Card Swap 2 2015

another lovely bunch

Card Swap 1 2015

Our first swap of the year. Lots of lovely cards :)

Book: Intensive Care

Summary: On the surface it looks like busy intensive care nurse Kate Kennedy has it all: a long-term relationship, a great career and a sleek inner city apartment. But appearances are deceiving, and in one fell swoop everything comes crashing down around her. In a moment of spontaneity, Kate leaves her city life and takes a new role as Nurse Unit Manager at Birrangulla Base Hospital, but her dream move proves harder than expected.

Local café owner Joel O'Connor finds himself increasingly drawn to the gorgeous new nurse, but like Kate, he's been scarred by love and isn't looking to jump into anything. Yet their chemistry is hard to deny and after a near fatal incident, Joel and Kate find themselves opening up to one another.
Just when Kate thinks she's found love again, their fragile relationship is thwarted by their pasts. Can they both let go of their guilt and grief to move on to a bright new future?



What I Thought: Loved this one :)

Book: Only We Know

Summary: When Calla Maloney steps on the boat to Kangaroo Island, she’s filled with dread. Part of it is simple seasickness but the other part is pure trepidation. She’s not on a holiday but a mission: to track down her estranged brother, who she hasn’t seen since her family splintered two years before.

Firefighter Sam Hunter left the island twenty years ago and has made a habit out of staying as far away as he can get. But when his father’s illness forces him home, he finds himself playing bad cop to his dad and reluctant tour guide to a redhead with no sense of direction.
As Sam and Calla dig deeper into their long-buried family secrets, they discover that no one is an island and that opening up their hearts to love again might be the most dangerous thing they will ever do.



What I thought: This one was ok. Would love to go to Kangaroo Island one day. Will give the author another go though but not as good as some of the other rural romance writers I read.

Bookgroup: Caleb's Crossing

Summary: Bethia Mayfield is a restless and curious young woman growing up in Martha's vineyard in the 1660s amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans. At age twelve, she meets Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a secret bond that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's father is a Calvinist minister who seeks to convert the native Wampanoag, and Caleb becomes a prize in the contest between old ways and new, eventually becoming the first Native American graduate of Harvard College. Inspired by a true story and narrated by the irresistible Bethia, Caleb’s Crossing brilliantly captures the triumphs and turmoil of two brave, openhearted spirits who risk everything in a search for knowledge at a time of superstition and ignorance.

What I thought: I know this is a very popular book and that it is very well written but it just didn't do it for me. Maybe I didn't think deeply enough about the issues or something but the book was just ok... Will be interesting to discuss in a few weeks at bookgroup! 

Book: Moonlight Plains

Summary: In 1942, as the Japanese sweep towards northern Australia and allied troops swarm into Townsville, Kitty Martin is sent inland to the safety of Moonlight Plains. But when two American airmen crash on the isolated property, she is forced to grow up fast, coming face to face with tragedy, with love . . . and with heartbreak.
Years on, and Sally Piper, a young journalist, is sent to Moonlight Plains to cover the story of a cattleman turned builder who is restoring his grandmother's forgotten homestead. Sparks fly between them, but Sally is struggling to let go of the past, and Luke has his eyes fixed firmly on the future.
What they uncover together is a shocking secret that has been kept safe for more than seventy years. Now the entire family's happiness is at stake – or does the truth about the past hold a valuable lesson for the future?
A breathtaking novel about finding love against all the odds that will keep you captivated from beginning to end.


What I thought: Another sweet rural romance. enjoyed this one. I hate how they all have to "split up" though over something stupid then reconcile in a big ending. LOL

Book: Riverboat Point

Summary: Savannah has a chip on her shoulder. And no wonder: apart from her tough teenage years, a car accident not only claimed her parents’ lives, but left her with permanent injuries.

She’s not close to her little brother Jax either – although she’s always been envious of his ability to just enjoy life. Jax moves to a small town, Riverboat Point, on the Murray River, and asks her to come too. She won’t leave the city but when Jax disappears leaving a vague warning to watch out for the neighbours, she’s forced to move and take over his houseboat business.
With no idea what to watch out for she keeps all the neighbours at arm’s length, including the mysterious guy next door, Ethan. Savannah is attracted to her tall dark neighbour but won’t admit it. She can trust no one. In spite of her fears, they work closely and she can’t deny the chemistry. Finally, she lets her guard down – only to discover he has been lying to her all along...
Will Jax ever return, or has he met with foul play? Who is interfering with the houseboats and stealing from the business? Will Savannah find out the truth about Jax and Ethan’s deal ... and can she ever trust Ethan again?

What I thought: Another good rural romance. Like the location of this one - somewhere a little different. 

Book: Looking for JJ

Summary: Three children walked away from the cottages on the edge of the town towards Berwick Waters. Later that day only two of them came back. Alice Tully knows exactly what happened that spring day six years ago - though it's still hard for her to believe it's real. The images, the sounds and the aftermath are imprinted on her memory. She'll never be able to forget, even though she's trying to lead a normal life. She's making a go of things, putting her past behind her at last. But Alice's past is dangerous, and violent, and sad - and it's about to rip her new life apart.


What I thought: WOW - amazing book. Really really good. Makes you really think... Great read for the older teen. This was published 10 years ago and a sequel was released last year so I'm off to find that.

Book: Storm Clouds

Summary: National Parks ranger Erin Taylor loves her job, is falling for her colleague, Simon, and is finally leaving her past behind . . .

Until a woman is murdered. But the victim is not just any woman – she’s Simon’s wife, Hayley. The wife he’s never mentioned. The wife he’s not seen in fourteen years. On the edge of the national park the alternative lifestyle community of ‘Simple Bliss’ denies knowledge of Hayley, but Simon and Erin suspect otherwise. Erin will have to draw on all her old skills – deception, lying, cheating – to gain the trust of its members and discover their secrets.
As Simon uncovers shocking details about the reclusive group, Erin is drawn further into their midst and finds a web of lies, decades old – and comes face-to-face with the charismatic, manipulative, dangerous leader who will let nothing and no-one stand in his way. On the wrong side of a river in flood that has become a lethal torrent, Erin and Simon must race to expose the truth and prevent a tragedy...

What I thought: I enjoyed this one. A bit far fetched (but hey it is fiction)! LOL.

Book: Cleanskin Cowgirls

Summary: On the surface Elsie Jones, country music superstar, has it all. But a brush with death forces her to re-evaluate her life.

Growing up a misfit in the dying wheatbelt town of Culvert, her only friend is chubby Tara Green. At sixteen the girls escape in a rust-bucket ute with a nearly-dead dog, a mop and bucket, a guitar and $74.85. What could possibly go wrong?
While the road leads them to the outback scrub mustering cleanskin cattle, there's just one problem. Elsie and Tara have left their hearts in Culvert with their childhood sweethearts, eccentric inventor twins Zac and Amos Smith, who are hiding an incredible secret in their farm shed.
After a devastating betrayal, the girls are led on very different journeys. Can they find their way home again or is their friendship lost forever?


What I thought: I was unsure about this as I've gone off Rachael Treasure the last few books. this one was really good though. Not keen on the scenes in the USA but otherwise I really enjoyed it.

Book: Crimson Dawn

Summary: Laura Murphy will need to call on all her grit and determination to retain her beloved farm… But will her fierce self reliance close her off to the possibility of love?
Since inheriting Nambina, the property that’s been in her family for generations, Laura Murphy has worked wonders. Rather than just focus on farming she has set up a successful school teaching women the basics of managing a property – from fencing and mustering to handling the financial side of the business.
But the notoriously self-reliant Laura is lonely and still scarred by a tragedy from her past. She’s also grappling with the hostility of her nearest neighbour and former best friend, Meghan Hunter. The fact that Laura’s ex-boyfriend Josh is Meghan’s brother only makes things worse.
When a solicitor contacts Laura saying his clients may have a claim over Nambina, her entire world is turned upside down, and she has to call on all her determination to hold on to the property she’s worked so hard to build. In the process she realises she must reach out to friends and loved ones or risk losing everything.

What I thought: Once again hooked from the start. I'm not usually too keen on historical romances that flick back and forth between times but this one was good - more current day than past. 

Book: Blackpeak Vines

Summary: Longing for a new life in the country, former television executive Lizzie Harrington settles on the vineyard south of Blackpeak Station, bringing with her some glamorous guests – none more so than the dazzling actor Richard Bourne, with whom Lizzie has had a secret love affair for years. But in the hills beyond Lizzie's boundary fence lives a very different sort of man. Could one unforgettable encounter be about to change the course of Lizzie's life in more ways than she had expected?

Meanwhile, a visit from Lizzie's beautiful daughter, Ella, puts other hearts in danger. At Blackpeak Station, Charlotte Black and the love of her life are busy not only with sheep but also a fashion shoot featuring Italian male models. Of all the men at Blackpeak, will Ella fall for the one she can't have? And what of the striking man whom Lizzie unwittingly ushers back into Charlotte's life?


What I thought: This was ok. No where near as good as the first book in the series. It was a little repetitive and aloof and jumped around a bit too much. But I will read book 3 due in October...

Book: Outback Ghost

Summary: Third-generation farmer Adam Burton has always tried to keep his family together, but twenty years after his little sister went missing from the family farm he’s losing hope. His dad has walked out, his mum is as reclusive as ever and he still blames himself for his sister’s disappearance.

When Stella Reynolds and her young daughter arrive from the big smoke to stay at the holiday cottage on their farm for the summer, Adam is immediately attracted to the beautiful single mum. Although he’s always steered clear of children and doesn’t believe he deserves love or a family of his own, he finds himself spending time with Stella and her young daughter, Heidi, and enjoying it.
As the twenty-year old mystery begins to unravel, Stella wonders if she should take her daughter and run. But doing so is easier said than done, because Stella just might be falling in love with Bunyip Bay and a gorgeous, but hurting, farmer.



What I thought: Hooked! Don't really believe in ghosts but I was still engrossed. The little girl was a lovely character.

Book: Gemma's Bluff

Summary: Smart and reliable, Gemma Northcote has always done what's expected of her. So it's not surprising that after uni she defers to her father's wish that she join the family business.

Gemma's best friend, Jasmine, is a different personality altogether. She thrives on spontaneity, is unpredictable and has generally pursued her own path.

When Gemma and Jasmine decide to spend a working holiday on a large rural property, their friends and family are surprised. Neither has any experience of country life (unless you count Jasmine's love of McLeod's Daughters) and they're not exactly farming types.

Away from her family, Gemma feels liberated. The longer she's away the more she questions what she really wants to do with her future. Ultimately, she realises she needs to choose between duty and what's right for her in life - and love.


What I thought: Loved it. Hooked from page 1. Got my reading mojo back :)

Book: The Road to Hope

Summary: Nurse Lauren Simpson is known in Hope Junction for the wrong reasons – and she’s over it. Watching the man she’s always loved marry someone else is the last straw – she decides to get out of Hope. But her resolve is tested when the hot new locum doctor arrives in town.
Doctor Tom Lewis also has skeletons in his closet – including a painful breakup and devastating family news. He’s hit the road with his vintage ute and surfboard, to travel the outback and live in the moment.
When Tom and Lauren meet the attraction is instant, but for Lauren Tom threatens to be just another fling and Tom has his own reasons for hesitating. Everyone else – their friends and patients – can see how perfect they are together, but just what will it take for them to admit this to themselves?

What I thought: Another great trashy rural romance. Really enjoyed this one. There are just too many authors out there now though for me to keep up with them all!

Book: Nurses of the Outback

Summary: The work of a nurse is challenging enough, but when you add a remote location, the stakes are so much higher. Meet fifteen courageous people who have chosen to pursue careers in remote area nursing.
There's Anna, who is on duty in Georgetown as the fury of Cyclone Yasi tears through inland Queensland; Maureen in outback New South Wales, who faces everything from a snakebite to a helicopter crash; Aggie, who overcomes her demons to help young people in the Kimberley; and Catherine, newly graduated and determined to make a difference in the Gulf Country she and her rodeo-riding husband call home.
From some of the most remote places on earth, these stories bring the outback to life – we witness the harshness and isolation as well as the camaraderie of life in small towns in the middle of nowhere. These intrepid nurses manage everyday health care and life-threatening emergencies, patch up the local pets and fundraise for their towns. They are the heartbeat of their communities.
From Bidyadanga to Broken Hill, from Mount Isa to Marree, these tales are by turns moving and inspiring, full of gutsy feats and classic outback spirit.

What I thought: I enjoyed this - love any outback story really! These were nice short ones to read on lunch breaks at work :)

Book: Dads, geeks and blue haired freaks

Summary: Sadie Nathanson spends her life trying to survive the excruciating embarrassment of simply existing. It’s hard enough being a bit of a shrinking violet within a loud and outspoken extended family, but the unexpected card from ‘Dad’ on her 15th birthday is the last straw.

As ‘Dad’ was an Internet sperm-donor, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that this is a bad joke, probably set up by her ex-best-friend Shonna. But it starts Sadie wondering – just who was her father? Is he the cause of her worry crinkle and wonky bum? What would happen if she tracked him down?

So she decides to do just that. With help from her nerd cousin Billy, his friend Nodding Tony and a regular dose of ‘Haironomics’ (Sadie’s own hairstyle-related philosophy system), they uncover a lot more than they bargain for...

What I thought: A good teen read with some interesting issues. Some parts not resolved so I'm looking forward to the follow up book soon.

Bookgroup: Liberator's Birthday

Summary: The Liberator’s Birthday is a story about a group of Irishmen who live around the junction between Redan and Sebastopol to the south of Ballarat. Both districts were centres of intensive goldmining during the second half of the nineteenth century. Mining impacts on all their lives. They have either been involved themselves in raking the riches out of the earth or they have supplied the mines and men with needs. Some mined when every man was his own boss, others had to be content with wages begrudgingly paid by hard nosed managers. The more enterprising formed up into tribute parties and contracted out their services. All were affected by what mining had done to the environment, the muddy roads and paths, the dammed creeks overflowing with all manner of effluent, the flooded back yards and the privies that spilled over to provide a deadly cocktail of diseases which threatened all their lives. In the summer they put up with grit carried from the mining sites by the hot winds and deposited into every crevice, and there wee the flies and mosquitoes which bred on the pools of stagnant water. And there was always the noise as quartz mining replaced alluvial and the city and surrounds were dotted with huge powerful stamper batteries to crush the rock.

These Irishmen gathering in a pub on the corner of Rubicon and Skipton Streets had other concerns too. Prominent among them was the Catholic Church which, unlike the benign and understanding church their ancestors had fought and died for, had become a stern and unbending task master. It had imposed upon them rules and regulations that were hard to understand and even harder to obey.
They had to turn their backs on comrades with whom they had shared the great adventure of gold mining. They could no longer count among their friends men who did not profess the Catholic Church as the one true church, and they could not marry any woman who took their fancy. The children too had to be in schools approved by the church and increasingly these were ones constructed with money that had come from their own pockets.

Some of them were confused, others resentful, but they were also fearful. They knew they could not disobey. To do so would be to place themselves outside the church and dam their souls forever.

They brought their old-world conflict with them to the new land. The Orange and the Green focussed their antagonism on neighbourhood pubs in 1875, at a difficult time on the famous Ballarat goldfields. Jill Blee skilfully surrounds her characters with the flavours of time and place. The mines and mining tragedies loom in the background while the belligerence of miners and lorrymen, together with their imported patriotism and religious bigotry threaten the desire of the Farrell family to achieve wealth and respectability This special day in the life of their pub becomes life itself, filled with contemporary spleen, beautifully described household routines, and relentless social climbing that threatens Tommy Farrell's chance of finding love.



What I thought: I have wanted to read this for years as it is about Ballarat. Unfortunately it didn't do much for me. Pretty boring read and only interesting as I could envision the places described as I live here.

Book: Tenth Circle

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone is in love for the first time. She's also the light of her father, Daniel's life -- a straight-A student; a pretty, popular freshman in high school; a girl who's always seen her father as a hero. That is, until her world is turned upside down with a single act of violence. Suddenly everything Trixie has believed about her family -- and herself -- seems to be a lie. Could the boyfriend who once made Trixie wild with happiness have been the one to end her childhood forever? She says that he is, and that is all it takes to make Daniel, a seemingly mild-mannered comic book artist with a secret tumultuous past he has hidden even from his family, venture to hell and back to protect his daughter. 

What I thought: Hit and miss. Loved some bits but she lost me on others. I picked the ending a mile off so was chuffed at that. Not one of her best though.

Book: Blackpeak Station

Summary: Four generations of the Black family have farmed Blackpeak Station. Next in line, or so she believes, is Charlotte Black, stubborn as rock and unbiddable as the weather. But standing in her way are 150 years of tradition, an older brother, and a father who believes that daughters run families, not farms.

To make her childhood dream of owning the family property come true, she'll have to be as tough as the mountains themselves. There can be no room for romance in Charlotte's life. Or so she thinks, until it arrives at her door. Can she have both love and land, or must she choose? Can Charlotte learn to trust her heart?


What I thought: A new rural romance author to add to my collection but this time from New Zealand. Loved it. Hooked from page 1 :)

Book: Stone Castles

Summary: After ten years pursuing a prestigious career in New York, Pip Martin has returned to the Yorke Peninsula to farewell her dying grandmother. She doesn't intend to linger - there are too many memories in the small country town and not all of them will stay in the past.

Like Luke Trenorden, her childhood sweetheart. A man Pip had promised her heart to, until tragedy stole Pip's family away, and a terrible lie tore both their lives apart. Pip cannot deny there is still a spark between them, even amidst the heartache of losing her Gran and the demands of her new life. But it may not be enough to rekindle a love that has been neglected for so long.
When a long-kept secret is revealed, Pip is free to go back to the life she thought she wanted... unless Luke can break down the stone castle Pip has built around her heart.



What I thought: Another great rural lit read. I was hooked early on and loved it.

Bookgroup: Philomena

Summary: When she fell pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent at Roscrea in Co. Tipperary to be looked after as a fallen woman. She cared for her baby for three years until the Church took him from her and sold him, like countless others, to America for adoption. Coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her child again, she nonetheless spent the next fifty years secretly searching for him, unaware that he was searching for her from across the Atlantic. Philomena's son, renamed Michael Hess, grew up to be a top Washington lawyer and a leading Republican official in the Reagan and Bush administrations. But he was a gay man in a homophobic party where he had to conceal not only his sexuality but, eventually, the fact that he had AIDs. With little time left, he returned to Ireland and the convent where he was born: his desperate quest to find his mother before he died left a legacy that was to unfold with unexpected consequences for all involved. Philomena is the tale of a mother and a son whose lives were scarred by the forces of hypocrisy on both sides of the Atlantic and of the secrets they were forced to keep.

What I thought: I very much enjoyed this. I got angry and sad and happy throughout. Well worth a read - just don't watch the movie as it is very different!

Book: Meant to Be

Summary: Emily Oliphant’s life finally seems to be settling down. Her new boyfriend Jake has joined her on the farm, they are looking forward to starting their life together, and her financial security seems safe and sound.
They both love the peace and tranquillity of the setting of Emily’s beloved old cottage which had been reduced to rubble by her deceased husband. Jake suggests they rebuild it — it will be a big job, but a good project for them: a potential business for Emily, and a good advertisement for his building company.
Their plans and the building progress well. But where Emily is involved, life doesn’t tend to run smoothly for long. This time it is her two best friends who face a personal crisis and Emily finally gets the chance to repay them for the kindness and support they gave her when she needed it. But now she has a new dilemma. How will she and Jake announce their news to Barbara and David? And what will happen to their friendship when they do?


What I thought: This book took a while to get into as the main character had reverted back to a needy whingy thing. But maybe 50 pages in it all clicked and then I was hooked again. A nice end to the series but I'm ready for that to be closed and to read some new books with new charcters. Not really into series.

Book : The Fault in our Stars

Summary: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

What I thought: OMG - brilliant. Go out and read this!!!

Book: Destinations

Summary: From the moment the Dart system became part of Dublin I dreamed about writing a collection of short stories centred around it. I think this is because I am basically a nosy person and love looking at the backs of people’s houses and wondering what kind of lives they’re living. And whenever passengers get on the train I’m always intrigued as to where they’re going to or coming from and what’s going on in their lives. Not being able to actually ask, I’ve made it all up and the result is Destinations. I’m hoping it’s an idea commuting book because the stories are short enough to be read between a couple of stations but clearly I also hope it will be enjoyed no matter where you are!

What I thought: A good collection of short stories. Enjoyed these over lunch. 

Book: Secrets of Whitewater Creek

Summary: Born and bred on the land, Jordan Windcroft is brave and independent. She's had to be. Her life revolves around running her property almost single-handedly on next to no money, and waiting out her four years of probation — a rap that she took for one of her closest friends for a crime she didn’t commit.

Thankfully there's an end to her problems in sight. Jordan’s probation period is almost up, and if she can just make the cattle sale, there’s a chance she can pull herself out of more than ten years of serious debt and keep her precious farm. The last thing she needs is for Reid Easton to start monitoring her.
Detective Senior Sergeant Reid Easton drives into Whitewater Creek on a mission to wrap up a three-year drug investigation; his only lead, Jordan Windcroft. The attraction between the two is immediate, but Reid is undercover and Jordan has a secret she can’t risk him discovering. Will either jeopardise their cause, for something as transitory as love – or will they keep their secrets to themselves?


What I Thought:  I really loved this book. Had me in sucked in from the start. Another new author to add to the list! Way too many of them now!

Book: The Fine Colour of Rust

Summary: Single mother Loretta Boskovic may have fantasies about dumping her two kids in the orphanage and riding off on a Harley with her dream lover, but her reality is life in a dusty country town called Gunapan. A self-dubbed 'old scrag', Loretta's got a big heart and a strong sense of injustice. So, when Gunapan's primary school is threatened with closure, and there's a whiff of corruption wafting through the corridors of the local council, she stirs into action. She's short of money, influence and a fully functioning car, but she does have loyal friends who'll do whatever it takes to hold on to the scrap of world that is home.

What I thought: Absolutely LOVED this book. Great snapshot into ordinary country life. Brilliant - definitely recommend!

Bookgroup: The Sense of an Ending

Summary: Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.

Now Tony is in middle age. He’s had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He’s certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer’s letter is about to prove.

What I thought: Interesting read. Different ending to what I thought. Amazing what can happen years later.  Still pondering...