This is the first book that I've read from Mona Kasten and I have to say I was quite amazed of her talent! The author's writing style isn't very typical. It's a bit fast paced at times and then slows down its pace just so you can catch up. Definitely a very unique writing style!
I really enjoyed reading Begin Again. There's a definite mystery going on throughout the story and in the beginning hints are dropped here and there about Allie just enough to whet your appetite. She's hiding from a past that she's obviously ashamed of and want to forget entirely. As she's trying to grapple new college life and living with a male roommate (who happens to be the tall, dark, and brooding type!), she discovers things about her roommate that might threaten her own escape from her old life. Kaden has a mysterious past of his own and is still suffering from it but we don't really get to see why until end of the novel. The author had a clever way of wanting the reader to dislike Kaden as he was sort of the antagonist, but I just couldn't hate him. And that in itself shows how great an author is - the ability for you to feel empathy for the antagonist and somehow root for him to the very end.
Ms. Kasten did a wonderful job researching and fleshing out her main characters. I felt their angst, their fears, and their loss. Both hero and heroine in the story suffered greatly and their pasts were explained in a well-written way. I was also glad that the author didn't use the typical insta-love for these two characters but the attraction and the curiosity were there immediately. Although neither one of them really wanted to be roommates due to Kaden's "rules", they lived as amicably together as possible. There was some hatred and some affection as Kaden tries to help Allie live through her ghosts although not opening up about his own.
There is a HEA ending and the author wrote the epilogue in a very satisfying way. I liked how she helped her main characters grow up in a way and through friendship and patience, both of them found love and peace.

When I read about this book I didn´t know it is a translation of a german author – and I did not know it is a Coming of Age book. Maybe if I had known I would not have read the book, which would be unfortunate because it is a well-written book.

Allie Harper is new in town and is urgently looking for an apartment. All apartments she has seen were terrible. Her last hope is sharing an apartment with Kaden who really does not want to share a flat with a woman.

But Allie can persuade him, provided she agrees to his rules. Either Allie obeys, or she's out:

1. Don't talk about your girl problems.
2. Keep your mouth shut if I bring someone home.
3. We will NEVER hook up.

Sounds easy.

However, within a short period of time, more is emerging from this flat-sharing community.

But until both learn to break through their past, time and obstacles still have to be overcome.

Even though the book serves quite a few stereotypes, the story of Allie and Kaden is exciting.

Mona Kasten writes about typical problems teenagers are confronted with, like alcohol, self-doubt, rejection and so on.

Although some solutions in the book are very simple, it seems to be credible and honest.

That's why I give 4 stars, even if it is not my favorite genre.

I'm fairly new to the NA genre, and while I enjoyed the author's writing, I feel the characters came off as immature. While I enjoyed the development of their relationship, I don't think I would be interested in reading other books in the series (or other NA by the same author). I also thought the reliance on songs will quickly date the story.

I stayed up way to late to finish reading this book. A kind of coming of age book where Allie tries to find out who she wants to be and finds love with Kaden. The story was exciting as you could relate to Allie's introduction to her new found freedom and how she looked at her environment and her new friends. Allie and Kaden both had deep issues they had to deal with from their past. I could relate emotionally with their angst. It was a compelling story from page one and as I mentioned above I could not put it down. I smiled and was sad and sighed and was glad that they found their HFN status. I voluntarily received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley. I highly recommend it.

This book was pretty good, a quick read once I started. It was translated from German to English though, and I think something got lost in the translation somewhere.... Allie and Kayden end up being roommates and Kayden is pretty much a jerk at the beginning of the story. He is nasty, rude, and just not nice at all. As the story progressed and they are attracted to each other, he gets nicer and they have to face their feelings for each other and also what they are both hiding in their pasts. Allie is a strong independent character who is trying to make it on her own and she does not change that because she falls in love. Kind of a no-brain romance which is sometimes just what I want to read. I did find it odd that the book was written by a German but set in the US. I really liked the secondary characters though as well and they def added to the story/dialogue which was again a little off in general.

I went into this story completely blind, I loved the story at the beginning but my feelings changed by the end of it, just too predictable. I wanted to slap some sense into most of the characters. So to say the least, I was over the story and was just ready for it to end.

This book was so good I loved watching these 2 fall in love

Thank you to NetGalley and be-ebooks for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review. I really liked this book-Allie and Kaden had some definite chemistry and I liked the secondary characters-Dawn, Spencer and Monica. Both main characters had some baggage that they needed to work through to be truly available for each other and it was handled in a sensitive and relate-able fashion.

Sweet story, but slightly choppy writing. I liked how Allie found her voice and internal strength to stand up to those that wronged her. I actually thought Kaden's secret was the bigger one and was surprised it wasn't a bigger deal in the story until the end.

I did not want this book to end! I could not get enough of Kaden and Allie. Both of them have past issues which make relationships very difficult. They learn from each other and truly "Begin Again". I did like the fact that there weren't others in the book trying to sabotage Kaden and Allie like mean ex's who try and create havoc. It basically was Kaden and Allie learning to be honest, trust and love again!! Everyone needs to read this!!

Allie Harper is running from her past and breaking free from her overbearing, stuck up parents. To do that she's just moved all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska to tiny Woodshill, Oregon. After extensively searching for a place to stay she winds up at the apartment of Kaden White - who definitely doesn't want Allie as a roommate (or any female for that matter). But Kaden needs the money and Allie needs a place to stay so they come to a compromise: Allie can have the room as long as she plays by Kaden's rules.

Allie agrees, besides the last thing she needs right now is a hook-up but as she settles into her new life, makes new friends and experiences new things Allie begins to see another side to Kaden - a side she likes a lot.

Will Allie be able to stifle her feelings for Kaden? Or will Kaden throw his rules out the window? Can their relationship survive all the darkness in their pasts? Or will Kaden's fear of letting anyone get too close tear them apart?

I loved reading Begin Again. More than just the romance, seeing Allie come into her own and become a strong, independent woman after a lifetime with her parents made for a pleasant, hopeful read. Watching Allie experience new things and make friends, seeing her try to hide her growing feelings for Kaden, I thought overall the story was well written and plotted.

I loved Kaden, although I can see why some readers may not like him. Some may see a girl fall for a guy that acts like a jerk toward her over and over again until he finally realizes how special the girl is and be put off by the story but I love books like this. I love seeing male characters that are broken and twisted by their pasts learn to love.

I hope the other two books in this series get translated into English because I would love to read them! Mona Kasten is definitely an author I'd like to see more of!

I liked this book and it was an easy read. The character development in this novel seems a little lacking (could be simple due to translation). Allie and Kaden meet and become roommates in a college town. They become friends...sort of. Both of these people have some serious baggage from their early years that they have never resolved. I would have liked to have seem some more resolution of both of their pasts, however, the small parts that were given made sense. I feel like the story could have really developed some of the secondary characters as well and wished I had seen more about Dawn and Spencer (great spin off possibly). Overall this was an easy read that anyone who loves new adult romance or college romances would enjoy.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Allie is looking for an apartment since moving from Lincoln, Nebraska to go college. Her hunt to find an apartment wasn't the best until her last stop... with Kaden. Kaden wasn't very happy to see that the person he was interviewing for the apartment was a girl, but when his other canidate backed out, he agreed. As long as she followed three rules.. and boy, were rules meant to be broken.

I won't go into more detail about the book because, well, you should read it for yourself ;)

Now where to begin.... I was in a rut to find something to read. I received an email from netgalley about the release of this book and to sign up to get a chance to read it. I was lucky to get a chance to read Begin Again and I absolutely loved it. What drew me to this book first was that it was a translated to English book from German. I was interested to see how a romance book could be translated over and it was done fairly well.

Begin Again was an easy read, and it was hard to put down. I lost sleep and track of time because I kept wanting more. I loved the friendships in this book. Allie with Dawn and Kaden with Spencer. They all had each other's backs and really helped each other out when they needed it.

The romance with Allie and Kaden was kind of sweet. Sure Kaden is a HUGE jerk, but at least he wasn't an a-hole (and yes there's a difference!). This roommate situation puts it apart from other stories with the same premise because the male lead isn't obnoxious and the female lead isn't a brat or whiny. They fed off each other and really brought their worst out of each other, releasing them of their sorrows.

It looks like this is a first of a series, and I can't wait until I'm able to read the next. :)

The cliched outline of a "romance" involving - a controlling jerk, frantic pacing, more drama than a middle school dance, mommy issues and a doormat heroine.

First words exchanged between the hero and heroine <b>"'What the hell are you doing here?'"</b>

Kaden is upset that the person interested in renting his spare room is female. Because he lives in a magic land without rental applications or background checks. Or, apparently, manners. After deciding Allie can move in Kaden's behavior just plummets down the toilet - including subjecting her to "tests" to see if she's cool enough to join his "friends." Never does Allie question why she's running after this guy jumping through his hoops - apparently we're just all to accept that they have a badly skewed relationship necessitating her need to prove her worth to him - over and over and over again.

<b>"His gaze was mysterious but attentive; his eyes darted over my face. Lying between his arms, I felt encompassed."</b> And let't not even get started on the writing.

Suffice it to say, I didn't enjoy this book. It upsets me when controlling, moody, borderline psychotic men are cast as heroes - thereby romanticizing unhealthy relationships.

I took a chance with this one and I have to say I was fairly satisfied, It was the first time reading a translation of a book, but I think I will do it again.

This was a really sweet romance! The male protagonist wasn’t the worst domineering male MC I’ve ever read, so that was nice. Still not the best though. I liked this read and it went quick but it’s not one of my favorites!

I think part of my issue was that this book was translated from German to English, and so it felt off to me. There were some odd turns of phrase, and the writing seemed choppy, as well as dialogue being stilted. Beyond that I had some continuity issues, like exams less than a month into school, or meeting someone because they got to a lecture early and then the next week preparing for the first class. The characters were very flat and one dimensional and there was a lot of telling instead of showing. I enjoy NA, but this felt juvenile to me.

~I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review~


I have mixed feelings on this book. On one hand its a love story about two somewhat messed up people who find comfort in each other and learn to begin life again. On the other hand, it read like an abusive relationship and the more it went on the more I disliked Kaden and really thought Allie could do better.

I am a sucker for romance, new adult books and I do like the bad boy from time to time but there is a difference between a bad boy and an asshole. Allie and Kaden did have a lot of chemistry but his house rules were ridiculous and not to mention he was outrageously immature.

Allie is desperate for a place to rent near school and stops at Kaden's house to interview for a room. Kaden thought Allie was male because she used her initials as her signature and is not happy to see a female instead. He tells her she can have the room but has to abide by 3 rules. He doesn't want to hear her girlie problems, she must keep her mouth shut if he brings someone home and they will NEVER hook up. She thinks he is an jerk so decides to take the room believing she can follow the rules. Obviously things don't go as planned.

Everything was Kaden's way or the highway. IF he told her to do something she just blindly went along. He makes rules that she can't talk about her problems but then when he asks her to and she doesn't want to, he says things like 'When I ask, I expect to be told". He also disrespects her but as time goes on they seem to get along better and they do develop a friendship. They have so much sexual tension between them that it threatens their friendship. They give into their feelings at one point BUT he makes them stop because he doesn't want to rush things. UGH just give me the steamy sex scene already. This author makes you wait!!

But my issue with this book without spoiling anything.... is the fight that pulls these two apart. All these novels have a formula. Meet, fall for each other, have steamy sex, then something happens that pulls the two apart but they always find their way back to each other hence the HEA. However the thing that destroys the relationship cannot be horrendous. It cannot be something terrible or else the reader doesn't want the couple to get back together. And what pulls these two apart is something that I could never forgive someone for especially when he knows her story by now and knows why she is there. So for me it ruined the whole story just when Kaden was kind of growing on me. It doesn't matter the reasoning he had behind it, it was a jacked up thing to do and even though she tries to move on from it, the way he goes about trying to get her back is immature. Of course she forgives him because that's the formula but at this point I was really disappointed she didn't make him work harder for it. Her friends try to talk some sense into her and say exactly what I was thinking 'Just because he is buying you things everyday doesn't mean he should just be forgiven' because that is exactly what an abusive relationship is like. I'll treat you like crap and make you cry but then I'll buy you a bunch of romantic stuff and you'll forgive me. He disrespects her decisions but she realizes he must be doing it because he loves her.

So like I said, I am on the fence. IF I was still in my late teens and early 20s reading this book, I'd probably have not seen anything wrong with the love story between these two. I would have loved the bad boy turned good story. But I had a relationship quite like this in my 20s and even though a person can change and grow, a leopard can't change its spots. Giving someone another chance who could do something like this to you, isn't going to work out well for you in the long run.

And I also thought she should have gotten the 'feather'....

Begin Again by Mona Kasten is a perfect introduction for what I say was my first true, “New Adult” novel. As a 26-year-old female, reading about characters that are always in their teens can make it hard for me to relate sometimes. I had no problem relating to the characters of Begin Again, even the minor ones. The main theme that stood out for me was the desire to feel free. This issue was introduced early in the book, and truly helped the plot move forward by building off this yearning. Reading about characters that are searching for the same wants and desires as myself, has helped to validate my own needs.

One subject of the book I want to approach is the use of abusive relationships. I was nervous to read the “New Adult” genre after hearing that abusive relationships played a role in many of them. This book is different. The author uses it as a tool to help our characters, Allie and Kaden, understand each other. The abuse and subsequent repercussions are ghosts of their past that brings the plot forward for the story. The author took care to ensure the novel didn’t condone abusive types of relationships, which was great to read.

Overall, this novel was everything I could have wanted in a New Adult – Contemporary. The novel had drama, romance, and friendship. If you are looking for that curl up on the sofa, with a cup of tea, on a rainy day read then this one is for you. I will be waiting impatiently for the sequel novels to be translated.