Love for Beginners
A Novel
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4.5 • 265 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
USA TODAY BESTSELLER
What would you change if you had to start your life—and love life—over again?
When Emma Harris wakes up from a coma she learns that her fiancé and her BFF have fallen in love, she’s lost her job, and the life she knew is gone. Overwhelmed but grateful to be alive she starts over from scratch. Not as easy as it sounds, of course. But she’s never been a quitter, even if she wishes she could quit rehab, where her hot but evil physical therapist, Simon, puts her through the wringer.
Eager for a new beginning, Emma opens a doggy day care. Unfortunately, the only space she can afford is owned by her childhood nemesis Ali Pratt. But hey, she’s been through worse, right? She tries to roll with the punches, but a friend drops his grandpa off at the doggy day care in desperation then on top of that, she and Ali bring the term ‘frenemies’ to a whole new level. And then another grandparent shows up. And another.
In the midst of all that, Emma realizes she’s accidentally fallen for Evil PT. But the most horrifying thing of all is that Ali just might have turned into the best friend she’s ever had. And as Emma grows from the pain of her past and takes on her new path, she comes to realize that life isn’t what you’re given, it’s what you make of it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shalvis (The Forever Girl) returns to Wildstone, Calif., with a loaded romance that grapples with survivor's guilt and the work it takes to form a true connection. Emma Harris wants to take charge of her life, but struggles to control her body after a coma-inducing accident a year earlier. She loves to look at her physical therapist, Simon Armstrong, but hates how hard he pushes her. When it's finally time for Emma to be discharged from rehab, Simon offers to help her find an apartment, showing Emma a softer side she hadn't known existed. Now Emma plans to buy her local doggy day care to save the business from closing and, hopefully, generate enough income to cover her continuing medical expenses. This plan forces her to work with her high school nemesis, Alison Pratt, who owns the building. Alison thrives at Armstrong Properties, but flounders in her personal life. She hopes to win back her ex-boyfriend Ryan Dennison, and to do so she'll have to learn to loosen up. As Emma falls for Simon, and Alison works to reconnect with Ryan, the women form an unexpected friendship. Though somewhat repetitive, the novel whizzes by. Shalvis's fans will be pleased with the message that everyone deserves a second chance.
Customer Reviews
Title doesn’t reflect the contents
Pretty real and emotional. Ups and downs and middles too! Just like real life.
Characters are complex and yet their dreams are tangible.
Sweeet and relatable
Shalvis still has it! This is a feel-good but still very realistic romance set in Wildstone, and I loved Emma, Simon and Alison. I also fell for Dale, and of course, Hog and Killer, too.
I love how Shalvis manages to bring everything together. People who seem like they could never be friends, strangers who need a little lift to continue on this strange and sometimes difficult path called life. Love in unexpected places, even when some of the characters worthy of love do things that are really stupid! Like not being able to share their feelings fully, for fear of being hurt. All of this is what also makes her stories not only incredibly relatable, but also so very realistic!
I'm betting Love for Beginners is going to be a summer hit this year, and hopefully, we'll all be able to go somewhere else than our own yard (or even town!) to read it in a favorite place we haven't been able to visit in a long time.
A new twist on an old plot
Written well with some humor thrown into the mix to liven up a predictable “plot”. I almost always buy books written by this author. This is one of my favorites from her.