With just two months left of the year, there’s not much time to meet your AWW goals! How are you going with them? Stop in and let us know!
Our romance readers seem to be making good progress. Throughout October we had 20 reviews of 18 books by 16 authors. You can see all the full list on our Books Reviewed page.
Amanda from Mrs. B’s Book Reviews delved into some back catalogue with Alissa Callen’s The Long Paddock.
Drought, hardship and the mental stresses in dealing with a dependence on the country elements is what resonated with me most about this story. Callen presents her reader with an inspired fiction novel that links a romantic second chance rural love story, with the realism associated with life in our country regions of Australia. It has cemented my resolve to continue to read more releases from the author of The Long Paddock, Alissa Callen.
Kate Forsyth also went back to look at A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester:
The book didn’t let me down. Evelyn’s story is full of drama, heartbreak and determination, and the setting of Manhattan in the early ‘20s is brought to glorious vivid life. I particularly loved the scenes when Evelyn was fighting to be allowed to study medicine – they rang really true for me. I’m keen now to read Natasha Lester’s new book, Her Mother’s Secret.
Cass Moriarty was touched by historical romance The Railwayman’s Wife by Ashley Hay:
This is a gentle, meandering story about love, loss, longing and reconnection. It is a carefully drawn portrait of the aftermath of war – the human trauma, death on a large scale, man’s terrible inhumanity to man. It is about privation, and making do, and scraping together to make the best of what you have left. It is about how war changes hearts and minds, how it alters personalities, how it grinds down those that fought and those that were left behind.
She warns that it doesn’t have the usual Happily Ever After.
Farewell
I’m sad to say that this is the last AWW round-up from me. It’s time for me to move on to other things. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the AWW team for being such a delight to work with.
Readers can rest assured I’ll be leaving you in capable hands. Amanda from Mrs. B’s Book Reviews will be taking over from next month. I hope you’ll give her a warm welcome.
Elizabeth Fitzgerald is a freelance editor and owner of Earl Grey Editing. She runs a book blog, and was a judge for the 2016 Aurealis Awards. An unabashed roleplayer and reader of romance, her weaknesses are books, loose-leaf tea and silly dogs. She tweets @elizabeth_fitz
A great round up – as always. I must read The Railway Man’s Wife. I’m an Ashley Hay fan and I’ve heard so many good things about this novel.
You will be greatly missed Elizabeth, thank you for all you have done for the challenge.
And a big welcome to Amanda!
Ahh, the lows and highs…😊
Thank you! It has been a delight to be part of the AWW team. I will be keeping my eye on the round-ups for future recommendations (because my pile of books to ready apparently isn’t big enough).
Ha! Yes, imagine the horror of having a TBR pile that was less than the amount of books needed to fill a small room. 😂
Yes – another great round up, Elizabeth. Thank you for all your hard work!
Wendy
Thank you! I hope you found it useful.
Thanks for everything, Elizabeth!
My pleasure!
Thanks for all your hard work. I hope the ‘other things’ prove exciting and fulfilling.
Thank you! It has been very exciting.