I listened to the audiobook version of the story. Reminiscent of the movie Cop Land.
Ex CIA operators reside in a tiny town off the Appalachian Trail. A current CIA Operative Max, stumbled upon this town named Rocky Start while picking up a new pair of boots his boss ordered him. Chaos ensues when it’s discovered that one of the owners purchased the town with stolen CIA funds. Wanting to find the stolen funds for themselves Max is forced to protect the town and its only non-CIA residents. Followed by a romantic entanglement with the Woman Max saves.
Had a hard time finishing this book. Just wasn’t for me. Others may find it more entertaining. It was well written, the female narration could have been better. Author left too many questions unanswered.

I listened to this series over a few days and unfortunately didn’t have time to finish the complete 3 book audiobook series before it expired. I did enjoy this book though and hopefully I can finish the final book soon.

This one surprised me! I enjoyed the banter and the quirkiness of the town. There was a lot of secret agent talk and action, but paired nicely with a romance and funny people all over the town. There is quite a cast of characters to keep up with!

I loved the two narrators, it really does help keep chapters easy to tell who's talking. The audio was clear and full of life. I don't know if I would have been interested in a physical book, but the audio was perfect to pop in during my day..

Thank you for the ALC! All opinions are my own.

Book 120 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟💫

I was hooked all the way till 60% of the book and it started to get a tad draggy.

The two narrators did well to keep the momentum. I swear the guy sounded like Nathan Fillion.

Kinda like the main characters but I can't help but feel it could have been a little tighter.

I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Very good series.
Like the story and characters.
A good interesting story.
Looking to reading me in series.
Voluntarily reviewed.

In the book Rocky Start, authors Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer writes about Rose Malone who lives in a small town in the Smoky Mountains called Rocky Start. But when Rose’s landlord and employer Ozzie Oswald dies, everything in the town begins to unravel. But when a stranger named Max Reddy comes to town to collect his boots from the post office, Rose finds an unexpected ally in this strange world. Who can Rose trust? What was her employer and landlord hiding? And is everyone in town a retired spy? And what is Rose hiding? This was a good story concept but it took half the book to get into the plot. And it seemed that the authors were trying too hard to make things quirky and have dry humor at the beginning. Maybe the next two books will be a bit better. The audio-book narration was good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and comical read. The first installment in the Rocky Start series delivers laughs in Cruise/Mayer style.

Rose’s landlord and employer, Ozzie, has died, and her life is uncertain as to whether she’ll have a job or a place to live for her and her daughter, Poppy.

When a stranger shows up and saves her from a man claiming to be Ozzie’s son threatening to turn her life upside down, possibly leaving her homeless, Rose is suspicious and curious about her new hero.

Rose does the only thing she can do: Picks his pocket, feeds him lasagna, and gives him a place to stay for the night.

So many fun characters and lots of surprises that keep the pages turning. A fun read!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review

Having read Agnes and the Hitman years ago I was interested to see what Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer came up with this time, and Rocky Start didn't disappoint. I loved the unique cast of characters and it was the perfect mix of thriller, romance and humour. I can't wait to read the next book!

I love anything Crusie and Mayer write together. I am always entertained and wrapped up in their novels. This one is no different. There is always action, romance, and quirkey characters. The narrators were great and will be marked down as two new favorites.

Pre-Read Notes:

I grabbed this one because of the comparison to the movie Red, but I did not see the similarities.

Final Review

(thoughts & recs) I should just learn that I am not a mystery girl, no matter how darkly sparkly they seem or how much they appeal to my Gothic side. I'm almost always disappointed when I try one. Also, I prefer one audiobook narrator to a full cast every time.

Also, there was no indication at *all* that this was a spicy book, which I do not read because that content triggers PTSD episodes for me. That's why I don't read smut or erotica anymore. This seemed like a straight up mystery with a twist of romance, but I want my money back for surprising me with that trigger.

I would say this book just isn't for me, but what I mean is, this book is mismarketed. I suggest publishers adopt the chili pepper 🌶️ rating scale from Bookstagram and indicate the heat level somewhere in the front matter.

Beyond that I thought this story was a bit messy. While there was lots of action, the plot was hard to discern. I'm still not sure what the characters were after or if they achieved their ends.

I don't really recommend this one. I was lost and, a couple times, displeased.

Thank you to the author Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer, Brilliance Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance audio arc of ROCKY START. All views are mine.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
When Rose’s friend and landlord dies suddenly, she’s left jobless and possibly homeless. Max, a grumpy ex-CIA agent hiking the Appalachian Trail, stops into town for boots…and ends up sticking around. With danger, rumors of hidden gold, and a town full of quirky ex-spies, Max and Rose are pulled into something much bigger.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
Rose is instantly lovely and likable! The audiobook narrator was perfect and even brought teen Poppy’s voice to life really well. Max didn’t sound like I imagined he would but his performance was so good, I forgot my initial impression! A fantastic pairing and well worth a listen.

I immediately got and loved the vibe - cozy, and humorous - I’m skeptical of humorous mysteries and usually find them cringe and gimmicky, but this was solidly written with snappy dialogue and some amazingly quirky characters.

I was concerned about the romantic aspect of the story being too full on, but it doesn’t overshadow the main mystery and fast-paced action. In fact it’s lovely and kinda hopeful.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
If you’re into rom-coms with some bite, especially featuring older leads, retired spies, and a lotta mayhem - you’ll likely enjoy this. Just go in knowing it leans more thriller-action than cozy romance.

Thanks to @BrilliancePublishing and @Netgalley for access to this advance listening copy

This shows promise. I think I was expecting more of a cozy mystery, which it wasn’t. However, by 2/3 through I was heavily invested and can’t wait to see what happens next!!

Max Reddy is an ex-operative that is walking the Appalachian trail with his dog Maggs when they pass through Rocky Start to pick up supplies. An interesting encounter leads him and Maggs into a situation he may not be able to look back from, with a group of people that don't seem to be as innocent as they outwardly portray themselves

This first book gives us an introduction to some of the main characters in this 3-part series, one of the most important being Rose Malone. Rose's employer, landlord, and all-round father figure, Ozzy, had recently passed away and the plot of the book revolves around the troubles that come her way because of this. There are one too many people interested in the contents of the will left behind. It doesn't help when a stranger shows up claiming to be the deceased's son either. What secrets did Ozzy have that so many people seem to be interested and why are people willing to get violent over it. With Max and Maggs finding themselves in the thick of it,

Rocky Start is a relatively quick and easy read that sets the foundation for the series as a whole. Charming, cosy, heart-warming, and quite funny at times. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens next.

A small town on the North Carolina Tennessee border near the Appalachian Trail. A sleepy little town with a big secret. A large portion of the population are former agents of a three letter agency. Among the residents is fugitive from justice, Rose and her high school age, animal loving daughter, Poppy. When a stranger walks into town it gets many folks stirred up. When Poppy's landlord suddenly and unexpectedly dies, even more strangers come forward wanting a piece of the inheritance. This was a very fun listen. A slow burn at the beginning then a very fast paced thriller with more than a couple of twists at the end.  Thr narrators Cris Dukehart and Erin G Dove were great, the production quality was great.

This was a fun one, outside of my normal reads. A quiet small town filled with ex-agents, what could go wrong? I was immediately rooting for Rose & Max and enjoyed the whole cast of characters. I was expecting a different twist but enjoyed the ride. I plan to check out the rest of the series.

The narration was done well, as the chapters switched between Rose, Max & Poppy. Each character felt like their own and it added to the experience to hear information through each of them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Rocky Start is the first book in the Rocky Start series by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. The audio version is narrated by Cris Dukehart and Eric G. Dove. A small Smoky Mountains town that straddles the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina, boasts a number of players (quirky operatives retired from various branches of service) who are coming to terms with the sudden death of one of their own, Ozzie Oswald, proprietor of Oddities.

Also in the mix, single mother, Rosie Malone, hiding from the police for nineteen years, her feisty eighteen-year-old daughter, Poppy, a heretofore unknown son come to claim his birthright, a sleazy freeloading brother, and Max Reddy, an Appalachian Trail walker who just wants to collect his new boots.

That sudden death of her landlord and employer puts Rosie’s security in doubt: will she and Poppy have a home, any means of support? Who are all these people coming out of the woodwork wanting a piece of the inheritance? There are rumours of a hidden fortune, but Max certainly doesn’t want to get involved: all he wants is to get back to the AT with his dog, Maggs.

This is so much fun! A crime/spy thriller with plenty of guns, knives, tasers and body bags, a Russian spy, a bit of sexy romance, an exciting climax, the dialogue, smart and snappy, and the inner monologues dry, self-deprecating and often laugh-out-loud funny. The narrators are perfect, alternating between Rose and Max, and listeners will be pleased to know there’s more of this setting and cast in the sequels, Very Nice Funerals and The Honey Pot Plot. This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing.

I decided to listen to the whole series before writing my review. This first book was by far my favorite! I thought it was witty and engaging. I enjoyed the mystery and character development. I loved all of the dangerous characters that you wouldn’t initially expect to be dangerous if you didn’t already know it was a town full of retired covert operatives. Both authors and narrators did a very nice job with this series! I recommend checking it out! Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

Great start for a new to me series! This started out a little slow and confusing for me with all the characters being thrown in but it quickly resolved itself and turned into a story filled with intrigue, romance, and a curious mystery. I loved getting to know the various townsfolk and the various points of view moved the story along quickly without bogging it down with too many inner monologues. I could have done without Poppy’s point of view but otherwise I enjoyed this and look forward to the next in the series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley and #BrilliancePublishing for an honest review.

Rocky Start had a slow and somewhat overwhelming beginning, which made it hard to connect with right away. I kept reading since I received this as an ARC, and once the pacing smoothed out, I found it entertaining. By the end, I was a fan, and I'll definitely be checking out the second book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

Rose doesn't know it quite yet but most of her friends are retired spies: her best friend, her landlord, the sheriff, at least one of her mail carriers...Rocky Start, the small Appalachia town she stumbled into pregnant and scared 19 years ago, is chock-full of 'em. Rose's landlord, the recently-deceased patriarch of the small town, Ozzie Oswald, is partially responsible for that one. When three new people show up in town on the same day, it's got Rose thinking the hoofbeats may be Zebras for once. Especially when one of them claims to be Ozzie's long-lost son.

The first third of this book is about oblivious people being awakened to the reality that surrounds them. Rose learns her town is full of spies and Max, a man with an interesting past who is hiking the Appalachian Trail, realizes he's not here by chance. The reader gets to put so many pieces together before the characters which may have been fun if it didn't drag on so long. It was like having to solve an overly-complicated jigsaw puzzle of the board before you could play chess. Max largely lacks a personality; I feel like I still barely know him after finishing the book. Man, good with guns, sober alcoholic, he's a pretty flat stereotype of a male protagonist in a spy thriller. But during that jigsaw puzzle stretch of the book, he was also obsessively sexual. Like, creepy-old-man sexual. I was begging him to stop talking about Rose's butt. Rose was also sex-obsessed for that opening stretch, though her attitude gave off more virgin-on-prom-night vibes. She is 49. (There are I think two somewhat-explicit sex scenes in this book; they're nothing to write home about.) Overall though, she is a more fleshed out and complete character who is somewhat relatable except for her convenient Parker-from-Leverage-caliber pickpocketing ability. Oh and that "Cheery Boost" catchphrase drove me insane.

After the puzzle was done though, the chess was actually good. This was one of those books that was hard to pick up for 20 or so chapters and then hard to put down for the last 50. Danger is everywhere, innocuous-seeming people prove to be deadly, it's great fun. There was lots of excited squealing and screaming at the audiobook playing from my phone that they better not kill that one character who is in danger right now. Exactly what I want from a spy-ish novel. I am excited to read the second book. But if this wasn't an ARC/ALC, I probably would have DNFed it in the first third.

Poppy as a perspective character is actually the saving grace that, along with the fact it's an ALC, kept me from DNFing this book early. She's a teensy bit annoying at moments but overall this teenager is a breath of fresh air next to the adults who act more like teenagers than the teen. Poppy's relationship with her boyfriend is decently healthy for high school. She cares a lot about people and is decently mature as one would expect of a girl in her situation. And the adults treat her like the barely-adult person that she is. Sure, don't make a big deal out of her having sex because it's best to just remind her to be responsible about it. But no, you just can't trust an 18-year-old with certain information when people are literally out to get you.

The audiobook editing is good but that's where the compliments end. The narrators cannot do a German accent. The female narrator's German accent sounds more Russian. And don't get me started on how she pronounces kuchen with an English CH. The male narrator's is cartoonish and distracting. Additionally, the choice to name Max's dog Maggs becomes distracting in audio. Not the fault of the audiobook necessarily, but a major reason I would not recommend this book on audio if somebody wanted to read it and is capable of reading it in any other format.

I do now need to look up Ina Garten's lasagna with goat cheese though.


I received this audiobook through NetGalley as an ARC/ALC. Opinions are my own; many thanks to BrillianceAudio for the read.