I enjoyed this book! I am rooting for Evvie! It had some funny parts and some heartwarming scenes. I would definitely recommend for some fun summer reading!

Evvie Drake is a widow. However, she's not your average widow. See nobody knows, not her father, her husband, or her best friend, that when she received the call that her husband was in bad shape in the hospital, she was in the process of packing her car to leave him. So while her town mourns, and assumes she is mourning as well...she is feeling a bit like a monster for her lack of sadness. (Side note: she's not a monster. Turns out her wonderful husband who was beloved by the town wasn't very nice behind closed doors.)

In the meantime, Evvies best friend Andy happens to be friends with a retired (not by choice) NY Yankee pitcher. Two years ago, Dean lost his pitching abilities and went from one of the best in the league to a laughing stock. After two years of any tests that could be done leading nowhere, Dean is headed to Maine to escape the pressure and take a break from the public eye. Andy thinks the apartment in Evvies house is perfect for him to rent.

The story covers the year Dean spends in Maine and covers not only how his and Evvies friendship grows, but also how they help each other through their "unmentionable topics."

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great story of friendship, love, loss, and overcoming the hard times. I thought Evvie was very relatable and it was an interesting storyline to see how Dean handled losing his career and true passion.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.

I’m new to Linda Holmes, but after this I’m all in.

This releases in June and I'm calling it now: it's the book of the summer! This is a story about the life choices we make and the ones we don't that change the course anyway. It deals with some tough issues in real-life, human ways. Funny, warm, charming, sad, unusual in how relatable it feels. And did I mention funny? I don't usually laugh out loud at books, but I did several times here. There is so much great dialogue and I couldn't get enough of the witty banter. The characters feel real—at time frustratingly so. One of those books you just want to live in and are sad when it ends. Made me a little homesick for New England, too. Evvie, as we'd say back home, you're a real charmah.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC! I was delighted to receive it and I can’t wait until this comes out. There has been so much buzz and I’ve gotten so many replies on social media from friends that they can’t wait to read it.

Utterly charming, just as expected from Linda Holmes. Made me cry, but in a good way! It explores the nature of guilt, loss, and social expectations stemming from how a relationship looks from the outside. A timely inclusion of gaslighting in the story, and the difficulties of explaining all of that to parents and friends, who have all seen the relationship as something else.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters. They felt like real people. The scene when Dean tells Evvie that he was thinking about kissing her after getting the pinball machine felt very swoony.

Evvie Drake Starts Over is an endearing story of a woman who is trying to get her life "back on track" after the loss of her husband. It was a feel-good story that was also able to cover some important topics like loss, relationships, mental health, and new beginnings.

I enjoyed that this was a romance book that was actually relatable and the main characters had regular issues they had to acknowledge and address. I appreciated that the issues were not only highlighted but dealt with and this made this book so much stronger. This also added some much-needed depth while also having plenty of light-hearted moments.

I look forward to reading more by Linda Holmes in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely, warm-hearted, generous book. I was excited and nervous to read it because I enjoy Linda Holmes so much on Pop Culture Happy Hour, and what if it didn’t live up to her on-air delightfulness? But it did, and then some!

Widowed Evvie is a wonderfully flawed protagonist, and washed-up pitcher Dean is a great foil and a good man on his own. Watching them help each other with their respective troubles was entertaining and sometimes hilarious, and left me a weepy mess by the end of the book (but in a good way). I hope Linda writes another novel soon, please!

Even though this book tackles grief, it manages to stay a light read that’s great for summer. It’s ultimately a book about friendship and inner strength. Evvie is such a joy. And, I’ll read any book recommended by Rainbow Rowell and TJR. Holmes is one to watch.

Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A really enjoyed this. Predictable but fun characters and a nice style. Overall, an enjoyable and quick read.

As a fan of both baseball and chick lit, this book hit all the right notes for me. I found the storyline engaging and the characters to be believable. I know of Linda Holmes mainly from her previous role as a TV recapper on Television Without Pity, so it was interesting to see her branch out into fiction. I think she has a bright future ahead of her, and I look forward to future novels.

This book is a delight! I loved the characters and I loved the perfect blend of light-heartedness and more difficult topics.

The book managed to address the often overlooked reality and effects of emotional abuse with respect and without cliche.

The complexity of the relationships between the characters was refreshing and well-written without being melancholy. The book echoes the reality that relationships, both familial and in friendship, can be complex and difficult to navigate despite neither of the parties being the "bad guy".

I loved this book and can't wait for more from Linda Holmes!

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER is a quirky, cute read about a girl (Evvie) who finds love with a baseball player (Dean) who lost his ability to pitch. This book received praise from Rainbow Rowell and Taylor Jenkins Reid, two fabulous authors. I enjoyed this story - it had a slow-moving, gentle quality to it that allowed me to get to know the characters and experience their growth. And there were some heavy themes represented, like dealing with failure, emotional abuse in a relationship, and self-care/mental health. The dialogue in the book shined in the forefront; I found the conversations between characters to be offbeat but humorous. However, there wasn't enough that happened in this book (in terms of plot) to make it "unputdownable." It is lacking that addictive quality that makes you want to read it all in one sitting.

Altogether a solid debut from Linda Holmes. I would recommend it to fans of the women's fiction genre. Books like MATCHMAKING FOR BEGINNERS by Maddie Dawson come to mind.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: Instagram post on @_shelf.awareness to come.

I chose this book like I choose most others, by the cover. Don't know why this caught my attention, but it turned out to be an enjoyable read.
Evvie, who recently lost her husband, accepts a boarder, a friend of her bff. Neither have had a good year, agree to not speak about their problems, but inevitably become friends.
I would definitely read additional books by Holmes.

This was a fun, fast read about a young woman suddenly trying to start over after her husband's death and a baseball pitcher trying to start over after his career implodes. Both need to discover who they are without their previous identities. In a brutally honest attempt to help the other, they come to terms with their new realities.

Evvie Drake Starts Over is a homerun for debut novelist Linda Holmes! Evvie is struggling with a recent tragedy and the complexity of the situation cause her to bottle much of herself up in on quaint Maine homestead. Enter Dean-a former MLB pitcher who has also faced an insurmountable hurdle in his career and is need of a place to hideaway. The chemistry between these characters is clear from the start and the narrative flows effortlessly as we get to know them! Highly recommended for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Abbi Waxman, Victoria Henry and Ellen Berry.

SOLID 3.5 but sadly, just cannot round up. [distinct minority]

I wanted to read something light after a dense and depressing memoir about Libyan politics and prison. This was the perfect antidote! I felt like I was watching a romcom movie [but I was reading it].

The setting: Recently widowed Eveleth "Evvie" Drake rents an apartment in the back of her house to Dean, whose baseball career has been derailed. Their mutual friend, Andy, sets in it motion. Dean needs an escape, Evvie ... They strike a deal. Dean won't ask about her husband; Evvie won't ask about baseball.

Yes, fairly predictable. I didn't much care. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written escape. I liked reading about Evvie trying to figure out her [new] life. I liked all the other well-developed characters--in particular, Andy and his girls, his new girlfriend, Monica, Evvie's dad.

Some gentle, wry humor.
"Baggage, she said. So goddamn much. I should have my own cargo plane."

"... she figured "revitalizing" was for over thirty and under forty, "anti-aging" was for over forty and under seventy."

"...steaks were comically macho..." [size]

So though I didn't necessarily care for the ending [way predictable], it could have been worse [not adding my total spoiler as to how].

Recommend. Especially for a beach read.

An absolutely sparkling debut romance. These characters felt so real that I wanted to plan a trip to Maine so I could hang out with them! If you've loved Linda Holmes' trademark wit and repartee on Pop Culture Happy Hour, you'll find it and more in Evvie Drake Starts Over. I have a new favorite author!

I enjoyed this endearing story of a woman trying to figure out her life after her husband's passing, and a baseball phenom trying to piece his life back together after a career setback. I appreciated the author's ability to weave in humor and lightness while writing about difficult situations. At times, I found the story a little predictable, but it was a nice read overall.

I really wanted to like this book, I wanted to be invested in Evvie and Dean's story, but I felt like the book dragged in many spots and made me lose interest in the story. It was a good, feel good story, I just feel like some parts could've been cut out to make it a quicker read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A little slow paced for me but a good read. It’d be perfect for a vacation or on the beach.

I did appreciate that the grown ups in this book acted like grown ups. There was no miscommunication, etc. Evvie (what a ridiculous name) and Dean were a good match. I liked how their relationship evolved.