Brothers of the Vine
Forever Evermore
Women of W.A.R.
Can’t wait for the new season of Farmer Wants a Wife to premiere on channel 7 (dropping on Easter Monday)?
Here are some rural romance reads we think you’ll adore!
P.S love Australian small-town romance? You are invited to join HQ Books, Romance.com.au, Better Reading and our top authors as we host a series of one night only events in select country towns. Each event will be a night of fun, games and prizes galore at interesting locations. So grab your friends for a girls night out, come and meet your favourite authors.
Snowy Mountains Promise by Alissa Callen
A town scandal. A kelpie chaperone. A winter ball. The bush telegraph has never had so much to talk about…
A delightfully charming rural story about love and healing from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen.
Hettie Burbrook is the first to admit she’s happiest when flying solo through the outback skies. After her hobby of photographing farmers lands her a book deal, it provides the ideal cover story to visit small-town Bundilla. But every photograph brings her closer to uncovering the answers behind why she is really in the mountains…
Deer farmer Taite Lancaster is as strong as the tempered steel he welds into lifelike animal sculptures. Unlike his father, he will never allow feelings to break him. But when the old schoolfriend of his twin sister lands on the airstrip of their high-country station, he knows he’s in trouble. Hettie is the one woman he can’t forget.
While they’re both determined to keep to themselves, between dog races, a ute muster and a winter ball, Hettie and Taite are forced to face how much they need each other. And when a long-buried scandal erupts into the present, relationships and lives are threatened.
Can a man who locks away his emotions reveal his vulnerability before the mountain snow melts? And can a woman intent on righting a decades-old tragedy listen to her heart before history repeats itself?
Shelter from the Storm by Penelope Janu
When Patience Cartwright is stranded in her home town, the last thing she expects is a second chance at love…
Fiercely independent naval officer, Patience Cartwright has never had a place to call home, but she knows where she doesn’t belong. After an unhappy childhood and a badly broken heart, she’ll never return to the country.
But to save her career, Patience is forced to accept a secondment – to an environmental team working near the town where she grew up. There she encounters once more the infuriatingly attractive biologist Hugo Halstead – the very man she’s sworn never to forgive.
Given their history, Hugo, as self-assured and honest as Patience is secretive and self-contained, has vowed never to trust her again, but that doesn’t stop him feeling just as helplessly drawn to her complicated mix of courage and fragility as he ever was.
As Patience recuperates from a life-threatening illness in the small country town of Horseshoe Hill, she realises the beauty of the landscape and close-knit community promise something very different to the future she’s mapped out.
But could the secrets she keeps and the shadows of her past, send her adrift all over again?
A Town Like Clarence by Stella Quinn
When Kirsty Fox goes on the run to escape a crash-and-burn at work, she finds a family she didn’t know she needed… A witty and warm rural romance perfect for readers of Rachael Johns and Alissa Callen.
They say a change is as good as a holiday. Joey Miles is hoping so after leaving the city behind, his stockbroking career in flames, to embrace a brand-new challenge: farming. But while returning to his hometown somehow feels right, he’s got a long way to go to get back on his feet financially and the last thing he needs is the townsfolk meddling in his love life (or lack thereof).
To the townsfolk of Clarence, Joey has always been the ultimate tragic romantic hero – and it’s time this hero had a happy ever after…
But Kirsty Fox is only in Clarence to dig up information about a World War II figure from her family’s past – she has no intention of sticking around and finding out if Joey is as adorable as he seems. Kirsty doesn’t stick around. Ever.
But when the locals of Clarence spy the chemistry between these two, a secret item gets added to the agenda of the next town committee meeting: matchmaking. This warm-hearted community will pull every trick in the book to show Joey and Kirsty everything they’ve unwittingly been searching for is right under their noses… What could possibly go wrong?
Chicken wrangling, an adorable kid niece, a secret in a cow shed and a big-hearted town full of meddlesome wannabe poets… This new romance from Australian author Stella Quinn is a knockout.
Jillaroo from Jacaranda by Mandy Magro
Falling in love was never part of her plan … A captivating contemporary romance about new beginnings and risking it all from bestselling Australian author Mandy Magro.
What happens when fate sends you just the right person at just the wrong time?
Rose Jones is twenty-two, and has followed in her mother’s footsteps working with horses as a champion barrel racer. Hard on the heels of being dumped by her fiance comes Rose’s determination to chart her own path in life from now on. But meeting handsome bull rider Ty Parker wasn’t part of the plan.
After bonding at the Joneses’ family Christmas, Rose accepts Ty’s offer of a quaint country cottage on his outback station as a bolthole to focus on her writing and sorting through her feelings. Here among the beauty of the bush landscape she finds surprising adventure and friendships, but is taking a risk on love worth the gamble of breaking her heart all over again if it all goes wrong?
Bestselling Australian author Mandy Magro returns with a standalone rural romance set in the world of Mandy’s novel Jacaranda.
The Promise of Home by Nicola Marsh
This dyed-in-the-wool country girl will do anything to protect the home she loves… A fast-paced, heartwarming rural romance from a USA Today bestselling Australian author.
Entrusted with running her grandfather’s real estate business, Karlana Vogel’s determined to make it thrive. Pop raised her in small-town Acacia Haven after her parents died, so the family legacy is her pride and joy. When the competition, a cocky city mogul, breezes into town with a deal to take over, she’s incensed.
Hudson Grenville came from less than nothing and has worked nonstop to turn it all around. But he’s only a hard-nosed salesman on the outside – acquiring the Vogels’ agency is the linchpin he needs to make his housing project for homeless kids work. Unless he’s willing to let down all those counting on him, he has no choice but to stick around town and try to persuade Karly to sell.
Despite being on opposite sides of the boardroom, the deal is complicated by the chemistry that keeps bringing them back to the table. Both parties will have to assess what they want out of life. And what they’re willing to give up…
Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns
Keeping secrets comes naturally to him … but will it ruin his chance at love?
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?
The Library at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover
An unexpected and unusual inheritance sets a young woman on the road to discover her mother’s deepest secret. A charming and heartfelt rural romance perfect for readers of Rachael Johns and Karly Lane.
When Lou Taylor inherits a quaint country cottage and a mobile library full of books from her birth mother, she heads to the small town of Wagtail Ridge to learn more about the woman she never knew. Curiously, the last piece of the bequest is a handwritten letter, the first of many Luca left scattered along the library’s route in hopes of finally sharing her secrets with the daughter she had to give up.
The townspeople of Wagtail Ridge flock around Lou, wanting to share the stories of Luca’s life, but she knows she must learn about her birth mother in the way Luca intended. Jake Barnes, her new neighbour, offers to help her follow the trail, but weighing on his conscience is a promise he made to Luca – a secret that now stands between him and the woman who’s slowly capturing his heart…
As the kilometres fly by, Lou gradually untangles who her mother was and what lay behind the choices she made. At the same time, she finds herself drawing ever closer to kind, handsome Jake. But will it all be enough to keep her in Wagtail Ridge when she has another happy life waiting for her in the city?
A captivating story of love, family and belonging from award-winning romance author Janet Gover.
Home Among the Vines by Tricia Stringer, Lily Malone, Jacquie Underdown
A collection of three rural stories about finding home in unexpected places.
Something in the Wine by Tricia Stringer
High school teacher Keely’s beach holiday plans are turned upside down when a medical emergency and an intervention by a kind stranger finds her recovering in a Margaret River vineyard instead. At first left downcast, slowly the lovely food, spectacular wine and beautiful landscape of the area begin to work their spell. Keely didn’t mean to fall for anyone, but she can’t help her feelings for clever, passionate wine-maker Flynn. Can what Keely feels be real? Or is it just something in the wine?
The Goodbye Ride by Lily Malone
Olivia is a woman on a mission. The motorbike that once belonged to her late brother has come up for re-sale, and she is determined to buy it back. Only one person stands in her way and she’s just tripped and fallen at his feet. How far will Liv go to make the motorbike hers? Can a viticulturalist fall for a man who prefers beer? And will a weekend among the vines be long enough for Liv to believe she can trust him with her heart?
Sweet From the Vine by Jacquie Underdown
Back in her hometown for a fresh start, newly divorced Matilda has landed the perfect job on the breathtaking local vineyard. The only catch is Mitch – widower, single dad, her old high school flame and her new boss. When the sparks between them grow so bright they can’t be ignored, Matilda is forced to question what she truly wants in life. But first Mitch must learn that moving on is not a betrayal, and find the courage to fight for his second chance at love.
The Vet’s Country Holiday by Lily Malone
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?
When Love Comes To…Tamworth!
Rural Romance authors Stella Quinn, Penelope Janu & Rachael Johns are travelling to Tamworth!
Come and meet them and join us for a fun night of live music, games and the chance to win some great prizes. Books from each of the authors will be available to purchase on the night to be signed.
Date: 4th May 2023
Time: Doors open at 5:45 for a 6:15pm start. Event will finish around 7:30pm
Location: The Press Basement Bar, The Leader Building – Basement. 179 Marius St, Tamworth NSW 2340
Details: This is a free event. Drinks will be available to purchase at the bar
Please RSVP to secure your spot.