It took a little bit of time to really get immersed in this book, and the stick-to-it plan worked. Evvie, Dean and the rest of the cast become so realistic and magnetic that it's easy to feel very invested in their steps. Dialogue shines in this stellar novel [I don't go to 5-stars after a slowish start normally, but this book revved up its energy and hooked me.) Linda Holmes is a genius at plotting, surprises, and natural growth of relationships. Top-notch flirting here, which is one of my favorite things that I don't always see or feel in a romance. A nice, light read perfect for a Sunday or a vacation day. This is one you'll want to savor.

Solid 4.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me download an uncorrected proof of this book. I nearly lost a night’s sleep over it because I didn’t want to stop reading. The story flows smoothly and enticingly, and the characters feel like real people, flawed and relatable, and, most of all, human to their very core. The gradual unveiling of Evvie’s past wasn’t a great mystery, but it enhanced the story’s arc. I appreciated the mental health plot line.

I also connected to how true the depiction of real friendship between Evvie and Andy felt. And, of course, the love story between Dean and Evvie is subtle and relatable.

I’ve liked everything Linda Holmes has done over the years, and I’m supremely glad she’s ventured into the book world.

Review appears on Goodreads.

I absolutely loved this sweet, funny story. Evvie Drake is a smart, compelling protagonist and it was a joy to read her journey. Can't wait to read more from Linda Holmes!

I loved this book. The characters were well done and the plot was interesting. It was a little predictable, but in a good way. I loved the ending and I loved Evvie’s relationships with Andy and her dad. I want to be more like her. This book gave me all the feels!

I have been looking forward to this book since Linda Holmes announced it and it did not disappoint. Great characters who talk to each other and listen to each other and most importantly respect each other. When they mess up, there are consequences they have to work through. It was sweet, charming and well written. I could have read it all night but instead I forced myself to spread it out over a few days so I could prolong the warm cozy feeling I got when I was reading it. This book will be an old friend in no time, re-reading it whenever I want to feel great. I hope it’s the first of money from Linda Holmes.

Review posted to Goodreads as well on 3/24/18. Link below.

After reading Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris, I needed a fun and lighter read. Evvie Drake is about to make a big change in her life but then a bigger change happens to her first. Evvie has always kept her secrets very close to herself, which we come to learn quickly because no one, not even her closest friend Andy or her dad, know the truth about Evvie's marriage to the loved-by all Dr. Drake, Evvie's late husband. After being a recluse for a year, Andy convinces Evvie to rent out the apartment unit in her house, because Andy believes Evvie has no money after there was no life insurance money to collect. This is a book about adults actually being ADULTS and it was such a refreshing read. From the first page, I loved Evvie and was rooting for her. I was rooting for ALL the characters, which is rare in a book. I would definitely recommend!

I really, really enjoyed this book! It was a very realistic portrait of life and romance when you're not in your twenties anymore. The ending was also much more realistic! The only reason this didn't get 5 stars from me is because I didn't have the pull to finish the book in one sitting; it was out of sight, out of mind. But really, read the book!

As a Linda Holmes stan, I was both excited and nervous to read her first novel. Luckily it was everything I needed. It was sexy, hilarious, full of smart characters who ACT LIKE ADULTS, and had a picture-perfect setting. It sucked to have to put this down to like, work and live.

This is a story of two broken people learning to love themselves again after unexpected tragedies, who find that they can understand each other in ways other people cannot. The hint of sadness and melancholy helped keep the plot grounded and three-dimensional, but it wasn't overwrought. And the quickfire banter especially helped to keep the mood up. (I'm STILL chuckling at the story of the cereal-box races. That I think was when Dean first fell in love with Evvie, as it certainly was the case for me.)

Longtime fans of Pop Culture Happy Hour may pick up on some very distinct Linda Holmes opinions in there (I see you, diss of Jurassic World), which were fun Easter eggs. See also:

"I'm more of a public radio guy."
"Hey, me too," she said. "Or podcasts."

Heartily recommend to everyone who loves romance or fun contemporary novels.

Evvie Drake is a study in resilience! Ms. Holmes writes a lovely store about a spunky women who manages to put her life back together after going through one of life's worst experiences. From exploring friendships to the secrets people keep from others - the story weaves an enchanting tale that readers are sure to enjoy!.

Oh, I think I'm looking forward to shoving this one at people. I've been eager to read Linda Holmes's first novel since she mentioned it was going to be published, and I'm delighted it was a fun and engaging read. Eveleth and Dean are great characters, ordinary but fleshed out with just the right amount of detail. I could see most of where the story was leading me, in the way that makes me go "yes, exactly, keep going." Recommended for anyone who has ever dealt with heartbreak or uncertainty and worried that they would be judged for letting anything less than the perfect show.

E-arc received from Netgalley in return for a fair and unbiased review.

This was a quick "women's lit" read with nicely flawed characters. Holmes does a nice job building the little town in Maine where Evvie lives. Nothing super surprising happens, but each of the characters are relatable and likeable in a pleasant way (not an obnoxious way).

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were multi-faceted and well-worth the time investment. (That's not always the case.) I also loved how the physical setting played an important role in moving the story along.

I absolutely adored this novel. Couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. Such an adorable romance with great, well developed characters. I’m definitely looking out for Holmes’ next book! Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

I love Linda Holmes, and a large part of me was worried that my love of her commentary and critique could impact how I read her fiction. But lemme tell you, I loved this book all on its own. I may not have picked it up otherwise if not for Holmes' name on the cover (sports-adjacent/related romances are not my preferred genre, despite the fact that I've read three of them in the last six months and they've all been fantastic), but anyway now I apparently have feelings about baseball throwing ("pitching", or so I gather it's called).

I can gush a lot about this book. How I texted screenshots with my other ARC-readers (fellow PCHH listeners), how I loved Evvie's relationship with her father, how I adored the ending and the book's pacing, how I felt the relationships grow and change over the seasons.

This book is a delightful weekend read, light but not fluffy, soft but not too gentle. It will appeal to readers who have never explored the romance genre as well as romance aficionados. Readers (like me) who pick it up because of Holmes' pop culture writing will find the same insight, warmth, and cleverness that we love about her work.

Anyway, I now need this book in hardback. It's one of those.

This is such a lovely story. I’m sad it’s over. I couldn’t get enough of Evvie and Dean. They are two perfectly imperfect people. Women who have been in unhappy marriages will relate to Evvie. She’s the kind of woman you feel you could be friends with. Her romance with Dean felt genuine and real. Both of their insecurities were valid and relatable. I think you’ll want to add this to your TBR for June.

This is a sweet book that’s a fast read, written by someone whose work I’ve been reading since she was recapping The Amazing Race for Television Without Pity.

Evvie Drake is a young widow whose husband was a douche, and she feels guilty that she doesn’t miss him. Dean Tenney is a pitcher with a bad case of the yips, drummed out of MLB and not feeling great about it.

So, two broken people. Both are fixers, but they point their powers at other people instead of themselves which is, as we all know, not the best way to do things. Predictably, they fall for each other, but it’s what you expect in this kind of book, and Holmes doesn’t make her characters jump through hoops or do anything that would make their relationship seem unlikely or overly dramatic.

As a baseball enthusiast, I expected to be disappointed in some inconsistencies with the ins and outs of the game, but Holmes is detailed enough to let the reader know that SHE knows her stuff, and vague enough not to be boring. Dean’s yips made me recall Rick Ankiel’s struggles with the same, and I was pleased to see Ankiel’s memoir was part of Holmes’ research.

I have a lot of built-in good will for this book, but it’s not abused. I genuinely enjoyed reading it for its own sake.

I received a digital arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A charming tale of love and loss. I've been a fan of Holmes' writing since she penned recaps for The Amazing Race on Television Without Pity and currently listen to her on Pop Culture Happy Hour; I was very excited to discover last year that she was writing a book, so it felt like kismet to acquire this particular advanced copy. The story here is deeper and more personal than those in your standard women's lit or romance novels, and I appreciated that it grappled with so many complex issues in an engaging manner. Holmes' deft, witty writing makes these well-drawn characters feel so incredibly real that I hated to leave them behind upon reaching the last page. Very enjoyable.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars

This was a fun read. Just having read a heavy-duty literary fiction novel, I was ready for something like this. Evvie Drake is a young woman who decides to start her life over. Her best and platonic friend Andy knows Evvie needs the extra money and talks her into renting the apartment attached to the house to his childhood friend Dean. Dean is a former star pitcher with the New York Yankees who has recently lost his career thanks to a case of the “yips.” These are our three main characters.

This is a book about many things, including honesty with both oneself and others, family relationships, mental health issues, forgiveness, romance, and new beginnings. Most of the characters are very likeable, and it was especially easy to cheer for Evvie. The Maine setting is different, and Ms. Holmes does a good job bringing the setting into the story. There is depth to the tale, but I was hoping for more—this might relate to the fact that I have been reading some meaty novels in recent months. Despite that, I really enjoyed the story, which drew me in right away and held my interest throughout.

I recommend Evvie Drake Starts Over to anyone looking for an interesting and fun feel-good read. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Holmes comes up with next.

Thanks to Net Galley, Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books, and Linda Holmes for an advanced review copy. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Congratulations Linda Holmes! You have done the almost impossible: You crafted a first novel that zings off the page in the first paragraph and never stops. The dialogue is laugh out loud funny (I was asked to quit several times.) and an original and intriguing tale of an unlikely heroine named after a town in Minnesota and a major league pitcher suffering from "the Yips".

Evvie, named after Evaleth by her runaway mother, has just decided to leave her abusive doctor husband when she gets a call that changes everything. Dr. Tim, who was her high school boyfriend and husband dies in a car crash and she is STUCK. How can she now tell her best friend Andy and her Dad and her in-laws that Tim was a mean, nasty gaslighting husband. He "accidentally" pushed her against a dresser, bruising her back and then denied it. He offered to bring pizza for dinner and berated her for not feeding him when he arrived home late. Not exactly what you think of as spousal abuse, but certainly enough to damage. And between him and her mother, Evvie is damaged.

Evvie's lifelong platonic friend Andy becomes her mainstay following the accident. Then, enter Andy's friend Dean whose career ends when his pitching arm gives out and he rents an apartment in Evvie's house.. So, two people with traumatic life occurrences are thrown together. But wait, nothing here is predictable or what you expect or happens when you expect it.

Don't delay in buying and reading this book. It's a guaranteed page-turner by a popular NPR podcaster. More, please! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the privilege of reading an early copy.

I was so excited to read this book because I'd read great reviews but.... I just couldn't get into it. Every time Evvey told a story and I completely zoned out. It was just hard for me to get into this one unfortunately. Maybe because I'm comparing it to several amazing books that I just finished. Not sure but I couldn't connect with the characters. Love the idea of baseball and the location of Maine though.