The Start of Something Good is the first book in the Stay series, and I enjoyed it. It was a sweet, fun, and enduring enemies to lovers story. I liked the family feel. The characters were likeable, and they had good banter that made me laugh at times. I can't wait for the other books in this series.

I truly enjoyed this book and got lost in the romance of this release. Jennifer never disappoints me when it comes to gut wrenching romance.

Great read! I love the humor, characters and romance. I will be looking for future titles by this author.

This is the first book in a new series by one of my favourite others and I’m super excited to see where it leads. There was no major angsty drama in this book but that’s what I loved about it, it didn’t need it. I loved the banter between Ethan and Mia and the animals, boy did they have me laughing out loud! I can’t wait for the next. Loved it!!

The Start of Something Good is the first book in the Stay series by Jennifer Probst. I loved reading it and I look forward to the rest of the books in the series.

This book follows the story of Ethan and Mia as they come to terms with their pasts and dreams for the future. Ethan has been hurt and is coming to terms with what really matters in his life. His relationship with his sisters, Ophelia and Harper, was well-written and is full of love and banter. He also is a bit of a wounded bear when it comes to attitude at the beginning and it was fun to watch him slowly come around.

Mia is a headstrong city girl and loves it. Her reaction to being sent to the country was priceless - and I'd imagine quite accurate for someone who self-declared hated the idea of anything other than city life. I was laughing out loud when she described what most would considered a gorgeous day then says "I hate it" - it was so well-written I knew Mia in the country was going to be a hoot.

When Ethan and Mia first meet it was an explosion of bad first impressions. Eventually they do come around as they share a common goal/job: keeping Chloe Lake out of trouble and completing her service hours. Probst has a way of weaving humor into the story that helps it keep flowing. Mia's encounters with animals - especially the rooster - had me cracking up.

It was Ethan's awareness of his limitations that was the most heartbreaking - knowing he could never fit into Mia's "real" world and dealing with what that would mean for them. Chloe was a great character as well - one that kept both Mia and Ethan on their toes for various reasons. Her character may have shown the most growth throughout the book and that in turn forced Mia to look at her "perfect" life and see if that's still the future she wants.

From troubled pasts to a hopeful future, this book had everything you need in a fulfilling romance. I thought this was a great start to the series - I can't wait for Ophelia and Harper's stories!

One of my favorites this year! I loved the romance between Ethan and Mia and they were perfect together! Hei Hei stole the book for me, though! That chicken was just too adorable!

I can't wait to read the other books in this series!

I am such a huge fan of Jennifer Probst, one of the authors I read the most of when I fell into the romance genre many years ago, but for some reason I couldn't immerse myself into The Start of Something Good. After trying a couple of times with no success, sadly I have to put it in my DNF pile, but you can bet I'll still be reading future titles of hers because I love her stories so much--this was simply a one-off, unfortunately.

The Start of Something Good was a fun, sweet read. Ethan and Mia were pretty fun to read.

Ethan left the Hudson Valley as soon as he could. He wanted something bigger and better, but now he is back to try and heal somewhere where he can be alone. He doesn't want to deal with people when he is a bit banged up inside and out. He is pretty closed off and grumbly. I loved him.

Mia was sent to Ethan's family's ranch to watch over her client's daughter as she works her community service. She has a PR firm in the city that she has built from the ground up and if she can keep this client happy it will open a lot of doors for her. So she can suck it up and spend the summer on a farm if she has to.

When Ethan and Mia first meet they definitely do not like each other. Each makes a snap judgment of who the other person is without really knowing them, and they were both very off base. This is an enemies to lovers story and it was awesome. These two couldn't stand to be around each other until they both start opening up. Then they realize just how much they have in common. But this is one of those stories where I didn't know if it would work out for them in the end. I mean Ethan wants to live in the country. He wants that calm, quiet life that you can't get in the city. And Mia is a city girl. That is where her business is and she can't just abandon what she has worked her whole life for. So it was a tough one, but I loved how this story played out. These two seem like they shouldn't work initially, but they were great together.

If you are a fan of this author already then this is another great read from her. If you haven't read her before this is a great place to start. Ethan and Mia were so much fun!

WOW!! Jennifer Probst has written a great small-town romance read!

Ethan and Mia are fabulous characters. They were so different from one another, yet so similar at the same time. I absolutely loved how Ethan was always encouraging Mia to be herself and not try to be like anyone else. Ethan wanted Mia to be happy, not matter what that meant. He was willing to sacrifice his own happiness so that Mia got everything that she wanted.

Mia was a character who is so relatable. She thinks she must act, eat and dress in a certain way. As I was reading about her, I was constantly thinking about myself. She reminds me of myself in so many ways.

I loved every single second of this novel, and I can't wait to see where Jennifer takes this series next.

5/5 Stars!

This was an absolutely beautiful book.
I fell in love with everything the setting, the back story of Ethan ,the circumstances which bought Chloe and Mia to the farm ,Ophelia and harper everyone.
It was so heartwarming to read this and it was read with a smile on my face from the first page.
My favourite character had to be hei hei though :)

The Start of Something New was a nice start to begin her Stay series. This was definitely a fun, engaging story that I just took in an thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were really good, the storyline keeps you interested and it leaves me curious and excited to see what her second book will all about.

There’s nothing better than good relationships, especially the familial ones. Those always reel me in. They always add a little something special to the book, allowing you to connect with one of them with a similar experience or a resonating personality.

Here is the summary of the book:

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 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?

Ethan: He definitely had his battle scars. Between his former high profile job as a celebrity bodyguard and his trauma from being a Special Forces op, he definitely has gone through a lot emotionally and physically. Trying to escape, he retreats home to his sister’s B&B but an unexpected encounter challenges everything in his life that he was trying to run away from. His relationship with that develops with Mia is really interesting. That slow breakdown of his wall really draws you into his character.

I loved the relationship that he has with his sisters. They are just such a ray of sunshine to the story. I hope we can revisit them and they get a chance to get into the spotlight. There are some undiscovered storylines that I know will be page turners.

Mia: At first I was like, I don’t know if she is going to be my cup of tea. As the book went on, I grew to enjoy her character. She had that superficial vibe that I thought I was going to have to roll the eyes as I turned the page but I was wrong. Everyone has a story and as her unfolded, and she let her guard down, her personality grabbed my attention. I’m glad she came with the relationship issues that she did because it worked well with Ethan’s issues coming together. It made their storyline more believable. She just came to life being around him and especially around his sisters. Their relationship in the book projecting a positive sisterhood always will be enjoyable to read.

Overall, this was a wonderful start to the series that I can’t wait to see what her second book is about. Loved the characters. There’s more in the subplots that are just as interesting as the storyline of Mia and Ethan but I don’t want to give too much away. There were some steamy moments thrown in there when they finally made a connection but overall nothing to call the fire department about. This gets my recommendation to add to your reading list.

Oh my!! I adored Ethan and Mia! Such sass from them both. The transformations for all of these characters was amazing. I was hooked from the first chapter!! I felt like I could see the farm, bed and breakfast and the whole town. Love strikes us in odd places. Love helps heal the wounded and completes your soul. I loved these characters, main and secondary, the flow of the story and the feelings in brought to my heart!! Great boom!!!

I read this book by Jennifer Probst (The Start of Something Good). It was a sweet romance where the main characters didn't care for each other to start the story, but then fell in love. The ride was enjoyable. I will read more by Ms. Probst in the future for sure!

This story opens with Ethan moving back home to the place where is sister’s now run a B&B, leaving Special Forces has left him with his own set of problems just wanting to stay by himself. His sister don’t follow suite one bit. Even the dog has a special greeting for him welcoming home. Mia the female character of the story is a PR person in New York City and is working at getting her candidate elected Mayor. He comes up with an idea that has her and his daughter going to this place because it is not too far from her school and she has to do community service for the summer. You get the feel between Mia and Ethan when they first meet when she takes a wrong turn and begins to give him orders, only for him to tell her she needs to drive back down the road and go another 100 feet or so and turn at the sign for the B&B. This begins there back and forth for the remaining of the story. When she goes back to New York he begins to wonder if he will ever see her again. This is a good book with many good characters, from the sisters, to the daughter, even the elderly couple staying at the inn. A BOOK.

I love me a good from enemies to lovers romance.

This is my first Jennifer Probst book, so I didn't really know what to expect. After reading a few reviews and given that the male lead of this novel is a former Special Forces and that's basically one of my fave tropes EVER, expectations were sort of high.

You should know that more than 3 stars for me it's already a good and solid rating. Perhaps if I had not read it right after a Colleen Hoover book, I would have fattened up that rating. But well, it is what it is.

The banter between the main characters was as amazing as expected, there was just this zapping chemistry brewing since minute one. Male lead is everything a military hero should be and I was surprised to discover that he was sweeter than anything else. There is something specially soft about a man that goes back home to take care of his family and family business. Particularly when that man is wounded and on the verge of believing he is actually broken forever.

Throw in a sassy and determined city girl with big dreams for her company and boom, opposites attract. Even if they can't stand each other for the most part of the first quarter of the book.

I loved the fact that there was no unnecessary drama, the romance moved along smoothly and naturally. Although I gotta say, I was expecting a few more fireworks at the ending.

Sweet, fun and uncomplicated from hate to love romance.

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.

I know this is hard to believe, but this is the first Jennifer Probst novel I've read, although friends have been recommending her for years. I'll admit up-front that for the first half of this novel, I had to grit my teeth and carry on because I absolutely hated the heroine, Mia Thrush, a high-powered, PR business owner in Manhatten. She's a carb-deprived, opinionated, designer-obsessed, utterly shallow, born and bred New Yorker with an attitude to match, especially when it came to small-town living. She's the reason I couldn't give this novel more than a 3-star rating.

Mia's most important client is running for the mayoral seat in NYC, and he has a 19 year-old daughter, Chloe, who got in with a bad crowd during her first semester at SUNY New Paltz, and as a result, was sentenced to spend the summer doing community service. Luckily for her, her community service is at a family-owned horse rescue/ranch/B&B in the small, upstate town of Gardiner, NY. Unluckily for Mia, she's been tasked by her most important client with also spending the summer there to keep an eye on Chloe, to make sure that she doesn't get into more trouble because it might impact negatively on her self-absorbed politician father and lose him the upcoming election. Chloe is loaded with teenage attitude and angst, and needless to say, I didn't like Chloe or her father at the outset either.

The character I most liked, the one who kept me reading this novel was the hero, Ethan Bishop. He's a wounded warrior, former Special Forces, and former Hollywood bodyguard, but the stress of that job, the bright lights, the noise and crowds set off his PTSD and he's returned to the family farm to relax and recuperate an work with the abused horses his sister Harper keeps finding.

When Mia first arrives, she takes a wrong turn and instead of the B&B, she winds up at Ethan's small bungalow, and is, of course, rude and obnoxious to him, taking his scruffy beard and messy clothes as a sign that he's not worthy of her attention. Although Ethan admires her looks, he's encountered the attitude during his years in Hollywood, and he soon gives her directions to the B&B, run by his sisters, Ophelia and Harper, respectively. When Ethan is tasked with also keeping an eye on Chloe, who, with her purple hair, tats, piercings and attitude issues might upset the clientele at the B&B, he's not happy about it, but he's stuck with her, and surprised to discover that she's great with the horses, doesn't complain about anything, and puts in a full days work.

Mia, on the other hand, locks herself in her room with her laptop to try to keep running her PR firm long distance. She doesn't want to mingle or chat with the nosy and feisty seniors who are vacationing there, nor does she want to involve herself in any way with the goings on at the B&B, but she has to keep an eye on Chloe and so she wanders over (in designer heels) to the horse barn to see how Chloe is doing, and thankfully, halfway through the book, she slowly softens up, lightens up on her big-city attitude, and the attraction between Mia and Ethan starts to heat up.

The second half of the novel was worth the trouble of getting there. Ethan and his sisters are wonderful characters, with good hearts, warmth and charm. Of course, there's some drama with Chloe and the few friends she made while at college, but Mia really does try to help the troubled teen, as does Ethan, and Chloe also soon gets past her attitude problems and her issues. As the relationship between Mia and Ethan grows and gets physical, although I'll admit to a few eye-rolls at Ethan's stamina, the two realize that summer is quickly coming to an end, even sooner than they thought it would, as the mayoral election draws near and Mia's client wants her back in NYC immediately.

So, what will happen to these two lovers once they're apart. Ethan doesn't want to ask Mia to stay and give up her career at the PR firm she's tried so hard to build, and Mia realizes that Ethan can't handle city life at all. They agree to try a long-distance romance, but will it work out for them? When Chloe's dad insists on pulling her out of SUNY New Paltz and sending her to NYU to keep her close by, she finally leaves at well, but she doesn't want to leave, and how will her forced relocation work out? Will Mia be successful in getting her candidate/client elected as mayor? You'll just have to read this novel to find out, and there are also a few hints as to who will be featured in the second book in this series, and it was certainly enough to make me want to read Stay #2.

I voluntarily read and advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It was so easy to get lost in and I love the way the author flows. It was wonderful watching Ethan and Mia dancing around each other but still finding their way.