About the book
The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland is the first book in what will become a new series. Autumn Laine is an illustrator for a greetings card company. She specialises in woodland animals but has lost her creative spark. When her beloved grandfather dies and she loses her job, she heads off to her parents in Paris hoping being back in her birthplace will inspire her.
She soon realises that there are too many painful memories of her past in Paris. When her pen pal Rosie invites her to stay with her in the Lake District, Autumn jumps at the chance. She’s been writing to Rosie for twenty-four years, but the two have never met in person. Where better for Autumn to regain her creative mojo than in the same place her heroine Beatrix Potter lived and worked?
Dane has his own reasons for seeking refuge in the Lake District. He has creative ambitions of his own that he lacks the confidence to pursue. When Autumn and Dane meet, they realise there might be a way for them to help each other out and get both of their creative juices flowing.
But can Autumn confront the secrets from her past that have been holding her back all of these years?
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My thoughts
The Start of Something Wonderful has everything I love about feel-good fiction – a small town, a supportive community, strong female friendships, and a touch of romance.
Autumn and Dane are a lovely pairing. They are each on their own journey and their artistic ambitions complement each other beautifully. Pen pal Rosie, Rosie’s mother Alice, and their cocker spaniel Toffee have their own storylines, which move along nicely alongside Autumn’s.
I loved the depictions of what Autumn was creating on the page. There was just enough detail to see her art in my mind without slowing the pace of the book.
The descriptions of the Lake District are beautiful and the glimpses into Beatrix Potter’s life add to the feel-good nature of this story. Having visited the Lake District and Beatrix Potter’s farmhouse at Hill Top in real life, it was a pleasure to be taken back there through the pages of this book.
Buy the book
The Start of Something Wonderful is an irresistible story of friendship, love, and village life. I’ll be looking out for book number two to find out more about Rosie. Click here to buy from Amazon. The book is also included in Kindle Unlimited.