An unexpected and unusual inheritance sets a young woman on the road to discover her mother’s deepest secret in this latest novel from Australian writer Janet Gover, author of Flight to Coorah Creek and Christmas at Coorah Creek. Glover writes stories of strong women, rural communities and falling in love, something she takes up once again in The Library at Wagtail Ridge, a charming and heartfelt rural romance perfect for fans 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?
The Library at Wagtail Ridge is a captivating story of love, family and belonging that ticks all the boxes for a sweet summer read: a country town. Tick. Libraries. Tick. Plenty of romance. Tick. Labrador puppies! Tick, tick, tick.
Readers will feel right at home in the fictional town of Wagtail Ridge, a small, tightknit community filled with warm, richly drawn characters and the occasional busybody. Lou made for a great protagonist, and her journey of self-discovery – with Jake along for the ride – was thoroughly enjoyable.
If you’re looking for a heart-warming rural romance to indulge in this summer, you can’t go past The Library at Wagtail Ridge. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll long for more. Let’s hope there’s more Wagtail Ridge books to come.
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