I have mixed feelings on this one, perhaps because I recently lost a loved one to something similar that happened near the end of the book. I thought that the author did a wonderful job of handling tough subjects.

I loved this book!! It is a story about love and forgiveness. It speaks to spirituality and the capacity of the human heart to recover and also it's capacity to fill to overflowing. Realy heartwarming!

A family of wounded souls still reeling from a father's affair and his desire for a divorce seeks answers when there seem to be none. Each character struggles with their own bitterness toward this recent tragedy, and others the family has held onto, including the loss of a child. As each member, especially Savannah, the mother who lost a child, struggles to find her new normal in her parent's lakeside home, a next door neighbor who is a famous writer and a father, helps Savannah find a bit of hope even amidst his own tragedies, as Savannah comes to realize how her lack of communication only drives people further away, and her to greater anger and bitterness.

This novel is a little bit too cliched in dialogue, especially the male characters who talk as women want them to, like in a romantic drama, and it can be very dark and despondent at times, especially with references to suicide attempts and a tragic accident leading to the death of a child. This book is for the reader who wants a heavy drama that begins with tragedy, bitterness, and anger from multiple characters over divorce interspersed, with hints of spirituality and advice, and ends in a quick, neat bow of hope and things working out.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy. Be sure to have tissues close by! Such a good read. The way she writes is captivating.

Wow! I finished this book a couple of nights ago but I needed to let all of the emotions Ms. West evoked in her story rest for awhile before I could write a legible review. I had to take breaks as I read because the emotions were so raw and genuine.

This book evoked all the emotions. I was Savannah ten years ago, and Ms. West got every emotion that a woman who finds out about her husband's infidelity right on the money. At least for me and other women I know.

Ms. West is one of my favorite Inspirational women's fiction authors because she isn't afraid to tackle tough topics that most Christian's, and loads of churches would rather just sweep under the proverbial rug and never discuss. Besides dealing with infidelity within a Christian marriage, this book tackles grief, addiction, along with suicide. Each are difficult on their own and quite overwhelming when all put together.

In dealing with issues like these the big questions are is forgiveness possible, and can this relationship be restored? Ms. West shows both the human and spiritual answer. As you read this book you will see undertones of reaping what you sow and how that impacts those around you especially the people you live with day to day. Another undertone is how trying to solve things yourself rather than leaning on God for healing and how that action can and will alienate the one person you love the most.

My Bottom Line:

This is a definite must read! You may want to stock up on Kleenex before hand, because you will cry and not just teary-eyed the ugly cry.
Ms. West placed the sweetest little girl named, Mayise in the story. Her sweet, bubbly personality just bursts onto the page. I love when little kids show up in books and Mayise is one of my favorites.
This is a book that you will have to take your time reading. Not just because of the raw emotion but because you may miss something.
While Ms. West shows all the raw, and genuine pain, like a composer she produces a melody of redemption, healing, and true forgiveness that will stay with you for a lifetime.
You need to read this book!

Where Hope Begins kind of tells it all in a way. It is a very touching story. It is a story of suicide, divorce, betrayal, forgiveness, family, loyalty, love and Faith. Along with all of that you can expect some major bends and curves in the road. It is strikingly emotional because it is meant to reach out to you and have you join in the story and become emotionally invested and Ms. West did that perfectly.

This was as close to real life as you can get in a fiction novel. The characters experienced true to life situations that had me gripping my iPad and tissues at the same time. Savannah had so many issues to deal with specially not feeling loved by her husband. The author showed how vital true communication is to the life of a marriage. Savannah and her husband Kevin had skirted around their problems and issues with never really taking the time to listen and try to understand each other. How could she possibly forgive her husband for what he had done? This was a real eye opener I'm sure for so many that will read this novel. Great food for thought.
I received an ebook copy of this novel from the publisher through Net Galley but was not required to write a review.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Through a series of events this family became broken. We get to see Savannah slowly out the pieces back together. It is a great story of faith and forgiveness. Very enjoyable.

Where Hope Begins is an absorbing story that will have you at the first line. Heartbreak, love, and healing all play into the beautifully written words of this story. How do you recover from one devastation to another, with Hope and that's what this latest book by Catherine West is about.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." - Robert Frost

At the beginning of this book Savannah Barrington is reeling. Her husband of twenty-one years has left her for another woman. Learning of his affair and betrayal has turned her world upside down. Savannah decides she needs a change of scenery. She has a daughter in college and a son away at boarding school. There are too many memories tied up in the house she shared with her husband, so she decides to seek solace in her parent's lake house in the Berkshires. There she meets her neighbors and begins to live her life again. She has weekly tea with Clarice, the woman from next door while befriending the woman's nephew Brock and his daughter, Maysie. Savannah is attempting to make peace with the fact that her marriage is over, her husband has moved on and she learns it is time for he to do the same. Her entire family has suffered a HUGE loss in their life and things have been strained for a long time. As Savannah attempts to close one door of her life she gains insight, and learns there is always hope, there is room for forgiveness and that starting over is not always a bad thing. While working in the greenhouse and getting to know her neighbors, Savannah learns that life does go on, beauty can spring forth from something bad, and that she is worthy of loving and being loved.

"You cannot find peace by avoiding life." -Virginia Woolf

This book deals with a lot of heavy issues: loss of a child, adultery, suicide, trust, forgiveness, hope, family, mental health, guilt, betrayal, health issues and faith. The characters are coping with a lot of issues in this book and I appreciated how real their thoughts and actions felt. I thought the Author handled all the issues respectfully. She showed how loss can affect all members of a family, how the breakdown in communication can affect everyone, and how guilt can be all encompassing. The Author showed the family's faith in their religion. For those that are not religious, do not let this hold you back. This book is not "preachy" but does a beautiful job of showing how the characters had faith, questioned their faith and relied upon their faith in good times and bad.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." -Luke 6:37

The book will cause most to wonder "what would I do in that situation?" and "could I forgive? “The characters in this book are pondering the same questions with a few more thrown in as well. The characters in this book go through many emotions and I felt as if I was along with them as they coped with all the things life threw at them in this book. The characters are like-able and their reactions all felt believable and real. There are five stages of grief and we see the characters go through various stages as they cope and go on with their lives.

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just how up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come." Anne Lamott

This well-written book begins with heartbreak and ends with hope. I really enjoyed not only the story but the message of this book. It was a quiet page turner that had me guessing as to what Savannah would decide to do. This one will pull at the heartstrings and have you feeling the emotions of the characters and I felt for their situation, their loss and their path moving forward.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson-Fiction and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I do not know what book would be more relevant right now, than Where Hope Begins. The week I sat reading this story - a story about mental illness, depression, suicide, adultery, divorce, death, illness, losing your child, and all the possible turbulence and third person drama that those issues could create - every single day there was news about known people, some more famous than others, that had ended up losing the battle of depression, addiction, mental illness, and taking their own lives.
At first, as I tried to escape the horrid reality into a book, and the story kept repeating these heart-wrenchingly realistic topics, I thought I could not deal with it, that the sadness and the feelings of deceit, deception, despair were too much to take at the time.
But as I kept reading the story, and I got more into the characters, got to know and understand how their past was affecting the present, I realized that this is not a story about trying to learn to live with the betrayal and lies, trying to find a new chance and way in life, but this was a heartbreaking story of learning to forgive, to our selves and to others, let guilt go and learning to love and live with an earthshattering loss, to make the right choices, learing to pray again, finding the words for the emotions, and finding the faith in God again after the feeling of Him turning His back on you.
Where Hope Begins is a breathtaking story about a family's redemption that will stay with me for some time.
The story is told from several points of views, switching between the first and third person POV. There are moments of remembering the past events, the crossroad moments during the family's life, that had brought them to the point where they are today.
As Savannah escapes to her parent's summer house to recover from the divorce, she gets to know the odd and endearing family next door, who becomes an important part of her life. There are baffling yet endearing moments of clairvoyance, the joy of life, sharing secrets, gardening and afternoon tea, mixed inner struggles, and anxiety and loneliness that go so deep, are so devastatingly sad, raw, and real, that these can be triggers to some suffering from depression or a loss of a loved one. (With the sensitive, painful topics of the story, I would recommend the book for a mature audience.)
There was no way for me to read this story and not let it make an impact. It made me think, feel, and evaluate life. It made me angry, frustrated, crying, and so sorrowful it took my breath away. But it also made me elated, smile, and believe, trust in the promise that we are looked after and taken care of.
At the end of the story, I wanted to reach out to my friends and family, to embrace the life and appreciate what I have. And while adultery is part of the storyline, the story is a strong, realistic, and believable tale of loyalty, love, and faith. If read with an open mind, the story can be a graceful blessing filled with love, hope, and optimism, while the journey to the gain of faith will definitely break your heart.
~ Five Spoons

This is the first book I have read by Catherine West, and it definitely won’t be my last. Right away, she draws the reader in by placing them in an intense situation. Throughout her novel, she shows the aftermath of a decision, and how one decision can so dramatically affect a family and those around them.

I like how the focus was more on what comes next because, in much of what I read, the focus is on leading up to the problem and then fixing it quickly. Here, it takes an entire novel to work through the issues that are present. But she also places in characters that can give Godly wisdom, which made the novel that much better.

I also really enjoyed the fact that West did not shy away from hard subject matter. She handled the situations wonderfully, and made them seem believable. None of the character reactions seemed ‘off’ to me, which made me love this story even more.

Where hope begins had me hooked from the first page. It has a captivating storyline and the characters feel so real, you become a part of the book. This is a journey that makes you think about your own life and by the end of the last page you look at the world with new hope.

I enjoyed reading this novel as a deep expression of what happens in a marriage when grief strikes. And not just in a marriage but in other relationships as well. Every time I thought I knew where the author was going, she surprised me and I really like that in a novel! I also really loved watching the couple in this story weave their precarious way back to forgiveness. That was amazing to watch and I think it should be required reading for couples whose marriages are in trouble.

Also of importance to me was the theme of the little girl Maysie’s guardian angel which was woven into the narrative at various times and places. She really reminded me of how real “things unseen” really are.

I offer gratitude to NetGalley,, the author, and the publisher for this preview copy in exchange for my honest review.

An enjoyable Christian fiction that dealt with some pretty horrible circumstances compassionately and gracefully. Not in a saccharine way but very human way. I received a copy from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thanks NetGalley and Thomas-Nelson.
I've never read a book by this author before, I will be reading more by Catherine West.
I went through so many emotions while reading this book, the story is written in such a way, that each character draws you in and there's no letting go. A novel about relationships that are broken, tragedy, loss, illness, suicide, trust and healing. A story that will stay with me for a long time to come.

"I was what they call a "woman of faith" once. And now? Now I'm just broken."
Where Hope Begins by Catherine West is one of the best novels I've read this year. Okay, maybe even up there in the all time top twenty. (And just in case you're wondering, top twenty is huge considering I read between 200 and 300 books a year!) Right from the first line to the last, Catherine West compelled me to move forward. Almost like a trance, my eyes kept glue to the page. Word after word, page after page and thought after thought, I didn't want to stop.

"And some days I still believe I deserve this agonizing pain even more than he does."

There's a certain level of intensity in Where Hope Begins that enraptured me. Possibly because there's this special parallel between readers and the characters that necessitate this desire to seek something to hope for. Granted, I pray no one will have to go through what our characters been through, but even if the experiences are not the same, there's still the relativity of feelings one can comprehend.

"There is nothing worse than standing in a crowded room feeling completely alone."

Then there's our "darlin'" Brock.

"Yeah, he's a regular Rhett Butler."

That he is and he gave this story an element of humor plus more. So much that words aren't enough to describe from this non-writer. Like our main characters, Savannah and Kevin, there's brokenness. There's grief and pain. There's also a journey that makes for life's treasures. Brock had struck a chord in my heart, and along with the whole of Where Hope Begins, the different emotions felt so real, almost like the dilapidated greenhouse in the story. It just needed a little TLC, faith and ultimately the sprout of hope. Hope may be the theme here, but there's a bit of second chances for all our characters and in turn the meaning behind it.

Simply put, I love Where Hope Begins. Any book that'll get such a range of emotions from me deserves all stars, and o my stars is right! It's been awhile since a book made me ugly cry my way through, and that deserves all the stars it can get. Don't let this one pass you by.

"Sometimes we are allowed to glimpse the beauty within the brokenness. . ."

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This was a very sweet book although somewhat predictable. The author did a nice job with character development.

A hard story to read, but a message that needs to be heard...

Savannah Barrington is devastated when her husband of 21 years is unfaithful, and abandons her. With her daughter in college and her son away at boarding school, she must learn to face a new life alone. Savannah decides to spend time at her parents lake house to regroup and plan her future. Her neighbor, Clarice is a much older lady full of wisdom and compassion. Clarice's nephew, Brock and his young daughter also live with her. Savannah quickly develops a much needed friendship with her three neighbors. Just when Savannah thinks she can move on without her husband and even find happiness in life again, he returns and asks her to reconcile. Savannah is now faced with the hardest decision she has ever had to make in life. Can she forgive the unforgivable?

This story deals with a lot of life's toughest issues, and Catherine West does an amazing job addressing them in all the right ways. I'm very glad that she included the children (although living away from home) and their point of view during such a devastating time. When either spouse makes the decision to be unfaithful and even considers divorce, if there are children involved it isn't just about two people. When such a selfish decision is made, it destroys multiple lives. The only way to overcome such devastation is through faith, grace and.... hope.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Some heavy issues and decisions in this one, and I ended up in tears, both the happy and sad kind (so be warned). 😊😔 I loved the writer’s ability to put the reader IN the situations and really make them think about how they’d handle a myriad of dilemmas. Great characters, emotional angst, but in the end it’s a question of faith and forgiveness and how difficult those things are at times. Simply lovely writing here. Looking forward to reading more from this author...happy I discovered her! 4.5/5⭐️