The Path Through the Coojong Trees follows single mother Natasha as she arrives in Settlers Bridge to hopefully live a quiet life. Just her and her nine-year-old daughter Zehra.
When she meets Hamish she wonders if it just might be the chance she needs for a fresh start. That is until her past comes back into her life. Now Natasha must decide if she can forgive and be open to a second chance at love.
The "then" timeline is ten years previous in another small town with a young Natasha living in a dysfunctional family and working through her last year of high school.
There was much more "then" than "now" and Natasha's story was quite sad which I think spoilt the romance theme I was expecting.
The Path Through the Coojong Trees is a story about an all consuming first love and heartbreak. With themes of racism, dysfunctional families, xenophobia and family duty. I did find the story a bit heavy going.
What I did love was the atmosphere of living in nature and the slower pace of life in Settlers Bridge.
I was expecting The Path Through the Coojong Trees to be Natasha and Hamish's story and I feel a little misled by the blurb.
Overall I liked the story but it's not my favourite by this author. I liked that Leonie Kelsall featured a main character with a hearing impairment and showed how this was perceived by those around her.
I am looking forward to Hamish's real love story, The Ironbark Promise, coming in January 2026.
My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 1st July 2025
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rural Romance
Pages: 373
RRP: AU$32.99
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
Other books I've read by Leonie Kelsall:
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