Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$6.99 with 56 percent savings
Print List Price: $15.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Monica McCallan
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Back to the Start Kindle Edition

by Monica McCallan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,711 ratings
When Remy’s grandmother dies, it means leaving her life in San Francisco and returning to a town she swore she'd never revisit, forced to confront a world she'd worked hard to put behind her over the last twelve years.

She's not expecting that the first girl to ever steal her heart, the pretty, popular Fallon Lewis is still around, and in a town this small, their paths continue to cross much to Remy’s dismay. It's hard enough seeing her first love, but it's exponentially more difficult when she can barely stand to look at the woman.

Remy's trip back has the possibility to open up doors she believed were shut long ago, but she's never planned on staying, and she definitely never planned on letting Fallon back into her life.

If she thought being a teenager in a small town was hard, she's about to find out how much harder life is when there's no one but herself to blame for her problems.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    330 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    August 4, 2018
  5. File size
    2.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

From the Publisher

Back to the Start
Good Spin
Then & Now
Tapping into Love
The Flaw in our Design
Buying Options
Buying Options
Buying Options
Buying Options
Buying Options
Customer Reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,711
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,034
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,741
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,338
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,124
Price $6.99 $6.99 $6.99 $6.99 $6.99
Happily Ever After You betcha! You betcha! You betcha! You betcha! You betcha!
Angst Boatloads Heaps Buckets Yeppers Brace yourself
Second Chance ✓ no data ✓ no data no data
Small Town ✓ no data no data ✓ ✓
Fake Relationship no data ✓ no data no data no data
Friends-to-Lovers ✓ ✓ ✓ no data ✓
Idiots in love ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Feelings + Fluff + Heat ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Editorial Reviews

Review

Add in the great performance by the veteran sapphic narrator (that you all know I love), Lori Prince, and this is an enjoyable book that I took my time to enjoy. This one went down like your first two cups of coffee on a crisp fall morning.-- "Brian's Book Blog"

About the Author

Monica McCallan was an enthusiastic fan of romance novels before she began writing them. She currently lives in Philadelphia with her partner and two tiny dogs. She cannot parallel park to save her life, enjoys playing pool a few times a week, and has enjoyed every second of the craft beer explosion these last few years.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07G6FRZFK
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 4, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 330 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,711 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Monica McCallan

Monica McCallan

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Monica McCallan lives in Massachusetts with her incredible wife and their (usually) incredible dog.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,711 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book very enjoyable, particularly appreciating its great writing and well-developed characters. Moreover, the story receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting it as a great second chance/past lives reuniting narrative. Additionally, customers praise the emotional content, with one review noting the right balance of angst and romance.

Select to learn more

EnjoymentStory qualityCharacter developmentWriting qualityEmotional content
28 customers mention "Enjoyment"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very enjoyable, with one mentioning it's addictive and keeps them interested throughout.

"Great book. Loved characters. First thought it would be about revenge. But ended as lovers. As it had started...." Read more

"...Kind of annoying. The story was light and a good distraction. This book could be so much more with a good editor." Read more

"...keep the novel from being a perfect 5 star read but it’s still a great book that I enjoy reading time and again on cold lazy days...." Read more

"...This was a great read with just the right amount of angst and romance...." Read more

25 customers mention "Story quality"25 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, particularly appreciating its second chance love theme and easy-flowing narrative. One customer specifically mentions it as a great tale of past lives reuniting, while another notes the satisfying conclusion.

"A great love story. I always enjoy MM’s books and this was no exception...." Read more

"I loved this book for the story line and the characters… it was just a struggle to get through the writing style when Fallon and Remy were..." Read more

"...The conclusion was so satisfying that I just sat there for an hour after, basking in the feelings it had brought around...." Read more

"...Kind of annoying. The story was light and a good distraction. This book could be so much more with a good editor." Read more

19 customers mention "Character development"19 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting the intense chemistry between the main characters.

"...I always enjoy MM’s books and this was no exception. The characters are real, with all their flaws and ordinariness, but still beautiful, passionate..." Read more

"Great book. Loved characters. First thought it would be about revenge. But ended as lovers. As it had started...." Read more

"...I loved how Fallon is SHOWN to be an amazing person, partly because she never points out what she's done...." Read more

"...The chemistry between the main characters is intense and sweet...." Read more

12 customers mention "Writing quality"12 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting the excellent vocabulary and another highlighting the great dialogue.

"...Monica writes her stories very well." Read more

"...That is vital in writing a book, however the story must be gripping and exciting...." Read more

"...I love this author’s writing style and look forward to reading more of her work." Read more

"...Amazing writing, amazing story, amazing author! Can’t wait for more novels from her." Read more

6 customers mention "Emotional content"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the emotional content of the book, with one mentioning it has the right amount of angst and romance, while another notes how emotionally connected they feel from the beginning.

"...with all their flaws and ordinariness, but still beautiful, passionate people." Read more

"...novel if you want a story that will give you all of your favorite love story feels!" Read more

"...This was a great read with just the right amount of angst and romance...." Read more

"My favorite characters I’ve read of hers yet. I was emotionally connected very early in. A good read all around." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • time to read
    5.0 out of 5 stars love the story
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A great love story. I always enjoy MM’s books and this was no exception. The characters are real, with all their flaws and ordinariness, but still beautiful, passionate people.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Emily
    4.0 out of 5 stars The writing
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I loved this book for the story line and the characters… it was just a struggle to get through the writing style when Fallon and Remy were constantly referred to as the blonde and the brunette.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Learning Curve.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Great book. Loved characters. First thought it would be about revenge. But ended as lovers. As it had started. Surprised she left her business with someone else in charge.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Roz
    5.0 out of 5 stars You really can't beat a second chance at love
    Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    What to even say about this story, when there is so MUCH that it touches on in so many great ways?
    Well, first: you can't go wrong referencing one of the most iconic country singers ever. You get bonus points when you manage to make a pun out of it, too. A++ on the dog's name, for sure.
    More importantly: I'm such a sucker for the second chance love stories. The teenager whose heart gets broken, being outed in the worst way and feeling betrayed by the person you loved. Running away and mourning it, then being thrown back together again later. What could be better?
    I loved how Remy was forced to confront her assumptions, again and again (because, let's be real: none of us learn our lessons the first time). I loved how Fallon is SHOWN to be an amazing person, partly because she never points out what she's done. She has always felt that she did what she had to do, and doesn't consider herself anything special.
    The conclusion was so satisfying that I just sat there for an hour after, basking in the feelings it had brought around.
    It made me want to reach out to my high school crush (although I chose not to, since we weren't Remy and Fallon, after all), and that says a lot for the story itself. You should definitely pick up this novel if you want a story that will give you all of your favorite love story feels!
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ximena Z.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Endearing story, needs better editing
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I don’t think I’m the first to talk about this on one of these reviews, yet I must. I found it so distracting that the two main characters address each other by their names 3 out 4 interactions but the narrator refers to them as the blonde and the brunette almost 95% of the times. Kind of annoying.

    The story was light and a good distraction. This book could be so much more with a good editor.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Raelynn
    4.0 out of 5 stars Undeniable love
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is one of my favorite books by Monica McCallan. The chemistry between the main characters is intense and sweet. Sadly, there are just a few plot issues that keep the novel from being a perfect 5 star read but it’s still a great book that I enjoy reading time and again on cold lazy days.

    The main character Remy has a grudge against her first love Fallon for a incident in high school and flees the small town, never wanting to return. But circumstances make Remy head back and confront her past and see Fallon once more, but the feelings once thought gone are alive and growing even after a decade apart.

    Remy is a flawed character that needed to be further explored, she had one issue with Fallon and got over that quickly, but definitely has family issues that were never fully addressed just pushed aside to explore her feeling for Fallon. Meanwhile, Fallon was shown to basically be perfect which is okay but in contrast to Remy, it sometimes made them seem unequal maturity wise but definitely emotionally. But honestly when the two of them are together you almost don’t care about those outside issues because they just melt together wonderfully and you want them to have that beautiful HEA.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Amazonbuyer9erz
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I got confused with the blonde and the brunette references but once I could remember who was who, it flowed great and I finished it in 2 days. Monica writes her stories very well.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Gina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Great Story!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This story had a little bit of everything. First Love, First Time adding hurt, betrayal and disappointment. How one stupid incident could change the lives of two teenagers and take them full circle. The chemistry between Remy and Fallon both on the bad side and then the good was the most intriguing part of this story. I know that the story was told mostly through Remy but I wish their was a little more coming from Fallon’s perspective. Having said that I enjoyed this immensely and recommend it. Monica McCallan has done it again.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Cliente Kindle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet reading
    Reviewed in Brazil on June 8, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Looking for star-crossed lovers? This is for you then! The characters are very charming and it's impossible to not fall in love with them. The writing is entertaining and you don't feel the time passing while reading. And the story was lovely with sweet turnouts.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read is an understatement!
    Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have been reading these kind of books(lesbian romance, I mean)for a few years now.
    I have read a couple of Monica McCallan and I can't wait to read the rest of hers!
    This book, Back to the Start, was a bit different from the writing I am used on reading, and I enjoyed it immensely. The settings are off the charts. I love the characters, but I think that Claire is my favorite! I can't remember what I was doing at 17! Is there a story about her? Because I would read it! (I may or may not be going to browse all the books to see if there is. 😊)
    I highly recommend this book.
    Report
  • LoveReading
    3.0 out of 5 stars Great read and well done but.....
    Reviewed in Australia on September 21, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I would have rated this book much higher as it's a great read and well done! I simply found it too annoying and distracting to identify the main characters as "the blonde" and "the brunette" throughout the entire book.
    Report
  • Katz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Locks of hair
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A lot of people made comment about the blonde and brunette reference being distracting but I have read plenty of books written by MM after this that it doesn’t even affect how I enjoyed the story. It was appropriate to make a mental image of what was happening. And as this seems to be an earlier work, I know for a fact she improved masterfully.

    I love the characters and how the POV was from Remy only because as agonizing as her view on things were, I think there’s more pain from Fallon’s side. It’s easier to move from anger and allowing it to bouy you than it is to move from guilt and regret. Fallon is such a strong character to come out on the other end as a caring individual not blaming Remy for her assumptions about her or what they shared. The time apart allowed both of them to see each other in a much better light. One of my favourite MM book for sure.
    Report
  • angela cooper
    4.0 out of 5 stars good story, some annoying aspects…
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good story, annoying to read ‘the blond/the brunette ‘ constantly….also always irritated by bad grammar in a story, can’t you get it edited?
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report