Having read Fraser's previous book, The Bookshop of Second Chances, I was excited to read this book. However, I found it quite confusing and unrealistic. Although the story moved along, I didn't care for the characters. What type of person invites someone to live in their home who has burgularized and been squatting there? And why would a victim of abuse readily trust someone and thus accept to live there? Jess and Gethin did not seem jive or have chemistry. No sizzling moments that one usually sees in a rom-com. Gethin was portrayed as too nice, and rather like a milk toast. While I think it's great to feature older characters in a rom-com, both Jess and Gethin seemed more like teenagers cast adrift, impulsive in life decisions, than adults in their forties. It was rather boring their by-play which consisted of question after question to each other and very wishy-washy. I didn't care for that. The story line had a lot of potential, but fell short for me. Certainly not a feel-good book although there is a happy ending. I really wanted to like this more, but was disappointed. Many thanks to #netgalley #thebeginningofeverything #jackiefraser #randomhouse for the opportunity to read and review this book. I rate it a 2.5 rounded to 3.

A slow-burn romance for a middle-aged man and woman both trying to start over after leaving their past relationships behind. The writing was a bit different from my normal reading, with a fair share of inner dialogue. The plot covers a unique situation where Jess, the main female character is living in a vacant house. The house has just been sold and the new owner, Gethin, finds Jess living in his house. Instead of asking her to leave, he proposes that she help with the renovation of the fixer-upper in exchange for free room and board. This was a cute story that I enjoyed reading as somewhat of a palate cleanser from the police procedural mystery thrillers that I most often read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.

Jess has run away. She’s been camping in a tent in a cemetery, but then she sees an older house that’s been sold but is empty for the moment. She figures she can use her lock-picking skills and stay somewhere a little more comfortable for a bit… until she’s saved up some money for her own place.

Then the new owner happens to walk in his house and see her. Jess runs off, but Gethin leaves her a note telling her it’s OK to stay. Jess insists on helping with renovations in return. Soon enough, the two are working on repainting, doing floors, and shopping for a new kitchen and furniture.

When Gethin is ready to move in to his refurbished home, he invites Jess to stay as a housemate. She reluctantly agrees, insisting on paying rent. The two establish a routine, and they spend a lot of time together, quietly sharing meals and things they enjoy. What they don’t share much of is their pasts: Gethin doesn’t talk much about his longtime ex-girlfriend, and Jess is tight-lipped about the relationship that she fled.

While they develop a lovely friendship, it’s also clear the two have feelings for each other. But Jess is afraid to let down her walls.

This novel is a slowly building friends-to-lovers story about two people in their 40s with some baggage. Gethin is genuinely a kind and generous person, and Jess has been hurt. She’s skittish. It’s so sweet to see how patient and good Gethin is with her and how she slowly starts to recover and be herself. I liked just being with the characters, observing them getting to know each other and enjoying each other’s company. It’s very natural and real. There aren’t manufactured “big obstacles”; the conflicts feel organic.

If you’re looking for a sweet and gentle love story, look no further. (And enjoy the setting of small-town Wales. I did!)

Gethin and Jess meet when she is squatting in the empty house he has just bought. She is escaping from.something or someone, which is explained as the book unfolds. Nice to read a book set in Wales.

If you've found yourself amongst these reviews, you are among fellow friends-to-lovers lovers!

Jess is after a fresh start and finds herself in an unoccupied how when the new owner, Gethin, shows up for renovations. Striking up a deal, Jess helps with the renovation and Gethin lets her crash there.

While the storyline falls a little unbelievable to me, who reads to live in a world that mirrors reality perfectly? It's refreshing to break up all the reads about young folks at their peak finding love or the woes of early adulthood and curl up with a good second-chance, starting-over type book!

I haven't read The Beginning of Everything, another novel by this author, but I'll be adding it to my TBR after this!

I liked the main characters and enjoyed the story line once I allowed myself to suspend reality because there is no way this would ever happen.

If this would’ve been your typical roommate trope I would’ve liked it more, but I can’t just get past the absurdity of the storyline.

You know, I just don't think this book was for me!! 2 stars.

I thought the chemistry between the two leads wasn't as strong as I would like, and the premise threw me for a loop and never let me go. There is... no way that man was that trusting. Like he doesn't know her! To let her live in his house.

It was the adding her to the insurance after maybe two weeks that made me realize that this was bonkers.

But also - I listened to a lot of the audiobook and it was delightful for this season. I liked that the narrator really lend into the cozy and lovely.

But it made it very slow, so when I switched to the e-book, I flew through it, and realized very clearly that the chemistry was off. But overall, it was cute. But not for me!

Thanks to Dell and NetGalley for an early copy for a chance to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley, Jackie Fraser & Random House Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last! Even though this was a little more of a slowburn than I normally go for, I really enjoyed this plot point and loved the characters and their love story! Cannot wait to check out this authors first book!

Solid 4 star read for me!

Jess is trying to flee from an abusive relationship and she takes only what she needs to survive. She has little money and finds a newly sold, but unoccupied home that she is using as shelter. Until one morning she hears a man entering the home.

Gethin is also recently out of a relationship and he bought this fixer upper in his hometown. He’s going to renovate before he moves in, when he meets Jess. Rather than shoo her away, he offers her a place to stay if she helps with the renovation. She has an eye for decorating and helps peel old wallpaper at night.

They are both skeptical, but they work together well and find they have a lot in common such as music and a punk rock, pink hair phase in their youth. After saving money, and getting a better job, Jess is able to pay rent to Gethin just as he’s ready to move in. Everyone assumes they are dating- maybe they should try it?

This book definitely has some problems, but I found the romance to be very sweet and genuine. Both Jess and Gethin have some insecurities they are working through, but each other understands that. Jess is just out of an abusive relationship and just seems too trusting for her dire situation. It’s also hard to believe that she doesn’t have any friends or family that would have housed her?

Thank you @penguinrandonhouse for my gifted ebook. The Beginning of Everything is out now.

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Jess is squatting in a recently sold but unoccupied home, after escaping an abusive relationship. When Gethin finds her there, he allows her to stay and she begins to help him remodel the house. It sounds far fetched, but it works, and soon we are cheering for a developing relationship, even though Jess feels unworthy. I liked the novel, particularly Jess’ growth, as well as Gethin’s kindness. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

** Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC and chance to read and review **

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Slow burn
TW: domestic violence

Synopsis:

Not your typical love story and set in Whales, Jess has become homeless. She finds an unoccupied home and begins staying there, but then Gethin, the new owner of the home, finds Jess living there. He agrees to let her stay in exchange for help fixing up the house. As Jess becomes his roommate and a friendship develops, so do their feelings for each other.

Review:
Very quick, adorable read! I did feel that there were a few parts that were dull, but they had such good chemistry it still gave you all the feels! Since they are in their 40s, I think this gave the characters great depth and they both had good character development!

I thought THE BOOKSHOP OF SECOND CHANCES was charming and smart and I equally enjoyed my read of Fraser's latest, THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING.

I really like the author's writing style, and while this book had mostly minimal plot/character-focused vibes, I love the slow build, the gradual tension, and the lens on character growth and interaction. And I also find it really refreshing how Fraser writes about closer-to-middle-aged characters -- they deal with a different set of emotions, life situations, and challenges then we read about in a lot of books, and I like that we get to see these characters struggle, grow, and find love.

I thought this was a unique and lovely read, and I can't wait to read more of Fraser's writing.

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the e-book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING is out now.

I usually do pretty well ignoring unrealistic plot lines in romance and women’s fic, but this was tough, even for me. Jess seemed wayyyyyy too trusting for what she has gone through. I thought Gethin was a cutie, but I wish I saw more chemistry between them. The book ended up feeling like it was going on forever and, quite frankly, I got bored. It was full of emotion, though, and I did like seeing Jess grow and find happiness.

3⭐️

Jess is running away from a violent and frightening relationship. She has bought a tent to sleep in and cuts all ties with her past so her boyfriend can’t find her. She goes to Wales where she discovers an empty house that has recently been sold. She counts her lucky stars and moves in until the new owner arrives, however long that will be. That new owner is Gethin and he has returned to his home town in Wales after exiting a disappointing relationship and where he unwittingly finds himself in the role of landlord.

Gethin and Jess become friends and roommates but you know that things can’t exist forever as friends and roommates. This quiet tale explores the value of friendship in a potential love affair - a delicious beach read. Thanks NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy, a pleasure.

Another terrific book by Jackie Fraser. I loved her first one, Bookshop of Second Chances. I really enjoyed this one as well. The Beginning of Everything is a bit of a slow burn so no insta love here. It is about two people who have been hurt in the past who are trying to start over.

Jess has recently escaped from an abusive ex-boyfriend and Gethin is recovering the breakup of his marriage and death of his brother. When Gethin finds Jess living in the house he is planning to move into, he shows her a great kindness and allows her to stay in exchange for helping to fix up the house. From their the relationship slowly develops.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Looking forward to Jackie Fraser's next book!

Jess has escaped a bad relationship and is sleeping wherever she can. She ends up in a house owned by Gethin, who finds her there one day when he returns to his hometown to renovate the house. He offers to let her stay if she helps renovate. They form a friendship and eventually an attraction. Can Jess open herself up after being hurt?

I absolutely loved Fraser's The Bookshop of Second Chances. I hoped that I would feel the same about this book. I did not. I read the entire book, but it moved slowly at times for me. I skimmed a lot so that I could read through the dialogue and see what was happening with Jess and Gethin, his family, etc. It was a strong plot and I wanted to see how it ended. I just could not get myself wrapped up in the pages. This could have been simply me and when I chose to read the book. I would recommend others to try and give it a read.

I hate to say it don't let the cute cover fool you. This isn't really a rom com. And the character's aren't really that likable. And the chemistry is not existent. I know it's fiction but a lot of things that happened don't seem to be that believable. After reading the debut I wanted to give her writing a second chance. Turns out it's her writing style that I don't mesh with.

This was a very unique friends-to-lovers novel—with an appealing protagonist and a completely endearing love interest.

Jess Cavendish is running away from an abusive relationship and living where she can, and sometimes that means she is sleeping outside in a tent. Then she finds an abandoned house in Wales and moves in. But the house has been recently sold to Gethin Thomas, who is recovering from the end of a long relationship. They meet, and suprirsingly, Gethin asks Jess to stay and earn her keep by helping with the restoration and renovation of the house.

As they become closer, and Jess slowly recovers from her trauma, Gethin and Jess start to develop feelings for each other, which forces Jess to face her traumatic past and figure out how to move forward, while healing.

This was a sensitive treatment of abuse and trauma, and how one can move forward in a healthy and realistic way to start again. On a lighter side, I also loved their discussions about 90s alternative British pop and their living room dance parties. So adorable.

I would very much recommend this.

Jess Cavendish is running away from her current situation with only what she can carry on her back. She stumbles upon a house that’s been sold but no one has taken possession yet. She decides to hideout there for a bit.
Gethin Thomas recently left a long-term relationship and needs a fresh start. He’s going to remodel the home he just bought and transform his life as well as the property.
Jess and Gethin meet one day and he offers her a deal she can’t refuse. As they team up to renovate the home they cultivate a friendship and domestic routine they both find comforting. As they work to repair the home, can they repair their hearts as well?
I enjoyed this book. A cozy friend to love story read. I enjoyed both of the main characters and their supporting characters. A perfect read to warm you up as the colder months approach.

Summary
Jess has run off to Wales to escape a bad relationship. With little money and no where to go, she starts off camping in a cementary. When she realizes a house nearby has been empty, appearing abandoned, Jess manages to break in and stay there. One morning, a man arrives and spots Jess before she can run off. When she returns, there is a note from him, asking her to speak with him and he ultimately allows her to stay while he renovates if she helps out. When the house is ready the owner, Gethin, convinces Jess to stay as his roommate. They build a friendship over the months living together. Despite the growing attraction between the two, Jess isn't sure she is capable of being in a relationship after her last one messed her up so much.

Review
Ugh, I wanted to love this one. A romance with people in their mid-40s, having scars from relationships past. It had so much promise to me. Unfortunately, it just fell flat. The book was slow. It felt like a lot of 'telling'. I don't feel like we built any true connection to Jess or Gethin and I don't understand their connection or attraction. They both felt incredibly immature, so for them both to be over 45, was hard to believe. They felt like teenagers with their poor communication.