Starting Over by Barbie Bohrman Pages: 211
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Goodreads
Single mom Vanessa Holt has a daughter she loves, a supportive family, and her art. Having given up on finding true love—if that even exists, which she doubts—she’s content to put romance on the back burner. But not everyone agrees. Those nearest and dearest are ready to see Vanessa let down her long blonde hair and have some fun.
To put their grumbling to rest, Vanessa agrees to go on a date with the next man who asks. Luckily for her, that man is Cameron Thomas, her daughter’s extremely handsome science teacher. She’d felt a spark of chemistry the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Now she’s ready to lay a whole lot more on the sexy bachelor.
But just as things get hot, they also get heavy. When the man who broke Vanessa’s heart reappears, her old doubts and fears about love rush to the surface. Will her fresh start with Cameron be over before it’s barely begun?
Starting Over
Barbie Bohrman
Starting Over is a short, sweet, sappy romance. I liked that her daughter, Josie was 12 in the story. Most of the time when I read books with characters who have kids, they are 5 or younger so it was a unique take. And as a former 8th grade Science teacher, I felt a real bond with Josie because she behaved often just like my students used to! And, again, as a former 8th grade Science teacher, Cameron is AWESOME! Geeky and smart. Serious swoon!
However, I wanted to throat punch Vanessa for about 80% of the book. I get it-you were hurt but its been 12 years and even your own daughter is over it. Even the title of the book is telling you what to do! Starting over is obviously difficult for Vanessa but I don’t know that any guy would have been as patient with her whiplash emotions. I mean, I would have swooped in like Cupcake Lady too. But, it was still a decent read. If you like the single parent trope, an adorkable hero with nerdy tee shirts and lots of star wars references, and a funny, overly involved family you will probably enjoy Starting Over! Its short enough to read in 1 sitting as well, which I enjoy a great deal!
- POV: 1st (all from Vanessa)
- Tears: No
- Trope: Single parent, Nerd
- Triggers: No
- Cliffhanger: No
- HEA: View Spoiler »
Southern Pleasure by Kaylee Ryan, Built by Jay Crownover, At Peace by Kristen Ashley…then you will probably like Starting Over!
#KU
Barbie Bohrman was born and raised in Miami, FL and ultimately moved to the Garden State where she currently resides with her husband and two children.
Life, and all that comes along with it, had her giving up on her dream of pursuing anything in the writing world for many years. Then a prologue contest in a book club garnered her interest enough to throw her hat in the ring to see what, if anything, would come from it.
From that contest came the roots of her debut novel, Promise Me, which was ultimately picked up by Montlake Romance.
When she is not writing you can find her trying to get through the 1000+ books on her Kindle, or watching Lost, Seinfeld, or one of any other number of TV shows available on Netflix for binge watching.
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Starting Over by Barbie Bohrman from Becca the Bibliophile on Vimeo.
From Starting Over:
“Do you think Indiana Jones is hot?”
Without missing a beat, Julia answers with a question. “Are we talking before or after Ally McBeal cut off his balls and slapped an earring on his ass?”
My eyes fly open and I look at her. She’s still in complete and utter repose and doesn’t seem at all caught off guard by my question.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“You’re asking me if Harrison Ford is hot, yes?” I mumble a yes, and then she opens her eyes and calmly says, “Well, if we’re talking about before Ally got her hands on him, yes, he was so utterly hot it was almost disgusting. But if we’re talking about after she got her grubby little paws on him and ruined it for the rest of all womankind, then no, he’s as far away from hot as you could possibly get.”
I rack my brain for a second before saying, “Before. Yes, definitely before the whole Ally thing happened to him.”
“Well, then, you know my answer. Hot, superhot.” She closes her eyes again before quickly opening one of them to look at me.
“Why are you asking me this anyway?”
“No reason.”
Ugh, I answered way too fast. And by the severely wicked smile that is now growing on Julia’s face, I know she knows that I know something that she doesn’t and won’t let up until she does.
“You dirty little liar,” she says and pulls her legs off of the coffee table. “Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” I pretend to look at the watch that doesn’t exist on my wrist. “Oh, would you look at that, time to get Josie and go home.”
I stand up and call out to Josie, then remember that she has her earbuds in, so I walk toward the television room. But that’s enough time for Julia to start following me and peppering me with a series of questions. “Who is this Indiana Jones look-alike? Where did you meet him? Are you going out on a date with him?”
Ignoring her is not an option, so I stop abruptly, which makes Julia run right into my back. As casually as I can muster, I say, “It’s nothing and no, I am not going out with anyone. So there really isn’t anything to tell, I promise.”
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