The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page is a heartwarming and uplifting story about life, friendship, and finding hope in unexpected places. The book follows Jo, a curious and kind-hearted woman who writes letters for people who struggle to express themselves. Through her work, she uncovers hidden stories and connects with others in meaningful ways.

I really enjoyed how the book celebrates small moments and human connections. The characters are well-drawn and relatable, and Jo’s gentle determination to help others makes her easy to root for. The story is filled with charm and emotion, with moments that made me smile and others that brought a tear to my eye.

Sally Page’s writing is simple yet beautiful, and the themes of new beginnings and second chances are woven through the story in a way that feels both hopeful and comforting. If you’re looking for a feel-good read with a lot of heart, The Book of Beginnings is a lovely choice.

What a delightful book. Rather Katie fforde like in that you have a pretty good idea where it is going, but lovely writing and great story-telling.

I loved this books. The characters are real and relateable. It certainly has the feel good factor and a nice warm feel to it. I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this story set around a stationary shop with the main character Jo comes to temporarily mind her Uncle’s shop when he is in hospital as she is between jobs. Great characters and progression through their storylines. Recommend to all fiction fans especially those that love a bit of stationary! Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC

*The Book of Beginnings* by Sally Page is an enchanting and beautifully crafted novel that completely captivated me from start to finish. This book is a delightful journey through the lives of its characters, filled with heartwarming moments, deep insights, and a touch of magic that makes it truly special.

From the first page, I was drawn into the rich, evocative world that Sally Page has created. Her writing is exquisite, with vivid descriptions and a lyrical quality that makes every scene come alive. The story weaves together multiple narratives, each one exploring themes of new beginnings, second chances, and the interconnectedness of our lives.

The characters are wonderfully developed and incredibly relatable. Each one has their own unique journey, and I found myself deeply invested in their stories. Sally Page has a gift for capturing the nuances of human emotions and relationships, making the characters' experiences feel genuine and profound.

One of the standout features of *The Book of Beginnings* is its thoughtful structure. The intertwining stories are expertly paced, with just the right balance of suspense, revelation, and emotional depth.

I particularly loved how the novel explores the idea that every ending is a new beginning. This theme is woven throughout the book in such a subtle yet impactful way, leaving me feeling uplifted and hopeful. It's a reminder of the beauty and potential that exists in every moment of our lives.

I'm optimistic that *The Book of Beginnings* will resonate with many readers, offering both comfort and inspiration.

If you're looking for a beautifully written, heartwarming novel that celebrates the magic of new beginnings, *The Book of Beginnings* is an absolute must-read. Highly recommend!

I didn't get into this book straight away but I am glad I persevered because it was such a joyful and uplifting read with genuine and authentic characters that you really feel connected to. I'd highly recommend it!

Netgalley, thanks for letting me read it early.

Jo, a single 38-year-old, takes over her Uncle Wilbur's stationery shop when he gets sick. It's like stepping into a world of quirky characters:

There's Ruth, a former vicar with a mysterious past (turns out she's a "Runaway Vicar" according to the newspaper!) Then there's Malcolm, researching a book about a spooky cemetery (perfect for Halloween!).

The author clearly did their homework because the details about the shop and the cemetery feel real. But the best part? The friendships! Jo bonds with Ruth, Malcolm, and even a guy named Eric she hilariously mistakes for a Viking at first.

This book was exactly what I needed - a heartwarming escape that left me feeling good. If you're looking for a comforting read with a charming cast, this is i

I really enjoyed this book, I found it an easy read with a great storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is my first Sally Page book, it's been an enjoyable and easy to follow read. There's love and zest for life sprinkled across the pages Great character interacti0n and development. A recommended weekend read.

I don't know if I'm losing my reading mojo, but this one took me a while to get into too.
Once I did though, I loved it.

Malcom, although not the central character, was my favourite.
The ending, although neatly tied into a bow, also left room for the characters to forge their own paths.

Stunning! Completely captivating from start to finish with emotive writing and perfect characterisation.

Jo, Ruth and Malcolm are the kind of friends everyone needs - completely different to each other, flawed, honest, loyal and with so much love to give, as well as being hilarious at times. The best parts of this story are the simplest parts, that are raw and relatable. I could have carried on reading forever, however the ending was so unexpectedly wonderful, I can forgive the fact that the book had to end at all!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Sally Page and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A wonderful book about friendships and starting afresh, even with old situations and friends. I loved the gentle flow, this characters and feel the need to go out and buy a foutain pen!

I woud read Malcolms book and it was lovely to have this chink of story inside the real story.

A gentle book with a feel good factor. We do not get to know all the character well but the ones we do are worth investing time in and become frinds. Part of our own play and for that moment are on satge with us.

I’m always here for an uplifting read! This book is full of love, friendship and life. I loved the characters and flow of the story. It put a smile on my face and I highly recommend if you want those feel good vibes.

“I have often thought we spend too much time obsessing about finding, “the one”, and we forget that a best friend can be a lifelong love. There is a fundamental truth, comfort and joy in having a best friend.”

The Book Of Beginnings is the second novel by British author, Sally Page. Heartbroken when she realises her boyfriend of six years doesn’t love her, thirty-nine-year-old Jo Sorsby sees her mother’s request as an opportunity to avoid James and his new girlfriend in Northumberland. Jo’s Uncle Wilbur has gone into respite care, and his hardware-cum-stationery shop in a little alleyway off Highgate High Street needs a caretaker.

Taylor’s Supplies is where Jo would spend a few wonderful weeks each summer during her childhood, and was the source of her passion for stationery, so being there brings back fond memories. Living in the flat above the shop, the next few weeks see Jo meeting the tattooed optometrist and the Spanish tattooist whose shops share the alleyway. And if one of them is extremely attractive, well, she reminds herself that she’s not in the market for romance. Is she? And anyway, her time in the shop is temporary…

Encounters with quirky customers are interesting: the notes they write when testing her fountain pens prompt discussion and are worthy of her pinboard. A friendless schoolboy who loves fountain pens and chess, a policeman unhappy with his handwriting, a beautiful young woman recalling an Italian penfriend: Jo manages to helpfully direct their course. One enthusiast advises her on inks.

But it’s some of the regular or repeat customers, of which there are increasingly more, who have her truly intrigued. Soberly dressed Malcolm Buswell knows her from her childhood visits, buys and fills notebooks, and is writing a book, but remains reticent about the subject matter.

Ruth Hamilton is a vicar mysteriously absent from her parish whose remarks are perceptive and astute, and something she says spurs Jo on to try to repair the disconnect with her best friend by taking up one of her fountain pens, selecting the right paper, and writing a proper letter. Is she seeking forgiveness for something she tries to avoid thinking about?

As the story progresses, firm friendships form and Jo finds herself going for a December swim at Hampstead swimming ponds to commemorate a Spitfire Girl, contributing to an intriguing literary project and, eventually reconnecting with her best friend. The new friendships have profound effects on each of them, allowing them to reveal their troubling secrets.

Eventually, “Jo knows what it is that Ruth brings to people. What she carries as a precious gift, along with her bottle of wine, to the sick, the dying, the bereaved, the frightened. It is not her belief in God. It is hope.” Will Jo lose these precious new relationships when her stint at Taylor’s ends?

There’s plenty of wisdom and insight in this tale, but also a good dose of humour. Always direct, Reverend Ruth occasionally comes out with delightful surprises: “‘On the way here, I walked behind a young man smoking a really powerful spliff. I was so annoyed,’ she says. ‘He went so quickly that I had to walk really, really fast to keep up with him.’ She breathes in deeply, smiling, ‘And now,’ she concludes, with a sway from one foot to the other, ‘I’m feeling rather mellow.’” Funny, moving, heart-warming.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.

A gentle, undemanding read about making fresh starts and friendships, with just a little dash of romance.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review..

A rather thought provoking novel and with humorous moments. Lovely descriptions of both the characters' emotions and of their surroundings.

What a wonderful book that was easy to give you faith in human nature. So many great characters that were wonderfully kind-hearted were included as well as all the different emotions that make life so interesting. Such a great read that kept me up until the small hours. Just brilliant

Oh my days I loved it ❤️ and absolutely wonderful book and one of which I’d not have read if not for netgalley and so thank you! I adored this, and will defo read more like this one, a true gem

Oh my God I love stationery! As a child there was a shop where we went on holiday that sold sheets of writing paper in every colour. It was like a rainbow and it was sold by weight. I would save birthday money to go and buy paper. Now, I still love rainbow writing pads, but I’m also a sucker for notebooks and journals. I have writing bureaus full of them and we have to give shops like Mooch and even bookshops a swerve sometimes, because I’m running out of room! That first pristine page of a notebook, the thickness of the pages underneath and the feel of a good pen rolling across the page. I even love the smell. My favourite is a thick, leather bound notebook with spredges and end papers that have a beautiful oil print on them. I bought it from a bookbinder’s shop in Venice and it’s so beautiful I daren’t write in it. So the setting for this book drew me in straight away. Jo’s uncle has a little stationery shop and it’s the perfect place to hide from life, so when he falls ill Jo moves down to London in order to help him out. It comes at the right time because Jo is heartbroken and needs a change. Her ex-boyfriend finished their relationship after six years together. What Jo can’t see is how bad for her he was, controlling and narcissistic. From her friend’s perspective he drained Jo’s confidence and tried to separate her from her friends. They hope her time in London might help Jo to regain her confidence and perhaps even change her outlook on life.

I actually flew through this novel, loving the feel of it and how uplifting it is. I especially enjoyed all the characters that come through the shop and have the potential to teach Jo something about life. Firstly it’s a great distraction from heartbreak and I could see Jo’s growing passion for the shop. She starts to get ideas and updates it, building her confidence as she goes along. All the time she’s observing snippets of her customer’s lives as they try out pens and choose their favourite notebook. There’s a lovely elderly man called Malcolm who is also finding himself, showing Jo that we are always changing and re-inventing ourselves. There’s also a lovely vicar called Ruth, who’s also hiding and is known to the press as the ‘Runaway Vicar’. Their stories will help Jo, if she lets them in and forms a friendship with them. I loved the lesson that although we tend to think of ourselves in terms of a fixed character, we are constantly evolving and it’s never too late to change or try something new. We’re never too old to make something happen - a good lesson for me, because I’d started to think my dreams of writing my own book had passed me by. I finished the book feeling uplifted and completely charmed by these lovely characters.

I loved this book, but the main character drove me mad! I was completely exasperated with Jo - has she no pride? No independence? Whatever happened to women’s confidence and equality? This woman is behaving like a child! And would she really set off on a four hour drive without her phone?!
Then I realised that she, like many women, and men too, overthink everything.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for review.