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Begin Again
Chloe Anderson has big dreams and a lot to prove, and she’s not letting anything get in her way. Although she works herself into the ground, everything is going fine until her past catches up to her and help comes from an unexpected place.
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work.
He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he wont let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work.
He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he wont let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
260 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 28, 2026
⭐ 4 / 5 ✨📖
This book was light, lovely, inspiring, and honestly just so comforting.
I really appreciated the themes it explored—Chloe’s childhood trauma leading to hyper-independence, and Mason’s constant need to provide to the point where he neglects his own needs. It also captured how difficult it can be to let someone in when you’re carrying either of those struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I liked that there was a small thrilling twist alongside the romance, which kept things interesting. It was also spice-free, which I personally loved—it made the relationship feel more innocent and heartfelt.
I ended up finishing it in two days, which says a lot about how easy it was to get into.
Am I going to start This Is Me Trying soon? Absolutely!
This book was light, lovely, inspiring, and honestly just so comforting.
I really appreciated the themes it explored—Chloe’s childhood trauma leading to hyper-independence, and Mason’s constant need to provide to the point where he neglects his own needs. It also captured how difficult it can be to let someone in when you’re carrying either of those struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I liked that there was a small thrilling twist alongside the romance, which kept things interesting. It was also spice-free, which I personally loved—it made the relationship feel more innocent and heartfelt.
I ended up finishing it in two days, which says a lot about how easy it was to get into.
Am I going to start This Is Me Trying soon? Absolutely!
April 12, 2026
Chloe Anderson has big dreams and a lot to prove, and she’s not letting anything get in her way. Although she works herself into the ground, everything is going fine until her past catches up to her and help comes from an unexpected place.
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work.
He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he won’t let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
Tropes: Sunshine FMC, Golden Retriever MMC, Slight Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Small-Town, Nicknames, Slow-Burn, Suspense.
Begin Again is the 2nd book in The Evergreen Ridge Series by Ashley Vargas.
This is such a lovely, light, inspiring, comforting book. It’s one of those books that you can curl up and get lost in and find so much hope and love in.
One of the things that I really appreciated that Ashley did in this book was the themes that she choose to explore – the trauma that Chloe experienced in her childhood which helped to lead up to her hyper-independence, then there’s Mason’s constant desire to provide up to the point where he ends up neglecting his own needs. Ashley also captured just how hard and difficult it really can be to let someone into your life, into your safe space, and into your heart when you’ve been carrying either of these struggles.
I truly enjoyed this book. I loved that we got a small exhilarating plot twist alongside the romance between Chloe and Mason, and this helped to keep the storyline interesting. This book is spice free, which I do love once in a while – I also found that for this story, keeping the story spice free made it feel more innocent, heartfelt, and for Mason and Chloe it really did feel authentic and real.
This book only took me two or three days to finish, and it’s so easy to slip into and you feel like you are living in the shoes of the characters. Ashley did such an amazing job in this writing this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am going to be going back and reading the 1st book soon.
If you are searching for a cute, sweet, comforting and inspiring romance and you want to spend a few days in a lovely romance, then I have to say that Begin Again is the perfect book for you and I highly recommend it.
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work.
He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he won’t let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
Tropes: Sunshine FMC, Golden Retriever MMC, Slight Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Small-Town, Nicknames, Slow-Burn, Suspense.
Begin Again is the 2nd book in The Evergreen Ridge Series by Ashley Vargas.
This is such a lovely, light, inspiring, comforting book. It’s one of those books that you can curl up and get lost in and find so much hope and love in.
One of the things that I really appreciated that Ashley did in this book was the themes that she choose to explore – the trauma that Chloe experienced in her childhood which helped to lead up to her hyper-independence, then there’s Mason’s constant desire to provide up to the point where he ends up neglecting his own needs. Ashley also captured just how hard and difficult it really can be to let someone into your life, into your safe space, and into your heart when you’ve been carrying either of these struggles.
I truly enjoyed this book. I loved that we got a small exhilarating plot twist alongside the romance between Chloe and Mason, and this helped to keep the storyline interesting. This book is spice free, which I do love once in a while – I also found that for this story, keeping the story spice free made it feel more innocent, heartfelt, and for Mason and Chloe it really did feel authentic and real.
This book only took me two or three days to finish, and it’s so easy to slip into and you feel like you are living in the shoes of the characters. Ashley did such an amazing job in this writing this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am going to be going back and reading the 1st book soon.
If you are searching for a cute, sweet, comforting and inspiring romance and you want to spend a few days in a lovely romance, then I have to say that Begin Again is the perfect book for you and I highly recommend it.
April 10, 2026
Book: Begin Again
Author: Ashley Vargas
My Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ Spice Level: 0/5 🌶️
Genre: YA Romance with some mystery
Release date: April 7th, 2026
Tropes:
- Forced proximity
- Small town
- Nickname
- Slow burn
- Suspense
My thoughts:
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It was so unexpected, but SO GOOD. The writing was amazing and I absolutely loved Chloe and Mason. Their communication skills were on point (which I adore since I hate miscommunication). Overall, I would 10000% recommend (and I will definitely beg all my friends to read this)
Blurb:
Chloe Anderson has big dreams and a lot to prove, and she’s not letting anything get in her way. Although she works herself into the ground, everything is going fine until her past catches up to her and help comes from an unexpected place.
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work. He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he wont let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
Author: Ashley Vargas
My Rating: 5/5 ⭐️ Spice Level: 0/5 🌶️
Genre: YA Romance with some mystery
Release date: April 7th, 2026
Tropes:
- Forced proximity
- Small town
- Nickname
- Slow burn
- Suspense
My thoughts:
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It was so unexpected, but SO GOOD. The writing was amazing and I absolutely loved Chloe and Mason. Their communication skills were on point (which I adore since I hate miscommunication). Overall, I would 10000% recommend (and I will definitely beg all my friends to read this)
Blurb:
Chloe Anderson has big dreams and a lot to prove, and she’s not letting anything get in her way. Although she works herself into the ground, everything is going fine until her past catches up to her and help comes from an unexpected place.
Mason Davies is no stranger to hard work. He has worked himself to the bone his whole life so that his family could have a better life. He has achieved his goal, but has sworn off love as a distraction. Then he meets Chloe: one night in a bar and he is hooked, but he wont let himself give in.
When outside circumstances force them together, will he be able to resist her or will he finally let his heart have what it wants?
April 12, 2026
ARC Opportunity from Love Notes PR 🤩🩷🎶
It was hard for me to finally start and get into this book but contemporary is not my preferred genre so that could just be a personal issue— By page 10, I was invested and ready to watch this adorable relationship unfold! This is my first book from this author so I’m not familiar with this series but I didn’t feel confused or left out in any sense, Ashley did a wonderful job at giving context to every scene! I love Shirley Temples so it definitely gets bonus points for that! 😉💕🍹 Mason was straightforward, a man who knows what he wants! “I notice everything about you, Chloe.” Sold! Even though it took him some time to come around, when they finally got together, it was so worth it. Wholesome vibes— no spice! Some small grammatical errors and repetitive phrasing but I don’t take any points off for that since this is an ARC and not the final copy!
Best Friend’s Brother 🤭
Forced Proximity 🤞🏻
Small-Town Romance 🌲
Reluctant Lovers 🤨
Slowwwww Burn ❤️🔥
Black Cat x Golden Retriever 🐶
Found Family 🫂
Insta-Love ✨
He Falls First 💞
Closed Door 🔒
High Suspense / Tension ⚡️
Millionaire Romance 💸
“Princess” 👑
Plot Twist 🌪️
Gambling Addiction 🎰 (Not FMC or MMC)
Homelessness Rep 🎗️
Inter-Connected Standalone 📚
It was hard for me to finally start and get into this book but contemporary is not my preferred genre so that could just be a personal issue— By page 10, I was invested and ready to watch this adorable relationship unfold! This is my first book from this author so I’m not familiar with this series but I didn’t feel confused or left out in any sense, Ashley did a wonderful job at giving context to every scene! I love Shirley Temples so it definitely gets bonus points for that! 😉💕🍹 Mason was straightforward, a man who knows what he wants! “I notice everything about you, Chloe.” Sold! Even though it took him some time to come around, when they finally got together, it was so worth it. Wholesome vibes— no spice! Some small grammatical errors and repetitive phrasing but I don’t take any points off for that since this is an ARC and not the final copy!
Best Friend’s Brother 🤭
Forced Proximity 🤞🏻
Small-Town Romance 🌲
Reluctant Lovers 🤨
Slowwwww Burn ❤️🔥
Black Cat x Golden Retriever 🐶
Found Family 🫂
Insta-Love ✨
He Falls First 💞
Closed Door 🔒
High Suspense / Tension ⚡️
Millionaire Romance 💸
“Princess” 👑
Plot Twist 🌪️
Gambling Addiction 🎰 (Not FMC or MMC)
Homelessness Rep 🎗️
Inter-Connected Standalone 📚
April 14, 2026
I was given the opportunity to read this as an ARC through Love Notes PR. 📖
I will start off by saying that it took me a while to get into it but around the one third mark I became fully invested and completely fell for both Chloe and Mason, as well as the side characters.
This is my first book by Ashley Vargas but I do not think my reading experience was negatively impacted by that.
There is no spice in this book and that made me love it ten times more. The communication between Mason and Chloe is incredible, not to mention the growth they both make individually is portrayed clearly and realistically. Mason learning that he can breathe without being consumed by his career and Chloe facing the fear that her parent's gambling left her with; both characters are well written and their choices always feel earned. The side characters are memorable and help pace the story beautifully.
Where I docked points is simply the pace of going from dislike to love. Chloe gave in a bit too quickly for my taste. Overall though I genuinely enjoyed this story.
You can bet I will be going back to read This Is Me Trying.
I will start off by saying that it took me a while to get into it but around the one third mark I became fully invested and completely fell for both Chloe and Mason, as well as the side characters.
This is my first book by Ashley Vargas but I do not think my reading experience was negatively impacted by that.
There is no spice in this book and that made me love it ten times more. The communication between Mason and Chloe is incredible, not to mention the growth they both make individually is portrayed clearly and realistically. Mason learning that he can breathe without being consumed by his career and Chloe facing the fear that her parent's gambling left her with; both characters are well written and their choices always feel earned. The side characters are memorable and help pace the story beautifully.
Where I docked points is simply the pace of going from dislike to love. Chloe gave in a bit too quickly for my taste. Overall though I genuinely enjoyed this story.
You can bet I will be going back to read This Is Me Trying.
April 15, 2026
I was hooked on this book in a totally unexpected way. What stood out most to me was Chloe—her independence, her fear of instability, and the way she refuses to rely on anyone. That felt real and grounded, not exaggerated for drama.
Mason, on the other hand, tested my patience. His internal conflict makes sense, but his actions often feel like emotional sabotage. At times, I found myself frustrated with how he handled situations, especially when simple communication could have avoided unnecessary tension.
That said, the chemistry between them is undeniable. Their conversations are sharp and layered, and even when they are at odds, there’s an undercurrent of something deeper that keeps you invested. The small-town setting adds warmth, and the side characters, especially Riley and Piper, bring a sense of comfort and balance to the story.
The pacing is steady, though the reliance on miscommunication as a plot device does feel repetitive at times. Still, I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to see how their relationship would unfold.
Overall, this is a compelling slow-burn romance with strong emotional themes, even if it leans heavily on familiar tropes.
Mason, on the other hand, tested my patience. His internal conflict makes sense, but his actions often feel like emotional sabotage. At times, I found myself frustrated with how he handled situations, especially when simple communication could have avoided unnecessary tension.
That said, the chemistry between them is undeniable. Their conversations are sharp and layered, and even when they are at odds, there’s an undercurrent of something deeper that keeps you invested. The small-town setting adds warmth, and the side characters, especially Riley and Piper, bring a sense of comfort and balance to the story.
The pacing is steady, though the reliance on miscommunication as a plot device does feel repetitive at times. Still, I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to see how their relationship would unfold.
Overall, this is a compelling slow-burn romance with strong emotional themes, even if it leans heavily on familiar tropes.
April 13, 2026
I was lucky enough to read this book recently, and overall it was an enjoyable read!
This story leans into a sort of “frenemies” to lovers dynamic, alongside a forced proximity trope, which made for an interesting setup.
I especially enjoyed the found family elements woven throughout the story, as they added warmth and depth beyond the central romance. Also, both main characters felt like fully fleshed-out individuals, with their own interests, personalities, and differences. Once they began properly communicating, their relationship felt much stronger and more believable, which was a definite highlight.
The main reason this wasn’t a higher star read for me was the pacing. The transition from friendship to dislike to being together felt quite sudden, and at times it was difficult to track how the characters were feeling, particularly in the earlier chapters.
Overall, while there were aspects I really enjoyed—especially the character development and found family themes—and I’d be interested in reading more like it.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
This story leans into a sort of “frenemies” to lovers dynamic, alongside a forced proximity trope, which made for an interesting setup.
I especially enjoyed the found family elements woven throughout the story, as they added warmth and depth beyond the central romance. Also, both main characters felt like fully fleshed-out individuals, with their own interests, personalities, and differences. Once they began properly communicating, their relationship felt much stronger and more believable, which was a definite highlight.
The main reason this wasn’t a higher star read for me was the pacing. The transition from friendship to dislike to being together felt quite sudden, and at times it was difficult to track how the characters were feeling, particularly in the earlier chapters.
Overall, while there were aspects I really enjoyed—especially the character development and found family themes—and I’d be interested in reading more like it.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
April 7, 2026
Mason and Chloe
* Sunshine MFC
* Golden retriever MMC
* Slight enemies-to-more
* Forced proximity
Chloe is super independent due to her past, and doesn’t like to rely on anyone.
Mason, after an epic foot-in-mouth moment that derailed their friendship eventually turns into the man who wants to give her everything.
Thy were quite cute together once they started to spend more time together. Mason ends up being so supportive that he was almost too good to be true.
The only issue I really had was that occasionally interactions seemed a bit stilted at times. Contractions that could have been used, but weren’t gave it a bit of a formal feeling that didn’t quite fit the tone of the passage.
* Sunshine MFC
* Golden retriever MMC
* Slight enemies-to-more
* Forced proximity
Chloe is super independent due to her past, and doesn’t like to rely on anyone.
Mason, after an epic foot-in-mouth moment that derailed their friendship eventually turns into the man who wants to give her everything.
Thy were quite cute together once they started to spend more time together. Mason ends up being so supportive that he was almost too good to be true.
The only issue I really had was that occasionally interactions seemed a bit stilted at times. Contractions that could have been used, but weren’t gave it a bit of a formal feeling that didn’t quite fit the tone of the passage.
April 14, 2026
I really loved this one 🥹 The romance between Chloe and Mason was so sweet, and I liked that there was a small, exciting twist woven in—it added just enough intrigue to keep things engaging.
It’s completely spice-free, which I actually really appreciated here. It gave the story a softer, more innocent feel, and made their connection come across as genuinely heartfelt and authentic. For Chloe and Mason, it just felt real in the best way ✨
It’s completely spice-free, which I actually really appreciated here. It gave the story a softer, more innocent feel, and made their connection come across as genuinely heartfelt and authentic. For Chloe and Mason, it just felt real in the best way ✨
May 1, 2026
Oh my goodness! This one was even better than the first!!!! Mason and Chloe’s story was so beautiful and it just really felt like a cozy warm hug! This book was so sweet, and it amazing to see Ashley’s evolution as an author really honing her craft! I really have no notes, this was so well done, and I am already SO excited for the next one!!
If you’re looking for a warm and cozy romance with just the teeny-tiniest hint of suspense, I really think you should check this one out!
If you’re looking for a warm and cozy romance with just the teeny-tiniest hint of suspense, I really think you should check this one out!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Love this story from beginning to end. Chloe and Mason have such a great dynamic with so many different scenarios to their love story. Great group of “side” characters to help them along their way. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
April 7, 2026
Loved this story and this couple together. It was nice to see Chloe move past her traumas and just let Mason love her and give her the world. I did like the suspense aspect of it and was not expecting that to play out the way it did
April 15, 2026
I got this as an ARC thanks for Love Notes PR. Chloe and Mason’s story was so cute. While I normally like a lot more spice in my contemporary romance I really enjoyed their story. It was a fun, easy read.
April 7, 2026
finished this book in one sitting. and througholy enjoyed it! loved Chloe and mason! definitely a must read this summer!
April 7, 2026
This was a quick read and I absolutely gobbled it up!
April 15, 2026
This book was such a sweet story. I enjoyed it very much. The two characters were everything and more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Begin Again 🌟
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & Ashley Vargas for trusting me with this ARC.
Chloe has one goal,to always stand on her own feet,yet sometimes help is inevitable and comes from where you least expect it.
Mason,wants to give her everything & he will.
To start with,we have a really lovely romance,that just smooths out during the story,leaving us the reader,with a constant smile in our face and the feet,of course,giggled..The writing was flawless and for me it was the perfect eye catching story & one of those that you can easily follow up,meaning it can get you out of a slump in a snap of the fingers.
Our main characters,were really classic,Chloe is the sunshine,pairing with the cover's color,& Mason is our hard working,rich boy that will spend his whole fortune of her in an instant and without hesitation.Their romance,was beautiful and I loved the pacing that we had,even if we were in love since almost page 1.⚡
So,if you are in a slump,want a cute romance to spend a sunny day with or you just adore lovely romances,Begin Again is the perfect for you 🫶🏻
Out On April,7th 💛
3⭐
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & Ashley Vargas for trusting me with this ARC.
Chloe has one goal,to always stand on her own feet,yet sometimes help is inevitable and comes from where you least expect it.
Mason,wants to give her everything & he will.
To start with,we have a really lovely romance,that just smooths out during the story,leaving us the reader,with a constant smile in our face and the feet,of course,giggled..The writing was flawless and for me it was the perfect eye catching story & one of those that you can easily follow up,meaning it can get you out of a slump in a snap of the fingers.
Our main characters,were really classic,Chloe is the sunshine,pairing with the cover's color,& Mason is our hard working,rich boy that will spend his whole fortune of her in an instant and without hesitation.Their romance,was beautiful and I loved the pacing that we had,even if we were in love since almost page 1.⚡
So,if you are in a slump,want a cute romance to spend a sunny day with or you just adore lovely romances,Begin Again is the perfect for you 🫶🏻
Out On April,7th 💛
3⭐
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews