An easy sweet read about a widowed bookstore owner, Molly. She is struggling to keep her business afloat and also struggling to move forward with her life without her husband. She is surrounded by a community and friends who care about her and would love to support her.

I found this story to be fun and light. I did find that I was more interested in the running of her bookstore business than I was in her dating adventures. If you love the movie You’ve Got Mail you’ll likely enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed reading this, it had everything that I was looking for from the concept and thought the overall feel worked with the supernatural element to this. Gabi Coatsworth does a great job in writing this and making the reader care about the characters. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their story, it worked with what I was hoping for and glad I got to read this.

This book had two of my favorite things - a bookshop and a ghost! It was a cute story and you really feel for Molly as she navigates this chapter of her life. I appreciated an older woman being the main character and she was really well written. The story itself felt like something was missing but it was a warming read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book, I enjoyed some of the cute moments in the book and liked that the main character had good growth and development as she builds up her life again and felt that at times she was a really relatable character.

However my main issue is that I just felt that the main plot fell a little bit short and was almost boring at times and it felt like a sludge to actually finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over in exchange of an honest review.

The book follows Molly as she tries to navigate her new life without her husband, who has recently deceased. Her daughters are all grown up and her bookstore faces higher taxes and moreover her husband's ghost is pressing her to go on dates. Molly doesn't know what to think of this, she finds it hard to let go of her husband and finds it hard to enter the dating life again with everything on her mind.

A feelgood book with an older FMC, which was refreshing from what I usually read.

A really heartwarming story, with bonus points for being set largely in an independent book shop.

Molly was widowed three years ago and her friends believe it’s time she moved on. But with her business struggling, she can’t see past the day to day challenges that life puts in her way. And so Simon, her deceased husband, visits her as a ghost to try to lend a hand.

Great characters, especially Luke, a small town vibe, some humour and a lot of heart make this a fun escapist read.

3.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Gabi Coatsworth and Victory for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I learned recently that there are readers out in the world, rather vocal readers, who object to humor created around older characters being placed in what are for them, nontraditional situations. I was very aware that older characters in children's books are often portrayed as frail, ill, and dying. Grandparents and dogs in children's books probably die in equal numbers. But I was a little stunned when I read so many objections to a piece I wrote placing older male authority figures in a situation in which they are out of their element--a children's playground.

As a result of that experience, I'm feeling one of my little obsessions coming on, this one about how older characters are treated in books. As luck would have it, I just happened to finish reading a Net Galley arc of Facebook friend Gabi Coatsworth's new novel, "A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over. "The book's main character isn't older older, but as the mother of college students, she is just older.

Fiftyish Molly Stevenson has been widowed for a few years during which time she purchased a bookstore. She is dealing with two issues as the novel opens--the bookstore isn't doing that well, and she has friends who are pressuring Molly to start dating. Things get worse with the bookstore when the rent is raised. Things get "worse" with the dating situation when she does, indeed, make efforts to meet men. Both story threads place Molly under pressure. Both threads are resolved in a positive way for her.

A mature woman managing on her own. This may not be an unusual main character for a novel these days. In fact, Book Riot has a list from 2019 called 50 Must-Read Fiction Books Featuring Older Women, who may be managing on their own or not. I've only read a couple of them. Many of those books sound a little on the heavy and downer side, though. "A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over" is not. It has a cozy aspect to it--the bookstore, a coffee shop, trips to an art gallery, friends gathering here and there, and what might be called a destination Christmas. This will be relaxation reading for many people, a very good thing, indeed.

"A Beginner's Guide" And Women's Fiction.

I was interested in reading "A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over," in part, because I'd seen it described as women's fiction. I have an unsold manuscript that at one point I was submitting as women's fiction. Reading "A Beginner's Guide" gave me an opportunity to think some more about this.

According to the Women's Fiction Writers Association, women's fiction has as its driving force the "protagonist's journey toward a more fulfilled self." Does a more fulfilled self mean a self that ends up with a romantic partner? Not necessarily. More than one source I found stated that romances have narrative arcs that are totally about a couple's journey toward each other and include a happy ending.

(Here's an aside that requires its own paragraph: I was invited to a romance writers' luncheon around the time "The Bridges of Madison County" was all over the place. I was told by someone there that some romance writers had an issue with that book being described as a romance, because it didn't have a happy ending. Happy endings are a big component of traditional romance writing.)

At any rate, my superficial research suggests that "A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over" is, indeed, women's fiction, since the romantic element doesn't encompass the whole story, which is certainly about Molly's journey to a more fulfilled self. On the other hand, I was probably correct to switch to describing my own manuscript, "Good Women," as an upmarket comedy when submitting it. Not that it has done any good to date.

By the way, in What is Women's Fiction?, again at Book Riot, Kendra Winchester points out that there is no comparable genre to "women's fiction" called "men's fiction." That's something to think about.

I loved following Molly and her journey through grief and rediscovery, a warming and poignant read overall.

This book did not live up to its initial promise. 😤


I know this book has been given a lot of 4 and 5-star reviews, but I just don’t get it.
When I was first provided with the ARC of this book, I was hooked. The synopsis was so intriguing and exciting, and I truly thought this book would be a winner. However, it didn’t quite deliver, and it felt like they were just scratching the surface of their potential.

Don't get me wrong, it had all the promise and basics of a good story: a cosy bookstore owned by Molly, a widow whose friends have put her into the online dating world. Trouble with an insufferable landlord, the ghost of her husband. Even with the ages of the characters, I thought, ‘So refreshing!’ But then the story got stuck on repeat. Same scenes, same beats, and the excitement I was waiting for just...never came. 

The will-they-won't-they thing? Absolutely classic romance. But this one dragged on for ages. By the time they finally got together (literally the last few pages!), I was like, "Come on already!" 

Overall, “A Beginners Guide to Starting Over” didn't live up to the hype the synopsis created. If you're preset to go with a slower paced storyline, this might be for you. But if you're looking for a plot that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, this one might leave you feeling a little meh.

📚ARC review - I was kindly given this advance review copy by Victory Editing by NetGalley Co-op in exchange for my honest review.📚
Release date 23rd April 2024

This book follows Molly, a widow in her 40s as she tries to rebuild her life without her husband Simon.

Molly is a well-liked  bookshop owner in a small town and has a close griup of friends and seems to be generally content. However, when the future of the bookshop becomes uncertain she has to start thinkings of ways to.move forwards. She also realises that she misses the companionship of  a partner and that it is time to start considering dating.

In places Molly does come across as slightly older than her age, so a little hard to relate to as a fellow 40 something, but this may be  partly due to her circumstances.

This is a cosy story about friendship, love, grief and midlife.

I really wanted to like this book but the writing style was kind of pedestrian and was more like a girlfriend telling me a story than reading a novel. I know it sounds weird to say because it is a story but this book missed some finesse. I also wish the book focused more on books and the shop. There is a missed opportunity there. A lot of the book was repetitive and it got boring after awhile. Her friends nag her, she sees her dead husband, miscommunication... rinse and repeat.

Why couldn't Molly's friends just butt out and accept that she didn't want to date or wasn't ready to? They kept pushing her even though she wasn't interested in it and I get that...sometimes it'll come for you when you least expect it...when you're not looking for it. She's hurting and she doesn't want to go through it again, she's always been someone's mother or wife and she finally has herself to herself. I would have told them both off, but I have a big mouth.

Don't be fooled...The Goodreads rating for this book is really high at the time of this review (4.3) and I have to be honest and say I think they're all author and friend reviews because there is no way this book deserves four stars or more.

A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over by Gabi Coatsworth
4.5 ⭐

Molly Stevenson is a widow in her late forties, unable to move on from the death of her husband Simon and her mother who died almost at the same time. Three years since their death, Molly is struggling emotionally and financially as she grapples to run her bookstore. Facing challenges, she needs to overcome her insecurities and ask for help, which she loathes to do. When her dead husband materializes as a ghost to help her find a new suitor so that she can move on, she is shocked. Gradually, she learns to ask for and accept help from her loved ones and sets out to make her bookstore business successful, as well as find success in her personal life.

This was an uplifting story about how it is never too late to start your life anew. The concept was unique and inspiring, with self-discovery and personal development as its theme. The inclusion of Molly's dead husband as a ghost added humor to the story, along with a metaphor for self-reflection since the 'ghost' of the past never truly left her.

Though I loved Molly, I did not exactly love her friends who kept insisting on her to move on and find love. Finding a life partner is not the ultimate goal of happiness. If one cannot be happy by themselves, they sure as hell can't be happy with another person without toxic traits marring their relationship. I disliked how her best friends and her ghost husband forced her to move on instead of helping her understand and feel her emotions. They did not let her be expressive of her feelings. In some scenes, I was quite shocked at how they were outright rude to Molly, but Molly was being considerate of their emotions. But shouldn't that have been the opposite? Her loved ones should have been mindful of her emotions while Molly expressed how she felt honestly.

Moving on is important. Letting go is important. But finding a new romantic interest is not the only way to do so. I only disliked that moral from this novel. Otherwise, this is a good book to read as it speaks about dealing with grief and challenges faced in life by everyone.

molly stevenson is finding her way and learning to stand on her own all over again. as a new widow and exploring dating while also being a business owner with financial struggles, it feels as though she’s struggling with every part of her life. but molly doesn’t realize she has more support and help in her corner than she realized. as she navigates these new challenges and overcoming new obstacles, she manages to find grounding and stability with the new life she’s creating for herself.

genuine thoughts on the book — not my most favorite read. there are cute moments and it was very heart warming to see the main character take the lead on her life again, but the major plot of the story fell short for me. there weren’t a lot of exciting moments that drew me back in and wanted me to continue reading.

4.25 stars!

This was a wonderful story that made me feel a lot of things. There were tears shed (happy and sad), giddy feelings, moments of laughter, and a deep appreciation for those who help others during their time of grief. It definitely has some heavier aspects, but also does so in a more lighthearted way. It's a delicate balance and was executed well. I also love that our main character (Molly) owns a bookstore + cozy town + excellent side characters+ second chance romance. This book far exceeded my expectations!

This story has a second chance romance and is a beautiful reminder that our loved ones are never really gone even if they pass away. As someone who has recently lost someone, it was really nice to be reminded of this message.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over by Gabi Coatsworth was a wonderful read.
I really enjoyed the writing in this story. This book has great characters with a good setting.
I also enjoyed the message this book told. Dealing with grief, starting over and learning to let go.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book follows Molly, a middle-aged empty nester who had been a bit lost since she lost her partner 3 years ago. She has taken over a book store and is on a mission to keep it open. She is also reluctantly testing the waters of dating. I really enjoyed this book, I found Molly to be a loveable character and all the side characters were equally charming expedient Luke, Nick and Acacia. It has cosy, small town, second-chance romance vibes. The community of the small town will give you warm and fuzzy feelings. It adresses grief in a way that i found comforting and shows you that those you love never truly leave you. I recommend you read this book to fill your soul with a bit of warmth and love.

This book is a warm and fuzzy feel good book. You start the book by being introduced to Molly the owner of a bookstore and during the book you are introduced to a wide range of customers, friends and dodgy dates. This book explores grief , second chances and letting go.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

I found the book a little hard to follow, but taking my time with the chapters made it easier.

I loved the story and I really liked the take on it. I feel like the book hit all the boxes and then some!

If only the book had been as wonderful as the synopsis; I was confused from page 1 and never found my way out of the confusion so I could enjoy the book.