Book Review: Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet

 Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet - DNF at 51% - Ch 21 

Let me start by saying this book has tropes I am not usually a fan of - so take my review with a grain of salt. This may be something for you - and it's just not for me. I do think Rebekah has great writing and I would love to check out future books by her if the tropes are up my alley - I probably should have really waited to see if the tropes would have been for me or not but I digress. 

Julia Monroe is a 40 year old widow and mother of 2 boys, 18 and 19 years old, who are off to college now, leaving Julia at home alone to figure out this next stage of her life. She had a beautiful, happy marriage to her husband Mark - but he passed away 10 years ago and she is not eager to jump into a new relationship, for fear of getting hurt again. In comes Samuel Reed, the "ex-boyfriend before her life with her husband". Their relationship ended on bad terms but 20 years later, he's back in town and arrives at her church and old memories resurface.

Ya'll I reallllllly wanted to love this book. I feel bad honestly, but it just wasn't for me. I am not going to "rate it" since I didn't finish it, but from what I read 50% in, I was beyond frustrated with Julia. 

She sees Samuel at her church and references how he "needs to find another place of worship" and that rubbed me the wrong way. She continues to be so mean and hating him for a good portion of the book, but she's still thinking about how handsome he is and stuff - yet she's so mean. Some of what she said just rubbed me the wrong way. I understand she has not forgiven Samuel for what he did and there's some trauma she is holding onto - but 20 years later Samuel has truly changed, is a Christian and showing true remorse after all he has done, yet she is holding such a grudge against him and cannot move past their past. This is something I struggle with reading in books - the "I can't let this go" trope. It's frustrating - I know it's hard to forgive people but as a 40 year old she just exhibited such immaturity in her thoughts and behavior. She was downright mean to him and that just frustrated me. And then he just kept coming back after she was so rude - it was truly like a hate to love situation that frustrated me.  I have enjoyed enemies to lovers in the past but....this was just truly hate to love and I didn't like that.

After hearing from a close friend more frustrating things that occur in the 80% mark, I decided I was just not the right person for this book and decided to DNF. I honestly think several will enjoy this - for those who love the second chance hate to love books, but I am starting to realize what I enjoy in romance books and this was just not for me. I have seen there are some good faith moments in this book but unfortunately I was not able to make it there with everything I wasn't loving.

Again, while I am disappointed that I didn't end up loving this or finishing it, I will be on the look out for more of Rebekah's books in the future - just need to make sure the tropes are for me! :)

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book to honestly read and review.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-U-nf5HX8