Jessica Redland's new series set in the Lake District is truly going to be the start of a wonderful series,

After loving her Hedgehog Hollow and Christmas on Castle Street series I just jumped at the chance to read this book and boy am I glad I did. The Start of Something Wonderful truly is the start of a wonderful series,  Autumn Laine jumps at the chance invite from her pen pal of twenty four years Rosie to stay in the Lake District following the death of her grandad and then her job she things change of scenery will do her good for a while, I doubt falling in love was on her radar especially after she was also leaving her ex, Etienne, back in France.

I loved the setting, the characters and yet again  I can not wait to see who's story we get next in this series.

5 stars

A wonderful start to a brand new series, set in the Lake District a place I know very well, this book was full of warmth and wit and wonderful descriptions of the scenery. I look forward to the next one in this series soon. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Another lovely story from Jessica Redland. This one is the first in a new series set in the Lake District, in the fictional little town of Willowdale. It features Redland’s usual attention to detail in crafting a place we would all love to visit. In the case
of The Lakes, she blends fiction
with reality, bringing in Windermere, Cat Bells and Beatrix Potter.

The central character is called Autumn Laine (which seems
more Bond girl than her usual characters) and tells the story of her search to find her own identity after the loss of her job, the death of her grandfather and the unexpected reappearance of her first love. Reader, he done her wrong.

As with all Redland’s characters, Autumn is a strong and resourceful woman but she isn’t quite as forthright as some of the other characters we’ve come to love in Redland’s books.

Autumn meets Dane, who sounds delightful, if a little bland, and their friendship forms a centra pillar of the story. As does Autumn’s friendship with her penpal Rosie, with whom she’s exchanged letters since she was young.

All in all, this is typical Redland, great characters, beautiful scenery and lots of well described places, skills and situations.

I did feel it was lacking a little in depth and strayed away from the credible sometimes - Rosie and Autumn have been penpals for ages (I think 24 years) but have never met, despite only being a good train journey from each other (although Autumn’s parents live in Paris and she spent a lot of time there with them), the (undoubtedly traumatic) event with former love Etienne has coloured her life and relationships in a way that seems a little disproportionate and the relationship with Dane is a bit too cutesy for me. At least this time the parents of the central character are both pleasant and just geographically distant rather than emotionally.

If you enjoy Jessica’s books then you’ll like this one. It probably won’t be your favourite though. It doesn’t feel right yet. Perhaps she’s getting to know her new characters and environment.

I’m certainly already invested in finding out more about Rosie and her mum though and I love the Lakeland town setting, I just hope there is less mention of Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome in the next one as that was repetitive to the extreme here.

Jessica Redland is one of my favourite authors. I love her books for so many reasons and I was therefore very excited to hear she had a new series out. I couldn’t wait to jump into this one and see what delights there were!

Our main character here is Autumn Laine. She is half-English and half-French, with her parents living in Paris. She soon has to deal with two bits of bad news, as she is made redundant from her job as an illustrator for a greetings card company, and she loses her beloved grandad at the age of ninety-five.

Autumn has a penpal called Rosie Jacobs who she has been writing to since they were eleven years old. As they exchange their 400th letter after a postal-based friendship that has lasted twenty-four years, Rosie invites Autumn to stay with her in the Lake District. She lives in the grounds of Willowdale Hall near Derwent Water and they have never yet met.

As Autumn needs to escape an ex-boyfriend, a trip to the Lake District filled with its connections to Beatrix Potter – an inspiration for Autumn as an artist – seems to be a good place to go next, to see if she can find her artistic mojo.

Wow! This book was amazing! I mean, I’ve never read a bad Jessica Redland book (They don’t exist), but this one was just gorgeous! So many lovely things about it, where do I start?

One thing - I was so pleased this book included penpals! I have had penpals since I was nine years old when I acquired a Danish penpal through Brownies. While I don’t have the time these days to write to as many people as I did years ago, I still have penpals and some I’ve been writing to for thirty years or so. It’s a great hobby and I was thrilled the characters in this book included two penpals.

I also enjoyed all the references to Beatrix Potter throughout the book. Like many children, I adored her books and still love all her animal characters she brought to life so beautifully. (I am a big fan of both rodents and dolls’ houses and I suspect both of these may have come from her book The Tale of Two Bad Mice.) I also loved my virtual trip round Hill Top, where she used to live, and went off on a (Peter) Rabbit hole online, looking at photos and videos of Hill Top and Castle Cottage.

But back to the story! Autumn’s penpal Rosie lives in Horseshoe Cottage with her mum Alice and their adorable cocker spaniel Toffee. I loved this whole set-up, the cottage and surroundings are so easy to picture and Rosie is a sweetheart.

Then there is Dane, who Autumn literally bumps into. He is visiting family in the area and again, he’s just a brilliant character! (If he was 15 years older… oh and not fictional…) I love how he has so much sensitivity about him, he doesn’t come across as one of those macho types you often find in books. I liked how both he and Autumn are creative types, but in different ways. That was a real bonus to the book and making their interaction completely believable.

I am a HUGE fan of Jessica’s Hedgehog Hollow series. In fact, it’s probably my favourite book series of all time. So really The Start of Something Wonderful had a lot to live up to, but this is another triumph – and there are a few cute hedgehogs in there too. I am thrilled this is the start of a new series and I can’t wait to read the next book in the Escape to the Lakes series and catch up with the beautiful setting and all the wonderful characters who live there.

The start of something wonderful you bet it is, it’s a the start of anew series from Jessica Redland, I couldn’t be happier or more excited than when I dived into this fantastic book. For full disclosure, I am 1,000,000% biased. I am a massive Jessica Redland fan, she has yet to write anything that I haven’t liked, in fact I don’t think anything has even bugged me in her books yet, well, except the characters you’re meant to dislike, but then that’s intentional.

So with this story, not only do we get the joy of the Lakes, we also get Paris, it’s like two wonderful places in one book, which is so wonderful, because when Jessica describes somewhere always feels like I’m there myself, and if I close my eyes for long enough, I can always pretend I am, because her descriptions are so vivid and detailed, but without being bogged down.

The characters are as always so likeable , because they feel like people you know and are friends with, it always brings the story more to life I find. Its a lovely romantic story, but Jessica doesn’t write just romance, no she writes romances that cover important issues abd themes, a lot you can relate to or may have experience with, some may be new to you, but always handled with care and sensitivity.

If you are looking for a story filled with great community, friendship, love, family and full of heart, then this book is definitely for you, in fact, if you like those things in a book, then pick up any of Jessica Redlands stories, and you’ll be delighted. I’m so looking forward to the next and continuing something wonderful.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another lovely read by Jessica. She has such a way with words and the characters she creates have such depth, you really get to love them. The Start of Something Wonderful has Jessica's trademark heartwarming storytelling with a bit of heartbreak. Autumn and Dane are such wonderful characters. The writing is so vivid, you could almost envision yourself at the Lake District. I'm guessing that Rosie's stroy will be next but I am really hoping that Alice will get one too. I'm dying to know what happened her.

Autumn Laine is finding it difficult to move on from a broken heart, especially after she has an unexpected run in with the love of her life. The death of her beloved grandfather, being made redundant at work and the loss of her artistic inspiration all work to undermine her confidence. Making the decision to spend a few weeks in the Lake District with her friend proves to be life changing in every way.

Oh my word this author has done it again and created the start of another magical series. This one encompasses all of my favourite things the Lake District and Beatrix potter and reading it to me back with fond memories of my own visit to the Beatrix potter museum and has made me want to re watch the film.

The characters and the setting of willowdale were both absolutely charming and really brought the story alive. And this was so much more than just a romantic read as as always the author always covers topics which are relatable to readers and which evoke emotion. This story was filled with friendship and community spirit and once I had started reading I couldn’t put it down and am excited for the next instalment of this special new series that the author has created.

The first book of what promises to be an engaging series is set in the picturesque English Lake District and is about new beginnings and creativity. Autumn's life implodes with her grandfather's death and the loss of her job. As an illustrator, she hopes to find her creative muse in Paris whilst staying with her parents but only finds the person who broke her heart. Rosie, her pen pal of many years, invites her to her Lake District home, and Autumn finds the peace she seeks and the chance of real happiness.
Emotional and immersive, this story is easy to read with believable characters and situations. The Lake District location is particularly charming. I like this story's friendships, vibrant setting and gentle romance. The cast of characters all have their stories which hopefully will be explored in future books. A lovely escapist reading experience that leaves you with a smile.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Autumn is half English, half French and has spent most of her life living between the two places, when living In England during her school years she lived with her Grandparents.

Autumn has spent the last few years settled in England because her Grandad is on his own now and has been sick for a while and in hospice care, she’s also got to deal with possibly loosing her job as an illustrator.

When the worst happens and she looses both her Grandad and her job at the same time she’s lost and afraid, after some time in Paris with her parents she jumps at the chance of a change when her pen pal and special friend Rosie asks her to come to the Lake District to stay with her, she can’t resist especially because she loves Beatrix Potter and what better place to get inspiration?.

Autumn is 35 which I absolutely loved, I’ve read a few of Jessica’s books and that always stands out to me that all her main characters seem to be 30 or older which I appreciate as us older readers tend to be left out in the cold and I can relate so much better to an older character ( even though 35 is definitely still young, but most books are about characters who are 20+)

We follow Autumn when she has to navigate so many changes in her life, it’s filled with old loves, new loves, best friends, Paris, the Lake District and I loved every single moment of it.

The book is just filled to the brim of wholesome characters that I can’t wait to hear more about in the future books in the series, especially Rosie and “His Lordship”.

Reading all about Autumn visiting Beatrix Potters home Hill Top was so special to me because it’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit, I adore Beatrix Potter and her work reminds me so much of my childhood, I also adored the running theme of Beatrix Potter throughout the book it was all just so lovely and heartwarming.

I’m going to recommend this book to all my fellow book worms.

The start of a new series is always exciting and this new gem from Jessica Redland doesn’t disappoint. Autumn, Rosie and Dane are great new characters and the beautiful setting of the Lake District is just perfect- brilliantly described in all of its glory. I loved reading about the friendship between Autumn and Rosie - to think the support given to eachother had lasted so long through the power of letters, it was lovely seeing them come together so easily. I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series and can’t wait to get to know Rosie a little better.

This book is the first in a new series from Jessica Redland. I have read and enjoyed all of her books, most of which have been set in Yorkshire. This new series is set instead in the Lake District, an area loved by her family and mine. I’m sure that we will get the odd glimpse of characters from previous books in these new stories; in fact, Jessica has already promised that for the next in the series. I love the cover of this book, which just says Lake District to me and had me keen to dive into its pages.



The story centres on talented illustrator Autumn Laine, who is struggling to recover from the death of her dear grandfather and in fact loses her job with a greetings card company due to her lack of creativity. Hoping to reignite her joy of painting, she decides to visit her long-time penpal, Rosie, who lives in the small village of Willowdale, on the shores of Derwent Water. Perhaps exploring the area loved by her idol Beatrix Potter will help her recover her mojo. She has only just arrived there when she literally bumps into Dane Featherstone, also hoping that a stay in the village will help him recover from a bad situation. Autumn has no wish to enter into a relationship having had a bad experience in the past. However, she soon finds that she has fallen in love with the area, and perhaps is also ready to let someone into her heart again.



I can definitely recommend this new book from Jessica Redland. It is full of interesting characters and wonderful descriptions of a very beautiful area of the country. As someone who has visited this region often, I found it delightful to follow Autumn as she discovered places that I could recognise from my own visits. It is certainly a fitting place for somebody like Autumn, who has a similar painting style to Beatrix Potter. Parts of the book were quite emotional as Autumn struggled first with the death of somebody dear to her and then with memories stirred up by the unwelcome re-emergence of a person from her past. Readers might want to have a tissue handy. Dane was a great leading man, handsome but vulnerable, and able to turn his hand to most things from waiter to mountain rescue volunteer. I was willing the pair to get together as more than just friends. I hope to meet them again in future parts of this series.

EXCERPT: 'I wish this wasn't goodbye,' I said, stroking his hand. 'I wish I could keep you forever but Grandma needs you now, doesn't she? She's been waiting for you so patiently, and it's time I let you go so you can be together again.'
I drew his hand to my lips and gently kissed it. 'I've said it before and you've brushed it off, so I'm going to say it again. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I've learned so much from you and Grandma and I'm so grateful.'
I bit my lip, my stomach churning. I needed to say it while I still had the chance. 'And thank you for keeping my secret. You promised you would and you kept that promise and I'm so grateful. So I'm going to make a promise to you. Even though I'm going to miss you every day, I will be fine. You don't need to worry about me anymore.'

ABOUT 'THE START OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL': 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 THOUGHTS: A sweet and tender romance; a story of love and lost loves; friendship, and being open to other options.

We never forget our first love, do we? But in Autumn's case she has allowed her longing for her first love to take over her life. No-one else has had a chance . . . until she is knocked off her feet (literally) by Dane. They say that every cloud has a silver lining and that is definitely true in Autumn's case - he's definitely worth a bruise or two!

The Start of Something Wonderful is sweet, tender and funny. I loved the penpal connection between Autumn and Rosie and was impressed that they had been writing to each other for twenty-four years! I remember our teacher somewhere around Year 6 doing something similar, but I'm sure we only exchanged one or two letters before the novelty wore off. And I couldn't believe that they had never met up during that time, especially when they both live (mostly) in the same country.

I liked the way Autumn grew in confidence as the story progressed, and the way she brings out the best in Dane, giving him more much needed confidence in his own abilities.

I also loved the setting. It sounds magnificent and fitted the storyline perfectly.

The only thing I didn't relate to is the very tight time frame in which Autumn and Dane's relationship develops. It seemed far too fast to me, and I would have liked it to have been eked out a little more.

This series has so much potential and I have possible storylines zinging around in my head. I can't wait to read more.

#TheStartofSomethingWonderful #NetGalley

I: @jessicaredlandauthor @ bookandtonic

T: @JessicaRedland @BoldwoodBooks

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #friendship #romance #sliceoflife #smalltownfiction #womensfiction

THE AUTHOR: I was born in Teesside but now live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set many of my books.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

I can't praise this book enough, I was so excited to see that Jessica Redland had a new series out. This is a fantastic start to the new series.
I loved Autumn, the protagonist, she is a lovely character, who has been through a lot of heartache.
Just as you would expect from a Jessica Redland book, there is a lot of emotions, but also plenty of heartwarming moments too. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for my ARC.

Such a fantastic book set in a beautiful place filled with fascinating characters, I totally became engrossed with the story of Autumn and her journey to the Lake District, and hearing about her experiences that have come back into her life in an unexpected way.
I enjoyed seeing her friendship with long term pen pal Rosie blossom and I especially enjoyed watching her drawing mojo return too when she finds inspiration in the Lakes.
Lots of interesting happenings kept me fully engaged in the story and I enjoyed every moment with this new series.
It definitely is the start of something wonderful - I am already excited to revisit this gorgeous setting and reconnect with this brilliant characters in book two.

I'm so envious of the relationship Autumn had with her grandparents, and my heart broke for her with her losses.

I absolutely love Beatrix Potter and adored how she was incorporated into the book, from the setting to Cotton Tail cottage and Tom Kitten!
The delightful colloquial expressions completely made the book and set the tone in such a great way.

When things started coming together and working out positively, I was cheering and clapping out loud, and the gorgeous development of their relationship was perfect!

Autumn definitely came unto her own, and her new place of residence and all the locals ( Rosie and Alice especially) make me so glad that this is the first in the series! I can't wait to read more! This certainly is the start of something wonderful!

This was my first Jessica Redland book, and I have already signed up for more!

Love Jessica's books. Autumn is an illustrator for greetings cards but hasn't been able to do it since her grandfather passed away. Her penpal invites her to stay in Willowdale and she decides to do that

A new book from Jessica Redland is always a treat but setting it in my favourite place, The Lake District, is the icing on the top! The cherry would be Keswick and Derwentwater and boy was Willowdale a juicy cherry.

We initially meet Autumn as she is coming to terms with her grandad’s failing and the prospect of redundancy from her job as a greetings card illustrator. Autumn had been raised in Paris with her parents but then educated in England where she became close to her grandparents. The major issue with the spectre of redundancy is that she has lost her creativity and she is desperate to rediscover her muse. As her worst fears come to visit, she loses both her job and her grandfather. Even a visit to Paris doesn’t help to kick start her artistic flair.

A letter from her childhood penfriend invites her to visit Willowdale, a chance to explore Beatrix Potter country, and an opportunity to get away from her worries and loss.

Also escaping to Willowdale is Dane, a man who has his own reasons for returning to the Lake District. He may well provide the key to helping Autumn with her hopes and dreams. Dane is perfectly imagined, and I thoroughly enjoyed following his story.

Oh my, this book was just what I needed, and it was devoured in just a couple of sittings. Jessica built a terrific backstory for Autumn, and I felt every moment of her pain and confusion. I was lucky to have a childhood penfriend and we are still in touch. Rosie was a constant for Autumn, despite her challenges with her Mum’s mental health, and I could feel their connection radiating from the pages like a warm blanket on a stormy night.

There’s a lot packed into this story, but the pieces fit well together, and the conclusion is wonderfully satisfying. I am totally smitten with Willowdale and cannot wait to return in the future. Thanks Jessica, I loved it!

My first Jessica Redland read and it certainly won't be my last! A beautifully written story based on a truly gorgeous area of the world. I really liked the way that it wasn't a typical rom com type read with the characters keeping big secrets from each other that come to a huge bust up with then doubting everything and running away before coming back together for a happily ever after. I thought the characters were very emotionally mature and I really enjoyed learning about them. I smell the start of a series with there being so many juicy characters and plots still to uncover. I want to hear more about his Lordship! Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Autumn not only looses her job but her Grandpa.To make matters worse her drawing creativity seems to have disappeared. She ends up having to move in with her parents. She’s just hoping not run into their neighbors son.
Determined to put some space between herself and Etienne she heads off to spend time with her best friend Rosie.
This was a really good story with very likable characters.
It takes place in a lovely location. I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see it’s book one of a series.
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy