Buy on Amazon

New Beginnings (A Greengrove Novel)

By: Helen C. Kelly
Publisher: Helen Kelly Books
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 978-1739607432
Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles
Review Date: September 1, 2023

New Beginnings is a wonderful new book in the Greengrove romance series by Helen Kelly. With well-developed characters, an excellent and, more importantly, a believable plot, and a little bit of mystery, it has everything that the romance genre fan will love and more.

In New Beginnings we are introduced to two great main characters. There is David, a man whose life was turned upside down when he found out his wife was having an affair for years with one of his friends. When his world fell apart, David moved to the small town of Greengrove, where his closest friend James was planning on opening a restaurant. Then there is Jane, James’ cousin, who is a music teacher in Greengrove. Jane has a wonderful job, wonderful home, and is surrounded by family and friends who only want her to be happy. Jane also has Peter, her boyfriend, who very quickly shows his true colors and her life falls apart.

At an engagement party for James and his fiancée Lacy, David and Jane meet for the first time and the sparks fly. Of course, with all great romance beginnings, there are many problems that need to be overcome first as both of these already badly wounded characters try to learn how to move on, trust, and be happy again.

New Beginnings is not just your average romance story. With a great big bang in the first chapter, the story only gets better as it moves forward. The characters in the story, from David to Jane, to all of the supporting people around them, are very well-developed and they are each very believable. Not princes and princesses but regular down-to-earth people who feel very real to the reader. The dialogue in the story is well-written and again seems very real.

The plot itself is very well done. From the bombshell in the beginning, and throughout the rest of the story, the reader can relate to what is happening and to the characters as they attempt to go about their day-to-day business. With plenty of romance, a bit of suspense, and many family crises, New Beginnings stays interesting from first page to last. I also really enjoyed the fact that the book is written from two perspectives, one from David and one from Jane, and that made it more appealing and definitely will hold the interest of any reader.

I would recommend New Beginnings to anyone who enjoys a really good romance book with an engaging plot and characters who are normal people living their lives in the best way they can. Although I am not always a fan of romance novels because many of them are so over-the-top, I can say that this is one that I truly enjoyed because it seemed very genuine. I look forward to seeing what this author offers up to readers next.

Quill says: New Beginnings is a perfect romance book and a perfect continuation in this series. It is wonderful when a book in the romance genre not only has a great plot but also includes a little bit for everyone...romance, family dynamics, and even a little bit of mystery. I am excited to see what Helen Kelly has coming up next, whether it is more to this series or a completely new series.

For more information on New Beginnings (A Greengrove Novel), please visit the author's website at: helenkellyauthor.com/