What happens when a free-spirited artist from big-city New York collides with an uptight business owner from small-town Ocracoke? Fireworks. The kind neither saw coming.
A single call is all it takes to drive artist Ti Russo into what she does best. Run. But hey, lying low in a beach town for a while isn’t so bad. Thanks to the distraction of playing consultant to a guy she’s determined to crack, she can almost forget about the past stalking her back home. But she never counted on the real danger being a picket-fenced life she has no business falling for.
Focus and self-preservation have gotten single dad Drew Anderson through the last nine years. With the threat of his shop’s foreclosure jeopardizing his daughter’s health care, the last thing he needs is a distracting hippie chick swooping in to shake up what he’s fought to protect. Including himself. The bank’s deadline adds enough pressure without re-risking feelings better left buried.
But as sparks flare and secrets escalate, the race against time propels Ti and Drew into a choice neither’s ready to make: Find the faith to surrender their past or forfeit their only chance to begin again.
If you’re a Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore fan, you’ll love Drew and Ti’s sparring relationship, along with Begin Again’s small-town setting, quirky characters, and family bonds.
SERIES: Home in You #2
GENRE: Contemporary Clean Romance
PUBLISHER: Impact Editions
RELEASE DATE: February 8, 2017
PAGES: 262
Other Books In This Series
“…we’ll never find where we belong until we’re willing to admit we’re lost.”
I have one word for you: BANTER.
Drew and Ti have such fabulous banter between them. Their chemistry is tangible, for sure, but even without out it their back and forth would put such a smile on your face! And oh my stars – Drew in love is just the most adorable thing!! The scene where he TRIES to ask Ti out on a date is romcom gold! I laughed out loud and was still smiling over it several scenes later.
But along with the sass and the swoon, there’s a lot of really sweet and tender moments too. Ti has never been around a man who cherishes her, who treats her like a treasure, who sees her with respect as well as desire in his eyes. The moments when Drew leaves all other guys in the dust by being “not the norm” from what she’s used to are some of my favorite moments in the book!
You will laugh and smile and swoon … but you’ll also need to keep a tissue box handy because for all its fun and romance there’s a very serious side to Begin Again. We first met Ti in Write Me Home and had hints of her story there, but Crystal Walton really pulls back the layers in Begin Again. And Ti’s story isn’t easy on the heart, but oh what healing there is to be found.
Walton’s gift for writing adds to the gentleness that soothes the ache that it also brings. With sentences like “Green eyes cascaded over her with a warmth no touch could match” you’ll want to curl up into the book, the characters, and the setting … and you won’t be ready to say goodbye when you reach the final word. I adored her writing voice in Write Me Home, but in Begin Again, she absolutely shines!
And I haven’t even touched on all the great secondary characters yet!! Some adorable (ok, that’s Maddie), some quirky, some intriguing… each one provides additional depth and dimension to the novel. I’m really looking forward to Cooper’s story, next in the series!
Bottom Line: Written in Walton’s poetic prose, Ti’s journey – and Drew’s – toward finding home in unexpected places will break your heart and then gently put it back together again. With subtle nudges of profound faith, vivid characters, and a setting that beckons you to pull up a beach chair and settle in, you’ll soon be finding a spot on your favorites shelf for Begin Again! There is joy and love to be discovered on these pages, as well as grace and hope.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 5 stars / Excellent!
KissingBook Level: 4 / keep a fan close by! And make your beach lounger is fainting-couch compatible
Crystal writes relevant, inspirational romances with humor, broken characters, and emotional plots full of grace and hope. When not working her accounting day job, she’s delving into the wonder of words, supporting her Starbucks habit, or laughing over movie quotes & singing eighties songs with her husband.
You can connect with Crystal at her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Other Books by Crystal Walton
What about you? Ti experiences a bit of a culture shock when she visits a tiny Southern coastal town – a far cry from her big city New York roots. Have you experienced that kind of culture shock before?
Head over to my interview with Ti Russo to find out how to enter a great giveaway from Crystal Walton!
Yes! Living in a big city in China was a huge culture shock!
oh my! I think I’ve missed hearing about this part of your life LOL!
or I’ve forgotten… also possible lol
Love, love, love this book! ❤️ My biggest culture shock was probably transitioning from a smallish Christian high school to a very secular university lifestyle. ?
yep – that would do it!! lol!
Okay, girl, first of all, I may or may not be teary-eyed reading this. Not much compares to hearing when a reader really “gets” a story you’ve poured your heart into. *reaches for tissue* Ahem… Yep, I’ve had my share of culture shock. Moving from Long Island to Virginia…oh yeah! Visiting China, Africa, Guatemala…check, check, check! So many great memories and learning experience, though. Wouldn’t trade them for anything. Love you, chica. Thanks for reading this little piece of my heart!
awwww!! There’s no crying in book reviews! (ok, maybe a little lol) Love you right back and already ready for whatever you write next! 🙂
Can’t wait to read this book. And, once again, you make me want to read it right now!! Do you have to read the first book before this one?
Not really any culture shock although we have lived in TX, MI, IN, KY, FL, CO, and Delaware and each state has its very own culture yet somehow they are very similar- if that makes sense!
No, you don’t have to read the first book before reading this one! It’s good as a stand alone 😀
Awww, what a great review! I can’t wait to read this–it’s already on my Kindle, but it’s going to have to wait in line for a bit. I loved Write Me Home, so I’m champing at the bit for Ti’s story.
Oh–culture shock. Yes, moving to Salt Lake City after growing up in a town of about 40,000 (including the college students LOL). It never felt like home until we moved back to our valley 30 years later. I love it here!
Another time was visiting Scotland where they speak English (???) and not being able to understand half of what they were saying. But it was soooo much fun!
hahahahaha i love the ???
you will love it!