Review: Lost and Found by Liz Byrski

Lost and Found is a story about letting go of the past and finding unexpected friendships.

Rose ventured to England to find and perhaps rekindle a lost love but she found something much more; friendship and closure.

This story was hard going for me because I could never understand why Rose, now 51, would want to travel overseas to find her first love thirty years after she was dumped. Her continual asking herself and everyone who knew Tom if he loved her was annoying. Let it go!

That aside, Lost and Found isn't so much about lost love as it is about found friendship.

I enjoyed reading about Rose and Dora's friendship as it slowly grew with Rose wanting to redefine her youth and Dora in her 80's eager for companionship.

Rose and Dora were both headstrong intelligent women who had spent time in parliament.

Lost and Found is told through multiple narrators, journal entries and letters.

Liz Byrski touches on some thought provoking topics such as men making important decisions in women's lives, doing what 'they think' would be best for the woman.

As Rose and Dora connect via friendship, secrets are revealed and past regrets let go.

"Shame is so significant in women's lives.....  We are cast as angels or whores, good mothers or tramps. When we are shamed it stays with us always. Some women are destroyed by it, others are driven."

 While I did find the book slow going I was invested in Dora's life story, present and past. She was a strong woman and was a classic case of strength coming from adversity.

Lost and Found is a heartfelt story that champions the restorative power of female friendships.

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

Content: death of a baby

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 28th October 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 304

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Maskeys by Stuart Everly-Wilson

 This story needs to be on the screen!!

The Maskeys is an outrageously entertaining story of an outlaw family. The ferals of a small country town and family of the local drug lord. 

Set in the fictitious town of Naples which, I think, could be in the Northern Rivers hinterland. The story doesn't specifically state its location.

Naples is a town on the verge of collapse, gripped by drugs and feuding neighbours. A town where everyone is on drugs, trying to get off drugs or growing drugs, or selling drugs. George Maskey is the town's drug lord. He controls the sellers and his grower, Rodney, an orphan, who attends the marijuana crop growing in the hills. Rodney has learnt to survive on his own and never loses sight of his dream for a better future.

Stuart Everly-Wilson has drawn a very real town with real people, maybe not people I'd want to associate with but very real all the same. We get to meet the framework of the Maskey family and their neighbour, service station owner, Gayle Reynolds. There is an ongoing feud between the two as Gayle thinks the Maskeys have something to do with her son's disappearance.

Stuart Everly-Wilson has included an eclectic array of characters that I'm sure were plucked off the streets of a real Australian country town. These people are the low-lifes of society, addicts and dealers, no-hopers, but I came to care about them, interested to know what would happen to them.

The Maskeys is brilliant bush noir as the story slowly unravels a tangled web of deceit, lies and mistrust is revealed. This is a family saga of epic proportions told through present day and flashbacks. Stuart Everly-Wilson's reveals are subtle but jaw-dropping, it's easy to miss them and at times I picked up on the meaning later in the book with a sudden exclamation of understanding (that's the oh my gosh everyone could hear).

The Maskeys is politically incorrect, coarse and outrageously funny. This is one book not to be missed.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content: death by drugs

               coarse language

               

              

Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing

Publication date: 1st October 2025

Genre: Crime / Noir

Pages: 320

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media

Review: Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake

 In Softly Calls the Devil Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Blake writes what he knows and it comes across as authentic, gripping and menacing.

Softly Calls the Devil is set in a small town on New Zealand's wild West Coast. Matt Buchanan is back in uniform and enjoying the small town atmosphere. When retired policeman Gus asks Matt to look into a case from the 70's he wasn't prepared for what he would find.

When a murder and a suicide rock the whole town Matt is suddenly thrust back into CIB mode.

Softly Calls the Devil is a brilliant piece of noir crime; dark and intense with a side of New Zealand humour thrown in. I wasn't prepared for how dark this story became nor how realistic the plot is. Once you start reading there is no turning back. Softly Calls the Devil is compelling and fast paced with a few twists to keep your attention.

Blake keeps the prose spare which enables the story to progress at a fast pace.

Softly Calls the Devil is gritty and dark; not for the squeamish.

My only small problem with this novel was the occasional colloquial New Zealand language caused me to sometimes have no idea what was  going on.

It made me realise how Americans must feel reading Australian books. 😄

My rating 4.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Content: Torture

               ritualistic killing

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th November 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 352 

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Winner of a copy of The Napoleon of Africa announced!!

  I will be posting new giveaways in the first week of every month.

Bookmark my page and check back often so you don't miss a giveaway.

A huge thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a paperback copy of The Napoleon of Africa by Phil Smart.  The giveaway closed on the 12th March 2026 and the winner was randomly selected (using Wheelofnames) from all correct entries.

Congratulations to........ 

The winner has been notified and has seven days to provide a mailing address.

 

 

Please check under the Giveaway tab for more great giveaways!

Review: The Portrait by Danielle Steel

 Danielle Steel knows how to write drama and The Portrait has it in spades. Devon and Charlie are both successful but broken and have built up walls to protect themselves.

Devon Darcy is a sought after portrait artist able to really capture the essence of her subjects in her paintings. Devon has suffered many losses in her life and keeps her personal life closed off. A chance meeting with entrepreneur Charles Taylor saw the chemistry between them sizzle and Devon wondering, after all this time, should she risk a second try at love? When he approaches her to paint his portrait she is intrigued to know more about him.

It always takes me a few chapters to get into a Danielle Steel novel. I think it's a combination of the 1st person narration and her "tell" style of writing. However, once I get into the story and the characters I'm always fully immersed in their struggles and relationships.

Life is never easy and Devon and Charles both have previous traumas to work through. I really warmed to Devon but Charlie was a chauvinist, selfish and over dramatic about everything. I did not like him at all and was wishing something bad would happen to him. 😂

I was invested in this story for Devon only and wanted to see her grow and find peace.

The Portrait is a great story to get your emotions rolling and your blood boiling. It evoked a lot of different feelings.

I really do enjoy the drama of a Danielle Steel novel. They are easy reads and sometimes that's just what I need.

My rating 3.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐½

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 30th September 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 336

RRP: $32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: What the Bones Know by Kirstyn McDermott

The descriptive country setting of the prologue, a farmer rescuing his bull from a flooded creek, did not prepare me for what was to come. What the Bones Know is a searing, gothic tale of past ghosts, family and long held secrets.

Set on the cusp of COVID lockdowns, Jude has returned home over concerns of her mother's declining cognitive health. Her return to the farm coincides with the discovery of a child's bones.

Plagued by nightmares that feel frighteningly real, Jude feels like she is on the brink of a breakdown.

McDermott pulls the reader ever deeper into the mystery with a foreboding air hanging over the story. The dark gothic/supernatural element gives an eerie feeling.

Jude is dealing with an ex-partner, an aging parent, the remoteness of country life and the COVID lockdown and its tribulations, all causing stress and anxiety.

Told in the present and also through breath-holding, suspense filled flashbacks. I was plunged into Jude's nightmare and the cliff-hanger chapter endings kept the pages turning.

Evocatively written with a beautifully described country setting What the Bones Know had me engaged from start to finish.

What the Bones Know is a haunting exploration of suppressed memory and family obligation.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 1st March 2026

Genre: Mystery / Gothic

Pages: 307

RRP: $32.99AU

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Book Giveaway: The Napoleon of Africa by Phil Smart

My March 2026 giveaway is for a paperback copy of The Napoleon of Africa.

Click on the title below to read my review. 

The Napoleon of Africa by Phil Smart Giveaway

Blurb:

The year is 1815. With Europe reeling from Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, Royal Navy Commander Stephen Cowen resigns his commission, bound for a new life in India with his family. But fate has other plans in store.

When a violent storm strikes off the coast of East Africa, Cowen’s three children – Nathaniel, Andrew, and Beatrice – are swept overboard in a longboat and cast ashore in an uncharted world. Lost and presumed dead, they are discovered by a local tribe and brought before the newly appointed Chief of the Zulus – the formidable Shaka – to decide their fate.
Fascinated by these young strangers, Shaka spares their lives. Amid tribal warfare and political unrest, the Cowen siblings are drawn into Shaka’s inner circle, forced to confront the brutal realities of their new world while holding onto the hope of being reunited with their parents. Several years later, British explorer, Lieutenant Francis Farewell RNR, ventures into the African interior in search of a rumoured warrior king, he unexpectedly stumbles upon a prize of infinitesimal value.

Spanning continents and cultures, The Napoleon of Africa by Phil Smart is a gripping historical adventure story of survival, identity and entwining the lives of the Cowen family with one of Africa’s most legendary leaders.

GIVEAWAY

Enter here to win a paperback copy of The Napoleon of Africa. The giveaway is open to Australian addresses only and entries close at 6pm AEDT on 12th March 2026.

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced here:

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2026/03/winner-of-copy-of-napoleon-of-africa.html

Review: Harriet Hates Lemonade by Kim McCollum

Harriet Hates Lemonade is an entertaining story that expresses the importance of friendship. In the same vein as A Man Called Ove the curmudgeon Harriet learns that life is better when you loosen up and share it with friends.

Harriet has been widowed for over a year now. It had always been just her and Les. They only ever needed each other and Harriet has spent the last 12 months upholding Les' ideals of keeping the neighbourhood in check and reporting anyone who steps out of line.

Through Harriet's memories we see how her life was with Les and slowly Harriet comes to realise all was not as rosy as she thought.

I really liked Harriet's character. She was all bluster and lacking in tact, saying exactly what she thought. Many readers may not like Harriet's abrupt manner but I knew she didn't mean to offend, she was just stating facts and I found it all very amusing.

Harriet Hates Lemonade is an easy read even with the heavy themes of domestic violence, gaslighting, manipulation and control. These themes are offset by lighter themes of friendship, community and personal growth.

The story starts off with humour and I was taken unaware as it slowly escalates to scenes of domestic violence and then turns to a heartwarming story of new friendships.

Harriet Hates Lemonade is at times funny, foreboding and always heartfelt. I picked up the book every spare minute I had.

My rating 4 / 5 

Content: domestic violence

               murder

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Publication date: 12th February 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 330

Source: eCopy courtesy of the publisher

Follow the blog tour below:

#harriethateslemonade #wowwomenonwriting #kimmccollum #contemporaryfiction #blogtour #ausbookbloggers 

Review: Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness

 Piper at the Gates of Dusk is a return to Patrick Ness' iconic world of Chaos Walking.

If you have read the Chaos Walking trilogy; The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men, you will know the how and why the humans have inhabited this new world. If, like me, you haven't read the previous books you will have a lot of questions and be chomping at the bit to read the previous three books.

Piper at the Gates of Dusk takes place twenty odd years on from the Chaos Walking books. Viola and Todd are still very much around and part of the community but this series is about their sons, Ben and Max, and is narrated in the alternating point of view of the two boys.

Strange things are seen far off in the sky and burning monsters have appeared in the forests. A new threat is coming! The humans and lands live together but all is not harmonious as suspicion and racism abound.

Piper at the Gates of Dusk is rich in action, intrigue and politics. There is a desperate attempt to save the only world they now have and the only world the young people have ever known.

Patrick Ness has a sharp eye for teenage fears and hopes. His teen-aged protagonists struggle to be heard over overbearing adults who brush them off as too young to have valid solutions to the problems presented.

I raced through this book with its never ending action and intrigue.

With themes of activism, social justice, racism, disability and gender dysphoria Piper at the Gates of Dusk is a book for our times.

The book ends on a super cliffhanger that has me eager for the next book.

I absolutely have to read the previous trilogy as I have a multitude of questions. Did humans invade the New World? Were the Land indigenous to the planet? Did they start out working together, or was there always animosity? Did the humans learn nothing from the history of the Earth!!??

My rating 4.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Recommended age:12 - 18 years (quite suitable for the younger end of this age group)

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication date: 7th April 2026

Series: New World Trilogy #1

Genre: Young Adult / Sci Fi / Dystopian

Pages: 384

RRP: $29.99AU (paperback)

Source: ARC courtesy of the publisher

Review: Stillwater by Tanya Scott

As soon as I read the prologue of Stillwater I was completely hooked into the mystery. 

Tania Scott asks the question in Stillwater; "Can you ever outrun your past?"

Luke Harris is working for a disability support company and gets a call for home help with the Wylie family. Here he meets Emma, sister of Phil who Luke is working with. 

Luke has a self-imposed solitude but he clicks with Emma and they start seeing each other.

Luke and Emma both have stuff  going on behind the scenes and Tanya Scott shows through their interactions that non-one really knows what's going on for you or how your past defines you.

The story goes back in time to different parts of Luke's childhood living with his gambling, lying, cheating father and how he was neglected and abused. Luke learnt from an early age to rely on no one but himself. The mob picked him up and looked after him, for a price. There was no escape.

Stillwater is a harrowing story of being brought up by the mob and trying to build a better life, but trouble always seemed to find Luke. Scott builds empathy for her main character. We get to see his upbringing and want him to succeed.

Stillwater is a gritty story of criminal bosses, paranoia , manipulation and coercion.

Fast-paced and addictive, Stillwater is a powerful debut that I couldn't put down until I'd finished the last page. I'm excited for the next Luke Harris novel coming out in April 2027.

Content: child abuse

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 12th August 2025

Series: Luke Harris Thriller #1

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 375

Source: Own copy

Review: Gunpowder Creek by Alex Dook

Alex Dook's debut novel Gunpowder Creek is a fabulously entertaining read.

Gritty and action packed there is never a dull moment in this high octane crime thriller. 

Emily receives a garbled voicemail from her son Zach about someone coming after him. She races to his flat to find it trashed but empty.

Zach has been mixed up with the wrong people but when his latest job goes terribly wrong he finds himself held captive and his mother must complete the job or Zach will die.

Emily can't believe what she is doing, driving a stolen car to make a delivery to the remote town of Gunpowder Creek. She has three days to deliver or Zach will be killed. She will do anything for her only son.

What ensues is a race across the Australian desert where Emily's every move, every word is being monitored, but there is someone else who wants that package and they will stop at nothing to find Emily.

Alex Dook takes an everyday person and puts them in dire life or death situations showing how a mother's love transcends fear and pain. Emily is like a mother bear fighting off anyone who endangers her child.

I was stunned at how far Emily was pushed however, glimpses of her backstory shows she had a harsh upbringing. She was no quitter. Even though you will need to suspend your disbelief a little I found the descriptions of the punishing outback and Emily's desperation all felt real.

I liked how Dook had Emily fighting against the worst of humankind however when it came down to it she never lost her empathy.

Lots of dark humour had me laughing at times and were a welcome relief from the blood and gore.

Gunpowder Creek is an impressive debut. I raced through it. I'm now very excited to see what Alex Dook comes up with next.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 2nd September 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 320

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#gunpowdercreek #alexdook #debut #crime #thriller #ausbookbloggers 

Review: A Slowly Dying Cause by Elizabeth George

I really should do more research before requesting review books that are in a series.

A Slowly Dying Cause is book #22 in the Inspector Lynley series.

" The Inspector Lynley Mysteries series was developed for television by the BBC and ran for six seasons from 2001 to 2007. Britbox announced a reboot of the series to air in 2025."

When the body of Michael Lobb is discovered in his family's workshop police are called in to investigate. As the investigation continues the number of likely suspects increases.

I loved how Elizabeth George delved deeply into each character's life, making the story more about the characters and their nuances than the mystery itself. There seemed to be a theme around men's sexual fantasies and older men lusting after much younger women.

I found A Slowly Dying Cause to be a complex and satisfying read. It's a large book at over 600 pages and the intriguing mystery kept me entertained throughout.

A Slowly Dying Cause is a story about manipulation and deceit , infidelity and desire, and the family ties that bind us.

If you are already a Lynley fan you will not be disappointed with this new mystery however this book is not a good place to start even though the murder case is solved during the novel the focus on the characters' lives and their shared histories left me lost at times.

I enjoyed this enough to find some previous novels in the series to catch up on the characters.

My rating reflects on the fact I didn't know Lynley's and Haver's backstories and I found it hard to connect.

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 16th September 2025

Genre: Crime / Mystery

Series: Inspector Lynley #22

Pages: 643

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#inspectorlynley #aslowlydyingcause #elizabethgeorge #murdermystery #crime

Review: No Dancing in the Lift by Mandy Sayer

 With No Dancing in the Lift Mandy Sayer has written a raw, honest and compassionate ode to her late father Gerry Sayer.

Written like a love letter to her father No Dancing in the Lift reflects on the last few months of Gerry Sayer's life when Mandy became his sole carer.

Mandy Sayer's writing is very open and conversational. The story flows effortlessly making it an easy read.

Mandy shares her grief and memories of growing up with a father who was often absent; however their time together built lasting happy memories.

There are lots of fun moments as Mandy recalls many of her father's antics and some dubious fatherly outings. I can see life with him was never boring as we learn how her father's influence shaped the person she is today.

Their bohemian lifestyle as Mandy was growing up was a real eye opener for me and I appreciate the deep love she had for her father despite his failings.

I liked the honest and open way Mandy includes details of her dysfunctional and complicated family.

There is much to learn from Mandy's take on her experiences. Many would have looked back on this life and seen only disaster and neglect however Mandy is a glass-half-full woman and I really enjoyed her outlook on her unusual upbringing. 

If you like to read memoirs No Dancing in the Lift is one I would highly recommend.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing

Publication date: 1st September 2025

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 240

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media

#nodancinginthelift #mandysayer #memoir #australianauthor #ausbookbloggers

Winner of a copy of The Ironbark Promise Announced!!

 I will be posting new giveaways in the first week of every month. March Giveaway is for a copy of The Napoleon of Africa by Phil Smart.

Bookmark my page and check back often so you don't miss a giveaway.

 A huge thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a paperback copy of The Ironbark Promise by Leonie Kelsall.  The giveaway closed on the 12th February 2026 and the winner was randomly selected (using Wheelofnames) from all correct entries. 

Congratulations to........ 

The winner has been notified and has seven days to provide a mailing address.

 

 

Please check under the Giveaway tab for more great giveaways!

Review: The Ironbark Promise by Léonie Kelsall

 It's been a slow beginning to the year as I've been catching up on reviews.

The Ironbark Promise was my last read of 2025

The Ironbark Promise is best selling Australian author Léonie Kelsall's ninth novel.

The Ironbark Promise has readers back in the lovely rural town of Settlers Bridge where love is in the air once again and one of my favourite characters, Hamish, meets his match.

Léonie Kelsall depicts farming life with ease and her descriptive language makes the town and its residents easy to visualise.

Hamish has a reputation as a bit of a playboy and even though he would secretly like to settle down he still plays up to the image everyone has of him.

Jemma is a high-flying city lawyer. The pressure at work is high and she also seems to have a stalker which is causing her some grief. Jemma decides to get away from the city and spend a few days in the country with her father, Pierce. (You can read Pierce and Sam's story in The Willow Tree Warf).

Kelsall builds tension with a mystery surrounding Jemma's life and the slow burn romance between Jemma and Hamish is filled with a multitude of problems for them both to work through.

I love coming back to Settlers bridge and catching up with all my favourite characters with each new book that Leonie Kelsall brings out. The town of Setters Bridge is a central part of each novel and just as much a character as the people who live there. 

The Ironbark Promise includes many themes relevant to rural living and the subject of criminal law including subtle moral messages making this an interesting and thought provoking read.

I can hardly wait for Léonie's next novel, The Windmill in the Silver Gums. I got goosebumps just reading the blurb!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 6th January 2026

Genre: Rural Romance

Pages: 368

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Other books by Leonie Kelsall

THE FARM AT PEPPERTREE CROSSING

THE WATTLE SEED INN 

THE BLUE GUM CAMP

THE WILLOW TREE WHARF

THE RIVER GUM COTTAGE 

THE HOMESTEAD IN THE EUCALYPTS

THE WINGS ABOVE THE MALEE

THE PATH THROUGH THE COOJONG TREES

Review: The Endless Sky by Di Morrissey

 With The Endless Sky Di Morrissey showcases the beauty of the Australian outback. She doesn't leave out the remoteness but puts greater emphasis on its alluring and fascinating beauty. A night sky devoid of city lights, that dull and dampen, is brought to vivid life on the page.

Renowned journalist Nicole Robertson is searching for the next big story and decides she will go off the beaten track and interview interesting people doing unusual things. She takes Stacie along with her and the two head to remote Central Queensland.

The Endless Sky is a nice, easy read. I really enjoyed the character of Nicole, middle aged, strong and intelligent, her journalistic instincts  always awake. All the supporting characters were well developed and believable.

I feel the story, for me, was let down by the addition of the characters' inner thoughts slowing the narrative.

With themes of fossil hunting, black market fossil trade, palaeontology digs and protecting remote areas from overuse, it is fascinating reading. Nicole interviews volunteers at a dig and is invited on a cave dive.

The Endless Sky is classic armchair travel. I lived it all as I read; the beauty, the danger, and the eclectic people who return to the digs year after year.

There is an unexpected little twist and a blossoming love story. Real photos at the start of each chapter add extra appeal.

The only let downs for me were the pace was a bit slow and there was too much dialogue - just pet dislikes for me.

My rating 3.5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐½

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Aus

Publication date: 25th November 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 317

RRP: $39.99AU (hardcover)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

Review: Twisted River by James Dunbar

 I really enjoyed Mole Creek by James Dunbar and Twisted River is even more compelling!

With Twisted River James Dunbar had me riveted to my seat until I'd finished the book.

I love a book that can grab me from the prologue and hold my attention all the way through.

When charity worker Cate and website designer Rory, a married couple in their thirties, return from their European holiday, they make a nightmare discovery. Their credit cards have been cancelled, their bank account has been emptied, and their phones and internet have been cut off. They finally arrive home to find their house-sitter has disappeared along with their dog. But this is only the beginning, their lives are about to get much messier and they have no idea why someone is targeting them.

James Dunbar does a superb job of getting the reader to like his main characters before dropping some revealing information about them.

There are twists galore in this edge of your seat thriller.

While I found myself holding my breath at times there are also some laugh-out-loud moments rich in dark humour. I also loved getting the dog Iris's point of view. Such fun!

The setting of Kiama on the south coast of New South Wales has its own starring role with Dunbar's evocative descriptions of the town and its surrounds.

I love a good revenge story and Twisted River is plotted to perfection. I couldn't put the book down as I was pulled deeper and deeper into this gut wrenching mystery.

Twisted River is a tense, edge of your seat thriller that will have you second guessing having a stranger house-sit for you.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 30th September 2025

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Pages: 310

RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Book Giveaway: The Ironbark Promise by Leonie Kelsall

 I recently received two paperback copies of The Ironbark Promise from Allen & Unwin so I am giving one copy away. 

I haven't had time to post my review yet but I can assure you it is a five star read.

The Ironbark Promise by Leonie Kelsall giveaway

Blurb:

When a series of threats force fiercely independent lawyer Jemma Di Angelis to step away from her high-flying career, the last place she wants to be is her father's cottage near Settlers Bridge. But with her security threatened and her routine in tatters, she has little choice. She'll stay just long enough to plan her next move.

Laid-back local farmer Hamish MacKenzie has a roguish charm, a bad-boy reputation and an artistic soul he keeps carefully hidden. From the moment he meets Jemma, sparks fly—he sees a tightly wound snob and she sees a shallow womaniser.

But when Jemma finds herself in real danger, it's Hamish who steps in—unexpectedly gentle, infuriatingly protective and nothing like she imagined. As tangled secrets surface and loyalties are tested, Jemma must decide whether justice always follows the rules—and whether she's willing to risk giving her heart to a man who has made a habit of keeping his hidden.

GIVEAWAY

Enter here to win a paperback copy of The Ironbark Promise. The giveaway is open to Australian addresses only and entries close at 6pm AEDT on 12th February 2026

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced here:

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2026/02/winner-of-copy-of-ironbark-promise.html