Begin Again is a moving coming of age story about a college age girl who is grappling with finding her own voice and identity in life, as she tries to walk in the footsteps of her late mother, always seeming to help others with their problems, always giving them sage advice, but somehow unable to help herself. The story captures her angst as she tries to let go of her past while trying to be her own person as well as learning to not only forgive others, but to forgive herself.
Andie Rose has worked very hard to transfer to Blue Ridge State College. Her boyfriend since she was a child goes there, but more important than that, her late mother graduated from there and certainly left her mark. But when she arrives, she discovers her boyfriend no longer there having transferred back to a college back home. With no friends, and the inability to do any type of math, she is at first frazzled. She also feels a sense of anxiety always trying to be the best at everything, feeling that is what her mother would expect. But even with her mother’s absence her life has been filled with love. She lives with both her grandmothers and her father is there for her as much as he can be, which sometimes Andie feels is not quite enough.
As she settles in meeting her new roommate, Shay and her RA, Milo she begins to feel as if she has found a home. And as always, she tries to fix everybody. But being the best at everything can be exhausting and add to that the pressure of work, sliding grades, an unhappy relationship, perhaps a crush and trying to be as good as her mother was, well, she finds herself in what seems like an unfixable situation.
Sometimes it really does take a village, but in order for that kind of help, you must accept what is given. In Andie’s case and with the assistance of her family and friends and a whole lot of love, she finds herself realizing its ok to let go of the past and begin again.
A heartwarming, funny, uplifting story of loss, love and finding one’s way through life’s most difficult struggles.
Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #EmmaLord #BeginAgain for the advanced copy.
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