Loretta Hill

Loretta Hill is the queen of FIFO (fly in, fly out) romance with her books set in rugged areas of Australia, such as construction sites for the mining industry (The Girl in the Hard Hat is one of my favourites). She’s also awesome at contemporary romance (One Little White Lie is a wonderfully funny novella). I am pleased to say that her latest book, The Maxwell Sisters just as brilliant.

Now, for those of you not keen on mine sites, The Maxwell Sisters is set in a much more desirable show more region, the south west of Western Australia. This area is world famous for its wine and beaches and is also a foodie heaven. Think chocolate, cheese, great restaurants with picturesque views of endless vines…it’s a great place to visit (in fact, probably half of Perth is there right now). But what about living there?

The Maxwell sisters (Phoebe, Eve and Natasha) did just that. They grew up on their family’s winery, Tawny Brooks (near Yallingup) with their father (‘Mad’ Maxwell, so named for his belief in moons and tides relating to what should be done on the vines) and well-meaning, but overeager mother Anita. The sisters were close (they used the term ‘club members only’ to describe things just for them) right down to sharing clothes. (Amazing!) But something happened as the girls grew into adulthood…Tash now lives alone in Sydney, unemployed, separated from her husband and nursing another secret from her sisters. Eve has a secret, as well as a guilty conscience for burning the winery restaurant and Phoebe…she’s a happy girl, about to be married, but she has a secret too. Phoebe’s determined to make things right (she’s just that sort of girl) so she plans to bring her sisters and her future parents in law to Tawny Brooks to plan her wedding to Spider. They’ll all chip in together, get the restaurant up and running and help with the wedding prep. It’s a good bonding exercise, right?

Of course not! Tash’s husband turns up at the winery to her surprise and Eve catches fire. Lucky that Adonis, er Adam, is there to put out the flames as the new winemaker. Phoebe’s got suspicions about Spider and their dad is being weirder than usual. It’s never boring in the Maxwell household – all the sisters have something going on, whether it is love, lust, doubt or trying to keep something quiet. The story alternates chapters between the three girls, but it never feels contrived or out of place. The story flows beautifully and there are many humorous scenes (such as one sister’s lingerie in another’s car) and there’s a big mishap towards the end, which should be scary but almost seems like another day for the Maxwell sisters! All the girls were likeable – Phoebe wasn’t endlessly perky, she had doubts and fears like any bride. Tash is like Phoebe, but without the (nearly) eternal optimism. When the reader finds out why, it’s handled sensitively and realistically. Eve’s the odd one out because of her lack of confidence, but she’s not annoying for it. She’s got spark, it just takes Adonis – sorry, Adam- to bring it to the forefront.

You might be thinking that Adam was my favourite of the boys the way I keep referring to him as Adonis. Hey, it’s not only my problem – Eve’s got a bad case of it too. He’s a damaged hero, but a man with a good heart and good abs. He’s patient with the girls’ dad and the darling of their mother (mainly by always accepting her offers of food). Heath was a bit more of the strong and silent type, but he shone in the end when he began to talk with Natasha about the collapse of their marriage. The only fly in the ointment for me was Spider, Phoebe’s fiancé. I really wasn’t sure what this guy’s agenda was – good? Bad? Or just weak and easily led? I don’t think this was a flaw in the text, I think Ms Hill set it up this way. Will Spider be redeemed? You’ll have to keep reading. The interactions between all the characters were incredibly realistic – there wasn’t a line of dialogue that felt clunky or a scene that felt out of place. I think it would be very difficult to plot a novel with so many characters and so many plot threads, but it’s done brilliantly. Plus, I never forgot at what point of the journey each sister was at. The story was memorable, and I continue to be a big fan of Loretta Hill’s work. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books set down south. I might even have to visit soon for research purposes!

Thank you to Random House for the eARC. My review is honest and unaffected by this (I would have bought the book on the day of release anyway).

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One Little White Lie is one of the launch titles for Random House Australia’s new digital imprint, Random Romance. If this novella is anything to go by, it’s going to be full of excellent titles – full of fun, humour, witty repartee and romance.

I recently reviewed Loretta Hill’s The Girl in the Hard Hat and really enjoyed it. I was really interested to see how Hill would tackle a romance novel, given that her previous book focused on a great, underused setting (Western Australia’s show more Pilbara region). I am pleased to say that this lady is GOOD – her characters absolutely sparkle off the page and into my heart. It’s been a long time since I had a book character crush, but Henry fits the bill. Not only is he handsome, genuinely nice but he’s an incredibly famous (but publicity shy) author. Kate is our heroine and she’s no slouch either – she’s currently writing her PhD thesis. I love that we have two intelligent characters as the protagonists – gives hope to us geeks!

Kate is sick of being hassled by her best friend over her continual single relationship status after a bad breakup with an evil surgeon. Frustrated, she tells Lisa that she does have a boyfriend – she’s just waiting until the right moment to show him off. So it’s a shock when her imaginary boyfriend greets her in person at a party! Henry insists that Kate give him a go, but he’s hiding his megastar author status. Add in a bit of fisticuffs, a lot of missed opportunities and ‘nearly!’ moments. This is the perfect romantic comedy – in book form.

I would say that this is the best novella I’ve read. Usually, I feel somewhat cheated that we don’t get to know the characters in depth and plot lines are left unexplored. Hill achieves this all brilliantly in such a concise way – I felt connected to the characters to the point where I think I’d know Kate if I ran into her on the street. Granted, there are not too many threads woven through this book (it is only 100 pages after all) but I felt that everything was tied up to my satisfaction.

I can confidently say that I’ll read anything Loretta Hill writes from now on. Her ability to bring a smile to my face through her witty prose and character’s adventures means she is an author to watch out for.

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Loretta Hill’s novels are an integral part of summer. It’s practically an Australian tradition to lie on a couch under air conditioning (or a beach if you’re lucky) and lose yourself in the story. The Secret Vineyard is a light romantic comedy that will definitely entertain on a long, hot summer day. If you’ve read The Maxwell Sisters and The Grass is Greener, you will recognise a few of the supporting cast. If not, you’ve got plenty to look forward to!

Grace Middleton is a single show more mum of three lively, adventurous boys. Her marriage didn’t end well and even though she’s an accountant, money is tight. Grace is estranged from her mother, her best friend married her ex-husband and well…it’s not going all that well. When her ex-husband dies, she’s not expecting anything for her sons. But it turns out her husband did care a little bit as he’s left them a property Grace never knew about, a vineyard and house in the beautiful Margaret River region of Western Australia. Grace’s aim is simple: sell the property and have her sons live comfortably in Perth. But when they arrive at Gum Leaf Grove, it’s not what they were expecting. It’s a huge, rundown house with 70s décor with ample place for the boys to play. It may just have a resident ghost, a secret safe and a secret room. But what’s in the secret room turns out to be extraordinarily beneficial for Grace… To top it off, there are two single men interested in her! Grace’s plans begin to change as she envisions a life lived in the beautiful south west…

If I were to describe The Secret Vineyard in just one word, it would be fun. (But I won’t because that’s no fun for me to write, nor you as the reader of this review). There are serious issues addressed, like loss and healing, but the overall tone is tongue in cheek. And it works. I’m not too good with romantic comedies (it’s all about the drama, not the LOLs) but the story brought a giggle throughout. Some of the aspects of the novel you might have to take a leap of faith for (like what’s in the secret room) but it’s a load of fun doing so. One of the characters, Scott, cracked me up in his ‘moves’ on Grace. He’s following the textbook but in real life, the smoothness is coming off as awkward. The other contender for Grace’s heart (I can’t reveal spoilers here) is much more sincere in his respect and admiration for her, even when he says nothing at all.

Of course, with three boys in the story, there are going to be plenty of funny moments. There are ghosts, inopportune statements in public bathrooms, even more embarrassment in unlocked bathrooms and a need for pizza. (I heartily approve of the last one). Loretta Hill nails their characters – they’re loud, rambunctious and utterly lovable. Grace’s sister Rachel is a calming voice of sense in the background and a surprise visitor near the end of the novel provides some perspective Grace didn’t think she needed. It’s a sweet ending to a book that starts with loss but ends with happy gains for all.

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

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In Loretta Hill's debut novel, The Girl in Steel Capped Boots, love for Lena and Dan was discovered in the most unlikely of places, amongst the red dust of a mining camp in the Pilbara. In The Girl in the Hard Hat, Loretta Hill returns to the iron ore operation on the coast of Western Australia as Wendy Hopkins arrives for her first day as a Saftey Officer at TCN.

After a two year sabbatical Wendy is eager to return to work but on arrival finds there is no job for her, despite the promises show more made by her Uncle Mike. Wendy is crushed, she needs to stay in the area to search for the biological father she has only just learnt exists, so when she is instead offered an assistant's position at Barnes Inc she is grateful for the arrangement. Wendy's first mistake is turning up at the camp wearing TCN's uniform, starting a rumour that she is a spy for the client. Her second is annoying the camp clerk who assigns her a donga with a broken air conditioner unit and damaged furniture. Her third is informing Carl that the company's Safety Officer is an alcoholic resulting in the man being unceremoniously fired ad she being promoted to his position. They aren't the only mistakes Wendy makes but perhaps falling for the camp womaniser, Gavin Jones, will be her fourth and final one.

I was happy to return to Cape Lambert and re discover the characters I had grown familiar with in The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots. Lena, Dan, Carl and Sharon all have a role in the story, as do Fish, Leg and Radar. But it is Gavin, the charming, cheeky, womaniser, and Mike, the misogynst bully, who have the most significant roles in The Girl in The Hard Hat.
Gavin Jones turns out to be an alias, for he hides a secret that prevents him from revealing his real identity. Keeping in character he makes a move on Wendy and is rebuffed but that suits Gavin just fine, he isn't interested in getting involved and Wendy doesn't strike him as the casual type. Yet he can't seem to get that single impulsive kiss out of his head, or ignore the sizzle of attraction between himself and the hot blonde.

Mike is also hiding a secret from Wendy, one that will shock her to her core when he finally confesses.

I found it took me a little while to warm to Wendy, she seemed a little cold and officious initially. Eventually we learn that her guarded behaviour disguises her obsession with finding her father and Wendy's concerns about the safety of the company stem from her failure to prevent a tragic accident at her last job. As she begins to settle into Barnes Inc she recovers some of her equilibrium, befriending her office mate, Chub, as well as Lena and Sharon and daring to admit her attraction to to Gavin, if only to herself.

The romance that develops between Wendy and Gavin burns slowly building sexual tension with smouldering glances and casual touches. There is a little more drama and suspense in The Girl in The Hard Hat- an accident on the wharf, a surprise inspection and a killer stalking the town as a category five cyclone hits the camp head on.

You don't need to have read The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots to enjoy this novel but I recommend that you do. Well written, witty and entertaining, The Girl in The Hard Hat is an engaging contemporary romance in an unique Australian setting that I can't wait to visit again. show less