Good. Old fashioned love.
Ah simple but fulfilling, some parts are predictable but still enjoyable.
Jess has had a bad relationship, she runs away with very few possessions and sleeps in a tent in a graveyard.
It is winter and very cold, she finds an empty house which is for sale and needs some work doing in it. Jess breaks in and sleeps in the house, looking after it and being careful not to use the utilities. The new owner visits the house and Jess runs away leaving her few possessions, later she returns and Gethin the owner persuaded her to stay in return for helping him with renovations. Once Jess has an address she starts work and saves for her own place. Jess and Gethin grow close, but both are damaged by past relationships. Friends and family play a part in their lives with good and bad advice.
Will they get together or are is Jess's past to much to overcome?
Thank you NetGalley, Jackie and Simon and Schuster for this ARC

I wrote this book so it's not fair to review it. I always ask for a copy of my own ARCs because I do like to read them!

Really I'm only doing the feeback to get it off my 'dashboard'.

I'm going to give it 5 stars because why wouldn't I. :)

New Author to me, engaging writing style, heartfelt and uplifting read, perfect for a weekend tucked away reading .

Such a nice read. Jess finds herself in a small Welsh town, escaping her former life and abusive partner. She's living in a tent in the local graveyard when she finds an empty house and moves in. When new owner Gethin turns up and surprises her she expects to be thrown out, but not everyone has bad intentions. So begins a friendship, unlikely house sharing and will they/won't they relationship. Lovely. #netgalley #TheBegnningofEverything

This book was both heart-breaking and uplifting in equal measure.
Following the beautiful, yet unlikely friendship to reveal the characters past lives, was a really raw and eye opening read.
This was my first read by this author, but certainly will n9ot be my last, it was beautifully written!

It good book writing style easy to follow it did take a while to get into plot but the I was hooked a great book I recommend to you all good strong character a nice story to read

A lovely book following Jess as she strives to flee a bad relationship and start a new life.

Finding an empty house, near the cemetery she's taken temporary refuge in, seems a perfect way to escape the cold and have an address to aid her job and new home search. Little does Jess realise that finding the home will bring so much more into her life.

The lovely and moving story shows how the support and encouragement of new and old friends help Jess to drop her guard and begin to believe she deserves to be happy.

Beautifully written and soul lifting, this is a perfect romance novel and proves that love can still be found by those over 40.

The Beginning of Everything is the definition of a slow burn book. It is slow, but poignant. The story is quite unique - not the usual run-of-the mill romance; with both the main characters being in their 40's.

Jess has run away from her past, as a victim of domestic abuse. She lives in a tent for a few days and then decides to break into a vacant property. She is then caught out by the house's owner, Gethin. Instead of telling Jess to leave, he lets her stay. They do up the house together. They bond and form a lovely relationship. Gethin understands that Jess is emotionally scarred and he too is getting over a break-up.

Written in the first person, the writing felt deeply personal.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser tells the story of Jess who runs away from a bad relationship to a town in Wales and ends up living in an abandoned house.

That is until the owner Gethin who has just come out of a long term relationship, moves in, and rather than Jess leave he allows her to stay and help him with the renovations.

The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser while being an enjoyable novel to read did feel like it fell into between two narrative ideas, one being a women’s fiction novel were the lead character Jess overcomes her previous life difficulties.

The second is a romance novel where Jess and Gethin fall for each other over the length of the novel.

Either of these styles of novels would have been great to read although the taking either of the elements out would have made the novel shorter and the areas kept would need to have been expanded to make a novel.

I am not saying that The Beginning of Everything is a bad read, as i did like the writing style and the story as a whole. It is just that because of the way the novel was written by Jackie Fraser it felt a little disjointed, than was necessary.

The disjointedness of the book, felt that it minimised Jess’s journey throughout the reading of the story and turned her relationship with Gethin to no more than snap shots of their burgeoning relationship to about two pages at a time.

Having said that despite my perceived weakness of The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser the book was still an enjoyable read.

A heart-warming story about the unlikely connection between a homeless woman who breaks into an empty house and the owner who lets his unexpected squatter stay instead of kicking her out, in exchange for help with the renovations. The story is about kindness, friendship and the rewards of being open minded and non-judgmental.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy

The Beginning of Everything is quite the rollercoaster of life and love, with lots of emotion. This is the story of Jess and Gethin. They aren't some young things. They are in the middle of their lives. They've lived a lot of life and had many experiences.

Jess's love life hasn't been successful in the past. It's a life many people will be able to relate to. She has known, what she had hoped was love, but in the end, it was anything but that. It turned out to be very abusive. There's time to breath a sigh of relief that she is able to escape.

Gethin enters Jess's life. This isn't a love at first sight and all is forgotten type of story. It shows how complex life can be. He seems perfect for Jess and incredibly kind, but her "baggage" is naturally still lingering around within her. This becomes apparent in some of the choices and reactions she makes. I found myself really rooting for Jess to one day feel some freedom from what happened in her past that hurt her so badly and deeply and to allow someone, a stranger, who is genuinely kind and gentle in.

Gethin and Jess have to allow themselves to trust again and what unfolds is a wonderful exploration of this and how a relationship between two strangers can slowly grow. It isn't always in the romantic sense, it begins more slowly, in a friendship sense, that is beautifully and realistically written. Sometimes talking to a stranger can be easier than someone you know well, and in some ways that comes across with Gethin. It also, cleverly allows the reader into his story.

The Beginning of Everything is poignant and shows that life can be bad and incredibly bleak and yet it isn't the end. It could be just The Beginning Of Everything yet to come.

This is a gentle cosy and enjoyable read. Perfect for a cup of tea and chocolate biscuit while loosing yourself in the story for a while. Enjoyable thank you.

The Beginning of Everything is such a wonderfully cosy read that it is like having a hug from something warm and comforting. It is a beautifully told story of Jess and Gethin, a second chance at love story with two main characters in their mid 40s learning to begin again.

Although it initially struck me as strange that Gethin would invite a squatter to stay in his home as he renovated it, the more you get to know Gethin in the story, the more it makes complete sense, he really is just that kind of person. I loved the connection between Jess and Gethin, almost immediately they fall into the easiest, most comfortable of friendships where they help each other heal while finding that they share similar interests.

At the outset they are not ready for a new relationship because they are both relatively newly single. As they both heal from the past, their focus is entirely on looking forward to the future, rather than allowing themselves to be damaged from the past. This slow burn romance was wonderfully gentle and sweet, and I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time I was reading the book.

I loved Gethin’s house and the descriptions were so vibrant that I had a really clear picture of it in my mind and wanted to move in with them! I found the author to be so expressive in creating the world that Gethin and Jess lived in, and I loved the natural dialogue within the story.

This comforting autumnal read will have you smiling as you watch this wonderfully compatible couple fall in love.

Fans of Fraser’s first novel, The Bookshop of Second Chances, will be delighted to read her new novel. This title may also bring the author new fans.

As the story opens, Jess has fallen on hard times and not for the first time. She is camping out in a cemetery as she has no home. Things look up when she happens on an empty house and uses her lock picking skills to get inside. Jess decides to squat in this home. She hopes that she will find a job, start a new life, and leave her most recent abusive relationship firmly in the past.

One day, Jess is wakened by someone in her (not really hers, of course), new digs. In a surprising twist, rather than being thrown out, Jess is allowed to stay. In return, she will help with the renovations (they are many) that are needed.

Gethin has his own history of a broken heart and, he, too, is vulnerable. What will happen to these two somewhat broken souls? Will they find their happily ever after? Readers will hope so as they wish for good things for these appealing protagonists.

Recommended to those who enjoy women’s fiction and romance.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for this title. All opinions are my own.

The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser is a fabulous and heart-warming homage to friendship, trust and love. Both of the main characters Jess and Gethin embark on a journey meeting each other through the strangest of circumstances. The pair are hurting from past trauma although I felt Jess’ was more significant and powerful compared to Gethin’s. The reader witnesses a ‘courting’ but not in the traditional sense and we see the duo navigate and dance around each other in the most beautiful of ways. I found this to be a very quick read despite the book being nearly 400 pages in length and that’s because it was a real page turner. I read huge chunks at a time and didn’t notice the pages or the time flying by as I became immersed in the beautifully written story and the relationship that is nurtured and subsequently blossoms. Friendship is how I would summarise their connection for the vast majority of the story or at least that’s what they pretend to each other but the reader is getting a snapshot into their lives and can see that much more is occurring without anything solid or official being confirmed or said.

When we first meet Jess she has spent two and a half weeks camping in a tent in a cemetery in a Welsh town. The reasons for this situation are alluded to but specific details are not provided until the later stages of the book. The reader can guess what has happened to her to make her run away from boyfriend Mitch but she holds her exact truth close to her chest. All Jess wants is to be secure and safe in her life, she needed that final push to get away from Mitch and that came in the most hurtful of ways. Knowing that she needs to get a job in order to earn some money so in turn she can rent a room she breaks into Sunnyside, a house that has been sold but so far unoccupied. She thinks that she can stay there for a little while and build up some cash and then make solid future plans. To be honest, I didn’t have a very favourable first impression of Jess due to her breaking into the house. I thought no matter what you have been through or who she was trying to keep away from would you have done this especially when family and friends have offered help. But Jess is headstrong and independent and needs to this for herself as she has had so much change and disruption in her life. I quickly got over my issue with breaking into the house because the author takes the focus away from this and soon a much bigger emotional picture starts to emerge.

The theme of her life has been giving up everything and starting again and this is just about to occur when the owner of the house Gethin arrives and discovers that Jess has been occupying his house. She makes a run for it and when returning to collect her stuff she sees a note from him introducing himself and allowing her to stay whilst he renovates the house. Two strangers sit and talk and instantly from Gethin kindness exudes and this trait remains with him throughout the book. He is caring, considerate, empathetic and compassionate and he too similar to Jess has suffered pain in his family and personal life. Jess is offered lodgings in return for helping with the house and to be honest I did think it was a bit surreal that he could be so trusting and open with someone that he had just met but again this is where I had to forget my own personal opinions and just go with the flow of the story unfolding before my eyes.

This is not a story packed full of drama and action. Instead it is a relaxing and comfortable read where the friendship between Jess and Gethin develops as the weeks pass by and they renovate the house. Gethin places a lot of trust in Jess selecting fabrics and furniture etc for the house. In a way it’s like they are building their future home together if you stood back and looked at the bigger picture although I don’t think either of them realised it at the time.

Gethin reveals his own personal story to Jess but she is reluctant to impart specific details regarding what occurred to her. I think she appreciated the fact that Gethin never pushed her unnecessarily but instead gave her the time to heal, to learn to trust again and to find hope and comfort in her life. She needed to get herself back as Mitch made everything in her life shut down so easily but now Gethin is starting to reawaken her soul and spirit. Jess gains more confidence when she gets a job as a washer in a restaurant kitchen. She meets new people and makes friends and her circle is expanding. Gethin and herself go on adventures and she is introduced to his family but all this is in a friend capacity. Everything they do is done in terms of friendship and nothing more.

It was as if all the stress that can accompany a romance was taken out of the equation for Jess and Gethin because all that kind of stuff was not done under certain constraints and expectations. There was a certain amount of freedom and they getting to know one another just as friends. Perhaps if they had instantly embarked on a relationship they wouldn’t have been so open and trusting with one another. Whereas with a friendship they had no hesitations or need to keep things back. There is some trouble and strife towards the end of the book where I thought Jess completely over reacted and was too rash in her decision. But again this was her past trauma and insecurities preventing her from seeing the good in people and what was before her very eyes. She was reluctant to let go and believe that happiness could be there for her. That she could share it and receive it in return. The Beginning of Everything is a beautifully written and rewarding read. You will become lost in the lives of Jess and Gethin and fervently hope that Jess can find the person and the place where she needs to be and also that the kindness of strangers should never be underestimated.

If you’re looking for a book to curl up with and restore your faith in humanity, then can I recommend The Beginning of Everything by @muninnherself. It’s a gloriously gentle but emotional story of new beginnings and finding love again, full of heart and with two very real main characters who I guarantee will steal your heart.

Escaping a toxic relationship, Jess finds herself homeless and seeks shelter in an empty house. When new owner Gethin finds her in the house, he proves to be a one in a million guy and lets her continue to stay there - and so begins an unlikely friendship. As the pair bond over renovating the house, they form a genuine friendship that helps them both move on from past hurt and learn to trust again.

Whilst relatively little happens in the book, with much of the drama coming as part of the backstory, what Fraser does so well is to enable the reader to get to know both Jess and Gethin well and ensure that they feel very real - and it is refreshing to read a romance with two middle-aged characters at its heart. You cannot help but feel for Jess as she struggles to believe in herself and let down her walls but ultimately the story is a reminder that everyone deserves happiness and it is never too late to find it.

With a message of hope, it is a book that will steal your heart and leave you with a smile on your face as you turn the final page.

This is a book about personal transformation, something I’m very keen on in my work as a counsellor. Jess Cavendish leaves everything behind when she moves to a new town in West Wales. She had to run away after a toxic relationship left her feeling like she didn’t know herself anymore. She starts her new life in a tent! However, as the weather gets colder she knows she must find somewhere else. When she comes across an empty house she’s so pleased to be able to start squatting there for the winter. Then the owner returns. Gethin is more broad minded than most and makes Jess an offer. She can stay on in the house if she promises to help him with some maintenance and repairs. Slowly, they grow closer and become friends. I was rather stunned by Gethin’s choice to let Jess stay in his home, it’s a generosity that seems rare in everyday life.

We read the book through Jess’s eyes and I was rooting for her from the off. Both her and Gethin are in their later forties and I think their age necessitates honest communication and being open with each other. There are no games. Jess needs to let her guard down a but further and communicate her feelings more, but I thought they made a great couple and I wanted it to work. Jess’s looking for a home, in all the senses of the word; she wants to go to bed every night under the same roof and . Gethin manages to give her that security which scares her and makes her wonder if it's temporary. Their relationship builds up slowly, and we get to see very little of them as a proper couple, but it is completely satisfying when they get together. It’s a character driven story and I enjoyed that it placed the emphasis on their inner worlds. I loved the linear narration because I felt like I was reading someone’s diary. It’s emotionally raw and I loved that it made me think about homelessness and that the author explored it with a tone of ‘there but for the grace of God’. I hate the emphasis in our society of people making bad choices and ending up in living on the streets. It’s never that simple. Jess was unlucky. She met the wrong man and was vulnerable enough to be preyed upon. Yet she keeps moving and keeps trying, which makes her so endearing. This time she met Gethin and their love story is beautiful. This was a romantic and uplifting read.

I loved this often thought provoking but always emotionally gripping story of love and hope. From the start, I was invested in Jess’ wellbeing as she spends her nights in a tent. It was obvious her backstory had depth, and I wanted to know more. The homelessness theme struck me as apt as we hear more and more people are struggling thanks to the cost-of-living crisis. Her predicament hit home.

As well as Jess keeping me engaged, the house she broke into captured my imagination. I love watching house renovations on the telly and experiencing the transformation of this gorgeous house alongside Jess’ own personal growth was uplifting. I was cheering her on as she navigated her new life. Gethin was a dream. Whereas he could easily have been portrayed as too nice which would have put me off, his depth and own history made him endearing and I longed for him to be real. It was a joy to see them both form a friendship that became deeper as the book progressed.

Would I recommend?
Yes, Beautifully written, The Beginning of Everything is a heart-warming book of hope after insecurity, love after pain and friendship after loneliness. It is ideal reading for cosy nights.

This was a slow-burning read in which homeless Jess, a woman in her forties, gradually rediscovers her strength of worth thanks to the kindness of the homeowner who allows her to stay in the house where she has been squatting, even after he moves in himself. Gradually Gethin and Jess become friends, but their relationship seems doomed to stall unless Jess can resolve her trust issues. She must learn to love herself before she can love others, and that is not going to be easy. This story relies on deep strong emotions, exploring the relationship between Jess and Gethin in great intensity. While Jess has secrets, there are no huge plot twists and no sudden reveals, but the story is a gentle and thoughtful reminder that friendship, kindness and caring will always make life better. Jess is a complex character, but Gethin is a straightforward joy - we all need someone like him in our lives, and I'm glad to have met him here, and to have been reminded of the power of the kindness of strangers.

This is a beautiful story.
I found Jess’s story so emotional- she’d been through so much and seeing her story unfold before us was wonderful.
I loved how the friendship with Gethin unfolded - the trust built between them was lovely to read about and I really enjoyed seeing how they encouraged eachother to be brave.
This is one of those stories where you hope for a happy ending but are never quite sure how it will end. Jackie Fraser has written such complex characters with depth - flawed, realistic and human, Jess and Gethin are not afraid to show their true selves. A real story of love, trust and hope.