Full of heart, warmth, humour, love, friendship and hope and it gave me ALL THE FEELS. I always look forward to a new Miranda book and this one did not disappoint at all. The tension towards the end got me really holding my hands to my chest wondering whether what I wanted to happen was actually going to or whether it was all going to fall apart! I loved the characters of Bethan and Lachlan and was routing from them both from page one!

Another absolute cracker from Miranda Dickinson. Keep them coming please Miranda.

I really enjoyed this. Great characters and a really quirky start to their meeting. I loved the back story of both characters and enjoyed watching both them and their relationship develop throughout. Definitely recommended.

Loved this story and all it brought to me, you become so invested in Bethan and Lachie and what the future holds for them with their own issues and heopfully forging a bond....

This is a cute romance, an easy read with a lovely plot which brings together single mum Beth and her new neighbour Lachlan who is recovering from a car accident.
You'll love Beth as she struggles to rebuild a good life for herself and her son, juggling work in a garden centre with life in her new flat.
Lachlan is struggling to get used to being restricted in how far he can walk, and life out of his window is his main interest. He posts a note in his window asking about the plant Beth has put in hers, and a conversation develops.
There are ups and downs in their relationship, but they grow closer and help each other get through difficulties and solve their individual problems.
A lovely read.

Wow is all I have to say absolutely love this book has to be one of my favorites. Definitely going into my top ten books. The story is lovely 😊 and beautiful written x

I absolutely love this authors books so I was so excited to read this. This one certainly didn’t disappoint and was a beautiful story that also encompassed a lot of topics that have been prevalent this year such as friendship and loneliness. I loved the premise of the characters getting together via the notes on the windows and this gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside especially as I have spent the last year shielding and thought about how lovely it would have been to have done that with someone. This was a lovely feel good story with relatable characters and was so much more than just a romantic read as covered lots of other topics as well such as recovery from accident loss of jobs and moving forward in life and how can get through difficult times. I devoured this book in one weekend as once I had started reading it I couldn’t put it down. I would love a sequel to this story to see what happens next on the characters journey to happiness. This is so far one of my best reads of 2021.

I enjoyed this. It didn't grab me in the sense that I couldn't put it down but I certainly am glad that I read it.

Beth is a single mum and has just moved into a new flat with her son, `Noah.

In the flat opposite is Lachlan who is recovering from a car accident with the company of his cat and dog.

Both are lonely and in need of a friend.

Lachlan notices Beth decorating the flat and Beth has noticed Lachlan's cat. One day, a vase of flowers appears in Beth's windowsill and Lachlan puts a sign in the window asking what they are . . . and so begins a friendship.

I enjoyed the lack of social media stalking and in fact, the entire book had the feel of the "olden days"

This is the story of Bethan and Lachlan, two lonely neighbours who begin communicating via messages in their respective windows. Both of them have pasts, and issues that need to be resolved and slowly, the author sets about righting their lives.
It’s a pleasant easy read and would be something to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon in the garden.
The only criticism I have (and this is with 30 years banking experience) is that no-one can just investigate your credit history without express permission. This forms part of the story and is not right.
All in all, it was an entertaining novel. I liked the characters and loved the relationship between Bethan and her little boy, Noah.

Lachlan Wallace is stuck at home after a car accident stalled his army career. With months of physiotherapy still to endure and only his rescue dog and cat for company, he’s taken to gazing out of the window, watching the world spin on without him. And then he notices a vase of flowers on the windowsill of the apartment opposite his. Drawn to their hope and colour, he decides to reach out and sticks a message in his window.

This was a quick, easy and romantic book. Very light reading but entertaining. The perfect book to go with a glass of wine or cocktail! This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The description of this book really appealed to me. I liked the female lead character. She's someone who doesn't give up and works hard to see the positive in each day. I enjoyed the relationship she has with her son and how she's pulled herself out of a bad situation for her son. I liked how the relationship between the two leads develops, how they discover whats important to each other. I like how they don't jump into bed with each other and there's little bad language.

What I don't like is the outdated idea that she's looked down on because she's a single parent, as if she just lazes around for benefits off the state. She works full time and works hard. Yes there are some that do that but hiding she has a son because she doesn't want the male lead to view her as a loose woman is ridiculous. Also the man , for a soldier is a wimp. I can totally understand him viewing himself differently after the accident. Going from someone physically fit to someone struggling to walk is dealt with well but the way he lets his friend walk all over him is annoying. Also there's a point where he could easily have told her he was recovering from an accident but he didn't.
Its a good book, but could have been so much better.

A lovely romantic storyline to embrace you within it’s pages and give you a nice warm loving feeling

I really loved the start of this story - the two main characters are damaged and have their own issues and the development of their relationship was wonderful. It fell down a little for me as it became more predictable and I was so frustrated by their assumptions made and the ending felt somewhat rushed.

After years of being fit and active in the army Lachlan (Lachie) is struggling being stuck at home following an accident. Battling personal demons he has his car (Ernie) and dog (Bert) for company around his physio sessions. Spotting that the flat opposite has someone new moving in.

Bethan has had a difficult few years and is still attempting to overcome the stigma and financial costs. Finally feeling as though she is making a positive change in her life with a new flat for her and her son Noah. Decorating the space to call home and spying a cate in the window opposite with a tattooed arm stroking it.

After a bad day, Lachlan makes a sign to place in his window asking about the flowers in Bethan's window. This starts off a quirky to and fro of messages containing questions, answers and flirtations. Something that brings a smile to each other's faces. Much needed on both sides as they battle against issues in their personal lives. As they arrange to meet by the hedge in between their flats, each is withholding secrets about their lives, fearing judgement.

Their friendship blossoms and they share daily messages and a weekly meet up by the hedge, However, a misunderstanding happens when they are finally forced to meet face to face causing them to stop all communication. Missing the support they had from each other is difficult and much needed as they go through some tough accusations and harsh realities. Have they let their connection go without fighting for it?

As always this is another incredible literary masterpiece from Miranda Dickinson. I became hugely invested in the story and absolutely loved it.

Genre: Romance

Release Date: Expected 2nd September 2021

Publisher: HQ



What are those flowers called?

Bethan is new in town when she sees the note in the window opposite. She's slowly picking herself up and trying to build a better life for her and her son but now she's doing it completely alone. For now, the only company she has is her colleagues from the Garden Centre and the people she sees from her window.

Lachlan spends a lot of time looking through the window too. Stuck at home after an accident brought his military career and the rest of his life to a grinding halt and filled it with physiotherapy appointments and lonliness. But now, something bright and colourful comes into view - some flowers on his new neighbours windowsill. And he realises he could use a little colour in his life...

The Start of Something is a beautiful story about trust and chance - this was the perfect meet-cute that really could only happen in a novel. A silly, love-at-first sight kind of story that is a perfect escape from the real world.

Bethan and Lachlan both had a strangely familar feel to them which made is so easy to engage with them, especially as we delve into the skeletons they've got hidden in their closets and the reasons they were so alone when we first meet them.

Now, this book is full of silly misunderstandings, teenage first love kind of vibes and so much cuteness - and while a part of me cringed how immature and quick their relationship was at times, once I'd settled in and embraced it, I had a lot of fun.

If you're looking for a dash of romance featuring a rather spectacular garden and rescue pets - you've found one!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Miranda Dickinson, HQ and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a lovely bit of escapism that I just loved.
The plot is a bit formulaic, girl meets boy, they like each other, there's a misunderstanding and they fall out. Just as this looks to be the end, they work it out. It's worked since Shakespeare and it works here because I really liked the characters.
Bethan and Lachie are on their own and meet in a quirky way. The story of their unfolding friendship and developing feelings is sweet, with enough detail of the rest of their daily lives to be a full story.
I really enjoyed this, thanks for the opportunity to review.

I really enjoyed meeting Lachlan and Bethan in this lovely novel. Each are facing enforced changes in their life and are finding a new normal - the way that they get to know one another is charming and the depth of character portrayed makes this much more than a romance.
There is a scene where each of them allow their own fears and assumptions to result in unnecessary hurt and betrayal and I didn't feel that this quite worked but beyond that moment, this novel is just lovely. It reminded me of the film Frankie and Johnny which I also liked. The characters are flawed, as we all are, but also warm and engaging. This novel gives us hope that even in our dark times, we can find it in ourselves to be a part of something and make a difference to someone else.
There is also some focus on society's assumptions and cruelties which root this story in reality and make you really want the best for this pair who are still learning to stand alone and love themselves.

This was a sweet though slightly predictable love story. I really liked the premise of the novel - living so close and wondering about the person whose like they catch glimpses of through the window but something stopped me enjoying it quite as much as I expected. I must admit that Bethan's clichéd Welshness also did begin to grate on me by the end. I am Welsh and it felt a little stereotyped at times.
All in all it was a pleasant read but I was not blown away, sorry. Perhaps it's not the genre for me. I would give it a 3.5 stars.

Having read all of Miranda Dickinson’s previous novels, I was so looking forward to this. It’s a sweet & quirky love story with a lovely cast of characters, but I just found it a little bit too obvious. Lovely escapism but not quite what I hoped for.

Lachie and Bethan are both finding things tough and a note in a window sparks an unusual friendship.

Both are fighting their own battles and find that their growing friendship dives light and hope during a difficult period in their lives.

This is a lovely, easy to read, feel good books. There are more difficult subjects covered but it’s ultimately about friendship, community, love and learning t9 rebuild your life differently to how you expected to. Likeable characters and a great back story to support...

Thank you to the publisher HQ and Netgalley for an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review.