Tangled Secrets

Tangled Secrets
By Carol Preston

About the Author

Carol lives in Wollongong, NSW with her husband, Neil. As well as writing novels based on her family history, Carol has a private counselling practice and enjoys reading, gardening, spending time with her four grandchildren and bushwalking. She has pursued with great admiration the lives of her ancestors in Australia and has greatly enjoyed writing novels based on their stories and the inspiring history of the Australian people. For more information about Carol's books and her other interests she can be contacted on her website: www.carolpreston.com.au

About the book

In tragic circumstances Beth and her brothers are left in England to grow up without their parents. When Beth's childhood dream to be reunited with her father in Australia finally eventuates she finds that dreams do not always come true.The reality she faces is a tangled web of disappointment, deceit and mistakes. Further abandonment follows. Will she ever find true love? And will she discover she doesn't have to be alone before it is too late?Set in the early colonial days of New South Wales and based on real characters in the mid 1800s.Revisit Charlotte and Thomas from Charlotte's Angel and Mary's Guardian, and meet new characters in this new novel by Carol Preston. Mary's Guardian was a finalist in the fiction section of CALEB 2011.

MY THOUGHTS

By now, I've read enough books by Carol Preston to have an idea of what I may expect. She writes well-crafted stories set in Australia's Colonial period, and because they are based on her own family history research, the plots may take sudden and surprising twists. "Tangled Secrets" was no exception. It is very easy to feel empathy for the heroine, Beth, who believed she was acting wisely to get herself out of a bad family situation and instead, found herself in a far worse predicament. As readers, we know the signs were there from the very start, but that's part of what makes reading fun. We can't always make wise predictions in our own lives but at least we can do it in books.

I was pleased to revisit Charlotte and Thomas from "Charlotte's Angel" as I'd been wondering how they'd been finding married life. Yet although I'd recommend that each book in the series be read consecutively, it isn't highly necessary, as each story focuses on different characters and sits alone.

Knowing that the author, Carol Preston, is a psychologist in her work apart from writing, I could understand how she was able to write the thinking patterns and habits of characters such as William Thorne so convincingly. I was very satisfied with the way Beth's story ended for her and hope you will be too.

Tangled Secrets Available at Amazon

God's Poetry

God's Poetry
By Anne Hamilton

About the Author:

Anne Hamilton, a longtime writer and mathematician, has a number of publications to her name. Anne has a trilogy of short books about how maths integrates with God’s great creation called The Singing Silence The Winging Word an The Listening Land. She has just had published her 27 year project a young adult fantasy Many-Coloured Realm.

Short Book Description:

What’s in a name? Shakespeare said a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But is that true? Are names simply labels to be swapped around indiscriminately? Or are they more significant? God’s Poetry is about identity and destiny as well as the ancient concept of the power of names to body forth purpose and meaning. It’s also about why most of us never come into the calling prophetically breathed into what we are called.

Genre: Non Fiction

My Thoughts

A couple of people I showed this book to thought it was a poetry book and immediately said, "No thanks, I don't read poetry." I want to make it clear that this is not a poetry book but rather, the title suggests that we, with the names we're given, are each individual works of God's poetry. If you venture into the book, get ready for some amazing, true-life examples of how peoples' names have shaped not only their characters but their life's works. Several times, I thought, "Wow, that must be more than a coincidence." It is not light reading for relaxing with, but something meaty for those times you feel like delving deeply into some interesting study. Towards the end, Anne Hamilton gives some tips on how we might begin to plumb the mysteries of our own names or those of others, but I don't dare to think I could ever do as complete and thorough a job as she does. It did make me wonder, "What have I set in motion for my kids, through the names I've chosen?" Altogether, an unusual and interesting read.

God's Poetry Available at Amazon

A Simple Mistake

About the Author:

Andrea Grigg grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, but has lived most of her life in Australia. She lives with her husband on Queensland's Gold Coast, where they have raised their three adult children – two daughters and a son. If she isn't teaching ten-year-olds, being a domestic executive or socialising, Andrea can be found in her cave, writing stories.

Short Book Description:

When Nick and Lainey meet again after 10 years so much has changed. Nick is now a famous celebrity and Lainey is the girl he left behind. As a member of a highly successful band and with an emerging acting career Nick can have any girl he wants. Now he wants Lainey back.

They had been so close when growing up, but after Nick left to seek fame and fortune, Lainey had never heard from him again. Now she has moved on from what she felt for Nick as a teenager. Or has she?

After discovering what kept them apart for so long, they tentatively rekindle their past romance. The feelings are just as strong as before but can Lainey accept Nick's lack of faith? And can their new relationship survive Lainey's secret?

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

My Thoughts:
This is a good, chunky, contemporary read. I found it interesting that its starting point, in a way, occurs at the spot where many other fiction stories end. After years of estrangement, misunderstanding and the passage of time, the hero and heroine have found each other again. They are mutually interested in pursuing what might have been. That's not a common spot to start. The big feature of this story, though, is the fact that Nick is now a well-known celebrity in both the music industry and on the screen. Both he and Lainey have huge adaptations to make, as they know their relationship can never be quite like it was before. This was written very believably and well. There are even threads left open for a possible sequel. I'd be interested to see whether they can trace the whereabouts of another pivotal character named Liam, who wasn't introduced in this story.   

A Simple Mistake Available at Amazon

Back to Resolution by Rose Dee

Back to Resolution Available at Amazon

by Rose Dee

About the Author:

Rose Dee

Rose Dee was born in Ingham, North Queensland, Australia. Her childhood experiences growing up in a small beach community would later provide inspiration for her first novel.

Rose, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, decided to try her hand at writing two years ago. The result of that attempt is her first novel, 'Back to Resolution'.

Her novels are inspired by the love of her coastal home and desire to produce exciting and contemporary stories of faith for women.

Rose’s other releases include, 'Beyond Resolution' - the second book in the 'Resolution' series. And ‘A New Resolution’ – the final book in the series.

Rose has also co-written a novel in conjunction with three other outstanding Australian Authors; ‘The Greenfield Legacy’.

Rose resides in Mackay, North Queensland with her husband, young son, and mischievous pup, Noodle.

Book Description:

Back To Resolution

Bay Anders is lost. She enjoys every privilege a wealthy upbringing affords, but the void in her soul refuses to be filled.
Her mother's dying revelation drives Bay to the brink of self destruction, before a move to Australia changes everything. She embarks upon a search for her father that leads her to his island home, into a hazardous melting pot of hostile locals and a mystery – her father's disappearance.
The only person who can help her is a strong, selfassured and intensely magnetic man. Bay must fight an overwhelming attraction to stay focused on her goal.

Flynn McKenna is hiding from the world. A past filled with mistakes drove him to withdraw from society and live in seclusion. But the arrival of a woman he cannot avoid
shatters his solitary existence. As the search for Bay's father unites them, can he resist his desire for her?
It becomes a race against time as developers try to take over the island.

From the glittering streets of LA, to the beautiful
Daintree forest in North Queensland, to the idyllic island `Resolution', Back to Resolution is a romantic mystery that shows how far a little faith can go.

Website - http://rosedee.com/

My Thoughts

  I'm glad this book was chosen to review in December as it's ideal for Christmas holidays. 

The heroine, Bay, can't express what she needs in words but senses that none of her friends can supply it anyway. When she's cut off without a cent by her stepfather, an offer to work as a photographer in Australia's lush, tropical Daintree seems the only option open to her.

An incredible lead to her long-lost father who has almost receded from her memory draws her to an island paradise named Resolution. She meets two extremes of Aussie manhood; the gruff and enigmatic Flynn, who hides more than a painful past behind his thick beard, and the fastidious and un-chivalrous Ashley, who seems ill-equipped for his job as park ranger. Bay has no idea that a world of crime lurks beneath the idyllic setting and that she has what some crooks desperately need.

As summer holiday season is upon us here in Australia, this is the perfect book to tuck away in your luggage to read while sitting by pools drinking pina-colada (if you get the chance). I'd love to be sitting on the sandy shore of Resolution watching the sun set over the horizon.

Back to Resolution Available at Amazon

"Sooner or Later we all Stop Laughing" by Roz Baker

Beth Conroy is no ordinary heroine. She's a middle-aged vagrant with lack-lustre hair over a parched and haggard face and for some reason, she's traveling alone in one of the most harsh, dust bowl regions of Australia. When she settles for the job of cook at a filthy lumberjack's camp for pittance, the reader can't help wondering why she'd bother. Her plucky and unflinching spirit and the way she handles herself in an environment that would send any other woman running is incredible. The question which begs answering is what has happened in Beth's past to bring her there. That is the question which the rest of the book answers.

The story weaves deftly between scenes from Beth's former, completely different lifestyle and her new existence at the camp. When I found out the horrendous circumstances she suffered, my admiration for her increased tenfold. Is there a chance that anything good can enter Beth's life in such a seemingly God-forsaken place when everything that ever meant anything to her had already been stripped away? Can she possibly bring her innate strength and goodness to help anybody else, releasing her personal bitterness and anger at the same time? Can there be such a thing as renewed love in her life? I must warn other readers to keep a box of tissues on hand. If you're like me, you'll definitely need them.

It's no surprise that it takes a remarkable author to create such an amazing heroine. Roz Baker is a national speaker and author who travels around Australia sharing her own story of survival from brain surgery as well as how she has managed her career as a self-published author with incredible success. "Sooner or Later we all Stop Laughing" is now in its 4th print run and selling even better than it did when it was first released in 2004. Over 20 000 books have been sold in the trilogy. You can visit her at www.rozbaker.com.au or contact her at PO Box 4003, Forster, 2428 NSW. Her new book, "Seed of Hope" is also available as both hard copy and e-copy for kindle.

 Sooner Or Later We All Stop Laughing Available at Amazon

"The Gardener's Guide to Growing Money Trees" by Dave Bell and James Morcom

The author of this book, Dave Bell, admits that in his former life he graduated from the school of hard knocks, "majoring in the art of working really hard while going broke slowly." That surely struck a chord with me and I was fascinated to learn how he got himself off the treadmill and began work on this book to celebrate.

The cover alone reveals that this is a unique book. Dave and photographer James Morcom notice quirky and often unexpected relationships between nature and methods of earning money. Each stunning double page features a brilliant nature photograph including many Australian ones, along with a corresponding insight about aspects of money making such as business dealings, the share market and my favourite, the buoyant and persistent attitude necessary to keep our dreams alive; the same attitude which helped them to write and market the book.

I found it easy to get lost in the apt beauty of their analogies between nature and business. The book invites us to ponder ways in which we may change our own lives for the better. As I told my 7-year-old son when I brought the book home, adults need picture books too and perhaps many of our grouchy and short-sighted problems begin when people begin telling us that we don't.

Genre: Business, nature, gift book (hard cover)
Publisher: David Bell Garden Design

I met Dave Bell last week while we were both selling our books at the Spring Expressions Festival at Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills. During the course of the day we got talking and Dave shared many of his intriguing reflections on money and life, which is what his book is all about. It was an ideal setting for a chat and I appreciated his encouragement and friendliness. I was delighted to be able to swap him a set of my "Quenarden" fantasy adventure novels for a copy of "The Gardener's Guide."

"Mellington Hall" by Meredith Resce

The sumptuous looking front cover allured me to get stuck straight into this novel. I found myself entering a scenario that reminded me of a Cluedo game. It's the 1930s and some nasty business is afoot in the stately Mellington Hall. Somebody is determined to kill our hero, Sir Alan Mellington. Is it his philandering younger brother, Simon? Is it Rupert, the attentive valet? Or maybe the gruff housekeeper, Mrs Mirren? The only person Alan can completely trust is Miss Sarah Montgomery, the daughter of his gamekeeper, but because of him, she's been unfairly branded as a promiscuous woman and ostracized from her parish and village.

I found I had a double reason to read the story very quickly. Apart from wanting to discover the identity of the would-be murderer, I wondered how on earth can these two possibly become romantically involved? It's a plot that could only happen in the class-conscious Britain of yore, and if I were Sarah, I don't know if I could have forgiven my parents so easily coming from a twenty first century perspective. That's another hook for you ladies to get hold of this book. And don't forget a block of chocolate and nice, steaming cup of tea.

Genre: Period drama romance
Publisher: HSM Publishing
Meredith Resce's period drama romances are well-known and widely loved by many readers. Back in 2000, she helped me publish my first novel and I'm equally grateful for the friendship and encouragement she's given me for over a decade. If I hadn't known there was another Christian fiction author in Adelaide whose advice to seek, there's a good chance I'd never have gotten anywhere with my own books.
  Mellington Hall available at Amazon