Showing posts with label Small Town Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Town Romance. Show all posts

Friday 19 January 2024

Book Review: The Blue Gum Camp by Leonie Kelsall

The Blue Gum Camp

by

Leonie Kelsall 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 3rd January 2024 
Genre: Rural Romance
Pages: 419
RRP: $32.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Blue Gum Camp

The Blue Gum Camp is Leonie Kelsall's fifth book featuring characters from Settler's Bridge and surrounds.
 
Charity Farrugia is persuaded to attend a B & S ball by her sisters, Faith and Hope. They feel the always serious and always responsible Charity needs to relax and have some fun.
 
Lachlan is only going to the B & S ball to keep an eye on his mischievous younger brother Hamish. Lachlan has been working the family farm whilst his father has become a curmudgeonly recluse since his mother's untimely death twelve months ago.
When Lachlan and Charity meet sparks fly but Charity isn't ready to let her guard down.
 
I enjoyed the different ways of thinking between Hope and her friends in their early twenties and that of mid thirties Charity. Having characters from different age groups adds diversity to the story. I loved all the sibling banter and light ribbing both with the Farrugia sisters and Lachlan and Hamish. It felt very natural and was filled with humour. The siblings' similarities and differences were perfectly portrayed.

If you have read the previous books you will see many well-known and much loved characters get a mention which adds a further level of connection with the whole community that surrounds the books.
 
Kelsall explores themes of running a farm, aging parents, early onset dementia, feeling responsible for siblings, cognitive disorders, loss and grieving.  
The Blue Gum Camp has slightly darker themes and more drama than most rural romance novels however the main theme is still one of rural life and the lack of potential partners in small country towns.
 
My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sunday 14 January 2024

Book Review: It's Probably You by Jayne Denker

 It's Probably You

by

Jayne Denker

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 3rd January 2024 
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Pages: 320
RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: It's Probably You 

It's Probably You is a funny, engaging and heartwarming enemies to lovers romance.
 
Gillian is comfortable with her life after 5 years divorced, but wouldn't say no to finding that someone special. After many disastrous dates via dating apps she's happy to work in her garden with her eye on winning the local gardening competition.
 
Noah has recently moved to town after a devastating break-up and decides the fixer-upper he has bought, sight unseen, is exactly what he needs to keep him busy. When he has an altercation with fiery neighbour Gillian, over a border hedge he removed, he knows she is trouble but he can't keep his mind off her.
 
I loved this sweet, slow-burn rom-com. It's probably You is filled with down-to-earth, relatable characters. Gillian is confident, smart, funny and sexy. We see Noah's confident side but not around Gillian. She undoes him and enjoys pushing his buttons.
I enjoyed the matchmaking trio of elderly women neighbours who weren't reticent in giving advice to Noah and eavesdropping whenever they got the chance. A vast array of supporting characters add plenty of humour and drama to the plot.
 
It's Probably You ticks all the boxes for the perfect beach read this summer. It is a sweet, slow-burn, closed-door, small town romance with a curvy female main character and an enemies to lovers trope. 
 
If you are after a book that will leave you smiling long after you have read the last page you can't go past It's Probably You by Jayne Denker
 
My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tuesday 9 January 2024

Book Review: The Italian Marriage by Jenna Lo Bianco

 The Italian Marriage

by

Jenna Lo Bianco

An inheritance. A fake marriage. Must be amore.
 
Publication date: 27th December 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 368
RRP: $34.99AU (trade paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Italian Marriage 

I loved this book! The perfect beach read, even though I'm nowhere near a beach.

The Italian Marriage is so sweet I think I 'aawed' through the whole book.
The Italian Marriage is a fake marriage trope; he falls first, one bed, sweetly sexy, romance.

Matthew D'Adamo is set to inherit the family estate but first he needs a wife. The estate goes to the youngest 'married' D'Adamo male.

Sarah Browne, a free-spirited event manager, agrees to an air-tight pre-nup and is looking forward to a break from the emotional toll of her endometriosis. The first time the two meet is on the flight to Florence. When they arrive they find another claimant has surfaced and now they must spend a year together restoring a rundown hotel. Whichever couple is most successful after 12 months wins the family estate.

I loved both Sarah and Matthew! They were both so perfect; kind, accommodating and thoughtful. Sarah is fun, spontaneous and confident. The story introduces lovely friends that help them connect with the community and there are also those that are bent on thwarting them so there is loads of drama between all the sweet moments of Sarah and Matthew getting to know each other.

With chapter headings in Italian and lots of Italian interspersed throughout conversations it was very easy to connect with the location.
The Italian Marriage is steeped in the culture of Italy. The language, the food, the architecture is all vividly played out on the page.

If you are after a sweet romance with plenty of drama and a few little twists The Italian Marriage will not disappoint.
The Italian Marriage is destination romance at its best!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Friday 21 July 2023

Book Review: The Willow Tree Wharf by Léonie Kelsall

 The Willow Tree Wharf

by

Léonie Kelsall

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 4th July 2023
Genre: Rural Romance
Pages: 420
RRP: $29.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 

Review: The Willow Tree Wharf

With The Willow Tree Wharf Léonie Kelsall has written a slow-burn romance with depth and compassion. 
All Léonie's books read well on their own however if you read them in order you get that extra level of character connection.

I absolutely loved being back in Settlers Bridge with old friends from Léonie's previous books; Roni, Jack, Lucie, Gabrielle, Tracey and Christine. This is one fabulous community and I love feeling a part of it whilst I read.

Samantha is in an abusive relationship and her husband has gaslighted her so much she is afraid to open her mouth. She had no self worth and was very insecure.
"After so many years she should have known better than to provoke him."
These are the thoughts of someone who has been spoken down to all their married life. 
Kelsall brings the whole community together as they close ranks around Samantha. Small towns are known for their gossipers but they also know how to protect their own. 
 
Pierce is a city boy, he has spent his life appeasing his parents and working in their restaurant with their rules. He would love to branch out and live his own dream but feels trapped by obligation.
 
I enjoyed the parallels between Sam's and Pierce's lives. Even though their circumstances were poles apart they were both forfeiting their dreams and happiness for someone else.
Lots of road bumps and misunderstandings made for an immersive read that had me eagerly reading knowing that all will come good in the end. That's what I love about romance!
Léonie's novels are extra special because they have layers of depth as well as the happy endings I expect.
 
 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Raised initially in a tiny, no-horse town on South Australia's Fleurieu coast, then in the slightly more populated wheat and sheep farming land at Pallamana, Léonie Kelsall is a country girl through and through. Growing up without a television, she developed a love of reading before she reached primary school, swiftly followed by a desire to write.
Léonie entertained a brief fantasy of moving to the big city (well, Adelaide), but within months the lure of the open spaces and big sky country summoned her home. Now she splits her time between the stark, arid beauty of the family farm at Pallamana and her home and counselling practice in the lush Adelaide Hills.  
 
Reviews of Léonie's other books:
 
 

Friday 5 May 2023

Book Review: New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal

 New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village

by

Michelle Vernal

Publisher: Bookouture
 
Publication date: 4th may 2023
 
Genre: Romance (RomCom)
 
Pages: 305
 
RRP: $4.99AU (Kindle)
 
Source: eBook courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village

New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village is such a fun story! I loved it from start to finish! It is a warmhearted romcom set in the small village of Emerald Bay where everyone knows your business and nobody seems to mind that it's that way.

Michelle Vernal has delivered a whole town of quirky and lovable characters. The story is just as much about the whole town as it is about the main character, Imogen Kelly, one of the five Kelly sisters.

Imogen, a highly successful Dublin interior designer, has returned home to Emerald Bay to complete an interior design project at Benmore House, the home of her first love Lachlan Leslie. A high school romance she still hasn't found closure with. Whilst at home surrounded by her family Imogen reflects on her own lifestyle choices and her current romance with a man 27years her senior.
 
New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village is a light read, a feel good story with plenty of humour at Imogen's expense. Imogen takes all the mishaps with good grace and is even able to have a laugh at herself, making her a very endearing character.

I really enjoyed this story about families, celebrations, reconnecting with your true self and new beginnings. I loved getting to know all the townsfolk of Emerald Bay and Imogen's large and loving family. I am looking forward to reading Christmas in the Little Irish Village and being back with them all again.

My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.
 
Follow the blog tour below
 

 

Tuesday 28 February 2023

Book Review: Snowy Mountains Promise by Alissa Callen

 Snowy Mountains Promise

by

Alissa Callen

A town scandal. A kelpie chaperone. A winter ball.
The bush telegraph has never had so much to talk about.....
 
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
 
Publication date: 1st February 2023
 
Series: Bundilla #3
 
Genre: Rural Romance
 
Pages: 370
 
RRP: $29.99AU Paperback
 
Source: Uncorrected proof courtesy of the publisher
 

My review of Snowy Mountains Promise

I know when I pick up a book by Alissa Callen I am in for a treat and Snowy Mountains Promise was no exception.
 
I loved being back in the town of Bundilla! Bundy the dog has been shadowing Taite lately and everyone in town knows when Bundy is around change is in the air, and it just so happens Brenna's friend Hettie is also in town. ( For those that haven't read Alissa's books, Bundy is the town's dog he belongs to nobody and everybody. He knows exactly who needs him and is known to do a bit of matchmaking himself).
 
Taite and Hettie are both introverts and whilst Taite is holding on to deep hurt over his father's death, Hettie is not going to push herself on Taite when he is, obviously, not interested. This makes for a very angsty romance, which isn't usually my thing, but Callen makes it more compelling by adding a crime mystery element and a long held secret that Hettie is determined to uncover.
 
The books can be read alone but you will get such a thrill when you read them in publication order and characters you've grown to love pop up in subsequent books.
Both the rural setting and characters of Snowy Mountains Promise are delightfully portrayed with everyday snippets of farming and social life along with the matchmaking attempts of the women's quilting club and the humour of the men ribbing each other over this fact. 
 
In Snowy Mountains Promise Alissa Callen picks you up and places you right in the centre of this small-town community enveloping you in the warmth and welcome of her characters. 
 
My rating 5/5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
When USA Today bestselling author Alissa Callen isn't writing, she plays traffic controller to four children, three dogs, two horses and one renegade cow who believes the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. After a childhood spent chasing sheep on the family farm, Alissa has always been drawn to remote areas and small towns, even when residing overseas. She is partial to autumn colours, snowy peaks and historic homesteads and will drive hours to see an open garden. Once a teacher and a counsellor, she remains interested in the life journeys that people take. She draws inspiration from the countryside around her, whether it be the brown snake at her back door or the resilience of bush communities in times of drought or flood. Her books are characteristically heartwarming, authentic and character driven. Alissa lives on a small slice of rural Australia in central western NSW.
 
Other books I've read by Alissa Callen
 
 
 

Sunday 14 August 2022

Book Review: Snowy Mountains Cattleman by Alissa Callen

 Snowy Mountains Cattleman
by
Alissa Callen
 
Is love the greatest risk of all?
 
 
Imprint: Mira
 
Publication date: 2nd February 2022
 
Series: A Bundilla Novel #2
 
Genre: Contemporary / Rural Romance
 
Pages: 334
 
RRP: $29.99AUD
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
My review of Snowy Mountains Cattleman
 
It was so good to be back in Bundilla catching up on the lives of some familiar characters!
 
Rowan has returned from the UK and is scheduled to work on the restoration of the old Russell mansion, Crookwell Park.
 
Grace has a busy interior design business in Sydney and arrives in Bundilla to oversee the restoration of Crookwell Park. Her mother had always loved the old building and this was something she could do to remember both parents now they had passed away.
 
I just love a tentative romance story! Both Grace and Rowan have trauma they need to work through. Rowan, a broken relationship and Grace, the death of her parents. And they both know Grace is only there for the summer.

Alissa Callen has delivered again in Snowy Mountains Cattleman! We get to see Bundilla's beautiful sense of community and kinship and the gorgeous snowy mountains region in all its glory through a summer season. There are characters we have grown to love popping in and out of the story and a new character to love in Grace, who slowly opens up to the residents of Bundilla and calls them friends. Who could resist befriending Clancy, the flower farmer from Snowy Mountains Daughter.

Bundy, the town's resident kelpie is back in another starring role as companion, matchmaker and social media sensation and he adopts Grace as soon as she arrives in town.

Alissa Callen gives her readers an old mansion with long held secrets, country life, mysteries, suspense and romance all packed together in a heart-warming story of recovery.

Snowy Mountains Cattleman gets all the stars!!!! Alissa Callen's writing is consistently entertaining.

My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


About the author
 
When USA Today bestselling author Alissa Callen isn't writing, she plays traffic controller to four children, three dogs, two horses and one renegade cow who believes the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. After a childhood spent chasing sheep on the family farm, Alissa has always been drawn to remote areas and small towns, even when residing overseas. She is partial to autumn colours, snowy peaks and historic homesteads and will drive hours to see an open garden. Once a teacher and a counsellor, she remains interested in the life journeys that people take. She draws inspiration from the countryside around her, whether it be the brown snake at her back door or the resilience of bush communities in times of drought or flood. Her books are characteristically heartwarming, authentic and character driven. Alissa lives on a small slice of rural Australia in central western NSW.
 
 

 
 

Sunday 5 June 2022

Book Review: The Wattle Seed Inn by Léonie Kelsall

The Wattle Seed Inn
by
Léonie Kelsall 
 
Bestselling author of The Farm at Peppertree Crossing
 
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
 
Publication date: 5th July 2021
 
Genre: Rural Romance
 
Pages: 416
 
RRP: $29.99AUD
 
Format read: paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
My review
 
I absolutely loved this story and can't believe I let it sit on my shelf for this long!! 
Rich city girl meets and falls in love with country boy.

Told through the eyes of Gabrielle, a city girl with something to prove, Hayden, the country boy that has underlying demons and Ilse, family matriarch and original owner of The Wattle Seed Inn (formerly Wurruldi Hotel).
 
Gabrielle, having bought out her ex-fiance, is now the owner of the dilapidated Wurruldi Hotel. She has grand plans to turn it into a B & B and prove to her ex that she can do this on her own.
 
Hayden just wants to be left alone, he feels he can't be relied upon as he let the one person that means the most to him down. But the new girl in town as caught his eye.
 
Ilse loves the Wurruldi Hotel, it has been in her family for generations. She is hoping the new owner will take her advice with renovations. 
 
I thoroughly loved being back in the small country town of Wurruldi on the Murray River and I loved the casual banter between the friends and how they eagerly included Gabrielle into their lives.
Both Gabrielle and Hayden had hidden demons that they held close preventing them from opening up and starting a relationship. Strong themes of forgiving yourself and accepting yourself are explored through these two characters.
The mysteries that surround each character weave themselves throughout the story urging the reader on, looking for answers.
 
Léonie Kelsall explains, through Hayden, that PTSD is not only about nightmares and panic attacks. There is also the self loathing, paranoia and catastrophising. The inclusion of the aptly named companion dog, Trigger highlighted the work of companion dogs in situations I would not have normally thought of.
 
I found the encounters between Ilse and Gabrielle both endearing and heart-wrenching. Kelsall writes with real emotion.
 
I enjoyed revisiting characters from The Farm at Peppertree Crossing as they popped in and out of the story as Kelsall included many themes around country living.
 
Léonie Kelsall has written another winner; heart-wrenching, endearing and full of country charm. A story of forgiveness and moving on...
 
My rating 5 / 5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 
 About the author
 
Raised initially in a tiny, no-horse town on South Australia's Fleurieu coast, then in the slightly more populated wheat and sheep farming land in the Murraylands,
Léonie Kelsall is a country girl through and through. Growing up without a television, she developed a love of reading before she reached primary school, swiftly followed by a desire to write. Pity the poor teachers who received chapters of creative writing instead of a single page!
Léonie entertained a brief fantasy of moving to the big city (well, Adelaide), but within months the lure of the open spaces and big sky country summoned her home. Now she splits her time between the stark, arid beauty of the family farm at Pallamana and her home and counselling practice in the lush Adelaide Hills.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 24 January 2022

Blog Tour Book Review: A Secret at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods

A Secret at Tansy Falls
by
Cate Woods
 
Publisher: Bookouture
 
Publication date: 20th January 2022
 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance
 
Pages: 222
 
Format read: Ebook
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley
 
About the book
 
As the summer sun sets over the sleepy Vermont town of Tansy Falls, Connie is reminded of how lucky she is. Every day, when she leaves the job she loves, managing the Covered Bridge Inn with her best friend Piper, she looks forward to returning to the farmhouse she shares with her husband Nate. At home, her flowerbeds overflow with day lilies and the weathered brick walls of her beautiful house glow in the evening light. The air is filled with the scent of the puffed apple pancakes she prepared that morning.

But one night, when Nate returns home, he is distant. He and Connie have been married for a long time, and while the laughter and lingering kisses have dwindled, Connie believed they would be together forever. So when a stranger arrives on their doorstep with a shocking secret about Nate, Connie’s life changes beyond all recognition.

Connie never thought she’d need to start over and live a life without Nate by her side. But as her heart breaks, Piper and the team at the inn are ready to help stitch it back together, with thoughtful advice washed down with warm spiced cider. As Connie begins to feel whole again, distraction arrives in the form of olive-skinned, broad-shouldered newcomer James. Nate has taught Connie that she doesn’t need a man, but James’s arrival helps her discover that she can follow her own dreams too. But as more secrets come to the surface, Connie wonders if she’ll ever truly be able to leave behind her past for good…
 
My review
 
We are back in the picturesque town of Tansy Falls with book 2 in the Tansy Falls series. Connie is the main character of this story. She is the manager of the Covered Bridge Inn owned by Piper and Spencer.
 
Connie is worried her husband has become distant since he lost his job and she feels her 20 year marriage is at an end, her father has a new girlfriend that is a decade younger than her and she is trying to organise a publicity weekend for the inn.
Cate Woods has piled dilemma after dilemma onto Connie as she struggles with her marriage, her job and her father's new relationship.
 
I really enjoyed book 1 with Nell's story and following her character growth. Nell's story was relatable however, Connie's story didn't affect me the same way. She wasn't likeable and her lack of communication with her husband was frustrating.
 
The imagery is vivid as Tansy Falls and its surrounds are described throughout the story. Characters  from book 1 have very brief appearances and I would have liked to have seen more of them.
Woods highlights the consequences of making assumptions and jumping to conclusions, along with the need for communication in marriage.
 
I have fallen in love with the beautiful town of Tansy Falls and even though the plot of book 2 didn't resonate with me I am looking forward to book 3 to see what's in store for this town and its residents.
 
My rating  3 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐

 
About the author
 
Cate Woods made the most of her degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature by embarking on a career making tea on programmes including The Big Breakfast, Who Wants to be a Millionaire and French & Saunders. After narrowly missing out on the chance to become a Channel 5 weather girl she moved into the world of magazine journalism, then ghostwriting and now writes novels under her own name. She has written two best-selling romantic comedies, Just Haven't Met You Yet and More Than a Feeling - and a festive novel, The Christmas Guest, under the name Daisy Bell. Cate lives in London with her husband and two children.





 
 

Thursday 2 December 2021

Book Review & Giveaway: Once Burnt, Twice Shy by Karly Lane

 Once Burnt, Twice Shy
by
Karly Lane

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
 
Publication date: 30th November 2021
 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rural Romance
 
Pages: 348
 
RRP: $29.99
 
Format read: Paperback 
 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher
 
About the book
 
Recently divorced mother-of-two Samantha Murphy agrees to house-sit for her parents for a few weeks-but when the house involves several hundred acres of farming and livestock, it's a little more involved than the usual job. Sam left the family farm years ago for a more exciting, glamorous life on the Sunshine Coast, but now that her kids have grown up and moved out, she's at a crossroads.

Jack Cameron was in love with Sam when they were teenagers, and she broke his heart when she left town at eighteen. Their lives moved along similar paths-both marrying, having families and getting divorced-but in very different locations. Now that Sam is back, they begin to realise that there are unresolved feelings between them.

As catastrophic fires roar destructively through the local farming community, Sam has no choice but to evacuate her parents' farm. But worse is still to come: Jack is reported missing and Sam is forced to prepare for the worst news.
 
My review
 
Karly Lane once again brings her characters into our homes and into our hearts.
 
In Once Burnt, Twice Shy we get a front line look at the devastating fires that scorched Australia in the summer of 2019 - 2020. A tribute to our unsung heroes, the Rural Fire Service and it's hundreds of volunteer fire fighters who put their lives in danger to save the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere.
 
 I liked that Karly stayed away from the politics of it all and concentrated on the characters and the community. Set on the mid-north coast of NSW the fires are described as if we are there amidst the action and I could feel the anxiety as Sam readied the farm to leave as the fire approached. Lane passionately communicates the devastation of losing a family home that has been passed down through the generations and the insurmountable amount of work to rebuild; new fencing, sheds, livestock and all this came after a long drough that ahd already caused financial stress.
 
Most farmers were also volunteer fire fighters working the farm as well as fighting fires. A lot of the farmers find it hard to ask for help. They are hard working and self sufficient, getting on with the job and holding their emotions in.

Karly Lane adds humour which I feel is needed in these stories of hardship. It doesn't take away from the drama it just lightens the book up a bit.
 
Once Burnt, Twice Shy is however a romance so the main characters and their budding relationship is a large focus in the story. Sam is back home in Burrumba, it doesn't matter how long you've been gone, where you grew up is always home. She is there to attend the family farm while her parents take a much anticipated holiday.
Sam reunites with neighbour and high school boyfriend Jack. It's been 30 years but the spark is still there. Lane raises realistic circumstances as road blocks in Jack and Sam's ongoing relationship. The two main characters in this story are middle-aged with teenaged children which gives for a whole set of drama in a new relationship.
 
Once Burnt, Twice Shy is an engaging second chance romance rich in issues relevant to rural communities.
 
Karly's books are my go to! I eagerly await every new release and I feel Karly puts a little of herself in every book which makes it all the more engaging.
 
5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

   

About the author

Karly Lane lives on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. Proud mum to four children and wife of one patient mechanic, she is lucky enough to spend her day doing the two things she loves most - being a mum and writing stories set in beautiful rural Australia.
 
https://www.instagram.com/karly_lane_author/ 
 
 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21
 
Giveaway
 
 Thanks to Allen & Unwin I have one paperback copy of Once Burnt, Twice Shy to giveaway to one lucky entrant. Australian addresses only. Entry via the form below.
Entries close at Midnight AEST  8th December 2021
 
This giveaway is now closed and the winner Sharon was announced HERE

Tuesday 23 November 2021

Book Review: Home Truths in Tumble Creek by Louise Forster

 Home Truths in Tumble Creek
by
Louise Forster

Publisher: Self Published
 
Publication date: 21st may 2019
 
Series: Tumble Creek #1
 
Genre: Rural Romance 
 
Pages: 298
 
Format read: eBook
 
Source: courtesy of the author
 
About the book
 
London-based chef, Jennifer Dove, loves her exciting, fast-paced life and she has every intention of returning to it ASAP. This trip to the small country town of Tumble Creek is to visit her sister and niece and farewell her beloved uncle. But barely hours into her stay, she disturbs an intruder in her uncle's house and is questioned by police. Things are not all they seem in Tumble Creek, and as much as she tries not to, Jennifer is sucked into the mystery surrounding her uncle. What are the locals hiding?      

And why can she not get sexy local Calum McGregor out of her mind?
 
My review
 
Home Truths in Tumble Creek is light and fun, an easy read. 
 
Jennifer flies from London to the small town of Tumble Creek in country Australia. Jen may be a top London chef but she is no stranger to this country town. It was the home town of her Uncle Bob who Jen and her sister Sofie visited often when they were growing up. They are there to attend his funeral and organise his affairs. The last thing Jen expects to do is fall for a sexy farmer.
 
Louise Forster has delivered a romance read that is filled with mystery, humour and secrets. There are a couple of steamy scenes for fans of sexy romance reads but the majority of the story is sweet.
Tumble Creek is portrayed as a welcoming, small country town and I enjoyed getting to know the residents there.
 
City girl Jen got into plenty of scrapes where hot farmer Callum came to the rescue and in one instance the local fire brigade was summoned and a rescue through an upstairs window was quite comical.
 
A sexy farmer, Russian spies watching their every move and loan sharks determined to get their money by any means give for moments of light-hearted fun and moments of suspense. 
 
My only quibble with this novel is there was too much dialogue for my liking and it slowed the story.
 
My rating  3 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

Louise Forster grew up in a Victorian country town. She ran barefoot along dirt roads and loved looking through the leaves of tall eucalypts at the azure summer skies. Eventually, she grew up, and the country town became a suburb of Melbourne. Running barefoot to catch her train to work would have caused more than a few raised eyebrows so she opted for stilettos, of course. At eighteen, Louise travelled through Europe, parts of Africa and the Pacific Islands. These days Louise lives on the far north coast of New South Wales on a small property that includes her extended family, three dogs, three cats and all manner of wildlife. 
 
 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21

Monday 18 October 2021

Book Review: Summer of Serenity by Nicola Marsh

 Summer of Serenity
by
Nicola Marsh
 
A slick city principal. 
A country teacher with a cause. 
Fireworks are guaranteed.... 
 
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
 
Imprint: Mira AU
 
Publication date: 29th September 2021
 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Rural Romance
 
Pages:  384

RRP: $29.99AUD

Format read: paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty & Lace Book Club

About the book


A slick city boy with a mission. A free-spirited country girl with a cause. Fireworks are guaranteed...

Upstanding principal Jay Atherton dreads the next four weeks. As punishment for crossing his bosses, he's been lumped with the inglorious task of assessing Acacia Haven's tiny school with its, dare he say, 'hippie' curriculum. With the lowest test scores in the state, it's no wonder shutting it down is practically a forgone conclusion. But then he crosses paths with a spitfire who knocks him for six - pity he's already public enemy number one...

Teacher Summer O'Reilly loves her small town nestled along the beautiful coast. Returning was the best decision she ever made. The intentional living community of Serenity is thriving, and the children are its future. No way will she allow a jumped-up suit - no matter how good-looking - to close the school her precious students need.

For Rayne O'Reilly, Acacia Haven has always been serene on the surface, but there's a dark secret she's kept from everyone for decades, including her daughter, Summer. But after reviving old friendships and reconnecting with the past, will she finally have the courage to tear down the walls that have kept her trapped?

My review

In Summer of Serenity Nicola Marsh has written a heartfelt and meaningful story about releasing your past demons and moving on to a better life.

As punishment for his outspoken views on Education Jy is sent to the seaside town of Acacia Haven to assess whether the small school should remain open.

After her initial apprehension Summer, a teacher at the school, finds Jy easy-going and very good looking. What harm could a fling do, he is only in Acacia Haven for four weeks?

Rayne’s life has been filled with llies and secrets and fifteen years after her husband walked out on her and Summer she can’t stop the lies because that would mean facing her past.

Summer of Serenity is a story about small-town closeness and the lack of resources for these communities. Just outside Acacia Haven is the small community of Serenity, not a hippy commune but an intentional community of like minded people that believe in sustainability. Through the teenagers of the local school we see how this community believes in work ethics and learning through helping out around the community rather than attaining a University admission ranking. A work and life balance is fostered in the children of the community and they can still grow up to lead a fulfilling and purposeful life.

Small towns are often portrayed as everyone knowing everyone else’s business and Acacia haven was no different. However, Nicola Marsh shows us that even in the closest of communities there are still secrets behind closed doors.

I enjoyed the different generational romances, how the different age groups handled situations differently and the reasons behind why the characters were closed off to love but all culminated in each of them bottling up their emotions, stopping them from moving forward with their lives.

Nicola Marsh was able to portray the lingering effects of domestic abuse without an abundance of graphic detail.

Summer of Serenity is a heart-warming story with plenty of ups and downs for the characters to negotiate but still leaving the reader guaranteed a happy ending.


This review was first published on the Beauty and lace website

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 About the author

USA Today bestselling and multi-award winning author Nicola Marsh writes page-turning fiction to keep you up all night.

She has published seventy-seven books and sold over eight million copies worldwide. She currently writes rural romance for Harper Collins Australia's Mira imprint, emotional domestic suspense for Hachette UK's Bookouture and contemporary romance for Penguin Random House USA's Berkley imprint.

She's a Romantic Book of the Year and National Readers' Choice Award Winner.

A Physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two dashing young heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, barracking loudly for her beloved North Melbourne Kangaroos footy team, and curling up with a good book! 
 
 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 
                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21
 
Fantastic news! I hear there is a sequel coming titled Spring of Serendipity.