A Fresh Start

Sugar Springs #4

by Alexa Aston

Welcome to the new world from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston—Sugar Springs—a small town in East Texas where love has a way of turning up when you least expect it!

A woman ready to make a fresh start in life after a double tragedy. A man returning to his hometown, eager to serve his community. Two people not looking for a relationship—much less love—and finding life is better when it’s shared . . .

Deb Busby’s life implodes when a stalker causes her to be fired from her job—and when she lets him know she has no interest in him—he murders her parents. Seeking to escape her past and her enormous grief and guilt, Deb changes her name to Hope Keller and moves to the small town of Sugar Springs, purchasing the practice of the local veterinarian.

Gideon Ross had hopes for playing in the NFL until a knee injury changed his career trajectory. Becoming a detective in Dallas, Gideon is eventually given the opportunity to return to his hometown and take over as its chief of police. Divorced for a decade, he has no plans for dating, much less marriage—until he meets Dr. Hope Keller.

But Gideon’s police instincts cause him to look into Hope’s background. As his relationship with Hope heats up, he hesitates to tell her he knows about her past because he worries that it might impact their future.

Can Hope find peace in a new place and heal emotionally—and is Gideon Ross the man for her?

Find the answer in A Fresh Start, Book 4 in Sugar Springs.

Genres: Romantic Suspense

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 22, 2023

About the author

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Alexa Aston lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys travel, sports, and time with her family.

Her historical romances bring to life loveable rogues and dashing knights, while her contemporary romances are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.

Stay in touch with Alexa at:

Website: https://alexaaston.com/

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Reviews

[Linda J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series I've read and I wasn't lost. Great main and secondary characters that made you fall in love with this town.

The H is a Police Chief in this small town having been a detective in Dallas. Our h is running from a horrific event that killed her parents. She changes everything she can and moves from Houston to this small town. The characters are written with a lot of depth, and the pacing never dragged. I was very invested in this story I hated to see it come to an end.

I enjoyed how the MC's meet and immediately clicked. If you grew up in a small town you know everyone knows your business, but also has your back.

Suspenseful, especially the beginning and the ending. The middle was about life in this town and our H/h finding their way together. Lovemaking outside of marriage, heat level 4.5 out of 5, filled with passion and love. I found their relationship filled with romance.

Of course, both H/h have secrets and I was upset how the h handled it, when she learns what the H did. She accused him of something she was guilty of too. Thankfully, she realized this and the ending was perfect.

No cheating, no cliffhanger, big twist at the end, sweet epilogue 25 years in the future, romantic, HEA, steam, crude words use 1 or 2 times. I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you some extra tidbits to decide whether to purchase.

I received ARC from Booksprout and all opinions are my own and freely given. (ljb)

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was glad to see Gideon's story and wondered who would be the one to catch his eye.
Hope moved to Sugar Springs after the trauma she had been through. She is taking over as the town Vet.
When she starts seeing Gideon, the towns top cop, he looks her up and finds out her story. Keeping the knowledge to himself and leaving it to her to share when she is ready.
When she finds out he used to be married, she throws a big ass fit. Excuse me!!!! What about the BIG secret she is keeping.
It all comes to a head when she finds out he looked her up and she dumps him. I don't know if its just me or what, but her wishy washy ways just made me dislike her.
For some reason I thought her stalker would show up but an incident did happen for Gideon to have to save her and she totally forgot her anger at him.

[Pat Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sugar Springs, the small town feel, people caring for their neighbors. This story brings me back to Sugar Springs. It starts out very hard with Deb/Hope dealing with agonizing events. Leaving that life behind, she changes her name and seeks home. Gideon, having found his home after a rough start in life, a bad marriage and broken dreams, finds the love of his life in Hope. To see their relationship bloom is so sweet and what tears them apart, so very hard. But what brings them back together was priceless. I loved the epilogue as well. I felt it gave a great big period on a lovely , semi-sweet, story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This is a good, fun, entertaining read. Gideon and Hope are captivating, relatable, intriguing, fun characters. Sugar Springs is a good series that I enjoy visiting. The characters are all quirky and fun. I love that we got to see characters from previous stories in this one and find out more about their HEA. I enjoyed the romance and intrigue aspects of this story. There were aspects of this story that surprised me in a good way. This is my second favourite book of the series. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t imagine what Hope went through with her stalker and because of him losing her parents and her job. She gets the chance to start over in small town Sugar Springs with more opportunities than she ever expected with the chance to own a veterinary practice and have a forever kind of love. But police chief Gideon isn’t without flaws. His investigative nature could cause him to lose her. Both were stubborn at times, she more than him. There was some suspense in the beginning and towards the end. I loved reading about all the animals and catching up with the previous characters in the series.

[Helen Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle story in which love blossoms between smart and caring vet Dr Hope Keller and the attractive, dependable police chief, Gideon Ross. There is interesting insight into both of their professions, which gives the story a genuine feel but I was kept on my toes with a twist in the tale that I really wasn't expecting. I look forward to reading another tale set in the friendly small town of Sugar Springs, where people help one another out and everybody knows everyone's business.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deb Busby has a stalker. He is getting more persistent and dangerous. As things escalate, she fears for her life. She loses her job and her parents are murdered. Deb decides change her name and leave the city. Deb, now Hope moves to Sugar Springs. Hope buys the local vet clinic. She meets Gideon at the local diner and they are both smitten. Can Hope and Gideon move on from their troubled pasts to make a life together? Will untold pasts hurt their relationship? Great story! You are rooting for them throughout the story.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A terrible tragedy has Deb/Hope leaving the city she grew up in to a new town to start a new life with a new name. She finds all this and more in Sugar Springs. Gideon has returned to Sugar Springs, the place where he grew up, to be the police chief. When they meet it is instant attraction. Along the way mistakes are made on both sides almost destroying a new life they both want.
Loved the epilogue.
Love the town and the people. A little more explicit than my usual read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leah Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. You will fall in love with Gideon and Hope. This is a heartfelt read. I read it in one sitting. You get great new characters and appearances by some readers have come to adore. This book is charming, sometimes sweet, sometimes sexy, and contains just the right amount of angst.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a fresh start…

For both of them. Deb has a stalker which led to her firing, then he murdered her parents (serious stuff). So she desperately needs a fresh start in Sugar Springs.

Gideon is an ex NFL-er also looking for a fresh start.

Contemporary with some drama.

[Irene Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story

Life is a mystery, you never know what is before you. But light after hard times and struggles is what we have to work for. This book is a good example of that. I recommend the book.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise had a lot of promise but there was very little real story and a lot of meaningless filler.

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a sweet love story. Gideon has returned home to be the police chief. He is scarred from a previous marriage and is great at his job. Deb aka Hope is a veterinarian. She has had a horrible thing happen in her life and is looking at starting over in Sugar Springs. The characters are friendly and engaging throughout the story. This is the final story in the series and is a good way to end.