I loved reading “The Start of the Story”. I was thoroughly invested in the storyline, where conflict arises between a Historian & Folklorist over a “Fairy Stane” which might be hiding ancient secrets and /or be the gateway to Fairyland. Although it is in essence a romance story, the main themes of grief, loss, rebuilding a life and how to remember without loosing yourself are paramount and the love story takes it’s time to develop, gently as we get to know the two main characters. I found the book to be very emotive and it was written with compassion and understanding. The myths, magic and religious beliefs of those in the past and present are preserved through written and oral traditions. I really enjoyed having my own thoughts regarding history and folklore challenged as I read and hoped the mystery of the stane would be revealed without releasing the wrath of the little people on our heroes!

Rowan Thorpe is a folklorist who is passionate about her work. She is investigating the stories that surround the Fairy Thane, a large flat stone which is on the Yorkshire moors. The stories warn that if the stone is lifted then all the "little people" will escape and cause chaos. Her work has sustained her throughout years of grief, a time where she has pretty much withdrawn into her own world.

When an Irish history professor named Connor O'Keefe turns up in her office demanding that he be allowed to move the stone, Rowan is mortified. She is also less than friendly. That doesn't stop her assistant from suggesting that maybe Connor could temporarily stay in Rowan's small cottage, just for a short time, when he needs somewhere to stay.

Connor has his own reasons for being in Yorkshire. Professionally, he is there to look for a Roman villa and he just wants to lift the stone and see what it can tell him. Personally, he has some issues that he needs to deal with in his own way, especially away from his large, meddling family.

Rowan does the bare minimum to make Connor welcome in her home, but he proves to be a good guest, and slowly relations begin to thaw, especially once they get snowed in for Christmas. Soon they begin to understand each other, until they begin to believe that maybe they can forget the past and look to the future, if they let themselves

This is a slow and steady romance, carefully nuanced to reveal the true story of each of these two wounded people.

Interspersed through the story are short glimpses of some of the people who have visited the Fairy Thane over a period of 200 or so years. This was so cleverly done as when the reason was revealed I was quite surprised and yet it all made perfect sense.

I find the idea of the conflict between folklore and history fascinating. After all, there are so many intersections. Folklore is often based in history but handed down through oral history, compared to the history where the historian looks for evidence to help prove the story.

Whilst this book is based in Yorkshire, which in itself is unusual, I was reading the book while travelling through Scotland. The folklore might be different but Scotland has its own fair share of folklore so it felt very fitting.

I've read a couple of Jane Lovering books now, and very much enjoyed them. Her writing is very smooth and she chooses to tell stories with interesting settings and characters.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

A beautiful love story about grief, loss, trust, loneliness and so much more. Two wounded people sharing their stories and helping each other to face a better future together. Rowan and Connor deserve their happiness.

The Start of the Story by Jane Lovering

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

Blurb

Rowan Thorpe can be forgiven for living with one foot in the past. Since having to say goodbye far too young to the future she had planned, moving on still feels a daunting task. So, when historian Connor O’Keefe strides purposefully into her office and life, looking far too handsome for his own good and threatening to undermine the local legends she holds close to her heart, she is more than a little unsettled.

Connor has a past too, and his own reasons to keep his heart under wraps. But when a combination of fate and an unexpected snowstorm mean that Rowan and Connor have all the time in the world to swap stories, it may finally be time to for an end and a new beginning.

My Opinion

I enjoy reading Jane Lovering's writing as she writes about places I am familiar with and the writing style is just beautiful. Rowan and Connor don't get off to the best start, but I really liked see how they interacted with each other throughout the book.

The Start of the Story has some funny bits whilst also being serious in places. Jane Lovering has written a nice slow burn romance. Overall this is relatively quick read that should definitely be on your want to read list.

Rating 4/5

I enjoyed learning about the folklore and the poignant flashbacks in the story set in North Yorkshire. Rowan and Connor are easy-to-like characters, and their interactions are full of conflict, humour, and passion. I like the believable characters' emotional journey, the storytelling that draws you into Rowan and Connor's lives and the local legends the story explores through their work.

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher.

As is often the case with Jane Lovering’s books, we have a heroine who has had a difficult past who meets up with the hero and they immediately rub up the wrong way. So what’s different about this book from other similar romantic fiction you might ask? Well, there’s just something special about Jane’s writing which make her books so engaging and hard to put down.

Dr Rowan Thorpe is a folklorist gathering stories of myth and legend from the local Yorkshire community particularly looking at the legends of the Fairy Stane. Professor Connor O’Keefe is a historian also researching the local moors to see if there may have been a Roman settlement there. They clash over many things with Connor as a historian needing evidence before drawing conclusions which of course doesn’t really work for Rowan as a folklorist. When Connor tells her he may need to lift the fabled Fairy Stane, Rowan is horrified, Not only is it a significant part of the local area’s history and folklore but it’s got particular special meaning to Rowan for personal reasons. There are some interludes woven into the narrative showing the significance of the Fairy Stane throughout the centuries. You don’t really know how they fit into the story at first but when it is revealed, my goodness that’s a rather emotional moment.

Although Rowan may seem rather closed off and reclusive at first, as we started to learn more about her my heart went out to her. I don’t want to give away all the details of course but I can say that her heart has been broken and she is grieving not only the loss of a person but the loss of her hopes for the future. I was particularly touched when Rowan recognising despair in another character, went to simply be with them, knowing exactly what that despair felt like. Connor has also had his heart broken but in a very different way. There’s an element of forced proximity in this story as first of all, Rowan finds herself railroaded into agreeing that Connor can stay temporarily in her spare room. Then there’s a snowstorm which sees them trapped in her remote cottage with nothing else to do but talk of their pasts and perhaps in doing so come to terms with what’s happened and look to the future.

The Start of the Story is another wonderful book from Jane Lovering. I adored the characters, the setting, the ducks (!!) and how the story evolved. I don’t know what it is about her writing but she draws me in everytime and I feel so emotionally invested in her characters. With her gentle humour, a real warmth and a beautifully written romance, The Start of the Story is highly recommended by me.

This story “started” in the mid-1800s with the arrival of Irish immigrants fleeing the famine and settling in the cold, desolate landscape of Yorkshire England. Rowan Thorpe is a folklorist whose current project is uncovering the stories told, and eventually written, about the Fairy Stane, a large, heavy stone set among the reeds and bracken on the moor between her restored mill cottage and the remains of an English manor house. Legend has it that the Stane is the gateway to Fairyland and it isn’t to be moved or the “little people” will escape and wreak havoc on the earth. Although she knows that the tale isn’t true, she’s highly protective of the site, both in honor of those long gone and for more personal reasons. So, it’s no wonder she doesn’t welcome visiting Professor Conor O’Keefe, an historian who is in York to research a possible Roman settlement on land where the Stane sits and who announces when first meeting her that he might have to turn the stone over to check for markings. As these two wounded souls are thrown together, first due to noisy neighbors, then thanks to blizzard conditions, they begin to build a friendship and to realize that they have more in common than they initially thought. Rowan’s job is to record and preserve these oral traditions and Conor’s is to gather facts and uncover artifacts to explain history, but the lines begin to blur the more they share about themselves and the motivations that inform their actions.

Although there is an enemies-to-lovers romance that slowly builds, this book focuses more on how grief, guilt, and shame manifest and the stories that people tell themselves and eventually share with others as a way either to explain things they can’t comprehend or to provide comfort when tragic life events occur with no rhyme or reason, both of which are at the heart of the oral storytelling tradition. The pace of this story is very slow, sort of like an archaeological dig. It’s told from Rowan’s POV, and I would like to have heard more of Conor’s perspective. Initially, I had trouble understanding Rowan’s protectiveness of the Stane, which made her seem very rude and antagonistic. Since she doesn’t believe that fairies are real, and everyone who told or recorded the stories originally is long gone, who besides herself would have a problem with the stone being lifted temporarily? Moving the stone doesn’t negate the value of oral storytelling, especially from an historical perspective, but she argues that it does. Luckily, as time goes on, Rowan’s and Conor’s motivations both become clear, and Lovering does a stellar job of tying all elements of the story together. Anglophiles, history buffs, and readers who like closed door romances embedded in more complex stories will find this book compelling. Recommended.

A lovely story once it gets going and I learnt much about folklore and history, some of which brought a tear to my eye.
Unfortunately the 3 stars is because I really could not bring myself to like the MC, she just annoyed me with her negativity.

Jane Lovering’s The Start of the Story is a heartwarming and cozy romance that brings together two characters, both haunted by their pasts, in a charming, snowy setting. With its gentle pace, small-town charm, and themes of healing and second chances, the novel offers a pleasant escape for readers looking for a light and uplifting read.

Rowan Thorpe, the protagonist, is a woman still grappling with loss and the challenge of moving forward after her dreams for the future were cut short. Lovering paints Rowan as a sympathetic character who is stuck in the past—both emotionally and professionally, as she clings to the local legends that have long comforted her. When historian Connor O’Keefe arrives, with his sharp intellect and disarming good looks, he threatens not only her peace of mind but also the cherished stories that give her life meaning. Rowan’s attachment to the past and her reluctance to embrace change form the crux of her emotional journey, making her a relatable figure for anyone who has struggled to let go of grief.

Connor is equally complex, though his emotional barriers are less immediately obvious. He arrives in Rowan’s life with his own baggage, and Lovering slowly peels back the layers of his character as the novel progresses. The chemistry between Rowan and Connor is subtle but grows steadily as the two characters are forced into close quarters by a combination of fate and a snowstorm. The forced proximity trope is well-handled, creating moments of quiet intimacy where they can share their stories and, in turn, begin to face their respective pasts.

What makes The Start of the Story enjoyable is its focus on the emotional growth of the characters. Both Rowan and Connor are wounded souls, and Lovering doesn’t rush their development. Instead, she allows their relationship to unfold at a natural pace, giving them space to confront their fears and vulnerabilities. The snowy, idyllic setting serves as a perfect backdrop for their slow-burn romance, providing cozy and atmospheric moments that balance the heavier themes of loss and healing.

However, while the novel is undoubtedly heartwarming, it does lean heavily on familiar romance tropes. The story follows a predictable path, and some readers may find the plot lacks the depth or tension needed to truly keep them on the edge of their seats. The external conflict—centered around Connor’s work as a historian and Rowan’s attachment to local myths—feels more like a convenient plot device than a fully developed source of tension. As a result, the stakes never feel particularly high, and the story unfolds without too many surprises.

That said, Lovering’s writing is charming and easy to read. Her dialogue is witty, and she brings a sense of humor and warmth to the story that keeps it from feeling too heavy, even when dealing with topics like grief and letting go of the past. The secondary characters, while not deeply fleshed out, add to the cozy small-town atmosphere, creating a sense of community and belonging that enhances the novel’s comforting tone.

Final Thoughts:
The Start of the Story is a sweet, slow-burn romance that offers a gentle exploration of grief, healing, and second chances. While the plot may be predictable and the stakes relatively low, Jane Lovering’s engaging characters and charming writing style make this an enjoyable read, particularly for those who appreciate a cozy, feel-good romance set in a picturesque, snowy landscape. It’s the perfect book for curling up with on a dreary day when you need something heartwarming to lift your spirits.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Rowan is not used to living on her own, after her husband died, she’s not been able to move on with her life.

Connor arrives at the moors to investigate a stane, but as well as that he left Ireland after a relationship he was in didn’t work out. Rowan has been talked into letting him stay with her whilst he’s doing the research.

This story covers the issue of grief, whether it’s about death or failure of relationships.

It was lovely to see both characters talking about their pasts and the beginning of a relationship.

I recommend this book.

This is not my usual type of read in that I would not normally read something heavily focused around folklore and it was this aspect that I did not gel with. I just did not connect with it or find it interesting. However, the characters are wonderful and really make the book and I ended up caring about them. The book grew on me as well and as more is revealed about the characters, I warmed to the book and the goings on. This ended up being a beautiful read that captured something inside me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

Although Christmas appears in this book, it would be wrong to consider it a strictly festive story as it goes much further than simply being a yuletide treat. I’m pretty familiar with Jane’s writing style and love that her characters come with the kind of flaws and weaknesses we all deal with regularly. Let’s face it: We may not mourn a late partner, but we all know someone who does, and we empathise with the depth of that pain.
Rowan has become hyper-focused on folklore and fights to protect the memories involved in telling these stories. Despite earning her degree in history, she works tirelessly to safeguard legends and happily accepts that sharing folktales does not require the support of facts.
I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Rowan. Her personality was complex, and I initially thought she was decidedly rude. That opinion passed quite quickly once I understood the motive behind her actions and words. Life had been harsh and decidedly unkind to her, leaving her grieving for what might have been.
Equally, historian Connor has a troubled past and is not even vaguely interested in anything more than a place to stay and the occasional meal. During his visit from Ireland, ridesharing was a bonus, and he counted his blessings as he didn’t have a car. As much as Rowan follows legends, Connor deals with evidence and searches for proof of ancient Roman settlements.
I’m unsure how a couple with so much in common could see two sides of the same story. Their conflicting views brought about a tension that went way deeper than physical attraction. There was a cerebral connection that challenged them, and I loved it.
Jane Lovering has imagined some fantastic characters, and her timing is perfectly tuned to create light comedy that does not diminish the incredibly moving aspects of this very special book.

A cute story, touching on folklore, history and rebuilding your life after being broken.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Thanks Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this arc.

There are some major issues that must be and are sensitively addressed. Before the book finished, I did believe in the attraction between Rowan and Connor. But it was a long way to get there. For a book that is only 268 pages, it felt a lot longer and in this case, that isn’t great.

Rowan has a doctorate in folklore and the security of a paid position to actually make a living at investigating it and writing about it. When a visiting Irish professor who is intensely interested in possibly digging around something that is sacred to Rowan pops into her life, she is less than pleased. Rowan vehemently, and I mean vehemently, refuses to allow this, using the fact that the stone harks back to the folklore and traditions that she is recording to ensure that this oral history isn’t forgotten. Their arguments about the stone and whether Connor will be allowed to raise it continue for a long time. Rowan shuts down any attempt at Connor talking her into it. Frankly, this got boring.

But this is only part of the story. Rowan lost her husband suddenly four years ago and still hasn’t finished grieving for him. Connor believed that he had found the woman of his dreams in Dublin only to have his planned future come crashing down when he was told the truth about her. She can’t move on and he now doubts himself as how else could he have been so wrong? This is not only a slow burn romance, it’s a barely simmering one for most of the book. This is the part which made the book read so slow to me. It also didn’t help that Rowan spends most of the book as wrapped in grief and, at times, difficult to like. I understand why she is this way but it’s not easy to read.

Connor is the one who figures out what the stone actually is and it ties into what he knows about Irish history and what he learns about a former manor in the area. I honestly would not have put the two together but did have a small inkling – based on the little vignettes scattered through the book that it had great but unmentioned significance to people who used to live in the area. The truth is heartbreaking but the outcome is emotionally satisfying while also acknowledging the pain that people went through and how this marker helped them.

I ended up enjoying Rowan and Connor’s growing relationship once they’d moved past what was holding them back. After the simmering burn, what followed was a bit explosive and fast. “The Start of the Story” is a slow, cozy book that taught me some new things but I wish it had moved a bit faster. B-

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for an early copy of this book for my review. Rowan and Connor complete strangers both trying to deal with their own heartache, are thrown together when Connor needs a place to stay & Rowan has a spare room. Reluctantly Rowan opens up her home & also ends up opening up her heart. I loved the interactions between these two characters and how their friendship evolves.

A widowed English folklorist and an Irish Historian meet in the heart of Yorkshire . Will the chills of the North Yorkshire winter make their headlong collision course over the ‘fairy stone’ freeze or will a thaw develop as they are forced to spend the festive season together.
Interesting foray into fairy folklore . A thoroughly enjoyable book

The Start of the Story by Jane Lovering is a comforter of a story. Rowan and Connor's chemistry reminded me of Briana and Roger in Outlander- total opposites, two opinionated people with their own way of thinking. Enjoyable quick read to remember

Was a little unsure of this slow burner of a romance to start, however the story navigates through loss and grief for both Rowan and Connor and how their romance then blossoms from the discoveries they make whilst experiencing this, if you love a cosy book you’ll like this one. 3 stars for me
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This was slow paced, a bit too slow in my opinion. Whilst I liked Connor, I never really warmed to Rowan. The author had her unnecessarily grumpy and antagonistic at times. The romance was too drawn out. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Needs patience in the first quarter

Firstly, my thanks to a Goodreads author-cum-reviewer friend (Sally) whose review prepared me to give the FMC some leeway. It helped a lot since the book is from the heroine’s first-person POV, and she is annoying until we know why.
I wish the reason was revealed sooner at least to the readers. While there are some subtle hints, none of them lead to a concrete presumption.
I won’t call this romance though it does have some elements. This is more of women’s fiction with a focus on the characters learning to be something beyond their pasts. The past takes a long time to be revealed and then we wait more for them to start to move on, so the love story as much occurs only in the last quarter. (closed door/ fade out)
I enjoyed the little random snippets from different timelines (though these seem like they don’t impact the plot, there’s a reason for their presence). Halfway through, I noticed the pattern and realized that the truth is something else (this is revealed towards the end). As someone who likes folklore and understands the importance of preserving the oral stories from the past, I know why it matters.
Even when I disliked the FMC’s attitude, I empathized with her determination to not let the past be wiped out. We already lost so much (and much of it has been misappropriated by invaders who went on multiple conversion sprees). We cannot afford to lose more.
For a short book, the repeated arguments about the Fairy Stane got a bit boring. I can see both their points and agree to an extent with Rowan. But the way she handled it didn’t make it easy to side with her.
The MMC is easy to like almost throughout. I find his backstory quite interesting. Not something we often see in this genre, so it does feel refreshing. I also like how it’s tackled with sensitivity.
I was quite surprised by the repeated mention of the MMC’s Catholic upbringing. Somehow, many elements were woven with this piece of information, so it ended okay.

To summarize, The Start of the Story is a book about second chances, moving on, acceptance, and the importance of protecting our ancient stories. It’s not a heavy read but not super light either.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Links to be updated after the tour.