Starting Over

by Annette Keen

Rough sleeper Olivia lands on her feet when kind-hearted Mavis rescues her from life in a supermarket car park, and takes her back to the co-housing development where she lives.

Olivia finds a generous and supportive group of people there, all with their own stories and problems – though none quite as potentially explosive as hers.

What led her to a life on the streets when her background is so obviously out of step with the lifestyle she adopted for herself? How long before the past and the people in it catch up with her?

It soon becomes apparent to everyone that Liv is not who she claims to be, and as her former life moves closer to a collision with her current one, she starts to realise her safe haven can’t protect her indefinitely – and that running away hasn’t really solved anything at all.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2021

Reviews

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this, well written and probably very true to life.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

[Sherry Chiger · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Starting Over" reads like Maeve Binchy light--helium light. I had high hopes for this: characters spanning a range of ages, everyday life in a small English town. But few of the characters were well delineated. The author didn't bother with any clues to help set them apart or ground the story. Even something as simple as describing how their homes were furnished or how they dressed would have helped, as would having them use varying vocabularies and speech patterns. And none of the characters behaved in ways that real people would. For instance, one character, a rather grumpy, nagging woman, suddenly decides to work at being less judgmental simply because another character tells her she's attractive when she smiles! Truly a disappointment.

Thank you, NetGalley and Matador, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Katherina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable book. It reminded me of books I have read by Rosamund Pilcher and Maeve Binchy. The style was similar in that the characters lived in close proximity and you learned something about all of the various people. It made me think “what a neat place to live.” Then it surprised me by throwing a mystery into the story. This book had it all! Definitely a book that I will be recommending to everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horsfield Close is a haven to the characters in this novel. All of them written with such elegance. This is a beautifully constructed story which shimmers with mystery and intrigue but is also full of humour and pathos. I found myself totally immersed in its gorgeous portrayal of community and kindness, and gripped by the dark shadows lurking in Liv's past. The writing is perceptive and powerful.