Love Beginning

by Jenny Proctor

I am a woman who loves a good mystery. Which is exactly why Reese, the man who lives across the hall from my high-brow nannying job, is so much fun.

Me and the twins—my adorable five-year-old charges—have turned guessing the source of his inexplicable wealth into a game. (Trust me...if you live at the Belvedere, exorbitant wealth is a foregone conclusion.) But the more we guess, the more I wish I knew Reese's actual story.

It doesn't help that he keeps smiling at me. Like, really smiling. He's interested, and I am more than ready to climb aboard that train and ride it to the happily-ever-after I've always wanted.

Except, Reese is a man of mystery. A man with secrets. Weird work hours. A strange cat he doesn't like but keeps around anyway. There has to be something he isn't telling me.

When the truth finally comes out, will it bring us closer or derail my happily-ever-after plans for good?

Love Beginning is the prequel to the first novel in the Some Kind of Love series, Love Redesigned, but also stands alone as a sweet romantic comedy novella. Books in the series can be read in any order.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Clean Romance, Chick Lit, Rom Com, Fiction

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2023

About the author

Jenny Proctor is an award-winning author of more than fourteen romantic comedies and an Amazon bestseller. She began her career in publishing in 2013; her writing has been a constant since then, but she's also spent time as the owner and managing editor of Midnight Owl Editors and the chair of the Storymakers Conference. Wired for relationships, Jenny loves public speaking, teaching, and building lasting connections.

Jenny was born in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a place she considers one of the loveliest on earth. She loves to hike with her family and spend time outdoors, but she also adores lounging around her home, reading great books or watching great movies and, when she’s lucky, eating delicious food she doesn’t have to prepare herself.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Beginning by Jenny Proctor is a sweet contemporary romance novella about Paige, a curious nanny who can’t help but be intrigued by her mysterious neighbor Reese as she and her adorable five-year-old charges play detective to uncover his secrets while gentle sparks begin to fly between them. It’s a light, delightful prequel to the Some Kind of Love series that works beautifully on its own for lovers of charming, heartfelt stories with an easygoing warmth.

One thing that immediately made me smile was the playful way the story invites you into Paige’s world, drawing you into her musings about Reese’s weird hours, hidden past, and even the quirky cat he begrudgingly keeps around, all while letting you feel the genuine flutter of new attraction. Paige’s warmth, her delight in the twins she cares for, and the slow unfolding of mutual interest between her and Reese made me feel cozy and hopeful, like peeking into a love story that feels grounded and sincere even in its simplicity.

I’m giving Love Beginning 4 out of 5 stars because it filled me with that light, joyful feeling you crave from a romance novella, even as I found myself wishing it lingered just a bit longer in its sweet world.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this little companion novella to Love Redesigned, which is Dani and Alex's story. In LOVE BEGINNING we meet Dani's best friend and roomie Paige. I love how Paige and Reese, who are neighbors, kept eyeing each other in the elevator. Reese is adorable and so yummy!! I LOVED the elevator scene--what a great way to force characters to get to know each other. I've read all of the Some Kind of Love books and highly recommend them if you enjoyed this novella.

[Ms. Absolem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estuvo bueno, lo recomiendo si quieren algo short and sweet.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. :)

Plot- Cute, sweet, straightforward, bite-sized love story. The conflict (if it can even be considered a conflict) was easily resolved. The plot was just seeing two people meet and then become a couple. Cute!

Writing- Great.

Characters- The main characters were both likable and easy to root for.

Romance- Medium chemistry

Content-
Language- no swearing
Spice- No sex scene or talk of sex whatsoever.
Format- KU
POV- dual POV
Cover- ok

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet novella about a nanny—Paige—and a grad student—Reese—and their meet-cute in NYC.
Quick read, gets to the point.
I think this was written to introduce the series. And the ploy worked because I can’t wait to start book #1 to read about Paige’s friend.

[Vibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) - a sweet little shot of romance

I almost didn't read this prequel because frankly, I wasn't that enthusiastic about book 1 of this series & couldn't even finish book 2, but I didn't realize it was part of the series at first, & the reviews were decent in comparison to its mates - with the bonus that there's no agenda plugs in this prequel

The novella is fairly straightforward & lighthearted. The conflict is simple & so resolves without much angst. It was an enjoyable evening's escape - just what I was looking for!

*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

[Paulina Bellantonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and Sweet

This one was so cute - short and sweet.
A Southern Belle turned nanny is crushing on the mysterious neighbor of her twin charges - but is he crushing on her too?
Repeated elevator encounters lead to some sweet moments between Paige and Reese… but will they find the courage to stop dancing around each other and make a move? Gotta read it to find out!

[Brianna Bello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much! I love the mystery of both characters. I love how they both come from way different backgrounds but still seem so down to earth. I loved the games she played with the kids to figure Reese out. I hate how she just assumes he comes from a different background than he actually does, but I love that she accepts him nonetheless. Super cute story!

[Kaele’s Krazy Book Obsession · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute novella! I loved Paige and Reese’s relationship in Love Redesigned so it was nice to go back and see how it all started 🥰

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute Novella! I’m actually glad I read this before starting Love Redesigned. I can’t wait to continue the series.

[Diva Prestia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

reese harrison impressed me so much more in 50 FUCKING PAGES than some heroes have in full length novels. truly remarkable

[Tracy Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Shannon Bolton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could tell there was going to be tons of miscommunication 👎🏻

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted him to have a nefarious secret! Still cute though.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute little novella. Nothing wrong with it, a nice supplement to Love Redesigned!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is available for free through a Prolific Works giveaway:
https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/a...

Reader’s Notes:

– this is a prequel novella to Jenny Proctor’s Some Kind Of Love series

– this is told from Paige and Reese’s points of view

Review:

I loved this sweet and funny read! Reese was adorable in wanting to get to know Paige and how he planned to get to know her. Paige was also adorable, but especially with her two charges and their thoughts on Reese’s background. 😂

Paige is a nanny for a family in a very pricey apartment building and she loves her two charges. But when they notice a very young (and handsome) neighbor, they start a guessing game on how he made enough money to afford to live there. So far they haven’t figured out the right answer…

Reese noticed his neighbor’s nanny and is interested in getting to know her more. So he chooses to wait for them so that they end up leaving at the same time. And in between odd questions from the kids she’s watching, maybe Reese can talk to Paige for a few minutes…

Will Reese be able to talk to Paige more than his current plan allows? How is Reese able to live in the building? What will happen when Paige finds out the answer?

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the uniqueness of this story. It’s short, novella length. It’s a clean read. I got it free through prolific works. Worth the read.

[Maria Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

not a full making sense(?) review cause its 1:30 am (almost 2am now 😀)
(there are spoilers)

I loved the book !
the plot wasn't something big or dramatic and it was cute and lighthearted
Loved their connection so much though i wanted more of their convos and time in the elevator.
(Yes I know its just a novela to introduce the series so its not gonna have a (the) 6 hour conversation 🙄)
The writing style was amazing , but for some reason i felt that Paige was repeating too many times that she didn't have a problem with him not being rich
My boy Reese was the cutest thing i've ever seen (read) , he was so honest about his feelings and was so thoughtful and "stalker" with Paige that i was giggling every time they talked 😭
I found myself relating to so many things with Reese and Paige that it's hilarious.
Overall i really recommend the book for a small cute (and obv without smut) read . I can't wait to finish up my exams and read the whole series

(see ya in a month)

btw no comments about Dani and Alex cause i wanna read their book first (read one chapter already but i had to stop myself 🙄)

[September Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable short story and prequel to the author (Some Kind of Love Series). This is an example of why it’s great for authors to gift a free Novella or even a 99c read every now and then. A little Side note: My first read from Jenny Proctor washer free Novella when you sign up to her newsletter. It’s titled “The Dating Game.” And I immediately fell in love the characters and storyline. I instantly wanted more and would up with another novella titles “Hold You Breath”( which is offered free on Amazon at the time of this review) this novella was amazing also so I began seeking out all of Jenny books. This novella is about a nanny named Paige who is very curious about the man (Reese) who lives next to her twin charges. Who is he? What’s he do for a living? Paige and the two adorable twins begin a guessing game on who this man is and what he does for a living. The story is told in dual point of view. I don’t want to give to much away but this story is adorable it wraps up nicely although I would gladly visit Paige and Reese for another story anytime. This story was free on the sweet and swoons Facebook page. https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/X...
Go get you copy while it’s still available. Then check out the rest of her books.

[Nikki H. Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable. Everything about it — even including the characters’ insecurities.

A story about how much wealth truly matters when you fall for someone’s personality — a story about being your own person rather than the one set forth for you by your family — a story about so much more than the neighbors to lovers romance that graces the pages and pulls you in from the beginning.

I appreciated how Jenny handled these characters and their situations. There were insecurities and miscommunications that were natural and realistic, but didn’t lead to the fallout that usually follows miscommunication in romance novels.

This is definitely a novella to add to your TBR!

Tropes:
- Neighbors
- Chasing dreams
- Nanny
- Middle class vs wealthy expectations
- Forced proximity
- Trapped in an elevator

[Jennifer Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this short novel by Jenny Proctor and I gave it five stars because it has short chapters, a cute storyline, and a happy ending (as all Jenny Proctor books do). The thing that shocked me the most, was how naïve Paige is. I was surprised she was willing to spend the night at “his” place the first time they ever hung out and she was even okay with him sleeping in the same room. It made sense in the circumstances of how late it was in the evening, but due to the wholesome factor of the book I still didn’t expect it to happen. Reese claimed the power was still out in the city and it seemed like she just took his word for it. Overall, it’s a cute love story with fun characters. I already read the book where Alex and Dani get back together so I enjoyed learning more about Paige and finding out what she was up to when Dani’s break up happened.

[NikkiReads365]

💛 Love Beginning by Jenny Proctor 💛

✨ Mini Review! ✨

In this short but sweet novella, it’s a meet cute centered text around Paige and Reese. Paige is a nanny, and for a bit, Reese is a mystery. After an unexpected extended encounter, the mystery surrounding Reese begins to slowly unravel.

The story brings up topics of defying family expectations and making a name for oneself outside of familiar connections, in addition to presenting the imaginative musings of younger children.

This book is a beautiful palate cleaner between longer, darker, heavier reads, but also, could be a fabulous introduction to the Some Kind of Love Series. Adding the series to my TBR now! 💛

Spice: 🫑
Recommend: Yes!!
Pairs well with a blueberry muffin and hot chocolate. 💕

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, sweet novella; but there is something anticlimactic about going from "I am a woman who loves a good mystery..." to the next chapter revealing all the answers to the questions Paige and her young charges have about the man. This opening line and the whole first chapter would have been an excellent beginning to a story told entirely from Paige's point of view, gradually revealing the answers to her questions through her interactions with Reese.

Beyond this minor annoyance in Chapter 2, I loved it and read all of it in one evening, which is quite the accomplishment for me. It's a good prequel to Love Redesigned!

[Manee Contreras · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Reese 💞 and how he found his way into getting to see Paige. I also loved their interactions with Paige, awkwardly cute.

I loved how he was showing the struggles of a graduate student haha I could feel that to another level.

I love the elevator scene haha so funny.😂

The climax of the plot, I was dreading it, but it actually came up pretty good after all.

I love novellas because everything happens so quick, but sometimes it's like ugh novellas!!!? Everything happens so quick!!!!!! I want more time with them. Conflicting emotions 😂

🍁
*This story was free as part of The Sweet and Swoony Romance project in Prolific Works. Visit Jenny's profile to get the link*

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, sweet contemporary romance novella

Romance, contemporary, sweet, novella; series but stand alone read
Paige and Reese’s story started out as random hallway meetings in their upscale apartment building in NYC. Their sweet meetups looked forward by both of them, helped build a sweet fall after they get stuck in an elevator and finally spent time together. Some misunderstandings, and not full circumstance disclosure, but their honest hearts were both forgiving, and their sweet romance written in the stars. Lovely, well-written, with well-drawn characters, setting, and side characters, made this a truly lovely read.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these short and sweet romances. If you are looking for a long love story, with tons of background and a deep knowledge of the characters, well look somewhere else. If you are in it for sweet, romantic, swoony, good kisses, some basic background and a solid understanding of what makes someone tick (not enough to write a biography but enough to nod in agreement while reading one) then, do I have a treat for you!
Elevators, mistaken identity, a Nanny Diaries vibe, cute and precocious kids, a touch of the South and a kiss or two, all make this a great read!

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reese and Paige

I was wondering where Paige's story was the whole time I was reading Love Redesigned. I didn't realize that I had missed any books in the Some Kind of Live series. Lol.

Doesn't Alex say in Love Redesigned that Paige AND Reese had been their friends when he dated Dani before their breakup or am I mis-remembering that detail?

And now I am even more upset about what happened to Paige's dress in Love Redesigned. Paige and Reese are so sweet, Paige definitely deserved a gorgeous Dani-original for her wedding with Reese.

*swoon*

[the girl who reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel novella to Jenny’s Some Kind of Love series, and it’s really cute! I kind of wish it was longer. It was fun to see glimpses of Dani and Alex from Love Redesigned, and it made me want to reread that one! Paige and the kids she is a nanny for are very curious about the young single guy living in an expensive New York apartment, and I love the imaginative guesses they come up with as to how he can afford to live there. This is a cute, fun and quick read!

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Dani and Alex's story (Love Redesigned) and was thrilled to discover this story about Dani's roommate Paige, and her romance with Reese. It's a quick read but very cute with details of her nanny charges trying to guess why Reese lives in the building. The characters so likeable and believable. It was a delightful read, and so many fun moments that it put a smile on my face!

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good, but so short! I have a love-hate relationship with novellas. They get quick to the point, but they end up ending too fast! I loved Reese and Paige and how soon they realized the connection they had. I did think some points were too fast, but overall they were adorable and exactly the kind of relationship I want for myself.