Start Us Up by Lexi Blake releasing August 8, 2023

 5 stars


New world, new characters, new stories! This was a wonderful read, with interesting characters, complex emotions, and a Sicilian grandma. Ivy, Harper, and Anika are our girl gang, together since childhood, now all grown up and pursuing their own lives. New York is our city, and all the differences and variety it can bring.

 

Ivy is first up, back from her fall from grace, and finally coming out of the doldrums she buried herself in. Heath is her man, a set-up she didn’t want, turned into a work opportunity she couldn’t pass up. They have heat, chemistry, and tech as a common ground, but that is where the similarities end. She is hardened, burned, and driven; He is open, willing, and laid back. His tenacity pays off in so many ways, at so many times, because he refuses to give up on her. She finally realizes she can have it all without throwing parts of her life away. Their HEA starts when they meet, it just takes them some time to catch up with the program!

 

And besides these two, and our girl gang, the cast of supporting characters are hilarious 😊 Ivy’s mentor, who refers to people for what they do for her, i.e. Dog Walker, Lawyer, etc. Heath’s grandma, who when things take an ugly turn, reminds everyone her ancestors came from Sicily, so she gets revenge. Seriously, chapter 24 had me hooting with laughter as the war council convened. Heath’s roommate, and his writing buddies, and how to properly use tension and build up. So many little moments, unexpected and wild, that took you by surprise and cut through the seriousness that came before or after. Loved this book, can’t wait for more in this series <3



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