Cirrus@Austlit

'Everyone has a story. You just have to read between the lines…
When Elodie applies for the job of librarian in peaceful Willow Grove, she’s looking forward to a new start. As the daughter of a media empire, her every move has been watched for years, and she longs to work with the thing she loves most: books.

'It’s a chance to make a real difference too, because she soon realises that there are other people in Willow Grove who might need a fresh start – like the homeless man everyone walks past without seeing, or the divorcée who can’t seem to escape her former husband’s misdeeds.

'Together with local journalist Finn, Elodie decides these people have stories that need sharing. What if instead of borrowing books readers could ‘borrow’ a person, and hear the life stories of those they’ve overlooked?

'But Elodie isn’t quite sharing her whole story either. As the story of the library’s new success grows, will her own secret be revealed?

'An uplifting story about fresh starts, new beginnings and the power of stories, from the bestselling author of Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop!'  (Publication summary)

'One irrepressible city girl plus a by-the-numbers accountant = a tricky equation...

'For city vet Isabella Passmore, the opportunity to pet-sit in the country knocks at the perfect time. Bring on that fresh air! But after three days of holiday bliss, Izzy is bored silly. If the air gets any cleaner, she'll start slinging mud. Then she gets offered work in the second-hand shop. Saved!

'Maybe.

'It's been years since Elliot Field's parents rolled out the red carpet, but Elliot only needs one day to learn that this welcome mat comes with strings. His parents' new business is sinking, and they expect him to fix their financial problems.

'To prepare for the week from hell, he'll need a mug that's not steeped in bad memories, but nothing could prepare him for the employee he encounters at the second-hand shop.

'For Izzy, pursuing Elliot is a most welcome diversion from walking another lap of town with the dog. For Elliot, their random encounters add up to the sum of much bigger things.

'He's always been a numbers man and he's kept his heart locked away, but in irrepressible Izzy, is Elliot's number finally up?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Country singer Indigo Nash has it all, except love...

'At the height of her musical career, Indigo should be nothing but happy. But Indi is disillusioned with show business, finding herself depressed and lonely. When she reaches breaking point, a simple life back in the country begins to beckon her. But the demons left lingering in the shadows from a childhood trauma follow her, and reoccurring nightmares of that fateful night plague her... Can she unearth the truth of her family's deep dark secrets?

'For two years Harley Knight has travelled the world with Indi as her bodyguard. She's a stubborn woman who drives him nuts, but also, in her vulnerable moments, shows him a side of herself he secretly loves and always has since they were teenagers. When she hits rock bottom, he convinces her to return with him back to their hometown of Kuranda and stay at his property, where Harley hopes the peaceful landscape will give her the time and space she needs to heal.

'With these precious few weeks, can he show her what she's missing by constantly running away, or is time to let her go?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Will a misunderstanding and past trauma stand in the way of profound attraction? Immovable determination meets irresistible charm in this delightful rural romance from an award-winning and much-loved author - for readers of Rachael Johns, Karly Lane and Fleur McDonald.

'When Phoebe Cartwright finds Sinn Tørrissen, a naval officer and meteorologist, frozen half to death in the middle of a thunderstorm, she believes she's saved his life. Sinn, unfailingly competent and infuriatingly arrogant, disagrees. In Phoebe's small country town to track down the members of an illegal horse-racing syndicate, the last thing he needs is to become entangled with Phoebe.

'A much-loved member of her community, the prickly and independent Phoebe is used to solving other people's problems. So when she learns her younger sister could be implicated in their father's dishonest accounting for the syndicate, she insists on working with Sinn to uncover the truth.

'Sinn is both confused and entranced by the passionate Phoebe and in spite of her resistance, Phoebe finds herself drawn to him. But Phoebe is determined to protect her sister above all, and the secrets she cannot tell Sinn threaten to sweep his investigation - and their romance - way off course.With clouds building on the horizon, can Phoebe and Sinn weather the gale and find in each other a shelter from the storm?' 

Source : publisher's blurb

'The greatest risk of all is love ...

'Interior stylist Grace Davenport has come to the mountains for solitude and a place to heal after her parents' death. Returning to their beloved town of Bundilla, she plans to restore a local bluestone mansion in honour of their memory. She'll just be there for the summer, until she figures out her next step.

'Rowan Parker never used to think twice about taking risks until his love for a woman blinded him to all common sense. Now, between his cattle farm in the high country and his work as a stonemason, there's no room in his life for further mistakes. But when he meets the beautiful but reserved new owner of the historic mansion he's been hired to rebuild, he realises his best laid plans have run amuck.

'Together, Grace and Rowan work to bring the mansion back to life. But when they uncover a hidden trove of post-WWII secrets about the house's former inhabitants, their quest to find answers draws them ever closer. And just when the stone rubble around them begins to resemble a home, a landslide threatens all that Rowan and Grace have rebuilt. With their futures as unstable as the mountainside, each must fight for what they really want, even if it means losing everything...'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Can the love of an honourable man save her from the memory of a desolate marriage?

'From the battlefield of Waterloo to the drawing rooms of Brantstone Hall, Sebastian Alder’s elevation from penniless army captain to Viscount Somerton is the stuff of dreams. But the cold reality of an inherited estate in wretched condition, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his cousin’s death, provide Sebastian with no time for dreams — only a mystery to solve and a murderer to bring to justice.

'Isabel, widow of the late Lord Somerton, is desperate to bury the memory of her unhappy marriage by founding the charity school she has always dreamed of. Except, her dreams are soon shattered from beyond the grave when she is not only left penniless, but once more bound to the whims of a Somerton.

'But this Somerton is unlike any man she has met. Can the love of an honourable man heal her broken heart or will suspicion tear them apart?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'To fulfil his father's dying wish, border laird Jamie Graham must marry and sire a legitimate heir. But his marriage will be one of convenience, for he has vowed never to open his heart to betrayal. While guarding his cattle from thieves, Jamie catches the spirited daughter of a neighbouring laird stealing his horse.

'Despite viewing an arranged marriage as a death sentence, feisty Kenzie Irvine has no choice but to wed the domineering Jamie. But she has sworn an oath never to bring a child into an uncaring world. And Kenzie also has a dark secret she has no intention of giving away - even if she finds herself her on the wrong side of the law…'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Destiny Romance).

'Faith and Monty are both looking for love...but they’re looking in the wrong direction. Faith Forrester is at a crossroads. Single, thirty and living on a farm in a small Western Australian town, she’s sick of being treated like a kitchen slave by her brother and father. Ten years ago, her mother died of breast cancer, and Faith has been treading water ever since. She wants to get her hands dirty on the family farm. She wants to prove to herself that she’s done something worthwhile with her life. And she wants to find a man...

'For as long as he can remember, Daniel ‘Monty’ Montgomery has been Faith’s best friend. When he was ten, his parents sold the family property and moved to Perth, and ever since, Monty’s dreamed of having his own farm. So for the last ten years, he’s been back on the land, working odd jobs and saving every dollar to put toward his dream. Now he finally has the deposit. But there’s still something missing...

'So when Faith embarks on a mission to raise money for a charity close to her heart, and Monty’s dream property comes on the market, things seem like they are falling into place for them both. Until a drunken night out ends with them sleeping together. Suddenly, the best friends are faced with a new load of challenges...

'Monty and Faith are both ready to find a life partner and settle down, but have they both been looking in all the wrong places? ' (Publisher's blurb)

'City girl Melody Harrison finds herself questioning everything in the wake of her mother's deathbed confession of a long-held secret - a secret that drives her far into the outback, to the wide-open skies of Rosalee Station...

'Matt and Sarah Walsh have finally reached a time in their lives where they are at peace, but their happiness is again thrown into turmoil when Matt answers the door to a young woman with shocking news. But what is the truth? Only by offering her sanctuary at Rosalee Station will they find space to come to grips with each other.

'Long ago accepting he's never going to fit in with his wealthy family, Zai Wellstone has finally landed his dream job as head stockman at Rosalee Station. It's here he crosses paths with the most intriguing woman he's ever met, Melody, the new camp cook. Sparks fly between them from their first encounter, but will the secrets she's keeping stand in their way?

'Rosalee Station is the place where love is found and family ties mean more than anything - will its magic once again show a heartbroken young woman her way forward, to the healing and connection she craves?'

Source : publisher's blurb

'1900 Melbourne, Victoria

'Miss Prudence North is freshly returned from university in Scotland and determined to find her place among the male-dominated world of the new forensic sciences when a high-ranking policeman waylays her. He threatens to charge her father for illegal medical practices unless she helps him build a case against local landowner Jasper Darke by spying on him.

'With her sister's illness worsening, if their income disappears, Prudence will have to take on nursing and domestic duties and she'll never have the freedom she craves. Prudence has no choice but to agree.

'Immediately taken with the handsome Mr Darke, a seemingly good and honest man, Prudence can't see what nefarious activities she's meant to be reporting on. She'll have to get closer...

'But when a body turns up at her father's surgery, the forensics reveal to Prudence there's more going on about all this than meets the eye. It's clear it's up to her to uncover the truth - of this murder, of whatever's going on at the surgery after hours and, especially, of the intriguing Jasper Darke. Her life, her family and her future rely on it...'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Alone. Near destitute. But brave and determined. Can Maddy beat the odds to create a new home in the Hunter Valley? An exciting Australian historical debut, perfect for readers of Darry Fraser.

'1831, New South Wales

'Reeling from her mother's death, Madeleine Barker-Trent arrives in the newly colonised Hunter River to find her father's promises are nothing more than a halcyon dream. A day later, after a dubious accident, she becomes the sole owner of a thousand acres of bushland, with only three convicts and handsome overseer Daniel Coulter for company.

'Determined to fulfil her family's aspirations, Maddy refuses to return to England and braves everything the beautiful but wild Australian country can throw at her - violence, danger, the forces of nature and loneliness. But when a scandalous secret and a new arrival threaten to destroy all she's worked for, her future looks bleak ... Can Maddy persevere or should she simply admit defeat?

'A captivating historical tale of one young woman's grit and determination to carve out her place on the riverbank.' (Publication summary) 

'A slick city boy with a mission. A free-spirited country girl with a cause. Fireworks are guaranteed...

'Upstanding principal Jay Atherton dreads the next four weeks. As punishment for crossing his bosses, he's been lumped with the inglorious task of assessing Acacia Haven's tiny school with its, dare he say, 'hippie' curriculum. With the lowest test scores in the state, it's no wonder shutting it down is practically a forgone conclusion. But then he crosses paths with a spitfire who knocks him for six - pity he's already public enemy number one...

'Teacher Summer O'Reilly loves her small town nestled along the beautiful coast. Returning was the best decision she ever made. The intentional living community of Serenity is thriving, and the children are its future. No way will she allow a jumped-up suit - no matter how good-looking - to close the school her precious students need.

'For Rayne O'Reilly, Acacia Haven has always been serene on the surface, but there's a dark secret she's kept from everyone for decades, including her daughter, Summer. But after reviving old friendships and reconnecting with the past, will she finally have the courage to tear down the walls that have kept her trapped?' (Publication summary)

'Liam Castle knows the secrets of everyone in Bunyip Bay. As the owner of the pub, he's heard it all - from marriage proposals and farming disasters to family rifts and everything in between. The locals love to confide in him, but no one knows he's hiding a tragic past.

'And he wants to keep it that way.

'Agricultural pilot Henrietta Forward lives for her job, choosing work over romance. But when an incident in the air brings Henri home to Bunyip Bay earlier than planned, she finds herself questioning everything she believes about herself.

'But Henri's secret isn't her only problem.

'Her mother will stop at nothing to have her settled down back in the Bay, and while Henri had always known domesticity wasn't the life for her, now she wonders what her future holds. So when Liam - always the first to lend a hand to those in need - agrees to play along with Henri's scheme to ward off her mother, she has mixed feelings. What happens when a pretend romance starts to feel like the real thing?

'Will Henri's demons and Liam's traumatic past prove too great a barrier to love?' (Publication summary) 

'Love. Greed. Revenge. And a desperate search for answers ... Against the stunning backdrop of the Great Barrier Reef, two women in different eras discover how their hearts and fortunes are swayed by the secrets of the sea.

'2019: Bethany Kristensen faces her toughest challenge to date, skippering the family charter business. With rivals doing their utmost to undercut her prices and reputation, the Kristensens' operation hangs by a thread. Winning the tender for a new scientific research program headed out to the farthest edge of the reef is her last chance to keep the business going. But when rumour and vandalism turn to outright sabotage, things take a drastic turn...

'1934: Stella Booth flees a future of domestic drudgery in small-town outback Queensland, heading for employment and an independent life in Mackay. But fate has other plans and an accident en route sends her life spinning in a most unexpected direction... 

'Linked by a family mystery, decades apart, Bethany and Stella will both need to dig deeper than ever before to forge their place among the turbulent seas of the reef.' (Publication summary) 

'A sweeping family saga about betrayal, forgiveness and the cost of love.

'Sydney, 1941: Olive and Ivy may be identical twins, but they couldn't be more different. While Olive is focused on marrying a man appropriate to her station, Ivy wants to do more, to be more. Joining the Australian Women's Service Army is the perfect chance for her to escape her family obligations and make a real difference in the world. She doesn't expect serving her country to lead to romance ... or devastating betrayal and unthinkable grief. 

'As the war progresses, both Olive and Ivy find themselves wanting the same thing: for their loves to return safely. But neither of the Buchanan girls is ready for what the future has in store for them.

'Sydney, 2008: Escaping her husband's betrayal and an impossible personal loss, Madeline returns home to Sydney to nurse her broken heart. As she settles into her new routine, it's too easy to consider never returning to New York and her old life. But her husband won't give up on what they have so easily, and Madeline can't ignore his messages reminding her of why they fell in love in the first place. With her grandmother's support, Madeline has to decide if forgiveness means reconciliation. But is the biggest betrayal yet to come?' (Publication summary)