Beginners Welcome

Written by Cindy Baldwin

Annie Lee must choose between isolation and risking her heart to find friendship and healing.

5.0/7 Bookroo expert·4.2/5 Goodreads · 480 ratings

336 pages· 65,106 words· Est. 9 hour read

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Eighty-three days after her father's death, Annie Lee is haunted by his presence and abandoned by friends. She meets Mitch, who might need a friend as much as she does, and Ray, a magical pianist offering solace through music. When Ray disappears, Annie Lee faces a dilemma: search for him and risk breaking a promise to Mitch, or retreat into loneliness. Can she open her heart to new friendships, or will fear of loss keep her isolated? Discover the magic and courage needed to heal in this touching tale of friendship and resilience.

"But I messed it all up." Ray shrugged. "So? There's a little mess in all of us."

— from the book

From the publisher

The acclaimed author of Where the Watermelons Grow is back with a story perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt and Ali Benjamin, about finding friendship after a tragic loss.

It’s been eighty-three days since Annie Lee’s daddy died, but she still sees reminders of him everywhere. His record player mysteriously plays his favorite songs, there’s shaving cream in the sink every morning, and the TV keeps flipping to the Duke basketball games he loved.

She knows Mama notices it too, but Mama’s been working around the clock to make ends meet. To make matters worse, Annie Lee’s friends ditched her over the summer. She feels completely alone—until she meets Mitch.

Though Mitch is tough and confident on the outside, she may need a friend just as badly as Annie Lee. But after losing so much, Annie Lee is afraid to let anyone get too close.

And Mitch isn’t the only friend trying to break through Annie Lee’s defenses. Ray, an elderly pianist who plays at a local mall, has been giving her piano lessons. His music is pure magic, and Annie Lee hopes it might be the key to healing her broken heart. But when Ray goes missing, searching for him means breaking a promise to Mitch.

Faced with once again losing those who mean the most to her, Annie Lee must make a choice: retreat back into her shell, or risk admitting how much she needs Mitch and Ray—even if it means getting hurt all over again.

Just like in her debut, Where the Watermelons Grow, Cindy Baldwin brings her signature twist of magic to this authentically heartfelt story.

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