Review: The Start of Something Good

The Start of Something Good by Jennifer Probst
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I haven't read any books by Jennifer Probst before but I knew her name and so when I saw this ARC available on NetGalley I requested it.

So, Ethan Bishop is a former special forces soldier/Hollywood bodyguard who has returned home to the family B&B and horse sanctuary after a disastrous op to metaphorically lick his wounds.

Mia Thrush is an up and coming New York PR agent. Her latest and biggest client Jonathan Lake is running for mayor but he has a teeny weeny problem. His 19 year old daughter Chloe has been caught cheating at college and confessed to damaging her professor's car in retaliation, the judge in the case was unswayed by her father's upcoming position (and current position as DA) and sentenced her to community service at a local horse farm. Chloe's father wants a responsible adult to spend the summer with Chloe and ensure she doesn't get into any more trouble - and he's chosen Mia against all her objections. Mia hates the country, hates nature, hates horses, hates this assignment. Oh, and she's not very maternal either.

Ethan and Mia clash immediately. She thinks he's a member of staff and he thinks she's a hoity-toity city snob. But slowly they grow to like one another over the summer.

Good things. The slow burn of romance over the summer. The periods where days go by between interactions.

Bad things. Some of the writing just made me want to laugh (or cry). Take this gem

His dick wept against the barrier of his jeans, and it took all his military training not to come right there like an inexperienced teen.

Really? They teach that in the military? Also Jennifer Probst strikes me as an author who likes to throw the kitchen sink at a project. Hence Ethan is ex-special forces, ex-bodyguard AND a horse-whisperer. There are a group of OAPs staying at the B&B who are clearly there to add humour (like in a Shakespeare play) and a group of surly teens who are so clearly up to no good they could wear signs round their necks and it couldn't be more obvious. Partway through it started to feel like the book of a Hallmark afternoon film.

Pet peeves. Ethan did that whole "look at me, open your eyes" thing which I really HATE - what if she likes to have her eyes closed, huh? Also, he seemed to think that he deserved a "reward" which involved yanking her hair, pulling her backwards (by her hair) and behaving so that "a flicker of fear rose up". I know this seems to be the 'in thing' in novels at the moment but it just sounds abusive to me. Even the words used "shoved to the edge of climax", "ruthlessly", "slam of his hips", "she fought wildly for climax" sound like non-consensual sex.

Overall, I found most of the characters to be almost caricatures: the widowed politician who doesn't have time for his rebellious daughter; the city woman who learns to love the country; the traumatised soldier, the nosy locals, the interfering old people.

I liked it but I didn't love it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews