Book Review: A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao

Sgt Akal Singh is back again in Nilima Rao's second novel, A Shipwreck in Fiji. I thoroughly enjoyed A Disappearance in Fiji and her latest novel is just as enjoyable. 

 

 A Shipwreck in Fiji set in 1915 during WWI sees Nilima Rao draw on real life events surrounding German Naval officer Count Felix von Luckner and expand on this using fictional outcomes.

 

Akal is still finding it hard to fit-in in Fiji as Indians are perceived as second class citizens. However, he has good friends in Const Taviti Tukana and Dr Holmes.

His superior is still not on board and sends him away to babysit two Australian visitors and also follow a wild goose chase about sightings of Germans on Levuka.

 

I love how Nilima Rao takes a true event and expands on this to make a fictional story that is entertaining and compelling.

This installment has Akal unexpectedly investigating two murders. He is very guarded as he is still haunted by his mistake of letting vital information get into the wrong hands.

 

 

There is quite a bit of backstory which for me slowed the story down. However, if you haven't read A Disappearance in Fiji this backstory is quite beneficial as it explains why Akal is stationed in Fiji and his reticence.

 

I enjoyed the addition of indigenous Fijian culture and traditions and the way Rao portrayed the clash between traditional Fijian and British laws and also how Taviti struggled with being caught between these two cultures. 

 

Beautifully described scenes of Suva and some of the villages made it easy to visualise how Fiji was in the early 20th century.

I've really warmed to Sgt Akal Singh over the last two books. He is calm, passive and a little naive but always believes in doing things the right way not the easy way. 

 

A Shipwreck in Fiji is an astounding historical mystery read which reads well as a standalone.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 29th April 2025

Series: Akal Singh #2 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery

Pages: 272

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of the first book:

A Disappearance in Fiji 

Book Review: Misfit: the unravelling of Samantha X by Amanda Goff

I really struggled through Amanda Goff's memoir Misfit: The unravelling of Samantha X.

I have to say first that I don't understand mental health issues but I don't judge people who have mental health problems.

 

In my review I am not judging Amanda as a person. Her choices in life are hers and I did feel for her struggle with self acceptance.

What Amanda tries to explain in this memoir is how her struggle with bi-polar shaped her life, causing bad decision making, addiction and self destruction.  

 

In this raw and honest autobiography Amanda Goff opens up about her life as Australia's most famous escort, her battle with bipolar, alcohol and depression.  She explains the conflict she endures every day as she tries to leave behind a major part of her life. A time when she was both happy and confident and struggling with self-hate and regret. 

 

I am sorry to say I found the book repetitive, often confusing and a bit boring. 

I wasn't sure if Amanda was proud of Samantha X or hated that part of her life. Maybe both.

The writing jumps back and forward between 'everyone's judging me' to 'I don't care what anyone thinks about me'.

 

I can only hope writing this memoir was cathartic and it will help Amanda leave Samantha behind and start enjoying life.... as herself. Stop telling people she meets who she used to be and just be herself.

 

My rating 2.5 / 5 ⭐⭐½

 

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th March 2025

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 224

RRP: AU$34.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 

Book Review: The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe by Catherine Greer

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is an easy read. Engaging and fun! This is a story of resilience and starting over and I love that with romance books you are always guaranteed a happy ending. 

 

Just when Audrey thinks she's in line for that big promotion at work she is blindsided and replaced by a younger woman. Devastated and angry, she goes home to find that her husband has been having an affair and asks her to move out of the marital home.

 

After losing her job, her husband and her home, Audrey flees to Whitehaven Bay, a place that holds happy memories of holidays with her mother.

 

The whole life imploding and fleeing to a quiet, small town is a well worn trope but I always love these stories of women being resilient and courageous in the face of adversity.

If you read enough contemporary romance you will come across this popular trope. I've read similar books before and always loved them. The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is no exception - different people - different towns - and it's the differences that add a level of uniqueness to each story - same but different - and totally enjoyable. 

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is a bittersweet story of starting over (see what I did there). 😉 What starts as a short holiday for Audrey soon becomes the catalyst of a long held dream. Audrey loves to bake and has always dreamed of running her own bakery.

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe has a wonderful cast of eclectic characters that make up the small coastal town of Whitehaven Bay. I loved them all, especially Buddy, the octogenarian who liked to swim naked, Billie the rebellious, non-binary teen, Chez, entrepreneur, party planner and Zen master and I can't forget the Coffin Cheaters bikie gang. There is a heartfelt age-gap friendship between Buddy, Audrey and Billie.

 

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe is chock-full of laugh-out-loud moments with plenty of drama and setbacks through themes of ageism, alcohol abuse and domestic abuse, as Audrey rebuilds her life with sugar, flour, butter and love. Fabulous feel-good fiction and a must read for contemporary romance readers. 

 

And if Audrey's recipes make your mouth water they are all there in the back of the book just waiting for you to try them. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th March 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$32.99 

Source: Uncorrected proof won