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I’m pleased to say that Sarah Morgan as usual had me from the beginning to the end. A Family for Beginners was such a lovely read that pulls at your heart and leaves it smiling.

A Family For Beginners takes us through a family that is broken yet fixable. We experience their loss, love and finding their way to where they are meant to be.

Meet Flora. A florist who lived in the city. I loved her character. She is one of those people that doesn’t know how wonderful she is. She is the type of person that you really want to see have a HEA. You’re begging for it. After the loss of her mother, she was sent to live with an aunt who really never wanted kids. Growing up feeling unloved and not wanted, she had searched life for a sense of belonging. They say when you least expect, what’s meant to be appears and for Flora, it was Jack Parker. He has everything that Flora could hope for but is it worth it?

Jack is handsome, smart but has a lot going on in his life. He strolled by the shop one day looking for something special for his daughter and over time developed a really nice friendship with Flora. They both have their own insecurities and obstacles but find a way to work through them. When an emergency happens with Flora, she is put in a situation where their relationship comes out in the open which doesn’t make someone happy. She is determined to make things difficult.

Meet Izzy. I wouldn’t say typical teenager. She’s barely able to make it through her days. After the death of her mother, she sort of took on a pseudo mom role for her sister. Her little sister is so adorable. A little mature for her age but that complements her charm as a character. At first I thought Izzy was a brat but that eased up when I got to know her better. Taking on this role sort of keeps her glued together so when she finds out about her dad’s girlfriend, that isn’t exactly the best news. Actually, it’s her worse nightmare. She doesn’t want a new mom. She likes her family just as is with no additions and she goes out of her way to maintain that status.

This is a tough situation for kids to be in with the loss of a parent. Then things shift when their summer vacation plans come up. Usually they did this with her mom but Jack decides this time to invite Flora. As much as Flora is sympathetic to how Izzy feels, she went through the same heartache losing her mom, she wants to have the chance to have a real relationship and grow with them. Izzy is resistant at all costs. Flora finds herself pushed to the test but ultimately she has to find a way to get what she wants to badly. What happens next really is the turning point of the book that really puts everything out there and in perspective. I thought those next moments were some of my favorite because it really gets deep in the hearts of the characters.

I don’t want to give too much but there is so much to their story independently that will really pull you in. Just as equally important is the relationship between Jack and Izzy and the secrets that unraveled in the book. I loved the exploration of them as a family and how Jack and Flora’s relationship really tackled many issues tied into redefining them as a family. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful read that was touching, funny, emotional at times but get you invested all throughout. I’d recommend adding this on to your TBR list.