Book picks similar to
Perseverance (Garth Trilogy, #2) by L.F. McDermott
australian-author
family-saga
part-of-a-series
19th-century
Out of the Box: The Highs and Lows of a Champion Smuggler
Julie McSorley - 2014
He returned to Australia in a box, but that was only the start of his adventures.Crazily impulsive, romantic, and free-spirited, Reg became a national hero for smuggling himself 13,000 miles home as air freight. But as his fame and sporting career faded, Reg decided to smuggle something very different. Soon, he was on the run with his girlfriend, playing a cat-and-mouse game with police on three continents. A wild road trip across India and Africa—idyllic beaches and prison hellholes, shady friends and shadier cops, gun-toting militias and drug-running gangsters —led to a court room in Sri Lanka and the fight of his life. Could Reg beat the death sentence he’d just been given, or was this box too big to climb out of?
Matryoshka
Katherine Johnson - 2018
Sara’s grandmother, Nina Barsova, a Russian post-war immigrant, lovingly raised Sara in the cottage at the foot of Mt Wellington but without ever explaining why Sara’s own mother, Helena, abandoned her as a baby. Sara, a geneticist, also longs to know the identity of her father, and Helena won’t tell her. Now, estranged not only from her mother but also from her husband, Sara raises her daughter, Ellie, with a central wish to spare her the same feeling of abandonment that she experienced as a child. When Sara meets an Afghani refugee separated from his beloved wife and family, she decides to try to repair relations with Helena – but when a lie told by her grandmother years before begins to unravel, a darker truth than she could ever imagine is revealed.Matryoshka is a haunting and beautifully written story about the power of maternal love, and the danger of secrets passed down through generations.
Castaway: The extraordinary survival story of Narcisse Pelletier, a young French cabin boy shipwrecked on Cape York in 1858
Robert Macklin - 2019
He lives in Canberra. In 1858, fourteen-year-old French cabin boy Narcisse Pelletier was aboard the trader Saint-Paul when it was wrecked off the eastern tip of New Guinea. Scrambling into a longboat, Narcisse and the other survivors crossed almost 1000 kilometres of the Coral Sea before reaching the shores of Far North Queensland. If not for the local Aboriginal people, Narcisse would have perished. For seventeen years he lived with them, growing to manhood and participating fully in their Uutaalnganu world. Then, in 1875, his life was again turned upside down.Drawing from firsthand interviews with Narcisse after his return to France and other contemporary accounts of exploration and survival, and documenting the spread of European settlement in Queensland and the brutal frontier wars that followed, Robert Macklin weaves an unforgettable tale of a young man caught between two cultures in a time of transformation and upheaval.
Survivor: From childhood abuse to a life of crime and prostitution
Tara O’Shaughnessey - 2019
Prostitute. Gangster’s Wife. Survivor.
Tara grew up in squalor on the island of Alderney. When she was only four, she was sexually abused by one of her mother’s many lovers, a horror that continued for five long years. As a teenager, desperate to escape the toxic environment at home, she fled to London – but was swiftly drawn into working as a prostitute. She became involved with some of London’s most notorious gangsters – even marrying one – but when she realised the danger she was inflicting on her children, she knew she had to find a way to get out. This is the inspiring story of one woman’s will to survive, and to fight for a better life.
Grave Fright
Lily Harper Hart - 2016
They’re happy. They’re in love. They’re also buried in dead bodies.Blackstone Bay may be a small town, but murder keeps finding the one person who can not only solve the cases, but also help the lingering ghosts move on – and Maddie and Nick have to find a way to solve the crimes while building a future at the same time.This omnibus includes three books in the Maddie Graves Mystery series: Grave Misgivings, Grave Concerns and Grave Discovery.
Whiskey Ridge Series
Rachel Hanna - 2017
Whiskey Ridge is a small town in the north Georgia mountains, and the characters you'll meet in these three books will make you smile, cheer, laugh and maybe even shed a tear or two. If you love Southern charm, chivalrous men and complex characters you can relate to, Whiskey Ridge is the series for you. Every book is set in the same town, but all are stand alone stories and can be read in any order. Plus, no pesky cliffhangers here! Here's what's included in this set: STARTING OVER They say opposites attract, but Kelly Cole spends most of her time dreaming of wringing one man's neck. When the calm and serenity of her life is threatened by a loud karate instructor upstairs, Kelly Cole goes on the offensive. With his sexy alpha hero personality, Quinn Maverick isn't budging either which makes working in the same small building difficult. A widower with a big secret, Quinn becomes Kelly's protector in a few situations, cementing the connection between them but when she finds out what he's hiding, can she forgive him? When the scars of the past bring out the guilt, can the wounds be healed? TAKING CHANCES Life can change on a dime. Piper Williams is poor. She's always been poor. Like seriously - dirt poor from a small town. But when one of her regular customers at The Greasy Spoon diner gives her the gift of a lifetime, her life changes overnight. But as with all gifts, there are potential obstacles and hers is named Cameron. The grandson of her now dearly departed customer is thrust upon her, and she's forced to work with a man who seems to despise her from day one. With only six weeks to make it work, Cameron and Piper try to exist in the same house but as with everything in life... things change. HOME AGAIN Can the choice to forgive lead to a whole new life? Emmy Moore is a physical therapist but is nursing wounds from her ex-husband's betrayal and their failed marriage after he stole her life savings. Alone, broke and called back to her small hometown in the north Georgia mountains because of her eccentric's mother's antics at the retirement home, she just wants to quickly rebuild her life and get the heck out of town before the memories overtake her. But then there he is. He wasn't supposed to be there. The one man she loved with her full heart. The one man who knew their secret. And the one man who shattered her heart into a million pieces when he drove away all those years ago, leaving her in a plume of orange Georgia clay dust. And now, she's being required to help him recover from a near fatal accident. Will she be able to get him back to health before all those old feelings and the secret they share resurface and drown them both? Get THREE Whiskey Ridge series books in one convenient boxed set! Sit down and start reading within minutes by clicking the BUY button!
Shattered Lives 3
T.M. Pigatt - 2017
I’ve done everything to survive. I’ve been running for so long... but no more. It’s time to stand up and fight. I will fight for my life. I will fight for the love and the passion that Charles has awaken. I won’t let them take that away from me. Charles.... From the moment I saw Samantha, I felt a connection. I knew that I was going to have to make her mine. Now, I won’t let anyone take her away from me. Doesn’t matter who I have to battle. Even if it’s Samantha herself, or a ghost waiting in the shadows, I'm NEVER letting go!
On The Edge of Time, Part One
Russ Scalzo - 2013
It is two weeks after millions of people have mysteriously disappeared from the face of the earth, and, like millions of others, Jerry Westfield, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is upset and perplexed at that loss, particularly since it took his best friends, Jeremy and Kathy Palmer. His personal concerns must be set aside, however, when the international situation frantically signals the immanent destruction of the state of Israel. It is there that Jerry is sent to cover the story of his journalistic career and is reunited with Jacob Klausman, a ‘retired’ member of the ‘Mossad,’ Israel’s secret service. It is also there that he will meet with a cataclysmic series of monsters and miracles, including Ruth, the woman who will change his mind about marriage, and the charismatic Demetrius Strapollos, who soon is hailed as the ‘Messiah’ who will rescue Israel and restore her former glory. This quick-moving tale of suspense and power on a cosmic scale is intricately detailed and researched, providing the reader with insights into international politics, Biblical prophecy, the darkness of the human heart, and the challenge of faith in the face of disillusionment and pain. As current as this morning’s newspaper, this book will challenge the reader’s belief system, introduce him or her to the intricate world of international intrigue, and insure that the reader will never look at the Mid-East situation in quite the same light ever again.
To Take (Crimson Trails Book 1)
B. Love - 2017
Leigha didn’t want to be a part of her town’s betrothal tradition, and she wanted to create her own path in life. After years of walking down the path of heartbreak, Leigha finally decided to come home and give her parents the chance to find her husband for her. When Christensen James moved to Crimson Trails four years ago his family had only one thing in mind – capitalizing on the location to bring in new business for their family. It wasn’t until they’d settled into their new lives in Crimson Trails that they learned of the tradition of arranged marriages. With Christensen being the ladies’ man that he is, he sees absolutely no point in agreeing to an arranged marriage… until he witnesses the love and happiness his sister finds because of it. Both Christensen and Leigha have been given the title ‘wild child’, and neither of them believe their parents will be able to match them with the loves of their lives, but after their first encounter with each other their minds begin to change. Even with their love blooming, Leigha’s painful past hovers over their present, and if she doesn’t get it under control it may ruin both of their futures. Please note: “To Take: Crimson Trails Series” is an ongoing novella series spinoff from “To Take: A Novella.” Each story will feature a completely different couple, and the couples do not connect in any way besides being in the same town. The series can be read in any order. There will be no cliffhangers. Book one has 25,000 words and does feature the younger sister of Haylo, the main character from “To Take: A Novella”, but you do not have to read it to understand and enjoy book one of this series.
The Making of Christina
Meredith Jaffe - 2017
Jackson Plummer quickly becomes the cure to Christina's loneliness and a surrogate father to her young daughter Bianca.When Jackson suggests moving to a run-down farm in the mountains, Christina is uncertain about uprooting their lives in the city. She soon forgets her hesitation, absorbing herself in restoring the rambling century-old house, Bartholomews Run, and becoming obsessed with solving its mysterious history.But while living on the isolated farm, her once effervescent child transforms into a quiet sullen teenager and Christina increasingly struggles to connect with her.Because Bianca has a secret. And the monstrous truth threatens to destroy them all.Poignant and thought-provoking, The Making of Christina will have you questioning how well you know the people you love, the price of truth, and how easily it could happen to you.
Elizabeth's Star
Rhonda Forrest - 2021
Joanie has also arrived in New Guinea, with a chance to manage a trading store with her father, Reg, too exciting an opportunity to pass up.As the tendrils of war creep closer to the islands north of Australia, some who call Rabaul home are given an opportunity to return to Australian shores. Others have no option but to stay. Will separation and distance affect the destiny of those who live in the path of the approaching enemy or will the power of love prevail?Based on actual events, Elizabeth’s Star begins the story of Michael and Joanie, unfolding the lives of their families and friends while following the life of Gracie, a little girl left behind when her father went to war.A moving tale of love, loss and separation.
The Falls
Cathryn Hein - 2015
Heartbroken, Teagan flees to her Aunt Vanessa's property in the idyllic Falls Valley where she soon catches the attention of sexy local farrier Lucas Knight. With a new job, new friends and the prospect of a new relationship, Teagan's hope in the future slowly returns.But beneath the tranquil village surface lies an underbelly of gossip and division, and when Teagan gets caught up in town politics, Lucas and Vanessa worry she's entered a dangerous game.As tension escalates, Teagan must decide who to trust, but nothing is ever clear-cut in The Falls. Is Lucas too good to be true? And what is her aunt hiding? When she discovers the truth, the fallout may split Teagan apart forever.With its menagerie of cute animals and colourful locals, family drama and romance, The Falls is an uplifting story of healing and hope.
The Quarantine Station
Michelle Montebello - 2019
When Londoner, Rose Porter, arrives on the shores of Sydney with little more than her suitcase, she is forced to take a job as a parlourmaid at the mysterious North Head Quarantine Station. It’s a place of turmoil, segregated classes and strict rules concerning employee fraternisation. But as Rose learns, some rules were made to be broken.2019 ... Over a century later, Emma Wilcott lives a secluded life in Sydney. Still reeling from a devastating loss, her one-hundred-year-old grandmother, Gwendoline, is all she has left. Suffering the early stages of dementia, Gwendoline’s long-term memories take her wandering at night and Emma realises she is searching for something or someone from her past.Emma’s investigation leads her to the Quarantine Station where she meets Matt, the station carpenter, and together they begin to unravel a mystery so compelling it has the power to change lives, the power to change everything Emma ever knew about herself.
Blood on my hands: A surgeon at war
Craig Jurisevic - 2010
It is hardly to be credited that the enlightened nations of Europe are allowing this nightmare to occur only sixty minutes by jet from Paris and London. The forces of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic have swept into Kosovo on the Balkan Peninsula leaving a trail of death and heartbreak. Scenes of Milosevic’s ‘ethnic cleansing’ play out on television screens all over the world; haunted figures huddled behind barbed wire fences, bodies heaped in ditches.Adelaide surgeon Craig Jurisevic recalls his grandfather’s ordeal in a Nazi concentration camp and resolves to honour his memory by offering his skills as a surgeon to the victims of the conflict. Leaving behind a wife and son, Jurisevic flies to the Balkans under the auspices of the International Medical Corps. Struggling to maintain his moral bearings, Jurisevic’s journey from Adelaide to the hell of Kosovo has become a descent into the heart of darkness. Blood on My Hands, co-written with award-winning author Robert Hillman, tells a story of terrible suffering, of extraordinary heroism, and of the savagery that lies coiled in the human heart.
Diamonds and Dust
Sheryl McCorry - 2008
When she was 18 her family moved to Broome, and it was the first time she'd ever used a telephone or seen a television.A year later, only hours after being railroaded into marriage by a fast-talking Yank, Sheryl locked eyes with Bob McCorry, a drover and buffalo shooter. When her marriage ended after only a few months, they began a love affair that would last a lifetime and take them to the Kimberley's harshest frontiers.Sheryl became the only woman in a team of stockmen. She soon learned how to run rogue bulls and to outsmart the neighbours in the toughest game of all – mustering cattle. The playing field was a million acres of unfenced, unmarked boundaries.Sheryl went on to become the first woman in the Kimberley to run two million-acre cattle stations, but her life was not without its share of tragedy. Her story is an epic saga of life in one of the toughest and most beautiful terrains in Australia – a story of hardship, drought, joy and triumph.