Book Review : JULIA MONROE BEGINS AGAIN by Rebekah Millet

While I didn't immediately connect with the story, I ultimately found myself thoroughly enjoying this debut novel. Julia's initial grudge and subsequent behavior towards Samuel were off-putting, but as more of her backstory was revealed, I was able to give her a second chance. Her past experiences had a profound impact on her, shaping her reactions to Samuel's reappearance. Their banter was incredibly entertaining. Samuel's undeniable sweetness slowly chipped away at Julia's carefully constructed defenses.

The family dynamics were compelling. I found Conner and Mason's playful teamwork to support their mother particularly endearing. Their love and understanding for her were evident as they sought her happiness. Julia's compassion extended beyond her family, as her cleaning ministry and interactions with the elderly, including her mother, demonstrated her big heart.

This heartwarming second-chance story proved to be a worthwhile read. I found the Christian themes of forgiveness interwoven throughout the narrative to be particularly uplifting. I look forward to more works by this author.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Pub date: Oct 1, 2023

Thank you Bethany House Publishers for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

As much as I wanted to love this contemporary rom-com, I just didn’t. Julia grated on my nerves. Her behavior toward Sam was too much like a resentful and grudge-filled middle school girl. He was a repentant grown man being constantly judged for behavior from 20+ years prior. I admired him for his continued perseverance toward Julia but don't know too many people who would have done that, if any at all. Hence the three stars. He was a genuinely good guy! There are plenty of one-liners that are notable but they just didn’t make up for how I felt about Julia. I’m definitely in the minority on this one so don’t take my word. Read it for yourself.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to review the book through Netgalley. My opinion is my own. No compensation received.

This debut novel was a sweet Christian contemporary romance with a strong faith theme.

There’s humor, relatable characters, a southern setting, and has a focus on second chances & forgiveness.

What a wonderful debut for Rebekah Millet. After reading this book, I am looking forward to reading more from her. I enjoyed the Christian faith aspect of the story and how it was incorporated for Kate. This book has a wonderful reminder of grace and mercy given to all. The author tells a great story that has the wonderful feel of family and friendship. The pacing was done well. I love a story that keeps you engaged and enveloped in the story. Friendships are so vital for us all and Julie and Kate’s relationship really spoke to me. Made me want to text all my friends and tell them how much I care for them. Samuel was also wonderful and so funny. This was just a lovely book with delightful characters. I am excited to see what comes up next for this author. 
Thank you to the publisher for the Netgalley link for tour purposes. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

♡ 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 ♡
•testosterone truck
•caretaking
•peekaboo tattoo
•second chance romance
•chewie
•first loves
•forgiveness theme
•strong faith thread
•god fearing alpha hero
•strong, independent heroine

“𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝?”

“𝘐 . . .” 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘐’𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘻𝘻𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘱.

“𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜.”

𝘐 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦.

second chance romance is really serving it lately! i really enjoyed this one with samuel and julia. they had A LOT to overcome and it took some time for them, especially julia, to work through their issues. while there was a lot of hurt between these two, there was also some fiery chemistry and sharp banter. i absolutely adored samuel’s patient persistence!

kate was an amazing friend to julia and her voice of reason throughout the story. i loved their friendship and their beignets and coffee dates. at times julia could be frustrating, but i felt like she earned the right to be that way after what samuel did and losing her husband. i also loved julia’s sons and how supportive they were of starting her own business. the faith thread is beautifully woven throughout this story and a good reminder that anyone is capable of changing for the better.

romance: kisses

thank you to bethany house for the gifted copy. my thoughts are my own.

"Chewy growled.
"Chewy." I tapped his nose with my fingertip.
"This is all your fault to begin with."
"I'd say the fault mostly falls to your mom."
"You mean her busted pipe."
"I'm ninety-five percent certain she rigged it to leak."
"What?" My disbelief punctured the air. Chewy startled, jumping to the floor with a yelp."

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
Basically, I read it one sitting. I laughed. I cried. I related well to this mom facing the reality of her kids growing up. She is trying to find a new reality. Boy, do I understand.

Julia is looking for a new rhythm now that her boys are off to college. Although she has been widowed for a long time, she wasn't ready to face the reality of truly feeling alone. But she did not exactly plan on connecting with her college boyfriend either.

Samuel Reed has changed. A lot. Convincing Julia of this is another matter. Dealing with complicated family dynamics is also a bit stressful. This book is about finding yourself in the midst of life's changes.

The New Orleans setting adds to the storyline. Faith, friendship and family are all important elements that weave together beautifully. I can't wait to read the next book in the "Beignets for Two" series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for letting me read this one. I begged to read it and plan to review it because I think everyone should read it. Well, almost everyone. All opinions are my own - no beignets necessary for bribing. Although I would take one ...

Such a sweet and light story of a second chance romance. I loved the growth of the main characters and the writing was very easy to read. The banter was great too!

BOOK REVIEW - Julia Monroe Begins Again - Rebekah Millet - 3.5 Stars

OK so hopefully today's review makes sense as I've had a headache-turned-migraine most of the day. One of my favourite parts of this blog is being able to promote debut authors. If you've been around Bookstagram for a while then you're probably familiar with Rebekah Millet's book blog, so it's exciting to see her release her own book.

I loved the premise of this story, I'm a big fan of second chance/redemption stories. I'm in two minds about this story which I don't like, I hate having a split opinion on a book. But first, what I did love in this book was the redemption themes showing how God can completely change someone and make them new. The swooony kisses. Mama (in a weird way #iykyk). That Julia had a normal relatable job. That Julia was an older character (also relatable). Chewy. And of course Samuel 2.0.

Ok, so on the one hand, from a purely romantic POV, I loved Samuel's determination to win Julia back, the matchmaking efforts of her friends and family and the constant sweet gestures to he made in his pursuit. However. The other half of my opinion doesn't like how he didn't respect her wishes when she kept saying no to a relationship and I found her friends and family were quite bullying, pushing her to something she said she didn't want. Everything eventually works out and they get their HEA but I find there's a very fine line between pursuing someone and disrespecting their wishes to stay away and I can't decide which side of the line this book falls on. You'll have to read it and decide for yourself.

Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet is her debut novel, and it is fabulous! ! It is a sweet Rom-Com with all the feels! Julia has just turned forty, she cleans houses, is a single mom, and now both of her boys are off at college. Samuel Reed is a Green Beret is who has a wonderful heart and broke Julia’s heart 20 years ago. Now he is in back in town and sitting near her at church! What?

I loved this story! Julia Monroe Begins Again has the perfect blend of, sweet romance, interesting setting in New Orleans, pop culture, humor and thoughtful characters I felt very connected to. I adored the secondary characters and Julia’s friend Kate is the perfect example of a good friend who meddles well. Following Julia’s journey as she walks through forgiveness, finding love again, and expanding her view of herself is one I enjoyed immensely. The faith narrative was refreshing. It was woven through the story in a beautiful, realistic, and joyful way.

Rebekah Millet’s debut novel Julia Monroe Begins Again is an absolute delight. The humor, wonderful characters, and sweet romance made this a great novel! I highly recommend!

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

“This would be so much easier if You just told me what to do…”

Oh my gracious… I am still recovering from this fabulous read! Fair warning – I will probably babble incoherently about it in this review, despite my best efforts to make sense. I laughed on nearly every page. I shed a few tears, too. And I’m pretty sure I came thisclose to being electrocuted from all the sparks between Samuel and Julia… this is NOT a complaint, mind you. Just a swoonified observation.

From the very first page, I suspected that Julie Monroe Begins Again was going to be on my list of favorite reads of 2023. About halfway through, I suspected it would be making my list of favorite books I’ve ever read. And by the end, I knew it would have a solid place on both lists henceforth and forevermore. Between Julia’s sassy running commentary (courtesy of the delightfully written first person narrative), her ‘demon dog’ Chewy, her best friend (and matchmaker) Kate, her mothering anxiety over her college-age sons, and her chain-smoking-no-feelings Mama, I had lots to guffaw and snicker over. The witty mental asides from Julia combined with the smart dialogue to leave me glued to the pages… and okaaaaay… swoony hunk Samuel helped with that too.

Speaking of Samuel, I wish y’all could have seen my ever-scanning ‘book boyfriend’ antennae go up when I read this first line of chapter two:

“I think Henry Cavill just got saved or joined our church.”

Um. yes please! Let’s find out more.

And oh boy did we ever! Turns out Samuel is Julia’s first love, and they have a tumultuous past – one that we learn about in layers – but this former Green Beret is now on a mission to win back Julia and to show her how he’s changed. I mean… honestly… his sincerity, his intentionality, his integrity, his swooniliciousness… ghfjdalkjsdlskfhdkslvhjdlska. <– That’s my last coherent thought flying away. Okay, but seriously – he sounds pretty perfect, right? Well, he isn’t. And that’s one of the many reasons I loved him AND wanted to shake him silly. He’s flawed, and so is Julia. They made a lot of mistakes, together and separately, back in college, and true to form they make a few in being reacquainted now. This time though, the mistakes come from people who’ve lived more life and surrendered to Jesus more than they had before but are nonetheless blindsided by the other’s return to their world and still deeply scarred (especially Julia) by their earlier romance. I thought their reactions made sense given what they’ve each been through, and I also thought that they were necessary speed bumps in helping them ultimately leave behind the pain of the past.

There is so much more I could talk about but I’ll try to sum up. The breathless chemistry and sweet-sizzle kisses between Julia & Samuel is perfection. So is the mix of their flirty banter (particularly on Samuel’s part) and the tender relationship that rebuilds between them. Julia cyberstalking her boys at college, worrying over the gray hair in her eyebrow, and debating how often she really needs to shave her legs is priceless & relatable. Also, the faith thread – especially the emphasis on taking things to Jesus in prayer instead of reacting in our own humanity – really spoke to my heart, and I thought the author wove this beautifully into the story.

Bottom Line: In case you can’t tell, I really loved Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet. It doesn’t feel at all like a debut, but rather the work of a seasoned author. Millet has mastered the art of showing vs. telling, and every word felt perfectly placed. I loved everything about Julia & Samuel’s love story – even when I was frustrated with one or both of them – and I’m still grinning every time I think of them. The wit, the humor, the romance, the friendship, the family themes, and the faith themes – all of that, plus the incredibly engaging writing voice – make this a fave read that I’ll go back to when I need to sink into a great story with all the feels. A must-read for fans of Bethany Turner, Pepper Basham, and Becky Wade! Can’t wait for book two!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

This is such a cute second chance romance. I loved seeing Julia and Samuel figure their relationship out. Julia seemed determined that there would be no romance. And this story is written in first person you get to know exactly how she feels. Samuel was the perfect hero, with such patience and care. He was determined to make everything right that he could.
Chewy, Julia's dog could be the subject of a whole book., what a character!
If you love cute Christian Rom Coms, this is your book!
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinions are entirely my own.

Rebekah Millet’s strong, albeit new, author voice shone in this delightful contemporary romance featuring a widowed, 40 year old mother of two college-aged boys and a single, former Green Beret. If you’re looking for a second chance romance with a bit of snark, swoon and sass, this may be the book for you!

HIGHLIGHTS:
-Heartwarming and Hilarious
-Southern, New Orleans Charm
-Second Chance Romance
-Faith, Family and Friendship
-Life After Loss
-A Hunky, Former Green Beret MMC
-A Widowed, Empty-Nest FMC

I adored the New Orleans setting with its historic district, beignets and French Quarter flair. Millet brought the setting alive in a personable, authentic way that I admired. I also loved the hilarious inner monologue Julia had at times as well the characters of Mama and Teddy. I couldn’t have laughed more over their antics, especially Mama’s. The deep friendship and sarcastic conversations between Julia and her best friend Kate were heartwarming and entertaining.

While I enjoyed the story, Julia’s reluctance and petulance bothered me in the first ⅓ of the story. But since I was enjoying the secondary characters and snark, I chose to push on and I was so glad I did. I read a review where the reader didn’t enjoy Sam’s character, saying any man would have walked away after being subject to Julia’s immature attitude but I believe his choices to continue to pursue and serve her was a beautiful picture of his new heart in Christ, as well as a picture of how Christ pursues and serves us, even when we are not the most lovable.

I loved Sam’s character and the change in his life, the way he handled himself and the way he chose to seek Julia out and offer his love. It was rewarding to see Julia grapple with her circumstances and finally tune her ear to hear the answer God was repeatedly giving her. Oh, how many times we pray for an answer, God answers, and yet our hearts are stubborn, reluctant or not in tune to hear His will.

For me, this story read much like a romantic comedy, filled with faith, romance, friendship, family heartache and forgiveness. There are also threads of motherhood, grief, humility, and ministry. I believe it will easily appeal to both secular and Christian readers. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Content and Trigger Warnings: Clean (no swearing or inappropriate content). Loss of a Spouse, Miscarriage, Cheating

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

I enjoyed this second chance at love romance. I liked seeing how the characters love for each other changed from when they were young to being a more mature love. I also liked how that changed happened as they allowed God into their lives. I liked how there were humorous parts and there were series parts. I thought there was a good balance between the two. I also liked that the characters were older, showing that you are never to old to fall in love again. I thought the story was well done with characters that I would love to be friends with.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

I laughed out loud as I read this debut novel by Rebekah Millet. Sometimes I even read a line twice because it was so funny. The story about second chances was easy to get into and full of pop culture references. The storyline is filled with romance and all the ups and downs of that. I especially enjoyed all the specific references to New Orleans. The setting was highlighted by local places, events and foods. I felt like I had traveled there for a vacation with a knowledgeable tour guide who appreciates the area and that was great fun. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book has humor and heart with a southern flare and I enjoyed every page! Books that make me laugh out loud are my favorite and this book had me laughing out loud for sure. Rebekah's humor is fabulous! It's so refreshing to find romance with characters in their 40s.

A sweet story of new beginnings after big losses. Heartfelt and real with a great cast of characters. I was completely involved in Julia's journey and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I was so excited to read this debut novel and of course it is even more fantastic than expected! The characters are written so well I had no trouble falling in love with Julia and Samuel and cheering for their happily ever after. I also loved how the characters had authentic trials and struggles that made them seem more real than fictional at times. The lively New Orleans backdrop was the perfect setting to their story and I had moments where I swear I could smell the beignets from the wonderful descriptions in the novel. The spiritual theme of trusting God’s and His plan was well integrated. I thought the writing was very well done and the story flowed effortlessly. It was easy to get engrossed in the novel as time passed quickly by. This book was such a joy to read and I loved every part of it. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Second chance at love stories are one of the tropes that I love the most. And of those stories, I can easily say that Julia Monroe Begins Again is one of my very favorites. This novel had quirky, funny musings that occasionally had me laughing out loud, while simultaneously being a tale of redemption, forgiveness, and of learning to trust again.

As Julia and Samuel’s story progressed, I could easily understand Julia’s hesitancy to trust her heart to this man who had completely shredded it years earlier. Yet, I loved the way Samuel worked to show Julia that he was not the same man that he used to be. God had truly done a major overhaul of this man’s heart! However, there were definitely consequences and issues that had to be met head on in this story before these two could hope to have a chance at happiness together.

I loved the heart of this book, the way Samuel’s actions spoke even louder than his words about the different man he was now. I liked that the author naturally wove a spiritual message throughout the story and showed the importance of turning things over to God instead of trying to solve problems within our own power.

This book was amazing from start to finish and is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rebekah Millet debut novel Julia Monroe Begins Again shows the promise of great new rom-com author. Millet gives the reader humor while intertwined with a deeper story of new beginnings with a former love.
Julia Monroe’s life has not been easy with being a young widow, newly empty nester and a being a house cleaner. She is happy with her status quo when her former high school love Samuel Reed shows back up and while she wants to hate him for how he left her, she finds that hard with the changes she sees he’s made. Being willing to change her life as she knows it is harder.
I enjoyed this novel and laughed several times. The supporting characters are what made the novel for me. Julia’s mom is crusty and opinionated but loves her daughter dearly. Best friend Kate is a loyal confidante that we all would love to have, I hope we get a sequel with more of her story! The story has the right amount of faith for the Christian reader showing characters’ beliefs, but not preachy.
I received a complimentary copy of this books thanks to Bethany House, Just Read, and NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is a very cute book about a forty-year-old widow finding love again. What she doesn't expect is for it to be with her ex that she dated in college. I thought this book was really well done. I liked the comedy and the characters. Julia was so funny. I also liked how persistent Samuel was, and patient. I also really liked Chewy the dog. I loved how much Julia loved her sons and Samuel loved his daughter. There is a good Christian message throughout the book about seeking His will and not our own and not trying to control everything without consulting Him. Julia also has to learn to forgive Samuel for past hurts. There is a lot of funny moments as well. The only thing I didn't love, since it is a Christian Fiction book, is I thought there was too much focus on Samuel's body. And some sexual innuendos. But overall, I thought this was a good romcom.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.