Sunday, July 5, 2020

Review ~ Start with Me by Kara Isaac

  • Bellbird Press (June 29, 2020)
  • June 29, 2020
Lacey O’Connor is finally a sure thing for the promotion she’s spent ten years working for. But when a scandal rocks her firm she finds herself on a collision course with the one person she has spent five years trying to forget. Only to discover he doesn’t even remember her…

Victor Carlisle has spent the last three years trying to convince his family he’s no longer the playboy alcoholic who tore their life apart. When a company merger is announced with a US sister firm, he’s presented with the perfect opportunity to prove he’s changed. Only to find himself falling for his competition and the one woman his family will never accept.

As the competition intensifies the choice looms between the professional and the personal. Can they find a way beyond their past decisions and present aspirations to take a chance on the one thing they’re not looking for?



FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited.


My Review
3 Stars



Start With Me is a contemporary romance with a light faith theme that many will enjoy. Victor’s redemption story is quite moving; an alcoholic playboy redeemed by God’s glorious grace. And no one wants to believe the change is genuine and judges him rather harshly time and again. I have much affection for him.

Lacey’s spiritual journey was unfulfilling and rather weak, like watered down tea. I was expecting the faith element would be much stronger from some of the reviews that influenced me to read the book. And then the story ended...abruptly. I went back and forth on my Kindle trying to figure out where the rest of the story was. I’m pretty sure it was all there though.

I'm not sure of all my reasons for not appreciating this story as much as I had hoped to but it felt off somehow.  I found the sentence structure weird at times and it had nothing to do with British diction. I’m the odd one out in the reviews, I know, so don’t take my word for it. Reading is subjective and what I didn't care for might actually be what someone else loves.

I read this book on KU and wasn’t obligated to leave a review.


Have you read a Kara Isaac book?

6 comments:

  1. I haven't read any of her books Anne, I have just looked at the book on amazon and it is free so might try it. I read a sample and can see what you mean about the language, it seems quite stilted to me. I'll let you know how I get on.

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    1. I'm glad I wasn't imagining it. :-) Please let me know what you think, Barbara!

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  2. Then There Was You was one of my favorites, though I haven't read this one. I'm a little jaded when it comes to playboys.

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    1. This is the first book of hers I've read. I always hear great things about them so I'm thinking maybe I'm the odd one out. I saw a couple other people who starred the book lower but they didn't leave a review. I always like to read why and it frustrates me when people do this. :-)
      I think the great thing about the playboy image in this one is that Isaac showed how awesome God's grace is and how a persons heart is truly changed when it is God's doing. if I had connected at all with Lacey or seen some significant change in her, I would have given it another star. Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Angela! It was lovely to see your name here :-)

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  3. I love Kara Isaac. For sure if this is your first one of hers it’ll be like coming in at the end of a series. Victors journey stretches thru a few of her other novels so by the time you get to this one it’s deep and meaningful. I love her novels.

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    1. Thanks for the heads up, Jaime. I loved Victor's character and didn't feel like I was missing anything on that. Lacey's just felt incomplete to me. I would try another book by this author, or I might go back and read the ones before. I know they're very popular.

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1 Corinthians 1:3 ~ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.