Every Friday, theSkimm recommends a book. I look forward to it every week. I reckon all but one a month make it onto my “to read” list. This Friday, I beat theSkimm! What a day. Last week at the library, I picked up yesterday’s recommendation. I am impressed with myself to say the least.

Book Read: Evvie Drake Starts Over
Author: Linda Holmes
Number of Books Read, 2019 Edition: 49

Evvie Drake has barely left her home in the year since her husband’s sudden death. She doesn’t stay home because of the grief; she stays in because she doesn’t feel any grief. Evvie has never admitted this to anyone, including her best friend, Andy, even though Evvie ad Andy meet for breakfast every Saturday morning. One Saturday, Andy mentions a friend, Dean Tenney, looking for a place to lay low for a while. Dean’s baseball career has come to a complete halt, as his arm has just decided it doesn’t feel like pitching anymore.

Dean moves into the apartment at the back of Evvie’s too-big-for-one-person home. They make a deal – she won’t ask about baseball, and he won’t ask about her late husband. The deal lasts for a short while, as Dean and Evvie form an unexpected friendship. As they spend more and more time together, rules are broken, topics are discussed, and friendship becomes something more. Evvie helps Dean face his pitching problem, and Dean will get Evvie to open up about the truth of her marriage, not only to him, but to Andy as well.

But can their friendship turned into something more survive the pains of the past? You’ll have to read it to find out. Add in heated, drunken argument with a best friend (who hasn’t had those?), truths that need to be revealed, a good amount of humor and an adorable dog, and you’ve got Evvie Drake Starts Over.

I picked this book because the cover appealed to me. It has a small lobster on the front, which reminded me of the lobster shaped mint tin my Aunt gave us when we visited her in Boston. Then, this book took place in Maine! My aunt also drove us to Maine on that trip. It all seemed to point to me reading this book. 

This book was a typical romance novel, but had a bit more depth than others. I read this book in no time, because it was serious, yet humorous, sad at times, yet fun most of the time. In her debut novel, Holmes asks the When Harry Met Sally Question – “can men and women ever really be just friends”? In the case of Evvie and Andy, they’ve proven they can. By including details of how Andy and Evvie became friends, how Evvie interacts with Andy’s children and new girlfriend, and how they tried to kiss once and it was gross, Holmes brings a sub-story to this one. You will be rooting for their friendship just as much as you are rooting for Evvie and Dean.

Evvie Drakes Starts Over is a romantic novel, but it is not as corny as some of the others I have read (see The Kiss Quotient and The Wedding Date as examples). It has its moments where yes, it is cornier than needed, but those moments are few and far between. This book has charm and depth. Holmes focuses on her characters, building them up both a couple and individually. If charming, romantic novels, with a hint of corniness are your thing, then this one is for you.

Hey, theSkimm recommended it, so it has to be pretty good, right?

Here are a few bonus pictures from our trip to Maine in October 2015:

Next Read: The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere