Series: The Berkshires #1
Publication date: October 29th, 2020
Publisher: Janey King
Pages: 250
Synopsis:
Fate never gives you everything you want. But sometimes, when you least expect it, you get exactly what (or who) you need...
Hannah's life has suddenly become a lot less. Jobless, homeless, and boyfriend-less, that is. Now, all she wants is a fresh start--and her sister's charming small town is the perfect setting for it. Finding a new romance is nowhere on her agenda. Too bad her heart (the stupid organ that beats a little faster every time her new boss is near) didn't get the memo.
Collin hasn't been lucky when it comes to romance, either. But knowing he's not cut out for love doesn't stop him from wanting his beautiful new employee with an intensity that terrifies him. He barely survived losing his fiancee. Losing Hannah... well, he's afraid there wouldn't be any coming back from that.
Can Hannah and Collin overcome the pain of their pasts--and the secrets they're both still carrying--to take a shot at happily ever after? Or are they destined to remain star crossed forever?
Where We Begin, book 1 in The Berkshires series, is a lightly angsty, and sweet new adult contemporary romance featuring a down-but-not-out heroine and the beaten-but-not-broken hero of her dreams. Download today and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite book boyfriend.
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Review:
Quarantine is a introverted bookworms excuse to crack open a lot of the books that have been collecting dust on our e-readers and bookshelves. If you're going to have to stay indoors and avoid the spread of a virus, what better way than to escape in the pages of a book. While being a mom to a rambunctious 5-year-old during this time has left many a book neglected, I have finally found the time to curl up with my favorite quilt, a chilled cup of ice coffee (I live in Florida, warm beverages are not very popular), and my reassuring e-reader. Where We Began seemed to be a good place to start at witling away at the old TBR.
Hannah has found herself tucking tail and leaving her life in New York City after being dumped by her boyfriend to find solace in the home of her adopted sister, Cassie. While she knows her brother-in-law would sooner chew glass than have Hannah staying with him, she would much rather focus on spending much needed quality time with her twin nieces and loving sister. However, she knows that eventually she will have to come back down to reality and rebuild her life. The first step: a job. The coffee shop down the street would be perfect as its within walking distance and the barista, Layla, makes her feel like she's the long lost friend she never knew she was missing. Then she meets him.
Collin's life is a circle of misery and guilt over the loss of his fiancée two years prior. His love life is not even a blip on his radar. But when his eyes lock on the feisty female klutz spilling coffee all over the floor of his coffee shop, he wonders if he has been alone too long. But the circumstances of his fiancée's death hangs like a shadow over his budding romance with Hannah. He has to tell her the truth but he can't find the words. But Hannah may be hiding something painful from her past as well. Will the two open up their hearts again for a perfect future or will their past ruin everything?
As with any book I read, I like to highlight the pros and the cons I found in the story, structure, and characters I encounter. Some of the pros lie in the likeability of the characters. Hannah and Collin, while having some flaws in logic over their issues, were delightfully well constructed. Hannah was feisty but also clumsy to the point of comedy. Collin was stoic but also has a silly side that complimented Hannah well. But the true stars of the book were Collin's Aunts. They were the funny no-filtered sass machines that we all long to have in our own elderly relatives. Lucy and Ethel meets Laverne and Shirley on an older scale would be how I would best imagine them. The antics they could have could fill the pages of their own stories.
One of the more pronounced critique I have for this story is the structure. The story had promise. It could have gone a plethora of different ways. There were many potential antagonists and situational hurdles that were not utilized. It was only in the last few pages of the book that the actual antagonist was introduced and then it left on a cliffhanger. It was similar to waiting and waiting for something exciting to happen and then getting just a taste of what that excitement could be before being told it was over. It felt like the author struggled to find a new obstacle once the main reason for the couple being apart was dissolved. Between the snarky brother-in-law, the narcissistic ex-boyfriend, the potential distance if Hannah chooses to leave, you'd think the main conflict would not be some random character dragged into the story on the last few pages. When the story layout is shaky it makes the reader unsure of how to appreciate all the finer elements.
While I personally struggled to give my full approval of the story, I did find enough enjoyment to finish the story and want to see what happens next. I will be picking up the next book in the series when it becomes available and I encourage you to try this one out if able to. Let's see if you agree with my point of view or have an entirely different one all your own.
