Starting Over by Jen Silver

Ellie Winters hasn’t always had an easy life in the past. Even now her life, although it’s in order, isn’t running smoothly. It’s about to get even bumpier too. Ellie lives on a remote farm on Starling Hill that she inherited from her deceased parents. She lives with her recently ex lover, Robin Fanshawe.

Robin loves the ladies, lots of them and has been unfaithful to Ellie on numerous occasions, which is why they are no longer lovers. They do have a truce though, none of Robin’s women are to visit the farm. Unfortunately a woman Robin has been seeing is about to shatter their pact when she arrives on the farm to stay. This is the beginning of a chain of events which will change both Ellie and Robin’s lives forever.

Archaeologist, Professor Doctor Kathryn Moss, Ellie’s ex lover, also arrives on the farm, hoping Ellie will allow her and her team of university students to begin a dig in her field. Ellie agrees. But, will the field be the only thing being dug up? Or will Kathryn and Ellie dig up their past relationship putting an end forever into Ellie and Robin’s truce and any hopes of a reconciliation?

Will Robin realize the error of her ways and infidelities and put her ‘love them and leave them’ past behind her? Will Ellie even consider having Robin back in her life as her lover?

Who is the royal buried on Starling Hill?

History, romance, intrigue, mystery, infidelity, love and loss are all entwined together in this wonderfully well written, fast paced, debut romance from the pen of new lesfic author Jen Silver.

I had the pleasure of reading a short story written by Jen and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought from reading that story that Jen would be capable of great things. Now I know for sure she’s capable of great things having read and thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel. I found myself flying through the pages at break neck speed to find out how the story ended. Which was okay, because I then started the book again and read it more slowly to make notes for this review. No surprises that I enjoyed it just as much, if not more the second time round when I could savor the story properly.

My favorite character was Ellie. Long suffering until she took charge of her life. Once she did, Robin found herself on the other side of the fence finding out what Ellie had put up with for years. I don’t want to go into any details of the story, or put in any spoilers. But suffice it to say, that this book is an emotionally charged roller coaster of ups and downs, twists and turns. Angst one minute and laugh out loud the next.

This is a story which grabbed me from the beginning. Both Ellie and Robin have their faults and flaws. It’s their journey on the path of love in this story that shows how love can conquer almost anything. But, it also shows that relationships have to be worked on and the course of true love doesn’t always run smoothly.

Will Robin and Ellie get back together? Or has their ship sailed? You’ll have to read this to find out.