Book Review #25: From the Start by Melissa Tagg

From the Start by Melissa Tagg is her newest series that introduces the Walker Family to her readers. If you are a fan of Susan May Warren's Christiansen Family series than you will love this book. It has everything from romance to characters dealing with loss and healing, humor, plus the characters are written with flaws and great qualities that make them so relateable and a thrill to read. From the Start is the perfect April read for 2015! 

Summary 

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?

My Thoughts 

Oh my gosh, yes. Just thank you Tagg, thank you! Now I have a new series to fill the void of the emptiness I feel when waiting for Warren's Christiansen series. Disclaimer: this book is anything but something to fill a void, it will start a new one. I need to read the next one now, but on with the review. 

Tagg's writing style is always an enjoyment to read for me. I have never laughed or smiled more than when I read her books. She has this wonderful ability to incorporate personalities of characters that aren't usually seen in "typical" Christian contemporary fiction. Also, the way in which she tells a story is amazing. She  knows how to pace well for her readers and gives just enough that makes us want to keep reading to get more. And as I said in a review long ago about her first book,                               

"the development spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically for all of Tagg's characters [is] genuine and honest,"

and Tagg keeps this the same for her writing still which for me makes it a solid read. 

Kate Walker is the first of the Walker clan to have her story told and it was a great choice. She was a strong independent woman who wrote scripts for romance movies, but the romance in her life was a bit closed off due to a past relationship. Kate had a crazy amount of growth in this book: from opening up to having a moment of healing and moving on with the man from the past relationship. It was a full circle for her I felt which I loved. Kate wasn't just passionate about writing romance either, but had a passion for  writing grants because of how it connected her to her late mother. This showed that she wasn't just plugged into one certain area of writing and that choice for Kate showed that Tagg really cares about her characters and makes them as real as a writer can. My favorite line from the book that relates back to Kate is "Be the girl who takes the risk and goes after what she wants."

Colton Greene is the embodiment of  the protagonist male. He was injured both mentally and physically. Colton had a lot of growth in this story. He has a few flashbacks to the death of his parents that make him physically shaken up and this part of his story was the most interesting. It wasn't until the last like four chapters that the complete truth is revealed to not only the readers but to Colton as well, and I have to say it was a curve ball for sure! I liked how Tagg used his storyline of being in foster care as a way for him to start a foundation for transitioning young men in the same situation. It was just another element that Tagg gives her characters that make them dimensional and great to read. 

As for the cover: gorgeous! Do not be fooled by the huge scarf that Colton is wearing: there is a story there! Also, please please please please let the next story be about Rae and Bear. I am just already hoping and praying that they have a story. Can we get a hint, Tagg? 2016 is too far away to wait. Just a snippet? 

Warning: be prepared to get attached to a new family of characters and a small town with even more well developed characters that have stories that are raw and real and make you want to read about them forever. 

Melissa Tagg, you are now on my auto-buy list. Great work! 

Rating: 5 out of 5 bookshelves
I received a free copy from Bethany House Publishers in return for an honest review.

About the Author 

Melissa Tagg, author of Made to Last and Here to Stay, is a former reporter and total Iowa girl. In addition to her homeless ministry day job, she is also the marketing/events coordinator for My Book Therapy, a craft and coaching community for writers. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book.

Link to Author's: Facebook, Website, Twitter, and Goodreads 
Purchase her book: Amazon and B&N


Happy Reading~! 

In His Grace, 
Taylor Reid