Marion Lennox

Heartwarming.

When Australian boat captain, Meg, and American financier, Matt, team up to deliver an orphan to his grandmother, neither expects scary complications on board the boat, or the emotional complications that follow.

Meg and Matt quickly develop feelings for each other, however, the heightened life or death circumstances that occur fairly early on really helped with the plausibility of such a fast attachment to one another, seeing what a person is made of in the direst of situations show more probably would hit the fast-forward button on feeling like you know a person in a deep down sort of way. In addition to those circumstances, it’s also the way the author expressed Meg and Matt’s thoughts and feelings when they’re around each other that allowed me to buy in early on that there was something substantial between them. It was impressive to me that they sped through the stages of a relationship yet it didn’t feel all that insta-love, the way it’s written in their heads, despite the almost immediate bond between them, the reader is treated to little awakenings all along the way, moments where it suddenly hits the character(s) that what they’re feeling it’s different, it’s more, and so the romance still felt like a gradual blooming of emotions rather than as hurried as the timeline might suggest.

More than anything I loved that the hero, the heroine, the boy and his grandmother, when you meet them, each is alone and lonely in their own ways, and so a sense of safety, a sense of home and of family, of finding your people, that’s everything to these characters and the ups and downs of getting there makes for such a rewarding, feel-good journey. show less

Good book. Josh has locked himself and his emotions away for the last three years. Consumed by grief and guilt over his younger sister's death, he focuses on his work and avoids human contact whenever possible. That isolation comes to an end when he rescues a pregnant woman during a cyclone.

This book sucked me in fast with the intensity of the action and emotions. Josh is preparing his house to withstand the cyclone when he witnesses the island's only bridge collapse with a car on it. Still show more haunted by the events of the past, he can't stand by and do nothing. I was glued to the pages as he raced to the site and struggled to save Hannah and her dog from the ocean.

I ached for Hannah. She left her Irish village with her boyfriend, traveling the world. When she ends up pregnant, he leaves her. Her family in Ireland disowned her, and the only family she has in Australia is a grouchy old great-aunt on this tiny island. When she arrived on the island to check on her aunt, she found her aunt had died, leaving Hannah to care for the dog.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Hannah and Josh. Hannah is more open and talkative and very independent. She doesn't like asking for help but will accept it when she has no other choice. Josh is used to living alone and doesn't want to talk about himself. It was fun to see their initial interactions. Josh's protectiveness kicks in quickly, and Hannah finds herself giving in to his care despite her independence. I loved seeing them work together to help the dog, along with all of the emotions that the situation brought to the surface. Among those emotions are unexpected sparks that flare between them. With the realization that Hannah would leave when the weather permitted, Josh discovered that isolation no longer had the same appeal.

Hannah fights hard against her desire to lean on Josh. She's aware of his need to be alone and does her best to convince him that she doesn't need him. That becomes a little harder to do when she unexpectedly goes into labor. I loved seeing Josh so involved and how Hannah and Erin find their way past his walls and into his heart. Hannah still insists on her independence until a crisis has her actually asking for his help. It was an emotional time for Hannah, and I loved the support that Josh gave her. It was also an eye-opening time for him. I loved his welcome home for her. It was sweet and romantic and a bit over-the-top. Josh's words to her showed how well he knew her and broke through her walls. Hannah finally understood that she could have the love and future she had given up on.

I loved the final scene in the book and how it showed the changes in their lives. show less

Fantastic book. Penny is on the way to a new job in the Outback, escaping the heartbreak and notoriety of her broken engagement when she gets stranded by rising floodwaters. She's rescued by Matt, a sheep farmer out checking his land. He sees a blond woman with a pink car and a poodle, stuck in the stream and immediately writes her off as a ditz, but can't just leave her there. He reluctantly invites her to stay with him until the flood waters recede.

I loved their first meeting. Penny is show more trying to remember that she is a strong woman who doesn't need a man in her life ("I am woman. Hear me roar."), but reluctantly admits that she needs help getting out of her present predicament. Matt's mind is on the fact that he has twenty shearers ready to start work and the cook he's hired is on the wrong side of the flood. He's brusque but amused at Penny's bravado and figures he can handle a couple of weeks of company. After all, he'll be busy with the shearers and won't see much of her. When she offers to help with the cooking, he doesn't expect much from a society princess, but he'll take what he can get.

That first day was a real eye opener for Penny. Her initial offering was pitifully inadequate, and Matt's reaction was a blow to her feelings. But it was also a boot to her pride, and a challenge she couldn't resist. I loved seeing her go from slightly cowed to Iron Chef in a heartbeat. Her no nonsense instructions to Matt and the speed with which she was able to improvise was amazing. By the end of the day, Matt realized just how much he had underestimated Penny.

I loved seeing the development of their relationship. Over the next ten days, they got to know each other pretty well and formed a solid friendship. Though their days were busy, in the evenings they talked. I loved how Penny was able to share what her life had been like, the good and the bad, and begin to overcome the humiliation she had felt. Matt was more closed off at the beginning. His difficult childhood and then the disintegration of his marriage had destroyed his trust in people. I liked how Penny's willingness to share her story helped him to open up about his. By the end of the shearing time, each of them has realized that there is something more growing between them. I liked how Matt asks Penny to stay longer, using the excuse of needing help to get the house ready for a possible visit from his daughter. The attraction that has been building between them comes to the surface, and they agree to see where it takes them. But when Matt learns that his daughter will be visiting much sooner than expected, both his and Penny's fears return. Penny leaves to go back to Sydney, feeling rejected all over again.

Penny's return isn't all bad. Her time with Matt has given her the confidence to stand up to her father. I loved seeing her take this time to pursue her own dreams. She misses Matt and still hurts over the way they parted. She is in for a surprise when Matt arrives at her home in time for the dreaded family dinner. This scene is so emotional, as Penny fights her desire to lean on him and accept his help, yet has trouble trusting that he doesn't have some motive of his own. His patience and kindness, along with a bit of amusing deception were a joy to witness. He continued his gentle assault on Penny's fears the next day, as he also requests her help with his daughter Lily. But the real icing on the cake was when he and Lily arrived to take Penny and her mother to the wedding. I loved how perfect they all were together and the effect it had on Penny. Matt wasn't finished, though, and I loved the plans he had made with Lily's help and collusion. His big moment there was sweet and romantic exactly what Penny needed to push her over the edge of her fears. There was a final perfect moment on the last few pages that cemented how right they were for each other.

I loved the author's descriptions of life on the sheep farm. I could almost hear the sheep bleating and smell the atmosphere around the sheds. The rigors of shearing and the effort it takes day after day made a vivid picture. I also loved the amazing beauty and peace of the waterfall and pool, which reminded me of places I had visited in Hawaii. It has intensified my desire to visit Australia someday. show less

I’ve read several of Marion Lennox’s category romances and have always enjoyed their combination of fun, exotic locations, unfortunate events and romance. So, you can imagine that I was delighted to hear that she had a longer fiction novel being released. Home to Turtle Bay takes all those trademark Marion touches and puts them into a novel that’s never boring. It’s a combination of laugh out loud moments, tearjerker scenes and a finale that is both humorous and sweet. All the show more elements you need for an enjoyable story.

The novel opens in an obstetrician’s office in New York City. Dr Jennifer Kelly is almost to the top of her game and in her office is society darling Isabella. Jennifer is ticking off all the things she needs to be Someone – neurosurgeon with old money fiancé, go to for famous mums-to-be and a shoe wardrobe that makes everyone envious. It’s a regimented life, but that’s what is required.

But then her grandmother enters the office. With a dog. If that wasn’t bad enough, her grandmother chooses to inform Jennifer that she’s inherited said dog and a farm on a remote island off the Australian east coast from a grandfather she’s never heard of. Oh, and don’t forget the surfing school. Jennifer and grandmother Muriel leave New York for Nautilus Island for a short trip to sell the property. But nothing turns out like either of them had planned. The cows are sad about being turned into salami and the other islanders don’t like the idea of the property turning into a resort. Then there’s a medical emergency and Jenny can see the strain that the local doctor Jack is under. Stranded on the island, Jenny reluctantly offers to help – but only for as long as she must. But then she meets Bridget, attempts to learn to surf and begins to think that weeding in the moonlight with Jack isn’t such a terrible idea. Nor is throwing out that carefully made plan and living.

The finale of the novel is sensational. It reads just like a rom-com finale (and would make an excellent movie or TV series) with many plot threads coming to a head and trying to force Jenny and Muriel into a decision. It’s a smile inducer, and there’s just enough doubt to make you wonder which path Muriel and Jenny will choose. Overall, it’s a delightful novel. The interactions between Jenny and Jack are witty and fun, with more than a hint of sexual tension. Having the story told in the first person from Jenny’s point of view also gives the reader a greater insight into the war in her mind – a safe and stable life or living on the edge of a wave? What will she lose if she chooses the latter? What is she really chasing? Jenny’s growth as a character and the realisation of what has driven her life to date is done very well – clearly and in tune with her character. Jack’s growth is revealed more slowly, but never at the detriment of his character. We learn just a little more at the right time, either through a throwaway comment or Bridget, his niece. Speaking of Bridget, I defy anyone not to like her. She’s a cute kid, hiding behind tragedy and a life that’s been upturned irreversibly. She and Jenny seem to see something in the other that pushes them on to bring out the best. Overall, all the characters are nuanced and easy to remember for all their quirks. Marion Lennox has created a community that I’m rather reluctant to leave behind.

Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.

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