This was such an emotional, heartwarming story of Kate finding herself and what she wants from life as she approaches her next milestone birthday. She meets Milo, a new man in the area who is catching her eye but has lost his own way through heartbreak in the preceding year.
Through a series of touching flashbacks we get to see how Kate has become the person she is today, including why she never had a longed-for child and witnesssing her marriage weaken as her ex takes more pleasure from the golf course.
The friendships she has are absolutely great whether it be with Sam, the father of her beloved goddaughter, or the trio of older women who tale Kate under their wing with some raucous stories of their own.
This was peak small-town cosiness that got under my skin a lot as Kate felt so real and nothing felt too over the top in plotting. A lovely story of rediscovering relationships and yourself.

Perhaps an odd book for me to be reading in my fortieth year, given I've been trying to live my life to the fullest for years - but i can only aspire to be as lively into my 80s as Kate's friends.

They are truly inspirational and the life and soul of any scene they are in and totally hilarious.

But this was Kate's story in the run up to her turning the big 5-0. And her coming to terms with many things in her life.

I felt for Kate as she married young, and none of her dreams really became a reality, but she does have a wonderful amount of god children, and a fabulous friend.

I enjoyed her attempts to start improving her life after a tricky few years, and seeing a more confidence Kate emerge as the story develops was heartwarming to see.

This is the first time I've read a book from this author but I suspect on the basis of this story that it won't be the last.

I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

As a girl (yes, I still think of myself as a girl), who turned 51 a few months ago I was looking forward to reading this, and whilst my life is absolutely nothing like Kate’s, I could relate to bits of her life. I think Kate is brilliant; she has great friends, a job she enjoys and godchildren she adores. I particularly loved Elsie and the names she decided on for her cuddly unicorn and sheep - I won’t spoil that for you, but it made me laugh.

The Saga Louts are Kate’s newfound friends, none of them a day under 80, but they are amazing. They are loving life; they have no filter and they don’t care a jot what they talk about and who they might shock. I hope I’m like that at 80!

There are many, many sad and heartbreaking moments throughout the book too. Celia handles these well, with compassion and understanding and, of course, the book has a happy-ever-after. What else would you expect from a book with such a jolly cover?

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review Life Begins at 50 by Celia Anderson.

This book brought me so much joy! Being close to 50 (not for a few years!) I enjoy reading books about women in their older years. I loved the characters and the growth of Kate, who decides to finally start living life again. Her group of friends were the best - and to see each grow made my heart happy. Loved that it showed that life isn't all sunshine and rainbows - but it takes wisdom in your years to live a life you truly enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a delightful read that captures the essence of starting anew in later life. The characters are relatable and well-developed, each navigating their own journeys with humor and heart. Anderson beautifully portrays the challenges and joys of embracing change, making it an uplifting experience. While the pacing sometimes felt uneven, the overall message of hope and self-discovery shines through. This book is a wonderful reminder that life can be full of surprises, no matter your age.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review. This book really touched me. Being an older female who always wanted kids, but was never blessed with any I really felt Kate's pain and longing. This book touches on grief and depression and clawing your way out of that little by little.

I think a lot of people think after the age of 40 you should be settled and that life is just what it's always been. I commended Kate for coming out of it and reinventing her life. She was bogged down by a lifeless, unfaithful marriage for so long she just was existing.

And then throw in losing a parent, not to mention the miscarriages. I loved her friends. Milo was a fantastic character. Being in a very similar situation to Kate they just found something special in the other.

It's not spicy, just hint of suggestion. I really enjoyed it. It's worth the read.

Was unable to finish this book. It was not what I thought it would be. The cover gave me the impression it would be an upbeat read, but for me, it was a bit too sad.

Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood and Celia Anderson for the arc of Life Begins at 50!

Having just turned 50, this book sang out to me so I thought Id give it a read. Our main character Kate had her life planned out, but often life doesn't turn out that way. Things happen, marriages break down but Kate decides to take life by both hands as she turns 50 and begins living again.

I related to this book so much and Celia has written about life, the ups and down, the twists and turns and the pleasant surprises beautifully. The POV is from Kate, who has had to carry so much on her shoulders over the years wants to open herself back up to life but is scared too. With new friendships forged ( which isn't easy as we get older ) Kate learns to live again, to trust again. I went through lots of emotions whilst reading this book and bonded with Kate, she literally will be someone you know in any friendship circle. Not often I read " Feel Good " novels but I would definitely recommend this.

I also listened to the audio version while I was out and about walking which is narrated by Gill Mills. I love her voice and a pleasure to listen to. The cadence of her voice suited the cadence of the story.

4 stars

Celia Anderson’s Life Begins at 50! is a fun, relatable and highly enjoyable tale about starting over, friendship and second chances that sparkles with hope, humour and heart.

Kate had once been full of optimism about her future. She had wanted a happy marriage, a house full of children and a fulfilling teaching career. Fate, however, had other ideas and twenty-five years down the line, not all of her dreams had, sadly, come to true. About to hit the big 5-0, Kate is taking stock of her life, but she is dealt a cruel blow by her husband who announces that he’s leaving her for his golf partner!

With her life in tatters, Kate finds herself at a crossroads. However, thanks to a brand-new group of friends who refuse to let her wallow in her sadness and misery, Kate quickly realises that her husband leaving might actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. As Kate embraces change, her zest of life quickly returns – as does the opportunity to fall in love again. However, opening herself up to other people leaves her vulnerable to being hurt all over again…

Will Kate take this second chance at happiness with both hands? Or will her fears and doubts end up costing her dear this time around?

Celia Anderson writes so accurately about mid-life that readers will find themselves nodding in recognition on multiple occasions while reading Life Begins at 50! A heartfelt, hilarious and poignant read about picking yourself up, diving into life with gusto whatever your age and finding the courage to start again, Life Begins at 50! delights and entertains and is a must for fans of Judy Leigh and Maddie Please.

Kate is approaching her 50th birthday and having had a chat with her friend starts reflecting back on her life so far - She got married, really wanted kids but after 4 miscarriages her husband said that was it they weren’t having any. Her husband leaves her for another woman and now it’s time for Kate to reinvent herself.
She has lots of friends and family to help her, she needs to completely transform her image - no more indigo coloured clothes and a new hairstyle for a start. Will she be able to change in time for her 50th?

Trigger warning: This book contains divorce, miscarriages, abduction of a child, and death.

I found this book pretty depressing to read to be honest. While there is eventually a happy ending, I found it a struggle to keep reading.

In this fun mid-life new start romance novel, readers follow newly-50-year-old Kate after her marriage collapses and she tries to rebuild her life. Forming a new series of friendships with three feisty older women and a new friend or flame in Milo, a divorced father from the area, Kate is trying to start over and find her new identity as an independent woman. In a small town where everyone’s lives overlap in new and different ways, a new start is possible for those that seek it out. Kate is a straight-forward, honest, and relatable protagonist, while her efforts on rebuilding her life are relatable and sympathizable. The other characters in the novel are personable and engaging, with dynamic personalities, and their interactions with other characters in the novel are particularly entertaining, and they create some memorable moments and situations in this novel. Centering Kate, a middle-aged woman, in this novel shifts the protagonist demographic and gives some new situations the chance to shape her fate. A fantastic novel with lots of emotion and heart, this novel is an incredible, lighthearted, and charming read that Anderson’s fans, fans of other Boldwood titles, and romance fans will definitely enjoy exploring with Kate.

this book was such a great read, as someone just turned 50 i can relate.
there were so heartbreaking elements to this book but then also some funny laughs with the saga louts!
a fun easy read

This book was thoughtful, engaging, and made me laugh and cry in equal measure. I really enjoyed a coming if age story but with a twist

Being a woman of a certain age I felt from the start that I could relate to Kate and her hopes and aspirations of what life might have looked like at 50! For many of us our dreams and hopes may not come to fruition but joy, happiness and fun are still to be had enjoyed and experienced!
Difficult subjects such as infidelity, divorce, infertility, miscarriage,death and child snatching are all covered but this doesn’t make for a depressing read as great friends of all ages rally around, godchildren provide great company and light entertainment and there’s even a second chance of love!
An entertaining read packed full of the realities of life for a lot of people but tempered by the hope and joy of second chances, friendship and love!
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

Kate is approaching 50. She’s hit a milestone she doesn’t really want to embrace; her marriage has fallen apart; her heart is breaking and she needs to shake up her life. With a bit of help from best friend Sophie; the ‘Saga Louts’ and her new friend Milo; Sue she can see a brighter future.

The title of this book can lead someone to believe it’s just/only a happy fun light read. It is, but it’s also more. It’s happy, sad, funny, cute and more. This is the story of Kate and how she deals with her life post 50 after finding out her husband is a cheating tool. A useless one, but a tool nonetheless. Even with that and dealing with the loss of her beloved father, she knows she needs to find her way through all of it and figure out how to find her happy. Not only with another romantic relationship, but with herself before anything else and the power of friendship. I was sort of surprised at some of the tougher subjects that may be triggers for some, but overall a good read about women who are most often overlooked in books and so many aspects of life.

“… if you ever jump in again, make sure you read the small prints first”

This is a sensitive and serious story of self reflection, respect, moving on and reinvention. It celebrates friendship (at all ages) and family (not necessarily by blood).

This follows the story of Kate, a divorcee, who is trying to find herself again after her husband’s betrayal, her father’s death and her mother’s abrupt relocation.

It deals with highly sensitive topics such as infertility, miscarriages, child abduction, mental health and infidelity. The author dealt with these in a kind and sympathetic manner.

It was interesting and I enjoyed how the author made Kate everyone’s go to person. I was rooting for her from the start.

I love that this is a second chance romance with emphasis on older characters (in their 50s). The Saga Louts are in a world of their own and I’m glad they were there for Kate.

If you love second chance romance, small town and older protagonists then you will enjoy this.

I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

This book was really just a “meh” read for me. It was so depressing. I guess after having had a husband commit adultery and leave me as I turned 50, I should have realized this book would not be a good story in which to invest my time. There are a lot of triggers of which you need to be aware: divorce, miscarriages, abduction of a child, etc. I will say, that if you can make it through all of the negativity, there is at least a happy ending. But for me, I’m not sure it was worth the struggle to get to that point. The author’s writing style was okay and for some, I am sure they will appreciate the book. So my suggestion is to give it a shot and see if it appeals to you. I may just be one of a few for whom it did not appeal.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Fresh out of a lack luster marriage and with her 50th bday on the horizon Kate is feeling out of sorts and knows she needs to shake up her life a bit.

Life Begins at 50 explores deep themes of loss, motherhood, loneliness, stagnation, etc. However, it also presents pictures of older women living life to the fullest. It also highlighted the importance of friendship especially as we age.

Though there were times when the story dragged, overall the story moved along at a good pace. Many times while she was interacting with her older neighbor and her crew I laughed out loud.

I found the characters likable (except Kate’s ex) and I found myself wanting them to win.

This book is relatable to many of us in middle age who may find that life is not fully what we had expected. However, there is always time to recalibrate and create a different path for ourselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this emotional yet funny book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.