The Start of Something Good is filled with such moments, and with so much emotion. It is filled with all those things that we have come to love and expect in a love story, especially the poignant and bittersweet moments that filled this page turner. The Start of Something Good is the story of Ethan Bishop, a former member of the Air Force Special Forces and horse whisperer and Mia Thrush, owner of Strategy Solutions PR. Ethan is home recovering from injuries suffered during a recent failed rescue mission. Mia is heading to the Robin’s Nest B&B, run by Ethan sister, Ophelia. Mia’s client, Jonathan Lake is running for mayor of NY and his nineteen-year-old daughter, Chloe is sentenced to perform community service at a rescue horse farm for the summer for vandalism perpetrated against her professor’s car. Jonathan has asked Mia to head to the B&B to oversee Chloe during her stay. Mia loses the GPS on her phone and unknowingly makes a wrong turn into the Inn Horse Trail. After their initial meeting Ethan and Mia are irritated with one another and misjudge one another. It only gets worse when Ethan is introduced as Chloe’s community service supervisor, much to Mia’s dismay. Mia works hard on Jonathan’s mayoral campaign, because she wants to help Jonathan win his election to correct a wrong that was committed against her father, Henry. Mia initially felt that the B&B was some form of torture, but as she spends more time with Ophelia and her sister Harper who runs the Inn Horse Trail, Ethan, and the local community members, her opinion changes. Mia notices the changes that are taking place in Chloe. Mia spends more time with Ethan and begins what they both assume will be a summer fling. As they spend more time together, they share secrets that they haven’t shared with anyone before, and realize they may have something more. I love the Disney names given to the pets, and I especially love Mia’s interactions with Hei Hei. That was one of my favorite parts of the book. I love how all the Bishop children reminisce about their late mother, and her favorite quote “Every soul–both animal and human–deserves a worthy life.” I love that both Ethan and Mia were both so vulnerable and that each of them changed because of their love for one another. I loved that The Start of Something Good is a more than just a romance, there are dilemmas that both Mia and Ethan are facing that need to be resolved. I love that there were multiple storylines: Chloe’s community service, Jonathan’s mayoral campaign, and Mia’s PR business, but most importantly Mia and Ethan’s story. I love how all the storylines get so beautifully resolved. I love all the descriptions of the setting that Jennifer Probst details, it makes me want to visit. My favorite part of the book is the epilogue, I truly love how it goes above and beyond the happily ever after. I love how in the epilogue Jennifer hints about her next story in the series involving Ophelia and Kyle. The Start of Something Good is filled with the poignant and bittersweet moments in the story as well as the plot twists, that I have come to love and expect in Jennifer Probst’s stories. I love the cast of characters in The Start of Something Good and I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. Who doesn’t love family and friends that always have each other’s backs? I thoroughly enjoyed The Start of Something Good, who doesn’t love a beautifully written love story.
*4.5 stars*
Enemies to lovers was a sweet life lesson…
Oh, how I wanted to dislike Mia. On the surface, a cold, emotionless woman, dedicated to her PR firm and her superficial life in New York City. Oh, how very wrong I was. Her interactions with Ethan at the beginning, however, made me pause. Ethan was abrupt, keeping himself aloof as much as he could even in the midst of family and home. Sparks flew, and not the good kind as they took an immediate dislike to each other. Circumstances brought them together, he was recovering and she was forced working, and abused animals were not the only creatures in need of rescuing… Throw in a rebellious teen with a story of her own and this story had it all…
Including funny moments and others that made me misty. These characters held a lot of pain just under the surface as they became more comfortable with each other, and themselves. They changed and the feel of the story with it as it became more emotional and, for me, completely mesmerizing…
The lead characters were wonderfully human as they morphed from what I thought, at first, might be cookie cutter stereotypes into their own complicated, relatable selves. They made me laugh, and tear up, and simply enjoy watching it all play out.
Can’t wait for more in this series!
*Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group
**Thank you to NetGalley
I’ve always loved Jennifer Probst but I was nervous about this series because I’d loved her Married to a Billionaire series. I was worried I would not like this one as much. That was not the case. I loved this book, I loved the characters, and I did not find it to be repetitive. This book was different from her previous and I was very excited for the second book to come out.
Probst writes perfect characters and wonderful dialogue in The Star of Something Good.
I highly recommend this book to fans of the contemporary romance genre.
The start of something wonderful!
Hello slow burn and heavy snark! This book brings all the emotions, wounded characters to cheer for, siblings to be intrigued by, and farm animals to laugh at. This was a fun, sweet romance!
Amazing story with an amazing cast of characters that have you completely engaged throughout the book. Even the crazy and adorable group of supporting characters – human and animal, are exceptional and essential to bring this story to life.
I recommend this book to everyone. It’s more than a romance between the city “princess” and the “horseman.” It’s about all kinds love and bonds of the heart whether it’s between siblings, parent/child, friends and animals to discover what’s really important in life.
First, I loved the cover as it made me feel good. Then, I read the story and it made me feel great. Such a good story-line with excellent characters. I loved the village; I enjoyed the farm and most of all, I loved the animals. The story has a touch of Disney along with romance and love. I want to visit that B and B, talk to the horses, eat up town and feel the calm of the farm. Thanks for a wonderful book.
I enjoyed the characters and the story. All the characters were broken in some way and it was good to see many realizing what was important. The animals stole the show……put a smile on my face.