Karly Lane

Karly Lane shines a light on the Rural Fire Service, and their heroic efforts during Black Summer in this heartfelt rural romance set in the mid north coast of NSW.

At a loose end now that her daughters have left home and she’s sold her Gold Coast business, Samantha Murphy has volunteered to look after the family farm in Burrumba while her parents enjoy an extended overseas holiday. Though a world away from the life she has been leading since leaving home as a teenager, Sam quickly regains show more the rhythms of country living and considers making her return permanent. A passionate reunion with her high school boyfriend, Jack Cameron, cements the idea, but life seems reluctant to give them the second chance they both want as a deadly bushfire threatens to destroy everything they love.

Like the author, I was unfortunate enough to be surrounded by the 2019/2020 fires, but luckily I was never directly impacted thanks to the selfless work of the NSW Rural Fire Service who defended our town. Sam and Jack’s experiences of the fire ring true and Lane captures the heightened emotions of the event with sensitivity. I well remember the stress and anxiety as a thick pall of smoke darkened the sky while the fire front crept ever closer, as people from outlying areas sought shelter in our local halls, and as the showground filled with displaced pets and livestock. It was devastating to learn of homes and property destroyed, and even more so the lives tragically lost.

While there are many tense moments in Once Burnt, Twice Shy as the bushfire rages, the ‘second chance’ romance between Sam and Jack also has its complications with their renewed relationship marred by family drama. Both are divorced and carry baggage from their previous relationships, and both also have daughters who aren’t comfortable with their parent becoming involved with someone else. I thought Lane portrayed the issues that affected them authentically.

Despite the rather heavy, emotional themes within the novel, there are flashes of humour. I laughed aloud as Sam attempted to wrangle her mother’s recalcitrant Guinea fowl.

Once Burnt, Twice Shy is another engaging novel from talented author Karly Lane whose stories celebrate rural Australian communities, and its people. show less

A Stone’s Throw Away is the latest engaging novel from Australian bestseller Karly Lane.

Still reeling from a vicious assault after breaking the story of a corrupt politician, investigative journalist Phillipa ‘Pip’ Davenport, has retreated to her uncle’s property, Rosehaven, in rural Victoria to write a book about the high profile case. Despite her best intentions, Pip finds it difficult to settle to the task, and in the spirit of procrastination, decides to hire someone to remove show more the detritus at the bottom of her uncle’s dam, exposed by the ongoing drought. To her shock, and that of the small community of Midgiburra, the skeleton of a young woman is discovered in the rusted remains of an old car, and Pip finds herself caught up in the decades old mystery, even as her own past threatens to catch up with her.

Offering intrigue and romance, this contemporary set novel also touches on Australian history.

There are two elements of suspense in A Stone’s Throw Away, one of which centres around Pip and her safety. Though her assault was likely at the behest of the politician Pip exposed who is now jailed, her attacker was never identified, and concern remains that she is still a target. Pip simply wants to put the incident behind her but, struggling with PTSD, she can’t always suppress episodes of anxiety.

Pip’s wariness also affects her interactions with the two romantic possibilities introduced, local police officer, Erik, and city detective Chris. Though she chooses to drop her guard with one of the men, she soon finds herself wondering if she’s made a deadly mistake.

The other thread of mystery involves the former owner of Rosehaven, 98-year-old Bert Bigsby, a WWII veteran incapacitated and confined to a nursing home after a major stroke, and the fate of his wife, Molly, who disappeared seventy years ago. Despite her reluctance to get involved in the cold case, Pip uncovers the heartbreaking story of deception and betrayal that has haunted Bert, and exposes the truth behind the accusations levied against him by the town.

It’s through Bert’s character that Lane highlights a facet of Australia’s involvement in WWII, adding another layer of interest to the novel. Bert, like many young men, volunteered to serve in the Australian Armed Forces, though he and Molly were essentially newlyweds. Letters from Bert to Molly provide some insight into the experiences of those soldiers who served in Papua New Guinea, particularly those who were captured in the Australian Territory peacetime capital, Rabaul, when it fell to the Japanese.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, though I did feel the touch of supernatural that linked Pip and Molly was an unnecessary addition. With its appealing characters, well crafted setting, and layered storyline, A Stone’s Throw Away is an entertaining read. show less

Karly Lane travels from the heat and dust of rural Australia to the cool, green hills of Scotland in her newest novel, Take Me Home.

When Elspeth Kinnaird first hears her grandmother talking to her in the bathroom of Jessup’s Creek supermarket she thinks she must be going crazy given her beloved Gran died more than a week earlier. Iona may have passed on but she hasn’t quite yet let go. She wants her granddaughter to take her home to Scotland, and she’s left Elle the money in her will show more to do it. Despite her parents objections, Elle is determined to fulfil her Gran’s wishes to spread her ashes on the grounds of the family ancestral castle.

Touring Scotland with Elle, and her Gran, is a delight, it’s a country I’d love to visit and I enjoyed the vicarious experience of walking Edinburgh’s cobbled streets, exploring castle ruins, and visiting the locations used in television’s, Outlander. Lane’s rich descriptions of the country, and tidbits of history, are a wonderful element of the story.

A major theme of the novel is self-discovery. While Elles’s parents and three siblings are all high achievers, Elle has always been drawn to artistic pursuits. Introducing herself to what remains of her Gran’s family in Portsoy, Elle is welcomed with open arms and it’s among her cousins, who are artistic and red-haired like her, that Elle finds the confidence to make decisions about her future.

The story also includes a thread of mystery as Elle endeavours to learn why Iona emigrated to Australia at fifteen and had so little contact with her siblings. The only one with answers seems to be Iona’s older sister, but she is suffering from dementia.

Romance is the last thing on Elle’s mind until she meets lawyer turned farmer Stuart Buchannan in her search for Stormeil Castle on the Isle of Skye, where her grandmother wants her ashes to be scattered. I like that the attraction flares into a passionate fling between the two, but with Elle due to return to Australia, she can’t see a way for their relationship to move forward.

Take Me Home is a delight to read, I loved the change of scenery while still enjoying Karly Lane’s wonderful, familiar storytelling. show less

Despite the devastating loss of her husband, with hard work and the fortuitous inheritance of her grandparents farm, Tilly Hollis is now on the verge of fulfilling their shared dream to launch an equine therapy program for troubled teens. With just a few more weeks of work at a local cafe, she will finally have the funds to build the last of the infrastructure that will allow her to launch Healing Hooves Horse Therapy.
In need of solitude and a fresh start, retired army soldier and handyman show more Jason Weaver plans to renovate the old farmhouse he just purchased on the outskirts of Ben Tirran, and then move on. He is not expecting to have his head turned by a waitress in a small country town, and it surprises them both when a mutual attraction develops.

Something Like This from bestselling Australian author, Karly Lane, is a heartwarming rural romance set in the the New England highlands.

Tilly and Jason are well-realised, appealing characters. Tilly is a strong and resilient woman, particularly for having endured more than her share of tragedy including the loss of her father and brother in separate incidences as a teen, her husband’s untimely death, and most recently her mother’s slow demise from breast cancer. Jason is also no stranger to death, having served in the army he has lost several friends, and is especially haunted by the incident that cost him his lower leg. Still struggling with his past, falling for Tilly encourages him to look to the future.

I thought the relationship between the two characters was very well-handled, Lane allows them both time to adjust to their attraction to one another, and doesn’t rush the inevitable. I appreciated the lack of dramatic obstacles usually employed to keep a couple apart, which served to make this romance more realistic and relatable.

They say some people are horsey people, while others are not, but even non-horsey people will be moved by the touching goals of Tilly’s equine therapy program, and the history of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horses Tilly uses at her farm. Guy Fawkes Heritage horses (previously referred to as wild Brumbies), found in the Guy Fawkes River National Park in north eastern NSW, were once subject to regular culls to protect the environment, but are now considered to be of significant historical, military and cultural value. The population of this spirited breed is now managed with a rehoming project, and in Something Like This, Tilly combines her therapy program with the need to acclimatise these horses to humans.

An engaging story, set at a gentle pace, told with genuine warmth for her characters and setting, Something Like This is a lovely and eminently satisfying read. show less