Hello from the Gillespies


Book Description




Hello from the Gillespies


Book Description

For the last thirty years, Angela Gillespie's annual Christmas letter has been full of her family's triumphs. But this year Angela surprises everyone, including herself - she tells the truth. Angela's husband is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Her grown-up daughters are more out of control than ever. And her youngest child spends all of his time talking to an imaginary friend. With fantasy thoughts of a life before marriage and motherhood becoming more than just an innocent daydream, Angela's real life is slowly slipping out of focus. But, as the repercussions of her ruthlessly honest letter begin to pile up, a shocking event takes Angela from her family, and she realises she should have been more careful of what she wished for




The House of Memories


Book Description

Months after a tragic accident, Ella O’Hanlon flees to London in an attempt to escape her grief, leaving behind the two people she blames for her loss: Aidan, the love of her life, and Jess, her spoiled half-sister. Taken in by her beloved uncle Lucas, Ella discovers that his extraordinary house holds many wonderful memories for her…and his group of transitory boarders provides a refreshing and welcome emotional tonic. But as Ella settles into a comfortable new role as unofficial cook and housemother, Jess secretly comes to London to pursue her own dreams, precipitating an unexpected family reunion and an exploration of the heart—one famished for love, for healing, and for forgiveness. READERS GUIDE INCLUDED




Lola's Secret


Book Description

Praised as “Australia’s answer to Maeve Binchy, a modern-day Jane Austen” (The Sun Herald, Australia), Monica McInerney, internationally bestselling author of The Alphabet Sisters, returns with a poignant novel of love, loss, and the enduring strength of family ties. Nestled in a picturesque corner of southern Australia, the Valley View Motel has been run by the Quinlans for years—and nobody adores the place more than Lola, the family’s lovable and mischievous Irish-born matriarch. So when she insists that her relatives spend their Christmas elsewhere, the close-knit bunch can’t help but be a bit curious. Lola has always had a knack for clever schemes; after all, she once slyly reunited her three feuding granddaughters, whom she nicknamed the Alphabet Sisters. And with the holiday season fast approaching, Lola decides it’s time to stir up some extra excitement. Plotting in secret and online, Lola thinks it would be fun to invite a select group of strangers to stay at the motel for Christmas. Will these guests become friends, ignite sparks, fall in love? As she counts down the days until their arrival, Lola’s own family dramas threaten to upend her best-laid plans. Yet amid moments of humor, heartache, and unexpected twists of fate, Lola finds that she’s the one who’s in for the biggest surprise of all. “[Monica] McInerney’s assured writing sparkles. . . . When you reach the end, [Lola’s Secret] will leave you feeling like you’ve been given a huge, warm hug.”—Hello! magazine “A delicate treat . . . a lovely, gentle story of a family, a Christmas, love and different kinds of adventure.”—The Courier-Mail (Australia) “Exploring universal family issues of loss, rivalry, aging and grief, [Lola’s Secret] is a warm, witty and moving novel.”—Woman’s Day (Australia) Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more.




The Godmothers


Book Description

Perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly, Victoria Hislop and Lucinda Riley, The Godmothers is a heart-warming exploration of family, friendship and female bonds. ___________ In order to find out who her father is, Eliza has to discover who her mother truly was . . . As the only daughter of a troubled young mother, Eliza Miller's life was kept on track by the constant support of her godmothers Olivia and Maxie – until a tragic event just before her eighteenth birthday changed everything. Thirteen years later, Eliza is cautious, lonely, and dedicated to her work in Melbourne. Out of the blue, an enticing invitation from Olivia, now based in the UK, prompts a leap into the unknown. Eliza is thrown back into the centre of a complicated family, and the busy hotel they run in Edinburgh's West End. Amidst the chaos, Eliza unexpectedly begins to explore her past. Her godmothers have long been waiting for her to ask about her mother's mysterious life – and the identity of the father she has never known. But even they are taken by surprise with all that she discovers . . . If you loved The Godmothers, don't miss Monica McInerney's The House of Memories, available now in paperback. ___________ 'Absolutely beautiful . . . Intriguing and uplifting' Marian Keyes 'The perfect read!' Patricia Scanlan 'A feel-good read' The Sun 'Warm, wise and witty' Woman & Home 'You'll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next' Cosmopolitan 'Heart-warming . . . A lovely read' Hello! Magazine 'McInerney is a must-read author for women's fiction fans around the world' Huffington Post 'The sort of feel-good read you long to get back to' Hilary Boyd, bestselling author of Thursdays In The Park 'Exploring universal family issues of loss, rivalry, ageing and grief, this is a warm, witty and moving novel' Woman's Day 'McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds' Booklist 'A world of family, love, warmth and heartbreaking secrets that will sweep you up . . . Superb' Books of all Kinds 'You'll be laughing in one breath, crying in the next . . . If you haven't discovered McInerney yet, now is the time to do so' Better Reading




Color Me Butterfly


Book Description

Inspired by a true story, Color Me Butterfly follows four generations of mothers and daughters—haunted by a common specter of domestic abuse—as they discover the strength, hope, and courage to survive. The last thing Eloise Bingham wanted was to leave the comforts of her South Carolina home and family. But at the end of World War II, the young wife follows her husband, Isaac, to Philadelphia—only to experience his sinister and violent temper. Eloise’s children—and their children and grandchildren—will face their own trials over the next sixty years: Mattie, who has lived in her mother Eloise’s shadow, finds it takes a life-changing tragedy to help her break free; Lydia, Mattie’s strong-willed daughter, summons the resolve to rise above the cycle of abuse; and finally, Treasure, Lydia’s lively daughter, has the chance to be the first to escape her family’s destructive legacy. It will take unconditional love, old-fashioned family values, faith, and fearless determination—already embedded in each woman’s DNA—to triumph over a life plagued with unspeakable pain.




The Alphabet Sisters


Book Description

As girls growing up in Clare Valley, Australia, Anna, Bett, and Carrie Quinlan were childhood singing stars known as The Alphabet Sisters. The unbridled enthusiasm of their flamboyant grandmother Lola was the glue that held them together. As adults, though, the women haven’t spoken in years–ever since Bett’s fiancé deserted her to marry the younger Carrie. Now Lola is turning eighty and she is determined to reunite the girls for a blowout bash. And no one ever says no to Lola. Bett, who fled to London after the scandal of losing her fiancé, is hesitant to face her sisters and her hometown–especially since she has yet to find another man. Sophisticated Anna, the eldest sister, isn’t too keen on the prospect either, though she’s secretly grateful for any excuse to leave her crumbling marriage behind in Sydney. And Carrie, who remained in Clare Valley, is perhaps the most apprehensive. Her marriage–the nominal cause of the sisters’ estrangement–is also on the rocks. Was she wrong to have followed her heart and run off with Bett’s fiancé? When Lola shares her special request, that the girls stage a musical she has written, their short visit becomes a much longer commitment. As they are forced to spend more time together, the sisters must confront the pain that lingers between them. Preconceptions and misunderstandings are slowly put aside and the three find themselves gradually, irresistibly enveloping one another once again–until an unexpected turn of events changes everything in ways none of them could have ever imagined. . . . Layering the lighthearted antics of small-town life with a heartbreaking story of loyalty lost and found, The Alphabet Sisters is an unforgettable story of two generations of women who learn that being true to themselves means being true to one another. BONUS: This edition contains excerpts from Monica McInerney's Lola's Secret, At Home with the Templetons, The Faraday Girls, Family Baggage, Greetings from Somewhere Else, and Upside Down Inside Out.




Saving Grace


Book Description

What does a marriage really look like behind closed doors? What secrets lie beneath the surface? How far will each spouse go to keep love alive? Saving Grace is a riveting, true-to-life novel about one woman’s journey to save her family—and herself—from New York Times bestselling author Jane Green Grace and Ted Chapman are widely regarded as the perfect couple. Ted is a successful novelist and Grace, his wife of twenty years, is beautiful, carefree, and a wonderful homemaker. But what no one sees are Ted’s rages, his mood swings, and the precarious house of cards that their lifestyle is built upon. When Ted’s longtime assistant and mainstay leaves, his world begins to crumble, and Grace, with dark secrets in her past, is most vulnerable. She finds herself in need of help but with no one to turn to...until Ted’s new assistant, Beth, comes to the rescue. Young and competent, Beth possesses the calm efficiency to weather the storms that threaten to engulf the Chapman household. Soon, though, it’s clear to Grace that Beth might be too good to be true. This new interloper might be the biggest threat of all—one that could cost Grace her marriage, her reputation, her sanity...and her own life. “Green spins a dark romance, recalling All About Eve, where intimacy masks betrayal.” —Kirkus Reviews




The Outback Volume 6


Book Description

This collection of short stories about the Outback is the result of the sixth writing competition for the Outback Writers’ Festival held in Winton on 22–24 June 2021. The winner was announced at the Festival. Boolarong Press sponsored the under 18 section. The best stories are in this book. See www.outbackwritersfestival.com.au and Facebook for the results. Follow us on Facebook and let us know whether you think the judges got it right. All royalties go to the Festival to assist in attracting great Australian authors to the festival in Winton.




Becoming Ellen


Book Description

Returning in the bestselling tradition of Jennifer Weiner, Shattuck brilliantly illustrates the deep friendship between two absolutely unforgettable women in this touching yet funny novel. Ellen Homes is done being invisible. Well, sort of. Living with her closest friends, Temerity and Justice, has helped her step out of the shell of invisibility she once hid away in. She still seeks refuge in solitary time and observing from afar, but she has pushed herself to open up to others in ways that bring her unexpected happiness. But when a terrible bus crash upends her normal routine, Ellen finds herself on a whirlwind crusade for the unseen and downtrodden. Only this time, helping others—including two young children with no one else to turn to—will mean facing a pain from her past that she’s long tucked away. Picking up where Invisible Ellen left off, Becoming Ellen returns us to the touching, poignant, and compassionate world of Ellen Homes as she learns how to navigate the world she has decided to become a part of.