Review: Starting Over at Steeple Ridge by Liz Isaacson

My rating: 2 stars / It was okay

Synopsis

Tucker Jenkins has had enough of tall buildings, traffic, and business meetings to determine the next app that will change the world. He's sold his technology firm for billions and traded it for Steeple Ridge Horse Farm in rural Vermont.

Missy Marino has worked at the boarding stable and farm since she was a teen, and she's always dreamed of owning it. But her ex-husband left her with a truckload of debt, making her fantasies of owning the farm unfulfilled.

When she meets Tucker, she starts having a new kind of fantasy—one where they work with the horses together. Tucker didn't come to the country to find a new wife, but he supposes a woman could help him start over in Steeple Ridge. Will Tucker and Missy be able to navigate the shaky ground between them to find a new beginning?

My Review

This story had a good premise, but I didn't quite connect with the characters. I wish there had been more development before they jumped into a relationship- it felt kind of surface level. Missy is getting her feet back under her after a messy divorce, and Tucker hasn't dated since he left his pessimistic wife. Missy resents that he bought the horse farm, but his handsome looks and physique make her forget that for a while, until later in the story when some conflict is needed. Tucker quickly falls in love with the country life and appreciates Missy's no frills beauty. There didn't seem to be much substance to their friendship beyond working together and kissing- I would have liked to see more depth in their interactions. I was let down when Tucker turns out to be a pushover for Missy's drama, and found myself skimming through the last quarter of the book to make it to the predictable ending.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)