Start with Me by Kara Isaac follows Lacey O’Connor and Victor Carlisle as they navigate the turbulent waters of a corporate restructuring. If having their professional lives uprooted isn’t challenge enough, their personal lives weave a snare that could cost them what they value most.
Lacey has turned countless books into best sellers, but when allegations of impropriety rock her company, she sees it as her chance to climb the ladder and create a safe environment for the women she works with. Victor is a recovering alcoholic and low level lobbyist for a company on the other side of the ocean. When one of the higher-ups is caught in a scandal that threatens to destroy the company, the boss decides on a merger. Thrown together in what amounts to a corporate game of survival, Lacey and Victor must navigate some literal choppy water.
I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. Corporate mergers and jockeying for professional position isn’t usually the type of story I prefer. But Start with Me is so much more. First, Lacey and Victor are taken out of the corporate environment and plunged into a wilderness exercise. And then the family drama begins. Through it all, Victor is one of the best heroes I’ve read. He character really shows through. Lacey notices it, too. Whether she believes the change to be permanent, however, is part of the story.
As for the writing, one of the parts I liked the most was toward the end. Without giving any spoilers, I admired the way the author didn’t cause misunderstanding to create drama. The characters wanted the truth, so there was no artificial drama that could be easily solved by being adults who work through the trouble. Instead, those adults face the trouble head on. But the trouble is big enough and deep enough that their maturity may not be enough to overcome in the end.
I recommend reading Start with Me. It’s the type of story that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.
I received this book free from JustRead Publicity in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”