The chance to start life all over with the help of a stranger.
Twenty-two-year-old Sophie Levesque has been guardian to her eight-year-old sister Mia since their mother’s death a few years ago, and it hasn’t been easy. Luck comes their way when they inherit a small house in Hobart. Problem is, though, they don’t know and have never heard of Clara Bellinger, the testator. Settling into their new life, Sophie is still afraid it’s all a mistake.
Mark O’Connor, attorney in Hobart and the bearer of the good news for Sophie and Mia, curses himself for the lack of information about the testator. However, researching the questions gives him an opportunity to see Sophie again, and the more time he spends with the two, the more he realises that his life is missing something. And it’s not his casual lover Linda.
But then there’s Zach, Sophie’s sexy neighbour from across the road… and a very good friend of Clara’s.
New Beginnings by Iris Blobel is a very sweet romance about Sophie, a young woman struggling to take care of her little sister after the pair of them are orphaned. Inheriting a house from a mysterious benefactor seems like a gift from God for Sophie, even if she does have to uproot herself and Mia from Sydney and move to Hobart, Tasmania, for it. This was well-plotted out, with a completely plausible reason for a stranger leaving Sophie her property which is revealed in a clever and intriguing way. Mark O'Connor is the Hobart attorney handling the property transfer, who finds himself hopelessly drawn to Sophie.
I know Hobart very well; my in-laws live there and I usually spend a couple of weeks there every year. Iris Blobel does a nice job drawing the charming, vintage feeling of Hobart for us in words with some beautifully descriptive language, putting in features that Hobart locals and even visitors will surely recognise like the Salamanca Markets, the Botanic Gardens and the way that Mount Wellington is always there as the backdrop to the city. The end of the book feels a little rushed and I was sad to see it finish so quickly, I would have enjoyed a longer read. I think New Beginnings might be the only book I've ever read which is set in Hobart, come to think of it. I might have to remedy that by going and reading the rest of Iris Blobel's Beginnings series, which are apparently also set there. If this one is any guide, they’ll be well worth the effort.
Sophie Levesque has been raising her younger sister since their mother died a few years earlier. They lived in Sydney and always wondered where their next meal would come from. They slept in the same bed had to share a common bathroom where the water usage was monitored so they never truly felt at home. Then it happened. A complete stranger to them, Clara Bellinger leaves them a house in Hobart.
This is a wonderful feel good read. It's a story of hope and, as the title states, new beginnings. Sophie is a twenty-two-year old woman raising her younger sister Mia since she turned eighteen so she hasn't gotten to experience the normal life that young adults experience at that age. She was always struggling to put food on the table for the both of them as well as keeping a roof over their heads. Then out of nowhere they are offered a miracle. A woman by the name of Clara Bellinger leaves them a house in Hobart. Where this would be a true gift to most, Sophie isn't used to good things happening to her so she is cautious. She has questions. Who is Clara Bellinger? How are they related? She relies on Mark, the attorney who is handling the transaction and also receives answers from Zack a very handsome neighbor who knew Clara. This creates an interesting love triangle. Can Sophie find happiness and love for herself? Can she truly make a home for herself and Mia?
NEW BEGINNINGS is a very emotional read, one that is heartwarming as well as heart wrenching. It gives you hope in the act of human kindness and that good things do happen to good people. I highly recommend this book.
