I really liked this book, much more than I expected after the first chapter or two. While the premise was unrealistic--a woman without a home is invited to stay with a strange man, it still was delightful. I liked the characters so much, and their relationship was just sweet. This is a feel-good, happy read that made me smile.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

n The Beginning of Everything, Jackie Fraser deftly explores the personal growth of Jess Cavendish and Gethin Thomas as they navigate the aftermath of failed relationships and the potential for new beginnings. Jess, escaping a troubled past, initially seeks refuge in an abandoned house, only to find herself reluctantly accepting Gethin's offer to stay while she helps him renovate. The dynamic between them starts with practical arrangements but gradually evolves into a profound friendship. As Jess assists with the home's restoration, she reveals her vulnerabilities and begins to heal from her past traumas. Her journey from a transient existence to finding a place where she feels she belongs is both poignant and inspiring.

Gethin, on the other hand, is dealing with his own heartache and the challenge of moving on after a long-term relationship. His decision to offer Jess a place to stay, despite his own difficulties, showcases his kindness and desire for a fresh start. The growth in Gethin’s character is marked by his willingness to open up and share his space and life with Jess, which leads to a deeper emotional connection. Together, their shared experiences and mutual support enable them to confront their pasts and embrace the possibility of a future filled with hope and love. The novel beautifully captures their journey toward self-discovery and the unexpected joy of finding love where they least expected

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for my gifted copy of The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser. This was a cozy, quiet story about two people who have had a rough past and come together. A friends to lovers relationship forms and it will definitely pull on your heartstrings.

This friends-to-lovers novel is light hearted, a page turner if you are into a slice of life media that focuses on the reality of living day to day. In this novel we follow Jess Cavendish, and after leaving a tumultuous relationship begins to put herself first. Which also highlights the growing pains one experiences on their way to self-discovery. Along the way Jess finds herself in a new town, un-housed, and eager to begin her life anew. Unlike other characters in contemporary romances our protagonist is in her mid forties and adds another perspective to the notion that starting over is only accepted for the young. Along the way she meets Gethin Thomas, who after finding Jess sleeping in his recently purchased home asks for she to stay in exchange for assistance with renovations to occur on site. Gethin has recently separated from his long-term partner and is adapt to making incremental changes in his life. One major change is increasing his friendship circle and evaluating the role closeness has in his life. The premise which I am not sure if I tackled sufficiently is merely an aspect to how these two individuals form their friendship. I appreciated this novel for its slow to start romance, and adding nuance as to how as individuals we move forward in life despite the many hardships we endure. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of the novel. On goodreads I gave this novel three out of five stars.

Both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved seeing these two broken people heal themselves and each other.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Just a simple, cozy story.

A homeless woman who’s escaping abuse is shown kindness by the man in whose house she’s squatting.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

"The Beginning of Everything" by Jackie Fraser tells the story of Jess Cavendish, who, after escaping a toxic relationship, sets out to start anew, carrying only a few belongings in her knapsack. In her search for a fresh start, Jess stumbles upon a recently sold, unoccupied house and decides to stay there temporarily while she saves up to secure her own place.

Enter Gethin Thomas, also looking to move on from a broken relationship. Returning to his hometown, Gethin plans to renovate the fixer-upper he purchased and move out of his sister's guest room. When he discovers Jess in the house one morning, ready to flee once again, he surprises them both by offering her a place to stay. Jess is initially hesitant to accept charity but eventually agrees to help with the house's restoration in exchange for room and board.

As Jess and Gethin work together on the renovation, a genuine friendship forms between them, fueled by shared interests in music and food, and a mutual openness about their pasts. Their bond deepens further as they become official housemates, and soon, their connection evolves into a powerful attraction. However, Jess must confront her fears and insecurities stemming from past heartbreaks before she can fully embrace the possibility of a new romantic relationship with Gethin.

"The Beginning of Everything" explores themes of healing, self-discovery, and the courage to love again after experiencing profound pain. Through Jess and Gethin's journey, readers witness the transformative power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming adversity to find happiness and fulfillment.

This book didn't work for me. The premises was too unbelievable. I can't imagine someone allowing a squatter to stay living in their house they are renovating. The characters were too depressing, and I find it hard to believe either one could be in a relationship so quickly after what they had both been through. I think the slow burn of this story was too slow. Maybe the characters were not developed enough for me or just not mature for their ages. The writing style was hard to get through also. Too many thoughts ending in questions and too many ellipses in dialogue. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I had trouble getting into this one and ended up not finishing. The plot was too out there. I feel like some people will enjoy this though!

This was a cute and fast read! It’s a friends-to-lovers heartwarming story of strength and resilience. I enjoyed the characters and storyline, although at times they seemed immature. However, still I fun read!

It just should have gone more into depth with how she was feeling and everything that she was going through. I also liked them together but it felt like the author was doing a lot of showing, not telling.

This book was enjoyable but ultimately, just an ok read for me.. The premise is pretty unrealistic = a man finds a woman living in his newly purchased home and instead of calling the police or kicking her out, he offers that she can continue to keep living there in exchange for help with renovations. He even goes so far as to offer to put this complete stranger on his car insurance so she can use his car. Seriously? But once you suspend the disbelief enough to accommodate the premise, it’s a nice story of two people developing a friendship and helping each other get over difficulties from their pasts. It’s a quiet story - not a great deal of plot - that mostly focuses on the developing relationship between the main characters. The characters are likable and I did find myself interested enough to read to the end and see how things turned out. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

When main character Jess finds herself homeless upon leaving an abusive relationship, she decides to start over in Wales.. At first she lives in a tent after finding work as a dishwasher, but as the night grow cold, she looks to find better housing, preferably with a solid roof and even heat or electricity. She begins living in an empty house whose owner has yet to move in. Normally the homeowner would call the police and the squatter would be arrested, however, Gethin sees that Jess has taken good care of the house, and he suspects, accurately, she really needs a place to stay that is safe and warm. Thus, an unusual relationship begins, where Jess becomes a tenant and helps Gethin get his house move in ready. Like all good romantic fiction books though, there is a satisfying ending.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser didn't do it for me. The premise was so out of the realm of really happening I couldn't get in to it. I can’t imagine letting someone who broke into my house stay there to live! The characters did have chemistry but that was it for me. Nothing else major happened. I would read this author again but cannot recommend this book.

The premise of the story is interesting - man finds woman living in a home that he purchased and he invites her to live with him. That is how the friendship unfolds. It's a sweet love story.

I couldn't seem to get in to this one and that was after a very long time of putting it off before I finally picked it up. I will give this a neutral rating for those reasons.

I'd really enjoyed Jackie Fraser's first book, The Bookshop of Second Chances, so was happy to see that she had a new book coming out. Happily I enjoyed this one just as much, if not more. This one has two people in their mid-40s who are both coming out of bad relationships meeting in a most unusual way. Jess has been left adrift, homeless, and distrustful of people after a series of relationships (particularly her most recent one). Gethin has recently ended a long-term relationship and is perhaps overly trusting of Jess when he finds her living (okay, squatting) in his newly purchased house that's in need of an extreme makeover. She understandably questions his motives, while his friends and family understandably question hers. But they strike a bargain for her to live there rent-free in exchange for her help with the renovations. Friendship grows, but can they get past their pasts? I really liked the slow development of their friendship as they both try to figure out what their next steps in life will be. And I've been watching a lot of British TV recently so I enjoy the cadence of Fraser's writing, it feels very much like what I've been hearing in those shows. This book kept me engaged throughout. I'll be on the lookout for what Jackie Fraser comes up with next.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Dell for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

This was not for me. The story was kinda slow and I couldn't connect with the characters at all. I was hoping for something different