FROM THE JUMP from Lacie Waldon brings us the story of five college friends and how sometimes friendships can evolve into something better. Let me just say that for a story with so many lousy things happening to the main character, this was such a feel-good story!

This story is told from friend Liv’s perspective, who tries hard to be perfect. Saying no is something that doesn’t come easy to her - in fact, it is something she never even considers. But when she finally discovers the art of saying no, it takes her places she never expected.

Liv has always been insecure about her past. Having been teased for living in some rough places, she has strived to build a comfortable and predictable life - and she has been wildly successful at it. But when she finds herself once again at a dead end at her job, a simple no changes things for her. Finally able to go on a long overdue trip with her longtime college friends, Liv gets a taste of the fun she’s been missing out on. Unfortunately, when she returns from her trip, she gets doused with a heaping portion of reality! Circumstances force Liv to move in with one of the friends from her group, Deiss, and as she sees her friends spending more time together than she originally thought, she can’t help but think of everything she’s been missing out on. She gets the opportunity to take a chance with her career and, surprisingly, she finds things heating up with Deiss.

This was such a fun journey. Liv and Deiss had a slow build romance that I really appreciated and loved how layered each character was. Liv’s past was a great addition to the story. After meeting her mother and discovering more about her past (and her present,) I found her to be even more endearing and understood her even more. I loved the evolution of her character as she finds herself coming out of the rut she wasn’t fully aware she was in, and I adored the friendship dynamics at play here. The friend group was full of different (sometimes clashing) personalities, but they always found their way back together again. I found the thread of constant forgiveness throughout this story refreshing. They all had so much fun together, and the love for each other leapt off the pages. Everyone should have a friend group like this!

FROM THE JUMP was a story that I enjoyed from the very beginning. It was my second read from Lacie Waldon, and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to read what she brings us next!

Narration: The fabulous Brittany Presley narrated FROM THE JUMP, and her narration, coupled with Lacie Waldon’s writing was absolutely stellar! She is one of my very favorite narrators, as she always captures the essence of the characters. If you’ve never listened to her narration before, I can’t recommend it enough!