Starting from Scratch by Aussie author Penelope Janu was a delightful book to read. Sapphire was my favourite character and I warmed to pretty much straight away.

Growing up Sapphire didn’t have the best childhood and she coped the best way she knew how. Now happy and more content with her life, Sapphire works at Horseshoe Hill working as a teacher helping troubled kids. Her dream was to one day buy the farmhouse that had belonged to her beloved grandmother. The farmhouse held fond memories for Sapphire it was a place she she felt happiest and safe.

When Matts Laaksonen arrives back in town, Sapphire is a little shocked to see him. Growing up they had been childhood friends, but now seeing him again emotions and thoughts from the past resurface. Working together on an environmental issue Sapphire and Matts find they are both hiding secrets from their pasts, but will this bring them closer together or drive them apart forever?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I didn’t want it to end. This is only my second book by this author and I love her writing style her stories flow so well and are just a joy to read. Looking forward to reading her backlist of stories. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.

Starting From Scratch is another entertaining read by Janu that will draw you in and keep you turning the pages.
The lead characters are strong and vividly written but deeply damaged by their pasts.

I was invested in Sapphie's story from the opening pages and loved this book from cover to cover.

I wish to thank Harlequin and Netgalley for kindly gifting me this novel to read, it was an absolute delight.

Starting from Scratch by Penelope Janu is a rural romance and so much more.

I loved the setting, being a small-town girl myself I love reading novels that give me the sense of community, something city living doesn’t often have, it was so easy to be drawn in to the surroundings as if I was apart of it all.

I found the characters to be multidimensional and certainly relatable.

This was a wonderful reading experience, and I am keen to explore more of her past and future work.

Just finished reading this gem. The story follows Sapphie who has gone through quite a lot including the death of her Mum and Gran and estrangement from her father. Rightly so, she has trust issues which come into play when her childhood friend comes back into her life. Without giving too much away, I really enjoyed following Sapphie’s development throughout the novel especially as she deals with a lot of issues from her past. This is the first time I have read anything from Penelope Janu and I’ll definitely be indulging in some more of her work.
Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollinsaustralia for letting me read this beauty

Sapphie Brown found sanctuary in Horseshoe Hill as a troubled teen and is now the local school teacher, with dreams of buying a farmhouse. Her quiet life becomes abruptly complicated with the arrival of Matts Laaksonen, the man from a past Sapphie would have preferred to keep buried. Can she keep avoiding him - and her heart?

I'm warming up to these small town romances and the idyllic life inside them. I did enjoy Starting from Scratch, but I chose to read it before bed so I could relax and therefore found it difficult to muddle my way through unexpectedly science-heavy scenes. That aside, I found Sapphie's father to be a perfectly vile villain and I liked Matts (probably because I love Finland and could easily "hear" his accent). This was a nice, pleasant read. But maybe don't try to read it when you're tired!

What a joy it has been to return to Horseshoe Hill for Starting From Scratch, Penelope Janu’s latest novel. I think this one may have been challenging to write as Saphie Brown, the heroine of this story, is such a complex character. Learning to trust is central to Sapphie’s personal development. As this story unfolds and with the challenges she faced as a teenager that is not an easy thing for her to do. I loved her for both her flaws and her resilience and drive, while the crepe paper flowers she makes throughout this story sound absolutely exquisite. Hero Matts Laaksonen, a Finnish environmental engineer in Australia to study the Macquarie Marshes and advise governments and communities about how to improve their health, is a man I could easily fall for. His relationship with Sapphie is a bit like a ping pong match with trust ebbing and flowing, thanks largely to the machinations of her truly vile father. This story grew on me more and more as I got to know Sapphie, Matts and the peripheral characters, including Sapphie’s collection of rescue horses, that made it feel so real. This is another one for my keeper shelf.

Sapphire had had a troubled childhood – now she was known as Sapphie Brown, school teacher at the little school in rural Horseshoe Hill; was well liked and protected by her friends. Her dearest wish was to buy the rundown old farmhouse which had belonged to her grandmother, one of the only places she’d felt safe and loved. It was also where she kept the horses she rescued, encouraging the local youths who needed guidance to participate in her equine therapy. Sapphie was chair of the environment committee in the town; her care and devotion to the causes she believed in never waned.

The day someone from her long ago past arrived in Horseshoe Hill was the day the memories returned. Matts Laaksonen had been childhood friend; he was Finnish, and deeply into protecting the environment – an environmental engineer. His arrival in Australia was a shock to Sapphie, but when she discovered why he’d sought her out she was disappointed, angry and distressed. What had happened in her past? And what was her future going to bring? Was her long fought for happiness over, a pipedream? If only her mother and grandmother were still around…

Starting From Scratch by Aussie author Penelope Janu was brilliant! I couldn’t fault one single word! This is only my second from her and it won’t be my last. Well written characters with great depth – I loved Sapphie’s connection to the children she taught, to the twin boys she met, her compassion and caring for the racehorse she rescued as well as the other horses and their antics. The way she turned the life around of one particular teen: as well as overcoming her own fears. Yes, there was romance, but it was subtle and in the background to the main story. An excellent read, Starting From Scratch is one I highly recommend and it’s going onto my ‘top reads for the year’ list!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

WOW where do I start, Penelope Janu has written a story filled with emotion, there were times I was tearing up and then I would want to yell and then I would be sighing, Sapphie and Matts were friends a long time ago as young children and teenagers and then everything fell apart. Now years later Matts has arrived in Horseshoe Hill to warn Sapphie and temperatures are heating up, this is a must read.

Sapphie Brown arrived in Horseshoe Hill as a very troubled teenager the loss of her grandmother and mother and a controlling father have left her a loner. She is now the local school teacher, she is chair of the environment committee and rescues horses and helps with troubled teenagers and the town loves Sapphie and Sapphie loves them. Now a person from her past has arrived and Sapphie’s emotions are thrown into turmoil, can she learn to trust.

Dr. Matts Laaksonen is Finnish although he grew up around the world and a lot of that time was spent with Sapphire, he cared so much for her they were the best of friends but life can through a lot of curve balls in peoples way and this happened with them and no matter how hard he tried to keep in contact with Sapphie, she ignored him, now he needs to let her know what is happening and he wants to be there to support her as secrets long buried are now being opened up.

Sapphie has been doing really well and now Matts has arrived in town, her emotions are all over the place, Matts had been everything to her years ago and the last thing she wants is to feel anything for him but her heart is telling her otherwise, he is caring but alpha in so many ways, will she be able to overcome the past and look to the future and Matts what can I say handsome, strong and caring and I loved him, Sapphie was always number one for him. It took some time lots of tears, will they come together as they should, will all the pent up emotions and secrets hold them apart or will they find the love and life they deserve, this is a beautiful story, there is so much to love about it I loved Sapphie and her flower making and the way she is with colours and the characters from town add so much to the story it was great catching up with them, and I do hope that we get to know more about Hugo and his frogs.

A fabulous story that I highly recommend MS Janu has bought a lot of environmental issues into this one and it was great learning about the wetlands and water saving.

Thank you Harper Collins AUS and Harlequin AUS for my copy to read and review.

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 This is one of my most anticipated reads for the beginning of 2021, I always know I'm in for a great read when I pick up a Penelope Janu novel and meet her characters.

In her latest novel, Sapphie has so many imperfections, she is a great character, perfectly imperfect as her grandmother would have said.

I loved Matts too, he was solid and true to Sapphie.

I really enjoyed learning about water systems, wetlands, rivers, swamps, oh, and frogs. Penelope Janu has done a wonderful job of managing to educate us as we read without it becoming too formal.

There were so many secrets and misunderstandings, some really big secrets, that I wondered how they'd dig through them all, especially seeing how stubborn Sapphie could be. Their shared past is a complicated one and they've both been through a lot and both been hurt by things that happened. A lot of work had to go into renewing the relationship between Sapphie and Matts, it's a good job Matts was determined to reconnect, because Sapphie was determined to keep him away.

Sapphie's dad was a piece of work, and I was hoping he'd get his comeuppance for past and present behaviours.

Sapphie's friend Hugh was lovely, I'd have liked to get to know him better, maybe he'll get his own book, but I'm still waiting for my favourite male, Nate, from previous novels to get his happy ever after, so I'm hoping that happens first.

Another great read, one to start the new year with.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a digital copy in return for an honest review.

Starting from Scratch by author Penelope Janu was an enjoyable read, depicting complex characters with some unexpected twists. Matts and Sapphie’s intertwined history added voluminous points in the narrative, which supported their seemingly complex character attributes. The story was transfixing where I could not put the book down. Sapphire’s persona held a mix of strength and fragility and Matts steadfastness proved a perfect match during the course of the read. Antics from both characters provided adequate surprises in the novel for reader entertainment. Starting from Scratch by author Penelope Janu is set amongst a rural backdrop with a mix of themes, including the importance of protecting the environment. I have read all of Ms Janu’s books, and Starting from Scratch is another novel that did not disappoint.
Review copy received from Harlequin MIRA via Netgalley