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The Beginning of Everything
Prince Clarence James Henry Nelson hasn’t been a prince in ten years, and he doesn’t want that to change. With his family's blessing, he roams the United States on his bike, leaving the country of Fendalle in his father’s capable hands.
Until tragedy strikes.
Jamie is reluctant to take the throne he was never meant to inherit, but he owes it to his father and his brother to make sure the country they loved so much thrives and to find out if their deaths really were an accident. It doesn’t matter that he’s tattooed and pierced—he’s the new Fendalle king. Being the king comes with problems, but it also comes with his father’s personal assistant.
Jamie didn’t expect Miles to be so...Miles, or to fall in love with him. He wants more than the professional relationship they already share, but Miles wants him to put the kingdom first, and him second.
The Beginning of Everything is a HEA standalone slow burn MM romance with a tattooed biker turned king who doesn’t care about rules and a bossy personal assistant who’s planning to whip the new king into shape.
Until tragedy strikes.
Jamie is reluctant to take the throne he was never meant to inherit, but he owes it to his father and his brother to make sure the country they loved so much thrives and to find out if their deaths really were an accident. It doesn’t matter that he’s tattooed and pierced—he’s the new Fendalle king. Being the king comes with problems, but it also comes with his father’s personal assistant.
Jamie didn’t expect Miles to be so...Miles, or to fall in love with him. He wants more than the professional relationship they already share, but Miles wants him to put the kingdom first, and him second.
The Beginning of Everything is a HEA standalone slow burn MM romance with a tattooed biker turned king who doesn’t care about rules and a bossy personal assistant who’s planning to whip the new king into shape.
- GenresM M RomanceRoyalty
209 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2020
24 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Lievens
337 books262 followersCatherine is the creator of several series, most of them paranormal, including the Whitedell Pride Series and the Gillham Pack Series. While she graduated in translation, she decided to go the writer’s way because it was more fun to create her own stories and characters.
She’s been living in Italy for more than twenty years, but she’s a daughter of the North—Belgium to be precise—and she misses it so much that she’s already planning to move back.
She loves pizza—probably too much —her pets, and of course, books. She sneaks some reading time in her schedule every time she has five minutes free from writing, demands from her various pets and son, and lastly, housework.
She’s been living in Italy for more than twenty years, but she’s a daughter of the North—Belgium to be precise—and she misses it so much that she’s already planning to move back.
She loves pizza—probably too much —her pets, and of course, books. She sneaks some reading time in her schedule every time she has five minutes free from writing, demands from her various pets and son, and lastly, housework.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 22, 2020
Not really doing it for me. Both MC lack the background story and the pacing is too slow. I know Miles as the King's PA, but apart from that I know nothing about him. Is hard for me to relate to Miles.
Jamie was the wild Prince that left the country for 10 years. It surprised me that there is no roots, no friendship and no house, no luggage that he needs to deal with. Well, he had a bike and I sorta wish he actually tried out the biker gang, what with all his tattoo and piercing. Jamie might be a tiny bit reluctant and a rebel, but overall he get on to his role a bit too well. I find that I need a bit more intensity from him.
And don't get me started with the feeling part. They both started to have feelings and Miles even thought about "love" so early, when most of their interaction were at professional capacity. Where did that even come from? A crush or lust might be more understandable.
I like the premise of a reluctant heir and the PA, but the interaction and romance left much to be desire.
Jamie was the wild Prince that left the country for 10 years. It surprised me that there is no roots, no friendship and no house, no luggage that he needs to deal with. Well, he had a bike and I sorta wish he actually tried out the biker gang, what with all his tattoo and piercing. Jamie might be a tiny bit reluctant and a rebel, but overall he get on to his role a bit too well. I find that I need a bit more intensity from him.
And don't get me started with the feeling part. They both started to have feelings and Miles even thought about "love" so early, when most of their interaction were at professional capacity. Where did that even come from? A crush or lust might be more understandable.
I like the premise of a reluctant heir and the PA, but the interaction and romance left much to be desire.
May 1, 2020
I've been a fan of the author's work for a while now, and The Beginning of Everything have the same pros and cons of most of her books. Even while dealing with something complicated as royalty and monarchy, the situation never looks actually serious. Jamie leave his life in the US and it was really strange because didn't he have any friends to miss him? Did he spend all these years alone, without any kind off relationship? Okay, I guess...
Both Jamie and Miles weren't deep characters. I thought there would be at least more development about Miles thinking he was good enough for the king, because Catherine already wrote many characters with self-steem problems, but here the subject was pushed away.
When you're writing short books, you can't elaborate much some things, but this book is a little bigger than others, so I was actually expecting the romance being developed. And it didn't happen. Specially not the “slow burn” part. The characters had a light crush for each other, and some pages after that, they were in love. We don't get a chance to actual see the feelings getting intense, and that was a huge disappointment for me. The action/mystery/thriller part was pretty generic (kind of a The Lion King retelling?) and could have been pushed away so the romance would have more depth.
As I said, it has the same pros too. Besides being a boss/subordinate relationship, everything is healthy and consented, with no manipulation or power games. I like it very much about Lievens' work, the characters are never abusive or creep. It was a kinda fun read after all, it's just that... I know she could have done better.
Both Jamie and Miles weren't deep characters. I thought there would be at least more development about Miles thinking he was good enough for the king, because Catherine already wrote many characters with self-steem problems, but here the subject was pushed away.
When you're writing short books, you can't elaborate much some things, but this book is a little bigger than others, so I was actually expecting the romance being developed. And it didn't happen. Specially not the “slow burn” part. The characters had a light crush for each other, and some pages after that, they were in love. We don't get a chance to actual see the feelings getting intense, and that was a huge disappointment for me. The action/mystery/thriller part was pretty generic (kind of a The Lion King retelling?) and could have been pushed away so the romance would have more depth.
As I said, it has the same pros too. Besides being a boss/subordinate relationship, everything is healthy and consented, with no manipulation or power games. I like it very much about Lievens' work, the characters are never abusive or creep. It was a kinda fun read after all, it's just that... I know she could have done better.
September 27, 2020
Hold That Thought
I originally borrowed this book on KU and I had no idea of of this author's history of plagiarism. I just found out that she plagerized a well known sterek fanfic in the past. Even though, I enjoyed this book I can not in good conscience leave a good review. I will not be reading any of their books ever again.
I originally borrowed this book on KU and I had no idea of of this author's history of plagiarism. I just found out that she plagerized a well known sterek fanfic in the past. Even though, I enjoyed this book I can not in good conscience leave a good review. I will not be reading any of their books ever again.
April 26, 2020
This is what I get for reading books because I think the cover is pretty. It was straight-up not a good time. The book feels like it was never fully fleshed out. Maybe it was because it was so short, but nothing about the characters or the plot was well-developed.
If you asked me to name a personality trait of any of the characters, I actually would not be able to. Jamie has two moods "I don't want to be king" and "I don't care what anyone thinks."I felt like I read the exact sentence a dozen times in this book. I don't know what there is to say about Miles besides he barely seemed into the relationship for most of it. There was obviously a weird power dynamic because Miles was literally Jamie's subject, but the author did a decent job of not making it too weird. One of my biggest problems with the romance aspect of the book is that it barely exists. The relationship was built on conversations that the audience was told happened, but we never got to see any of it. Miles and Jamie flirted maybe once before they were officially together. Two chapters later, they were in love??? Because no conversations or bonding were ever really happening, it was impossible to care about them being together. I can't root for a couple I know nothing about.
Like I said earlier, every element of the book felt rushed. Miles and Jamie's romance blossomed over 20 pages, the "mystery" was obvious to every character before you hit the 15% mark, and the conflict with the queen is completely resolved in .2 seconds. For instance, the queen is described over and over again as this terrible, tyrannical mother that cares more about traditions than her son, but of the only times we see her she cries and then tells her son she loves him and just wants him to be happy??? Make it make sense.
I think if the plot and characters were more developed and the book was maybe 100 pages longer, I would feel better about it.
If you asked me to name a personality trait of any of the characters, I actually would not be able to. Jamie has two moods "I don't want to be king" and "I don't care what anyone thinks."I felt like I read the exact sentence a dozen times in this book. I don't know what there is to say about Miles besides he barely seemed into the relationship for most of it. There was obviously a weird power dynamic because Miles was literally Jamie's subject, but the author did a decent job of not making it too weird. One of my biggest problems with the romance aspect of the book is that it barely exists. The relationship was built on conversations that the audience was told happened, but we never got to see any of it. Miles and Jamie flirted maybe once before they were officially together. Two chapters later, they were in love??? Because no conversations or bonding were ever really happening, it was impossible to care about them being together. I can't root for a couple I know nothing about.
Like I said earlier, every element of the book felt rushed. Miles and Jamie's romance blossomed over 20 pages, the "mystery" was obvious to every character before you hit the 15% mark, and the conflict with the queen is completely resolved in .2 seconds. For instance, the queen is described over and over again as this terrible, tyrannical mother that cares more about traditions than her son, but of the only times we see her she cries and then tells her son she loves him and just wants him to be happy??? Make it make sense.
I think if the plot and characters were more developed and the book was maybe 100 pages longer, I would feel better about it.
May 2, 2020
3,5*
PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!
To my ratings:
A 3,5* is clicked with a 4* but in review marked as 3,5*:
5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-Away-book like ‘Jesse's Smile’ or ‘Joey’ from Angelique Jurd, ‘Save the the kids’ series
from EM Leya, ‘Love’s Tethered Heart’ from C.L. Etta or ‘Liberty’ from Seth King),
it's like an A+
4* - very good and will be often reread and is a WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises (like most of Andrew Grey books and Davidson Kings 'Haven Hart'-series)
it's like an A
3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few times (most romances where you can enjoy for relaxing and during waiting times in
hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+
3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader (2-3 times a year),
it's like a B
2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-reader (I wouldn't recommend it heartily, but it was ok)
It's like a C-, D
1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too many mistakes, not nice plot, illogical, so an absolute NO-GO). It's like failure in the
whole line, dismissed, repeat the class
PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!
To my ratings:
A 3,5* is clicked with a 4* but in review marked as 3,5*:
5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-Away-book like ‘Jesse's Smile’ or ‘Joey’ from Angelique Jurd, ‘Save the the kids’ series
from EM Leya, ‘Love’s Tethered Heart’ from C.L. Etta or ‘Liberty’ from Seth King),
it's like an A+
4* - very good and will be often reread and is a WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises (like most of Andrew Grey books and Davidson Kings 'Haven Hart'-series)
it's like an A
3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few times (most romances where you can enjoy for relaxing and during waiting times in
hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+
3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader (2-3 times a year),
it's like a B
2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-reader (I wouldn't recommend it heartily, but it was ok)
It's like a C-, D
1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too many mistakes, not nice plot, illogical, so an absolute NO-GO). It's like failure in the
whole line, dismissed, repeat the class
September 23, 2021
I wanted to like it, I really did.
But the story was badly written sometimes and I don't know how often I've read the same sentence.
I get that he's sad about the death and that he doens't want to become king but it doesn't have to be mentioned every half page.
Also, I got really tired of the use of 'though' to the point I rolled my eyes and skipped it.
Slow burn, my ass. In my opinion, the two characters had no chemistry, simply because there was just no time. These two meet and a couple pages later drop the L-Bomb.
It seemed to rushed for me and the enemy was so obvouis, it hurt. I really wish there would have been a plottwist.
If the book had been 100-150 pages longer, it could have been amazing.
Sadly, it wasn't and I was disappointed.
But the story was badly written sometimes and I don't know how often I've read the same sentence.
I get that he's sad about the death and that he doens't want to become king but it doesn't have to be mentioned every half page.
Also, I got really tired of the use of 'though' to the point I rolled my eyes and skipped it.
Slow burn, my ass. In my opinion, the two characters had no chemistry, simply because there was just no time. These two meet and a couple pages later drop the L-Bomb.
It seemed to rushed for me and the enemy was so obvouis, it hurt. I really wish there would have been a plottwist.
If the book had been 100-150 pages longer, it could have been amazing.
Sadly, it wasn't and I was disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2020
Boring
Usually love her books. It was a long, drawn out boring book. I skipped over half of it with all the inner dialogue going on with the characters that just dragged on and on repeating the same things. The plot was obvious from the start. Disappointed in Catherine’s work. Expected way better from her. Glad it was a Kindle Free read. Total waste of time.
Usually love her books. It was a long, drawn out boring book. I skipped over half of it with all the inner dialogue going on with the characters that just dragged on and on repeating the same things. The plot was obvious from the start. Disappointed in Catherine’s work. Expected way better from her. Glad it was a Kindle Free read. Total waste of time.
April 22, 2020
Bad boy to King
Wow this was a interesting adventure. Loved the storyline it was new and exciting loved the way the story unfolds. The characters Jamie the tattooed bad boy biker now king and Miles his bossy assistant are so cute together. Loved there adventure.
Wow this was a interesting adventure. Loved the storyline it was new and exciting loved the way the story unfolds. The characters Jamie the tattooed bad boy biker now king and Miles his bossy assistant are so cute together. Loved there adventure.
April 23, 2020
A bad boy prince turned King? I'm in! Loved Jamie's creation in this story a lot! Other characters were brilliant too, but he totally stole the show in this one.
The plot itself was really enetertaining. All in all, a very successful foray into fairy tale retellings.
The plot itself was really enetertaining. All in all, a very successful foray into fairy tale retellings.
April 22, 2020
I loved this story. In the world of fast track stories and insta-love, this was a nice change. I liked the slow burn. You could see the attraction and care between the two. Great Job.
July 4, 2023
2.5⭐
January 29, 2021
Rating: 3.5 stars
I like books about royalty who find their true love with the “commoners”. I though this one was good. I just felt that Miles waffled a bit too much. Overall, the book was pretty good.
I like books about royalty who find their true love with the “commoners”. I though this one was good. I just felt that Miles waffled a bit too much. Overall, the book was pretty good.
June 1, 2020
DNF @61%
Where... how... how did the “romance” even happened. What.
That came out of nowhere with no build up leading into it.
Slow burn? If you say so. Even at the beginning we knew that the characters fell in love with each others at first sight lol. Because it took them a while to get into bed? (Idk I never reached that part) that a slow burn romance does not make. I needed sexual tension, stares full of longing and desire, some teasing. I got none. I barely got teased before the characters were dating and saying “I love you” to each other.
I don’t know anything about the rest of the plot. It wasn’t that interesting anyways. The badly written romance kinda made me forget about everything else.
PS: If you’re a Monarchies buff, this book its not for you. The Royal part is badly written as well. The author doesn’t know whether to make it entirely fictional or as close to real life as possible so it leave you all confused.
Where... how... how did the “romance” even happened. What.
That came out of nowhere with no build up leading into it.
Slow burn? If you say so. Even at the beginning we knew that the characters fell in love with each others at first sight lol. Because it took them a while to get into bed? (Idk I never reached that part) that a slow burn romance does not make. I needed sexual tension, stares full of longing and desire, some teasing. I got none. I barely got teased before the characters were dating and saying “I love you” to each other.
I don’t know anything about the rest of the plot. It wasn’t that interesting anyways. The badly written romance kinda made me forget about everything else.
PS: If you’re a Monarchies buff, this book its not for you. The Royal part is badly written as well. The author doesn’t know whether to make it entirely fictional or as close to real life as possible so it leave you all confused.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews