'A long-forgotten secret, a scandalous attraction - the captivating new novel from Kimberley Freeman.
'1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No one could have predicted what would unfold. When the storm clears they must all keep the devastating secrets hidden.
'2014: After years of putting her sick brother's needs before her own, Lauren Beck leaves her home and takes a job at a Blue Mountains cafe, the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel's renovations. There she meets Tomas, the Danish architect who is overseeing the project, and an attraction begins to grow. In a wing of the old hotel, Lauren finds a series of passionate love letters dated back to 1926, alluding to an affair - and a shocking secret.
'If she can unravel this long-ago mystery, will it make Lauren brave enough to take a risk and change everything in her own life?
'Inspired by elements of her grandmother's life, a rich and satisfying tale of intrigue, heartbreak and love from the author of the bestselling Lighthouse Bay and Wildflower Hill.' (Publication summary)
Dedication:
In memory of Stella Vera
Star of Truth
The Engagement Party
Sydney
:
Hachette Australia
,
2014
11924603
2014
single work
novella
historical fiction
'It's 1925 and change is everywhere, even in rural Australia - but is Flora ready? Includes bonus material from Kimberley Freeman's captivating new Jazz age novel, Evergreen Falls.
'Flora Honeychurch-Black awakens on the day of her engagement party excited yet somehow unsettled. Throughout the day, despite the well-meaning attention of her friend Liberty and the distraction of the household's many preparations for the night's celebration, Flora's unease grows. Her much-loved, erratic brother Sam unwittingly adds to the tension, behaving oddly and drawing mirth from her suave fiance Tony and derision from some of his sophisticated coterie of friends. As the storm clouds gather outside and the engagement party begins, Flora realises that something is amiss. Where is Sam? What secret is he hiding? The answers may be more than Flora - and her new relationships and loyalties - can bear.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
