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The Beginning of Everything

An irresistible novel of resilience, hope and unexpected friendships

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About this listen

 Beautiful, heartbreaking, often very funny and entirely unforgettable, The Beginning of Everything is the irresistible new novel from the bestselling author of The Bookshop of Second Chances.

'Raw, real and highly relatable, The Beginning of Everything is a keen observation on humanity and the tenuous nature of modern life. Jess and Gethin's gentle, layered friendship is at the wonderful heart of a warm, witty story about courage, kindness and love in all its forms. Uplifting, engaging and extraordinarily insightful!' JULIETTA HENDERSON

'Equal parts hilarious and sobworthy, it's a poignant tale of what it means to rebuild after losing everything' JESSICA RYN

'Hugely enjoyable’ KATIE FFORDE

For fans of The Keeper of Stories, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes and A Thousand Roads Home, The Beginning of Everything is the story of Jess and Gethin, whose paths cross in the most unexpected way. Jess is running, leaving all she knows and everyone she loves behind her, with just a few treasured belongings in her rucksack. She’s escaping from the pain and trauma of a bad relationship with a bad man, gone very badly wrong. Gethin’s kindness and care takes her breath away. They become friends. But with so much hurt in her past, can Jess learn to love and live again?

'Tender, unexpected and poignant' MY WEEKLY

'The Beginning of Everything is immersive, emotional and makes the world a better place. A story of love and friendship, trust and hope, with characters not easily forgotten' THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Romance Romantic Comedy Women's Fiction Friendship Funny

Critic Reviews

'This will make you smile and maybe shed a tear' PRIMA

'This heartwarming middle-age love story is relatable and refreshing, giving hope to all romantics that second chances are possible' HEAT

'A beautiful book that will make you laugh and cry' MY WEEKLY

'A gentle slow-read about trust and the good in humanity. I was entertained by the lively writing, reassured by the decent characters and calmed by all the painting and decorating' DAILY MAIL

'Immersive, emotional and makes the world a better place. It's a story of love and friendship, trust and hope, with characters not easily forgotten' THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND

'A beautiful read' BELLA

‘A gorgeous, grown-up romance, packed with relatable characters and written with Jackie’s hallmark warmth, wit and wisdom’ IONA GREY

'A heartwarming, poignant story of kindness, friendship, hope and love, that will delight every reader. I loved it' PATRICIA SCANLAN

‘A moving, tender and charming grown up love story of healing, humanity and heart’ LAURA KEMP

‘Fraser writes with a deceptively light touch to convey the fragility and convolution of modern life and relationships in a story that is moving, uplifting and witty' SHARON GOSLING

'A tender, absorbing tale about the courage of running away - I laughed, sighed and cheered. Jess and Gethin might just be the perfect couple' HOLLY HEPBURN

'A unique tale of starting over, full of hope, heart and humour with unforgettable characters' EILIDH BEATON
All stars
Most relevant
A deep dive into the emotions. Two beautiful, kind, vulnerable people. I really enjoyed it.

A lovely heart warming story.

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A drama with rich and complicated characters who are trying to find themselves again later in life after a very original chance encounter. Even though the material deals with intense themes, there's a hope and a beauty to the storytelling. It's a lovely, soulful book.

Deeply touching

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