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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I loved this book and I truly enjoy this author’s writing. I definitely recommend this book, this author and this series. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
I loved this book so much. can’t wait for the next one
I loved this book. Enemies to Lovers is a fun book to read. Mia and Ethan do not get a long at all when they first meet. They both have an idea in their heads about what the other person is like. Though for the most part they are wrong about what they think. We get to watch these to go from enemies to lovers in the book and you fall in love with Ethan’s sisters and also Chloe in this book. You want more of this small town in Upstate New York. This book was great paced, fun and heartfelt. I can’t wait to read more from this small town.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
When Mia is asked to disrupt her life and act as a guardian to her client’s daughter while she is serving community service at a horse farm she is not thrilled and even less so when she gets lost and meets a totally rude country bumpkin of a man who isn’t thrilled with her attitude or her sense of direction on her way to said horse farm.
That’s just the start of this beautifully written and pretty funny story told by Jennifer Probst. Favorite character in the story, I’d say Hei Hei and since he is a chicken, that tells you that the story is more than just your typical man meets woman and falls in love tale.
Awesome story and really fun to read.
There are some books that, while I’m reading, I realize I am actually smiling. The author creates more than a story….she creates moments that people can relate to and the characters are real. The romance in this one is slow burning with a lot of dual sided irritation, but it makes for very fun banter and very explosive chemistry.
The Start of Something Good by Jennifer Probst is the start of her new “Stay” series. Set in upstate New York at a B&B/Farm it is about the healing power of animals and people and how sometimes you just have to get away from it all. I did not care for the heroine at the beginning – she was too weight obsessed. (Anyone who meticulously counts the number of blueberries in their yogurt – 5 – is not going to be someone I relate well too, fictional or not.) I’m glad I stuck with it as she was able to grow through the course of the novel; the hero makes her eat, which is fun. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good second chance read.
Ms. Probst never disappoints with her books. I jumped at the chance to read her newest book and also the start of a new series!!!
In the first installment, we meet Ethan and and Mia. Ethan is a damaged man from life experiences. Mia is trying to right a wrong from years ago. When these two meet….holy bantering!!
I’m looking forward to more in this series!!!
Reviewed by: Dana D
A great book about love, family, and coming home by Jennifer Probst!
Mia and Ethan would never have been in the same social groups, much less fall in love. Fate is funny that way as Mia and Ethan will find out. They are complete opposites, and both of them make assumptions about the other without knowing who the other one really is. Mia is much more than the designer clothes and shoes she wears. Ethan is more than the “arrogant, egotistical, ill-mannered boar” that she labels him. I enjoyed watching these two discover each other and fall in love.
I really liked the romance, but I also liked seeing Mia and Ethan discover important things about themselves. Each thought they knew what they wanted out of life, but they soon find out what they really want with each other.
Probst created a great cast of secondary characters that really added a deeper level to the book. Her writing is fantastic. Her attention to detail and her descriptive writing made me fall in love with the town…add in a Lab and a crazy chicken, and I was completely enthralled with every aspect of the book.
I enjoyed how Probst set her readers up for the next story in the series about Ethan’s sister, Ophelia and their childhood best friend, Kyle. She gave us just enough to know that there is quite a story there, and I can’t wait to find out what it is.
My first book by this author and I will be reading more. Intelligent believable people, a love that grows slowly but steadily and the idea that sometimes you can create you own family were wonderfully presented. Nice shout out to your fellow author Melissa Foster! Also loved the Disney movie references and how each sibling had his or her own movie that reflected his or her own respective personalities. Just loved this book. It was more than a love story, much more.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Mary Jo –
Ethan is back home after a harrowing mission that left him injured, both physically and mentally. Coming home to the family farm and bed and breakfast is not exactly what he wanted to do, but he knows that he needs the peace and quiet.
Mia is spending the summer in the hinterlands, as she calls it, as a favor to one of the clients of her PR firm. His daughter was in some legal trouble and has to spend the summer doing community service and needs a baby sitter. It’s not her ideal way to spend her time but knowing that her client would make a fabulous mayor, she’s willing to do whatever she can to make sure that nothing gets in the way.
What Mia doesn’t expect is that she likes being at the farm, and that she likes spending time with Ethan and his sisters. As the summer winds down, Mia realizes that she doesn’t want to leave the farm but knows she has to go back to the city. Ethan doesn’t want her to leave either and vows to make their relationship work no matter what it takes. Even if the city makes his PTSD worse.
The story gives the reader a strong sense of what it takes to deal with tragedy and come through the other side. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series.
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
Triggers: PTSD
Ethan is coming home feeling a little broken. He was once a very good horse whisperer. Now, being back home, he has lost some of his confidence. But he loves being back at his family’s ranch, even if it now is his job to oversee a delinquent there to serve out her community service.
Mia is an amazing PR person. However, her candidate’s daughter has been getting into trouble lately and it is now Mia’s job to watch over her. Mia is tasked with being the “aunt,” and making sure that she stays on the straight and narrow isn’t Mia’s idea of a job well done. However, she believes in her client and will do this to ensure he is elected.
Ethan and Mia both have preconceived notions of each other. When they both realize they might have jumped the gun a little, sparks fly. Ethan realizes that Mia has been hurt in the past and Mia recognizes Ethan’s own troubles. They both help each other heal and it was a sweet story to watch unfold.
I also really got to like the secondary characters. I hope that we get to see more of them in future books!
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Start of Something Good (Stay #1) by Jennifer Probst to read and review.
This is the first book that I’ve read by Jennifer Probst & I really liked it. I will definitely continue to read her books. I loved the banter between Ethan and Mia as they progressed from enemies to lovers. Even the animals in the story were great. I especially loved the chicken named Hei Hei. I hope Ethan’s sisters, Ophelia and Harper get their own stories.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley.
“In a way, I’m whole again. She makes everything . . . better.”
Charming, sensual and utterly addicting – I’ve found a new must-read author. Full of heart and humor The Start of Something Good, is a beautiful tale about finding friendship and love in unexpected places and from unexpected people (and animals.) I’m looking forward to reconnecting with all the wonderful characters as the Stay series continues.
“She’d found everything she’d always wanted. It had just been packaged differently than what she had expected.”
This is one of the most incredible contemporary romance novels I’ve read to this day, and Jennifer Probst never disappoints when it comes to contemporary. The story was planned and presented in an amazing way: it was neither slow, nor fast paced, it was just right; the setting of the story, varying from the hurried streets of New York to the serenity of an upstate small town; the variety of characters, and the slow but sure build-up and growth of their personalities; the lust, the falling in love; the friendships; all of it – every single detail made this book the ultimate perfect read!
I loved Mia – she’s a savvy businesswoman determined to make her client the new mayor. With a political past like hers, she’s determined to do some good in this world, and she believes she can achieve the same by helping her client win. She enjoys the big city, and can’t imagine being happy in the small town where she’ll be holed up for the summer. Ethan is even less enthusiastic. He came back to the family farm after getting hurt in the military, he wanted peace and quiet and alone time, but then the pissed-off big-city girl Mia comes in his path and shatters his want for solitude, and he begins living again.
Their attraction is on from the first moment they scowl at each other; they come a long way from enemies, to tentative friends, and finally to lovers. It’s a novel high on immediate lust and slow burn love. I loved how they accept each others’ flaws, and slowly open their hearts to one another: it’s just what I love about contemporary romance. Ethan’s dedication to horses, especially Phoenix, is a nice touch to the story. These beautiful animals help him, and Chloe, heal, and the author presented that part of the story in an amazing way, emphatically and heart-warmingly.
The book is a feel-good read. A laugh-out-loud in one moment, and ‘oh-my-heart-hurts’ in the other. It’s contemporary romance at its best: we grow, we heal, we hurt, we love. Very realistic, very relatable, and still, very fairy tale -ish.
Honestly, I can’t recommend it more. This is the ultimate must read this summer.
I requested the ARC of this book on NetGalley. I’m very grateful for it, and my review is completely honest and unbiased.
Loved it!
The Start of Something Good was definitely the start of a new love affair with Jennifer Probst. There was definitely something that drew me to both Ethan and Mia that I didn’t want to leave. Probst has a way of writing characters and setting up the environment that draws me in and makes me wanna visit, such was very true about the inn and horse farm that Ethan calls home. The conflict between Ethan and Mia, the way they fought their attraction, Ethan’s ptsd, the myriad of amazing animals (Hei Hei was a hoot!), as well as the secondary storyline with Chloe all worked to create such a wonderful backdrop to these two falling in love and finding what truly matters. I’ve come to know that a Jennifer Probst book is a guaranteed winner with me and this one is no exception! I’m excited to see what’s next in this series, because the set up for Ophelia and Kyle’s story was excellent!!
Yes! A new series to fall in love with! It has been quite some time since I have dove into a Jennifer Probst book especially since her Marriage to a Billionaire series, which I absolutely love. The Start of Something Good is such a sweet read that all romance lovers will simply adore.
I don’t mind the whole enemies-to-lovers trope especially when you have the two most stubborn characters ever. But seriously these two were just off to a rough start from when they first met. As entertaining as the banter was, you’ll just be waiting for their heated debates to turn into something more.
Mia was a character that I appreciated so much. Having her own PR company and knowing first hand how someone’s life can be turned upside down in the public eye. I loved the fact that she didn’t take on just any client, they had to have the same ideals as her. And her dedication to her job is something to admire especially when she ends up accompanying her clients daughter to the countryside. Not sure I know many who would do that!
Ethan has demons of his own and after returning home long term after many years. He has no desire to socialize with his town anytime soon and rather stick to renovating his bungalow and being a bit of a recluse. With Mia’s and her clients daughter, Chloe, heading there, it looks like avoiding people isn’t something in store for Ethan.
I truly adored Ethan and Mia, their banter was so heated and extremely entertaining. It just built everything up until they both finally give in.
I loved seeing Ethans’s relationship with the horses he took care of. He didn’t gain nickname the “horse whisperer” for no reason. Those scenes were probably some of my favorites since for a guy with so many demons, he found solace with his horses.
I appreciated that even though Mia was a city girl, true and true. It didn’t come off like she couldn’t deal with change, Probst didn’t paint her as this damsel in distress and not able to fend for herself in a new environment.
I thought the characters and plot were great, I just wish we got a bit more of an epilogue. But hopefully that means we’ll see more of Ethan and Mia in the books to come.
The one thing that didn’t quite fit in my opinion was Chloe’s age. She was 19 years old, but her maturity level wasn’t there for that age. I think it would have been fitting if she was 16 years old.
Overall, absolutely enjoyed this gem of a story and look forward to reading the rest in this series. And it has motivated me to do a re-read of some of her previous books that I love so much!
I can always count on Jennifer Probst to deliver a book that is filled with romance, laughter and enough sexually charged steaminess that it could run a locomotive.
The Start Of Something Good is no different.
Set both in the crazy concrete jungle and serene peacefulness of upstate New York, we get to meet and fall in love with Ethan and Mia’s story.
Hurt by lies and deception, Mia has all but thrown herself into making her PR company a powerhouse in New York. She’s selective with her clients and chooses only those that stand for good.
When her biggest client, Johnathan Lake-candidate for Mayor of New York, asks her for a very personal favor, she begrudgingly accepts the task. After all, if Johnathan Lake is to be Mayor, Mia will do whatever it takes to ensure he wins and in her mind-get her father some vindication at the same time.
When taking a wrong turn puts her in country living hell and in the path of a sexy “horse man” with an attitude and arrogance that riles her up both mentally and physically, where Prada and Gucci won’t make the cut against the farm and its land….
Will Mia be able to complete her task while living the country life- or will she wind up getting down and dirty with the one person who irritates her the most?
Leaving a past behind to heal, Ethan is back home to help his sisters with their B&B and animal rescue ranch. Plagued with memories that won’t let him sleep, he has enough problems to deal with and not looking for anything else to add to his list.
Enter Mia.
With her designer labels, princess attitude and stunning looks, Ethan has her pegged from the moment she speaks. Or so he thought.
So what happens when his annoyance turns to trust? When he finds that the more time he spends with Mia, the more he realizes she’s not just a gorgeous woman dressed in outfits worth more than someone’s rent but a woman with a kind heart, who is smart as hell and has a sass that knows no bounds. A woman, despite what he initially thought…..is perfect for him, challenges and all.
This book is built with fantastic characters, both main and side. Chemistry is off the charts hot and the light-hearted moments will make you laugh and smile.
Always well written and yet to disappoint, Jennifer Probst will successfully pull you into the world of her characters and keep you coming back for more.
I would highly recommend this book and any other book by this author.
4 Stars
The Start of Something is the first title in the Stay series, a small town romance featuring a couple who are complete opposites, and in the beginning rub each other the wrong way.
Ethan Bishop is a brooding, intense, wounded alpha who has returned to his childhood home in order to find solitude to heal.
Mia Thrush is strong willed, independent, hard working, intelligent and loyal. She loves her heels and designer fashion, and is like a fish out of water away from the bright lights of the city.
The sexual chemistry oozes between this pair and is only intensified by their flirtatious, argumentative and sarcasm filled banter. Once they see past their initial misconceptions of each other the intense attraction they share turns into a palpable and passionate romance.
A thoroughly enjoyable read with strong themes of family, friendship and community and I look forward to future titles in this series.
Loved this book from beginning to end. I never read Ms. Probst before, and that has changed after reading this book. Loved the characters. It was just so heartwarming and funny.
Mia Thrush a very successful PR person who owns her own company. She is now in charge of her clients nighteen year old daughter after she gets herself into trouble. Chloe is acting out for attention from her father. So there both of to a B&B with a horse farm. That’s where Chloe will be doing community service. What Mia does not expect is Ethan Bishop. At first meet he’s just plain rude. It’s a good thing she took the wrong turn off and she won’t have to see him again.
Ethan has come home to help his sisters with the B&B and the farm. But stays in the bungalow which is run down, and far enough away. But not too far so he can help. So he can have his piece and quiet. When a women comes up all hot and bothered. He wishes she would go away.
Mia and Ethan never dreamed they’d see each other again. Fate had other ideas.
The bantering between them was funny. But something shifted between them. They both
had things in common.
See what happens. An amazing read. Animal rescue, second chances, and romance.
Highly entertaining, sweetly sexy romantic journey filled with disagreements, laughter, honest feelings and a sweetly thrilling passionate chemistry that is undeniable….
Ethan Bishop is a sexy, charming and wounded body and soul. He is home looking to hideaway and hopefully heal from his last mission gone horribly wrong. Mia Thrush is a driven, sassy and determined PR agent on assignment and at the farm for business not pleasure…. Loved the sparks that fly, the banter and the crazy passion was a page turner from beginning to end.