A Brave Start

by Andrea J. Severson, Lisa Severson (Illustrator)

"A story of how a 5,000 mile, cross Atlantic trip taught a woman about fate, love, and self discovery.” When life hands you lemons, you’re supposed to make lemonade, right? What do you do when you don’t like lemonade? For Eleanor Gordon, nothing seemed to work out as expected. Instead of lemonade, she opts for a lovely tea, just not in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona but with a big leap across the pond to London, England. What happens next seems to be a lovely dream when she finds herself accepted to a prestigious writing program and living in a posh Central London flat. Eleanor encounters new friends and new places around London, meets a handsome and wealthy friend of her cousin and literally bumps into her movie star crush. Is London a dream come true? Or the start of another round of happy times leading to sad endings? Her journey doesn’t just come with London sightseeing, she’s on the road to understanding not only who to love, but how to finally put to rest trauma from the past and learn to trust herself again.

Genres: Romance

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2019

Reviews

[Courtney Giardina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breath of fresh air

This book was exactly what I needed. I absolutely loved following Ellie’s story within the magical city of London. The author did a great job of creatively showcasing the London lifestyle. I love that Ellie was strong and brave and not afraid to stand up for herself and go after what she wanted. We’re all afraid of the unknown and this this story helps to inspire those to find the courage for a brand new start!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this! Finally, a book where the author focuses on actual romance and a healthy relationship instead of just s*x all the time. I've already started book 2 and will buy all this author's books. I'm so excited to find another new favorite author.

I will note the character's love story happens over the course of 3 books instead of the standard 1 which makes the pace feel a lot more relaxed than other stories. I've been able to spend more time with the characters than I usually get to and nothing feels too rushed. The effect for me is more relaxing, relatable, and enjoyable.

I can see picking this book (and series) up for an annual re-read--something I enjoy doing with stories I truly adore.

Thank you to this author for doing what so many other authors refuse to do: write a book that makes me smile and feel the need to just hug it.

I've just added this to my "favorites" shelf.

[Lisa Titley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blissfully riveting. Andrea's writing wraps you so fully into Eleanor's life that you won't be able to put this book down! The dialogue is sharp and witty, like I can feel myself in the room watching Eleanor's life unfold. Looking forward to digging into the rest of the series!

[Hanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love it, but unfortunately, this wasn't for me. I didn't love the story or the writing. There were a few errors with grammar from editing. Overall, it was okay.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was a great starting off point. I can see where the progress from here to her most recent books, the improvements (plotting) as well as where she has refined her talents (dialogue).

I’ll continue on with the rest of the Across the Pond series. I’m looking forward to where we go from here.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this premiere novel! I have both lived in the Phoenix area and studied in England, so both of the locations felt very familiar to me, and the details were well described and realistic. I think the fact that the setting felt so familiar meant that I wasn't as drawn back to the novel as I would have been with an entirely new setting. I did like the characters, and there were several parts of the plot that have stayed with me!

[Bryndís Gunnarsdóttir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about finding your own strength and a beautiful love story. Made me cry, which is always a good sign.