From the Start

Book Review: From the Start

Author: Melissa Tagg

Genre: Christian, Romance

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Publication Date: April 7, 2015

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Pros: Entertaining and fresh romance, loveable characters, original and humorous story

Cons: Plot occasionally slowed, could have used more romantic tension

Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn't kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays...until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley. Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend's hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he's lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he's never really done normal before. While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it's like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn't part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that's ever happened to them?

I have never read Melissa Tagg before, and my expectations of this book were that it would be another sappy and unrealistic love story. Although I do like the cover of the book, it gave me that impression for some reason. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed From the Start. In contrast to the sappy love stories I have read in this genre, From the Start is witty and entertaining. The prose and narration were humorous in a subtle way that made the book a quick read even with its length of over three hundred pages. The story flows from scene to scene in a light style, although the non-romance background plot lagged occasionally. I was somewhat disinterested in the rebuilding of part of the town after the tornado hit. I was more interested in the romance between Colton and Kate. Melissa Tagg’s characters are all unique with distinct personalities that really show through the dialogue, which is very realistic. The characters speak to each other with ease, and none of the dialogue felt forced. Kate’s bright, happy-go-lucky attitude is shown even through rough times, and her sense of humor keeps the dialogue from going stale. Colton has a tough-guy image with a soft inside, and his sensitivity is clearly shown through his growing relationship with Kate. The many sideline characters were very involved, but in a simple way. They didn’t overpower the novel, but complemented the story. Kate and Colton were the clear focus of the novel.

While the story is light without a lot of suspense or tragedy, there are external conflicts that keeps the story rolling such as Colton’s past, his difficulty with letting people in his life, and Kate’s job to name a few. A mysterious aspect is included with the secret of Colton’s past and his memory loss. As for romance, Colton and Kate have obvious chemistry from the beginning of the novel. Not many personal conflicts come between them as a couple. The appearance of Colton’s ex-girlfriend, his promise to Kate’s brother to keep it “strictly business”, and his past are the majority of romantic conflict between them. Because of his promise to Logan, Kate’s brother, Colton does his best to think of Kate as a business partner. As the novel progresses, so does their relationship, and they grow even closer to each other. They never fight or argue. Their only separation is when Colton disappears after fully remembering his past. I would have liked to have seen a little more romantic tension between them as a couple. Their romance was a little too easy, and I would have preferred for there to be more tension.

The story is very original. The romance movie writer and the NFL player is a cute idea that really worked. The story is not unpredictable, but the elements were unique and non-traditional. The idyllic setting of small town Iowa made me want to live there myself with the friendly townspeople. The story and characters are realistic and likeable. I felt like I was cheerleading them on to continue their relationship. Fun and entertaining, From the Start is a clean romance that even very conservative readers would enjoy. It is the first installment in a new series by Melissa Tagg, The Walker Family. I will definitely be reading the next installments.

I received a complimentary copy of From the Start from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The opinions stated are my own.