I really enjoyed this book. As the story unfolded, so did the depth of the characters grow. In this story of friendship, redemption, and second chances, I appreciated the camaraderie of three unlikely people. Malcom, an old reticent and quiet man unused to conversing with others turns out to be a charming old man in need of friendship and confidence, wise in his words. Ruth is the Runaway Vicar, compassionate and kind but certainly not what you would imagine as a reverend but one who others appreciate for her humanity. Jo is Uncle Wilbur's niece, thinking herself "average" and recently jilted by her partner who needs to find herself and learn to value herself. Currently while Uncle Wilbur is ill, Jo steps in to help run his stationery store in London. This is where she meets Malcom and Ruth, brought together in their exploration of researching the residents of Highgate Cemetery. Besides forming this unlikely trio of friends, Jo meets Eric the Viking, the optician next door, and this makes her heart quicken. Their story is a bit slow, but it is built upon friendship and trust which is vital for Jo. But Jo is also dealing with trying to reconnect with her best-friend Lucy which at the moment was fractured following the breakup of Jo's relationship and escape to London. So Jo, upon being reminded of the power of writing letters, begins a 'Dear Lucy" campaign to make amends. I love all the quirkiness, the stories of the "ghosts", Jo's love of office supplies and stationery, and the byplay between the characters. Sharing their lives, they needed each other in order to move forward. As George Eliot said, "It is never too late to be what you might have been." Wonderfully written, this is a magical story that you feel along with the characters. I recommend it. Many thanks to #netgalley #sallypage #thebookofbeginnings for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A lovely story bringing together different people through a love of stationery. I loved the cemetery idea and the idea of completely random people there coming alive 1 day a year and having a conversation with another random person.

An enjoyable read.

Jo has escaped an unsatisfactory relationship and moved to London to take over her uncle's stationery shop after he is taken ill.

At first, she wants to keep herself to herself, but then people start to come into her life. From friendly neighbouring shopkeepers to customers who come into the shop to browse - who will she befriend?

A story of getting to know new people and how you can build relationships at any time of life.

Its been a while since a book has warmed my heart, brought a smile to my face, brightened my day and made the world seem a bit lovelier. From the outset this was an easy book to read with a lot of charm. The last 25% picked up pace and I was happy to lose myself in this book. I would say it was more of a winter book as the book ended at Christmas time. If you want an easy, cosy read, that is like a hug in a book, then this is it.

Jo moves to London to help at her Uncle Wilbur's shop. Whilst she is there, she becomes friends with Malcolm a retired accountant and Ruth, a reverend who has run away from her parish. Malcolm is trying to write a book based around Highgate ceremony and their friendship revolves around this. Though this setting and the friendship shouldn't work, Sally Page makes it work. There are also her neighbours Nando and Eric and her best friend Les from home.

The book follows the development of Jo's new friendships and mending her old friendships. There was also some romance that was cute. This story was lovely to read and I would highly recommend, especially with Christmas approaching.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jo is at a crossroads. She's recently broken-up from her partner, fallen out with her best friend and doesn't have a career any more. When her uncle falls ill, Jo has to relocate to London to look after his shop and slowly she learns what is important in life through friends and finding her true vocation.
After loving Sally Page's first book I looked forward to reading this and I was not disappointed. It's a very gentle adult book about people who are world-weary and battered but who find each other and enhance their own lives as well as the lives of others. The story is so lovely and life-affirming and the plot, whilst preposterous, is great. I loved the story within the story of the ghosts of Highgate Cemetery and the ideas about God. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a day!

A really good read. I enjoyed this story immensely loved the friendship between the three main characters Jo, Malcolm and Reverend Ruth it shone throughout the book. I also liked the storyline about Highgate cemetery found it interesting and humorous at times .Another great novel from Sally Page

A bit of a slow starter, but then I ended up really enjoying reading this book. It was a great read. Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book

Wow! This book is absolutely amazing. The descriptions are so touching and vivid. As soon as I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I recommend this book to every other reader out there.

You know when you pick up a book because you love the cover and it becomes a classic? This is one of those reads.

I thought that this was more a story about the romance of platonic love between friends, old and new, rather than a love story.
Jo, Malcolm and Ruth meet through Jo's Uncle Wibur's shop and the story of their friendship is a warm hug on a cold night.
Loved this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in return for my unbiased review

Took me a while to read this one, in between bouts of feeling sorry for myself and lots of greys anatomy, but this was a gorgeous read about friendship, fluffy and light and perfect

I liked this book from the beginning. I felt empathy for Jo. The descriptions of the hardware/stationary shop were vivid. I thought the themes of the book were well covered (friendships, relationships, first impressions can be misguided, a fresh start or running away? A warm hug of a read.

The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page is that remarkable thing: a book with no plot that is impossible to put down. After a slow start, I was caught up in the story of Jo's life, a life notable for being average. She's had a few issues in recent months but nothing that mightn't happen to anyone. At the start of the book she has just moved down to London from the north of England in order to look after her uncle's shop. As she gradually meets new people and makes new friends, she becomes more aware of herself and the important of friendship.

Sally Page has written a beautiful, page-turning story and a fascinating mix of characters. It's a thought-provoking and life-affirming novel. I'm recommending it whole-heartedly.

"Jo Sorsby knows she is hiding from her past when she steps in to look after her uncle’s stationery shop. Glimpsing the lives of her customers between the warm wooden shelves, as they scribble notes with fountain pens and browse colourful notebooks, distracts her from the life she has left behind.
Yet far from home, Jo feels adrift . . .
When she meets Ruth, a vicar running from a secret, and Malcolm, a septuagenarian struggling to write his first book, she realises that she isn’t alone.
It’s the beginning of a friendship that can transform Jo’s life . . . if only she can let them in."

This was such a lovely soft and gentle book to read and I absolutely loved it.
From Jo, to Ruth, Malcolm and the Viking, I felt like I knew and connected with the characters and was rooting for them all. There were some sad moments, some hysterical moments and, of course, the misunderstandings along the way to love, all rounded up in a warm hug and a cup of tea.

Stationery is one of my most favourite things too, so I would love to find a shop like Jo's and spend time in there with her and all her goodies, browsing, buying and trying out her fountain pens.

I cannot wait to read more from this Author, an easy 5* from me.

Just an interesting book that is out of my usual genres that I read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book pulled me right in and just took me on an interesting path.

This was a cute, light story.
Showing friendship and growth. How you can continue to learn and grow. Sometimes you just need a new environment.
That said I did find myself a little bored at times. I needed something more to fully get invested in her life.

I loved that it was set in an old fashioned stationers shop. I quickly wanted to know about some of the characters, The run away vicar, and Malcolm were destined to be the main characters alongside Jo, but I would have loved a bit more about Eric The Optician, maybe another time!
The way the story wove was not what I was expecting, especially with a trip to Highgate Cemetery. It is there that each of the three main characters open up and grow and start to divulge secrets. I thought the addition of Jo back story with her friend was a nice touch as it showed that not all friendships have a rosy glow all the time.
I really liked the Christmas Eve setting in Highgate Cemetery and could really see those characters and did have a chuckle. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I look forward to Sally's next book.

Jo has recently split up from her partner and is coming to terms with the knowledge that he was never her 'friend'. It is hard to accept that her best friend Lucy knew this all along and also to see how she - Jo - had let go of important relationships rather than face the reality that James was wrong for her.

She has a chance to make a new beginning. Her uncle Wilbur has had a stroke and his old fashioned stationary shop in London needs someone to take care of it. This was always a special place for her - Jo loves writing and pens and paper and her uncle used to make her feel special and wanted in this little haven. We never find out more about Jo's relationship with her parents - they are more shadowy in the story but it is clear that Jo had a deep connection with her uncle.

Living now in London above the shop, Jo gets to know her neighbours and as she becomes more involved in their lives, she find out more about herself.

I read this book quickly and enjoyed both the story and the characters. I entered that world of the stationary shop and could see the notice board which Jo used as a picture story of her experiences.

There was another layer of stories as Jo and her new friends explored stories of people now buried in Highgate cemetery. They were 'brought to life' through the imagined conversations that eg Karl Marx had with his ghostly neighbours. This theme of revitalisation runs through the book and that is what drew me to read it.

I felt the story slowed down as it came nearer to the end and of course I knew that there would be a 'happy ending' which felt a little predictable. All ends neatly tied up or, as Uncle Wilbur would have said, everything in its place.

However, an enjoyable read and a pleasant journey into another world.

Such a cute little book about friendship. Lovely interesting characters. It also has a nice Christmasy feeling to it.

Such a lovely book, I really enjoyed it. Jo is staying in London, looking after her uncles stationery shop. She's just broken up with her boyfriend and is struggling to adjust.
Whilst in London she meets a whole host of people. All pretty eccentric, including the runaway vicar.
It's a really cosy story of friendship and Community.
A perfect Christmas read.