Member Reviews

Love this author and her previous series so I knew this would be good. Love to read about autumn and her life, look forward to more.

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My Review: I love Jessica Redland books, ever since her Hedgehog Hollow books popped up in my social media, I have read and listened to all of the books published by Boldwood and written by Jessica. I was and am super excited to have read this brand new series which follows Autumn, the French/ English artist. Who spent her post 11 year old education with her grandparents in Surrey. Since I live in Leafy Surrey, this put a big smile on my face. In her youth she became pen pals with Rosie, who in the present day invites her to stay in the Lake District. There are ponies, fine art, beautiful scenery, friendships and as with all of Jessica's books hard hitting drama and love. I enjoyed unwrapping the story, the audible narration is also very good and enjoyable. I am sure the mention of Toffee will make you smile too. Can't wait for the next book. A summer Must Read!!!! Oh and not to forget Beatrix Potter :)

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I’ve read a couple of Jessica Redland’s other titles, so I was happy to dive into her latest creation, The Start of Something Wonderful. I was not disappointed. The title character, Autumn, an artist whose biggest influence was Beatrix Potter, is in a period of flux -lost love, changes at work, the loss of her beloved grandfather. Even spending time in Paris isn’t jump-starting her creativity. This is a woman who needs a retreat, and her long-term friend Rosie offers one: come to the Lake District and find your sparkle again.

I really loved that the core relationship in this novel was of female friends, pen-pals who have never before met in person, but have been writing back and forth for a quarter of a century. In this age of texts and instant messages, the notion of a friendship that’s almost exclusively restricted to pen and paper is a romantic one. As a letter-writer myself, I really appreciated Redland’s choice to have Autumn and Rosie interact that way. As always, Redland writes her female characters with insight and delicacy, making them feel like women we might run into in the coffee shop or post office, and the male characters, Etienne the ex, and Dane the children’s book writer, are equally dimensional.

One place where Redland excels is in the description of places. Whether she’s talking about artsy Montmartre or the lush landscape of the Lake District, this author really makes you feel as if you’re there. In this novel we get to travel to both, and the experience is fantastic. Similarly, the detail of Rosie’s riding and the stables where she works and the progression of Autumn’s art are written very plausibly. I like that their avocations and vocations weren’t mere afterthoughts, but were integral parts of the story.

While this novel is, ostensibly, a romance, I found that the deeper relationships were friendship and family. Either way, it’s a deliciously satisfying read, light enough for a summer escape, but not at all insipid. Billed as the first in a new series, I can honestly say that this novel is The Start of Something Wonderful in more than just name.

Goes well with: hot tea and buttered popovers with strawberry jam.

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Before I start I must confess that I am an avid Jessica fan. I would go so far as, I know her as I’ve chatted with her on social media 🙂 A stretch I know but I’m saying she’s a friend 🙂 lol oh and the best thing is after reading this utterly heart-warming, beautiful story that I now have two pen pals!

Right now to stop my waffle and get on. The Start of Something Wonderful is a touching and uplifting read that really does leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling. The thing I love most about Jessica’s books is that she doesn’t shy away from telling the whole story. She deals with the difficult situations that we all deal with in life. Loss, sadness and strong emotions alongside the happy soppy love, hearts and flowers side of life. (in this case Daffodils are very apt) You’ll need to read it to understand that bit. No spoilers from me.

Autumn is a really complex character. She had a challenging childhood moving between France to be with her parents in the Holidays and England for her education when she lived with her grandparents. She had a lovely close relationship with her Grandad and I could feel Autumns emotions coming off the page as she deals with her immense love and sadness. Jessica absolutely knows how to evoke strong emotions in her readers. Its almost as if we are there in the pages living out the story. I love feeling so involved and immersed in a book. I always feel completely invested in the characters and I just wanted Autumn to find the love that she so richly deserves.
One aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was the long-term pen pal friendship that Autumn has with Rosie. Its utterly heart-warming and just a fabulous way to build friendships. Jessica is also the master of describing the surroundings that her characters find themselves in and it’s so clear that she does her homework before launching into her writing. I learnt a lot about Beatrix Potter and the beautiful Lakes.

A book that is wholly worth investing your reading hours too. It’s uplifting, beautifully written and I for one can not wait for book 2. The perfect feel good read with a splash of realism thrown in. LOVED EVERY SINGLE WORD!

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I am not exagerating when I say Jessica is one of my all time favorite authors. She has a real gift of creating characters that I immediately love and feel like I know personally and therefore I feel everything they are feeling. I ended up reading this book full of excitement and with a lump in my throat at times. It's really quite incredible the effect Jessica's writing has on me!

This is Autumn's story and she tells it first person, which I love! The start of the story where she loses both her job and her grandfather within a short time is heartbreaking, but then the story moves on to Autumn trying to start over, but where should she start over, where will she find her mojo again? Paris with her parents or the Lake District with her penpal Rosie? The story takes us all sorts of places and introduces us to some wonderful characters that we end up caring about deeply. The writing simply makes the characters and the places come alive. I just kept smiling and then being moved to tears again and again when we hear about both Autumn and Dane's past. A really touching story!

I can honestly say I loved every minute of this story and am now eagerly awaiting the next story in this series. Jessica couldn't have made a better choice for the main character of the next story in this series!

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With her bilingual history, Autumn proves to be an interesting central character for the first in this new series. Largely brought up by her grandparents in England, her parents live in Paris and in some ways, she is torn as to where she actually belongs. At the beginning of the story, her life is at a low point, with her grandparent being so frail and her job at risk. Worse than that, she has lost her mojo as an illustrator and struggling to come up with her usual inspiration. Autumn seems to have had a lonely childhood but her longstanding penfriend of over twenty years has been a constant.

In an attempt to kickstart her art, Autumn spends time in the Lakes with her penfriend, Rosie and has a natural affinity for Beatrix Potter. I enjoyed the descriptions of the Lake District and Beatrix Potter's home there, as well as the references to her famous stories. The natural world of the environment is a key part of the story, woven into Autumn's illustrations and daily life. As the first in the series, it showed a lot of potential with some interesting characters. As she makes new friendships, Autumn also slowly unburdens herself of some secrets from her past. She also has the chance of romance, if she is brave enough to take the risk.

In short: a new start and a reckoning from the past

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Jessica Redland is one of my “go to” authors, I have loved every book, every series, all the characters and locations, so I was really looking forward to getting stuck into another series in a brand new setting!
This new series, set in the Lake District, has started strong, I loved getting to meet new characters, fell in love with the locations (as always Jessica describes it wonderfully) and couldn’t put it down once I started!
Autumn is our leading lady, but we also get to know Dane, Rosie and Alice well too. Beatrix Potter has clearly been an influence as this book is littered with references to her life and work; which is something Autumn and Dane bond over. As you read more about Beatrix, her story is mirrored in some ways by Autumns – it’s hard not to draw comparisons.
As an Illustrator, the Lakes give Autumn inspiration but she feels something is missing, Dane is also looking for some creative inspiration and so the pair agree to help each other.
Rosie has been Autumns penpal for a very long time, having her nearby has only helped strengthen their friendship. We were given tiny glimpses into her life, but I feel (and hope) there will be more to learn about Rosie.
It’s a story with ups and downs; long lost love, poor timings, heartbreak and pain but also hope, a fresh start and new chances.
Autumn is a lovely character and I hoped her time in the Lake Distract would be the start of great things for her. I’ve never been to the Lake District but I felt like I could easily imagine the village, the walks etc.
Great start to the series, I cannot wait for the next book!

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A new series from Jessica Redland and it comes from the best place in the while of the UK. I have many fond memories of there and along with the friends we have made there. This book is a fresh start and what a wonderful one it is as well. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. This runs true to form for Jessica, she puts her heart and soul into every book she has written. I am not giving anything away but please grab a copy as I know you will enjoy reading it. Well worth loads more than 5 stars. I highly recommend this to all.

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Well this was a new series with new characters and I fell in love with each and every one of them! Autumn was a lost soul who didn't feel like she fit in anywhere, until she went to visit her long time penpal Rosie in the Lake District. While there she found herself, and a place that she belonged. The whole book had such a great sense of community and village life, with the cast intertwined and linked to each other. I love the way Jessica threads all the lives of her characters together so that in each book we find out more about a different person.

Rosie and her mom Alice were a complex pair and I can't wait until their characters get a story of their own. I know there is a lot more to unearth with them both. Dane was sensitive, sweet and I loved the creative journey that the pair go on together. I could imagine all of the illustrations that Autumn created and see how they could be weaved into Danes stories. It was such a lovely string to follow.

I absolutely loved all the description of the Lake District, I could tell that it is a place close to the authors heart and the images of the village of Willowdale were vivid in my mind. I love the lake district myself so I could think back to some of the places I have visited and link them to the story.

I can't wait to continue following the lives of the Willowdale residents, I am sure there is a lot more to learn about them all. I have no doubt that Autumn and Dane will pop up throughout all the future books, especially with Danes links to Mountain Rescue! I am sure there will be some more hikers who need rescuing in future books!

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If I ever had a moment’s concern about coming to grips with a new cast of characters, it didn’t last for more than a couple of pages – the author is a quite wonderful story teller, and I very quickly took lead character Autumn to my heart.

We meet her at a particularly difficult time – facing redundancy from her job as an illustrator, having lost her passion for creating the animals she specialised in drawing, and sadly saying a final goodbye to her beloved grandfather. Staying with her parents in Paris is fraught with difficulty, especially the proximity of a particularly painful reminder of her past – and an invitation from long-term penfriend Rosie to stay with her and her mother Alice in the Lakes offers her both a refuge and an opportunity to consider her future. The pair have never met, but have been the closest of friends since schooldays, supporting each other at a distance – and the warmth of her welcome, and the sheer beauty of the surrounding countryside, makes Autumn feel immediately lighter. And then she meets Dane – also at a crossroads in his life – and they find mutual support with their creative endeavours, and a strong friendship with real potential to become something rather more.

The characterisation in this book is quite superb – every individual has real depth, with personal challenges to overcome, all handled with the sensitivity that’s always a particular feature of this author’s writing. Autumn’s path to happiness and fulfilment isn’t an easy one, and there are certainly a number of significant obstacles in her path – but she handles them with growing confidence, and I felt I was with her every step of the way, knowing that the path she eventually chose would be the right one. Rosie and mother Alice are really well-rounded characters too – I’ll be very much looking forward to them carrying their own storylines as the series progresses.

The Lakes setting – in the area around Derwent Water – is so beautifully described. I thought I might miss Yorkshire, always so much a part of the author’s other books, but I didn’t – you can really feel her love for her chosen setting, and for the majesty of its surroundings. And as Autumn is an illustrator, it’s inevitable that she’s particularly inspired by Beatrix Potter – I especially enjoyed the way her life and creations were woven into the story, as Autumn attempted to capture some of the same magic in her own work.

Jessica Redland really is an author who never puts a foot wrong – this whole story is tremendously engaging, overflowing with warmth, filled with the most perfect emotional touches, families and friendships old and new, but with plenty of drama and unexpected moments to keep the pages turning ever faster. I really adored this book – a totally perfect start to a new series, most definitely something wonderful, and I’m already looking forward to spending much more time in Willowdale.

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WOW it only took me a couple of days to read this book and it is true to its word, if this is a new series then it really is the "Start of Something Wonderful", I really enjoyed these characters and the setting, I learnt a lot about Beatrix Potter and the process behind her stories, I am really looking forward to the next book (s) in this series, Jessica really has a way with story telling, always hooked from the first page.

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I love Jessica’s books and this one is no exception. Autumn was having a hard time with her Grandfather near end of life and possibly about to lose her job. She received an invitation from her pen pal of 24 years, who she had never met, to go and stay in the Lake District. Eventually Autumn decided this could be just what she needed to heal and it turned out to be the best decision she’d ever made. She had new friends and became part of a community who really cared about each other. She was a great follower of Beatrix Potter and loved being around where she had lived. Autumn had lost her inspiration for the illustrator she was but managed to find it here in this very special place. I fully recommend this book.

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The death of her Grandfather and losing her job, too,
Has Autumn Laine considering just what to do.
She's usually a talented illustrator but has lost her way
So decides to go to Paris with her parents to stay.

Here the return of her first love has wanting to escape once more
So she decides to take up her penpal's offer and the Lake District to explore.
Although they've been writing for more than twenty years
It will be their first real meeting and could help put away her fears.

The village of Willowdale is where Rosie and her Mum r eside
A beautiful location and welcoming community beside.
Autumn has loved Beatrice Potter and been inspired by her, too,
Seeing her home and inspiration in the Lake District is a dream come true!

There's also a chance meeting with a cyclist, a trip to A&E as well
Maybe this holiday will become more, only time will tell!
A heartwarming story of loss and taking chances
With the possibility of one or two romances.

There are choices to be made, dreams to come true,
Fresh starts and inspiration for a few.
A gorgeous read, I adored from the start to the end
Now more time at Willowdale I can't wait to spend!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

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If I ever need cheering up, my go to author is Jessica Redland. Her books are like a warm hug - always set in beautiful settings with great characters and they're heartwarming and uplifting. The start of something wonderful is set mostly in the Lake District, and has lots of Beatrix Potter references. The main character, Autumn, is an illustrator at a crossroads in her life, with recent Bereavement and unemployment causing her to reassess her life. I love relocation stories and this is a good one. I love the journey that Autumn takes with her love life, friendships and her professional life. There was a certain level of predictability to the story but in a good way, and there were enough surprises to keep it fresh. There are themes of relationship breakdown, bereavement, uncertainty, unexpected pregnancy, personal growth and discovery. There's a certain polite gentleness to Jessica's stories that make them particularly comforting, especially when, if you're like me, you spend a fair bit of time reading psychological thrillers! I'm hoping that Jessica will revisit the characters and the setting from this book as she has done with places like Whitsborough Bay and Hedgehog Hollow. Thanks again Jessica for another gorgeous story!

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I love Jessica Redland's books and this was no exception! Her characters are always diverse, relatable and realistic, with well developed backgrounds. The storylines are always engaging and immediately draw me in. It only takes a few pages to make me feel like I am among friends. Thanks #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks

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The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Autumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer. So when her penpal, Rosie, invites her to stay in the Lake District, Autumn jumps at the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. After all, where better to re-discover her creativity than the place which inspired her heroine, Beatrix Potter? Arriving at the picturesque lakeside village of Willowdale, Autumn is swept up by the beauty and magic of the stunning landscape. Welcomed into the community with open arms, she slowly starts to feel like herself again as her creative instincts re-ignite. But when she meets Dane, who has escaped to the Lakes for his own reasons, will Autumn's walls come down to let someone in again after so long? Or will the secrets of her past continue to hold her back? A new beginning is a daunting prospect, but could it be the start of something wonderful too..?

My Opinion

I started reading this on the bus which was a mistake as it gets off to a sad start. There is something about starting another series by Jessica Redland, when I was given this opportunity to join the blog tour there was no hesitation. Full of warmth and friendship this book was a delight to read.

Jessica has created some wonderful characters and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next with this series.

Rating: 4/5

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What a beautiful story and book! I love Jessica’s books and this was just wonderful to read. Set in the beautiful Lake District, a place I love to go camping. The story of Autumn and her pen pal Rosie was just a lovely friendship. The story of Autumns childhood sweetheart Etienne was heartbreaking and raw. Then Dane came along and Autumn had some soul searching to do. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series. Thank you for the opportunity.

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Autumn Laine's life is at something of a crossroads and so it is with trepidation that she leaves her worries behind and heads for the Lake District to stay with her pen pal, Rosie and although they have exchanged lots of letters over the years Autumn and Rosie have never met in person. However, Rosie makes Autumn feel very welcome and soon the tranquility of the beautiful place, and its people, help to give Autumn some perspective on her life, especially when she meets Dane, another lost soul, who has also settled in the area for complicated reasons of his own.

With imaginative ease this lovely story takes us on a picturesque journey around the area around Derwent Water, and from the wonderful way in which the author describes everything it is obvious that she knows, and loves, this beautiful place very well. From the charm and quirkiness of Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's home, to the majestic beauty of the Lakeland fells there is never a moment when the story fails to engage with the reader. I was soon enchanted by Autumn, by her exceptional artistic talent, to her quest for fulfillment and her quiet determination to take her life in an altogether different direction.

Filled with the joy of friendships, old and new, the excitement of finding real purpose in life and the simple pleasure of being able to live in such a beautiful part of the world, this first book in the series really is The Start of Something Wonderful and I can't wait to see where this talented author takes us next on our journey to the English Lake District.

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When I was offered the opportunity to read and review the first book in the new series by Jessica Redland, I jumped at it as I'm a huge fan of this author.

I certainly wasn't disappointed when I started reading. The location of the Lake District is amazing, especially since I've spent some time there. I loved all the references to Beatrix Potter.

I loved Autumn, she was in limbo as her grandad had just died and she had lost her job and her mojo. She thought spending time with her parents in France would help but that brought its own issues, Etienne in particular.

The penpal storyline with Rosie is lovely, full of warmth and friendship. I remember having one at school and was lucky to get to meet her. Rosie and Autumn have an amazing friendship despite never having met.

The storyline with Dane was lovely and I was really pleased he and Autumn were able to help one another. I loved how Dane, Autumn and Rosie's characters all grew throughout the book.

A real sense of community comes through the book. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series as there are lots of wonderful characters and, I'm sure, potential great storylines.

Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books and @rachelsrandomresources for my gifted copy and spot on the tour. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Wow! What a wonderful beginning to Jessica Redland's new series of books set in the Lake District! I loved the dive into multiple locations and links to real historical figures, the descriptions of the landscapes and the fabulous new characters. A lovely read, as ever. I already had a holiday booked to the Lake District for the autumn, now I can't wait!!

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