Wings Above the Mallee is Léonie Kelsall's 7th novel and finds us back in Settlers Bridge, a small town that has entered my heart along with all of its residents. I love the community spirit, the gossip and the matchmaking seniors.
Amelia arrives in Settlers with her rescue pets, dusty the magpie and Biggles the possum. She is running from heartache and won't connect with anyone too deeply as the fear of caring again is too great. She has come to visit good friend Taylor and work a temp job for a few months before moving on again.
Heath is now living in Settlers Bridge with his father Sean who is battling an alcohol addiction. Heath is angry and despondent which is his way of coping with the guilt and grief over the death of his wife.
I loved the relationship between Sean and Heath. Sean kept an eye on Heath and always looked for some brightness in every day and made sure to point this out to Heath. He never gave up on Heath even though he had his own problems.
Wings Above the Mallee is the story of two broken people coming together but fearing that their combined grief may be too much to bear. There is always an underlying message of hope that they could help each other to heal.
You will find lots of heartache in Wings Above the Mallee, which overwhelmed me at times, however the lovely community balanced this out with their matchmaking and fun gossip. Throw in a dose of animal rescue, communities working together and some teenage rage all making Wings Above the Mallee a book not to be missed.
Wings Above the Mallee is an exploration of grief, loss, guilt and addiction and the long process to forgiveness and healing.
My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 7th January 2025
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rural Romance
Pages: 338
RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
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