Book picks similar to
Summer in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen
aussie-authors
arc
contemporary
romance
Hello from the Gillespies
Monica McInerney - 2014
This year, Angela surprises herself—she tells the truth....The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping badly with retirement. Her thirty-two-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can’t stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones.Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when a bump on the head leaves Angela with temporary amnesia, the Gillespies pull together—and pull themselves together—in wonderfully surprising ways....
Putney Bridge
Helen Ryan - 2015
Her two daughters, from a previous relationship, are now both adult. Jo, ambitious and independent, is pursuing a career as a barrister. Jo’s younger sister is very different. Shelley, just 20, sweet natured, trusting and innocent, still lives at home and works at a local animal clinic. They are a normal, happy family - and then Shelley meets Sam on the street and everything changes. Martha struggles to accept Shelley’s choice of boyfriend as, with increasing anger, she witnesses the erosion of all Shelley’s values under Sam’s influence. When Martha’s efforts to persuade Shelley to give Sam up fail, she decides on a more direct approach. The consequences of her actions are devastating for everyone and change the course of Martha’s life forever. “After I’d gone up to bed that night, leaving Gabe amidst the carnage I had created in the living room, I formulated my plan. But it was pure chance that I met Sam on Putney Bridge some three weeks later and I went ahead with it.”
Aunt Daisy's Letter
S.J. Crabb - 2020
Successful, driven and in control of her own life, so when she died suddenly it was quite a shock.Her niece Lily was the next powerful woman in the making and based everything in her own life on that of her successful Aunt. She was determined to walk in her shoes, which is why when they found Aunt Daisy’s notebook, it was given to Lily.Tucked between the pages was a letter that Aunt Daisy wrote to herself. It turned out that far from being happy with her perfect life; she was about to change everything. She had many regrets and wanted to put them right, but never had the chance.Lily makes a vow to honour her Aunt’s memory and complete the list before taking on her own new position of power. That way she would not have the same regrets in her own life that Aunt Daisy died with.However, completing somebody else’s bucket list in four weeks proves to be a challenge Lily underestimated. Can she tick every item off the list and look back on her own life with no regrets, or will she discover there was a reason her Aunt failed in the first place?In her travels, Lily discovers her Aunt’s shocking past and reaches a crossroads herself that could change the direction her own life is heading.Follow Lily on her journey from London to Provence and discover the beauty of a life seen through open eyes. Will Aunt Daisy finally rest in peace, or is history about to repeat itself?
Cross My Heart
Pamela Cook - 2019
Tessa De Santis's child-free marriage in inner-city Sydney is ordered and comfortable, and she likes it that way. When tragedy strikes and her childhood friend Skye Whittaker dies, Tess is bound to honour a promise to become foster-mother to Skye's ten-year-old daughter, Grace, throwing her life upside down. Leaving her husband and work-driven life behind, Tess travels to an isolated property where the realities of her friend's life - and death - hit hard. The idyllic landscape and an unexpected form of therapy ease her fears, and her relationship with Grace begins to blossom. But a secret from her earlier life with Skye refuses to remain hidden, and Tess is forced into a decision that will either right the wrongs of the past, or completely destroy her future.Cross My Heart is a haunting story of guilt, redemption and friendship set in the beautiful central west of New South Wales.
Unfiltered
Sophie White - 2020
So when Amy Donoghue, social media manager extraordinaire steps in to rehabilitate her image, Ali realises she may have to wade once more into the grubby insta-hole. With her ex, Sam, still ignoring her and her mother Mini having a mild grief-induced psychotic break (her scheme for scattering Miles' ashes seems not only bonkers but borderline illegal), Ali's got little else to cling on to but #sponcon and #ootds. Meanwhile Shelly is trying to settle into her new life as a mum-of-two while being held hostage by her mysterious insta-stalker whose sole objective is to keep Shelly on Instagram. But with her fellow Mummy Influencer friends @HolisticHazel immersed in creating WYND festival (her answer to the Goop Summit) and @PollysFewBits being as non-descript as ever, Shelly must get to the bottom of it herself. When Ali starts attending Catfishers Anonymous as a part of Amy's plan for Image Rehab, she discovers some information that may just help Shelly ...
The McCalister Legacy
Nicole Hurley-Moore - 2020
Eleven years on, she returns to the small town of Harlington, determined to confront the past and, finally, to cut all ties and sell her family's farm.Complicating her desire to get out of Harlington, Berry is drawn to her childhood crush, Nate Tarant, He never knew she existed back then. But things change and this time, Nate seems to be very much aware of her presence.While in town, Berry begins to question the long-believed story of what happened to her family. Someone in Harlington is hiding a secret - one that could not only change her life but also alter the past.Will she ever find out the truth and can one old rumour shed light on the real events of that night?
What Happens in Vegas...
Kelli Callahan - 2021
Tempting AF.Old enough to be my father,But I didn't care.I came to Las Vegas with no money to my name.No way to make it on my own.All I knew was the one place that made my dad smile.The only picture I had of him was in front of that iconic sign.But there was someone else in that picture.My dad's best friend.I didn't even know his name,Until he whispered it in my ear.By the time we made the connection, we were in over our heads...Kelli's Note: What Happens in Vegas is the first book in the Dad's Best Friend series. Each book is a standalone, so they can be read in any order.
Red Dust Dancer
Eva Scott - 2016
Tamsin Cooper's career as a Parisian showgirl is coming to an end. Nearly thirty, with no boyfriend and no prospects of a family of her own, she decides to take up her inheritance–her Uncle Ted's cattle farm in Queensland.Farm life seems to be suiting her until Tamsin discovers that Uncle Ted had a secret–and her sexy neighbour Angus Walker helped him keep it. Faced with losing her farm and her heart, Tamsin returns to what she knows best, dancing, and starts teaching the residents of Elliott's Crossing how to get in touch with their inner showgirl. She may have the dance moves, but can she shimmy past a forty–year–old lie and a betrayal of lost love to find her place–and rediscover love–in this country town?
The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking
Lindy DeKoven - 2015
After a chance encounter with a storefront psychic, Kenzie begins secretly wishing that the fortune teller’s far-fetched prediction will come true.Her best friend, Gemma, an outspoken extrovert and dreamer, has her own secret wish—finding the true identify of her biological father. But is it worth the risk? And at what cost?Brynne is a powerful and bossy horse owner at the racetrack, with a seemingly perfect family and Bel-Air mansion to match. But her world is full of dark secrets, many of which threaten everything she has.Sarita, a track coordinator by day and Goth singer by night, bristles under the expectations of her traditional Indian family. Underneath it all, she secretly longs for their approval and acceptance of her chosen life.The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a warm and humorous tale about four women who forge an unlikely and supportive bond—and have the audacity to dream.
One Kiss Before Christmas
Emma Jackson - 2020
She's still living in Brighton with her Nan - who could give the Grinch lessons in how to be miserable - her acting career has been reduced to playing one of Santa's elves, and not even the prospect of a friend's winter wedding can cheer her up...That is until Olivier, the gorgeous French chef, reappears in her life. Or more accurately, next door.When they were teenagers, Olivier would spend every Christmas with his mother, who just happens to be Ash's neighbour and owner of the best chocolate shop in England.If anyone can bring a little sparkle back to Ash's life, it's Olivier. All she needs is one kiss before Christmas...
Summer Island Book Club
Ciara Knight - 2021
The arrival of her wildly successful, buttinski friends, overwhelms Julie when her life goes from peaceful to melodrama, makeovers, and matchmaking. Especially when they make her believe there is still life to be lived with one handsome sailor who’s just moved to town. Trevor Ashford retreats from big city life to sunny Florida after a failed marriage and damaged reputation. His only wish is to open a small boat charter company in peace, but when Houdini-a mischievous pet ferret-steals an engine part and leads him on a merry chase into the arms of Julie Boone, he has to choose between being a recluse or embracing a new love.
New Beginnings at Rose Cottage
Erin Green - 2019
Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Sarah Morgan and Holly Martin.
When solo travellers Benni, Emma and Ruth find themselves holidaying together at charming Rose Cottage in Brixam, Devon, they are initially disappointed to be sharing with strangers of a different age group.But 'friendship and home comforts' are guaranteed at Rose Cottage and soon a bond blossoms between the women, who each have valuable life lessons to share.As the summer unfolds, Benni, Emma and Ruth begin to realise that age is just a number. Before their time at Rose Cottage ends, will they take the chance to grasp the dreams that are now within their reach?
Fill the Sky
Katherine A. Sherbrooke - 2016
Tess is skeptical, but cannot deny a request that might be Ellie’s last. Together with Joline, whose spiritual work inspired the trip, they travel to the mountain village of Otavalo, where they are immersed in nature and introduced to strange, ancient traditions. After an ayahuasca ceremony goes awry, and an unlikely betrayal threatens their friendship, each woman faces her own deep need for healing. FILL THE SKY is a story about the complexity of friendship, the power of the spirit, and the quest to not simply fight death, but to shape an authentic life.
Dizzy In Love (Creekville Kisses)
Brittany Larsen - 2022
But then, when have I ever done anything right?People call me Dizzy Izzy. Between my elopement, divorce, bankruptcy, and arrest, they may not be wrong. (For the record, the misdemeanor wasn’t my fault. I blame my ADD).Jayden Holt, aka Your Honor, is more buttoned-up than a middle-aged accountant, but he’s the only one who’s ever seen me as more than a screw-up. He just happens to be my first love, my first heartbreak–and the judge at my first courtroom appearance. Imagine my surprise when sparks fly and the possibility of a new relationship has me spinning.Until some surprising news has me reconsidering my ex-husband and the marriage we once shared.Giving my ex a second chance may prove that I can finish at least one thing that I've started, but it also means giving up the guy who sees me as more than just dizzy.Dizzy in Love is a laugh-out-loud, melt-your-knees, second-chance romance. Read this sweet, but sizzling, romantic comedy today!