Jake Ramsay returned from Iraq without any physical injuries, but the trauma of what he saw there haunts him still. A police officer by day, he spends much of his free time in pursuit of dangerous, high-octane hobbies—anything to help him forget his time in the military. A part of him realizes his behavior is destructive, but he feels no incentive to change. Then he meets Julia Ross, a gorgeous woman who’s engaged to a domineering man she doesn’t love. His protective instincts kick in, followed by the realization that he doesn’t just want to save her…he wants her to save him, too.
Julia feels as if she’s in a trap with no escape. Her family insists that she keep her engagement to her wealthy fiancé, but to do so would mean relinquishing her dreams. The debt she feels to her single mother is almost powerful enough for her to make that sacrifice, but then she meets Jake—a man who’s as kind, gentle, and considerate as Vincent is violent and controlling. But as soon as she starts drawing away from Vincent, it becomes clear that as far as he’s concerned, leaving him might be the last thing she ever does.
Together, Jake and Julia stand a chance to conquer their pasts and create a wonderful future, but will Vincent get in the way of their fresh start in Summerhill?
Keira Montclair is the pen name of an author who lives in South Carolina with her husband. She writes fast-paced historical romance, often with children as secondary characters.
If she’s not writing, she prefers to spend time with her grandchildren. She’s worked as a high school math teacher, a registered nurse, and an office manager. She loves ballet, mathematics, puzzles, learning anything new, and creating new characters for her readers to fall in love with.
She considers her work done well when her readers shed tears over her stories, but there’s always a happy ending! Her bestselling series is a family saga that follows two medieval Scottish clans through three generations and now numbers over fifty books.
A Fresh Start for Two by Keira Montclair The Summerhill Series Book Two Things haven't been the same for Officer Jake Ramsay since returning home from Iraq. Not his relationship with his older brother, relationships with women, or with himself. He came home whole. It's not his guilt issue that has him going into protective mode now though. It's seeing a bully picking on his beautiful girlfriend.
Julia Ross has decided she really doesn't like the man she is engaged to. He's different. Meaner. Her mother doesn't care. All she sees is the money he throws around at them. And the woman knows how to guilt Julia into doing her bidding. Then she meets Jake and sees a different kind of man. A good man.
Coming home from the war without physical injuries doesn't always mean the person isn't injured. In Jake's case it's the guilt of coming home whole. Not being able to stop his brother from being hurt. I wanted to give Julia a good shake to wake up, but in truth, many women just don't see they are being abused...or they have no other way out. Great characters and story line. **Sexual content http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
Loved the story of Jake's true love. I wish the link to the past was more evident in this book, as it was in the first, but that's probably just because I love those characters! Good read!
Jake is an Iraq vet who has to deal with his nighmares and Julia is expected to marry her fiance like her parents planned. but doesn't want him anymore but her fiance doesn't see that as an option. Can Jake (police officer) protect her. This was a fantastic read.
They went through a lot to be together and to make each other's dreams come true. She got a fresh start with her mother and sister. Jake got his with Ryan and Wednesday war nights.
A fresh start was the perfect #2 Summerhill series
Great storyline wonderful characters- who I hope will reappear so characters can be developed further. I'm looking forward to meeting more of Summerhill!
The writing was good but I don't consider domestic abuse entertaining, a lot of it I couldn't even read. Throw in th obvious child abuse and it just wasn't for me.
I loved reading about Jake story. It's been a while since I read book one but I had no problem following along and catching up with all the Ramsay's. Ryan and Cait were there along with Mallory and Gramps. It really makes no difference if you've read book 1 because you'll be able to follow along. Jake, much like his brother, meets Julia Ross while he's called in on a disturbance. Yes' ladies Jake is a uniformed, muscle bound officer of the law complete with hand cuffs...um, no it's not that kind of book. Anyway Julia is engaged to man she does not even recognize anymore. He insists on belittling her at every turn and with the help of her friend Jake and Lucia she finds the power within herself to leave him.
If you've never read a book by KM her H's are always gentle and very protective of their lassies. Most often in her stories we find a damsel in distress and a knight appearing as though out of the blue...you know the type. Jake finds himself immediately drawn to Julia and as fate would have it they both meet again in an accounting class. This is a mildly written abuse story compared to others in her past. I enjoyed the story between the characters finding myself annoyed by Julia's mother. I like that you got to see both POV's and that our h was a strong woman and not a victim but the point from where she gets her fiancée is escalating to Jake informing her of this was kind of adolescent to me. I don't know maybe if we would have saw her working up to this decision prior to meeting Jake it would have felt more realistic but as it is written I felt it made Julia sound stupid.
The same with her family if there would have been prior knowledge of how they were it would have been better than just placing them in their current situation in which the mother chooses money over her daughters well being. It made the end seem phony to believe the mother would so easily be turned around. The overall book is still a keeper but with more work on convincing a reader of the back history of the characters it gives them more dimensions and not so flat. I just wanted to be more drawn into the characters and it just felt more like a person telling me he did this on this day and than she did this and when they met in class it's recapped between each other. I'm not saying you won't enjoy her books because they are still good stories the grant clan being my favorite but the way she does contemporary is a nice switch from other contemporaries where it's just shallow sex and bed hopping. Enjoy!
This book finds us falling in love with Jake...and Julia. She is engaged to a bully - the kind of guy who wants complete control of 'his' womans' life. Her family is poor, his is rich. Her mother and sister want her to marry him, even if he hits her. Jake is a policeman (like his brother in the first book) and he is not into guys beating up or bullying anybody, especially the woman they are supposed to be in love with.
We encounter college courses, dreams, best friends, and a huge family that does everything in their power to protect and encourage each other - and the people that they bring home.
Lots of growth and courage in this story. Lots of love and fear. Add in a great big dollop of forgiveness and the story hits the Top Ten!!
The Grant-Ramsey family, can't get enough of them no matter what century. This one was as good as book 1 but I missed the spirit connection that was in the first. I am not so patiently waiting for the next book. Looking forward to it.