"The matchmakers of the Wagtail Ridge Knitting Club return - with a new couple in their sights. A moving story about finding and accepting love from the award-winning author of The Library at Wagtail Ridge.
Anna Prentiss, the town vet, keeps herself emotionally distant from everyone. Badly scarred in an accident, she believes she will never be loved. But the matchmakers of the Knitting Club disagree.
Firefighter Justin Turner is building a volunteer fire service to protect the town during the bushfire season. But Justin and his identical twin brother, Ben, face an unexpected and rocky reunion when their estranged mother crashes back into their orbit.
Justin doesn't see Anna's scars - only her beauty and strength. But his attempt at a romantic dinner goes horribly wrong, and he begins to understand how easy it is to be unintentionally cruel - a lesson he should apply to his own past with his mother.
When fate forces both Anna and Justin to confront their fears, they see the chance of a future together. But as a raging bushfire threatens Wagtail Ridge, will this newfound hope be reduced to ash before they can take the chance?
PRAISE FOR JANET GOVER:
'The Library at Wagtail Ridge is a beautiful book that is a passionate tribute to the libraries, librarians and mobile library operations ... an earnest and utterly delightful read.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews
'The Library at Wagtail Ridge is a captivating story of love, family and belonging that ticks all the boxes for a sweet summer read.' - Better Reading
'This novel just hums along gracefully and effortlessly with scenarios and solutions we can all relate to in one way or another. The importance of friendships, family support and community spirit' - Cindy L. Spear"
"A heartwarming story of second chances, baby alpacas, and knitting a fractured family back together. From the 2023 RuBY award-winning author of The Library at Wagtail Ridge.
These ladies know a perfect match when they see one...
Bree Johnston has given up trying to be the perfect lawyer. It's time to focus on her own dreams, so she decides to leave the city and set up an alpaca farm and wool shop. Her grandmother Rose might be her only supporter, but that's fine. Bree's done trying to win her parents' approval.
She finds the perfect property in the charming small town of Wagtail Ridge but gets more than she bargained for when sparks start flying with the handsome real estate agent.
Being a dad is the most important thing in Matt Ambrose's life. His small agency is struggling, but he's committed to raising his young daughter, Vicki, in the country, the way he and her late mother had planned. But Vicki's grandmother wants to take control, and her interference is only getting worse, putting his little family at risk.
Although these two have a lot on their plates, the ladies of the newly formed Wagtail Ridge Knitting Club know a perfect match when they see one. Or rather two perfect matches, when shearing boss Mike walks onto Bree's farm and into her grandmother's life. With needles, yarn and cups of tea to hand, the matchmaking begins...
PRAISE FOR JANET GOVER:
'The Library at Wagtail Ridge is a captivating story of love, family and belonging that ticks all the boxes for a sweet summer read.' - Better Reading"
"Beloved key characters from The Lawson Sisters return in a standalone rural romance about motherhood, family traditions and having the courage to chart a new future. A new novel from award-winning romance author Janet Gover.
Kayla Lawson believes nothing is good unless it's perfect. This search for perfection has made her a successful high-end wedding planner. But all that comes crashing down when Kayla discovers she's pregnant. She retreats to the sanctuary of Willowbrook Stud to consider this imperfect future as a single mother.
Connor Knight has never known perfection. A kid from the wrong side of the tracks and a motorcycle gang member, he's no stranger to trouble with the law. But he's trying to leave that past behind. By giving a run-down pub in Scone a new lease on life, he's hoping to rebuild his own.
At Willowbrook, Kayla is reunited with her childhood best friend. Jen and her two kids have come to stay while her husband is awaiting trial for a crime he didn't commit. While struggling to decide her future, Kayla is suddenly exposed to what motherhood really looks like.
When she meets Connor there's instant chemistry between them that can't be denied. But with her plans in tatters around her, is there any way to make the pieces fit? Or are the obstacles in front of them insurmountable?"
"An unexpected and unusual inheritance sets a young woman on the road to discover her mother's deepest secret. A charming and heartfelt rural romance perfect for readers of Rachael Johns and Karly Lane.
When Lou Taylor inherits a quaint country cottage and a mobile library full of books from her birth mother, she heads to the small town of Wagtail Ridge to learn more about the woman she never knew. Curiously, the last piece of the bequest is a handwritten letter, the first of many Luca left scattered along the library's route in hopes of finally sharing her secrets with the daughter she had to give up.
The townspeople of Wagtail Ridge flock around Lou, wanting to share the stories of Luca's life, but she knows she must learn about her birth mother in the way Luca intended. Jake Barnes, her new neighbour, offers to help her follow the trail, but weighing on his conscience is a promise he made to Luca - a secret that now stands between him and the woman who's slowly capturing his heart...
As the kilometres fly by, Lou gradually untangles who her mother was and what lay behind the choices she made. At the same time, she finds herself drawing ever closer to kind, handsome Jake. But will it all be enough to keep her in Wagtail Ridge when she has another happy life waiting for her in the city?
A captivating story of love, family and belonging from award-winning romance author Janet Gover.
WINNER: Romantic Elements RuBY 2023, Romance Writers of Australia
PRAISE FOR JANET GOVER:
'Tender, caring and wise, Close to Home is a book to embrace with all your heart.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews
'Like the warmth of a cup of tea and the atmosphere of smells from the cake baking this story will fuse all the senses and bring a smile to the face ... a new dimension to a heartwarming outback tale.' - HappyValley BooksReads"
"A delightful small town story of community and family with shades of Romeo and Juliet and The Dressmaker.
Two households, both alike in dignity...
Aunt Alice Dwyer loves her small Australian town. She's rarely left its comforting embrace. She knows everyone in it; in fact, she's related to most of them. All she wants is to keep her family safe and the town running exactly the way it always has. Her way. But when an exotic French artist comes to town, her hold begins to weaken...
Lucienne Chevalier, once the toast of Europe, has come to Nyringa after a tragic loss to hang up her sequins and create a place for her circus family to rest between tours. With her is Simon, her grandson, recovering from an injury so damaging he can no longer perform. Lucienne fears he'll never embrace a new future. That is, until she notices the chemistry between him and the new schoolteacher... All they need is a push.
Both grande dames think they know what's best, but with equal amounts of stubbornness on both sides, peace looks unlikely. Then a relationship between Alice's rebellious great-niece and a teenage acrobat sets the two communities on a collision course. But when the bakery starts making patisseries over lamingtons, the battle lines are truly drawn...
A story of community and family. Of the love that brings them together ... and the fears that would tear them apart."
"A heartfelt and compelling story of family, secrets and second chances, set in the heart of the beautiful Hunter Valley of NSW, from an award-winning new voice in Australian fiction.
Family, fortune and holding on to what counts...
For many years Elizabeth Lawson has battled single-handedly to run the family's historic horse stud in memory of her beloved father. But a devastating loss puts her dreams at risk. With no options left, Liz is forced to turn to her estranged sister Kayla for help.
Kayla has built a new life in the city as a wedding planner, far removed from the stableyard sweat and dust of her rural upbringing. She never thought she'd go back. But when Liz calls out of the blue, Kayla forms a plan that could save their childhood home.
Kayla's return forces Liz to confront her past ... and her future, in the shape of Mitch, her first and only love, who still watches over her from the other side of the creek.
But Liz still hides a terrible secret. When Kayla learns the truth, will the Lawson sisters find common ground or will their conflict splinter the family once again?
PRAISE FOR JANET GOVER:
'A stirring family drama, set to a spectacular rural stage ... The Lawson Sisters is an exceptional read from cover to cover.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews
'Easy to read and beautifully written - the characters came to life...' - Beauty and Lace
'With the scent of eucalyptus on the air, estranged sisters and a homestead echoing past regrets and missed chances, The Lawson Sisters has everything you want in an Aussie romance.' - Fiona Lowe, bestselling Australian author"
