I have been a long time Jennifer Probst reader, I love her worlds and the people she populates them with so very much. The Start of Something Good is very true to the title, in more ways than one. Ethan and Mia could not be more opposites on the surface than you could ever imagine. But down deep inside they are both tending old, lasting wounds… and as much as they seem to hate each other on sight, underneath is an attraction that confuses and distracts them. Toss in a teen with community service chores, a lovely B & B, a rescue horse farm, lively characters in a small town setting and you have the recipe for a perfectly addicting, enjoyable romance.

To be frank, I loved everything about this story… and it’s going to be hard to wait until October for the next one. (Yes, I did peek on the next release date) Ethan is wounded in many ways, physically certainly, but mentally, emotionally as war often does to its veterans. The fact that the horses he cares for on the family farm are also injured in different ways rescues themselves, is not lost on Ethan. Perhaps he can help them heal as they heal him.

Mia is city girl down to the tips of her designer shoes. She’ll spend the summer in the country only because it will benefit her PR firm. She is all business, New York madness and the quiet of the country is as foreign to her as the surface of the Moon. She and Ethan hit it off on a wrong note at their first meeting and it only escalates from there. Watching them discover that first impressions aren’t always correct was a fun and enjoyable journey. The sizzle between them cannot be denied, but Mia’s life is in the city and Ethan’s in the country. Somehow they have to figure out a way to make this thing between them work or there is nothing but heartache in their futures.

I simply loved The Start of Something Good. The small town characters, the setting, the story line and the main couple are all so realistic and believable that I could have stepped off of a bus into this place. If you are a fan of the enemies-to-lovers romance, or simply love a small town romance then you’ll enjoy Ethan and Mia’s story. I expected to like this new release, I always look forward to where Ms Probst takes her readers, but I truly fell in love with this story and these characters. I’m hoping we get a chance to catch up with them again in the series. I’d definitely recommend this title to any Contemporary Romance reader who simply loves to fall in love with a book. It’s that simple.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This book has both cursing (including f-bombs) and on-page sex. If those things will cause you to leave a bad review, this might not be the book for you. Also, there are a lot (like A LOT) of current pop-culture/brand name references in this book so if you're the kind of reader who finds that off-putting, just be aware of that. This book starts a series but stands completely alone.

This story is, at first blush, a city girl/country boy “opposites attract” story, but it is so much more than that. There are so many different layers of personal relationships that take place in this that I found myself personally invested in what happened not only with Mia and Ethan, but with the people of the town, with Chloe, with Ethan's sisters, and even with the barnyard animals. Mia's relationship with Chloe became one of those things that I couldn't get enough of while reading - watching those two figuring life out together was fantastic. And yet none of the side-stories or characters overwhelmed the beautiful story line that took place between Ethan and Mia.

Also, even though there are some sexy sexxxxy times in this book, there is a perfect balance of friendship/relationship between the main characters – they don't just meet and fall into bed and declare their love for each other, but they cultivate a personal relationship before falling in love, something that I appreciate so much as a reader.

Now, I must confess - I Could. Not. Stand. Mia to being with. As a low maintenance kind of girl, I just cannot connect with a big city, label-obsessed, eating disorder-having-but-denying, clueless-about-life-outside-of-her-bubble kind of heroine. I'll read about them, but I don't understand them. Mia was totally That Heroine to begin with, but I wound up love love LOVING the way that she grew and changed as this book went on. When Mia found balance in her life she became someone that I wanted to read more and more about. (***Some could consider the rest of this paragraph spolierish***) The best thing about Mia is that although she grew and changed, she didn't change herself fundamentally - I adored that her spunk and grit never wavered. Mia could still give as good as she got, but it was so amazing to see her becoming more comfortable in her own perfectly imperfect skin and finding a balance between Gucci and lovelorn chickens. The fact that she made those changes to make *herself* feel better and not to make Ethan love her made all of her growth even better.

And then there was Ethan. I LOVED Ethan. He was cranky and a little (okay a lot) bottled up, but from the start his goodness shown through and even though he had a few moments that made me frown at him, he just got better as the book went on. The best thing about Ethan is that he never tried to change Mia. Once they built a friendship, he loved her for who she was and didn't give her an ultimatum or conditions – he took all of her just as she was.

***SPOILERS in this paragraph*** One of my favorite things about this book was that there was no gigantic drama between Mia and Ethan. There was no over-dramatic big blow up or eye-roll-worthy misunderstanding between them that required one or the other begging for forgiveness. Their issues were organic and realistic, and even though times got difficult, neither one of them expected the other to cave to their wishes. Again, the word balance comes to mind. Their relationship was functional and beautifully balanced and so incredibly refreshing.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a beautifully written love story that combines humor, sexy heat, and a ton of heart.

I just wasn't a fan of this one. This is a first for me from this author, and the writing itself wasn't bad. I wasn't a fan of Mia at all. She was rude and grated me with her attitude. From the description of her, she wasn't a fat person, but you would think she didn't need to lose 10 pounds, but 100. She was militant about the blueberries in her yogurt. Not someone I could connect with at all. I put this down, and tried to come back to it, but I just couldn't get behind her. I only made it to 25%, so maybe it gets better.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

This wasn't just a romance story about how the two main characters came together, this was also about the personal growth.

I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers story and I liked that this one hit a good balance between the two. Sometimes you get too much hate/animosity and sometimes the flip to love/lust is a bit too quick for me to accept as believable. This one did a great job of establishing why Ethan and Mia didn't like each other and it seemed like a believable, organic progression to when they eventually came together. And then, WOW!

In addition to Ethan and Mia's character growth, it was nice to see that there was some focus paid to the secondary character of Chloe. Granted, she was essentially the catalyst for bringing Mia into Ethan's world, but it was nice to see that some attention was paid to her and her character arc and she wasn't just used as a plot device.

And as an animal lover, I adored the personalities of the various farm residents that made appearances. And can I just say that I now want a Polish chicken as a pet?

I can't wait for the next book in the series – the setup in the epilogue makes it sound like it could be GREAT.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

What happens when you take a high maintenance city girl out of her element and throw her onto a horse farm to babysit a troubled teen for the summer? Throw in a gruff, former special ops soldier recovering from his mental & physical scars and you have pure magic! Some meddlesome seniors, well meaning siblings and a hilarious rescue chicken round out the delightful supporting cast. This enemies to lovers story sparks with chemistry and verbal sparring as Ethan & Mia slow burn their way toward a relationship that can only lead to heartache when summer ends. Jennifer Probst paints a rich, descriptive narrative of coming home, the value of family and finding yourself in this beautifully written contemporary love story. First in a new series, I look forward to the next book!

I thought this book was fantastic! Ms. Probst's writing style seemed really smooth. The story really flowed well. She has taken a character who is severely injured inside and out and one that has something to prove to try to make up for the past destruction of her family and brings them together seamlessly. Ethan may have trauma to his body and soul, but Mia manages to soothe the beast inside him and bring him a semblance of peace that was so gratifying. Mia works so hard to keep destruction away from the clients in her PR firm, that she has lost sight of what really makes her happy--until she meets Ethan.
This book had it all: snarkiness, gentleness, sexiness, drama, humor, sadness (who would have thought I'd cry over a character telling a chicken goodbye?) and romance that will bring you to your knees. Pretty sure The Start of Something Good made by heart bleed! I cannot wait for the next in the series. I'm already invested in the characters that are Ethan's sisters! Awesome writing by Ms. Probst!

“I need to kiss you, Mia. Right now, I feel like I’ll fucking die if I don’t kiss you.”

There’s a reason that I adore Jennifer Probst—why she is one of my go-to authors—and that reason is on heartfelt, humorous and heated display in The Start of Something Good.

I’m not entirely sure I can explain how much I loved this book. It was all the things I love about romance, and about Ms. Probst’s books. Filled with moments that were unexpected, feel good and warming, I devoured the pages of Ethan + Mia’s story, all while wishing it would never end.

I think, of all the multitude of things that made this book one of my favorite reads of 2018 thus far, the thing I loved most was the way the story—and the characters—developed. Enemies-to-lovers isn’t the easiest genre, yet Ms. Probst navigated it with ease, making Ethan + Mia’s snarky, sarcastic banter heavy with chemistry, and leading it into a slow-burn love that was impossible not to root for.

But even more than that, the way the characters matured over the course of the book, and the summer—not just Ethan + Mia, but Chloe {and Phoenix!} too—felt very real. I was taken by the strength they showed, the way they each faced their pasts and their futures, and weighed their choices; it was tense but not overly dramatic, and that lack of OTT drama just made me love this book all the more.

Which was quite the feat, considering I loved it from the very beginning. In fact, you could say that the start of this book was just The Start of Something Good . . . no, GREAT.

'For a few precious seconds, the ragged void in his soul took a breath and sighed, once again full.
Because of her.'

~ FIVE STARS ~

This was such an entertaining book for me to read. While getting to know all the characters at the beginning of this book, I wasn’t sure how this story was going to end up, but found I liked the slow burn to a evenly paced romance with Elijah and Mia. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters and can see this being the start of a good small town series with the horse farm and B&B as the background.

This is a beautiful story about finding love when you least expect it. These two characters were thrown together and had to make adjustments in their everyday lives to make things work. Both are stubborn and it was great seeing how they came together proving that your heart wants what it wants no if ands or buts. I really enjoyed the writing it flowed at just the right pace and the plot was planned perfectly. I look forward to reading more of this series in the future. I would recommend this book to all the romance lovers out their.

Ethan is back home with his sisters at their combination rescue farm and B&B. Injured in the war – he was constantly in danger: plucking out the injured via helicopter drop and getting them to safety and treatment. His last mission, and the one that ended his military career ended in tragedy – and the loss of that person is the one he can’t get over. Convinced that he’s not a good influence or help for people or animals, he’s isolated himself in a small outbuilding and barely surfaces for interactions. When he’s informed that the local judge has sentenced a girl to perform community service at their farm in hopes that she will come out with a changed perspective, he’s determined to stay apart and isolated – it’s not his problem but his sister has left him in charge.

Mia is a PR star on the rise: she’s hard working, determined and her client list is exclusive: she’ll take on no one she can’t believe in after researching them exhaustively. She’s currently working for the frontrunner candidate for NYC mayor, when he comes forward with a problem and a proposition for a solution. His 19 year old daughter Chloe was caught cheating on an exam, and later vandalized the professor’s car_ resulting in a court date and hours of community service in upstate NY – far away from the city. Since her father’s campaign is one of family values and sticking together, this hiccup could be devastating. He cajoles Mia into chaperoning Chloe during her service: weeks in the small B&B away from the office, the city and all she knows.

The story – completely adorable! Ethan and Mia butt heads in snark and smart-comments from the start, and when Mia meets Hei Hei the Polish chicken (think extra fluffy feathers in a crown) – her first reaction is ‘eep’, soon followed by letting out al of the frustration and angst she’s feeling from being wholly out of her comfort zone, and she tells Hei Hei to “stop” and thus is the start of a never-ending love from him. A farm full of horses, with many rescues requires both a ton of work and a commitment to consistency, calmness and care. Not only do the horses need to be ‘re-acclimated’ to proper behavior and expectations, Chloe is also in need of finding a way to let go of the issues that led to her problems. Slowly from the gradual introduction of real food, carbs, hard work, praise and some serious bonding over Mia’s unfamiliarity with any movie of the Disney variety, the story is one of everyone learning to trust and open up to one another. Of course, the chemistry between Mia and Ethan is explosive – both are in so very deep before they realize it - and it’s utterly delicious. Several major revelations and changes, a few questions around Ethan’s sisters and their lives, and the realignment of expectations that lead to big changes for everyone hands out second (and often third) chances to everyone – leaving readers with a smile and desperate for the next book.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9OD /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

A heart-felt story about two people who are looking for something but don't realize it until it might be too late. Ethan is a wounded veteran who is living with tremendous guilt due to his last mission. Mia is a woman who is trying to right a wrong that occurred when she was younger. When she is asked by a client to watch his daughter for the summer, she grudgingly agrees.
They both judge the other and can't stand the other. As they spend more time together, they start realizing that there is more to the other than what they originally thought. The side characters, as well as, the animals (you'll know who when you read it) and some great moments.
Will Ethan and Mia be able to open up to each other and find a way to be together, even though they cine from separate worlds? What will happen when she has to go back home? I can't wait to read more books in this series, if there are any, so I can read about Ethan's sisters.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Ethan Bishop heads home to Gardiner, a small town in upstate New York where his family owns a bed & breakfast, and a horse farm. He's been gone too long, and returns to the life he'd once run away from for something bigger and better. He is ex-special forces, and a former Hollywood bodyguard who should feel lucky to be alive. He's come full circle, and was now just trying to heal all his broken pieces in private. He's back with his sister's Ophelia & Harper, but considers himself unsuitable for the outside world, and really wasn't up to dealing with people for a while. Looking forward to some alone time, he's not too happy when he finds out he's going to be in charge of a teen girl for the summer who's been given mandated community service. He'd come home for peace & quiet, not to babysit.

Mia Thrush owns a successful publicity firm in Manhattan called Strategy Solutions PR where her dreams are finally coming true. She's representing a politician running for Mayor, and the upcoming election is everything. When his daughter suddenly gets into some trouble the entire election could be at stake. His daughter is to serve as a volunteer at a horse farm upstate, and to help avoid scandal Mia reluctantly agrees to accompany her to make sure she stays out of trouble.

Mia despises small towns, and doesn't know how she's going to survive in some podunk town for the summer. Born and bred in NYC, she's more comfortable in heels and designer clothes. When she arrives in the Shawangunk Mountains she immediately clashes with a rugged, brooding, bearded, sexy, rude ginger named Ethan. He's like a hot Grizzly Adams, and everything about him annoys her. From how attractive he is, to his infuriating, arrogant attitude, she strongly disliked him.

Ethan thinks Mia is a rich, uptight, stuck up, high maintenance city girl used to a big, fancy life. He doesn't want to be stuck dealing with her high drama all summer. She barreled into his life, and he's angry that she both irritates and intrigues him at the same time.

Ethan& Mia's turbulent relationship evolves as they spend time together. As they get to know one another they learn they actually have a lot in common. Sexual tension ignites and soon Mia finds herself being completely, thoroughly seduced by Ethan. A strong connection grows, and they both feel alive again and so understood. They begin a summer fling that turns into more. Can they make it work beyond the summer when she lives in the city, and his life is on the farm?

I really enjoyed this story about love and healing. Two opposites come together in a beautiful place and connect on a deep level. They find their missing piece and fight for a future together. I loved these characters, the farm animals (lol, that polish chicken ;)), and the sense of unity and family throughout the book. I can't wait for Ophelia's HEA!

This book was definitely the start of something good! Definitely not love at first sight - Ethan and Mia have a delicious, hot slow burn romance. I loved all of the characters - human and animal. I can't wait for the next book in the series - and will have to read this one again.

4.5 Star Review The Start Of Something Good (Stay #1) By Jennifer Probst
Having read other books from Jennifer Probst, I was excited to read book one in a new series,and oh what a story it was.
The characters were strong and well developed, not only the main characters, but also the secondary characters who I hope get their own stories soon.
The Start of Something Good is a well written, emotional story with hot and sizzling scenes, as well as a great deal of humour and wonderful characters.
Ethan Bishop returns to the Hudson Valley, a man recuperating from his injuries and broken in spirit, to help his sisters at the family B & B and farm.
Mia Thrush is a Manhattan PR agent who is staying at the B & B to keep an eye on Chloe, the daughter of one of her clients who has been sentenced to community service at the farm and the rescue horses.To be honest I wasn’t particularly keen on Mia but she did grow on me but I really liked Ethan from the start.
Ethan and Mia clash from the first, but as they get to know each other, they realise how much they have in common; with attraction and passion igniting.
When Mia needs to return to the city, can her relationship with Ethan withstand the distance? Or is it destined to fail? Can a city girl be happy living in the country?
One click now and find out.

Ethan returns home to the B&B and farm his sisters took over from their parents, with his body and soul broken. Mia is a PR specialist with a candidate for New York City Mayor as her major client. She ends up babysitting her client's troubled daughter while she serves her community service at a horse farm in the Hudson Valley. That is where Mia meets the ornery Ethan and even though they don't get along at all, the sparks fly between them.

Ethan was just so broken that I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. And Ethan's nickname for Mia (Princess) was just so fitting, it made me laugh. The way the B&B and farm were described, it just made me want to go there and visit. This story just drew you in as the characters just seemed so real. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I received an ARC courtesy of Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Small town living had never been for Ethan Bishop, he had big dreams to chase and the minute he had the opportunity he grabbed it. Years later he’s returning something of a Hometown Hero, but wanting to do nothing but stay to himself. Enter City Girl Mia Thrush; she blows into town with her cell phone, designer shoes, designer clothes and an attitude as big as the city she comes from. She’s the exact opposite of what Ethan needs but she sure is what he wants.
Mia Thrush is in Hell. She’s finally managed to land a client big enough to put her PR firm exactly where she wants it and now she’s somehow managed to be sentenced to the summer on a farm babysitting her client’s teenage daughter who seems to find nothing but trouble lately. Add to that an arrogant farm boy and Mia’s summer couldn’t be any worse; until she starts to find herself insanely attracted to the farm boy.
When I first decided to give ebooks a try, Jennifer Probst ‘s “The Marriage Bargain” was one of the first books I read, it’s been a while since I’ve read one of her books and I have to say, I enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed the first one I ever read. I loved the characters, the setting, the storyline and the pace. I liked both Mia and Ethan and I was happy the angst was kept to a minimum. This was a “going through the process” type of story. You got their ups, their downs, their happy, their sad….you just got all of them. This is the first book in the Stay series and based on what seems to be coming up next, this book is definitely the start of something good.
Add to your summer beach read list.

The Start of Something Good is the start of a wonderful new series from Jennifer Probst. I've been curious about reading something of hers for a long time and I have to say that this was the perfect novel to start with. Ethan Bishop has finally returned home, but suffers from PTSD while trying to find peace with the choices he's made. A summer mentoring a troubled young girl could be just the thing he needs to find he way again, except for her annoying guardian, PR agent Mia Thrush.

This fast paced story is fun and full of passion. Both Mia and Ethan are strong willed people, so the fact that they go after each others throats upon their first meeting is not surprising. However, they learn that their first assumptions about each other were way off base and a tentative friendship, with the possibility of more, emerges. All of the characters, from troubled teen Chloe to Ethan's sisters Ophelia and Harper, have something hidden just beneath the surface. The characters are rich and Jennifer Probst makes you want go further into their lives.

The Start of Something Good is a classic enemies to lovers romance and I recommend it to all contemporary romance fans. If you love the heartwarming style of Catherine Bybee and the steaminess of Stacey Lynn, then you don't want to miss out on the beginning of the Stay series!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

The Start of Something Good by Jennifer Probst is a heartwarming coming home story.

Ethan returns home after healing from being shot in the leg, to help his sister run her ranch for rescued animals.
Mia, an upity and somewhat prissy, politician's assistant, helping to keep his PR clean, is sent to "babysit" the politician's daughter after she is required to do community service at the ranch.
It is a unique story line, interesting small town-type romance...a bit of enemies-to-lovers. Many wonderful characters! Well-developed and kept me into it!!!
I have always been a fan of Jennifer's and this one certainly increased my fan-girling!

This book was amazing, sometimes in life you read a book and it grabs your attention from the very beginning and it doesn't let go. That's what this book did. I have read many books by Jennifer Probst and I have never been disappointed and she didn't let me down this time either. This book has everything that a person is looking for in a book, love, laughter, a little heartache. It gives you all the feels. I love books that doesn't lose me, that doesn't bounce around, I love a book that if I have to stop reading, I can pick it right back up and know exactly where I am, this is one those books! Thank you Jennifer for writing such a touching story!

Jennifer Probst has written a story that I want to live in forever. Jennifer's writing style is so seamless that you can't help but fall in love with her worlds and her characters, The Start of Something Good was definitely not an exception. From the very first chapter to the last I was committed to the characters and the story. I wanted each one of them to overcome everything that was in the way of them finding their happiness, especially Ethan and Mia. These two were so opposite yet so much the same.

Ethan is staying at his sister's B&B while taking the time to heal, Mia is there for her job in PR. While the first meeting between the two may not have been love at first sight, they'll have the whole summer to fix that. The Start of Something Good is the perfect summer read. One that will be on your list of summer reads for a long time.