Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

★★★★★
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Maple Valley became Amelia Bentley's haven after her heart and her dreams of a family were shattered. But her new life as a newspaper editor is shaken when the small-town paper is in danger of closing. Her one hope: a lead on an intriguing story that just might impress the new publisher...if only she knew who he was.

After his biggest campaign success yet, widowed speechwriter Logan Walker now has the chance of a lifetime--a spot on a presidential campaign. But his plans are interrupted when he finds out he's inherited his hometown newspaper. He travels home intent on selling the paper and spending some much-needed time with his young daughter before making the leap into national politics.

But instead of a quick sale and peaceful break from his hectic career, Logan finds himself helping Amelia chase her story. She's scrappy, but wounded. He's dependable, but lost. They may butt heads more than expected, but a series of leads on Maple Valley's quirky unsolved mystery is just the start of the sparks that fly in the office and in their hearts. 

I only recently discovered the smile-inducing romantic-comedy excellence of Melissa Tagg’s novels, when I read the previous Walker Family stories, Three Little Words and From the Start, a few months ago and loved them. So, I had newly-established high hopes when I first added Like Never Before to my to-read list and later began reading. Luckily and happily, it did not let me down.

Logan Walker and Amelia Bentley star in this latest Walker Family novel, proving to be just as adorable on the book’s pages as the pair on its cover. Up-and-coming speechwriter Logan returns to his hometown of Maple Valley, Iowa when he inherits the struggling local newspaper, of which Amelia is the devoted editor. Both of these characters still feel the effects of lingering heartbreak and neglected faith, and as they work together on a big story (despite their differing intentions for the paper), their discoveries ultimately lead to much more than just the uncovering of the town’s most well-kept secret. 

With plenty of witty dialogue, a great immediate chemistry, and a couple road trips as spontaneous as the kisses, Like Never Before will charm and delight any lover of contemporary romance, family sagas, and quirky small towns - it definitely charmed and delighted me. I absolutely loved it, highly, highly recommend it, and now can’t wait to discover what Tagg has next in store for the Walker family. 

Many, many thanks to Melissa Tagg and Bethany House for allowing me to be a part of the Like Never Before launch team and for providing a copy of the book with the opportunity to honestly review it.