Review: Rise and Shine

Title: Rise and Shine

Author: Kimberley Allsopp

Publisher: 4th June 2025 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 383 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Romance | Women's Fiction

Synopsis:

Charming, talky, wryly funny, poignant and original - Rise and Shine is a love story, yes, but it's a love story that happens ten years into a marriage, when somebody wants out.

This is a story about marriage. It is also a story about life and love and happiness and the absence of happiness and what we need to do to find it again.

It's a story about hope, baking, making music, lemon trees, painting, love, divorce, dogs, the families we create for ourselves, and the heat of the Brisbane sun.

It's a story about August and Noah.

It begins at the end.

Rise and Shine is an utterly surprising delight, a break-up tale that is also a love story; endearing, astringent, talky, wry, wise, uplifting and so original.

My Thoughts 

Kimberley Allsopp has a most unique style of writing. Her debut novel in 2022, Love and Other Puzzles, blew me away - I adored it. It was full of wit and charm, refreshing, never dull with a perfect combination of humour and hindsight. Kimberley has carried some of this over into her next book, Rise and Shine where once more she challenges her readers by asking the question, when you realise that life is not what you want or wish it to be … how does one change?

‘She had a good life. She had to stop worrying about it and trying to stretch it into a shape that she thought it needed to be when this was a good shape.’

This is a story about life, love and what happens when, after ten years of marriage, someone wants out. What makes us happy, what makes us unhappy and what can we do about it. It’s a story that gets you thinking, presented in Kimberley’s witty, quirky and uplifting way. 

‘She had to fold this moment up and put it in her pocket so she could bring it out when her love for this man felt worn out and thin.'

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Seachangers

Title: The Seachangers

Author: Meredith Appleyard

Publisher: 4th September 2024 by Harlequin Australia, HQ (Fiction, Non Fiction, YA) & MIRA

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), contemporary 

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A thoughtful, charming and sensitive story about aging, resilience and the delight of rediscovery.

It's never too late for a new beginning.

At 57, Ruth made a successful sea she relocated from the city to the country and opened Rosie's Cafe in the seaside town of Cutlers Bay. Business boomed, but five years on the shine has worn off. Where has that other Ruth gone, the independent, feisty woman who'd had the courage to sell up in the city and move to the country? Even the bathroom mirror is reflecting back someone she doesn't quite greying hair, wrinkles, the sparkle all but gone from her blue eyes. Ruth is convinced she has to make a change - if only she could decide what.

After a lifetime of hard work out bush, Hamish has retired to the city for a life of comfort and ease. It's what he always dreamed of, so why doesn't he feel satisfied? When his 89-year-old father dies, Hamish comes to Cutlers Bay to settle his affairs. At first, packing up the house and renovating it to sell is both a filial duty and a welcome project to fill his days. As the work energises him, Hamish was retiring a mistake? The longer he's in town, the more Cutlers Bay starts to feel like home. And a certain cafe owner makes the idea of staying there all the more appealing ...

My Thoughts

Gosh I love Meredith’s books! Meredith is part of a group of authors writing tales that involve our aging population and I salute her for shining the spotlight on this undervalued age group. It’s not overly dramatic but packs a punch where it counts for the over 50s age bracket and the challenges and decisions they often face. 

‘I'd noticed that about getting older: I couldn't keep as many balls in the air at one time, not anymore, no matter how many lists I made and how hard I tried.’

The Seachangers is a sensitive story about ageing, retirement and new beginnings. Meredith assembles a great cast of characters from the over 50s, to teenagers, to single mothers. Every one of them has something to contribute and it’s the tiny details that make the story so relatable. It’s about the problems of life and how we cope with them no matter what our age is. With themes including family, suicide, retirement, running a small business, death, depression and alcoholism.  

‘The idea I might end my days in an aged-care facility was beyond the pale. I needed to get my act together, make the most of the years I had left before it was too late.‘

The Seachangers is a wonderful story that I could not put down. There is something for every reader but especially those getting older and some of the big questions about not only what direction your life is going but how you are going to get there. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: Emergency Exit Only

Title: Emergency Exit Only

Author: Michelle Upton

Publisher: 29th November 2023 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 352 pages

Genre: contemporary, romance

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

No evacuation plan, no safety net.

Amelia's quitting the daily grind to find her fantasy job.

But a shocking secret from the past shows her that where there's smoke, there's fire ... And sometimes you just have to save yourself.

Amelia Harris has played it safe all her life - but when a minor accident lands her in hospital, she dramatically quits the tedious office job she's had for a decade.

​

At a loss at what she wants to do next - and fast running out of cash - Amelia tries her hand at the dream jobs she's always fantasised about. Soon she's shadowing a thrilling cast of characters and professions - as a journalist, a florist, a wedding planner, a zookeeper, and more. Life couldn't be more exciting, especially when she meets the man of her dreams.

​

But when her mother, Toni, drops a truth bomb about their family, Amelia's whole world tilts on its axis. Meanwhile, each new job starts taking on a life of its own. Has she created a monster?

​

As she's about to find out, where there's smoke, there's fire, and sometimes you just have to save yourself.

​

A hilarious, big-hearted story about second chances from the author of Terms of Inheritance.

My Thoughts

‘Gary gasped. 'She's not!'

Craig bounced on his toes. "She is!' he squealed. 'She's doing it!'

Amelia evil-eyed her work colleagues as she marched past her desk and then did the thing she'd fantasised about doing for months. She pushed the bar on the emergency exit only door and opened it. Bright sunshine filled the office, and a piercing alarm rang out. Craig jumped up and down and pumped his fist in the air.

"You tell 'em, honey. You show 'em what you're made of!'

…

There was no going back.

WOW! WOW! WOW! I thought Michelle had hit the ball out of the park with her debut novel, Terms of Inheritance. I loved it. So I thought, could she do it again? You betcha! Emergency Exit Only came as such a fantastic surprise - I found it to be the perfect blend of reality and life lessons with a splash of humour and romance.

‘… talking about burnout and the importance of taking time to check in with yourself and ask if the life you've created is still working for you.’

At first I thought, ‘oh here we go … whiny, pedantic Amelia might really get on my nerves’. But gosh - her journey was sublime! Michelle has this incredible skill at combining lessons and laughter, morals and mayhem! The more I got into this book, the more I could not put it down. My highlighter was working overtime and my smile broadened as I turned each page to its fitting conclusion. 

When I interviewed Michelle (see the blog) on writing Terms of Inheritance, she explained how the story allowed her to reflect on the many lessons she had learnt and the growth that ensued. I can see how once again she has put these life lessons to work through the challenges Amelia gives herself in trying to discover how to live her best life. 

'I told myself it was normal. For twenty years, I convinced myself that was how everyone felt. I thought, everyone is anxious, everyone is tired, so why would I be any different? I thought if I could just make it to the weekend, I could carve out some time for me, and then I'd feel better, but of course, that was never enough.'

There is just so much to takeaway from this book but for me, Michelle’s tale spoke loudly about stepping out of your comfort zone in order to experience real growth. That you have to let go of what you know in order for life to happen to you - challenge you, exhaust you, reward you. This is a truly wonderful story - so real and relatable. A story of how a person is never too old to start afresh and learn to be true to yourself, especially when overcoming both internal and external forces. That letting go, forgiving and moving on are crucial and that your life’s attitude can determine so much. Emergency Exit Only …. read it. You won’t regret it. 

‘She suddenly realised she had only one life to live, one chance to experience what it was like to be human. She had one opportunity to bear witness to it all. It was like she'd been asleep her whole life, and now, at thirty-five, she'd finally been jolted awake. Her mum had been right. This was an awakening.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

Title: Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

Author: Joanna Nell

Publisher: 1st November 2023 by Hachette Australia & New Zealand

Pages: 352 pages

Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary

Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

It's never too late for the adventure of a lifetime . . .

Heather Winterbottom has worked side by side with her husband as GPs in their idyllic rural practice for over forty years. But as the time comes to hang up their stethoscopes, the Winterbottoms discover that they have rather different visions of retirement . . .

Heather dreams of exploring the Greek Islands, of escaping the shackles of her routine life and embracing an exciting new adventure. Alan dreams of growing his own vegetables.

When things come to a head at a family lunch, Heather announces that she has decided to take a year off. From her old life, from her marriage - from Alan. Alone in beautiful Greece, Heather embarks on her very own odyssey - complete with peak experiences, pitfalls and temptations. But what if coming home is the biggest adventure yet?

My Thoughts

‘What had happened to Heather Wilson, that young woman who’d been so full of dreams and plans? Heather wondered if she’d even recognise her if she passed her in the street … it was time to find another way to define herself, to find out who else she could be.’

Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year is the fifth novel by best-selling Australian author, Joanna Nell. Having read all Joanna’s novels, I continue to be impressed and grateful for the light she shines on this age bracket. She achieves a wonderful balance between whimsical and poignant as I turn each page, savouring every word of wisdom and humour all rolled poetically into one.

‘For the next twelve months she was going to put herself first. If that made her selfish, then so be it. She’d waited long enough.’

When Heather and her husband Alan - who have been married for over forty years - both retire from their local medical practice, they discover their dreams of retirement are very different. Alan is happy pottering in his garden, however, Heather dreams of so much more. This only scratches the surface of the many issues placed under the spotlight in this book - everything from the evolution of a long term marriage, to what entering the latter stages of life look like, family dramas, life adventures and how to build a meaningful life post retirement. 

‘They’d become co-administrators of their marriage rather than enthusiastic participants; housemates who shared the same bed.’

This is a great story with shades of Shirley Valentine and full of Joanna’s usual heart and humour. It’s a tale of relationships - family and friends - learning to make the most of one’s life and staying true when listening to your heart. Have courage and make the most of these few precious years we have on this earth. I must also note Joanna’s nod to Homer’s, Odyssey - wonderful. 

‘Part of her wanted to believe the epic poet was a woman, that women could have their own odysseys, and that however long the journey, however many adventures they had on the way, they would always find their way home.’

Once more I applaud Joanna for the spotlight she continues to shine on this age group. If you have not ever read one of Joanna’s books I encourage you to do so - the knowledge and expert understanding she brings keeps the stories surrounding this age bracket relevant and purposeful. Growing old may be a harsh reality, but it does not have to be at the expense of purposeful living. 

‘What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.