Loved the storyline. The character developement was very adept. Female lead was both determined & realistic about getting her life back. Very realistic in the not forgiving or forgetting of betrayal by BFF & Fiancé, as well as the fact hurt more losing BFF of twenty years. The secondary characters were great as well- would love to have their story flushed out a little more - maybe novella? Overall I love this series & have gifted the books to my own BFF. Thank you for a bright spot in otherwise crappy beginning of new year following crappy year.

Instant love. Well that’s what you experience reading LOVE FOR BEGINNERS the newest story by Jill Shalvis. Ironically instant love is not what her characters enjoy in this lighthearted tale of folks diligently working to get back on their feet, literally and figuratively. Starting over from a foreign place is tough and demanding. Some tackle it head on. Some hide in shadows. What really matters is trying and yet for some that step seems impossible.
So LOVE FOR BEGINNERS is divided into chapters titled with a step by step phrase on how to make friends and if lucky have that relationship grow to something more. Dare we root for love.
Simon is a master at PT which is also his love. But for now Simon divides his life into compartments due to responsibilities that he never counted on. And yet Simon charges on. Running a hugely successful property management company was not on Simone radar but with his dad recovering from strokes that is where he is needed. Simon in the meantime cuts down on clients that need his help with PT. Except for Emma. Between Simon and his cousin Alison they manage his family business and watch over Dale. Dale, Simon’s father and Alison’s uncle is learning to live after suffering several strokes. This is one stubborn family but together they face any and all challenges.
Emma and Alison have much in common. Their intelligence, sass, humor and stubbornness. Material for a glorious friendship if I ever heard. Jill Shalvis has a way with words and dialog and has infused LOVE FOR BEGINNERS with some of her best, and I speak from great knowledge and love for all books by Jill Shalvis. The banter between Emma and Alison speak to memories with friends. Friends know each other and like each other through thick and then, flaws and all. So Emma and Alison are fated to become besties. They complete each other.
And it wouldn’t be a Jill Shalvis romcom without the requisite pooches, Killer and Hog. Killer is small in size but large in personality. And Hog, well just wait till you meet this huge support dog.
If you are ready for an excellent romantic comedy this is it. LOVE FOR BEGINNERS is about taking baby steps. In the case of Emma and Alison they create lists and if they follow them perhaps, they will meet their goals. Either way it is rich with material created to grab your funny bone along with your heart.
Would you like a drink? Rum makes my clothes falloff. Did you eat the entire bag of chips? If it’s not in a resealable bag then it is one serving.
Emma and Simon are meant for each other even if life keeps getting in the way. Same for Alison and her ex-boyfriend Ryan. As partners Emma and Alison are going to be awesome. As friends beyond expectations. Same holds true for LOVE FOR BEGINNERS. Jill Shalvis hit another one out of the ball field.

Good read. Although, I do enjoy Jill Shalvis' books, I really didn't like her last book; so I was unsure about this one. However, I really enjoyed it and all the characters in the story both humans and furry.

Well Jill Shalvis does it again with another home town feel good story! I loved the lead character Emma so much! I loved her strength and determination, and that throughout the entire book she never gives up. I hate when an author portrays the lead characters as helpless, but Emma never backs down from her recovery and stays committed all throughout her rehab.

Emma and Simons love story is absolutely adorable. I loved the push and pull it gave off. They have to work for it a little bit, if doesn’t all just fall into place. And all the little furry friends in the book are just icing on the cake! Five stars all day! I love reading Jill’s books. I look forward to the hard copy coming out in June so I can purchase it to add to my collection!

I loved this story. All of the cast were great. The joy of Emma and Simon was a wonderful read. The sub story moved right along with the main. I did not want it to end.

3 very confused stars. Could be more, could be less, who knows?

These Wildstone novels are delightful and the best Shalvis has written in years; the women’s fiction bent suits her well and she still privileges the romance enough that the books, especially the latter entries, feel like straight up genre romance. And this book is delightful, too! Yet there’s a surprise “but!” that I did not see coming.

About halfway through the novel there’s a mention of how COVID-19 has made it difficult for people to just go into hospitals to visit people and it completely threw me off because up until that point there was no indication that this novel was set during the pandemic.

“She got dropped off at the hospital, where she tried to get info on Simon’s dad. But HIPPA laws, not to mention COVID 19, had changed the way one could walk into a hospital and get information on a patient.”



I mean, maybe there’s a strong hopeful streak here and since this is a June release the book assumes by then we will be in a post-pandemic world, but right now, it was weird. If the choice is between a fantasy world in which the pandemic never happened, and a pretend post-pandemic, everything-is-normal-again world, I’ll take the former every time. It could also be that the book is set in the present and in the middle of the pandemic, in which case this whole town is filled with dangerous, irresponsible people because no one wears masks, there’s no social distancing, the heroine works at a highly successful (!) doggy daycare (!!!) the hero’s dad is high risk and he keeps interacting with people up close and personal…they’re all going to die!

I don’t like writing early reviews but I really don’t know what to do with this book. Just that one mention of COVID-19! Nothing before and nothing after! I can’t cope. Aside from that, I really liked the book, but usual disclaimers: Shalvis does love an all-white fantasy small town, the books are very formulaic, and this one deals with a heroine recovering from a coma and there’s plenty of stuff about how she’s an inspiration and how her true grit and sunny disposition got her walking again, so it may be ableist as fuck, but I’m not informed enough to tell.

ARC provided by the publisher.

Sometimes you just need to read a book that makes you feel good and this one did that job. I love a story that makes you laugh and Hog (the dog) definitely did this for me. Just an overall good, fun read.

Emma has had a hard time recently - she was hit by a car, in a coma for eight months, and it turns out the shared trauma of Emma's accident brought together her (ex) best friend and (ex) fiancée. Emma is starting over in a lot of ways - she re-learned how to walk, now she just has to re-learn how to live life. It doesn't help that her new business partner is her high school frenemy Ali, who also happens to be the cousin of the man she's fallen for. Simon, Ali's cousin and Emma's crush, has his own issues, including running a business he hates while also working as a physical therapist (which he loves), and taking care of his father, who is still recovering from a stroke.

I'm a huge fan of Jill Shalvis, and I loved basically every second of this book. My only gripe is the scene where Ali confesses her love at the BBQ. The trope where a character confesses their love in front of a large audience, especially if it's family/friends, gives me second-hand embarrassment that is too real. Other than that, 10/10, a fun and sweet read.

Jill Shalvis's books always provide a quick, happy escape much like a day at the beach. This one was no exception. After a car accident, coma, and finding out her (ex)BFF and (ex)Fiance are in a relationship, Emma starts her life over. Thankfully she has the help of her dream physical therapist Simon and his cousin Ali (who just so happens to be her high school nemesis) to help her figure out how to navigate her new life.
This is my first foray into the Wildstone world, but I will definitely be back to follow up with the cast of characters that supported our main duo in Love for Beginners.