Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read For Fan's Of Chick Lit!
Review: I found this to be a very good read for those that are fan's of "Chick Lit" and are looking for a deeper kind of read. This book digs deep and takes a look at how change is a hard thing and how it truly affects a person. Gert is a sweet heroine who's only fault really are her two friends. Their shallow, and cynical view of the world and relationships was sad and at time detracted from the story of Gert and how she dealt with the tragic death of her young husband only days before the tragedy of 9/11. Many author's like to include this historic event in their books and it comes off wrong. Ms. Lissner manages to tie this event to her storyline in such a moving way that the reader can truly relate to it and perhaps understand the horrors that true victims have had to go through. Imagine loosing the love of your life just with the snap of a finger. How do you deal with that and move on? The idea of finding love all over again is hard to imagine and the up's and down's of Gert's experience's make up a great story.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read For Fan's Of Chick Lit!
Review: I found this to be a very good read for those that are fan's of "Chick Lit" and are looking for a deeper kind of read. This book digs deep and takes a look at how change is a hard thing and how it truly affects a person. Gert is a sweet heroine who's only fault really are her two friends. Their shallow, and cynical view of the world and relationships was sad and at time detracted from the story of Gert and how she dealt with the tragic death of her young husband only days before the tragedy of 9/11. Many author's like to include this historic event in their books and it comes off wrong. Ms. Lissner manages to tie this event to her storyline in such a moving way that the reader can truly relate to it and perhaps understand the horrors that true victims have had to go through. Imagine loosing the love of your life just with the snap of a finger. How do you deal with that and move on? The idea of finding love all over again is hard to imagine and the up's and down's of Gert's experience's make up a great story.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the worse books I have ever read!!
Review: I gave this book one star because you can't give zero.How this book got published is beyond me. I have read a lot of bad books, but this one tops the list. There is a cast of characters the reader could care less about the the characters you should care about: Gert, Marc and Todd, well, there's no insight into any of them. No reason given why you should care what happened to them and what's happening to them. Seriously, pass on by this book. You'll be glad you did!
Rating:
Summary: Very smart chick-lit!
Review: I like women's fiction that's smart, insightful and thought-provoking as well as witty, sassy and fun. Starting from Square Two has all of those elements. It was refreshing to read about takes on the dating world from a young widow's point of view. It's been over a year since Gert's husband's fatal car accident, which is why her friends feel it's time Gert starts dating again. But what does Gert know about dating? After all, she got married right after college. Although it seems that her friends don't know much about dating either. They're still single, aren't they? I laughed and nodded in agreement at Caren Lissner's deep character study. Her takes on dating are right on the money. And she added wit and lightness to an otherwise serious subject matter. I loved Carrie Pilby, Lissner's first novel, and her second effort is even better! This is the best Red Dress Ink offering thus far this year. Highly recommended...
Rating: 
Summary: 3 1/2 stars actually
Review: I liked this - it was a bit "light" and I believe that "Good Grief" is a better book from this genre. I did feel for Gert and her friends were nice, but not quite as supportive and a tiny bit immature. I think there should have been a few more "bad dates" in this to make it more realistic. But I did enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: For fFans of chick lit and deep character studies
Review: In Astoria, Long Island, Gert Healy met her future husband Marc over a college math course. They exclusively dated one another for three years until they married. They remained together for the next five years until he tragically died. Eighteen months later, she remains in mourning for her loss, but her two best friends Erika and Hallie drag Gert out on the town. At Art's Bar, Gert meets train conductor Todd stunning her two friends that Gert meets a man and they failed to do so. As Gert and Todd see each other, she hides her widow status from him because she feels guilty that would close the book on Marc. She also realizes she is better equipped to understand men and their canon of cool than her two buddies. Erika still grieves what she gave up when she dumped happily married Ben to the point of considering stalking and Hallie plays games that males refuse to join in so they never come back. As Gert helps her pals, she wonders how Todd will react to know that the love of her life rests in a cemetery. Fans of chick lit and deep character studies will enjoy STARTING FROM SQUARE TWO. The story line primarily focuses on Gert, but also provides insight into the failed relationships of her two best friends. Gert is a great protagonist whose optimism contrasts to the losing attitudes of Erika and Hallie. Readers get insight into Marc through rose colored memories that terrific Todd must compete against though he has no idea that he even as a rival for Gert's affections. Caren Lissner furbishes a strong contemporary drama. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Memorable read
Review: In the summer, I read about five books a week, and most are decent but forgettable. However, after a month has passed, I can still clearly remember how much I liked this book. This is a stand-out from Red Dress Ink. First of all, Caren Lissner is an intelligent writer. Her first book, Carrie Pilby, was as well-written and amusing as this one. Caren Lissner stated in an interview (I'm paraphrasing here) that when she tried to get her first book published, she was afraid that her book would be disregarded as "chick lit". I think the presence of Caren Lissner's books in RDI's catalog and therefore in chick lit uplifts the whole genre. This is the kind of writing that should be catering to young women. The story is interesting: Gert, a widow, is having trouble getting back into the dating pool about 2 years after he rhusband is killed. Gert is remarkably lucky in the book that the first guy she dates turns out to be just as wonderful as her husband. (Well-written, yes; realistic, perhaps not.) Her grief and healing are written and dealt with in a real but not preachy manner. I did take issue with Gert's callousness towards her perpetually single girlfriends, but in fairness to the story, it was in character for her. If you're looking for a fast, interesting, intelligent read, I recommend Starting from Square Two.
Rating:
Summary: a thoughtful read
Review: Let me just say that I really, really liked Caren Lissner's book "Carrie Pilby," so automatically when this book came out, I picked it up. It has a different story line from "Carrie Pilby," although both deal with heroines who feel out of place, but for very different reasons. "Starting From..." has the author's trademark probing questions, depth, and sharp insights into human behavior. That's what I liked about the novel--that the heroines are deep, thoughtful, and somewhat unique characters. I thought her two best friends represented a certain kind of female that is rather shallow and whose entire existence revolves around snagging a man, being popular, looking good, etc. I couldn't really see what the main character had in common with these girls she considered her close friends. I thought that for Geri, finding a second love came a little too easily. Yes, she suffered over Marc's death but the message seemed to be that by being good and being true to yourself, eventually, true love will come. All in all, a good read by a very thoughtful author.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: Normally I love Red Dress Books. I have high expectations for a humorous read. That being said, the book is sweet, but not what you usually get from Red Dress.
The characters are all simply nice people, without the usual personaligy quirks the books usually contain. The heroine is a bit sad, and you hope for her eventual happiness, but there isn't really anything that endears the reader to her or makes you identify with her...and I always tend to identify with Red Dress characters.
Over all...a good read, just not quite up to expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Change is difficult but necessary
Review: The theme of this page turning gem of a novel, by author Caren Lissner, is change and the consequences brought about by it. For a plot summary, simply read the description above. I found myself wiping tears from my eyes at the end of the book not from over sentimentality but due to Lissner's ability to get her point across simply and poignantly, without being overly wordy. First off all, this book is too beautifully written to be placed in the romance section. I hardly consider it a typical 'romance' novel. The concept of 'change' is frequently a topic I read about but rarely do I find it written about in such a universal way that it can connect to a wide array of women. I loved the metaphor of Todd working on a train and studing history (past connecting with present and constant movement, etc.) and the fact that while change is often difficult, painful, and hard to accept, it is a part of life, necessary and unavoidable and good in fact can come from it even when one least expects it. I love the comparisons between generations (if we were women in the 50s and 60s we all would have married our college sweethearts whether or not it would have ended happily or not)...rather like Laura in The Hours. Women have choices now, like we see in character of Erika, which only causes a entirely different type of pain. Do these choices allow us freedom, or only cause us more confusion and unanswered wonders?
I found the character of Erika extremely compelling and she was with whom I most identified with. I loved reading the lack of understanding between Gert and Erika and towards the end how Gert came to almost empathasize with Erika's situation. When an ex boyfriend cuts you out of their life (even when the breakup is on your part) and the only contact you have with him is an abprupt and cold e-mail or info from the new girlfriend's website it is like a death and hence you have to mourn the loss, as I believe Erika learned. While this is very different from Gert's loss, Gert came to understand that everyone's pain is in fact, painful to them, and I liked seeing her slowly shed her judgements. The Gert/Hallie relationship was also very well developed and kept in tune with the theme of change. Hallie was nicely created and the dynamic between the three women was very realistic. The references to 9/11 are subtle, are go along with the theme of change. The world is changing along with us and we must keep up or die trying. I found this novel comforting in many ways. Life goes on, regardless of tragedy. Like an unstoppable treadmill, we all must tread through and learn to find to see the good in things. This book is certainly a fantastic place to start.
Overall, I thought the book was truly phenomenal. I loved the mix of seriousness and humor and the message was hopeful and positive.
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