A woman’s journey of self-discovery meets small-town charm and an intriguing post-WWII mystery in this captivating romance from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen.
Interior stylist Grace Davenport has come to the mountains for solitude and a place to heal after her parents’ death. Returning to their beloved town of Bundilla, she plans to restore a local bluestone mansion in honour of their memory. She’ll just be there for the summer, until she figures out her next step.
Rowan Parker never used to think twice about taking risks until his love for a woman blinded him to all common sense. Now, between his cattle farm in the high country and his work as a stonemason, there’s no room in his life for further mistakes. But when he meets the beautiful but reserved new owner of the historic mansion he’s been hired to rebuild, he realises his best laid plans have run amuck.
Together, Grace and Rowan work to bring the mansion back to life. But when they uncover a hidden trove of post-WWII secrets about the house’s former inhabitants, their quest to find answers draws them ever closer. And just when the stone rubble around them begins to resemble a home, a landslide threatens all that Rowan and Grace have rebuilt. With their futures as unstable as the mountainside, each must fight for what they really want, even if it means losing everything…
I hadn’t read an Alissa Callen novel before, and I regret waiting so long. Snowy Mountains Cattleman is her latest Bundilla novel, blending charming small-town life with romance, intrigue and an unexpected mystery. Even though this is the second instalment in the series, readers can definitely enjoy this as a standalone.
Growing up on a farm, Callen is no stranger to rural life, and it shows in her fiction. Her portrayal of small-town life and the surrounding bush was richly depicted and vividly imagined. As I read, I was whisked away to Bundilla, where I spent the better part of the weekend, immersed in this story.
It wouldn’t be a rural romance without chemistry, something Grace and Rowan are certainly not lacking in. Theirs was a slow burn romance, one that will keep readers turning the pages. I loved the parallel between the restoration of the house and the growth of their relationship. Callen makes sure we spend plenty of time with the characters allowing a much deeper connection to them and their relationship.
Another fascinating aspect of Snowy Mountain Cattleman was the WWII mystery at the heart of the restoration. I loved how Callen incorporated this storyline into the novel, as you don’t often see rural romance and WWII history merge together. Callen skilfully weaves these two threads together, making for an utterly compelling story.
If you’re looking for heart-warming romance or a mysterious historical mystery, do yourself a favour and read Snowy Mountain Cattleman. It’s the perfect read to enjoy this summer.
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