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From This Day
A story of love against all odds from #1 "New York Times" bestselling author Nora Roberts.
As the manager of the Lakeside Inn, B.J. Clark only feels contempt for hotel tycoon Taylor Reynolds, the man who plans on turning her quaint New England gem into a slick modern resort. But when Taylor actually arrives, B.J. soon finds herself torn between her professional antagonism and the unexpected desire she feels for the man she was prepared to despise.
As the manager of the Lakeside Inn, B.J. Clark only feels contempt for hotel tycoon Taylor Reynolds, the man who plans on turning her quaint New England gem into a slick modern resort. But when Taylor actually arrives, B.J. soon finds herself torn between her professional antagonism and the unexpected desire she feels for the man she was prepared to despise.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
663 people are currently reading
1966 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,209 books59.7k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
May 21, 2015
The hero is a dick and the heroine is an idiot who should have probably been fired at several points in the story.
June 1, 2013
Hmm. If I had to sum up this book in one quote it's when Taylor, our Hero, tells BJ, our heroine, "I was in no frame of mind to introduce you gently to the ways of love." Yep, you read that right. This sounds like dialogue from a 60s era soap opera, yeah?
I'm a die hard NR fan or I wouldn't have finished this book. Originally published in 1992, it has not aged well. I lived through that period and I don't remember the amount of smoking and sexual harassment that is in this book. Seriously dated. It was like watching Don Draper/Dean Martin seduce Hayley Mills (she of the original Parent Trap). I was giggling throughout the book and managed to predict the next scene at every turn, including femme fatales, bad first dates, near-seductions (they never get around to the real thing) and so forth.
The thing that really irked me is that the publisher priced the Kindle version at $6.99, cheap compared to other NR titles but terribly expensive considering the quality of the story. There are tons of great contemp romance out there for less! While I love my Nora, I won't be buying any more of her older titles.
I'm a die hard NR fan or I wouldn't have finished this book. Originally published in 1992, it has not aged well. I lived through that period and I don't remember the amount of smoking and sexual harassment that is in this book. Seriously dated. It was like watching Don Draper/Dean Martin seduce Hayley Mills (she of the original Parent Trap). I was giggling throughout the book and managed to predict the next scene at every turn, including femme fatales, bad first dates, near-seductions (they never get around to the real thing) and so forth.
The thing that really irked me is that the publisher priced the Kindle version at $6.99, cheap compared to other NR titles but terribly expensive considering the quality of the story. There are tons of great contemp romance out there for less! While I love my Nora, I won't be buying any more of her older titles.
March 25, 2012
A Vermont Bed & Breakfast Inn
From This Day, by Nora Roberts
★★½☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Therese Plummer does a first-rate job on the narration for this one, but she’s fighting an uphill battle. I’ve taken too many Mandatory Workplace Sexual Harassment classes for this one to come anywhere near conceivable, making it too dated. I could certainly see sentences that show-cased the brilliance of Nora Roberts, but others that were painful to listen to and cringe-worthy. Basically the characters were too bipolar for my current tastes. I’m not even sure I would have liked this one way back in 1983. (O.M.G.! That is almost 30 years ago. **sigh**)
From This Day, by Nora Roberts
★★½☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Therese Plummer does a first-rate job on the narration for this one, but she’s fighting an uphill battle. I’ve taken too many Mandatory Workplace Sexual Harassment classes for this one to come anywhere near conceivable, making it too dated. I could certainly see sentences that show-cased the brilliance of Nora Roberts, but others that were painful to listen to and cringe-worthy. Basically the characters were too bipolar for my current tastes. I’m not even sure I would have liked this one way back in 1983. (O.M.G.! That is almost 30 years ago. **sigh**)
March 1, 2011
The book started out with simple Dick-and-Jane language. I had to make sure I was reading one of my books and not my child's.
Nothing like a domineering a-hole to fall in love with.
When I read terms like "his quick violence", "tightened his grip on her wrist", and "a strong arm quickly caught her around the waist" I think of true love. I especially like Tyler's "take-charge" attitude, with telling BJ they were getting married, and arranging it for her, because "he knows what she wants."
What a dreamboat!
Nothing like a domineering a-hole to fall in love with.
When I read terms like "his quick violence", "tightened his grip on her wrist", and "a strong arm quickly caught her around the waist" I think of true love. I especially like Tyler's "take-charge" attitude, with telling BJ they were getting married, and arranging it for her, because "he knows what she wants."
What a dreamboat!
February 13, 2019
Another weird book but again, it was free on my audible romance package.
From This Day was just weird. I honestly have no other way to describe it. In it, you will meet BJ and Taylor. Their romance was just so freaking weird (and I have a feeling that weird is going to be mentioned a lot in this review). I didn't have a favorite character either because they were both quite terrible in my eyes.
I feel like their relationship, if you could call it that, was a bit abusive. He kind of manhandled her whenever he got a chance. Their rough love was just cringe-y. The whole holding her neck thing was a bit weird for me as well. Then besides all of that "love-fest" going on, there's this one jealous character - can't remember her name to save my life - but it's like nothing goes down with her. She never gets called out on this bullshit and I was just waiting for it to happen.
Twiddled my damn thumbs for nothing.
Overall, this book was weird and I was not behind this relationship one bit.
From This Day was just weird. I honestly have no other way to describe it. In it, you will meet BJ and Taylor. Their romance was just so freaking weird (and I have a feeling that weird is going to be mentioned a lot in this review). I didn't have a favorite character either because they were both quite terrible in my eyes.
I feel like their relationship, if you could call it that, was a bit abusive. He kind of manhandled her whenever he got a chance. Their rough love was just cringe-y. The whole holding her neck thing was a bit weird for me as well. Then besides all of that "love-fest" going on, there's this one jealous character - can't remember her name to save my life - but it's like nothing goes down with her. She never gets called out on this bullshit and I was just waiting for it to happen.
Twiddled my damn thumbs for nothing.
Overall, this book was weird and I was not behind this relationship one bit.
November 27, 2017
This is not the usual genre that I tend to read. However, I was invited to give a presentation and a book signing at a Library in the next town to me. I thought it, good manners to read the book that they had planned to discuss.
Here are my thoughts. Evidently, according to the popularity of romance novels, perhaps this may be given a much higher star rating, based on the romance angle. However, I found the character of Taylor Reynolds, somewhat disturbing, in a way that I doubt the Author intended. He sounded an arrogant, chauvinistic bully, whose behaviour verged on sexual harassment. In one scene he had his hand over the protagonist, B J , mouth and his arm gripping her from behind. If this was a psychological drama, then this would not have surprised me, but in a romance? There was a lot of repetitive rhetoric of the bickering kind and then at the end they were to be married!
Nora Roberts is a good writer of romance, but I'm afraid this was is out of touch with todays society.
Here are my thoughts. Evidently, according to the popularity of romance novels, perhaps this may be given a much higher star rating, based on the romance angle. However, I found the character of Taylor Reynolds, somewhat disturbing, in a way that I doubt the Author intended. He sounded an arrogant, chauvinistic bully, whose behaviour verged on sexual harassment. In one scene he had his hand over the protagonist, B J , mouth and his arm gripping her from behind. If this was a psychological drama, then this would not have surprised me, but in a romance? There was a lot of repetitive rhetoric of the bickering kind and then at the end they were to be married!
Nora Roberts is a good writer of romance, but I'm afraid this was is out of touch with todays society.
January 25, 2013
Eh. A lot of romance written in the 80s just isn't my cup of tea, and this one is a good example of why: a "naive" and "innocent" (and, of course, virginal) woman, plus a "high-powered" and "passionate" man who must control his base urges so as not to frighten her. Plus, this book had the ever-popular scene where he grabs her by the neck during an argument, then starts stroking with his thumb. I just struggle to get past what always reads to me like a precursor to abuse.
I guess I just feel like a lot of 80s romances are based on the assumption that women need a high-powered man to come along and save them from themselves. And all misunderstandings are, of course, the woman's fault.
I did like this plot - of a young inn manager vs the new inn owner - but I think Roberts did a similar story MUCH better in her later Calhoun series.
I guess I just feel like a lot of 80s romances are based on the assumption that women need a high-powered man to come along and save them from themselves. And all misunderstandings are, of course, the woman's fault.
I did like this plot - of a young inn manager vs the new inn owner - but I think Roberts did a similar story MUCH better in her later Calhoun series.
November 14, 2023
"If music be the food of love, play on."
August 15, 2010
This was the first book that I ever read by Nora Roberts and I was not impressed. I wanted to see what all the hype about Nora Roberts was since she has like a million books and Lifetime movies. I hated how Taylor treated B.J. He was constantly patronizing her and he is way too dominating for my liking. And B.J was too naïve, no one over the age of 15 is that stupid to be honest. She wanted to be treated like an adult but she acted like a child 95% of the book. And that was the most unromantic marriage proposal I’ve ever read about. Nevertheless, I gave this book three stars because I love reading chick-lit.
June 20, 2025
Was this book terrible? For sure. Did I blow through it in less than a day? Definitely.
February 9, 2016
Unfortunately this is probably the worst book by Nora Roberts I have yet read.
Typically I love all of the books she writes and particularly enjoy her characters and the colorful lives she paints for them.
This book had our hero, Taylor, as a wealthy man who owns several hotels. He is a jerk to B.J. the entire time. He either is running rough shot over her, treating her like a dumb woman or he is kissing her. The HEA is pathetic. And he hardly steps up for her when she is treated poorly by another of his employees. In fact, he uses that employee against B.J.
Then there is B.J. herself. She's portrayed as confident but then acts like a child when confronted with Taylor. And she's in love with him after he shoves her away from him and from a kiss after a few days? I understand not being a dominate person, but that does not make one a doormat for another person to go make all the decisions.
This book is from 1983, and I never experienced society at as misogynistic of a level seen in previous decades. So I have a harder time appreciating this book.
Typically I love all of the books she writes and particularly enjoy her characters and the colorful lives she paints for them.
This book had our hero, Taylor, as a wealthy man who owns several hotels. He is a jerk to B.J. the entire time. He either is running rough shot over her, treating her like a dumb woman or he is kissing her. The HEA is pathetic. And he hardly steps up for her when she is treated poorly by another of his employees. In fact, he uses that employee against B.J.
Then there is B.J. herself. She's portrayed as confident but then acts like a child when confronted with Taylor. And she's in love with him after he shoves her away from him and from a kiss after a few days? I understand not being a dominate person, but that does not make one a doormat for another person to go make all the decisions.
This book is from 1983, and I never experienced society at as misogynistic of a level seen in previous decades. So I have a harder time appreciating this book.
January 1, 2015
The more I read of these stories, the less I like the previous books I read. I'm disliking them retroactively. Things are repeating... all the heroes smoke (it's the 80s, so it's cool!), the heros grab the heroines by their hair when they're trying to flounce away after delivering a horrible parting shot, there is always a scene where things get kinda rapey and violent, the heroines keep falling for the jealous woman's lies, the jealous woman never gets called out or anything, the heroine dislikes the hero on principle before they've ever met. That's just the tip of the iceberg, too. I'm so worn out on this formula but I want to finish reading all the books just to get them out of the way.
March 25, 2019
BJ Clark manages an inn and is content with how it's decorated, run, and the overall homegrown feel. Content with her duties, she's forced to deal with Taylor Reynolds, the new owner who has his own ideas. Reynolds has the idea to come and turn BJ's inn into a resort to her horror. Along the way, she fights him at every twist and turn. All the while, he seduces her into believing he's making plans. His plans are being made but not he plans she thinks. The ending was especially my favorite. ;) I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
May 19, 2021
Oh, where to begin...Nora Roberts is one of these authors that you somewhat know, even though you've never read anything written by them (okay, it might just be for my endless browsing of book shops or newsstands while waiting for trains). I associated her with light romances mainly read by middle-aged women. Surely her books must be good - or at least readable - after all, she has published over 200 and they seem to be quite successful.
Note: The book was published in 1983 and it was early on in her career. So...let's not be too harsh with critiquing the gender stereotypes and other outdated tropes.
Scratch that, even 40 years ago those characters must have annoyed the readers. The main character BJ is naive and strangely easy to push to her limits for being the manager of an Inn. She is described as youthful-looking - she also acts like it - and of course, she is unaware of her beauty, which gives the male character the opportunity to remind her of her beauty ever so often. Taylor her boss and love interest is obviously also very good-looking and furthermore very rich. Oh, the creativity... Sadly, he's a stereotypical rich, dominant, i-don't-care-for-anyone and possessive man, whose actions show his anger management problems and sometimes border on sexual harassment but that's fine since he's so handsome and she's attracted to him . Just why would you romanticize this behavior?
Now the storyline of the possible closing of the Inn could've been something, but it was pushed back down in order to concentrate on this cringy, inequal, and toxic love/hate relationship.
Now I'm sure this is not NR's best work and that she now writes better and more likable characters - and that she hopefully let go of these outdated sterotypes. I also hope she's developing more interesting and thought-out stories. This one was just not my cup of tea, even though I occasionally enjoy a cheesy romance. It was probably the worst choice for my first reading of NR work. Maybe someday when I have time and overcome my current dislike for these characters, I might look for a newer NR's book with a hopefully less foreseeable storyline.
Note: The book was published in 1983 and it was early on in her career. So...let's not be too harsh with critiquing the gender stereotypes and other outdated tropes.
Scratch that, even 40 years ago those characters must have annoyed the readers. The main character BJ is naive and strangely easy to push to her limits for being the manager of an Inn. She is described as youthful-looking - she also acts like it - and of course, she is unaware of her beauty, which gives the male character the opportunity to remind her of her beauty ever so often. Taylor her boss and love interest is obviously also very good-looking and furthermore very rich. Oh, the creativity... Sadly, he's a stereotypical rich, dominant, i-don't-care-for-anyone and possessive man, whose actions show his anger management problems and sometimes border on sexual harassment
Now the storyline of the possible closing of the Inn could've been something, but it was pushed back down in order to concentrate on this cringy, inequal, and toxic love/hate relationship.
Now I'm sure this is not NR's best work and that she now writes better and more likable characters - and that she hopefully let go of these outdated sterotypes. I also hope she's developing more interesting and thought-out stories. This one was just not my cup of tea, even though I occasionally enjoy a cheesy romance. It was probably the worst choice for my first reading of NR work. Maybe someday when I have time and overcome my current dislike for these characters, I might look for a newer NR's book with a hopefully less foreseeable storyline.
February 3, 2020
BJ Clark is the manager of a lovely Inn in Vermont. Her staff is like family and her clientele comes back time and again because of the quaint charm of the inn. Taylor Reynolds is the owner of the Inn and has arrived looking for ways to make more money from the Inn. He wants to make it more a resort with tennis courts, spas and finer cuisine. BJ does not want it to change at all. BJ was a strong, independent woman. As the story went along BJ and Taylor's relationship changed. BJ became a whiney, annoying and childlike.
I did not like the book the characters did not flow with what I expected from the story. BJ was strong independent women at first then changes after Taylor came into the picture. The banter between the two was freaking annoying and it got on my nerves. The book was a big fail for me.
I did not like the book the characters did not flow with what I expected from the story. BJ was strong independent women at first then changes after Taylor came into the picture. The banter between the two was freaking annoying and it got on my nerves. The book was a big fail for me.
November 21, 2021
This book is horribly dated and should never have been rereleased. I don't blame Nora, as this is one of her early works and a product of it's time (horribly aggressive and overbearing "love" interest, idiot female who falls for the man sexually harassing her and treating her like a dog,... The usual 80s "romance" claptrap.) But I'm pretty angry at the publisher for exploiting Nora's contract and putting this unenlightened junk back into the modern world. If you're a person with any amount of self respect, you too will be angry by the abusive power dynamic within these pages... This isn't what "romance" is anymore, this is an HR disaster! Please do not read.
June 18, 2021
In one word, problematic. I know it was written in 1983, but basically he sexually assaults her (kisses her after she says no twice, keeps grabbing her arm to stop her from walking away, etc.) and then she “falls in love with him” because her body tells her so when I’m not sure they’ve actually had a real conversation with one another. She’s a terrible employee, he’s an ass, and I don’t recommend you read this. Not sure why they did a reprint in 2017.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2022
Simple story of a strong minded young woman who meets a strong minded man… usual Nora theme. The story is shorter than some but the ending is obviously predetermined. The trail from the woman resenting and despising the man to loving him has one or two funny twists to it. Not the best I have read but the overall story never fails….
January 10, 2018
It was a very short and sweet Nora Roberts book. It didn't quite feel as fleshed out as most of hers do though.
March 6, 2018
Very dated story...Male chauvinist
and silly girl..... just easy to listen to in the car
and silly girl..... just easy to listen to in the car
January 1, 2023
A quick read that you can’t put down :)
August 19, 2017
The only reason I decided to give this book a chance was because the audiobook was done by one of my favorite narrators. I figured she could bring life to any story! I hear Ms. Robert's name all the time in Romancelandia, so I thought why not try this book? *sigh* Big mistake on my part. I now understand why it took me so long to admit to reading romance novels to family/friends.
I felt like good portions of this text could be required reading for either a sexual harrassment seminar in the corporate world, or a women's studies work on the subjugation of the female sex. There were absolutely no redeeming qualities to the hero in the story. I would liken him more to being antagonistic rather than a romantic interest. All I could picture while listening to the story was a smarmy, lecherous, midlife-crisis man rubbing his hands together and forcing his secretary to bend-over and pick up pencils so he could look up her skirt while telling her how pretty her legs looked. No, Ms. Roberts didn't describe her 'hero' in this fashion, but his behavior painted him in that light to me. Ick.
I can't say I was particularly fond of the heroine, for the matter, either. One moment she was telling her boss that his behavior was inappropriate and would never amount to her sleeping with him, then the next she was ready to spread her legs for him and going on about her heat. *shudders* I just disliked the characters. It's not that Ms. Roberts can't write. She writes an articulate and coherent story, but I honestly can't give the book more than 1 star because I really hated the content. So, take the rating for what it's worth in that sense. It's not due to editorial mistakes, bad grammar, or flowery prose. It's me disliking the story.
I was not surprised at the end of the audiobook to learn that this was published in 1982. I thought women's lib was farther along in the 80s than this book. I guess I was wrong. :P
I felt like good portions of this text could be required reading for either a sexual harrassment seminar in the corporate world, or a women's studies work on the subjugation of the female sex. There were absolutely no redeeming qualities to the hero in the story. I would liken him more to being antagonistic rather than a romantic interest. All I could picture while listening to the story was a smarmy, lecherous, midlife-crisis man rubbing his hands together and forcing his secretary to bend-over and pick up pencils so he could look up her skirt while telling her how pretty her legs looked. No, Ms. Roberts didn't describe her 'hero' in this fashion, but his behavior painted him in that light to me. Ick.
I can't say I was particularly fond of the heroine, for the matter, either. One moment she was telling her boss that his behavior was inappropriate and would never amount to her sleeping with him, then the next she was ready to spread her legs for him and going on about her heat. *shudders* I just disliked the characters. It's not that Ms. Roberts can't write. She writes an articulate and coherent story, but I honestly can't give the book more than 1 star because I really hated the content. So, take the rating for what it's worth in that sense. It's not due to editorial mistakes, bad grammar, or flowery prose. It's me disliking the story.
I was not surprised at the end of the audiobook to learn that this was published in 1982. I thought women's lib was farther along in the 80s than this book. I guess I was wrong. :P
April 21, 2020
This was super predictable and kind of annoying.
*BJ and Taylor were together for less than 10 days. She fell in love with him less than half way through that amount of time.
*He was rich and powerful and treated her like sh!t...she was annoyed and mad about that ALL the time but "just came to the realization she was in love with him". (Okay, Bella.)
*He just randomly springs marriage on her (he didn't even ask her!) and she just swoons.
*The just all played out like a really bad, made-for-tv movie.
I realize this was written early on by Nora Roberts but I could help but eye roll through most of it. I hate to say the only pro was that this book was short and I was able to check off another NR book.
*BJ and Taylor were together for less than 10 days. She fell in love with him less than half way through that amount of time.
*He was rich and powerful and treated her like sh!t...she was annoyed and mad about that ALL the time but "just came to the realization she was in love with him". (Okay, Bella.)
*He just randomly springs marriage on her (he didn't even ask her!) and she just swoons.
*The just all played out like a really bad, made-for-tv movie.
I realize this was written early on by Nora Roberts but I could help but eye roll through most of it. I hate to say the only pro was that this book was short and I was able to check off another NR book.
February 1, 2014
SO CREEPY OKAY. I've read a lot of skeevy fiction, but this one is just WOW. I was almost ready to cut some slack and give two stars (because NR has a way with words) when UGH.
Oh. My. Fucking. God. I mean, the eye-rolling wannabe Other Woman and the sexual harassment was bad enough, but that bit right there takes it into HOLY CRAP I NEED TO TAKE A SHOWER THAT IS SO WRONG territory.
Oh. My. Fucking. God. I mean, the eye-rolling wannabe Other Woman and the sexual harassment was bad enough, but that bit right there takes it into HOLY CRAP I NEED TO TAKE A SHOWER THAT IS SO WRONG territory.
March 19, 2017
Ugh, how nauseating was this. The hero was a jerk who treated BJ (no really that's her name) like crap the entire book. He was really physical with her and constantly grabbing her arm or pushing her around. Not really appealing. Plus the age gap kept being reinforced in really creepy ways. Like Taylor emphasizing how small she is and looks like a child and how innocent she is, but then admits to wanting her. It was on the edge there. Also, BJ was annoying and not at all compelling.
What a disappointment this one was.
What a disappointment this one was.
September 5, 2020
Generally, I really enjoy Nora Roberts’ books. However, this was the opposite. This story is a cliché. The woman, who lacks character, falls for the rich man that takes her to the beach. I read this book in 6 hours and each time I turned a page I thought it would be better. I thought wrong, the book just lacks emotion. I do not recommend this book, if you want to read a good romance maybe read another Nora Roberts book like angels fall or the witness.
August 9, 2016
The sensation of stabbing both your eyes out with a dinner fork is far more enjoyable than reading this book.
I struggled through it because it's NR and now I'm left seething with an undeniable, unrelenting desire to cause intense bodily harm and a slow, painful death to the fictional hero.
I shall go to bed tonight with homocidal images of his bloody, broken body dancing through my mind.
I struggled through it because it's NR and now I'm left seething with an undeniable, unrelenting desire to cause intense bodily harm and a slow, painful death to the fictional hero.
I shall go to bed tonight with homocidal images of his bloody, broken body dancing through my mind.
April 15, 2014
I understand S&M, didn't blink an eye at Mr. Grays Red Room... But this book was about boarder line abuse. Taylor was literally assaulting BJ and there was no sex in this book. Not a healthy relationship story nor very romantic.
July 3, 2019
This is a horrible book don't read it. The girl is a doormat and the guy is a bitch.
April 20, 2014
I will review this now....if I wasn't a NR fan, I wouldn't have been able to read this far. Too old fashioned for my taste.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews