The Start of Something Wonderful – Jessica Redland

Published By: Boldwood
Pages: 346
Released On: 17/07/2023

Autumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn’t appear to be the answer.

So when her penpal, Rosie, invites her to stay in the Lake District, Autumn jumps at the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. After all, where better to re-discover her creativity than the place which inspired her heroine, Beatrix Potter?

Arriving at the picturesque lakeside village of Willowdale, Autumn is swept up by the beauty and magic of the stunning landscape. Welcomed into the community with open arms, she slowly starts to feel like herself again as her creative instincts re-ignite.

But when she meets Dane, who has escaped to the Lakes for his own reasons, will Autumn’s walls come down to let someone in again after so long? Or will the secrets of her past continue to hold her back?

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I’m very easily pleased: just give me a new Jessica Redland book, set in the Lake District, and I’m yours.

I am so glad she has started a new series. The Starfish Café series was one of the best I’ve read and I was feeling a little lost without another on the horizon, and then this one popped up in my inbox.

For me, this is my favourite of her books so far, and her best written. Obviously if you’ve read my other reviews you’ll know I think the world of her books and writing, and so this isn’t a poo-poo on her previous books, but there was just something in this, an extra layer, a spark, that just spoke to my heart. I was either smiling or crying, sometimes both. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

I think she has perfectly captured the wonder and attraction and beauty of the Lake District; anyone who has been there knows how stunning it is and I completely understand why anyone would want to live there – I certainly would, given half the chance.

I also love the focus on art and illustration. I like to think of myself as a failed artist, but not because I didn’t take my chances, but because I have very little artistic talent, but I still love to do it, so it was nice to live through Autumn in that sense. And just that ibn combination with the Lakes…oh it’s just picture perfect.

Speaking of Autumn, I absolutely loved her, wholeheartedly. There wasn’t a single thing about her I disliked. She was genuine and lovable and caring and honest and so familiar, like you could climb into her world and you’d instantly be best friends. But she wasn’t a simple character. She’s not a 2D character. She’s well rounded and you can see her development from the beginning to the end. I also very much loved Dane….if I could have one of him in my life I would be very happy!

I now have the urge to read all of Beatrix Potter’s books again, if only to look at her wonderful illustrations, they still delight now, for new generations and old, which is quite the achievement for a woman who has been dead for 80 years! She was such a special talent and I love that she lives on in this book. It shows how wide reaching she was and I’m glad her story is still continuing.

What I love about Jessica’s books is that whilst it’s clearly what I call a happily-ever-after book, it’s romantic, funny, and tender – she doesn’t hide away from the serious real life stuff that her readers will have experienced, things like illness, injury, mental health, death, grief, job losses, divorce, relationship troubles, pregnancy difficulties etc. It just makes the high points even higher and feel more tangible. And whilst I go to books for escapism, it is nice to have a story that you can grab hold of.

In her acknowledgements, Jessica has stated that she hopes this will be book one of her longest series yet, and that fills me with such glee. I cannot wait. It’s just sunshine in a book! I’ve been lucky that I’ve been gifted all of the Jessica Redland books I’ve read digitally by the publisher. But I think it may be time to start buying the physical copies and giving her her own dedicated book shelf.