Mandy Magro

Set in North Queensland, Riverstone Ridge is a rural romance with an element of suspense from bestselling author, Mandy Magro.

“I do think it’s high time you knew the truth, about me, about your past, and perhaps it will open doors to a future you never imagined possible.”

Nearly twenty years after Nina Jones left her hometown, certain that she’d never be able to return, the last wish of her beloved adoptive mother, Bea, draws her back to Riverstone Ridge to face the secrets she left behind.
Bea has arranged that Nina will receive a letter each week, hoping that the missives will allow Nina reconnect with her love of Riverstone Ridge, and perhaps the boy next door she never forgot.

Riverstone Ridge explores a number of themes including love, romance, family, truth, and loss. I thought the author’s examination of grief and the ways in which people react differently was particularly thoughtful and tender.

The ‘second chance’ romance between Nina and Logan Steele, now the town’s police officer who has experienced his own devastating loss, is emotional and passionate. The narrative occasionally shifts between their perspectives so their intense attraction to, and feelings about, one another are crystal clear, and I found their connection appealing and believable.

There are two main secrets that create suspense in Riverstone Ridge, both of which take almost the whole length of the book to be revealed. One is quite sinister, placing Nina unknowingly in the path of a man seeking revenge. I thought these threads were well paced and enhanced the story, surprising me with the twists they offered.

Magro’s writing is very descriptive, be it of people, emotions, places, or things. I again loved Magro's distinctly Australian settings which draws on her own experience and knowledge of the land. Her depiction of the landscape is especially evocative, and I found it easy to visualise Riverstone Ridge and it’s surrounds.

An emotive and enjoyable novel, Riverstone Ridge is an engaging story of love and suspense.… (mer)

Dual narratives unfold in Driftwood, Mandy Magro's fourth Australian rural fiction novel.

In 1861, wanted bushranger William Campbell and his beloved, Anne Margaret Willow, are forced to flee the Goldbury Township of New South Wales, changing their names to evade the law. They settle in Northern Queensland, purchasing Waratah Station and work hard to leave their past behind them, building a future for their family.
In the present day, Taylor Whitworth has fled the city, and the expectations of her family, to pursue her dream of country living, when she stumbles into the tiny Northern Queensland town of Driftwood. Taylor immediately feels at home and within days has gained an apartment, a job in the local pub and an invitation by the handsome Jay Donnellson, to join the next muster on Waratah Station as a jillaroo.

Though I thought there were a few minor issues with the writing, the dialogue was sometimes stilted and the pacing a little uneven, I enjoyed the stories presented in both timelines of Driftwood.

The historical period involves a tale of bushranging, corruption, murder and a beautiful love story touched by both tragedy and joy. The present day timeline focuses on the budding romance between Taylor and Jay but is also deepened by the mystery of Taylor's father, a man she believes is dead, and enlivened by a cyclone that threatens to destroy everything. Fate eventually reveals the tie between the two timelines, and Taylor's affinity for Driftwood.

Music is an important part of this novel, Taylor is a talented songstress and Australian country and western singer Adam Brand has an extended cameo in Driftwood. Though I am not much of a country music fan I thought he was a sweetheart after watching his participation in Dancing With the Stars and I really enjoyed his role in the novel.

A quick read, Driftwood is an engaging story of love and drama with appealing characters and an interesting plot to satisfy fans of both contemporary and historical romance.… (mer)

Ever just wanted to take off from your life and hit the road with no destination in mind? Taylor Whitworth is fed up with life in the city and her stepfather’s demands, so she does just that. She finds herself outside the northern Queensland town with no petrol when she’s rescued by Jay Donnellson from Waratah Station. Finding a job in the local pub and friendly people is like a dream come true to Taylor. But when she gets a job as a jillaroo, things start falling into place beyond her wildest dreams…

Meanwhile, back in 1860s New South Wales, Anne and William are having a secret love affair. He’s a bushranger and she’s a wanted lady – by the crooked local policeman. A dramatic turn of events means that they need to flee town quickly. Will Waratah Station in Queensland be their salvation, or will it all unravel?

As the novel progresses, these two narratives become increasingly entwined. I did enjoy the historical narrative – I don’t think there’s enough historical romance involving kind-hearted bushrangers and I would have liked to have read more about Anne and William. There was enough material to develop into a separate novel. However, I did find their dialogue a little clunky at times – it just didn’t ring true for me, seeming a little formal, particularly between the bushrangers.

Back in the present day, the romance between Taylor and Jay is sweet. I did find Taylor a little immature as a hero (perhaps because of her age, she’s in her early twenties and I’m er, older) at times, but at others she seemed to have a wisdom beyond her years. The coincidence at the end is kind of implausible, but, hey this is why we like fiction! The way it comes to fruition is dramatic and heart wrenching. There was fairly little standing between them (one half-hearted scheming woman a lack of privacy) as the focus shifted to the station.

I found the inclusion of Adam Brand (Australian country and western singer) as a character original. It really held my interest, seeing this person from television interacting with fictional characters (as well as being caught up in a number of dramas, big and small). I don’t want to spoil the big event at the end, but suffice to say, Magro has put a lot of research into just what happens during a disaster. Having been in a similar situation, I found her words to ring true (and thank goodness Adam Brand was okay). I liked that this dramatic event wasn’t based around the romance, but everyone working at the station. It was very refreshing.

I read this book during an unusually hectic week and found it enjoyable and easy to keep track of the narrative. If you’re looking for a light read with bushrangers, sexy singers and dramatic events, this is just the read for you!

Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the ARC.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com… (mer)

This is Mandy Magro's second novel, drawing on her experiences of life on the land in Northern Queensland, and Jacaranda is a heartwarming contemporary rural romance with just a touch of drama to keep things interesting.

Despite having endured the tragic loss of her parents and her best friend, Jenny, in separate accidents, Molly Jones is content with her life at Jacaranda Farm with her grandparents and six year old daughter, Rose. Molly's only regret is that Rose has never known her father, a charming cowboy that disappeared after their one night together, and she dreams of finding a loving partner and creating a stable family for Rose. When Molly recognises Mark at the local pub, playing with a band passing through town, she hopes that he will welcome the news he is a father, but decides to learn more about him first before revealing her secret.
Heath Miller, a station hand on Jacaranda Farm, is disappointed when Molly begins dating Mark. He has been hiding his feelings for Molly for months, unsure if she would even consider a future with him given his history with Jenny. Learning Mark is Rose's father is a further blow but it gives Heath the incentive he needs to confess his love to Molly, hoping he will be the one who provides Molly and Rose with their 'happily ever after'.
It is the complications of the romantic attraction between Molly and Heath that is the focus of the story, but Magro also explores what it means to be a family. Tragedy has already struck Molly twice before the novel begins but she is tested again within the book when a fire threatens the life of her daughter and herself.
I liked the characters of Jacaranda, Molly is a mature 26 year old who is raising her daughter while working as an accomplished horse trainer at her grandparent's fruit and cattle farm. She is sweet and good-natured despite having experienced devastating loss, and you can't help but want her, and her delightful daughter Rose, to find happiness. Fun loving Jade is Molly's best friend and I found it interesting that Magro chose to make her a lesbian, which allowed her to briefly acknowledge homophobia in the bush. The station hands, Trev and Kenny, are typical Aussie larrikins as is Heath though, as the romantic lead, his character is afforded more depth. Mark, Heath's rival for Molly's affection, isn't everything he seems and though I am not sure I agree with the twist Magro gave to his storyline, it does redeem his character somewhat.
The setting of of the novel is distinctly Australian, Magro accurately portrays the hard work of raising cattle and growing citrus fruit on Jacaranda Farm as well as the fun to be had at country community events like the rodeo and outdoor drive-in. Magro doesn't shy away from Aussie colloquialisms which work in context of the story, and the occasional use of profanity doesn't bother me, but I have to admit I found a lot of the dialogue slightly unnatural, though I can't quite put my finger on why.

This is the first book I have read by this Australian author who is reportedly working on her third and fourth novels. The first, Rosalee Station was published in 2011. I enjoyed Jacaranda, finding it a quick, light romantic read with a satisfying 'happy ever after' ending, and wish Mandy Magro success with it.… (mer)