This a stunning book which shows how choices we make can have a lifelong impact. The characters were beautifully written and I really felt the emotions as the protagonist coped with his guilt. The dual timeline was a little confusing at first but then I got into the rhythm of it. I didn’t see the twists and turns coming and I was immersed in the story all the way through.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I didn’t expect the twists that happened which is always a plus to me. I was immediately drawn in and wanting to know what happened next. This was well written and pulled at my heart strings. Overall I would definitely recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

The story of Jay, a young single dad and his 3 friends, Michael, Tom and Max. There is the hint of something sinister happening to the boys but the reader is left guessing about this until later in the book. Jay raises his son Josh on his own but is filled with fear and has panic attacks that are somehow related to earlier events.

Such an unexpectedly good book... Jay is flawed but trying so hard to redeem himself. I was barracking for him to overcome his demons and claim the life he wanted for himself and his son.

A moving emotional story.
Thought provoking it was a lovely novel that makes you ponder on how quickly your life can change courses and I’m so grateful I got a chance to read it early.

As soon as I saw the author's name I snapped this up because Maria Goodin's previous novel Nutmeg (also titled From the Kitchen of Half Truth and [best of all I think] The Storyteller's Daughter) was an absolutely wonderful read and has stayed with me over the years.

The End is Where We Begin is similarly engrossing, moving and beautifully written. The structure works really well too, switching timelines and perspectives, allowing the reader insight into the burden of grief and guilt and it's especially effective in portraying paternal love and friendship between men, both young and old. Some of the scenes involving the teenage boys are particularly moving and I had to slow down a little (despite wanting to rush to the end).

Hugely recommended.

Many thanks to Legend Press and Netgalley for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jay Lewis is a man with a past that is forever present. THE END IS WHERE WE BEGIN by Maria Goodin is Jay's story that explores how the events of a terrible night when he was a teenager still haunt and twist him years later in his current life. Ultimately, Jay faces what he did and did not do and attempts to right the wrongs and shed light on the long-buried, but never forgotten. While I enjoyed Goodin's writing, I struggled with the story, losing my place and finding it hard to find my way back, to keep the story thread intact to its conclusion. Telling myself that this is what it is like to live within a troubled soul and mind, I kept forging onward, reluctant to pick up the book and see what Jay does next, but mesmerized by the skillful writing and the compassionate, clear-eyed view of what it is to save your own life. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.

What happens when you experience something traumatic in your teen years? What if you struggle to deal with the event? What if you zig instead of zag? What if you find yourself in your 30's and you're still struggling to cope with the event and the fallout? You are surviving life but not living life. "The End is Where We Begin" is a book that tells this story. It is honest, and raw, and laugh out loud funny at times. Even when you think you have a grasp on the story, real life twists and turns keep coming at you. Will the main character find peace and forgiveness? Can he forgive himself? This is a book that will stick with you. I only wished it went a little bit further. I would have liked a little more story with Jay and Libby. It might have been nice to have some closure with Jay and Jack as well.

This story follows Jay Lewis and his life from when he’s 15, to current days as a 32-year-old single dad. At 15 he witnesses a tragic event that entirely shapes the course of his life. He can’t seem to move past it and begins to make poor decisions which sets a new future for him into motion. Now at 32, he realizes he’s still not past it. He reaches out to old friends and his first love (and really only love) in hopes to get closure and move on, all while trying to parent a teenager.

I oddly related to this story so much - not the tragic accident or the teenage pregnancy - but the 32-year-old humor, the suffering of heartburn and the parenting antics. I found myself laughing and truly enjoyed this story and couldn’t wait to find out more details of Jay’s story.

I did however have a hard time with the timeline of this book. It jumped constantly with no context. It would take some time to figure if we were now in the head of a 15-year-old Jay, 32-year-old Jay or somewhere in between. Some more context (subheadings, smaller chapters, etc) would have made this story more enjoyable.

But overall, it was a lovely novel that makes you ponder on how quickly your life can change courses and I’m so grateful I got a chance to read it early.

This book introduces the reader to single dad, Jay. The author alludes in the second chapter to a tragic event involving Jay and his 3 best friends when they were 15, but it isn't until the end of the book that all the details of the tragic event are revealed. Add in several unfortunate choices and we get a man who goes through life convinced he doesn't deserve happiness. We learn about his failed love relationship, his strained relationship with his mother, his enduring relationship with his life-long friend Michael and his over-protective, relationship with his son.

The book follows Jay's life from 15 to 32. Randomly the paragraphs within chapters change timelines. The manner in which the timelines jumped so suddenly made the continuity of the story difficult. It would have been helpful to have the year printed in italics prior to the change to alert the reader of the year being discussed to alleviate confusion. Once I understood the "jumps in years," I was able to enjoy the book more.

There were several twists I didn't see coming which I appreciated. The characters were well thought out and the relationships developed fully. I was thankful for the way the ending brought all the timelines together and helped the reader to understand how the tragic event permeated each character's life in some way.

The book was ultimately about the way we view ourselves, the choices we've made, our role in the events in our life, and how these pervade our inner dialog and affect all of our decisions.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.4 starts rounded down

The end is where we begin. I got lost in descriptions. I liked chapter 2 better. I liked characters,I liked descriptions,I lost track of what's going on

The book description really drew me in and I was looking forward to this.

We meet Jay, his girlfriend Libby, his close knit group of friends and we also get a glimpse of his life as as 32 year old parent, son and brother.

Jay still feels irrevocably linked to a tragic incident from his past that still haunts his present. He realises he needs to seek out those who were there with him at that time and come to terms with how the events of one single night can shape his life. The bones of this story are good and feel like a possible real life scenario.

However I did find the book quite disjointed as we flip from one timeline and scenario to another constantly. Some parts have all different timelines, stories and events in one chapter and I felt that sometimes it was hard to remember which part was which. I would have liked this to be set out as short chapters as I felt the constant jumping from one situation to the next interrupted the flow of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.