Within days, Penny has to leave her much-loved job, her live-in boyfriend, and her beloved city apartment … to return to the small country town in which she grew up. Back to her dad and three sisters, one of whom has never forgiven her for abandoning her family. And to her ex-boyfriend, Tim Patterson, who was the biggest reason she ran away in the first place.
When Penny’s father is injured in a farming accident and Tim campaigns to buy the property, she must choose between the city life she loves and the farming dream she buried long ago.
This books has a lot of the romancey tropes I love – big city business person comes back to their country home town (leaving behind their terrible boy/girlfriend), high school sweethearts reunite and everyone can see they should be together except them. But, just when I thought this was all banter, baking, and biceps, the story took an unexpected turn and got quite thriller-y.
I felt like there were three distinct parts to this one – Penny’s arrival and the beginning of her recuperation, her father’s accident, and then what happens next. The story flowed pretty naturally through, although in the end I felt like maybe it wrapped up a little to quickly – but then I’m never quite sure whether this really just means I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters yet!
There is a lot to love about this book, and about Maya’s writing.
I felt like the relationships were all so well written – I could feel the love between family members (the scenes between Tim and his Nanna Pearl are so lovely!), and she also totally nails the way that your family can really get under your skin like no one else (even when on the inside they really want what’s best for each other).
The idea of ‘baking yourself well’ really speaks to me – I love nothing better than losing myself in a familiar recipe if I’m feeling out of sorts, and I really liked the way that baking her mum’s recipes helped Penny reestablish that connection to her home and family.
The setting for the story is also really well written – both in terms of the farms and surrounding land, but also the country town and it’s inhabitants. I felt like that balance in small towns of gossip and support was really spot on.
While this is largely a fun and sweet romance, it isn’t always light. A number of more serious themes are explored, and I do want to give a content warning for domestic violence – it isn’t exactly a main theme in the book, but it is there.
Overall, Wildflower Ridge made excellent beach reading, and would be the perfect companion to curl up with by the fire for some cosy winter reading too. I’ve heard a rumour Maya is working on something new, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s got in store for us (and the McIntyre girls!) next!
xoBron
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Wildflower Ridge by Maya Linnell
Out now from Allen and Unwin
Source: Free copy sent to me by Allen and Unwin
Category: Australian rural romance fiction
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Australian RRP: $29.99
Wildflower Ridge on Goodreads
Find Maya online here.
It's got the three Bs! Baking, banter, and biceps – a winning combination!I like that saying, too: baking yourself well.This book sounds really intriguing! I'm glad you enjoyed it! 💜
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Sounds like a great read! I am also partial to a bit of baking in a book 😊
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