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emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Finished reading: October 20th 2024
"Some things can't be fixed by honesty, however late you tell the truth."
I've been looking forward to this TBR jar pick, because I loved one of her previous books The Day We Meet Again. It took me longer than usual to actually get to it, but I finally picked it up when I was in need for a little break in between thrillers. Initially, I loved my time with The Start Of Something. The way the main characters talk with messages is such a great idea, and it's probably one of my favorite parts of the story. Sadly, there were also some elements that prevented me from fully enjoying this book... I get that both main characters are in a vulnerable situation, and that this is part of the charm of them connecting through the messages and learning to trust. BUT. There is just too much negativity, and I wasn't a fan of how either character reacted to and handled their situation. The romance itself felt too much like insta-love for me, and it just wasn't credible that they went from friendly messages to 'I love you' without even properly meeting each other. On top of this, the plot has that dreaded miscommunication trope, and it was such a trivial thing to fall out over at that... Such a shame, because the story itself had so much potential, and I loved just how big of a role Lachie's pets Ernie and Bert played in the plot. It might just have been my fickle reading mood jumping in to ruin the day, but the fact remains that there was just too much drama in The Start Of Something to truly enjoy this clean romance... It's not a bad read, but not nearly as good as my first experience with her work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a sweet, sunny story that follows two characters who both have had their fair share of troubles and are both on a new journey, a new start. Lachie, who was injured at work, is struggling with being housebound and trying to recover.
Bethan, a single mum, has moved opposite, after working hard to try and give the best to her son. One day, after noticing someone new has moved in, Lachie posts a note in his window asking the name of the flowers he can see in the window opposite. From there a collection of window notes start to form a friendship as the two characters go about their daily lives and tackle the obstacles they are encountering… but the messages give them hope and just maybe… a chance at something more.
This story was a slow start for me, (it may be me more than the writing though). It was obvious the story was inspired but a lot of the lockdown window notes but it was great to see the story wasn’t about a pandemic. I really enjoyed the messages between them and found myself wanting to just focus on that part. However, about half way through the slow build up starts to pay off and the complicated lives that are happening around the main characters becomes really engaging. I loved the characters of Ernie, Bert and Noah. I loved how it made me want to learn more about plants, and that is a big feat as I don’t have a single green finger! The story had me in tears more than once and I’m so happy with the way the story ended… I don’t think it would have worked any other way.
A story that looks at loneliness, friendship, personal struggles and growth, disability, judgements and building trust.
A sweet story about finding hope and a fresh start.
This is a sweet, sunny story that follows two characters who both have had their fair share of troubles and are both on a new journey, a new start. Lachie, who was injured at work, is struggling with being housebound and trying to recover.
Bethan, a single mum, has moved opposite, after working hard to try and give the best to her son. One day, after noticing someone new has moved in, Lachie posts a note in his window asking the name of the flowers he can see in the window opposite. From there a collection of window notes start to form a friendship as the two characters go about their daily lives and tackle the obstacles they are encountering… but the messages give them hope and just maybe… a chance at something more.
This story was a slow start for me, (it may be me more than the writing though). It was obvious the story was inspired but a lot of the lockdown window notes but it was great to see the story wasn’t about a pandemic. I really enjoyed the messages between them and found myself wanting to just focus on that part. However, about half way through the slow build up starts to pay off and the complicated lives that are happening around the main characters becomes really engaging. I loved the characters of Ernie, Bert and Noah. I loved how it made me want to learn more about plants, and that is a big feat as I don’t have a single green finger! The story had me in tears more than once and I’m so happy with the way the story ended… I don’t think it would have worked any other way.
A story that looks at loneliness, friendship, personal struggles and growth, disability, judgements and building trust.
A sweet story about finding hope and a fresh start.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail