Reviews
New Beginnings showcases family ties, friendships, infidelity, and love. This romance novel, written by Helen C. Kelly, focuses on two people, Jane and David, both the victims of failed relationships. As she recovers from a breakup, Jane’s family and friends give her a shoulder to lean on, always checking on her and trying their best to provide her with the company she craves. The novel is also about self-discovery as Jane starts anew, rekindling her passion for singing, repainting her house, and ridding herself of her cheating fiance, Peter. As for David, he’s doing great, managing a restaurant and seeming to have cut ties with his ex-wife, Stephanie. As a friend of Jane’s family, he can be the right man for Jane, and as they start to know each other, love blossoms between them. He gets to walk Jane home and sleeps on the couch whenever Jane asks him to stay. Peter and Stephanie, as if working together, make things a little difficult for David and Jane, with Stephanie calling frequently and Peter showing up drunk on Jane's doorstep. Jane also has a secret admirer who leaves roses on her doorstep with no note. Whoever the admirer is, James and David have devised a strategy, and it is only a matter of time before they reveal the true identity of the owner of the roses. The New Beginnings is a first-person narrative, allowing readers to understand Jane and David better. The characters come to life on the page as well. Although the book is only 146 pages long, Jane and David don't come across hurdles that often pave the path to true love. Finding true love is never easy; those who need it are frequently tested. I also expected Peter to be a thorn in David’s back and Stephanie to frustrate Jane a lot, but that's not the case in the novel. Overall, however, New Beginnings is a good romance book that deserves reading, and I recommend it to romance readers.
Helen Kelly's novel, "New Beginnings", weaves together the lives of Jane and David, in a tale of love, hope, and inner-healing. Both Jane and David have been spurned by love in the past, thus both of them are seeking a new beginning. After his divorce, David moves to a small town and establishes his own restaurant there. He meets Jane at her cousin's (James') engagement party. David's viewpoint on romance changes as a result of their interaction. Jane helps him to understand the importance of happiness and love. Through Jane, he realizes that life isn't just about focusing on creating a successful career for one's self, but having someone to share life with. Meanwhile, after a failed engagement, Jane is moderately beginning to rediscover herself and the things that fill her life with meaning. Gradually, David becomes Jane's love interest, and a source of support for her. Their combined storylines create a tale of perseverance, second chances, and the search for genuine personal-fulfillment. The storyline is engaging and emotional. It completely engrosses readers in the lives and feelings of Jane and David. The chapters are well-organized, and the multiple viewpoints help readers to feel personally connected to both characters. Although the novel begins slowly, it carefully prepares readers for the progressive changes taking place in the lives of the characters. This book deliberately examines the importance of personal growth, relationships, and inner-strength in the lives of people on a whole. It successfully does this using the growing interactions and dynamics of the characters involved. Because of this, I rate this book 5 stars. The growth in Jane and David's relationship is evidence of their emotional bond and connectedness. Even though their relationship develops quickly, there is so much synergy between them. As such, I don't doubt their compatibility with one another. Their distinct personalities compliment one other so well. Readers who understand the complexities behind human emotions are able to identify with both characters to a certain degree. This book is successful in demonstrating the powerful, life-changing effect of accepting new beginnings. In some ways, this book challenges us as readers to do the same in our own lives. Whether you like reading books about second chances, inner-healing, or romance, this novel will have you obsessively reading it until the end. Overall, this book is uplifting and inspirational. I believe it will be well-received by die-hard romance fans.
Helen's book "New Beginnings" tells a moving story about relationships, change and starting fresh. The main character Jane is about to get married, but starts having doubts about her fiancé Peter and how he's been acting differently. At a family party, Jane discovers something shocking about Peter that changes everything. This sets Jane off on a journey to take control of her life and find her own happiness. Helen writes beautifully about Jane's deep feelings during this hard time. Readers feel what Jane is going through and root for her strength. The other characters, like Jane's helpful aunt May, add depth and support Jane. The book explores important things like trust, self-worth and communicating with the people close to you. Jane learns that being honest, even if it's hard, and focusing on yourself is important for healthy relationships. Helen draws you into the story from beginning to end with twists and turns that keep you turning pages. Her descriptions of settings like gardens and houses make them come alive. While it focuses on Jane, the book also gives insight into relationships in general that many people can relate to. Overall, "New Beginnings" is an emotionally impactful and thought-provoking read about love, betrayal and finding inner strength. With fully formed characters and powerful themes, it shows resilience and starting anew in a compassionate way fans of fiction will enjoy. Helen is clearly very skilled at crafting touching stories that stay with you.
​In Helen C. Kelly’s romance novel, New Beginnings, Jane and David are betrayed and wounded in love. While Jane suspects something is wrong in her relationship with Peter, she does not act until she returns home from a party and discovers irrefutable evidence of Peter's infidelity. She kicks Peter out of her house, and fortunately, she has friends and family to support her through the difficult breakup. She repaints the house to mark the new beginning for her and renews her love for singing. On the other hand, David is a divorced, successful restaurant owner. He and James are friends, having studied at the same university. Is he the right man for Jane? First, he differs from Peter in many ways, as Jane later realizes. He and Jane don’t rush things, perhaps to avoid the pitfalls of failed relationships. David sleeps on the couch while Jane sleeps in bed. The kisses also don’t go as far as they should. But who’s sending Jane roses without a note, leaving them at her doorstep? And it doesn’t help that David’s ex-wife, Stephanie, wants her husband back, repeatedly calling and texting even as David ignores her. For a romance novel, the story ends befittingly. The other interesting thing about the book is how Jane handles Stephanie during their first face-to-face encounter. There are also supportive characters, notably Auntie May, Uncle Mike, James, and Lacy. Even though I enjoyed reading the book, I still think Peter and Stephanie don’t cause enough trouble for Jane and David. In other words, Jane and David don’t encounter obstacles in their relationship. That aside, The New Beginnings is a good romance book that deserves reading. I recommend it to romance readers.