Wonderful story about love and family relationships.

Another absolutely cracking read from Sarah Morgan, I still don't think I've read a book by her that I haven't loved, and this is cream of the crop.

I read the prologue just before I went to bed, and it definitely had me intrigued, and keen to read more once I was more awake. And then the next time I picked up the book the following lunchtime, I read about half in one sitting which should give an indicator on how absorbed I was in the writing, that I really didn't want to put the book down.

The story is told from two, well occasionally three perspectives, the main ones being Flora and Izzy.

Flora has fallen for Jack, who was widowed less than a year ago and has two children, 7 year old Molly and 17 year old Izzy. She didn't mean to fall for him but she has, but can she compete with the dead wife who appears perfect, and will the kids accept her.

It's Izzy's point of view that I found fabulous, she clearly was hiding things, and feeling things very deeply, is trying to be the perfect older sister to Molly, and felt like she was in ways old before her years. Yet as the story progresses you see many sides to this complicated character.

The first half of the book is set in New York, just setting the scene, the dynamics etc.. and then the second half is in Jack's family's regular holiday spot in the Lake District that sounded incredibly scenic.It is also with his dead wife's best friend Clare, and her family, and they are all family friends; It was interesting to see how they all coped with their first holiday without Becca, but with Flora, and its where the book kicked up another notch.

With assorted hidden secrets to be revealed, nothing is as simple as it seems.

This is a story of new relationships, for Flora to learn how to be part of a family, about friendships and its just an incredibly heartwarming book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Interesting start with someone coming to terms with close friend.but there is a history there Slowly romance blossoms and not everyone happy about this. Heart wrenching at times as a young mum is sorely missed and cannot be replaced but enjoyed the heart wrenching hurdles love overcomes to win.

Family for Beginners was over far too soon! I loved all the characters and was reluctant to let them go …

Flora, using an old strategy to try and fit in and failing miserably; Izzy, drifting further from her friends in her grief and taking on the nurturing role in the family; Molly (she’s simply adorable), who is withdrawn and doesn’t do the things she used to love; Clare, with her moral dilemma and Jack, who needs a woman like Flora to make him realise there is more running under the surface (and made me feel safe and protected!). I’ve enjoyed watching them grow and flourish as they try to find their way through the maze of emotions.

I loved the banter between Clare and her husband Todd. Another extremely funny moment comes to mind where Clare and her mum are in the attic of her mum’s house. 🙂

There were a couple of surprises I didn’t see coming – I was too wrapped up in what was happening to be thinking ahead.

This is a story that adults and YA can relate to. Izzy, coming of age in a time of turmoil is the perfect example of angst that teens feel – about where she fits in her family and the insecurity of stepping out independently in a not too far way away future. Those feelings are heightened by more than the grief she is feeling over the loss of her mum. Such a mix of emotions! The more she pushed away, the more she pulled me in. Flora has her own fears to face as well as being unsure and wanting to do the right thing for the family as a whole. Staying at Lake Lodge for the summer is a fabulous setting for everything to come unwound and for truths to surface.

This was a fast read for me and the perfect escape. Highly recommended.

Absolutely delightful story even though I ended up in tears reading it! Flora is insightful and Izzy feels misplaced having lost her mum but also feeling shes no longer needed by her sister or dad. Few big secrets that explain it all. Heartwarming, thoroughly recommend.

Another stunningly good read from Sarah Morgan. I adore her books, and she's an autobuy for me, and this book meets her usual excellent standard. Brilliant writing, believable characters, and engaging situations - this story has everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A really lovely book about what it means to be a family. I thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to reading more from the author.

Another great read from Sarah Morgan . Five stars from me . I loved it and was hooked from the first chapter .

Another lovely book by the lovely Sarah Morgan.

Sarah gets under the skin of these incredibly realistic characters & sympathetically deals with family issues in a story which is very much of our time, without being too romantic or wet!

I’d love to be friends with the delightful Flora- a great novel to escape with on a lockdown day.

What a lovely read. Not too lighthearted, and I did cry but a lovely sensitive story. Flora is a gem, naive, holding back, but oh so insightful and caring. Jack is a typical dad, wanting to cope after the death of his wife and falling for Flora without registering the devastating effect it has on his teenager. Flora is incredibly brave dealing with the family and the wider net of close friends. The effects of keeping secrets is almost catastrophic, and we see how nothing is ever as it seems. I loved this. #netgalley #familyforbeginners

Sarah Morgan does it again - she proves once more that she knows how to captivate a reader and keep their attention throughout the meanders of the tale she will be weaving. I absolutely loved how the mention of a 'secret' kept me riveted for much of the book, wanting to know more, but yet never getting impatient and willing the author to just 'get on with it' and spill the beans. Loved Flora and how she related with flowers - I initially thought I wouldn't like her much because she was such a pushover with her boss, but she grew on me, as did the crazy family (special soft spot for how grown up teen Izzy adored and cared for her seven-year-old sister - my heart melted just about every time the love and caring between these two was shown)

I absolutely adored this book! It’s a beautiful tale about the complexities of families & love after loss. It’s a wonderful romance story that you would expect from a Sarah Morgan novel and the storyline does not disappoint. Grief and loss are probably the main focus of this story and are explored in a sensitive & sympathetic style from several angles of those left behind after a loved one dies; children, spouses & friends and how life can carry on for those people.
Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful moving story.

TW: Parental death, neglect, bereavement, mental health, new step-parent, adoption, affair

A Sarah Morgan story is right what we need right now — warm and comforting, with the knowledge that a happy ending is guaranteed. And her new novel, Family for Beginners, didn’t disappoint.

At the heart of Family for Beginners is the story of Flora and Jack, who fall in love several years after the death of Jack’s wife, Becca — but it’s more than that. It’s also the story of Clare, Becca’s best friend, struggling with the memory of her friendship and a secret that could break those she cares about; of Izzy, Jack’s eldest daughter, who is grieving her mother and also privy to a secret that is slowly causing her to fracture; and of Molly, the youngest daughter, who needs a light to help her out of her own darkness. Set in bustle of New York and in the gorgeous Lake District of the United Kingdom, this is a novel which weaves together these storylines and makes it a riveting read.

Once again, Sarah Morgan has given us characters who quickly get under the skin and about whom we care about on a deep level. From the quirky Flora to the floundering Jack, from the independent Izzy to the motherly Clare, we have a cast of characters who work well together and who are perfect foils to each other. The steadying presences of Julia, Todd, Suzanne, and Aiden cannot be overlooked, nor can the boisterous Chase, who stole quite a few scenes. After all, it wouldn’t be a Sarah Morgan book without a devoted pet.

I really felt for Jack, who is holding it together the best he can in both his family live and his professional work; however, he is still quite closed off and doesn’t talk much about Becca in detail with Flora. He’s a father and a provider, and he’s exploring a new romance with Flora. However, I would have liked a little more emotion from him around his grief; his late wife did die suddenly and tragically, and he’s trying to keep afloat for both his girls.

Izzy and Molly are wonderfully drawn; as someone who lost a parent at a young age, I could empathise easily with both girls and could recognise bits of myself within them. Izzy is delightfully independent and is holding herself together with sheer personal will, despite how brittle and fragile that will actually is; the scene with her friends cute very close to home, even now. Her blossoming relationship with Aiden was a wonderful touchstone for her, offering her a sanctuary and respite, even if she couldn’t form the right words to say. He is a perfect counterpoint to her fiery nature: patient and kind, loyal and steadfast. I would have liked to see more of him.

I loved how Molly came out of her shell a step at a time, as she connected with Flora, and, later, in the Lakes with Clare, Todd, Aiden, and Chase. I also appreciated how the emotional and mental impact of losing a parent was handled — sensitively and with care, and a clear understanding of the complexities of having to rebuild one’s life and identity after such a loss, and how other events can cause additional challenges; Molly’s sudden fear of water, for example, was a great exploration of emotional impact.

Becca, the late wife and mother, looms large over this story, and in a way I am reminded of de Maurier’s Rebecca in this sense — and the name isn’t lost on me, either. The differences between Becca and Flora are stark and obvious, but despite comparing herself to Becca and trying to do as much as she can to emulate her, Flora comes to realise that being herself is the greatest gift of all — both for herself and for others. This is one of the themes of the novel, as everyone — from Jack to Flora, the girls to Clare, and so — strives to discover and accept who they are, warts and all.

Secrets are another central theme — the giving of them, receiving of them, and the keeping of them. Some are unintentionally discovered, spinning lives out of control, whilst others are bombshells, dropped — for example — when it best suits Becca, causing Clare a great degree of distress and personal reflection. And the damage that secrets can do, when held close to the chest and also when released, is another theme that weaves its way through this story. The concepts of trust and truth also linger here, as does the concept of family and love as a whole.

The locations are perfect — from the busy city life of New York to the quiet, nurturing hills and lakes of the Lake District. The latter, in particular, is well crafted and obviously beloved by the author as she has returned to it several times now. Having visited both New York City and the Lakes, I could really visualise the locations and the story made me want to head back to the Lakes as soon as possible.

There were, however, a few things which dampened my enjoyment of this book, however — a few continuity errors, one right at the beginning and one toward the end, which should have been picked up by an editor. I don’t know if anyone else spotted them, but they were present in my e-ARC, and also present in the final, published, copy (I checked when mine arrived). The jump in timeline between chapters one and two was also too abrupt for my liking, and I feel could have been smoother — we missed out on much of Jack and Flora’s early romance (their initial relationship is framed within Flora’s reflections), in favour of introducing Flora to his daughters, Izzy and Molly, and initiating the tension that occurs when a potential new step-parent enters an existing family unit. Again, I think smoother editing could have eliminated this — after all, we literally jump from Flora and Jack getting their first coffee together to Jack bringing her home for dinner.

That said, I did enjoy the story. I didn’t see the twist coming, the destructive truth that Izzy was holding onto despite its effect on her mental and emotional health; neither did I see how it would expand and ripple out to other characters, whether they had an inkling or not. The way Flora blended into the family, and how Jack and Molly, and eventually Izzy, opened up to Flora, was beautifully and realistically handled. I love how Sarah Morgan has such a keen understanding of, and eye for, characters and relationships, and the things that really matter.

Family for Beginners is a delightful story which is deeper than it looks — like a lake itself — and which has the ability to draw you in and keep you entertained and enthralled. I read it in one sitting and the characters are staying with me long after the book closed. I cried a little at this story, and the epilogue gave me warm fuzzies and goofy smiles. This is another winner from Sarah Morgan, and I look forward to her next novel.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, HQ, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Furthermore, in the interests of transparency, I know the author via Facebook.

I really enjoyed this novel, as I have enjoyed many others by Sarah Morgan.

Secrets and how they affect people in different ways, and how families learn to accept new members and make new memories. Some interesting and likable characters.

I do think the American author has an unrealistic/idealistic view of the weather in the Lake District even in the summer months though. The UK doesn't have as many balmy, barbecue in a sundress, evenings as this book makes out. The main character definitely should have packed more jeans and hoodys!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review copy.

Nothing cheers me up like a novel by Sarah Morgan. Her stories are entertaining, heart-warming, and so well-written that I always find myself completely engrossed in them and I always fall in love with the characters.

Her new novel, Family For Beginners, sees two fantastic female protagonists. Flora is a woman in her thirties with a bit of a tragic past and in search of love and family. She works as a florist (never name was more adapt) and one day she meets Jack, a widower with a teenage daughter, a seven-year old daughter, and a late wife who, according to everyone who knew her, was simply perfect. Will Flora find what she is looking for with Jack?

Izzy is Jack’s seventeen-year-old daughter. Still grieving over her mother’s death and feeling guilty over the fight they had right before her death, Izzy feels it’s her responsibility to take care of her father and to take on the role of mother to her younger sister. So, when Flora enters their lives, Izzy is ready to do everything to make sure she doesn’t stay.

I LOVED the characters. Like in all her novels, they are very likable, engaging, and well-developed. They are the kind of characters I wish they were real and they could be my friends. I liked Izzy, even when she was an annoying teenager, and I found her sister Molly so adorable and funny.

One of my favourite thing about Sarah Morgan’s novels is the settings she chooses for her stories (I am still dreaming of a Christmas in Scotland thanks to The Christmas Sisters). In Family For Beginners, the author splits the story between my all-time favourite city, New York City, and the Lake District which, thanks to the author’s beautiful descriptions, I just added to my list of places to visit.

Would I recommend this story? Of course, over and over again. I ADORE Sarah Morgan and Family For Beginners is a beautiful and captivating novel about family, friendship, love, and new beginnings.

This is a lovely story. Jack’s wife Becca died nearly a year ago. He has a teenage daughter and a younger one. When he meets a Flora who is a florist he feels a real connection and so does she. They begin dating tentatively and then the time comes for Flora to meet Jack’s girls.
A year is not a lot time for children when they are grieving for their mum so as you can imagine all does not go well when Flora arrives for tea. When she sees photos and hears of the perfect Becca she wonders if she will ever fit into this family.
Against everything sensible Jack insists that a Flora join them on a three week holiday to live with Becca’s best friend and her husband in England.
This is a lovely story. It explores the father and daughter relationship and why not telling your true feelings and having secrets gets in the way of moving on. It explores friendship and loyalty.
Flora is such a lovely person who hasn’t had an easy life so she can empathize with Jack’s daughters.
Flora feels for the oldest girl in particular and tries to make Jack see that she is not coping as well as she seems.
Another great read from Sarah Morgan. I love her books.

This book was a sweet, thoughtful look at how families can change and evolve after tragedy. I enjoyed it but never found myself fully investing in the characters or the plot, there was something about it that meant I just never quite connected.

Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming. A really nice story that is the perfect escapist read.

Meet Flora a New York florist with a passion for flowers that she learnt from her mother.

A chance meeting when Jack looks for flowers for his daughters birthday sets off a romance which will hopefully heal them both of their past heartache. Jack's wife died and his daughter Izzy holds the family together whilst looking after her little sister. Flora lost her mother at a young age, same as Jack's daughters, she hopes in time it can bond them together. However Izzy is frosty as she doesn't want anyone entering the family unit and tensions rise when Jack invites Flora on holiday to the Lake District. Love, loss and some laughs along the way.

A heart warming story of a blended family, each with their own issues to deal with, mainly set within the gorgeous Lake District and felt like I was there.

I did struggle to get into this book, I wouldn't say is the book itself. It is me finding it hard to focus on reading at the moment . There has never been a Sarah Morgan book I haven't loved so definetly putting this one down to all the things going on at the moment with Covid and struggling to focus.

I love Sarah Morgan’s books so was very grateful to get a copy .

When Flora was least expecting it she meets and falls for Jack. Jack is a widow with 2 girls, one being an irritable teenager. Flora soon becomes part of the family and realises just how hard it is living in the shadow of the perfect dead wife Becca. To complicate things further every year the family spend the summer at Becca’s oldest friends house. This year Jack wants Flora to join them. What could go wrong?!
.
I loved this book as it touched on many areas; friendship, romance, grief, secrets and family drama. Yet it was easy reading too.
Flora and Jack had such a lovely spark from the beginning, they really were each other’s rainbows. Which left you rooting for them throughout. I liked the easy bond Flora had with Molly and how she went out of her way to make a bond with the other characters. Even feeling like an outsider you could tell she just wanted to fit in and do what’s best for everyone. Jack annoyed me at times where he was just brushing things under the carpet - men!! and not listening to Flora.

Being a step mum I could relate to some of these issues and felt connected with Flora and felt for her in parts of the story. Its definitely not easy at times but love conquers all 💖

This book felt real for me and I would definitely recommend it. It’s a great summer, heartwarming read you can escape to in the sunshine with a little gin.

What an absolutely feel good, heart expanding book!
Everything about this book drew me in and whilst there was a little 'eek what's the secret I need to keep reading moment' , I would always have kept reading as I was there in their lives!