Such an adorable story!
A lovely warm hug of a book - perfect for when those nights are getting darker and colder, it exudes warmth and sincerity.
Main characters Jess and Gethin are both starting over after failed relationships and it's a real slow burn for both of them. Their feelings for each other evolve slowly and there are the obligatory obstacles but the journey is so enjoyable you don't want the story to end, so you can stay there with them just a little bit longer!

A lovely engaging slow burn romance story with believable characters. It kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable and varied, the plot is one that is engaging and medium paced. I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

I found this a really emotional read, one scene in particular (about a third of the way through) had me in tears, I found the writing so beautiful. This is my first book by this author and won't be my last, an excellent read. Our main characters Jess and Gethin are relatable and it felt like they were old pals to me - this book I found to be very realistic and not scared to tackle hard hitting issues, such as people's perceptions of homeless people.

I have a very mixed opinion on this, and will probably re-read again the future to put together a better review. It handled a lot of difficult subjects well and with care including abuse and homelessness, and there were some absolutely beautiful, heartfelt moments throughout. But there was just something that kept me from connecting with the characters and things that didn't make sense to me.

This book was beautifully written. A heart warming love story of two genuine people who had lived two very different lives. Their paths crossed in the most unusual way and it could have been so very different. I don't want to spoil the story so I'm not going to.
If you want to read a love story with depth, that's modern but not typical this is the book for you. Its never too late to experience genuine kindness, its never too late to be kind.! One of the best books I've read this year!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schusters for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I received a copy of The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser from NetGalley. The story follows the characters of Jess Cavendish and Gethin Thomas. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance of characters who are in their 40’s. The blurb of the story is something that intrigued me from the start. It is a different kind of romance book.
Jess Cavendish has left everything behind and moved to a new town in West Wales. Her last relationship was toxic, which made her run away to find herself again. She is living in a tent. As it gets colder, a beautiful old house catches her eye, and on finding it empty, she starts squatting there. A few days later, the owner of the house returns, and finds her in his house. Gethin makes her an offer to stay in the house and help him fix it. Jess and Gethin become roommates and start getting along.
The entire story of The Beginning of Everything is narrated from Jess’s perspective. Jess is 45, and Gethin is 47; they are pretty upfront about what they want for themselves and play no games with each other. Jess is not a great communicator of her feelings, but you can see they match well. Jess’s life has been difficult, and she wants to find a home. 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.
The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser is a beautiful romance story. The characters are interesting, and I liked the setting of Wales. It’s a character-driven book, and it is nice to see satisfying arcs for the characters. The narration style is unique; sadly, didn’t suit me for whatever reason. Overall, it is a nice friends-to-lovers romance book. I enjoyed reading it once.

Well this was a nice yet emotional read. Abusive partners, a new start and then life takes another unexpected turn. I enjoyed reading this and felt close to the characters. Was cheering them on!

A gentle story of two people who have left relationships start to rediscover who they really are, helping each other to move forward. A thoughtful look at whether we can really trust kindness of a stranger.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Jackie Fraser for an advanced copy of this book in return for a review.
I really enjoyed this story - and we love the friends to lovers trope. It's a lovely holiday read!!

I don't usually read romance novels but the synopsis of this had me intruiged, it was refreshing to read this story from a middle-aged couples point of view who have had bad relationships in the past and are more cautious the next time around. I think I enjoyed this book as a romance because it wasn't particularly soppy and sugar sweet, it was written realistically. I was gifted this advanced read by Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Publishers with no obligation to leave my review

This book was just ok. It started off very well, exciting with her running away, breaking into the house and then when she was discovered by the owner, it just became an easy read. Nice enough story. Think it could have a deeper storyline with some more excitement when living together. The ex coming to find her etc. Pleasant reading.

I just loved this book and enjoyed it immensely. Utterly delightful with very believable real characters in this very slow burn romance. I loved the realistic conversations too which seemed so natural and not at all forced. A slightly unusual storyline to start but draws the reader in and flows along, unfolding nicely in a gentle way . Totally uplifting with hope and kindness at the heart. Totally engaging.

I really enjoyed this book!
I don’t like to give spoilers in my reviews but I think I need to to say just how clever this book is.
At each point that Jess gave her trust a bit more you could see the opportunity for betrayal and I felt scared for her. The tension is brilliantly written.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy for review. I will certainly be looking for more from this author!

A beautiful heart-rending story about a character who goes through a challenging journey, This book had me laughing, crying and thinking about what it takes to rebuild a life. Delightful! 5 stars

Jess is running away from something and has become homeless in her 40s . Finding an empty house she decides to stay for a few days and meet the owner Gethin and everything changes. This book is a slowburn romance and has a very cosy feel to it. I enjoyed the characters being a little older than a lot of books and felt this gave them more depth. Although perhaps a little unrealistic in parts it was overall a book that kept my interest. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

Homeless and unemployed Jess is on the run from a bad relationship
.She discovers an empty house so moves in.
The owner Gethin has just split up from his wife ,he discovers her living there and lets her stay.
They become friends and you can guess the rest.
A nice story of love and kindness

The beginning of everything by Jackie Fraser

Jess a forty something woman finds herself sleeping in a tent in a cemetery in Wales to escape a very difficult abusive domestic situation. She finds herself with what she stands in her, tent and sleeping bag and a few charity shop purchases. She finds an old empty house with an overgrown garden and she breaks in to get away from the dreadful weather and finds the electricity is still on so moves in. The owner finds her few belongings and offers her a bed and a place to sleep safely.

The story is a slow burn about a middle aged woman hiding in the shadows and trying to come to terms trying to start again and the people who truly want to help her to get the life she deserves. The twists and the characters she meets along the way.

A story very relevant to our time and a lovely read about a sensitive subject. A very enjoyable read

This was a very satisfying and cosy read - maybe a tad unrealistic in places, buts it’s nice to follow an arc where they might live happily ever after

Wow what a book, thoroughly enjoyed the journey, emotional, raw, and real feelings, Jess is running away from something, but she must start again. Totally lost in the story and found it hard to put down.