Sometimes one just needs an embrace and Sally Page’s The Book of Beginnings is a huge enveloping hug of a novel!

The heart and soul of the book is about friendship and just as the characters in the book became firm friends, I felt just the same reading the chapters, joining them on their trails, their joys, and their journey to finding their true selves. By the end, it was hard to say goodbye to them all.

Within this beautifully crafted novel the author, through the close third person point of view, captures Jo Sorsby as she arrives in London and her uncle’s beloved albeit rather dated stationery shop. Sadly her Uncle Wilbur was recently diagnosed with dementia and Jo’s mother kindly asked if she would mind looking after the shop for a while. The answer was an unequivocal yes. (‘Sometimes a heartbeat is all the time it takes to reach a decision’.) Not only is Jo a stationery nerd with many happy memories of joining her uncle in his beloved place as a child, but she is also suffering following a recent break-up.

Quickly the reader is drawn into the profound loneliness and heartache of Jo’s life which is in the middle of a devastating flux following the break up of her long-term relationship with the infamous James. A man she realised everyone else detested. At last with the care and love from unexpected and unlikely new friends and childhood and work friends, Jo begins to understand James’s manipulation and control over her.

Her salvation is the shop and its quirky set of characters – two especially become her rock.

One is the wonderful and wise Vanishing Vicar, Reverend Ruth. What caused her to suddenly depart her parish home mid-meal? Ruth’s wit, inherent wisdom and kindness help Jo and others around her, yet at times such deep anxiety and sadness overwhelm her. How can Jo come to Ruth’s aid? A septuagenarian called Malcolm is another regular visitor and he seeks shelter in the shop following an accident. The tight-knit trio is formed and it is a joy to follow their quirky and close friendship as their journeys unfold and this includes their excursions to Highgate Cemetery to help Malcolm write his first ghost book; here they flit into the lives of some of the deceased, imagining their conversations.

Furthermore, as Jo begins to revel in the joy of discovering herself along the way she longs to unravel the stories and secrets around her including that of her best friend Lucy since primary school. Why has Lucy suddenly become withdrawn? She feels the distance and loss keenly, aware this is harder to bear than losing James. (‘Could an out-of-step friendship make you feel ill? Now, she thinks it can’)

As the unusual group becomes ever closer, Jo’s new neighbours also become pivotal in her life. Two neighbouring shops are the opticians and a tattoo parlour. Lando and his family become good friends. Meanwhile, Jo slowly begins to realise that Eric The Viking as she mentally labelled the optician, and embarrassingly blathered this out loud to him, could become important to her as they share much more than just a deep interest in fountain pens and poetry! Alas, following various misunderstandings her awakening of her feelings towards him seems to be too late.

Throughout the book, the customers of the shop are a delightful mix of people, their love of all things stationery creating fleeting friendships as she effectively creates a self-help environment.

Sally Page’s writing is superb, skilfully weaving the characters and their stories into this beautiful novel. At times it is almost lyrical, one saying Uncle Wilbur’s sayings runs like a chorus through the book, and Jo quickly realises that her uncle was referring to much more than fountain pens and paper when he said: ‘A place for everything and everything in its place.’ May we all remember this in our own lives!

I love how this wonderful whimsical cross-generational tale of friendship breaks down the barriers of loneliness and isolation faced by people at crisis points; friendships which continue into their everyday lives. After all, ‘the joy of having a best friend was one of humanity’s best-kept secrets.’

I love how quickly I became caught up in Jo’s and her friends’ lives.

I love the warm and engaging writing and story-telling.

I love stationery shops and by the end of the book eager to head out to buy a fountain pen, maybe one like the new ones bought into stock by Jo. Just like her many customers, I too have my own favourite fountain pen story!

Finally, as a huge fan of the author’s debut novel The Keeper of Stories, I am overjoyed to feel that her second novel is even better … I just hope I don’t have to wait too long for her next creative endeavour!

Many thanks to the publisher HarperCollins UK for granting my request to read a pre-release copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Sally Page just has a wonderful way with words. Like "The Keeper of Stories", her second novel "The Book of Beginnings" is full of joy, warmth, enjoyable characters and a feel-good story. This would make a good Christmas read (and even reminds me of Love Actually / Notting Hill, as it has a similar vibe). Looking forward to reading more by Sally Page in the future.

Friends can be found in the most unexpected places, and across all barriers of age and circumstance, as Jo Sorsby is about to find out. Family circumstances lead to her taking over her uncle's hardware and stationery shop - a somewhat awkward combination - after he is diagnosed with dementia.

But Jo has her own recovery to think about, since she is still very much trying to come to terms with her last break up. Bit by bit, her growing engagement with her new situation leads to an almost unconscious process of gradual healing.

Part of that process includes the relationships she begins to develop as a result of her new job. For example, she meets the runaway vicar, the Reverend Ruth Hamilton, who has her own secrets to deal with. And then there is Malcolm, a pensioner who is preparing to write his first book!

There is great tenderness in the way that the writer depicts these unfolding relationships, and the reader grows to care about Ruth, Jo and especially Malcolm, as well as some of the other characters we meet in these pages.

The story moves a little slowly at times, but it has a sweetness to it which contributes to create, overall, a significant feel-good factor.

A really beautiful read with lovely characters and storyline. This is one of those books I’d like a sequel to because I’m so invested in the characters lives.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page is a charming and often very funny book about finding friendship in the most unexpected of places. When Jo Soresby comes London to look after her beloved Uncle's stationery shop while he is dealing with a health crisis, she feels like the timing could not be better. She needs to get away from her ex, James , and figure out what she wants to do with her life, she also wants to repair her relationship with her best friend Lucy , as they have drifted apart for several reasons, Taking time in a new city might be just what she needs to figure things out. As she gets to know the customers of the shop, both old and new, as well as the people running the neighbouring shops, she begins to build a small community of her own , and to develop friendships that are both unexpected and exceptionally rewarding.
This is really a character driven book, the plot may be predictable, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of the book in any way, in fact it felt like something of a comfort read, like a book I would revisit if I felt down or in need of the bookish equivalent of a hug. Jo is a great character, fully human with plenty of flaws but with a kindness and generosity of spirit that made it impossible to warm to her, Her neighbour "Eric the Viking" brought a lot of sweetness and fun to the book, along with the runaway vicar, Ruth, who is one of the first customers Jo meets and who is dealing with a crisis of her own, but still finds time to offer friendship and advice. I also loved Malcolm , a long standing customer of the shop who finally starts to feel free to be his true self when he begins to spend time with Jo and Ruth.
This was a book that just made me smile so often while reading and I know that reader's who pick it up will be charmed.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Book Of Beginnings by Sally Page. I was very lucky to receive this book as a proof, publication day is 28th September 23. Jo’s is running away from her past and is a little lost so ends up going to London to look after her Uncles stationary shop, which gives her so much more than she could ever have hoped for. This book was my little campion as I got over covid so took a little longer to read but this enabled be to take the whole story in and what a great book it was. I loved every think about this book, another success for @bysallypage without a doubt. It’s a very intriguing read, with a cast of intriguing characters, not just Jo. The cast of characters are unique, quirky, incredibly loveable and each with there own story, of which brings them together. It’s a gentle and easy read which keeps the reads interest throughout because as always the author as an amazing eye for story telling and detail. For me Jo’s Uncle Wilbur felt familiar, although he’s not a main character in this book, they way in which she describe him, reminded me of my great uncle, whom had the biggest heart but had not children of his own and who also sadly had dementia and ended up in a home, another reason why I think I loved this book so much. I loved the idea connected around the cemetery and each story connected to those that had died and what they would talk about for one night. I love visiting very old families graves and wondering about there stories and life’s, another aspect to this book that just adds to it being a great read. I also loved that this book was different, anything but predictable, even down to it being set around a stationary shop. This is probably a funny thing to say about a book and is probably more to do with the characters and the way it’s written but the story has a feeling of dignified elegance about it, nothing is over done and it has this feeling right up to the ending. I grew particularly fond of the characters in this book and would like to hear more from them. I read this book full of enjoyment, interest and rapture, if you haven’t read anything by this author pre order this one now you won’t be disappointed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed the author's first book, Keeper of Stories, so I was delighted when this one came out. The Book of Beginning did not disappoint. It was a delight to read. Loved all the characters. They came alive in the book & you felt you knew them. A book that hugs you, makes you laugh and makes you cry.

I loved The Keeper of Stories so was looking forward to reading this. Yes, it's.a little twee & predictable but it's also a nice easy comforting read - the sort of book I usually save to read on holiday!
The main theme is friendship (made me a little sad that I haven't just bumped into a Ruth or Malcolm!) but the best part, for me, was the story within the story about the ghosts of Highgate Cemetery (I really want to visit there now - especially on Christmas Eve!)

Jo Sorsby volunteers to run her Uncle Wilbur’s stationery shop and she has happy childhood memories of spending her summers helping him. Jo’s life hasn’t turned out how she’s expected, she’s recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend James and she’s at a loose end.

When Jo opens the door for her first day of trading, Jo has no idea she's about to meet three people, who will change how she feels about friendship and herself. Ruth Hamilton is known as “the runaway vicar” she left her parish in Scotland and she’s made her way to London. Malcom Buswell is a regular customer of her uncles, a distinguished older gentleman and he’s writing a book. Eric the viking, he works next door and Jo’s dreamy Nordic warrior is an optician.

Jo likes her new world surrounded by pristine notebooks, writing paper, envelopes, fountain pens, browsing customers and ringing up sales. However, sometimes Jo feels like everyone else has a plan for their future, a purpose and she has been left behind and without a clear pathway to follow.

Jo finds herself making unexpected friendships and forming a connection with two people who are the complete opposites of each other, Ruth and Malcom. Jo invites them both for a meal and Malcom returns the favour, he takes them to the Highgate Cemetery and it's the final resting place of some very famous people and it’s haunted by ghosts and the two women go for a bracing morning dip in the Kenwood ladies pond on Hampstead Heath.

I received a digital copy of The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Another uplifting and inspirational narrative from Ms. Page and she certainly has a style of writing that grabs your attention and heartstrings from the first page and doesn’t let them go and you will still be thinking about the characters long after you have finished the book.

A story about the importance of old and new friendships and what Jo, Ruth, Malcom, Erik, Finn and Lucy share with each other, truthfulness, understanding, wisdom, comfort, joy, fun, laughter and memories. Five stars from me, I highly recommend The Book of Beginnings and the author’s previous novel, The Keeper of Stories.

A mixture of friendship, fountain pens, and fresh starts, makes this a refreshingly good uplifting story. I was absolutely
charmed by the people and their aspirations.
A real jewel to read.

Three people trying to find meaning in their lives. Jo is getting over a broken relationship with James and moves to London to look after her sick uncle’s stationary shop. I liked the way Jo gets to know the regulars who visit the shop. I especially like the way Jo becomes friends with Malcolm who is trying to write a book and Ruth who is a troubled Vicar.
Set in London not far from Highgate Cemetery. Jo, Ruth and Malcom spend time wandering around the cemetery imagining stories about people buried in the cemetery. It was interesting finding out the history of some of the famous people buried in Highgate Cemetery.
I loved this book it was about friendships and grief with a sprinkling of romance. The pace is slow and Jo has plenty of time to think about her life and how she wants to live it.

I really enjoyed this lovely read full of interesting multi-generational friendships, stationery, ghosts and a viking!

I loved the idea of never being too old for new beginnings and friendships and recognising mistakes and regrets and moving on.

I was also really intrigued by the runaway vicar and there was obviously more than meets the eye in terms of Malcolm who was possibly my favourite character. Without giving anything away I really enjoyed meeting the residents of Highgate Cemetery.

A sweet and heartwarming story, it’ll make a perfect cosy autumn/winter

The book of beginnings is a lovely, warm novel bringing unlikely characters together to show that friendships can be formed from nothing and the benefits friendships have on the soul.
It's a very entertaining novel that gives the feeling of a cosy hug when you need it most.
I was gifted this advanced copy from Netgalley and Harper Collins UK with no obligation to leave my review

I was unsure about this book when I started reading it, but without me realising it slowly wound itself around my heart! This book is an absolute joy - I loved everything about it, especially the beautifully written characters! You cannot fail to love Jo, Ruth, Malcolm, Uncle Wilbur, Eric the Viking (🥰) , Lucy, Lando and Finn. I will treasure this story and recommend it it to my friends if they are looking for a warm hug of a book full of friendship and love……….. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took me reading this to realise that the author Libby Page (author of The Lido and The Vintage Shop of Second Chances) is in fact Sally's daughter! Which is amazing as they're both very accomplished and tender writers.

I think more books should be set in stationery shops. To be surrounded by beautiful fountain pens and ink pots and notepaper - oh it's all just wonderful. Sally clearly has a passion for good stationery (I mean, she does own her own pen company), and that passion comes in drives, whether it's just describing a packet of envelopes or the art of writing with a fountain pen, it's just gorgeous. She has really found the magic that pens and writing can offer.

Sally hasn't hidden from the serious topics: relationship troubles, pregnancy, dementia, injury, aging, loneliness etc. It's very real, not too morose, but realistic. And it's by getting through these potentially difficult times that make the good times sparkle even more.

The love and joy and happiness and, above all, hope that comes from this book is so lovely to read. It's about a community, the feeling of belonging and having a purpose, That no matter how old you are, where you're from or where you're going, you n achieve whatever you want. It's about knowing you have that ability and that support and that community around you. It's about no longer feeling lonely, and instead feeling tethered to something or somewhere or someone. I love that there is a range of ages. We've got middle aged adults, we have children, and we have the elderly. And they're all mixing and they all find friendships across the age spectrum. Which is lovely. As I think the young can learn from the old, and the old from the young. We shouldn't accept being pigeonholed. Like who you want to like and love who you want to love. That's all there is to it.

There is a great deal of love, but it's not necessarily a romantic love, although there is some of that. It's more about loving strangers who become friends, who you then love enough to become family. It's about loving your job and your surroundings. Loving your dreams and your wishes, your opportunities and possibilities. And most importantly, learning to love yourself.

We see characters come in and out of this story, much like they come in and out of the stationery shop. Some are just passing, and some stick around. But they all orbit around Jo and her story. Your main players are, of course, Jo, who after her relationship and her job breaks down, she takes over her Uncle Wilbur's stationery shop whilst he is unwell. She is a fabulous, fabulous character. So full of warmth and want to help others, putting others before herself, and so familiar and relatable, and she is definitly a character I will remember. Then you have her friends from home, Lucy and her brother Finn. They aren't in it for long, but their friendship is a running theme throughout the book and it was interesting to read how they fit into this new life she is creating. And then we have Jo's three new friends, Ruth the vicar, Eric the Optician (or Eric the Viking, as Jo calls him), and Malcolm, the elderly neighbour. They all work wonderfully. It's been a while since I've read a book where I love every character and feel they are all perfect in their creation, their story and their development.

For me, there isn't a hugely complicated plot - bear with me, this isn't an insult. There is a light plot ticking through it, but this is more focussed on the characters and their emotions, dreams, pasts and futures, and their development. And I for one applaud Sally for writing it like this as she has hit the nail on the head perfectly.

I am not ashamed to say I cried at several moments in this book. It's isn't necessarily sad, per se, but, without spoiling it, it is incredibly moving for a number of reasons which I hope you pick up if and when you read it. Sally has managed to speak directly to me and I can feel that.

Sally may not be a seasoned novel writer - I believe this is her second - but she has clearly found her natural skill and rhythm, as she reads like someone who has been honing their craft for many years.

I may have read this in August during a very hot spell, but for some reason, once I'd finished it, I had this very cosy, warm, wintery, festive feeling that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I think it's the feeling of being loved and being safe.

I read it in less than 24 hours. It was so addictive and I just wanted to stay amongst this story, and I can't wait to see what Sally produces next.

I loved the first book by this author, so was delighted to receive this one. What a beautiful story about the power of friendship. This deserves to be a runaway hit. The setting, the characters, the story… all pitch perfect. Tender, funny, heartwarming and sad, but ultimately uplifting. A wonderful read.

The Book of Beginning’s is a wonderful heartwarming story that is an inspiring story of the importance of friendship.
Broken hearted after her boyfriend decides unexpectedly to end their relationship Jo travels from her home in Yorkshire to look after her ailing uncle’s stationary shop in Highgate London. Slowly she begins to make new friends with other shop owners and a couple of customers who have troubles of their own to share.
With a cast of great characters that add much depth and feeling this story holds you attention and interest throughout and I became invested in each one. I really felt as if I was wrapped in a warm cosy blanket as I read it, not that it was without it’s funny and very sad moments.
I now have Highgate cemetery on my wish list to visit.
An uplifting book which I highly recommend, and the Epilogue….it may have only been three lines in length but it was Epic and so, so satisfying.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

What an absolutely wonderful book. A fabulous book which starts off not that exciting but you quickly get sucked into the characters and events that unfold as the story progresses. I even left work early one day as i wanted to finish the book.
I love books that make you want to visit the places mentioned in the story line and yes i am definitely off to Highgate Cemetery!
This is a story of friendship and love but deals with some real issues we all face in life. Relationships develop and stories of real historical people are told and weave their way through the plot.
A lovely easy read.

Jo Sorsby is trying to heal a broken heart, so when her beloved uncle falls ill, she agrees to leave her home and family in North Yorkshire and run his stationery shop in Highgate, London.
Feeling sad and lonely from her relationship break-up, the glimpses she gets into the lives of her customers as they test out the fountain pens and browse the colourful notebooks and cards, help to distract her, as do her neighbouring shop-keepers, Lando and Eric.
When Jo meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian still finding himself, she suddenly realizes that she isn’t alone, and each of her new friends has a story that can give her new perspectives and help transform her life…

This book is an absolute and total delight. With its beautifully written characters, and its skilful blend of light and shade, it is a hug in book form - ‘up-lit’ at its very best.

It also debunks that age-old concept of the difficult second novel, because this one is even better than The Keeper of Stories, which was Sally Page’s excellent debut.

Here we have a novel by a writer who is now hitting her stride. As with The Keeper of Stories, Sally Page uses the ‘story within a story’ technique to great effect and I loved finding out more about some of the residents of Highgate Cemetery.

This is a multi-layered story with a fully-fleshed cast of characters, and it sensitively explores themes of rejection, loss and loneliness, and highlights the importance of friendship and community.

Friendship is a major focus in this novel: we see how long established friendships need to be treasured, nurtured and worked at to ensure that they continue, and thrive; that some friendships are time-limited, for a certain phase of our lives only; and how, so long as someone is open to it, it is possible to make new friends in the most unlikely or unexpected ways.

Another key message of the novel is how it is all too easy to let others define us and our sense of worth; how it can lead us to settle for what we have because we mistakenly think that is all we want or deserve. The George Eliot quote, ‘it is never too late to be what you might have been’, is referenced in the novel, and as the story progresses we see that no matter what our age or circumstance, whether we have faith or none, new beginnings are possible, and we should aim to live our best lives – lives that are real and authentic to us, and to our own hopes and dreams, rather than lives which are limited by conformism or which are lived to please others.

The Book of New Beginnings is a wonderful, enjoyable read that gives you all the feels, and leaves you with a lovely, warm, uplifting glow.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this novel pre-publication in exchange for an honest review.

What a great story. Some lovely and interesting characters who have a great time together and help each other with friendship and love. Jo, Malcolm and Ruth work so well together and Highgate Cemetery is a great setting for some of their exploits. Ruth has some hilarious moments but I fell in love with all of them.