Book Review: The Rhythm of the Beach by Russell Irving

 The Rhythm of the Beach

by

Russell Irving

 

Publisher: Russell Irving

Publication date: 2nd August 2021

 

Genre: Children's

 

Pages: 22

 

RRP: $14.99AUD (Paperback - author website)

 

Format read: eBook

 

Source: Courtesy of the author

 

About the book

 

A joyful, poetic exploration of the changing seasons, moods and natural wonders to be discovered at the beach. A celebration of the serenity found when we connect with ourselves through nature.

 

 

My review

 

The Rhythm of the Beach is a contemplative and beautiful picture book that focuses on the changing seasons around an Australian beach.

 

It is spring and plovers lay their eggs. Summer sees plovers hatching dolphins swimming and children splashing. Autumn the crowds are gone, a man walks his dog and surfers ride the waves. Winter the beach is quiet, the occasional visitor rugged up against the cold comes to build sandcastles.

 

Through Japanese zen inspired water colour washes and simple verse Russell Irving builds a connection with nature and the cycle of the seasons in a simple to understand format that will be appreciated by children and adults alike.

 

I found this calming, serene  poem a good way to introduce poetry to children and remind ourselves to slow down, look around and enjoy nature.

The book concludes with a couple of poems inviting the reader to connect with nature as a way to learn about and connect with themselves.

 

Recommended age: 7 - 12 years

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Russell Irving has worked for many years as an environmental educator and manager, including with Indigenous ranger groups at the Kimberley and Northern Land Councils in Broome and Darwin respectively. He currently works with the Bandjalang Rangers on the North Coast of New South Wales, one of the most biodiverse regions of Australia.

 

This experience has reinforced his passion for educating people, and children in particular, about the many benefits of building meaningful connections with nature. This is a core theme of his writing and drives his continued production of high-quality, educational children's books. 

 

Visit the author's website where you can purchase the book and download nature themed activities.

https://www.russell-irving.net/ 

 

Challenges entered: Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

Book Review: How to Mend a Broken Heart by Rachael Johns

 How to Mend a Broken Heart

by

Rachael Johns

There are a million ways to break a heart.....

but is there only one way to mend it?

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

 

Imprint: HQ Fiction

 

Publication date: 5th May 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 448

 

RRP: $32.99 AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

Felicity Bell has struggled to move on after her marriage broke down. Her ex has found love again, her children have their own lives, and it’s beginning to feel like her only comfort comes from her dog and her job as a taxidermist. So when Flick gets an offer to work in New Orleans for a few months, she’s drawn to the chance to make a fresh start.

Zoe is ready to start a family with her husband, but when he betrays her, she’s left shattered and desperate for a change of scenery. Joining her mother on the other side of the world to drown her sorrows seems the perfect solution.

Although both mother and daughter are wary of risking their hearts to love again, Theo, a jazz bar owner, and Jack, a local ghost hunter, offer fun, friendship and distraction. But all is not as it seems in New Orleans…

A chance meeting with Aurelia, a reclusive artist who surprises them with lessons from her life, prompts Flick and Zoe to reassess what they want too. Can all three women learn from the past in order to embrace their future?

 

My review

 

I'm so glad I read The Art of Keeping Secrets first. I now have a real feel for Felicity and her reason for fleeing to New Orleans grabbing at a chance to move away from the trauma of her marriage breakdown.

You know when you finish a book and you want more....well this is the more!

 

Whereas the first book The Art of Keeping Secrets is all about the three friends Felicity, Emma and Neve, this book is Felicity and her daughter Zoe's story.

 

How to Mend a Broken Heart is, as the title suggests, about healing, moving on and opening up to new relationships.

As much as I loved Flick and Zoe's stories and growth the real hero of this book is New Orleans. I absolutely loved all the descriptions of the buildings, the music, the people and the food that makes New Orleans so fabulous and unique. Rachael Johns brought it all to life on the page. Now overseas travel has been closed for what feels like forever this is the perfect novel to armchair travel across the ocean and experience the delights of New Orleans.

 

The sights are introduced through bar owner Theo, who also adds a little romance to the story, and ghost hunter/tour guide Jack. I particularly liked Jack's morals and good humour. Zoe was a broken woman when he met her and he didn't take advantage of that. An element of mystery was added by the elderly and eccentric Miss H who befriends Zoe and I enjoyed their cross-generational friendship.

 

With How to Mend a Broken Heart Rachael Johns takes her readers on a heartwarming story from Australia to the streets of New Orleans with its jazz bars, street parades and ghostly happenings. It's a story of letting go of the past and embracing new beginnings.

 

My rating  4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

  Rachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a diet Coke addict, a cat lover and chronic arachnophobe. She is also the bestselling, ABIA-winning author of The Patterson Girls and a number of other romance and women's fiction books including The Art of Keeping Secrets.

Rachael rarely sleeps, never irons and loves nothing more than sitting in bed with her laptop and imagining her own stories. She is currently Australia's leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women's issues, a genre she has coined 'life-lit'.

Rachael lives in the Swan Valley with her hyperactive husband, three mostly gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a badly behaved dog.

Rachael loves to hear from her readers.

 
 
 

 Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

Book Review: The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns

 The Art of Keeping Secrets

by

Rachael Johns

 

Little secrets grow up to be big lies…

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

 

Imprint: Mira

 

Publication date: 19th September 2016

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 464

 

RRP: $32.99 AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Own purchase

 

About the book

 

They’ve been best friends since their sons started high school together, and Felicity, Emma and Neve share everything … or so they thought.

But Flick’s seemingly perfect marriage hides a shocking secret which, with one word, threatens to destroy her and her family’s happiness. Emma is in denial about a potential custody battle, her financial constraints, the exhaustion she can’t seem to shake off and the inappropriate feelings she has for her boss. And single mum Neve is harbouring a secret of her own; a secret that might forever damage her close-knit relationship with her son.

When the tight hold they have each kept on their secrets for years begins to slip, they must face the truth. Even if that truth has the power to hurt the ones they love, and each other.

Perhaps some secrets weren’t made to be kept.

 

My review

 

I was sent How to Mend a Broken Heart for review and heard it is a sequel to The Art of Keeping Secrets and was pleased to find that I had this on my shelf waiting to be read. 

 

Rachael states that How to Mend a Broken Heart can be read as a standalone and I agree but I am so glad I read The Art of Keeping Secrets first as I got to know Felicity (Flick) and feel the relationship she had with her best friends Genevieve (Neve) and Emma.

 

So onto my review....

Rachael Johns has written a compelling story of friendship, heartache, courage and motherhood.

Three friends, Flick, Neve and Emma are always there for each other but simmering secrets and lies may tear that friendship apart. Through these three women we negotiate marriage breakup, the problems of single parenthood, a mother's penchant for putting their own health second and how we keep secrets to protect those we love.

 

Through all the trauma and heartache there is a fabulous trip to New York where the three women find that friendship is give and take and everything isn't always as it seems on the surface. 

 

The Art of Keeping Secrets is a fabulous story about the strength of female friendships as all three women deal with situations that will alter their lives forever. Told through the perspective of each of the women, it's about having the courage to be yourself and how one person's actions has the potential to hurt others.  It is a story of endings and new beginnings but ultimately it's a story about the power and support that females offer each other in the form of unconditional friendship.

 

My rating  5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21 

 

Book Review & Giveaway: The Banksia House Breakout by James Roxburgh

The Banksia House Breakout

by

James Roxburgh

 

Some adventures are worth waiting for

 

Publisher: Ventura Press

 

Publication date: 15th September 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 315

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPRMedia

 

About the book

 

When Ruth Morris is moved into Banksia House by her workaholic son Michael, she is eighty-one years young, mourning her loss of independence, and missing her best friend Gladys terribly.

So when she learns Gladys is dying a state over in Brisbane, Ruth is determined to say goodbye. Enlisting the help of her fellow residents, Ruth makes a daring departure from Banksia House alongside renowned escape-artist Keith, and her formidable new friend Beryl.

The journey from Sydney is far from straightforward, featuring grimy hotels, hitchhiking, and a mild case of grand theft. This unlikely trio finds themselves on the trip of a lifetime, where new connections blossom amidst the chaos. But the clock is ticking and Gladys awaits – will they make it across the border in time?

 

My review

 

The Banksia House Breakout is a refreshing debut about ageing, friendship and independence.  

 

Ruth's son Michael has taken over her life assuming she is unable to care for herself after a fall. He sells the family home and drops Ruth at Banksia House, the nursing home he has chosen for her. Michael is much too busy to be worrying about his mother and at 81 she couldn't possibly be lucid enough to care for herself.

The story starts out quite ominous with Ruth's ill treatment by her son and a villainous careworker who makes life miserable for all the residents However once we get to meet some of the other residents, escape artist Keith and tech savvy Joan, the feeling of the story lightens.

 

Ruth is rather timid and she lets her son dominate her but she is making new friends in Banksia House and these  women may be elderly but they haven't lost their sense of adventure.

 

When Michael tells Ruth he is much too busy to take her to Brisbane to visit her dying firend Gladys the women hatch a plan to steal a car and get Ruth there to see Gladys one last time. They would only be gone a few days, no one would notice.

So begins an hilarious road trip which involves plenty of hiccups and detours, an encounter with a bikie gang, backpackers, working odd jobs at a hostel and managing to evade police at the last minute.

 

James Roxburgh smashes stereotypes in this debut novel as Ruth, Beryl and Keith prove during their trip that they are anything but senile. They manage to work their way through many sticky situations whilst also handing out sage advise learnt through years of experience. 

 

I loved the mentions of all the stops along the coast on the way from Sydney to Brisbane. Many of the places they visited brought back memories of family holidays.

I also enjoyed Ruth's transformation. The more she did the more confident she became in her own abilities. 

 

The Banksia House Breakout is a fun, heart-warming read. I found myself cheering for Ruth along the way and I couldn't read fast enough to find out if Ruth would make it to see Gladys on time.

 

If you enjoyed Joanna Nell's Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village you will love The Banksia House Breakout!

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

About the author

 

James Roxburgh is an audiologist who specialises in the care of the elderly with hearing loss. He combines his passion for writing and the experiences he has shared with his patients to create heart-warming and captivating characters who defy the norms of ageing. James has worked as a ski instructor, owned a number of small businesses and lives in Sydney with his wife and two daughters. The Banksia House Breakout is his first novel. 

 

https://twitter.com/TheBurgeBkshelf/status/1438670597588852737?s=20

 

 Giveaway:

James has kindly offered a giveaway of one signed paperback copy of The Banksia House Breakout.

 

Enter via the form below. Entries close at midnight on  28th September 2021.  

 

This giveaway has now closed and the winner was announced here. 

Book Review & Giveaway: The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer by Ilsa Evans

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer 

by

Ilsa Evans

 

Two grandmothers. They both love Avery. Shame they can't stand each other.

 

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

Imprint: HQ Fiction AU

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 480

 

RRP: $ 29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback (Uncorrected proof)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

Beth's daughter Cleo and Shirley's son Daniel used to be married. Now Cleo is in gaol for supposedly contravening a family violence order, and Daniel has full-time care of their four-year-old daughter, Avery.

When Shirley suspects that Daniel is harming Avery, she enlists Beth to abduct their own granddaughter, even though the two women can't stand each other. They are joined on the run across country Victoria by Winnie, Shirley's own 89-year-old tech-savvy mother, and Harthacnut, Beth's miniature schnauzer.

The abduction gives rise to crises both personal and social, as Shirley's large and interfering family - including her toxic son - struggle to come to terms with her actions, amid a whirl of police investigation and media excitement. This heartfelt, wise, witty and wholly original novel explores of the lengths we may go to for those we love, and the unintended damage folded into daily life. 

 

My review

 

In The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer Ilsa Evans explores the conundrum faced by grandparents to intervene or not when they fear their grandchild may be being neglected or abused.

 

Shirley Conifer has been noticing bruises on four year old Avery. She confronts her son, Daniel, and he retaliates by not allowing her to see Avery. When the next time Avery is dropped off she sees more bruising she can't not interfere, deciding she must hide Avery until she can talk Daniel into getting help. With her eighty-nine year old mother and four year old Avery she goes to see Beth, Avery's other grandmother, and they hatch a plan to keep Avery safe.

 

Child abuse is a difficult subject however it is handled sensitively and offset with humour as the two grandmother and great-grandmother try to get along for Avery's sake.

This is a story about family; mother's and their children. Daniel is a narcissist, charismatic and a good manipulator and the idea of nature or nurture is explored as Shirley feels all the guilt over his behaviour. Beth's daughter Cleo is serving a four month prison term for breaching an IVO,  Beth wonders where she went wrong.

As the women hide out they slowly start to understand each other. Beth is self-righteous and hilariously judgemental whilst Shirley is meek, always apologising. I felt 89 year old Winnie was the star of the story. Sharp as a tack and totally tech savvy. Winnie was happy to be ignored. She could do all sorts of things, being ignored was her super power. Winnie's antics had me laughing again and again. Whereas this feeling of invisibility was upsetting to Shirley.

"In some ways it was to her benefit if people underestimated her. Or even thought that she was senile" - Winnie

Ilsa Evans smashes the ageist stereotypes in this book.

Told from multiple points of view, thirteen in all. However each character is gradually introduced so it doesn't overwhelm. I did notice though that they were all women. The males in the book were generally backseat observers.

I really enjoyed this family drama filled with laugh out loud moments and characters I could truly connect with. Ilsa draws on her experiences on the board of a women and children's refuge to create real characters in compelling situations.

I also enjoyed the exploration of the relationship between the two grandmothers and the different mother / daughter relationships taking place throughout the novel. Even the subtle look at DS Elsa Kaltenbrunner's relationship with her mother.

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo:Studio3 Photography

Ilsa Evans has published fourteen books across a range of genres, from light fiction and short stories to memoir, murder mystery and YA fantasy. Two of her books have been shortlisted for the prestigious Davitt (Sisters in Crime) Awards, while her novel about domestic violence, Broken, was an Australian best-seller and selected as Women's Weekly Book of the Month. Ilsa also teaches creative writing students, writes social commentary, and has been published in several newspapers and online journals. In 2011, she received the Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVA) Award for online journalism. 

            

 

GIVEAWAY:

 

 

 

 

 Thanks to The Reading Nook online bookstore you can win 1 of 2 paperback copies of The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer 

 

Enter via the form below (open to Australian addresses only) Entries close at midnight on  27th September 2021.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winners were announced here.

Storybook Corner Book Review & Giveaway: Afloat in Venice by Tina Wilson

Afloat in Venice

Monkey's Great Adventures

by Tina Wilson

Music by Matt Ottley Knitting by Joan Wilson

 

Publisher: One Tentacle Publishing

 

Publication date: 1st September 2021

 

Series: Monkey's Great Adventures #1

 

Genre: Children's Picture Book

 

Pages: 40

 

RRP: $27.95AUD

 

Format read: Hardcover + CD

 

Source: Courtesy of the author

 

About the book

In Monkey’s first adventure, Afloat in Venice, Monkey wakes to find he has been given a brand new camera. He can’t wait to use it during his holiday in Venice ... but after he is separated from his camera and he becomes lost, he discovers something more precious than sightseeing. This book includes original music composed by the highly acclaimed, Matt Ottley and an additional version specifically narrated for the visually impaired.

 

About the series

Imaginative, nostalgic and quirky, the Monkey’s Great Adventures series, with bespoke hand-knitted toys, is beautifully photographed in locations around the world and captures the innocence of childhood. Monkey, an endearing soft toy, finds himself in all sorts of scrapes where he learns about himself and the world around him. In this first book, Afloat in Venice, Monkey is entranced by a “magical floating city that seems to grow straight out of the sea.” The book includes original music composed by highly acclaimed artist, Matt Ottley, with text narrated by the author. There is an additional version of the music specifically narrated for the visually impaired.

 

My review

 

Monkey is off on a holiday and he is given a camera as a special gift. There are relatable photos of monkey  packing and the items you would take on a trip which opens discussion on holidays and travel. Wilson includes humorous shots that will appeal to children with monkey sitting in a drawer. A photo of monkey with his shorts on his head elicited a few laughs.

He goes on a long plane ride and meets a cat named Clarabella who offers to show him around. A very adventurous day ensues with lots of sightseeing, climbing and a trip on a gondola. Monkey loses his camera and then can't find Clarabella. He wanders around asking all the animals if they have seen her. Sad and lonely he starts to cry. Then Clarabella turns up; She had found his camera. Monkey was so happy to have found a new friend.

 

 Afloat in Venice is a picture book illustrated with photos which gives children the opportunity to perceive a story through realistic images. Tina Wilson uses clever staging and beautiful photography in this sweet story teaching children about the world around them, travel and friendship. The photographs and simple text show the excitement and adventure of travel abroad.

The pictures have a certain charm about them with the warmth of hand-knitted toys and props showing everyday items that children will relate to.

The photographs of the Venice scenery are stunning and make a good talking point for older children about the different way people live and travel around the world.

The accompanying CD has a narration of the story with narrative music which enhances the story telling with changes in tempo and pitch. I really enjoyed this added element to the book.

 

We are looking forward to more of Monkey's adventures.

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Dot's Review

 

I liked that it was knitted characters and you could spot Monkey's friends in the background. I want to learn how to knit the patterns in the back of the book.

 

I thought it was fun, cool and cute.

 

Dot's rating

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the author

Tina Wilson is a freelance artist moving between painting, drawing, curating, writing and illustrating books. Tina founded the Lester Prize (prev. Black Swan Prize for Portraiture) and
was its executive director for ten years.

 

About the composer

Matt Ottley is an internationally acclaimed award winning author, illustrator and composer. He is an Endorsed Yamaha Musician, plays flamenco guitar and piano and composes music for picture books.

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21 

  

GIVEAWAY

 

The author has kindly sent me an extra copy of the book to Giveaway.

Giveaway closes at Midnight on 25th September 2021 (Australia only)

 

This giveaway has now closed and the winner was announced here.

Book Review: Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

 Apples Never Fall

by

Liane Moriarty

The no. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies & Nine Perfect Strangers

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

 

Publication date: 14th September 2021 

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 496

 

RRP: $32.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. Even after all these years, former tennis coaches Joy and Stan are still winning tournaments, and now they've sold the family business they have all the time in the world to learn how to 'relax'. Their four adult children are busy living their own lives, and while it could be argued they never quite achieved their destinies, no-one ever says that out loud.

But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents' marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes. Is her disappearance related to their mysterious house guest from last year? Or were things never as rosy as they seemed in the Delaney household?

 

My review

 

After I thought Nine Perfect Strangers was a tad over-dramatic and unbelievable I was interested to see what road Moriarty would take next. I'm happy to say Apples Never Fall is fabulous! A superbly written family drama that has all the elements of a true page turner. 

The prologue pulls the reader straight into a mystery.

 

The story is told in present day where Joy Delaney is missing and then back over the previous five months that led up to Joy's disappearance.

In the present day: the four grown Delaney children are trying to sort out their own feelings and the rising fear that maybe their father has harmed their mother. As police interview each family member it's  clear everyone is holding something back and the circumstantial evidence against their father builds.

 

Previously: recently retired Joy and Stan Delaney find that time on their hands leads to resentments, unspoken grievances and regrets.

When a young woman arrives on their doorstep clearly distressed Joy invites her to stay. Suddenly Joy has meaning to life as she cares for Savannah.

Savannah also gives Joy the attention that has been lacking from her children. But cracks start to form and everyone starts to wonder what Savannah's true agenda is. 

 

Moriarty engineers a complex breaking down of each characters thoughts and dreams and we see everyone is holding something back. The mysteries are layered and compelling.

 

Apples Never Fall is a keenly observed family drama with finely nuanced characters. Underlying themes of domestic violence, anger and child abuse give a chilling look at parents in competitive sports.  

 

In Apples Never Fall Moriarty depicts marriage and family in all its love, rage, passion, grievances, regrets, dreams, resentments and splendid dysfunctionality.  Above all this is a story of the complexity of family and all things that are left unsaid.

 

My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

 About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of eight internationally bestselling novels, Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist's Love Story and the number one New York Times bestsellers The Husband's Secret, Big Little Lies and Truly Madly Guilty and most recently Nine Perfect Strangers. Her books have sold over twenty million copies worldwide, including three million in Australia and New Zealand.

Liane lives in Sydney with her husband, son and daughter.

 

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

 

 

 

Book Review: The French Gift by Kirsty Manning

The French Gift

by

Kirsty Manning

 

A story of female friendship, longing and sacrifice.

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 30th March 2021

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Pages: 328

 

RRP: $32.99

 

Format read: Paperback (uncorrected proof)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

A forgotten manuscript that threatens to unravel the past…

Fresne Prison, 1940: A former maid at a luxury villa on the Riviera, Margot Bisset finds herself in a prison cell with writer and French Resistance fighter Joséphine Murant. Together, they are transferred to a work camp in Germany for four years, where the secrets they share will bind them for generations to come.
 

Contemporary Paris: Evie Black lives in Paris with her teenage son, Hugo, above her botanical bookshop, La Maison Rustique. Life would be so sweet if only Evie were not mourning the great love of her life.

When a letter arrives regarding the legacy of her husband’s great-aunt, Joséphine Murant, Evie clutches at an opportunity to spend one last magical summer with her son. They travel together to Joséphine’s house, now theirs, on the Côte d’Azur. Here, Evie unravels the official story of this famous novelist, and the truth of a murder a lifetime ago.

 

My review

 

The French Gift is an interesting historical fiction narrated over multiple time lines.

1940's Paris: a friendship is formed when Margot Bisset, a maid, accused of murder and Josephine Murant, trialed as a Resistance fighter, share a cell in a French prison.

When Paris falls to the Germans the women are sent to a German work camp and are forced to work endless hours in a factory with horrific conditions. Josephine is charming, witty and defiant and she infuses Margot with her fire and determination.

 

Present day Paris: Evie Black and her teenaged son Hugo, mourning the death of their beloved husband and father, agree to assist in the collection of information and artifacts to go into an exhibition to honour the legacy of Josephine Murant, her husband's great aunt, who had become an accomplished crime writer. There are also rumours of an unpublished manuscript which has Evie searching the villa.

 

Kirsty Manning has written a compelling story of friendship, perseverance and acts of kindness. The chapters on the German rayon factory were heartbreaking and were written with great reverence for the women that endured these horrific conditions.

I enjoyed the added mysteries of the false murder charge, the search for the manuscript and the added information and secrets that were unearthed during the assembly of the exhibition.

 

The multiple time line format didn't quite work for me with the dates continually jumping around. I would have preferred two straight time lines.

I did like that Kirsty Manning has come up with a fresh idea for a novel set during WWII and I was completely engrossed in the narrative. The mention of French cuisine and wines helped to give an overarching sense of place.

 

The French Gift with its clever twists is sure to please historical fiction fans.

 

My rating   4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Kirsty Manning grew up in northern New South Wales 

A country girl with wanderlust, her travels and studies have taken her through most of Europe, the east and west coasts of the United States and pockets of Asia. Kirsty's first novel was the enchanting Midsummer Garden, published in 2017. Her second book, The Jade Lily, was published in 2018, and her third The Lost Jewels, in 2020. Kirsty is a partner in the award winning Melbourne wine bar Bellota, and the Prince Wine Store in Sydney and Melbourne. She lives in Melbourne, Victoria.

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

                                  

                                   Historical Fiction Challenge 

 

 

Book Review: The Last of the Apple Blossom by Mary-Lou Stephens

The Last of the Apple Blossom

by

Mary-Lou Stephens 

 

Deep in the Huon Valley - two orchards, two women and the secret that binds them.

 

 

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

 

Imprint: HQ Fiction

 

Publication date: 28th July 2021

 

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

Pages: 464

 

Format read: Uncorrected Paperback 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

February, 1967. Walls of flame reduce much of Tasmania to ash.

 

Young schoolteacher Catherine Turner rushes to the Huon Valley to find her family's apple orchard destroyed, her childhood home in ruins  and her brother dead. Despite her father's declaration that a woman will never run the orchard, Catherine resolves to rebuild the family business.

 

After five sons, Catherine's friend and neighbour, Annie Pearson, is overjoyed by the birth of a much longed-for daughter. As Annie and her husband Dave work to repair the damage to their orchard, Dave's friend Mark pitches in, despite the fact that Annie wants him gone. Mark has moved his family to the valley to escape his life in Melbourne, but his wife has disappeared leaving chaos in her wake and their young son Charlie in Mark's care.

 

Catherine becomes fond of Charlie, whose strange upbringing has left him shy and withdrawn. However, the growing friendship between Mark and Catherine not only scanadlises the small community but threatens a secret Annie is desperate to keep hidden.

 

My review

 

The Last of the Apple Blossom opens with the devastating fires of 1967 in Tasmania's Houn Valley.

Mary-Lou Stephens immediately plunges her reader into the fear, heat and danger that surrounds a bush fire.

 

Catherine returns home to find the family apple orchard burnt to the ground and her brother dead. Catherine is a girl before her time. She has no interest in marriage and children, her big dream has always been to run the family orchard. But the sixties were still a time of subjugation for women and there was no way her father was going to let her run the orchard. Women worked in the packing shed.

I loved Catherine's  passion for the orchard and I could see that it caused a great rift between her and her father and bitter words were flung around. Catherine showed a real maturity and mostly let the hurtful comments bounce off her.

 

Catherine's neighbours Annie and Dave are busy with their six young children and their orchard. Dave has good friend Mark helping out on the orchard. Mark is enjoying the quite country atmosphere in contrast to his usual busy life.

 

I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the apple orchards and the day to day lives of the owners. The hustle and bustle of the children and the hectic picking and packing season was well portrayed. It came across as grueling work but you could also see how satisfying it was to finish a good crop. A successful apple season is totally reliant on so many outside influences such as fire, drought, farmyard accidents, transportation and waterside strikes. The story spans a large time period and over time we see the need to diversify and evolve to keep up with changing markets

 

There are a couple of love interests introduced for Catherine. The fun loving Tim and the dark and broody Mark add a light romance element to the story.

 

The Last of the Apple Blossom is a story of passion for the land, heartbreak, perseverance, secrets, lies, family, love and longing. The characters travel a rocky road to forgiveness and healing. 

 

My rating  5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Photo credit: Goodreads

Mary-Lou Stephens was born in Tasmania, studied acting at The Victorian College of the Arts and played in bands in Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. Eventually she got a proper job - in radio, where she was a presenter and music director, first with commercial radio and then with the ABC.

She received rave reviews for her memoir Sex, Drugs and Meditation (2013), the true story of how meditation changed her life, saved her job and helped her find a husband.

Mary-Lou has worked and played all over Australia and now lives on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and a hive of native bees.  

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

                                  

                                   Historical Fiction Challenge