August was a big month for our romance writers, as they all descended on Melbourne from 9th to 11th August for the annual RWA conference. One of the highlights is the Gala Awards dinner which also includes the results of the Ruby Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Here is a snapshot of the final results:

  • Contemporary Romance  –  On the Right Track by Penelope Janu
  • Historical Romance – The Devilish Duke by Maddison Michaels
  • Romantic Elements  –  Tangled Vines by Megan Mayfair
  • Speculative Romance – Cursed by Keri Arthur
  • Romantic Suspense – Undercover Fighter by Aislinn Kearns

Congratulations again to all the winners and finalists, what a great line up! I look forward to exploring these books and I’m sure many will be added to the wishlists of our romance readers.

August 2019 was another very productive and well read month on the romance front. In August we returned 37 reviews, of 30 books, of 30 authors. This is a great result for the final month of winter for 2019.

Our most reviewed title for August 2019 was Meet Me in Venice by Barbara Hannay with three entries. I am looking forward to reading this one, especially after the interview I conducted with Barbara to celebrate the release of her new book.

I loved what Shelleyrae of Book’d Out had to say about this title:

A captivating story about family, love and life’s journey. Meet Me in Venice is an engaging and enjoyable read.

Matters of the Heart, the new title from West Australian rural romance author Fiona Palmer barely had time to hit the shelves before two favourable reviews popped up. This modern day retelling of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, with a rural romance twist, found favour with Ashleigh from The Book Muse:

Not only did this retelling and the original have a touch of romance in it, but the main premise is the idea of manners and what happens when we prejudge people based on minimal interaction or gossip. Also, many of the events are similar, just with a twenty-first century flavour, and a uniquely Australian flavour that makes it exciting and enjoyable to read.

Undara by Annie Seaton was another title that stood out during August, scooping in two new and very positive reviews.

Claire Holderness from Claire’s Reads & Reviews perfectly sums up this new novel from Annie Seaton:

This novel is full of mystery, friendship, grief, healing, misunderstandings, crime, family drama and the land. The tubes are as much a character as the people. One of the main mysteries which will be solved dates back 100 years and involves the disappearance of 2 children. This is a rather heartbreaking mystery.

I would like to give a shout out to Hot Mess by R. Linda, a self published romance title which was kindly added by Reading For the Love of Books.

I was laughing out loud from the very first page with this author that I have had sitting on my Kindle for some time but have not read until now. This is her new release that is a wonderful light-hearted read about Wren, a young lady trying to make it in her messy life. This is an extremely entertaining read that will give you that feel good feeling without all the drama some books give you to fill up the pages.

Here is a record of the romance titles that have been highlighted in previous round-ups that came in during August:

  • The Postmistress by Alison Stuart
  • The Roadhouse by Kerry McGinnis
  • Love Song by Sasha Wasley
  • The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth
  • The Desert Midwife by Fiona McArthur
  • Fast Lane by Juanita Kees
  • Lone Star Defender by Jennie Jones
  • Home for June by Juliet Madison
  • Love and Other Battles by Tess Woods
  • While You Were Reading by Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus

Three titles were added in August to the older romance release category:

  • Deadly Wipeout by Beth Prentice, published in 2016
  • The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns, published in 2015
  • Emerald Springs by Fleur McDonald, published in 2015

That’s a wrap. Many thanks for joining me this month, enjoy your spring reading and I look forward to presenting you with another set of fabulous romance books next month.


About me: I am a mum of two young boys, an early childhood teacher, dressaholic, book reviewer and self confessed book geek. In 2016, I turned my passion for reading into my own blog, Mrs B’s Book Reviews. I blog daily and love nothing more than to showcase books by our talented crop of Australian women writers, especially rural romance, along with a number of other genres. Check my reviews out at the following sites, Mrs B’s Book Reviews, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Twitter.