Review: Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express by Rebecca Raisin

 It's no secret I love Rebecca Raisin's sweet, clean romance reads. Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express was yet another great read, and lots of fun too.

Aubrey has been left at the altar and even though she is heart-broken she decides to go on the Honeymoon. They were to take The Winter Wonderland Express to Lapland. Now it's a Honeymoon for one.

Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express is a light, easy read and Aubrey is a fun character. She doesn't take herself too seriously.

Embarrassed by the fact she is a bride left at the altar, Aubrey says her husband died. Now it's said she can't unsay it.

The singles all get together on the train and form the Unlucky in Love Club. Can the Winter Wonderland Express turn unlucky in love into lucky in love?

I had the most wonderful trip travelling on the Winter Wonderland Express through Paris, Belgium, Hamburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Stopping off and seeing all the sights on the way. Then spending Christmas day in Lapland.

Rebecca Raisin is the queen of destination fiction.

Filled with wonderful characters, loads of fun and a sweet ending. Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express is a must for romance readers.

I'm not particularly keen on eBooks but Rebecca Raisin's books are my exception.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication date: 13th August 2025

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 282

Source: eCopy via Netgalley

#laststoponthewinterwonderlandexpress #rebeccaraisin #romance #ireadromance #australianauthor  

Review: Out of the Blue by Penelope Janu

 Out of the Blue by Penelope Janu is a romance novel with added depth. The themes of PTSD and environmental issues add weight to this emotional and thought-provoking story.

I was excited to learn that Kit Thorsen's brother, Seb, is a main character in Out of the Blue. I loved Kit and Mackenzie's story in The Summerfield Saddler. Kit was fiery and kind-hearted in equal measures and I was keen to see how his brother would be portrayed. Those Norwegian men!! Anyway I digress. As you can see I still haven't gotten over Kit. 😍

Flick suffered debilitating PTSD after witnessing a plane crash and Penelope Janu portrays the limiting affects of this disorder and how it can seriously narrow a person's life choices.

Flick is selected to take part in a mission to investigate the environmental implications of an increasing human population in Antarctica.

Flick is a bird specialist (ornithologist) and I enjoyed all the information on different birds, which I found quite interesting.

Sebastien Thorsen is everything you want for a love interest, broody, mysterious, kind, patient and handsome.

I always find a first person narration hard going and large amounts of dialogue drag the story for me. So this did affect my enjoyment of the book.

I liked the mention of characters from previous books and their connection to this story.

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: HQ Fiction

Publication date: 26th May 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 416

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#outoftheblue #penelopejanu #australianauthor #ausbookbloggers #contemporaryfiction #harlequinaustralia #romance 

Review: The Paris Bookshop for the Broken Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

 I simply loved every minute of reading The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted.

Rebecca Raisin has delivered a heart-warming story filled with likeable characters and a main setting of a magical bookshop that brings together lonely hearts. What's not to love!!

CoCo Chevallier is back home in Paris, with thirteen year-old Eloise in tow, after her partner, in love and business, destroyed their business and left her almost penniless. As CoCo tries to rebuild her life, and placate a temperamental teenager, she comes across the Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted and its eccentric and intuitive owner, Valerie.

I loved all the bookish talk and how the bookshop brought people with all different personalities together through a book club.

Rebecca Raisin includes just enough French words to give that true Parisian feel to the story. Words that are easily recognisable to even this non French speaker.

It was also a pleasant surprise to have Anais from Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel (which I reviewed on Goodreads) drop into the story. It's always nice to revisit characters from previous books.

I loved the inclusion of the delicacies and sights of Paris. Rebecca Raisin is the queen of armchair travel. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in Paris.

And of course there is a love interest, but it's a stormy start and a few road bumps to maneuver before their happy ending.

This sweet enemies to lovers RomCom, with its beautiful setting, fun characters and little mysteries, is a must for romance readers.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication date: 3rd February 2025

Genre: Romance / Romantic Comedy

Pages: 314

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

#theparisbookshopforthebrokenhearted #rebeccaraisin #australianauthor #romcom #sweetromanceread #bookssetinparis #romance #ireadromance #ausbookbloggers

Review: The Paradise Resort by Tricia Stringer

I always enjoy Tricia Stringer's books and The Paradise Resort was no exception. 

The Paradise Resort is a wonderfully immersive story. Tricia Stringer focuses on the work involved in running a resort. There are a few small mysteries running through the story which keep the pages turning.

The story opens with Beatrice needing a holiday after her recent surgery. She wants somewhere warm where she can rest and recuperate. She flies to The Bon Beach Resort on the remote Kimberley. She knows the owner of the resort so she is given executive treatment.

At the resort we meet Kathleen who has recently started work there and Nelda, who has been resort manager since it opened.

I really enjoyed getting the different perspectives of the three women. Kathleen has anxiety issues and is trying to be more forthright whilst Nelda is pressured with work and trying to keep employees safe.

Stringer has a few little mysteries running through the plot and to mention most of them would be spoilers however one mystery, that caused Nelda no end of stress, was that there was a spy for a potential buyer of the resort amongst the guests.

Set on the remote Kimberley Coast of WA Stringer showcases the importance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in remote areas, as they are called to a suspected heart attack, a premature labour and a car crash.
I loved that Kathleen and Omar from The Road Trip were main characters in this story and I loved how they supported and encouraged each other. It is not necessary to have read The Road Trip as there is plenty of back story included.

In The Paradise Resort we see the other side of resort living, not as a guest but through the eyes of the staff. We learn how much work it is to keep everyone happy, the obnoxious guests and the mishaps.

I enjoyed this story with likeable characters and a feel good ending after a bit of tension between the characters.

The Paradise Resort is an immersive feel good read about found family and resort living.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: HQ Fiction

Publication date: 29th September 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 464

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Uncorrected proof through HQ Insiders

Other books I've read by Tricia Stringer

TABLE FOR EIGHT

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

BACK ON TRACK

HEAD FOR THE HILLS

THE ROAD TRIP

#theparadiseresort #triciastringerauthor #contempoaryfiction #feelgoodfiction #australianauthor #ausbookbloggers #hqinsiders #bookreview #arcreview

Review: The Orchard at Rosevale by Nicola Marsh

The Orchard at Rosevale by Nicola Marsh is a heartwarming and immersive read and I was immediately drawn into the characters’ lives.

Cruz was living his dream working as a chef at a top Melbourne restaurant until he is called back to the family avocado farm after his father’s death. Cruz hates the farm and simply wants to sell it but his father's will stipulates Cruz needs to work the farm for 12 months to inherit.

Ferne, Cruz’s mother, is eager to escape the farm, which holds only bad memories, and start a life of travel. Ferne employs Elora, a social media marketer, to update the farm’s socials and improve their website. Ferne wants to get as much money as possible when it's time to sell. 

Elora and Cruz have instant friction and an underlying sizzle of attraction.

After her husband's death Ferne discovers long held secrets and is crushed by this discovery. But a chance meeting and a new friendship reconnects her to an old flame, one she regrets letting go.

Nicola Marsh has delivered a grumpy/sunshine romance plus a second chance mature romance. It’s not often you get two get romance tropes in one story and both executed with finesse.

Even thought the majority of characters were getting over past hurts the story had a fun vibe brought about by Cruz and Elora's flirty banter.

I loved every character, all so real with real hurts. I even had a soft spot for the posthumous antagonist Mac.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Harlequin Fiction

Publication date: 28th July 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 337

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#theorchardatrosevale #nicolamarshauthor #contemporaryfiction #romance #ausbookbloggers #aussieaugust26 #australianauthor #ruralromance

Review: Flowers in July by Anna Maynard

I really enjoyed Dancing With Bees by Anna Maynard and Flowers in July is even better! Flowers in July is an emotional and heart-warming read.

Mary moves to Hobart, Tasmania with her boyfriend Felix to complete a six month term at Hobart hospital to advance her career in medicine.

Mary feels responsible for her family; her sister is a struggling single mother and her mother is alcohol dependent. The guilt over leaving them behind is immense.

When she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, again, she packs up and leaves. However her confidence is low and she finds herself blaming his actions on her own failings.

Mary has seen the brooding and intimidating emergency doctor Abel Sutherland at work and does her best to stay out of his way. But when a wilderness training retreat throws them together sparks fly.

Anna Maynard portrays the grumpy, brooding male protagonist so well. Her men always have a kind and gallant heart inside that grumpy exterior.

Mary was very easy to like. She was smart, kind hearted and a bit socially awkward.

Flowers in July was such a fun read. I liked both Mary and Abel and loved seeing them get flustered around each other. This is a slow-burn romance but not frustratingly slow. I feel that Maynard paced it well.

There are themes of living your own life and the fact that propping people up all the time, even though you love them very much, isn't helping them get their life together.

Flowers in July is a witty, heartfelt and uplifting read filled with lovable characters and laugh-out-loud moments.

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 31st march 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Pages: 336

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

#flowersinjuly #annamaymaynard #contemporaryromance #australianauthor

Review: A Farm in Golden Clouds by Leearna Shaw

A Farm in Golden Clouds is a heart-wrenching story about losing the love of your life and finding the strength to build a new life for yourself and your children.

Two years after her husband's death Indi Carmichael is struggling to keep their farm afloat. Her children are still not coping and the farm takes her every waking moment.

Ben Whittam is at Kestrel Creek filming a sequel to his smash-hit movie. However, grief is ripping him apart and the film is heading towards being a huge flop. His young son's nightmares are also escalating.

Whilst Leearna Shaw focuses on surviving loss and the ensuing grief A Farm in Golden Clouds is also about how finding love unexpectedly can lead to healing.

I love how Indi and Ben's relationship grew organically through understanding each other's loss. They were so natural together, becoming good friends first. This is a slow-burn romance dripping with emotion as the characters help each other work through their pain.

Leearna Shaw adds moments of humour that lighten the theme of loss.

The farming descriptions and everyday farm life were excellent, placing me right there on the farm and building empathy for Indi's plight. She is such a likeable character.

A Farm in Golden Clouds is a fabulous debut. Maybe a bit too heartbreaking for this reader at times. However, the characters were all loveable, their demons were real and I did get the anticipated HEA at the end.

I am looking forward to seeing what Leearna Shaw comes up with next!

My rating 4.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 31st March 2026

Genre: Rural Romance / Contemporary

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#leearnashaw #ruralromance #afarmingoldenclouds #newrelease2026 #debutfiction

#australianauthor #ausbookbloggers 
 

Review: Simply Beside Herself by Judith Katherine

 Simply Beside Herself is the fabulous contemporary debut by Australian author Judith Katherine.

Elizabeth Daley lives in a care home. Everything is done for her. She doesn't need to think about a single thing.

Adrift since her husband died almost two years ago Elizabeth reaches a turning point when she sees her own lifeless body sitting on a park bench. With the help of a friend she leaves the home with one small bag.

For me, this story started off a bit depressing however with great character development by Judith Katherine we see Elizabeth blossom as she comes to see she has always been an extension of her husband. She strives to reclaim her independence.

Simply Beside Herself is a mature-age coming of age as Elizabeth, with the help of a life-long friend, rediscovers herself and a love for life itself.

We are introduced to Elizabeth's daughter Ellen (changed to Lara in final copy) after she is informed that her mother is missing. Ellen (Lara) is drowning in self doubt, socially awkward and she is desperately trying to fit in with the other parents at her children's school. Ellen (Lara) is trying to balance working, homelife and her two children. While her life is in total disarray she must now find her missing mother.

I loved that this story is about all the characters. We get the thoughts and dreams of many of the side characters as well as Elizabeth and Ellen (Lara).

Judith Katherine's prose has a beautiful depth and sensory richness however the story was a bit over described for my liking.

Heartwarming and encouraging Simply Beside Herself is a story of friendships old and new, setting your own limits and responsibility, and reclaiming your independence.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Affirm Press

Publication date: 28th April 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 384

RRP: AU$34.99 (Trade paperback)

Source: ARC from the publisher

#simplybesideherself #judithkatherineauthor #contemporaryfiction #australianauthor

#debutnovel #2026release 

Review: The Season for Flying Saucers by Brendan Colley

A father who has been abducted by aliens; a mother who sees the spirits of dead people; a sister who communicates with angry dogs; and 29-year-old Noah Grey, whose life has gone off the rails.

When I read the back cover blurb for The Season for Flying Saucers I wasn't sure this book was for me. I'm not a big Science Fiction fan. However, this is more a contemporary story about family and how we perceive our place in the family unit. I would probably call it a Contemporary SciFi.

Tasmania was absolutely the perfect setting for The Season for Flying Saucers. We all know there have been notable sightings of UFO's in Tasmania and a possible abduction; see my review of The Vanishing.

When Noah Grey's father was taken by aliens 12 years ago, the remaining family splintered. However due to unavoidable events and economic pressures the family of three, Noah, his mother and sister, are all living under the same roof again.

It is the beginning of summer and the season for flying saucers. The whole community is sky gazing, watching each night for the lights to appear. They are also keeping a close eye on the Grey family because they believe this family will be targeted for alien abduction.

The Season for Flying Saucers is amazing; wry, funny and heart-wrenching. It is strange and whimsical. As the family hunker down for the summer away from media and prying eyes they are forced to communicate with each other, open up and express their hopes and fading dreams.

The Season for Flying Saucers  is a memorable story of community, luck and coincidence, fate and destiny. This is a story about what it is to be family.

A fabulous twist had me wanting to read the whole book again. Brendan Colley shines a light on the complexity of family. An insightful exploration of love, grief and forgiveness.

Colley's haunting poetry is disquieting and moving.

The Season for Flying Saucers is a highly recommended read. It gets all the stars and some eerie midnight lights. 

My rating 5 / 5 🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸

Publisher: Transit Lounge Publishing

Publication date: 1st April 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Science Fiction

Pages: 304

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Quikmark Media

The book can be purchased here: https://transitlounge.com.au/shop/3815/

#theseasonforflyingsaucers #brendancolley #australianauthor #bookssetintasmania #ausbookbloggers #aliens #flyingsaucers #sciencefiction

Review: The Last Resort by Amanda Hewitt

The Last Resort, the debut novel of Australian author Amanda Hewitt, is a heart-warming and emotional story about grasping that second chance at love. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and loved that the main characters were both in their early 40s. Reading a mature-age romance with no huge age gap was refreshing as the characters had real emotional baggage and also had commitments to juggle.

Abbey was looking forward to the big trip planned, to a romantic island resort, to reconnect with her distant husband when six months prior he dropped the bombshell, he was leaving her.

Abbey decides to go anyway to drown her sorrows and wallow in self-pity. On her first night there, Nick sees her in the water and thinking she is actually drowning he rushes in to rescue her. A friendship starts aided by their allotted valet, Oliver. The chemistry is instant but both know this is just a holiday romance.

The Last Resort was simply the best story for holiday reading. The perfect beach read. Abbey and Nick were both broken-hearted. For both the holiday at the resort was meant to be cathartic. Neither were ready to commit to a relationship.

Nick guarded his heart fiercely. His back-story was heart-breaking.

The Last Resort is rich in wonderful support characters with Abbey's fiery sister Kate and her wise and cheeky grandmother Iris, plus Nick's brother and sister all playing an important role in the main characters' lives.

The Last Resort is filled with humour and I loved Abbey's openness finding her voice where love was concerned. She was a little awkward and very real.

Lots of surprising twists and reveals kept the story interesting although I did find the romance dragged out a bit.

It's a long bumpy road to that much welcomed HEA.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 3rd February 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 304

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#thelastresort #amandahewitt #australianauthor #contemporaryromance #ausbookbloggers #beachread #newrelease #bookreview #debutnovel

Review: Lavender Hill by Alissa Callen

 Lavender Hill is the first book in a new series set in the fictional town of Windamere in rural Tasmania. I absolutely loved Alissa Callen's Snowy Mountains series and whilst it is sad to leave those much loved characters behind I'm excited to get into a new series, set in a new location, with new characters.

After nine years in France, horticulturist Rylea Laurent is back in rural Tasmania, due to her father's ailing health, to help on the family's lavender farm.

She left the country after her brother's death on a camping trip with his best friend. She is now ready to face her loss and find out what really happened on that fateful night.

Kane Ashford is also freshly returned to Windamere. Kane is there to repair his family's old farmhouse. He is also determined to unravel the mystery of his brother's death on the same camping trip as Rylea's brother.

Rylea and Kane had a connection before he took his surviving brother and mother and fled the town. Now the two must put aside their feelings and work together to uncover the mystery of that deadly camping trip.

I loved getting both Rylea and Kane's thoughts via the dual narrative. The tension and unspoken feelings between them pulsed from the page.

Although there is a compelling mystery running through the story, Rylea and Kane's denied attraction to each other is equally captivating. The tension between the two is so well portrayed.

The banter between Kane and his brother Denevan is light, fun and typical male talk. Rylea and her sister Darcy also have a close and endearing relationship. Alissa Callen knows how to get to the heart of real people.

I already love all these new characters. Windamere's older residents are filled with love and gossip, they are well meaning and quite funny. And what is a small rural town without a group of matchmakers; enter Viola Gilbert and The Windamere Gardening Girls. Try as the boys might to avoid them, they know your every move and will get you in the end.

The addition of working dogs and even a pet lamb who thinks he's a dog, the devastation of storms and introduced plants brought the country atmosphere right into my home.

In Lavender Hill, Alissa Callen combines mystery, country life and romance to deliver a heartwarming story about healing your past and allowing yourself a second chance at love.

I've noted a whole list of characters who need their chance at love. I'm looking forward to returning to Windamere and seeing who is next to find their HEA. I'm already pairing up characters for future books. 😂

Lavender Hill is a captivating story brimming with heart and a dash of mystery and drama. Another compelling novel from the queen of small-town fiction!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: HQ Fiction

Publication date: 28th January 2026

Series: A Windamere Novel #1

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rural Romance

Pages: 368

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#lavenderhill #alissacallen #australianauthor #bookssetintasmania #ruralromance #smalltownfiction #ausbookbloggers #newrelease #publishedin2026

Other books I've read by Alissa Callen

SNOWY MOUNTAINS DAUGHTER

SNOWY MOUNTAINS CATTLEMAN

SNOWY MOUNTAINS PROMISE

SNOWY MOUNTAINS DAWN

THE BOUNDARY FENCE

A COUNTRY VET CHRISTMAS

Review: The Devil's Daughter by Danielle Steel

I always have the same problem when reading a Danielle Steel novel. It takes me a few chapters to fall into her "telling" style of narration.

The Devil's Daughter is a story about two sisters with very different personalities and the narrator - the older boring sister - will mention this fact over and over again.

Billie whined about her life throughout the entire book and this really got my goat. The younger sister Mickie, an actress and model, was the cause, in Billie's mind, of all her problems.

However when Billie can't find a job after graduation Mickie offers to have Billie stay with her and also gets her a job in a cafe. But still Billie complains.

Mickie is dating a high-profile plastic surgeon when a major scandal threatens to blow her world apart. Will the sisters reconnect over this catastrophe?

Billie was totally annoying and the second point-of-view from the plastic surgeon Dr Addison was equally annoying.

What I loved; Mickie!! She knew what she wanted in life and was determined to get it. When things went sour she threw everyone under the proverbial bus. I loved it!

I was a bit conflicted with The Devil's Daughter whilst I couldn't wait to see what was in store for Mickie, I felt the ending was quite unrealistic and all wrapped up too conveniently.

Whilst Steel may be after a younger audience with the added sex scenes I think she may be pushing away her tried and true older long-time readers.

My rating 2.5 / 5 ⭐⭐½

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 13th January 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 320

RRP: AU$32.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#thedevilsdaughter #daniellesteel #contemporaryfiction #ausbookbloggers 

Review: Where There's Smoke by Karly Lane

 Where There's Smoke by Karly Lane is everything I expected it to be; heartwarming, moving and intelligent.

We first meet Kenzie Knight in Once Burnt Twice Shy. She is the daughter of the main character Samantha Murphy, and in that book we find out Kenzie is pregnant. Five years on and Kenzie has four-year-old Poppy and is running a highly successful event management company.

Kenzie is planning the high profile wedding of socialite Sasha Delsanto. On meeting Sasha's fiancé Ewan she realises they have history and what she has to tell him will change both their lives forever.

I loved that the chemistry was still there between Kenzie and Ewan and with the dual narrative of both characters I was never left to how each of them felt.

Karly Lane always writes rich and vibrant farming scenes that reveal the beauty as well as the harshness of the land. The reader is made aware there can be hard times but there is also an element of humour involved.

I thoroughly enjoyed the slow-burn romance and the anticipated road-bump was huge and believable.

Ewan Campbell was a great character, easy to like, he was straightforward and upfront, especially about how he felt.

Where There's Smoke is a heartwarming story of two people who deserve a second chance. A story of long held secrets and new beginnings with memorable characters and a fun plot. It definitely left me wanting more of Kenzie, Ewan and Poppy.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 28th April 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

Pages: 352

RRP: AU$34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

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Review: At Cafe 64 by Shaeden Berry

In At Cafe 64 Shaeden Berry explores the definition of victim and the different ways people define who the victims of a tragedy are. 

This will be my giveaway book for May so stay posted!

Without any warning, Justin Kowalski drives his vehicle into the front of Cafe 64, killing himself and three other people.

At cafe 64 is narrated through the experiences of three women. 

Maddie's fiancee was killed in the 'tragedy' and two years on she is still consumed by rage, determined to make someone responsible for her loss.

Emily is still trying to understand the whole incident and questions everything about her own life.

Flo says she is fine. She was outside the cafe and insists she didn't see anything. Then, why is her life falling apart?

"It's sort of ... weird, you know, existing on the edge of this big event. Like, you're a part of it but not." 

"I'm a victim as well, as much as anyone else ...... You think victimhood ends with the people who died?"

At Cafe 64 is a real page-turner, sombre and compelling, with cliff-hanger chapter endings that keep the story moving along at a fast pace. It is a thought-provoking look at victims, grief and the need for revenge.

Shaeden Berry explores how different people grieve differently and who is to say what is right and wrong. How is a victim defined? If you weren't on the scene can you still be a victim of a tragedy of this extent? The need to account blame; who led the perpetrator to perform this act and why are we not safe on the streets. Maddie, driven by truth and justice, wants revenge and relentlessly looks at all avenues to lay blame.

Berry writes with pathos and even though there are some jaw-dropping reveals the story is never sensationalised.

At Cafe 64 is an intriguing story that had me thinking about the whole concept of victims, survivors and impostor syndrome.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Echo Publishing

Publication date: 4th November 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 336

RRP: $34.99 (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#atcafe64 #shaedenberry #aussieauthor #ausbookbloggers #contemporaryfiction

Review: When the Party's Over by Katie Hoskins

Their lives will never be the same .... 

When the Party's Over by Katie Hoskins had me glued to the pages right from the compelling prologue to the very last page.

When the Party's Over definitely has Liane Moriarty vibes and if you are already a fan of Liane Moriarty or Sally Hepworth, you will love this book.

Mother of three Natalie, is feeling suffocated by her hectic life. What happened to the fun party girl of her 20's!? All she wants for her 36th birthday is to let her hair down and have some fun with her two best friends by her side.

But what happens at the party doesn't stay at the party when the next day 18 month old Toby is found with part of a familiar looking blue tablet in his mouth.

When the Party's Over was one hell of a ride; Hospital emergency wards, police interviews, child protection visits, guilt, blame and a whole lot of secrets being kept about THAT night.

Everyone had some guilty secret about themselves or someone else concerning the night of the party. Friendships start to falter and accusations are thrown around.

Katie Hoskins characters are real; flawed people who make bad decisions and then must face the consequences.

I am very much against recreational drugs and alcohol, both destroying lives and families. So I was very invested in what the characters would learn from this whole experience and how they would come out of it.

There are a few mysteries at play throughout the novel and some well-placed red-herrings which had me guessing back and forward what the final outcome would be.

Many female centric themes are explored throughout the story - mother guilt, burnout, infertility, infidelity, unexpected pregnancy and the value of friendship and forgiveness.

When the Party's Over is an outstanding debut! This is one book you will not want to miss this year. I'm excited to see what Katie Hoskins comes up with next. She has set the bar high! 👏👏

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 31st March 2026

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 368

RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

#whenthepartysover #katiehoskins #contemporaryfiction #aussieauthor #readaustralian #friendship #debut

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