I can thoroughly recommend a visit to Roseford, it was the perfect tonic for the jaded Stella, who had grown tired of her life in London, but was unable to make the break and move out of the home she shared with her mother. Like most mothers, Stella’s can’t resist trying to help, and as a result of her help, Stella is offered a 12-month position as a writer in residence at Roseford Hall. The post even comes with a gatekeeper cottage in the grounds of nearby Halstead House.
Fay Keenan’s writing is incredibly descriptive, without becoming overly wordy. It was quite easy to imagine Roseford Hall and Halstead House as I read; in particular, I was enchanted by the image of the Rogues’ Dining Room. The vast grounds of the House sounded like the ideal setting for Stella’s dog, Fitz, to run and stretch his legs.
Stella is a wonderful character, she is feisty and not afraid to make her thoughts known. I would certainly be drawn to her as Helena was. Despite her strong spirit, she has a gentleness that shows as she interacts with all the characters, but she’s especially kind to widower Chris, despite their frosty initial meeting, and his young son, Gabe.
My favourite character was Helena, her love for her son-in-law and grandson showed no failing, despite dealing with the catastrophic loss of her daughter. She has been the glue that has held this broken family together. She is also the reason that Stella feels at home and able to handle her new lifestyle.
At first, I wondered if Stella was going to field amorous overtures from a couple of men, but it soon became clear that her relationship with Simon was on a more platonic and professional footing. Of course, Stella didn’t go looking for romance and Chris had lost his wife in recent years. I saw the restoration of Halstead Hall as a metaphor for Chris’s recovery. The process was painstakingly slow and hindered by the memories of Olivia, his deceased wife.
Naturally, like all good romance stories, we are kept guessing to the end of the book, despite being confident that there’s a happy ending to be found.
I loved this escape to Somerset and can happily recommend it to you.

Stella, in her late twenties, is an online journalist living and working in her family home in London. Unexpectedly she is shortlisted for a writer in residence role at Roseford Hall in Somerset. Is this the change she needs to find herself?

Stella and her lovable dog Fitz's first meeting with Chris is anything but a cute meet. Intuitive Stella soon realises that Chris is hurting, and when she finds out why she wants to help. Chris and Stella are attracted, but they face many conflicts, primarily within themselves to their happiness together.

I love the setting integral to this emotional story and the complex characters who immersed me in their lives. Explores themes of grief and loss sensitively through the characters making this poignant but ultimately uplifting to read.

The romance develops realistically and is lovely to read. The supporting characters are believable, and this is an enjoyable book.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I love Fay Keenan's stories and loved this one. It's escapism at highest level and it was what i needed in this bleak time.
It made me wish I was in the lovely Somerset countryside, rooting for the characters, and have a good times.
It's poignant, heartwarming, and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Roseford Hall has been restored and so
Open to visitors it will soon go.
They want a writer in residence, Stella didn't know
Her Mum had applied for her, should she give it a go?

Fed up with the pressures of being an online journalist
Living in her bedroom is something that won't be missed.
A year working in such a historic house is a dream
That could come true - or so it begins to seem!

Get ready for countryside and new friendships, too,
As Stella settles into her job and what she needs to do.
Such a change in jobs, location, people and place
She soon has a huge smile on her face!

This is a story of starting anew
Of facing the past and moving on too.
A story of a family, devastated by loss
Struggling to cope and being lost.

A moving story and a great start
A read that's full of love and heart.
I'm glad it is the first in a new series, too
I can't wait to return to find out what's new!

I can never resist this author's books
And highly recommend you give them a good look!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is such a great read, this is my honest review.

A sweet and heartwarming story of a freelance journalist Stella who leaves London to take up a new job in Somerset. While she didn't even apply for the position herself (it was her mother who saw how this could be exactly what Stella needed), the job is a welcome change to her unsatisfying current life. In this beautiful setting she meets a grumpy single father Chris who is still struggling with his bereavement. Both of them need a new beginning in life and who doesn't like a good second chance for happiness story?
This well-written, engaging story is the beginning of a new series and I for one can't wait to read the sequel.

I always love it when I have a new Fay Keenan novel on my kindle. Fay writes with such charm and eloquence that one can't fail to be swept up in the romance and drama of it all. This new one from Fay is no exception. Disillusioned both with her job as a journalist, as well as still living with her mother at the age when she feels she no longer should be, we follow Stella's (and Fitz the dog's) journey to the country and the new life she's taken on for a year. We obviously meet the new neighbours, the landlord and others in the village as well as a blossoming romance. Great stuff, Fay - you go from strength to strength, really getting to the heart of your characters and knowing them inside out. Five stars from me!!

Such a delightful way to start a new series, I can't wait to read the next instalment!

In this first book we follow Stella and Chris. She wants to be a writer and moves to Somerset to start a new job. He is her landlord, a single father and is going through a rough patch.

A feel-good, charming read that will lift your spirits in this hard times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just LOVE these rom coms. Even though they have some serious subject matters in them it's all sorted by the end of the book and things turn out well. We all need a shot of feel good right about now!
Fay Keenan has a brand new book out called New Beginnings at Roseford Hall. It's the first in an exciting new series.
Stella has had it up to here with London, it has lost it's sparkle so when she gets a chance to escape to the beautiful Somerset countryside for a year with her little dog you don't have to ask her twice.
Arriving there she is yelled at by a real jerk who she then learns is unfortunately her landlord.
Things couldn't possibly get worse but then she's warned about the hermit living by himself who isn't sociable and just keeps to himself after a terrible tragedy.
When she realizes it's her landlord she's been warned about she knows something must change.
I enjoyed seeing how Chris, the landlord and Stella talked things out and he explains why he is reclusive just spending time with his son and mother in law. Yes, just like any of us that goes through a tragedy he has his bad days and good but this just makes the book more relatable.
I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Pub Date 10 Mar 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Stella is stuck in a rut. Her mum puts her forward for a writer in residence job at Roseford Hall.

She moves to Roseford Hall and meets Chris. Someone who she wants to be with but can he give his heart to her.



Love watching it develop and a nice easy read.

Trigger warning : bereavement

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was cozy and delightful and so much fun to read!

I loved this book. It was entertaining and I enjoyed how the story gently unfolded. Although I guessed that things would turn out right in the end this, didn’t spoil my enjoyment at all. Such a warm story with people willing to help others which always is lovely to read. I’m looking forward to the next one in this series which I hope there will be as I want to know what happens next. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review..

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A sweet story about about Stella, she lives in London with her Mom and writes gossip for an online company called Allfeed. It’s not what or how she thought her life would be, having no place of her own or someone special in her life, apart from her dog Fitz.

One day, she receives a message, for an interview, for a job she’s not applied for. Finding out her mother applied on her behalf, she’s not too happy, but decides to accept a one year contract along with somewhere to live in a village in Somerset.

So she’s off on an adventure, different to the life she’s lived so far, with Fitz. She’s working at Roseford Hall as a Writer in Residence.

In Halstead House, a place that needs a lot of work lives Chris, with his son Gabe, his mother in law Helena doesn’t live too far from them. Chris is struggling to get past the grief and anger he feels about what happened in the past and finds it hard to move on.

This book is the first in a new series. It’s about starting again, it’s funny in places but touches on grief, problems that you have to work at to solve, and relationships.

Looking forward to reading the next book.

I adored this book. Heartache followed by hope and a happy ending is always a good start but the characters were so beautifully thought out with huge amounts of depth and the plot was interesting and funny. I very much enjoyed getting lost at Roseford Hall and can’t wait to read the rest of this new series when the books are released.

Stella finds herself taking a job as a writer in residence at the beautiful Roseford Hall. What she doesn’t expect is finding a whole new community of friends that she will become so fond of and a new start that will outlive her job post.
This was an enchanting read. It had so many lovely feelgood factors, but it also addressed lots of important themes such as loss and finding your own path, that meant it wasn’t all sweetness and light but really took you on a journey with not just Stella but her new neighbours and friends too.
I was thrilled to learn this was going to be part of a new series as I would really love to follow the characters further, as I developed a real affection for them.
A fantastic, heart warming read. It was an absolute joy to get lost in the pages and explore Roseford Hall and the village with Stella. I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Thank you to Boldwood books, Netgalley and Faye Keenan for the opportunity to read the copy.

Oh how I love Fay's books. They are so easy to read and have that real feel good factor about them.

I really warmed to Stella and her want to help everyone. Chris and his past really did pull on my heart strings and there was a real will they won't they aspect to this story.

I always look forward to reading Fay's books and I'm excited to pick up the next one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Any novel published by BOLDWOOD is going to be a very good read, they know a good author when they see them and this book is no different. real pleasure to read and enjoy, very well written with very good content. Well worth 5 stars and I am looking forward to he next book from Fay.

Thanks to |Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Really enjoyed this and delighted that it is the first in a new series so now looking forward to the next books.

This one centres on Stella and finding herself disillusioned with her job writing about z list celebrities finds herself with a new job as the first writer in residence at Roseford Hall.

This book was an absolute joy to read and I loved every moment, the mishaps, the crosswires and the lovely coming together of two individuals who deserved to be together

The only reason I haven't given this book five stars is because it didn't have the wow factor for me. Whilst good, it didn't grip me emotionally. I did feel for Chris, and I think if we'd heard a bit more from him that would have helped. I didn't feel enough emotion coming from Stella. Fitz the dog is quite a character, and I enjoyed reading about him (but authors, please don't write about dogs being tied up outside shops - it's not safe these days). The description of the village, the work being undertaken at Halstead House, the history of Roseford Hall - each added another element to the story. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful and sweet story about a writer who writes about gossip and the best 10 things has a chance to do something different after her mother apply for her in a job . She gets the job but she has to live from London and stay for the 1 year job in the county . With her trusted collie Fitz she starts her new chapter in life . The first person she meets outside her gatehouse is a very angry man who happens to be her landlord . With time they become friends and she is trying to be supportive after he lost his wife 2 years ago suddenly . He is blaming himself for his wife death and refuses to live . Will she be able to destroy the wall he had built around his heart ?
I received this book from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own