Finding Grace

Finding Home #0.5

by B.E. Baker

Addy really needs a raise, like yesterday. Thanks to a mountain of school debt, she’s heartily sick of being broke. So when she discovers she’s being considered for a promotion? She’s GIDDY.

Until she finds out that she needs to bring in accounts of her own, or she doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately, the only person she knows who might need a PR company is her ex from high school. She’d almost rather die than ask for his business, especially given the mess he’s created. But when she finally steels up her nerve and asks Ben if her company can help, she’s in trouble.

Many things have changed since high school, but their chemistry hasn't. It’s as explosive as it ever was. Can Addy remember all the reasons things didn’t work the first time around? Or is history doomed to repeat itself?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Christmas, Novella, Contemporary Romance

174 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2023

About the author

Bridget loves her husband (every day) and all five of her kids (most days).

She’s a lawyer but does as little legal work as possible. She has three quarter horse geldings, a Holsteiner (jumping) horse, and she spends too much time riding and not enough time writing. (Or too much time writing and not enough time riding, depending on your perspective!)

B.E. Baker is the romance/women's fiction penname for Bridget E. Baker, who also writes fantasy, end of the world, and dystopian books that add a little magic to the world.

Please sign up for Bridget's fantasy or romance newsletters on her website at www.BridgetEBakerWrites.com or click Follow on her bio above to get notices and updates when she releases new books!

Reviews

[Asheley T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

I really enjoyed this! And I'm so glad I took a chance on it when I saw the audiobook was on sale. I'm so glad I found another good series to listen to.

This is a prequel to the Finding Home series. It's a second-chance romance. Ben's company is drowning in scandal because of his father's very bad behavior, and Addy is a PR specialist who can help with the company's image. Ben and Addy were high school sweethearts, but their relationship ended abruptly years ago. The characters were really well-developed and so was the story, so much more than I expect from novellas. I cared a great deal for Ben and Abby and I'm excited to read more about them and some of the other minor characters in in the upcoming books in this series.

Title: Finding Grace by B.E. Baker
Series: Finding Home #0.5
Narrators: Jennifer Jill Araya and Paul Bellantoni
Length: 5 hours, 7 minutes, Unabridged
Publisher: Purple Poppy Publishing

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 2%. Not feeling it.

[BrendaC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable light-hearted story with mostly likeable characters. There are no big dilemmas or character development. It's brief and heartwarming. No foul language or sex scenes. Perfect as a palette cleanser after a sad or heavy book. 3+☆

[Aniyue Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again I wish that we could do half stars, because this book definitely is a 3.5 and not a 3. I really like the writing and even the story and characters are well written and for the most part make sense.
My only issue (hence the 3.5 and not 4), is I personally am not the biggest fan of the high school "we found each other and it's right" concept.
I really liked narratively how the story is written and it keeps you engaged and giving tidbits from the characters past, however, I was not picking up the book for this reason.
I really liked that the characters grew and as adults realized some things, but the insta-love highschool perfection is still very try much present. Which again! Is a personal preference!
Story wise, it is adorable and engaging. Well written and not very try long.
I would say if you are listening to a narration, I did not think the voice of the guy fit my picture of what the MMC sounded like. He sounded old, which gave me creeper older guys underage girl vibes when listening to him talking verses her.
Not the case! Just bad choice of guy and girl narrators. 🤷‍♀️
It's cozy, clean, and sweet. Worth a read, but probably not a buy for me.

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read (actually listened to) from B. E. Baker and she is quickly becoming a favorite author. She definitely has her own voice. Honestly a number of books out there are the same plot line just tweaked a bit. Not so with Baker's books.

She also deals with grittier issues... in this case there is a sexual harassment accusation and scandal. Addy is a PR expert in need of a new client and she learns that her ex from high school is in the midst of a mess. She rides in to provide rescue and finds more than expected. Never did she or Ben expect their reunion over his business woes to reveal long hidden secrets and bring to light truths and feelings that have been buried in hurt.

I have to add that I am floored at Ben's dad. I am aware there are people who are that awful, but it was painful at times to hear his words. And yes, Baker brings resolution. But it is messy and not all neat and tidy and HEA. And I, for one, like that because it is much more realistic and fitting.

Looking forward to enjoying the other books in this series.

[Maria Thomas]

For some reason I never reviewed this after I read it so when I had the opportunity to pick up the audiobook I did so. It wasn't until it got to the first of the backflashes that I knew for sure I'd already read it but I still wanted to review it and couldn't remember enough detail to do that so I continued on with the story.

It is a second chance romance and I liked both of the main characters, and their friends.
Their dads, on the other hand, are both a piece of work and I was disappointed in her mother as well.

I was glad to see Ben succeed in his business despite his father. I was also glad that Ben and Addy got a happily ever after.

The audio had duo narrators. I don't see that very often. But I kinda liked it and thought they both did a good job.

Clean romance.

Sex: references to marital affairs
Language: no
Violence: no

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free audiobook version of this book in exchange for an honest review. As soon as the audiobook started, I thought it was weird that there were two main narrators, but that they did not work together in the book. Instead, when it was their character’s POV, they mimicked a male or female voice (of the other main character). It was super confusing. Also, Paul Bellantoni, who narrated for the MMC does not have the voice of a 30-year-old man, so it did not fit at all for me with how the writer described Ben.

Nonetheless, I tried to give the story a chance, despite the strange form of narration. The story was sweet, and I did enjoy the flashbacks from their childhoods, but there wasn’t much character development or plot twists in the book. Character development is important for me, so it ended up being a let down.

[Tricia Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the first three books of this series on Audible. I loved Addy's story and think it was well crafted with her meet cute. This is a good, light, and fun holiday romance. The characters are well written and easy to like. My only negative was I believe the author is British and the books are set in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Having grown up in Georgia and lived in Atlanta for seven years, a few of the facts like snow and ice were off. Also the characters say they are going to "beg off" a few times in this book, but I noticed these incidences decrease throughout the series.

This series is also titled under a billionaire romance but to me this didn't detract or specifically attract me to the story. I liked that they were sweet, clean romances with good characters and relatable, true-to-life plots.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series in audio, mostly through my library's Hoopla app.
It has some greatly flawed but good characters, some that seemed bad but were redeemed by love and personal growth later in the series. Kids were great characters in this series, plus pets were included, thought I would have loved more. Some of the plot directions were surprising such as the Europe connections and the Santa legend. Some book endings seemed a bit rushed at the time, but then the characters recurred throughout the series, adding to their stories. I learned a little about living with paralysis, and walked in an author's shoes for a short distance. Glad I finally got this series.

Same review added to each book.

[Susannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

I really love this author’s writing. The first book in this series pulled me out of a reading slump last year, so she’s someone I genuinely want to read more from.

But this one is a novella, and novellas almost never land for me. I felt like the story should have ended about five different times before it actually did. I also didn’t understand the need for the time jump. It took space away from the main storyline, which already felt thin, and I would’ve preferred the book to stay in the original timeline and end with their wedding in an epilogue.

I kept telling myself the lack of depth was because it’s a novella—but spending pages on a future plot that didn’t connect to the main one was a miss for me.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable prequel!

This is a sweet, clean romance that is the lead up to the Finding Series. Addy and Ben were sweet on each other when they were in high school meeting as camp counselors, but his father kept them apart. Now, ten years later, Addy, who works for a PR firm, comes to Ben's rescue when his father is embroiled in a scandal. Ben is nothing like his father. He and Addy are both upstanding people with great moral character and the two begin their second chance together. It's a very enjoyable story to launch this series. Don't forget to download the bonus chapter. It really is terrific!

[OhWell · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* rounded up as I got it as a freebie. It's my least favourite of the series, as it has a major plot hole. Addy had a cell phone, as evidenced by how she and Ben exchanged numbers and texted on the way back from camp. How could her mom have prevented her from getting Ben's calls then? If she would have taken Addy's phone away, that would have been pretty obvious. The mom would have needed to get hold of Addy's phone without her knowledge, get the password somehow, and add Ben's number to the blocked callers list. And was blocking a caller even a feature at the time? The whole premise of the book hangs on this one crucial happening that does not seem plausible at all.

[Susan Garatino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, abrupt ending

Daddy and Ben met at camp where they worked as counselors. Addy was a sophomore and Ben a senior. He asks her to the prom. She goes, they havr e a fantastic time, but Ben never calls again and Addy is desolate. Two college degrees and ten years later they are brought together again. Addy represents a pr firm
That is trying to smooth over a scandal involving Bens dad. The sparks are still there and predictably situations arise to keep them apart, until the very abrupt ending that makes way for the series to move on to other characters. These types of series that rush the endings to make way for the next book are vastly disappointing!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful sweet clean romance that you find yourself totally glued to the pages from start to finish. A second chance / enemies to lovers romance as we meet Addy and Ben. They were high school sweethearts who circumstances kept apart until fate brings them back together 10 Yeats later. Addy who works for a PR firm finds herself in a position to assist Ben in his business but can she do it? Will they be able to put the past behind them? It’s wonderful, fun read and it was great seeing them navigate their way back to each other.

[Elizabeth Voth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Working my way backward in this series having read the next in line before I found this one.
Loved learning more about Addy her life/perspective.
Well written, clever and it kept me wanting to read more.
Giving 4 stars on this one as I feel I missed some of the storyline with the time jump. Without giving anything away in the storyline, I feel as though the reader misses a lot of the current storyline in those 6 months.
That being said, the flashbacks are written incredibly well and it was easy to follow the progression of these characters.

[Luisi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3,5⭐ Fue una historia muy tranqui y muy dulce. Lo empecé a leer pensando que era un libro de navidad —la portada me dio esa idea—, pero es nada que ver a las fiestas. Básicamente es una historia de segundas oportunidades. Vemos cómo dos personas se reencuentran y aceptan los desafíos que les planta la vida. Me gustaron mucho los capítulos de su pasado, cuando ellos estaban en la secundaria, me encantó ver cómo comenzó su historia. Realmente odié al padre de Ben, hubo tres momentos puntuales en los que de verdad me sorprendí por lo malo que era. No podés ser así de cruel con tu propia familia. Pero como dicen, no hay mal que por bien no venga y esas cosas que el hombre hace para arruinar a los demás al final los termina llevando a estar mejor, ser más felices y fuertes. Addy y Ben tienen un amor puro, dulce e incondicional que me causa demasiada ternura. Es una historia corta y entretenida que no decepciona. Súper recomendada.

[Warfie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuff Your Earbuds Find!
I didn’t expect myself to like this story so well, but I fell in love with this story. It was short, and cute, and adorable. All the flashbacks were so well done and made me so giddy and happy. I think this author knocked this book out of the park and wrote it so well. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author. I’m not usually the biggest fan of second chance romances but this one I was so excited to read. Not to mention I liked how the characters bounced off of each other. The camp flashbacks were so adorable!

[B♡♡k Life]

I listened to the audio version of this book. The female narrator's voice was young and fun. I believed she was a woman in her mid-to-late 20's. The male narrator, however, was a disaster. He sounded like some guy in his fifties or older, which threw off the entire dynamic of the book, age-wise. It didn't help one iota that you could hear so much spit and saliva going on in his mouth, either. The microphone must have been soaked. For such a nice story, the male narrator made it feel creepy, and like I just wanted to get through it, already!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet little prequel to the Finding series! You even get to see Mary from Finding Faith, but this story is about Addy and Ben. They met in high school and had one date but circumstances forced them apart and now 10 years later Ben is in need of Addy’s help, he just didn’t know it until she showed up. I enjoyed this novella. You can read it without having read any of the other Finding books also but it fun to read following Finding Faith.

[Rhiannon Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

B.E. Baker is an auto read author for me. I have loved every book in the Funding Series and Finding Grace is no exception.

What you'll find inside:
♥️Dual timeline: camp as teens, meeting as adults
♥️Reunited with a teenage crush
♥️Encouraging best friends


What I loved:
♥️The relationship between Mary and Addy
♥️ Addy learning to stand for what's right
♥️ Ben's bravery in starting his own company

[Linda Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author knows how to make you laugh And have sympathy for the various characters

The author weed is a good story the characters are well written And display a variety of emotions. The story takes 2 back and forth between 10 years, high school and adulthood. I liked The fact that the girl was mild and very sensitive to her circumstances that rose above it............ I just really like this book.

[Conna N Condon · Rating 5 out of 5]

She needs a promotion at her PR company … oh, look, HS sweetheart in desperate need of PR. Oh, it is his dad who is the womanizer. Oh, Wow, his dad is all kinds of awful. His Mom’s a doormat. Over a decade after HS, she is finally worth standing up to dad and getting life together. Great 2nd chance romance. I really liked her all the way through.

[Millard Ledford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Grace (The Finding Home Series Book 1)

Addie is almost 16 when she meets Ben, who is a senior and quarterback for their high school team. He is so handsome, from a wealthy family, and he likes her. The challenges they encounter are difficult to overcome; but follow the adventures as their lives connect again! A great read. Enjoy!

[Kina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio version. Enjoyed the story with two main characters, Addy & Ben, both described as late 20's near 30. Addy sounded the part and even spoke for Ben in a believable way, but then male narrator read his chapters (as Ben) and sounded age 70+. He reminded me of the actor Robert Wagner. It was a strange choice and though it was short, I couldn't get past it, so 3☆.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

At Long Last Love

What a perfect way to start a series, with Finding Grace. Addy has loved Ben since high school, and now she has to see him again. She needs to land this PR job to get a promotion, but it means working with Ben. Strong characters and a nice storyline. Can’t wait for the next book.

[Venise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison Thorley happens to encounter Ben Newberg again, after reading about a lawsuit against his Auto-Repair company. She is in Public Relations and direly needs this new account to gain a promotion at her workplace. Her intelligence and honesty gets her the respect of the Newbergs while she keeps to what she knows is appropriate.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet romance involving characters who tried once in high school and it did not work out thanks to daddy. Now that they are older, fate is forcing them back into close proximity. It’s amazing what a little time, space, and growing can do! A fun, short little read about second chances.

[Chantelle J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Hoilday season romance read for November this is the second read since the book: Chrismas kisses & hoilday wishes collection read I recommend its a much longer read. Anyway thank you @bookbub for the freebie it was a read treat to start the Christmas/Hoilday countdown.

[Deborah K DeLaVina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace

Finding Grace was an excellent story of young love gone wrong. A controlling Father and another Father who is desperate interfere. Greed and money don't stand a chance with Grace.

[Gerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story that moved right along. What can I really say about a book that is four stars? I enjoyed it. I loved Ben and Addy and the Bonus Chapter that was offered at the end of this book.