Family for Beginners

Sarah Morgan's latest offering features elements of romance, but it is distinctly background material as the nature of family, grief, love and the consequent trials, tribulations and joys of a new blended family are firmly at the forefront. With a florist mother obsessed with flowers, it probably comes as no surprise that she is named Flora, but Flora's life has been shaped by a desperate loneliness since her mother died when she was 8 years old. She was taken in by an cold aunt who never shied from letting her know she was a burden that had disrupted her life. The young and vulnerable Flora tried her desperate best to please her aunt and fit in with her, all to no avail despite the fact Flora spent years caring for her until her death. Like her mother, Flora is a talented florist, yearning to belong and be part of a real family. <br /><br />However, her dreams seems beyond her reach, that is until the day widower Jack Parker comes in to buy flowers for his 17 year daughter, Izzy. A connection springs up between the two of them as he invites her for coffee, and in time Flora begins to hope that perhaps the impossible just might be hers, but the path to true love and a ready made family is strewn with obstacles. Jack has two daughters, 7 year old Molly and Izzy who has been taking care of her and their home since their mother, Becca, died a year ago. The entire family are still reeling from the long and tenacious fingers of a grief that has held them tightly in its festering grip, but Jack wants Flora to be part of his chaotic family. Whilst Molly slowly unfurls and lets Flora in, Izzy is a much more complicated, a hostile teenager, with her angst, fears, guilt, secrets and grief, determined to make Flora feel like an unwanted outsider. <br /><br />Flora who has a history of people pleasing by doing what others want is going to have to learn to be comfortable being who she is if she is going to have any chance of belonging to a family she is beginning to love with all her heart as she joins them on their annual 3 week holiday in the Lake District in Britain. Morgan's central protagonist, the bohemian, deeply caring Flora, with her colourful clothes will snag your interest immediately as she embarks on what can often be a minefield and a emotionally rocky affair, that of the creation of a new blended family. This is a lovely and entertaining read that will appeal to many as Morgan once again weaves her magic. Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.

With a cover like this one, how can that not set the scene for a great summer read? I love the cover! Family for Beginners does make for a great summer read and doesn't require much from readers expect your favourite place to read it with your favourite beverage. <br /><br />Family for Beginners explores loss, belonging, acceptance and family in a lighter, more dramatic way this dark emotional reader is used to. It provided an emotional response from me that had me feeling a few emotions for the family in this story.<br /><br />The characters are all likable yet a little frustrating at times with their ability to create some high drama in the family and to the story. I felt for the characters each looking for acceptance and a place to belong after a loss that changes their world. I cared for them and their conflicts with themselves and each other. Now this family is overflowing with love with each other, and at times the dark reader in me was drowning in it. I think I really need to read more books like this. Lol Even though I found the drama high and at times I wanted it to stop, it felt very realistic, and I couldn’t help but love the characters.<br /><br />The story wraps up nicely, and I had a feel-good feeling after reading this warm and uplifting story. I recommend for a summer read!!<br /><br />I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley

What a gem! Sarah Morgan always writes such beautiful stories that warm my heart. This is such a lovely story about grief, new beginnings, and family dynamics. Flora as always been a little lonely, felt a little like an outsider. Her mother died when she was eight years old and she was sent to live with her Aunt who was more interested in her career than raising Flora. Izzy is 17 and still grieving the death of her mother. When Flora shows up to dinner with her father Jack, Izzy is none too pleased. Hurt and confused, and annoyed that little sister Molly has taken to Flora. Izzy is determined not to allow this interloper into her family. So, what happens when Jack invites Flora onto the family’s summer vacation?<br /><br /> Loved the story! Told from the alternating perspectives of Flora and Izzy, I really got both sides of the story. I really connected to both of these characters and found their grief and desires palpable. Flora really just wanted to belong and Izzy just really wanted to be understood. The first half of the book takes place in New York City and the second-half takes place in the Lake District in the UK. The Lake District was so beautifully described, I really hope I can make it there one day. The second half of the book also brought a third perspective, Claire, Izzy’s mother’s best friend. I really loved Claire’s personality she was so down to earth and kind. There is romance in this book between Jack and Flora. It was a sweet slow burn romance, and I thought that worked perfectly in the story where the focus really was on family. A delightful story that just made me feel good!<br /><br />This book in emojis ?‍?‍? ? ? ? ? <br /><br />*** Big thank you to HQN for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Flora Donovan is a florist (a florist named Flora, right?) living a single life in New York City but not the one her married and partner-committed friends think she is. She’s very lonely and doesn’t have much of a social life despite her efforts to create one. She’s orphaned and doesn’t even have family to lean into and has a real thirst for being part of one. Then Jack Parker walks into the shop and life changes in that moment for both of them. He’s a widower with two daughters and it’s the first time in the year since his wife died that he’s had any interest in pursuing a relationship. Sounds like the perfect start to a wonderful union, right? Not so fast says 17-year old Izzy Parker who’s been the caretaker of her father, little sister and home and is resistant to being replaced.<br /><br />One of the reasons Sarah Morgan has become one of my auto read authors is because she is so skilled at getting family dynamics right...the good, the bad and the reality. She doesn’t miss here as she combines the pleaser Flora with the in-charge Izzy and throws them at the in-denial Jack. All three of them are wonderful people in their own rights but Izzy’s insecurities related to her losing the role she stepped into following her mother’s death makes things almost toxic. Unfortunately, it’s all covered by a veneer of politeness that gives Jack cover to not see a thing. It would be easy to make Izzy the villain but that’s not how I interpreted the character, which is fine writing because she could be deliberately cruel at times. When Jack decides to keep their summer holiday travel tradition with his deceased wife’s best friend and invites Flora to join them, well, you can almost picture the ensuing train wrecks.<br /><br />I loved this story and came to appreciate Flora, Jack and Izzy for who they really were, not for how they sometimes showed up. Each showed growth as they found themselves in difficult situations and made imperfect choices out of love. It wasn’t as predictable as I’d anticipated as I was prepared to make Izzy the villain and see her get her comeuppance. I had real empathy for all of them and admired Flora for stepping up and not giving in to her old patterns of past behavior. I listened to the book and had to remind myself that there was only one narrator as she distinguished the characters so vividly and distinctively. She delivered a fine performance and I’d be happy to listen to other books she’s narrated. This was a wonderful story about a family trying to find their blend following a tragedy. It reeks of authenticity. <br /><br /><i>Posted on</i> <a href="https://wp.me/p49DcV-1qS" rel="nofollow noopener">Blue Mood Café</a><br /><br />(Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

Favorite Quotes:<br /><br />Clare was so far out of her comfort zone she couldn’t have found her way back with a compass or SatNav.<br /><br />Her mother had always emphasized that life was what you made of it, but Flora couldn’t help thinking that what you made depended on the raw ingredients you were given. Even the best chef couldn’t do much with moldy vegetables.<br /><br />A teenager is a unique and unpredictable animal. They adapt to their surroundings… Which, now that I think about it, is probably the definition of a virus, too. Go figure. Even after they leave home you feel the aftereffects.<br /><br />“We’ve kissed. And it is always amazing, and stop looking at me like that because frankly kissing him was better than any sex I ever had.” “You must have had terrible sex.”<br /><br />Life is too short to fill it with friends who don’t care about you or bring you joy… But bad friends are like the old clothes in your closet. They’re the stained shirt, the sweater with the hole in it, the dress that no longer fits. They have no place and should be cleared out.”<br /><br /><br />My Review:<br /><br />I’ve read several of her books now and have decided that Sarah Morgan is one of my favorite authors of all time. I simply adore her. She writes with astounding agility from multiple POVs and covers relevant and relatable issues with a lively and uncanny level of skill yet her tales are well-balanced with humor, angst, tragedy, perceptive awareness, and observant insights on all sides. Family For Beginners was a slowly evolving and well-nuanced tale that was heavy on family drama while a new romance was blossoming for a widower with children and a timid yet sensitive and eager to please florist. The storylines were multifaceted with complex yet endearing characters who were struggling to find their place and establish their own roles within their newly formed dynamic. <br />

3.5⭐️Flora was seeking someone to love her, accept her and include her. She was craving the family life she missed out on as a child. She meets Jack, a widower, with two children who are still very much grieving their mother. They fall for each other but have to overcome barriers to stay together. For the first half of the book, Flora’s character was like-able but frustrating since she was defined by her people-pleasing personality. This was a slow burn romance focusing much more on family dynamics and growing individually as well as within a family. Told from three perspectives, the story unfolded nicely and I felt more engaged in the second half. Flora found her inner voice and starting taking charge of her life. The relationships within Jack’s family and Clare’s Family were well built. The lake home was beautifully described and made me quite envious. I felt I didn’t have a good grasp on Jack and Floras relationship. They were very close, yet not deep, and we didn’t witness them having any real conversations before their trip to Clare’s lake home. That part was missing for me to feel more attached to them as a couple. I felt the rest of the relationships were much more well defined. Izzy and Molly were lovely daughters with a well built tight bond. I enjoyed this and recommend it. <br /><br />Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin-Romance for the chance to read this and offer my own opinion.

Sarah Morgan takes us on a rollercoaster of love, loss, grief and new beginnings in her latest offering and it was very much a case of perseverance through the earlier chapters paying dividends. <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546515734i/26852388._SX540_.jpg" width="34" height="27" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><b> <i> Life is like a garden, don’t you think? Sometimes glorious, and sometimes a disaster. It’s messy, but always real.” </i> </b><br><br>Flora is a bit of a loner, a beautiful soul who simply yearns to love and be loved, something that becomes a reality when she meets widower, Jack adjusting to life as a single dad to a stroppy teen, Izzy and sweet seven year-old, Molly. Resentful of the fact that her dad has brought Flora into their fold, Izzy doesn’t make life easy—I can’t deny her attitude rubbed me up the wrong way as did Jack being completely oblivious to her games—but when he and Molly suggests Flora joins them in the Lake District for their annual holiday (much to Izzy’s disgust), this story came into its own.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546515734i/26852388._SX540_.jpg" width="34" height="27" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><b> <i> We can handle anything life throws at us if we do it together.” </i> </b><br><br>As we leave the hustle and bustle of Manhattan for the serene, beautiful backdrop of the Lake District along with the introduction of Jack’s friends, Clare, Todd and their teenage son, Aiden, things begin to shift as Flora is simply Flora doing her best to fit in, whilst Clare, although welcoming, struggles with the change in dynamic to their group. And it’s this which leads to us seeing just how strong and selfless Flora is as secrets are revealed and walls come down. <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546515734i/26852388._SX540_.jpg" width="34" height="27" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><b> <i> ...you’re like an oasis of sunshine in an otherwise dark and stormy life.” </i> </b><br><br>Sarah Morgan has once again penned an emotional journey between real, flawed individuals which leaves your heart happy and reminds you that whilst life isn’t always easy, the right person can make it easier. <br><br><i>Copy received courtesy of HQ via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.<br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1546462459i/26850225._SY540_.jpg" width="250" height="250" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"></i>

A beautiful story about the complexities of family, friendship and grief. I loved this book. A must read for fans of women's fiction. <br /><br /><b>My favorite quote:</b><br /><i>"Life is like a garden, don't you think? Sometimes glorious, and sometimes a disaster. It's messy, but always real. And sometimes all we can do is forge ahead, and if that means flattening a few daisies on the way, then so be it."</i>

This was a slow read for me. It was a good story with some romance and some drama and a little bit of sadness due to loss. I'm glad that I picked up a copy. I just wished that I had connected with the characters.

A FAMILY FOR BEGINNERS has got to be the best feel good story I have read in a long time. Flora Donovan works in a floral shop and is extremely lonely but no one knows this about her. Flora has no family. Her mom died when she was young and she was brought up by her aunt. An aunt who made it clear that she wasn’t really wanted. Then Flora meets Jack. Jack has lost his wife, the saintly Becca, who is everything Flora is not. His children are afraid Flora is trying to take their mother’s place. Well Izzy is anyway. The relationship begins to grow between Jack and Flora and things move forward quickly. Jack insists that Flora join them on their family holiday in the Lake District in England. Izzy sure knows how to push Flora’s buttons! Hang on to your seats, it’s a crazy rollercoaster ride!<br /><br /> <br /><br />I have only read Sarah Morgan once before but after reading A FAMILY FOR BEGINNERS I know I will be reading everything by her that I can get my hands on. She hooked me from the very first page. I found myself totally absorbed in this story and I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters within this heart tugging story. I found all of the characters very real and relatable and it was interesting to read how they are all dealing with their grief in very different ways and it takes a summer away to try and help them.<br /><br /> <br /><br />A FAMILY FOR BEGINNERS has it all, romance, grief, great dialogue, and awesome characters. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! I have made it a quest to catch up on the rest of Sarah’s books because her writing is just that good. She makes her readers feel every emotion her characters are feeling to the point where you feel as if you are right there, struggling along with them. My emotions were on a wild roller coaster ride from the first page all the way until the very end. At first I really tried to read it slowly and make it last, but soon I was so caught up in everyone’s lives and business, I was flipping the pages like a mad woman.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.