Book: Christmas at Brigadier Station

Summary: When Tom Carmody buys a run-down cattle station in outback Queensland he is shocked to discover that the woman living next door is none other than Harriet McGuire, his high school crush – the woman who mysteriously never returned to boarding school after the summer break. In a time when women did as their fathers bid, Harriet agreed to marry the charming Daniel McGuire and move to Brigadier Station. But she soon paid the price for her naivety. Forced to protect her children from her abusive husband, she never forgot Tom’s kindness. More than thirty years after their innocent school flirtation, Harriet and Tom begin to rekindle their friendship only to find the flames of their attraction are stronger than ever. As Christmas approaches, rain storms finally break the decade long outback drought. But can the floods wash away the ghosts of the past? Or will they cause yet another disaster? What I Thought: Really enjoyable read – nice to finish off this series.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - April

Summary: On New Year's Eve, Callum Ormond is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning: They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days! Cops and criminal gangs are all searching for Cal, the psycho kid who's meant to have attacked his uncle and put his sister in a coma. Cal is desperate to clear his name, but he also has less than a year to solve an ancient family mystery: the Ormond Singularity. The stakes are getting higher and the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his life becomes. What I Thought: Loving this little series. Easy read, far fetched but a great page turner nevertheless!

Book: The English Oak

Summary: Bronte Miller and her young daughter Madeline leave England and the only home they had ever known when they venture to Australia in search of a new life. A job as Governess on Tullagulla Station in the Queensland outback seems like a good place to start, however the heat, flies and long days of work bring unexpected challenges. As Bronte and Madeline settle into life on Tullagulla, the property is threatened by an unexpected rural crime wave and its residents band together to assist the stock squad. Then, just as a new relationship develops between Bronte and the local vet, a shocking secret is revealed and her life is once again turned upside down. What I Thought: Loved book 2 in this series. Nice easy light reading. Very enjoyable.

Book: Conspiracy 365 - March

Summary: On New Year's Eve, Callum Ormond is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning: They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days! Cops and criminal gangs are all searching for Cal, the psycho kid who's meant to have attacked his uncle and put his sister in a coma. Cal is desperate to clear his name, but he also has less than a year to solve an ancient family mystery: the Ormond Singularity. The stakes are getting higher and the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous his life becomes. What I Thought: Loving this little series. Easy tread, far fetched but a great page turner nevertheless!

Book: The Scholar

Summary: When Detective Cormac Reilly's girlfriend Emma stumbles across the victim of a hit and run early one morning, he is first on the scene of a murder that would never have been assigned to him. The investigation promises to be high profile and high pressure: the dead girl is carrying an ID, that of Carline Darcy, heir apparent to Ireland's most successful pharmaceutical company. Darcy Therapeutics has a finger in every pie, including the laboratory where Emma works. As Cormac investigates, evidence mounts that the death is linked to the lab and, increasingly, to Emma herself. Cormac is sure she couldn't be involved, but how well does he really know her? After all, this isn't the first time Emma's been accused of murder . . . What I Thought: Wow – brilliant. Better than the first book. Loved it.

Book: Any Ordinary Day

Summary: As a journalist, Leigh Sales often encounters people experiencing the worst moments of their lives in the full glare of the media. But one particular string of bad news stories – and a terrifying brush with her own mortality – sent her looking for answers about how vulnerable each of us is to a life-changing event. What are our chances of actually experiencing one? What do we fear most and why? And when the worst does happen, what comes next? Warm, candid and empathetic, this book is about what happens when ordinary people, on ordinary days, are forced to suddenly find the resilience most of us don’t know we have. What I Thought: Wow! Such a powerful book. Absolutely loved this and highly recommend reading. I sobbed and laughed and was just in awe of the people.

Book: Dead Man's Track

Summary: A tragic accident, a terrible crime, an unknown threat ... Scarred by a recent tragedy on Federation Peak, Tess Atherton is reluctant to guide a group of young hikers in the wild Tasmanian winter, but it seems safer than remaining amid the violence that threatens them in Hobart. Little does she know that she has brought the danger with her ... Detective Senior Sergeant Jared Denham is closing in on a serial killer, but someone doesn't want him getting to the truth and the case is becoming personal. He already owes Tess his life, and wants to return the favour - but when it comes to enemies, Jared may be looking in the wrong direction. Time is running out, and death is stalking them both ... What I Thought: A ripping read (just don’t listen to the audiobook version when bushwalking)!

Book: The Life She Deserves

Summary: Growing up in the small Australian country town of Granite Springs, Jo and Col have been lifelong friends. Following Jo's divorce and the death of Col's wife, the pair find comfort in their common grief. But as they tentatively explore their new relationship, they have little idea of the challenges that lie ahead. What they haven't bargained for is Jo's interfering ex, along with their three children, all of whom have their own agendas. Can Jo ride out the storm? Will she be granted the life she deserves? What I Thought: I really enjoyed this book. Nice to read about older couples. Off to find book 2!

Book: Double or Die

Summary: Before the name became a legend. Before the boy became a man. Kidnap. Violence. Explosions. Murder. In a north London cemetery a professor is kidnapped at gunpoint. A suspicious letter crammed with cryptic clues arrives at Eton. To decipher the deadly mystery, James Bond must take a series of dangerous gambles. Once the code is cracked, he has just 48 hours to save the professor from the dark forces that threaten to destroy them both. And, if the professor can't escape, it's not only his future under threat. It's the rest of the world's . . . What I Thought: Loved this one. Sucked in from the start.

Book: Just One Wish

Summary: Alice has always been a trailblazer as a scientist, activist and mother. She knew her choices would involve sacrifices, but now, on the eve of her eightieth birthday, she's beginning to wonder if she's sacrificed too much. Alice's daughter, Sappho, rebelled against her unconventional upbringing, choosing to marry young and embrace life as a homemaker, but her status as a domestic goddess has recently taken a surprising turn. Ged has always been the peacemaker between her grandmother and mother. A tenacious journalist, she knows what she wants in life and love, yet when everything in her world starts falling apart, she begins to question whether she really knows anyone at all. At a crossroads in each of their lives, Alice, Sappho and Ged embark on a celebratory trip together, but instead of bringing them closer, the holiday sparks life-changing consequences and lifts the lid on a fifty-year-old secret. Can Ged rescue her family if their story is built on a betrayal? What I Thought: Wow – what a ripper read. Highly recommend this book.