A Good Enough Mother

 A Good Enough Mother

Sheila Norton




Reviewed by Helen


I very much enjoyed this one even when I was frustrated with some of the characters throughout the story, we meet single Mum of two, Jess as she navigates life and work and doing the best for her beautiful children Mia and Archie.

Jess, lost her mum when she was fourteen and this was so hard for her, especially when her father was grieving so much and at seventeen Jess went off the rails and found herself falling for the wrong guy and pregnant this caused a big rift between father and daughter and when pregnant with her second child she knew she had to leave. A new address a new life and all seems well.

When new neighbours, Helen and Robert move into the building and Jess is struggling with work, school and nursey but when they offer to help mind the kids, Jess takes a chance but soon she is worried if she has made the right decision when Mia is telling stories about being punished and seeing her estranged father Jess gets even more worried, are Helen and Robert up to something are her kids safe and what’s more is she a good enough mother?

This is a very good story with lots of twists, I really liked Jess after all she had been through, worry about being a good mother to stay strong for her children, I do highly recommend this one it will have any reader turning the pages.

My thanks to the publisher Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

March 13, 2024 by Boldwood Books

The Accident

 The Accident

Fiona Lowe



Reviewed by Helen


WOW what a compelling story this one is, I could barely put it down once I picked it up, Fiona Lowe, you have given your readers a story that is, thought- provoking, filled with secrets and fabulous characters, two woman, best friends Freya and Hannah have their lives turned upside down when there is a deadly accident in the small country town of Garringarup, come along and share their story.

Freya and Ryan have been living happily together for ten years, and loving life, Ryan is a paramedic and Freya owns the gift store, Just Because in town and it is doing really well.

Hannah and Jamie are busy planning their wedding and thinking about their honeymoon in Tahiti, Hannah dearly wants to start a family soon as they have been very happy together for over a year now, life is looking good.

The day before the wedding and they are busy decorating the marquee and keeping little flower girls happy, when close by the police, ambulance and fire brigade sirens wail, and Jamie and Ryan are not answering their phones.

When the local police officer arrives, the news is not good there has been a car accident, and Jamie is gone, this starts a chain of devastating consequences and a push by Jamie’s family to acquire Jamie’s sperm so as Hannah can have the child she dearly wants and that there is a grandchild for his family.

Jamie’s death pulls Freya and Hannah apart as well as puts pressure on Freya and Ryan’s relationship, and when Hannah starts to uncover devastating secrets about Jamie her world just about shatters.

Freya is under so much pressure with her decision about having a baby and with what is going on with her family her life is also shattering.

Fiona Lowe has taken on some tough issues that have added tension throughout the story, there is lots of friction add to that it is in a small town and the locals add their opinions to what is going on, some twists and lots of different emotions run through the words in this story. This is one that I highly recommend I never miss a Fiona Lowe story they always pull me in and keep me turning the pages, don’t miss this one.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

5 stars
March 1, 2024 by HQ Fiction

My Sister's Baby

 My Sister's Baby

Louise Guy



Reviewed by Helen


This is such a page-turner, it is filled with so many emotions as many family stories are, come and meet the Montgomery family, mother, Sara, daughters Toni, Liv and Mandy as they track through life with many ups and downs, secrets and the love they share.

With the death of their father, Sara is not coping real well at the moment, Liv lives in Sydney and Toni is busy with her marketing position, husband Joel and they also desperately want a baby and Sara is doing her best to cope with Mandy an intellectually challenged thirty year old, Toni asks Liv for help and she arrives to help out. Liv and Toni have always been very close while their parents spent so much time with Mandy, fifteen years ago Toni helped save Liv’s life how far would Liv go to pay her sister back?

Liv takes Mandy home to Sydney for a holiday and to give her mother a break, Mandy makes friends with Liv’s neighbour and friend Barb and Mandy is loving her trip and it has been extended a couple of times now, she is also learning to live independently, things seem to be going well. But when Liv finds that there may be a chance to help her sister with the biggest wish she has that is to have a baby, Liv plunges in with a plan, but will this plan bring them together or pull them all apart?

This is an absolutely fabulous read that takes in so many issues that happen in life today, organ donations and transplants, IVF and people with special needs and grief, but it opens up a world of family love and caring and what extent they will go to, to give the ones they love the things they want most, I did thoroughly enjoy this one my emotions where all over the place and there were tears, and a twist, it really is a beautiful and well told story and one that I do highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

5 stars
February 5, 2024 by Boldwood Books


The Bookstore at Rivers End

 The Bookstore at Rivers End

Temple River #2

Phillipa Nefri Clark


Reviewed by Helen


What can I say Phillipa Clark writes fabulous stories, she pulls at your heart strings as she weaves stories with mystery, romance and awesome characters in such lovely settings and I have been looking forward to this book since I read book one and was not disappointed, come along and meet Harriett and her daughter Olive as they start fresh in Rivers End.

Harriett Main is given a building in the beautiful coastal town of Rivers End as part of her divorce settlement she is heart-broken over the sudden decision by her ex-husband and also the guilt of not being more attuned to what was happening with her daughter Olive but she is now going to fulfill a lifetime dream of opening her very own bookstore, being a librarian this is going to mean so much to her.

Harriett purchases a box of old books to start a special corner in her bookstore, but when they discover an old diary Harriett tries to return it but the previous owner refuses to take it back she says read it or burn it, Olive is keen to read it although Harriett is hesitant but they decide to do so and what they discover is the story of three teenage girls from 1961 who organize a treasure hunt for another young girls birthday, they decide that they will read it slowly and follow the clues and do the treasure hunt.

As they follow the clues things are fun at the start but then they unfold a tragedy and both Harriett and Olive are pulled emotionally into this journey, as the mystery unlocks they soon feel that some of these young girls are still living in Rivers End and maybe they are customers of the bookstore. By opening up the past it will open up pain and heartbreak but it could also encourage healing that will help all of those involved.

There is a lot going on Harriett and Olive are welcomed into the small town and they are getting to know everyone really well and Harriett is seeing what her past was like especially when she meets chef Brock Salisbury, but will the diary and the treasure hunt pull them apart or push them together?

I loved this one so much, yes Phillipa Nefri Clark is a favourite author and a must read author but there is a reason for that her stories are beautiful with so much feeling her characters are very easy to get to now and as with series catching up with past friends is always fabulous.

I do highly recommend this one, it is a page turner.

My thanks to the publisher Storm and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

January 11, 2024 by Storm Publishing

Becoming Beth

 Becoming Beth

Meredith Appleyard



Reviewed by Helen


This is another fabulous story from Aussies author Meredith Appleyard, her characters are so very easy to like and she opens so many emotions this one is heart-felt and heartwarming, when fifty eight year old Beth arrives home to the small town of Miner’s Ridge after her marriage of fifteen years falls apart dreadfully her life changes so much when her mother has a stoke and Beth finds herself with the help of her father caring for the mother she never had a close relationship with.

Her mother dies soon after and Beth is left thinking about her past and all of the things that happened when she was a very young sixteen year old but she is determined to move forward and takes on her mother’s role on the committee for the local town hall she forms new friendships and renewed others, but she is still not settling into her new life really well.

While researching the history of the town hall Beth discovers secrets that her mother has kept and her own past life is haunting her, is it time to look back at what happened or should she let the past stay in the past and will she ever find the happiness that she does deserve?

This is a lovely story that I highly recommend, it is moving and emotional I thought Beth was wonderful she had been through so much and there are some fabulous characters in this one, one not to be missed.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

5 stars
September 7, 2022 by HQ Fiction

First Born Son

 First Born Son

Phillipe Duval #1

J Mary Masters



Reviewed by Helen


The author pulled me into this story and it was hard to put down, I met Phillipe Duval in the Heirs and Successors book and was looking forward to seeing how things worked out for him and his wife Julia, the sixty’s and seventies was a real man’s world, come along and fall into this world that takes us from Sydney to Manhattan.

Phillipe is an eminent surgeon who came from a poor background in New York, a single mother and no father he joined the army and met Julia while in Australia but it is years later before they meet up again and marry with their teenage daughter Pippa present, but there was someone he gave up to keep his promise to Julia and his daughter, he does love them both.

A trip to America with Pippa for a medical conference sees Pippa investigating her father’s childhood and searching for his father, this uncovers some truths that have been kept for many years, Phillipe’s life is changed dramatically in such a short time, will it change who he is and the way he lives now?

This is compelling reading and the author has pulled out all stops to ensure that the reader is immersed in the story, I felt all of the emotions while reading this one, and there are many and I am looking forward to the next one in the series and reading the first three in The Bellville series.

My thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.

5 stars
September 12, 2023 by PMA Books

Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

 Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

Joanna Nell



Reviewed by Helen


I loved this one so much, I am a huge fan of Joanna Nell and I am sure every book she writes just gets better, this one is witty, emotional and heartwarming, come along and meet Alan and Heather Winterbottom as they start their retirement, it was hard to put down once I arrived in Netherwood.

Alan and Heather have been GP’s working together in their rural practice for forty years and it is time to let someone else take over and retire, they have two daughters who are enjoying their lives, it is time now for them. Heather dreams of exploring Greece before it is too late but it appears that Alan wants to grow organic vegetable, such different wants, can they work through this?

When Heather losses a dear friend and is left a book The Odyssey by Homer to read the pressure builds for her to make her dream come true and if Alan will not join her then she decides to take a gap year and do the things she wants to, it is time. Arriving in Greece the adventure starts on the island of Cephalonia, here Heather throws herself into doing things that she has never done before, experiences she will never get again but there is also temptation, but her family are never far from her thoughts.

There are so many laugh out loud moments in this story Joanna Nell has such a way with words, she brings her characters to life, they are so real I could feel everything Heather was going through, yes it was sad at times as well, but a brilliant story, retirement is not always what it should be.

This is one that I highly recommend, will Heather and Alan sort their lives out after all of their years together? A must read, fun, witty and filled with emotion, a must read.

Thank you Joanna Nell for sending me a copy.

5 stars
November 1, 2023 by Hachette Australia