Thank you so much to both Putnam Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lacie Waldon set the standards high in The Layover, and I'm happy to say that she's done it again with From the Jump.

Following a close knit friend group from college, From the Jump is a heavily addicting friends-to-lovers rom-com full of all the witty, sarcastic banter of your hearts desires. Olivia's Type-A personality and constant need to strive for perfection was at times infuriating only because of how deeply, deeply relatable she was. My only complaint is that I grew to love Olivia, Deiss, Phoebe, Mac, Simone, and Elena, and I wanted to hang out with them for a few chapters longer.

(P.S. I like to imagine Ava and Jack from The Layover worked their flight either to or from South Africa and you cannot convince me otherwise!)

I found Liv to be entirely unlikeable. The plot was enjoyable but she was not fun to read. She came across whiny and immature. Nothing about her felt genuine.

This book includes a trip to South Africa and I am definitely adding that to my bucket list. I love when books have creative and fun trips.

I read this authors debut novel The Layover and loved it! This book was definitely different, but good.

Our main character has a lot of fear and insecurity. Growing up, she had a really tough time and that has manifested itself in her life.

This is a friends-to-lovers, but Deiss is definitely he player/bad boy type and that added a little 🔥 to the otherwise sweet romance.

The found family aspect was also really sweet, however the betrayal and damage that was done throughout the novel were not handled in a way I thought was realistic. It was swept u see the rug a bit too much for me.
★★ ★/5
🔥🔥🔥/5 (one scene, fade to black)

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I thought this was a pretty average romance. I liked how different the group of friends was. But I also felt like sometimes when they were all together, it became repetitive with discussions/actions the characters had. I would recommend this book for a quick fun read.

Amazing book!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the best books I have read this year. From believable plot lines to character readers can root for, this book is a great read. I’m looking for other books by this author.

What a charming friends to lovers romance! This book was the perfect escape during a rainy afternoon. I loved this tight-knit friend group, and I’d add Deiss to the list of memorable book boyfriends—for sure! You can’t help but root for the characters in this one. There’s not a ton of depth but hey–it’s a rom com!

I love Lacie Waldon! I was so excited to be approved to read this after reading The Layover. I really enjoyed it and her stories always make me feel like I'm at the beach even though it's 40 degrees outside! Her books are a great escape. This was a cute and fun romance novel that I absolutely devoured. I can't wait to see more by her.

'From the Jump' by Lacie Waldon is an absolutely delightful contemporary romance brimming with friendship, complicated relationships, personal dilemmas, and a teensy bit of exotic vacationing. Olivia, Phoebe, Deiss, Mac, & Simone meet their first year of college and continue their friendship into adulthood. After 11 years of friendship, a trip to South Africa with the group has perfectionist Olivia questioning everything she thought she knew. Waldon writes her characters with depth. No friend within the group is lacking motivations or past experiences. They jump off the page and envelope you into their world.

‘From the Jump’ felt like a read that wipes the slate clean. I can usually be found reading complex stories in the fantasy genre, but I love nothing more than a contemporary romance to cleanse my brain and make me swoon. Waldon's Olivia and Deiss have a slow-burn romance that will have you turning page after page without a thought to the clock. Olivia especially was a character I deeply identified with; the authenticity in her inner dialogue and past experiences made her such a compelling character to read and experience for a few days.

I have had Waldon's debut, ‘The Layover,’ on my TBR since its release. I will immediately be downloading it to my Kindle when I'm finished this review because Lacie Waldon clearly knows how to write a romantic comedy that's more than just fluff.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review!

*yells into megaphone* Ladies and gentlemen, Lacie Waldon has done it again! Uh, write an incredible book, I mean. *awkwardly puts down megaphone*

Her debut novel, The Layover, set a high standard for her work and rom-coms in general for me: fresh and smooth character-driven writing that's naturally hilarious and absorbing, affable and well-rounded characters, realistic conflict, a heartwarming romance, and a gorgeous escape in a book. From the Jump easily surpassed that bar. Easily. There's gonna be a ton of comparisons between The Layover and her second book, but the writing quality in this is a big step up, which I didn't think was possible. It flying knee'd The Love Hypothesis + The Layover off its pedestal for my favorite rom-com I've read this year. Again, easily.

At its core, it's about a group of tight knit college friends whose dynamics have slowly shifted over the years. More specifically, it's about Liv, a rigid type A graphic designer who's spent her life doing what she "should" be doing and not what she wants, impulsively deciding to take a break from her strict ways to join the group's annual vacation abroad where she grows closer to Deiss, the emotionally unavailable, mysterious, non-committal friend she's never really gotten to know fully. Upon returning from the trip to a brand new life, Liv must decide if she wants to continue walking along the meticulous, façade heavy path she's planned for herself or grab a bolo knife and veer off course to find what she really wants.

This is everything I mentioned above and more. I grinned like an idiot nearly the whole read - it's a book that just feels good to read. Waldon's signature humor really shines here - genuine belly laughs from me, a strangely hard feat when I'm reading rom-coms - as does her knack for crafting relatable characters with defined character arcs, believable conflict, and an envious trip abroad, this time to South Africa. The dynamic between the friends is perfect: not only do each have distinct personalities, but the chemistry and banter is so natural and well done.

If The Layover felt like gossiping with your best friend about a crazy weekend over brunch, From the Jump is like being a fly on the wall while it's happening - it feels alive. It took a lot of willpower not to binge this in one sitting (took me two, thank you very much) and take my time to appreciate the writing and savor experiencing the story for the first time.

Now that I've found about a dozen different ways to say "holy shit this book is so fucking good", it should be obvious that this is a must read. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta nurse this awful book hangover and impatiently wait for Waldon's next book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

G.P. Putnam's Sons,
Thank You for this eARC approval!

From the Jump by Lacie Waldon
If you haven't read Waldon's book The Layover.... You Need To!

Summary:
Liv is an overworked graphic designer who has reached the max and she is about to miss the vacation of her dreams with her friends.
When she suddenly out of left field quits her job she hops on the plane to join her friends in South Africa!
She is hoping for some beautiful sight seeing, wild animals and an amazing time in the sun with her besties.
But being in close quarters with her unavailable friend Lucas things start getting complicated.
He is the only thing in her life she can count on. And she promises herself to do whatever she can to keep this pack together.
Soon after arriving back to LA, Liv finds herself running straight into Lucas' arms.
Will Liv do what she wants to make herself happy for once?
Read to see.....

Mini Review:
Love! Love! Loved It!!!
This exotic, refreshing, fun, adventurous romance was exactly what I needed to get out of this funk!
Packed with great characters! Liv and Lucas, their flaws and imperfections make them realistic as well as likable. They seem to fit together perfectly
Sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and a protagonist whose layers unfold with each page!
This stunning contemporary romance novel was everything I’d hoped it would be.
A wonderfully written rom-com with well developed characters, strong chemistry and all out fun!
Waldon's style reminds me of Christina Lauren..... A fun book to escape with!
I read this beauty in one day, is all it took and I devoured every bit of it.
Lacie is a new favorite of mine and I will read anything this girl puts out!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank You again to the amazing publisher, NG and Lacie for this beautiful ebook copy!
I will try to wait and post to my platforms closer to pub date 😉 No Promises!

I loved this book. It reminded me of Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane with the story based around a group of old friends whose relationships are changing. I loved that book too, but this one was much happier. All the characters were likeable and they were just fun to be around. From the Jump is really excellent. I will purchase it for my library.

I love to see romance that centers friend groups! A nice change from all the workplace romance lately. I loved the relationship and chemistry between Liv and Deiss, but I think things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end, and the college flashbacks didn't add as much depth as I wanted them to. The implication that you need to choose your friends by forgiving them for anything was a little troubling. Otherwise a fun one for fans of Emily Henry.