Review: Back Where We Started by Becca Freeman
Thank you Viking Penguin, Pamela Dornan Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
I was so excited to read this book! I really enjoyed Becca Freeman’s debut and was excited since I heard her liken the book to “Tis the Damn Season” by Taylor Swift, which is one of my favorite songs. Most impressively, I loved seeing the growth of her as a writer. I thought everything flowed really well and the characters were well developed. I flew through the book and I think it will be a very popular Fall release!
Synopsis:
“Katie’s wildest dreams have come true. She’s a Hollywood actress, booked and busy, and promoting her latest film. Sure, she still struggles with sexist media malignment and unimaginative roles, but from where she stands today, her hometown of Dutch Ridge, Pennsylvania feels a million miles away—and that makes it all worth it.
Because Dutch Ridge can only ever represent Drew. Every street is filled with memories of their shared adolescence, how they were each other’s first everything, the hours they spent planning for the future. Drew was the only person in Dutch Ridge who didn’t make Katie feel delusional for dreaming big, because he did, too. She was going to be the next Julia Roberts, and he was going to be president someday. Was it their extraordinary level of ambition that brought them together at sixteen? It was definitely what drove them apart in the years after.
But now, a promise to her sister forces Katie to return to Dutch Ridge for Christmas, where she runs into Drew, who seems to have followed a different path from the one they once dreamed up. And strangely, he seems...happy. As their run-ins heat up and the two can't keep themselves away from each other, Katie begins to wonder whether her accolade-filled Hollywood life really fulfills her after all. Back Where We Started is an emotional second-chance romance, a story about allowing oneself to change, the addictive nature of achievement, and how we make room in our lives for what matters most.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Tropes—Second chance plus famous person/normal person is a recipe for success for me. I especially loved that the past timeline had them as equals and the present timeline is when the celebrity aspect comes to the forefront.
The Holiday Season Timeline—I wouldn’t say this is a Christmas book at all, but it will scratch the itch for a little festive flair.
The Dual Timeline—Some of my favorite books are second chance/dual timeline. I love getting to see the past and present versions of themselves, their redemption arcs, their growth, the secrets slowly revealed.
What Didn’t Work For Me:
Not much! The ending pacing was a little slow in my opinion, BUT it was realistic and made sense without being a cheesy HEA you can sometimes expect.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Content Warnings:
high risk pregnancy (minor and not main characters)