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Where Hope Starts
In a city full of dreams, Karen Marino’s life is a nightmare. The New York City restaurant manager is a professional success, but her marriage is in shambles. When her husband, Barry, shows up drunk at her restaurant, she loses both her marriage and her career. She flees The Big Apple and returns to her Midwestern home to sort through her options. Instead of answers, she finds an old boyfriend ready to rekindle romance, a family full of secrets, and an angry brother bent on revenge.
Back in New York, Barry fights his own demons. He knows he messed up but is powerless to stop his rage and addictions. A fight lands him in jail and forces him to face the possibility of serious time behind bars.
As Karen searches for answers to her inner turmoil, she uncovers a family secret that threatens to tear them all apart. Can she find her way back to the place Where Hope Starts?
Back in New York, Barry fights his own demons. He knows he messed up but is powerless to stop his rage and addictions. A fight lands him in jail and forces him to face the possibility of serious time behind bars.
As Karen searches for answers to her inner turmoil, she uncovers a family secret that threatens to tear them all apart. Can she find her way back to the place Where Hope Starts?
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Angela D. Meyer
15 books69 followersAngela D. Meyer writes fiction that showcases God’s ability to redeem and restore the brokenness in our lives. She is the author of This Side of Yesterday, The Jukebox Cafe which is included in Hope is Born: A Mosaic Christmas Anthology, and the Applewood Hill series. Angela currently lives in NE with her husband. They have two children, both of whom they homeschooled and graduated. Angela enjoys sunrises and sunsets, the ocean when she gets a chance to visit, and hopes to ride in a hot air balloon someday.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 25, 2023
I was so fortunate to win this novel (and the other two in the series) from the author through the Mosaic Collection Facebook group. These soft-cover books are absolutely gorgeous but the poor editing throughout, and my observations that follow, strands this one at 3 stars.
I'm not a romance reader and this did not particularly fall into that category as so many Christian fiction stories do, so that was a plus for me. It is unmistakably Christian fiction which in this case turned into a bit of a negative for me. Not because it has a Christian message but because it felt very overdone and rather unbelievable. It is my personal preference that a story like this weaves the Christian aspect more subtly through the characters' experiences and not as a constant nagging in their thoughts and then a sudden transformation. Part of this overload may be due to the amount of flaws the main characters have. The poor guy was not only an alcoholic and addicted to gambling and porn but didn't have a job and struggled with anger and domestic abuse. The wife had fewer demons but maybe more unrealistic actions.
I did guess the "family secret" very early on and some story-lines are clearly set up to be continued in the sequels which I look forward to reading in hopes that I can leave a more positive review.
I'm not a romance reader and this did not particularly fall into that category as so many Christian fiction stories do, so that was a plus for me. It is unmistakably Christian fiction which in this case turned into a bit of a negative for me. Not because it has a Christian message but because it felt very overdone and rather unbelievable. It is my personal preference that a story like this weaves the Christian aspect more subtly through the characters' experiences and not as a constant nagging in their thoughts and then a sudden transformation. Part of this overload may be due to the amount of flaws the main characters have. The poor guy was not only an alcoholic and addicted to gambling and porn but didn't have a job and struggled with anger and domestic abuse. The wife had fewer demons but maybe more unrealistic actions.
I did guess the "family secret" very early on and some story-lines are clearly set up to be continued in the sequels which I look forward to reading in hopes that I can leave a more positive review.
June 20, 2022
Compelling * Evocative * Hope-filled
I love that Angela D. Meyer doesn't shy away from tough, real-life issues issues! Where Hope Starts is a compelling story showing God at work within a dysfunctional family; a page-turning story of second chances, forgiveness, and hope. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
I love that Angela D. Meyer doesn't shy away from tough, real-life issues issues! Where Hope Starts is a compelling story showing God at work within a dysfunctional family; a page-turning story of second chances, forgiveness, and hope. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
December 2, 2013
Karen Marino has suffered numerous obstacles in life, commencing at age 13 when a family secret changed her entire family structure and remained an undercurrent throughout her life. Her successful career is thwarted, her marriage is in ruins, her family estranged, and her mother is dying. Her friends offer suggestions that she seek help from God, but she is convinced that God doesn't care. When life with her abusive husband becomes more than she can bear she leaves him to seek answers to the secrets of her past, with hopes of reconciliation with her family. She encounters her high school sweetheart, adding another burden to her already full plate, and finds that she cannot cope with her family's dysfunctional status. Sabotage lurks around every corner with no end to the desolation and chaos in her life.
This book delineates numerous social issues, verbal and physical abuse, alcoholism, pornography, gambling, dysfunctional relationships, PTSD, infidelity, deception, etc. The protagonist is in tears throughout the book. Numerous characters are introduced, making it a bit difficult to follow at times. Forgiveness is the focus throughout this complicated plot. Many issues are broached in this book with goals to resolution expected in a brief time period. I would have enjoyed seeing this book broken up into a series in order for events to unfold in a more natural progression and time frame, but the goals of forgiveness and hope are strong points in this Christian fiction story. The author is gifted in descriptive elements regarding location and setting, and the plot, although complicated, is commendable.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
This book delineates numerous social issues, verbal and physical abuse, alcoholism, pornography, gambling, dysfunctional relationships, PTSD, infidelity, deception, etc. The protagonist is in tears throughout the book. Numerous characters are introduced, making it a bit difficult to follow at times. Forgiveness is the focus throughout this complicated plot. Many issues are broached in this book with goals to resolution expected in a brief time period. I would have enjoyed seeing this book broken up into a series in order for events to unfold in a more natural progression and time frame, but the goals of forgiveness and hope are strong points in this Christian fiction story. The author is gifted in descriptive elements regarding location and setting, and the plot, although complicated, is commendable.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
December 9, 2016
4.5 stars
I had already read book 2 of the series, so I really enjoyed Karen and Barry's story from which I knew bits and pieces from book 2.
The whole series focuses on how anger can break a family appart and how children live with its legacy for a long time. Needless to say this is a highly emotional read. However, it is also filled with hope and faith. The author has a beautiful way of delivering the stories she wants to tell.
There were a lot of typos in this book (for example: The doctor's don't know). It disappointed me a little because I purchased the paperback... It's not a work in progress, but a finished product, so the apparent lack of revisions bothered me. Also, in the final chapter, the author confused the names of two of her characters calling Karen (the main character) Megan (a supporting character). That really took away from the emotion of the closing chapter of the book...
This was a great read nonetheless. I recommend it to all fans of Christian fiction, and I can't wait to get back to this family when book 3 comes out.
I had already read book 2 of the series, so I really enjoyed Karen and Barry's story from which I knew bits and pieces from book 2.
The whole series focuses on how anger can break a family appart and how children live with its legacy for a long time. Needless to say this is a highly emotional read. However, it is also filled with hope and faith. The author has a beautiful way of delivering the stories she wants to tell.
There were a lot of typos in this book (for example: The doctor's don't know). It disappointed me a little because I purchased the paperback... It's not a work in progress, but a finished product, so the apparent lack of revisions bothered me. Also, in the final chapter, the author confused the names of two of her characters calling Karen (the main character) Megan (a supporting character). That really took away from the emotion of the closing chapter of the book...
This was a great read nonetheless. I recommend it to all fans of Christian fiction, and I can't wait to get back to this family when book 3 comes out.
Read
September 27, 2013This novel tackles tough subjects like pornography and bitterness of the soul.But it also includes redemption, forgiveness, and the seeds of hope for a brighter future.
October 22, 2013
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Where Hope Starts is a love story gone bad. For the first six years, Barry and Karen's marriage was awesome, but then Barry lost his job, and their relationship and everything else goes down hill from there. When Barry comes very close to hitting Karen for the second time, and Karen finds out about Barry's porn addition, this was the last straw for Karen. She decides to go home to be with her dying mother. But then Karen and her family hadn't seen each other for years, because of a situation, and Karen had no idea what that situation was. Will Karen have a chance to ask her mom what happened between them years ago? And can Barry and Karen patch their dysfunctional marriage together?
This is a wonderful read! I fell in love with the characters immediately. These characters drew me into the story in the first few pages, and I had a difficult time putting this book down. I love the way God put just the right people in both Karen and Barry's lives to help them deal with their hurts. This is truly a book about mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. Satan tries his best to pull both Karen and Barry farther away from each other, but God had a plan for their lives. And you can read all about this beautiful plan in this wonderful heartwarming romance by Angela Meyer. Even though this is fiction, God can, and will do the same with our lives today. Whether it be marriage, or another area in our lives. He is there to go through our trials with us. What an awesome God we serve! Thank you Angela Meyer for this wonderful story!
I received this book from FIRST WildCard Tours to read and 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 55.
Where Hope Starts is a love story gone bad. For the first six years, Barry and Karen's marriage was awesome, but then Barry lost his job, and their relationship and everything else goes down hill from there. When Barry comes very close to hitting Karen for the second time, and Karen finds out about Barry's porn addition, this was the last straw for Karen. She decides to go home to be with her dying mother. But then Karen and her family hadn't seen each other for years, because of a situation, and Karen had no idea what that situation was. Will Karen have a chance to ask her mom what happened between them years ago? And can Barry and Karen patch their dysfunctional marriage together?
This is a wonderful read! I fell in love with the characters immediately. These characters drew me into the story in the first few pages, and I had a difficult time putting this book down. I love the way God put just the right people in both Karen and Barry's lives to help them deal with their hurts. This is truly a book about mercy, grace, forgiveness and redemption. Satan tries his best to pull both Karen and Barry farther away from each other, but God had a plan for their lives. And you can read all about this beautiful plan in this wonderful heartwarming romance by Angela Meyer. Even though this is fiction, God can, and will do the same with our lives today. Whether it be marriage, or another area in our lives. He is there to go through our trials with us. What an awesome God we serve! Thank you Angela Meyer for this wonderful story!
I received this book from FIRST WildCard Tours to read and 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 55.
January 25, 2016
Wow! I stayed up past midnight to finish Where Hope Starts!
Karen Marino isn’t happy… first her husband Barry shows up at her job – drunk and angry, then her new boss fires her – without warning or cause. On top of that, her estranged father sends her a plane ticket with a note that simply says, “Come home.”
Karen heads home… where she discovers more problems – and more support from unexpected sources – than she could have anticipated. In the meantime, Barry goes from bad – to worse! When he lands in jail, an unlikely ally comes to his aid.
If I were introduced to Karen and Barry, I would not be too surprised – after all, I know them pretty well by now. Seriously, I wouldn’t be shocked to find them as real people – with real problems. That’s exactly the way they seem to me now. The story is just this real.
I’d love the chance to meet Karen, Elinor, and Megan – but there’s one in particular I’d rather never, ever meet!
And this inn – the Applewood Hill Bed and Breakfast – it sounds like a wonderful place to spend time… maybe a few weeks there and my stress level would bottom out. I adore wrap-around porches, so you’d find me on the porch swing whenever I had a few spare minutes, just swinging slowly, a slight breeze gently tickling my neck.
OK! I’m sure this time I’ve said way too much… so before I give away any more of the story, I’d better stop talking about what is happening.
I’m in awe of the amazing story Angela tells in Where Hope Starts – I sort of fought against it at first, probably because I could see where it was going, but it was SO MUCH BETTER than I could have imagined!
This was a story that needed to be told. And I was excited to hear that there are two more stories in this series… and I can’t wait to continue reading!
October 24, 2021
Angela D. Meyer is not afraid to tackle difficult topics in her fiction. Where Hope Starts includes topics such as family dysfunction, pornography and marital infidelity. The topics are handled in a tasteful way that brings the characters to God. Life is messy for all of us - sometimes it seems more so when we are Christians with family members who don’t share our faith, or when we aren’t living out our faith. Angela Meyer uses somewhat minor characters to play a major role in bringing the main characters to the Lord. The story will challenge readers to take a stand for Biblical values when they see friends going down a wrong path.
Readers will fall in love with Karen and her friends and family members like I did. I can’t wait to read the second book in the Applewood Hill series.
Where Hope Starts is an adult novel. If I placed it in a K-12 Christian school library (and I’m not sure I would), I would label it for high school only.
Where Hope Starts is part of the Mosaic Collection with the theme of Family by His Design.
I received a complimentary copy of Where Hope Starts. This is my honest review.
Readers will fall in love with Karen and her friends and family members like I did. I can’t wait to read the second book in the Applewood Hill series.
Where Hope Starts is an adult novel. If I placed it in a K-12 Christian school library (and I’m not sure I would), I would label it for high school only.
Where Hope Starts is part of the Mosaic Collection with the theme of Family by His Design.
I received a complimentary copy of Where Hope Starts. This is my honest review.
January 12, 2017
Angela D. Meyer, author of Where Hope Starts, dives into the problems that face married couples in today’s society like a bomber pilot on a mission. In Where Hope Starts, heroine Karen Marino flees from the issues of her husband’s unfaithfulness and drunkenness. Her husband, Barry Marino, is powerless to fight the chains of temptations that change him into a stranger even he doesn't like!
Where Hope Starts is a heart-provoking story about two people searching for answers to the senseless pain each spouse provokes on the other. Karen and Barry’s experience could be any couple’s experience. Angela weaves her novel around life situations in a heart-wrenching story about family secrets and God’s forgiveness. I loved this book!
Where Hope Starts is a heart-provoking story about two people searching for answers to the senseless pain each spouse provokes on the other. Karen and Barry’s experience could be any couple’s experience. Angela weaves her novel around life situations in a heart-wrenching story about family secrets and God’s forgiveness. I loved this book!
March 3, 2015
Where Hope Starts, is a compelling story about forgiveness, hope and second chances. It deals with some tough issues that people face in everyday life, including addictions. I love the theme of healing throughout this story because it shows that God can restore relationships and cure addictions even when it seems that hope is lost. I believe anyone who reads this book will be encouraged.
October 18, 2021
5 stars, We are all sinners
WHERE HOPE STARTS
by Angela D. Meyer
This is a re-release of a wonderful book about second chances and deciding if you want to give your spouse that second chance. Do the problems of your relationship with your spouse come from the sole responsibility of just one of you, or do both of you have things that could have been changed or done differently, better.
If everything in your life comes crashing down, your husband is abusive, he has excessive anger issues, addictions, and debts, you lose your highly successful job, your own family has turned on you when you were 13, your mother is very sick if all this is happening all at once, what do you do? Simple, you run for home. You pray, you to try to patch up your broken relationships as best you can, and let God take you the rest of the way. We are all sinners, it's what you do once you acknowledge it and go with God.
Much gratitude from the author #angeladmeyer @angeladmeyer for the opportunity to read #wherehopestarts #themosaiccollection @themosaiccollection I was under no obligation to post a review. #christianfiction #christianromance #inspirationalfiction #alwaysreading #readingislife #readmorebooks #womensfiction #fortheloveofbooks
WHERE HOPE STARTS
by Angela D. Meyer
This is a re-release of a wonderful book about second chances and deciding if you want to give your spouse that second chance. Do the problems of your relationship with your spouse come from the sole responsibility of just one of you, or do both of you have things that could have been changed or done differently, better.
If everything in your life comes crashing down, your husband is abusive, he has excessive anger issues, addictions, and debts, you lose your highly successful job, your own family has turned on you when you were 13, your mother is very sick if all this is happening all at once, what do you do? Simple, you run for home. You pray, you to try to patch up your broken relationships as best you can, and let God take you the rest of the way. We are all sinners, it's what you do once you acknowledge it and go with God.
Much gratitude from the author #angeladmeyer @angeladmeyer for the opportunity to read #wherehopestarts #themosaiccollection @themosaiccollection I was under no obligation to post a review. #christianfiction #christianromance #inspirationalfiction #alwaysreading #readingislife #readmorebooks #womensfiction #fortheloveofbooks
October 21, 2021
An emotion filled story of real people experiencing real things. Great characters and great story! Looking forward to to the next book. One of the great books I’ve read this year! And I’m sure it will be a great story for those who enjoy Christian contemporary romance.
October 22, 2022
journey to home
This is a long story about two people who thought their marriage was over. God took them both, by themselves and did a great thing in their hearts, which started long before they even knew. Very well done!!!
This is a long story about two people who thought their marriage was over. God took them both, by themselves and did a great thing in their hearts, which started long before they even knew. Very well done!!!
September 11, 2024
The title is powerful,about to start reading
July 29, 2016
Restaurant owner Karen Marino feels trapped in her marriage to her husband Barry. When bad turns to worse, she retreats to her hometown where her dysfunctional family and an old flame cause even more problems.
Fired for trying to offset his employer’s illegal activities, Barry is now jobless and drowning in his addictions—alcohol, gambling and pornography, but by the time he realizes it, he’s locked in chains of his own making. What will it take to get his life back? Or is that even possible?
At this point, only God himself could turn their marriage around. But neither want to hear anything about the One who allowed the horrendous tragedies marring their pasts. How can they get back to the place Where Hope Starts?
Despite several proofreading errors, I couldn’t put this book down. Amazingly realistic in portraying dysfunctional families and other aspects of the characters’ lives, it digs deep into the issues that hurt and offers hope and healing. Looking forward to more of this author’s work.
Fired for trying to offset his employer’s illegal activities, Barry is now jobless and drowning in his addictions—alcohol, gambling and pornography, but by the time he realizes it, he’s locked in chains of his own making. What will it take to get his life back? Or is that even possible?
At this point, only God himself could turn their marriage around. But neither want to hear anything about the One who allowed the horrendous tragedies marring their pasts. How can they get back to the place Where Hope Starts?
Despite several proofreading errors, I couldn’t put this book down. Amazingly realistic in portraying dysfunctional families and other aspects of the characters’ lives, it digs deep into the issues that hurt and offers hope and healing. Looking forward to more of this author’s work.
March 7, 2014
I liked the book in premise, but I have a hard time with weak protagonists,so I found myself very frustrated while reading this book at times. Karen will say she loves her husband one minute and spend time with her old boyfriend the next.
April 11, 2014
Karen and Barry are unhappily married. They split, and separately pursue a path of healing from the tragic experiences that have brought them to their unhappy present. A story of pain and regret, of forgiveness and redemption. A nice debut for author Angela D. Meyer.
February 26, 2014
Solid effort from a new author!
June 12, 2015
NE author who was at the Gretna Library
goood
goood
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