Review: Bound to the Past (Starville, #1) by Lauryn Michaels

After a terrible motorcycle accident causes Jack Turner total memory loss, discovering what has happened in his past becomes crucial to him. What is he doing back in Starville, the small Texas town he left behind many years before? And has he really murdered his adoptive father, as everyone seems to believe? 
In a world full of doubts and misgivings, Jack's only certainty is Sara. 

Novelist Sara Milano has been struggling with writer's block and blames it on her boring existence. The night she rescues mysterious Jack Turner on the road, however, she knows everything is about to change. Convinced of Jack's innocence and determined to use his turbulent story as an inspiration for her new novel, Sara decides to help him through his journey of discovering the truth. 
As Starville's hostility toward Jack turns into hatred, unveiling the real killer's identity becomes a matter of life or death. 

*** Author's Note: "BOUND TO THE PAST" IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. The other books in the series need not be read to enjoy it. ***

Overall Rating:  4.5 Rockin’ ★★★★☆

A chance meeting on a deserted country road, a flat tire and then a connection between two people is the beginning of this first book in Ms. Michaels’ series Starville. It is a community of caring, helpful people that only boast a population of a little over three thousand. Starville is the perfect place to put down roots, make friends and live the American Dream.  Or is it?   Is it really what is seems to be from the outside looking in?  Does it hold a mystery, an unsolved murder? This is the story of two of Starville’s residents.  One that is new to town and one that is a returning son with a murky past.

Amnesia, a loss of whom you are and all that you know, it is a terrifying thing to wake up too! The only thing that Jack Turner has to hold on to is the woman he awakes to find at his side in the hospital, Sara. It seems someone had tried to kill him as he returned to his hometown after ten years of self-imposed exile.  Sara explains that she had met him when he stopped to help her change a flat tire on a deserted country road. Then when she was returning home later she had found him beside the road almost dead beside his motorcycle.  The residents of Starville’s hatred towards Jack are ominous, disturbing and confusing to him. He has no one but Sara and her kindness to help him heal and regain his memory. Will whoever tried to kill him try again? Who is Jack really? Why is he not welcomed back?

Sara has lived in Starville for the past four years.  She has a comfortable home, supportive friends and a promising career, so why does she feel so restless?  Sara decided to take a break from writing and go into town for ice-cream. While on the way, she has a flat tire on an isolated cutoff to town.  She meets a tall, handsome, dark knight that stops to assist her and changes her tire. Sara is instantly drawn to this stranger even though she does not know anything about him, not even his name. The life she thought she was living was changed from that moment. On her way home she finds her dark knight almost dead by the side of the road and calls 9-1-1 for help.  He asks her not to leave him and she finds that she cannot leave his side. While keeping vigil at the hospital she discovers that people in Starville are not happy that Jack Turner has returned. Is the town she thought she lived in really what she had believed it was?  Who is Jack Turner?  Why does everyone hate him?   

Sara and Jack work together to help him regain his memory and find out who tried to kill him.  She opens her home and her heart to him and they begin their journey to solve this mystery.  Who really killed his father and why was Jack blamed?  Will Jack regain his memory and unravel the mystery of his past?  Read this novel and find out about Sara and Jack’s journey to find their HEA and the answers to his past!

Hero – Jack Turner 4.5 stars

Heroine – Sara Milano 4.5 stars

Steam: 4.5 stars 

Plot: 4.5 stars 

Cliffhanger: No

Would I recommend this book: Yes! If you want to read a sexy mystery romance, then this is a must read for you! It has it all, hot sex, mysterious sexy male, murder and love at first sight!  What’s not to love in this amazing read!

Would I recommend this author: Yes! This is the first book by this remarkable author and it reads like an experienced writer’s work! I cannot wait to read the next installment in the Starville series.

***Received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review***