For a forty-something blonde woman, who is trying to change the direction of her life, and who in the last few weeks has found herself a new day job (the old one of eight years made her feel sad), has found the courage to self-publish her romcom novel (after many positive rejections), Jane Lambert’s fabulous book has been a godsend.

I think I was meant to spot ‘The Start of Something Wonderful’ on Amazon. You know when you sense bigger forces are at play in your life? I got this after reading Jane’s book.

If like me, something has happened to you, ‘something out of the blue catapulted you from the ordered, happy-go-lucky existence and forced you down a different road’ – Read this book!

There is a little self-help book buried within this fab romcom novel!

Here’s the blurb…

Forty-year-old air stewardess Emily Forsyth thought she had everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot boyfriend. Until he breaks up with her…

Catapulted into a midlife crisis she wishes she’d had earlier, she decides to turn her life upside down, quitting her job and instead beginning to chase her long-held dreams of becoming an actress!

Leaving the skies behind her, Emily heads for the bright lights of London’s West End – but is it too late to reach for the stars?

It is never too late to follow your dreams.

Here’s my review…

Firstly I would like to give Jane Lambert a round of applause for creating a forty year old character, who has a lot of life experience and wants to change her life. As much as I like the younger leads in fiction, this was a refreshing change. A few chapters in and I was Emily’s new BFF.

I loved Emily’s questioning of herself at the start, ‘have I taken leave of my senses?’ and ‘why am I putting myself through all this angst and upheavel?’

The very questions I am asking myself as I stare at my editor’s red highlights on my manuscript and scare myself witless about what’s involved in my new day job.

‘The Start of Something Wonderful’ is a self-help book because you join Emily on her journey to follow her dreams and carve out a successful acting career. She endures the emotional crisis, starts to view her old life from a different perspective, makes the brave decision to go for it and learns her acting craft. The latter is what I loved most about this book. Emily goes through all sorts of trials and tribulations with learning how to perform and she keeps going through the tough times.

This is a classic rom-com with a lot of laughs and a generous spoonful of romance mixed in.

Handsome Francesco not only caught Emily’s but mine too.

‘He kisses my hand, then just like Rhett Butler, he sweeps me up in his arms and carries me through to the bedroom.’

Two words, Francesco, darling – me next! 👍🏻 I love the idea of being swept up in your arms. *Turns up electric fan*

This is a fab read and I love Jane’s warm, chatty style of writing.

My favourite quote has to be:

‘But through all the despair, there’s a little voice deep down whispering to me, telling me to turn a crisis into an opportunity; to have the courage to this time to follow my intuition, to listen to my heart, take responsibility, for my own happiness, and not follow others to dictate the course of my life.’

All of us who know about that little voice are nodding in agreement with the character Emily right now.

There are lovely theatrical snippets in ‘The Start of Something Wonderful’; quotations from Shakespeare and references to art. There is also a wonderful chapter about a little market in Vienna, where Jane Lambert will make your mouth water and stomach sing with her vivid food descriptions: ‘rows of hanging cheesecloth-wrapped salamis, hams, pretzels, tasting olives, smelling herbs and feeling tomatoes.’

A great read and as Emily says:

‘It’s never too late. Life doesn’t always go the way we plan, but some things happen for a reason.’

3 Things I Like About This Author:

1. Jane taught English in Vienna then travelled the world as cabin crew, before making the life-changing decision to become an actor in her mid-thirties.
2. She has appeared in “Calendar Girls”, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” and “Deathtrap” in London’s West End.
3. Her dedication at the front of her book is so sweet and made me smile – ‘This book is dedicated to my mum, who believed I could write and to my dad, who told me to get on with it.’

After reading this book I put away my fears and carried on with reclaiming my life. 🤩

Click here to go to Jane’s Amazon page.

Have a great day, readers!

🙋🏼