Julia Monroe Begins Again

Beignets for Two

By: Rebekah Millet

Narrated by: Susan Bennett

Samuel was back. It seemed unfair to be blindsided. And in church no less.

Shouldn’t there be a commandment about that? Thou shalt not step foot inside thy ex’s place of worship.

Julia Monroe has just turned forty and has high hopes for a fresh start after the last decade of her life abruptly left her a young widow and a single mom. With both her boys off to college, she can finally focus on expanding her New Orleans-based cleaning business. Julia is ready for new beginnings—but God has other plans. Samuel Reed, the ruggedly handsome Green Beret who shattered her heart over twenty years ago, has returned to town and is the kind of distraction she never saw coming.

After their first interaction in years leaves her mind spinning and her emotions out of control, Julia knows she needs to avoid him if she wants any chance of preventing history from repeating itself, but her meddling best friend keeps throwing them together. And now it seems inevitable that the man who was hard to forget might just be impossible to resist.

©2023 Rebekah Millet (P)2023 Recorded Books

A life with God

Love love great book thank you very much it was amazing inligtnin I appreciate your perspective on the word of faith

Narrator brings the Southern charm!

What an amazing debut by Rebekah Millet! I loved the Southern, sassy, quirky Julia who’s a widow in her 40’s faced with the past and overcoming her fears when it comes to romance and business. It’s a unique read with a not-so-typical heroine. She’ll definitely cause you to feel a gamut of strong emotions which the writer does an excellent job eliciting, proving she’s someone to watch out for.

Julia Monroe lost her husband Mark 10 years ago. She truly loved him and had two sons with him who are now in their late teens and attending college. But before Mark, there was Samuel Reed. After more than 20 years, she spots him at her church and suddenly the pain, heartache, and betrayal she never forgot is pushed to the forefront. Samuel seems to have changed, but can she reconcile Samuel 2.0 with the Samuel from her past.

As she struggles with forgiveness, she also struggles with real fears and anxiety. She’s so afraid of loss, that she isn’t willing to give Samuel a chance or pursue a business opportunity for her homemade cleaning products. Enter her friend Kate. Everyone should have a friend like Kate who pushes Julia and helps her see what God has been trying to show her all along.

Samuel’s a former Green Beret who lost an eye. He’s gone through a lot in those 20 years he’s been away. He’s definitely matured and is infinitely patient. He recognizes the spark between him and Julia that’s still alive and well, but realizes he’s hurt her deeply. He doesn’t want to give up on her, but he might have to in order to respect her wishes.

It’s a heartfelt, funny, poignant, raw story of loss, second chances, romance, overcoming fears, and forgiveness. Told from Julia’s perspective, I found myself sometimes uncomfortable in her head. She’s opinionated, quick to judge, and flippantly funny. But, she’s also a caring mom, and someone who’s trying to do the right thing. For anyone who’s experienced miscarriages, loss of a spouse, or other deeply traumatic events, it’s easy to sympathize with Julia’s fears. I loved the way things finally resolved in the story. If you’re frustrated with Julia, give her a chance. She might just surprise you.

For an authentic Southern experience, I recommend listening to the audiobook version. The narrator does a great job capturing all the characters, especially Julia and really brings this story to life. She definitely captures the emotions of the characters well.

Highly recommend to Christian Women’s Fiction, Christian romcom, and Chick Lit fans. Looking forward to reading more books by this author. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher but also purchased the audiobook version. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4-4.5 stars

Wonderful!

This story is funny, sweet, inspirational, and touching. The main characters are so likable. The narration was great. This is one of those rare books that made me want to listen all over again the minute it finished. I’ll miss these friendly characters! Highly recommend!!!

Highly recommend

This is a wonderful book! I love the realness and raw emotions the author unearths through Julia‘s story. I felt I was living Julia‘s tragedies and joys. Highly recommend!

Loved this story!

I really enjoyed this second chance story! The humor was spot on and the romance was perfect. I cannot believe this is a debut novel! The narrator is excellent!

Delightful Romance

What a wonderful story! Great job narrating the story! The characters were well written, and the setting was vivid! It was fun to have a heroine who was 40. The faith message was meaningful and very naturally woven in. Outstanding debut!

If you liked Evvie Drake…Julia is just as delightful!

This book was charming and I can’t wait for more by this debut author. It was funny, serious, and thought provoking. Set in the south, it’s charm was magnified.

Laugh out loud funny debut!

A wonderfully uplifting and touching story of a woman facing her new life at age 40 in New Orleans along with her past when her ex-boyfriend moves back.

Highly recommend this swoon-worthy romance that also hits deeper in the heart and soul as the heroine and hero grapple with the pain of the past and the undeniable attraction between them. I loved this couple and I was rooting for them. They became so real to me. What an amazing job Rebekah Millet did bringing them to life. Julia's mom was especially unforgettable!

The city became a much-loved character in this story from the beignets and gumbo to the streetcars and the French Quarter. I am from Louisiana and have visited New Orleans many times. My husband is from there. The author did it justice! (The audiobook narrator is also amazing and she got the accents spot on.) I can't wait for Millet's next book!