Reviews
"Charming, hopeful, and gently romantic . . . Evvie Drake is great company." --Rainbow Rowell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park "A quirky, sweet, and splendid story of a woman coming into her own . . . Linda Holmes's voice is lively and warm, the setting of small-town Maine is pitch-perfect, and the character of Evvie Drake is refreshing in her imperfections--an absolute delight.' --Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo "Deeply moving while simultaneously hilarious, Evvie Drake Starts Over is what happens when great writing, complex and charming characters, and a not-quite-what-you-expect ending collide. . . . Much more than just another romantic comedy." --Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of Dreams of Falling "I was utterly charmed--a book that shows us that just because you're broken doesn't mean you can't be put back together again. You'll want to stay cozied up with these delightful, unique, and incredibly human characters long after you turn the last page." --Doree Shafrir, author of Startup: A Novel and co-host of the Forever35 podcast "A sweet and sincere grown-up love story . . . Fans of grounded romance will fall hard for Evvie Drake and Dean Tenney, two broken people who help each other mend. . . .Refreshing and real, with a huge heart. I loved it." --Georgia Clark, author of The Regulars and The Bucket List " Evvie Drake Starts Over is a warm, witty, and wonderful romance about the art of creating second chances--or a whole second act. Linda Holmes's moving, smartly written debut is so engaging, you'll be tempted to wish Evvie could start over yet again, just for a sequel." --Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We, " Evvie Drake Starts Over is a heartwarming rom-com about loss, grief and second chances.... Despite the kernel of sadness rooted at the novel's core, Evvie Drake Starts Over is a feel-good read that radiates warmth. Holmes nails the balance between romance and humor, with Evvie and Dean's effortless and truly funny dialogue being a particular strength.... Uplifting and life-affirming, Evvie Drake Starts Over is a perfect choice for fans of Rainbow Rowell and Marian Keyes." -- BookPage (starred review) "The charm of Holmes' novel comes not only from a genuine friendship between Evvie and Dean that develops into a sweet romance but also from watching amiable Evvie stumble through the process of finding herself in a realistic way. A warm and funny book that will utterly captivate fans of Abbi Waxman and Taylor Jenkins Reid." -- Booklist (starred review) "A smart romantic comedy . . . Evvie Drake Starts Over, ripe with amusing wit and charm, skillfully explores regret and longing, friendship, love and forgiveness and the challenges posed by reinvention. Strong characterizations and short, well-plotted scenes are filled with clever banter. . . . Readers will cheer for this richly drawn cast." -- Shelf Awareness "Holmes's debut charms, as a young widow and a former Major League pitcher learn to begin again. . . . At times deeply emotional yet sometimes extremely humorous, this is a satisfying crowd-pleaser." -- Publishers Weekly "Deeply moving while simultaneously hilarious, Evvie Drake Starts Over is what happens when great writing, complex and charming characters, and a not-quite-what-you-expect ending collide. . . . Much more than just another romantic comedy." --Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of Dreams of Falling "I was utterly charmed--this book shows us that just because you're broken doesn't mean you can't be put back together again. You'll want to stay cozied up with these delightful, unique, and incredibly human characters long after you turn the last page." --Doree Shafrir, author of Startup: A Novel and co-host of the Forever35 podcast "A sweet and sincere grown-up love story . . . Fans of grounded romance will fall hard for Evvie Drake and Dean Tenney, two broken people who help each other mend. . . . Refreshing and real, with a huge heart. I loved it." --Georgia Clark, author of The Regulars and The Bucket List " Evvie Drake Starts Over is a warm, witty, and wonderful romance about the art of creating second chances--or a whole second act. Linda Holmes's moving, smartly written debut is so engaging, you'll be tempted to wish Evvie could start over yet again, just for a sequel." --Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We, "Characters speak to each other with natural but hilarious dialogue, making their conversations a joy to read. Refreshingly, Evvie and Dean's relationship hurdles come because they're adults with complex lives and baggage, not because of easily fixed miscommunications. Although their romance is often front and center, there are many other emotionally affecting storylines, chief among them the changing friendship between Andy and Evvie and Evvie's need to stand up to her family." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "The charm of Holmes' novel comes not only from a genuine friendship between Evvie and Dean that develops into a sweet romance but also from watching amiable Evvie stumble through the process of finding herself in a realistic way. A warm and funny book that will utterly captivate fans of Abbi Waxman and Taylor Jenkins Reid." -- Booklist (starred review) "A smart romantic comedy . . . Evvie Drake Starts Over, ripe with amusing wit and charm, skillfully explores regret and longing, friendship, love and forgiveness and the challenges posed by reinvention. Strong characterizations and short, well-plotted scenes are filled with clever banter. . . . Readers will cheer for this richly drawn cast." -- Shelf Awareness "Holmes's debut charms, as a young widow and a former Major League pitcher learn to begin again. . . . At times deeply emotional yet sometimes extremely humorous, this is a satisfying crowd-pleaser." -- Publishers Weekly "Deeply moving while simultaneously hilarious, Evvie Drake Starts Over is what happens when great writing, complex and charming characters, and a not-quite-what-you-expect ending collide. . . . Much more than just another romantic comedy." --Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of Dreams of Falling "I was utterly charmed--this book shows us that just because you're broken doesn't mean you can't be put back together again. You'll want to stay cozied up with these delightful, unique, and incredibly human characters long after you turn the last page." --Doree Shafrir, author of Startup: A Novel and co-host of the Forever35 podcast "A sweet and sincere grown-up love story . . . Fans of grounded romance will fall hard for Evvie Drake and Dean Tenney, two broken people who help each other mend. . . . Refreshing and real, with a huge heart. I loved it." --Georgia Clark, author of The Regulars and The Bucket List " Evvie Drake Starts Over is a warm, witty, and wonderful romance about the art of creating second chances--or a whole second act. Linda Holmes's moving, smartly written debut is so engaging, you'll be tempted to wish Evvie could start over yet again, just for a sequel." --Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We
