The Country Wedding

Sydney journalist Chloe Brown is left devastated when her long-term boyfriend finally admits he never wants children. Impulsively, she takes a job on a small country newspaper in Queensland's far north to escape disappointment. But she soon realises that no place is free from trouble or heartache. The grouchy news editor, Finn Latimer, is a former foreign correspondent who has retreated after a family tragedy. Emily, the paper's elegant, 60-something owner, is battling with her husband's desertion. Meanwhile, the whole town is worried when their popular young baker disappears. 

When Lucy Hunter stumbles upon her grandfather's World War II memorabilia, she finds a faded photograph of a stunning young woman and a series of heartfelt letters. They are clues about the secret years, a period of Lucy's family history that has been kept a mystery...until now. From the wild beauty of the Australian bush to England's rugged south coast, this is a deeply moving story of heartbreak, heroism and homecoming by a beloved multiaward-winning author.

For three generations of Australian women, becoming a grazier's wife meant very different things. For Stella in 1946, it was a compromise in the aftermath of war. For Jackie it was a Cinderella fairy tale with an outback prince. while for Alice now, it is the promise of a bright new future. From glamorous pre-war Singapore to a vast cattle property in Queensland, this sweeping, emotional saga follows three strong women as they learn how to live and love.

Emma, a nurse and busy mother of three, has always dreamed of having a sister. Michelle, at 46, wonders if it's too late to fall in love and find her birth parents. Sarah, career woman and perfectionist homemaker, struggles to keep up with the Joneses. Bill, 72, feels left behind after the death of his adored wife. Adam can't stop thinking about the father he never had. These five very different people are all connected but separated by secrets from the past. Sisters and Brothers will both break and warm your heart in a way that only best-selling Australian storyteller Fiona Palmer can. 

Nine years ago, 30-year-old Chelsea Taylor left the small country town of Barker to rise to the top as a concert pianist. Yet here she was, back again with her four-year-old daughter, Aria, readying herself to face her father, Tom. The father who'd shouted down the phone nine years ago never to come home again....

After a bitter divorce, Kate and her battle-scarred kids escape the city to the vast but run-down property of North Star. Bequeathed to her by her grandfather, it had been in the family for generations, but it doesn't take long for her realise that she's going to need every ounce of determination to restore the homestead to its former glory and fulfil her dream of turning it into a bush retreat. As she starts to make headway with the restoration and falls for a local bloke, Kate finally feels like life is going right for her. Then her ex-husband comes to town....

Paula knew when she moved to the country that the life would be tough. Nearly a year into her marriage with farmer Dan, and now pregnant, she is proud of her ability to feed shearers, bake a pastie and fix a fence while still running her accountancy business from home. With a wedding to plan, the farm to run and neighbours to help out, life is busy but good. But there are clouds on the horizon.

In the 1930s, in an isolated and beautiful corner of southern Tasmania, a new young wife arrives at her husband's secluded property - Arcadia. Stella, an artist, falls in love with Arcadia's wild, ancient forest. And when an unknown predator strikes, she is saved by an unusual protector...Two generations later, Stella's granddaughter, Sally, and her best friend, Jessica, stumble over Stella's secret life in the forest and find themselves threatened in turn. What starts as a girls' adventurous road trip becomes a hunt for the story of the past, to solve the present and save their future.... 

When Emily Oliphant married John Stratten, she thought it was the beginning of an exciting new adventure - standing shoulder to shoulder with the most eligible farmer in the district and pitching in to build a thriving agricultural business. Three years later, however, Emily sees her marriage for what it is - a loveless tie to a callous man. When John's cruelty reaches new heights, Emily is forced to move out, braving both her husband's wrath and her mother's glaring disapproval.

It's been 11 years since Dr. Peta Woodward, born into a horse-breeding dynasty, fled the family stud in the wake of a deadly tragedy that split her family apart. Carrying wounds that have never truly healed, Peta has focused on helping others. But when an injury during a solo trip through the Australian high country leaves her stranded, the man who comes to her rescue is Craig Munroe, a born and bred high-country horseman - and the kind of man legends are written about.

Schoolteacher Natalie has always been a city girl. When Nat takes up a posting at a tiny school in remote Western Australia, it proves quite the culture shock. But soon Natalie is welcomed by the inquisitive locals - particularly young student Billy and his intriguing single father, Drew. As Nat's school comes under threat of closure and Billy's estranged mother turns up out of the blue, Nat finds herself fighting for the township and battling with her heart.

When best-selling author, 29-year-old Hayley Stevens, walked in on her husband, Paul, and her best friend in bed together, she knew her life would never be the same again. One year later, Hayley stowed her last bag in her much-loved Audi Coupe and said good-bye to the city. She was excited to be heading west to Lochway, a small colonial village sitting on the beautiful Macdonald River. Wanting peace and quiet, Hayley had impulsively bought a cosy sandstone cottage there surrounded by lush rose gardens, with a small overseer's cottage - ideal for a writer's retreat.  

Already struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of her husband, Sophie Bryant nearly loses her life whilst on duty as a paramedic. Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Sophie retreats to the remote township of Hilsons Ridge. The tranquillity of the small community, discovering the secrets of her old farm's history, and an unexpected spark with vet, Zac, all help Sophie heal. Love, just like the past, waits for the right person to come along and unlock its secrets.

When Ashleigh decides to flee her controlling husband, Dominic, she knows he'll hunt her down. The only way to escape is to disappear and reinvent herself. Moving to the tiny rural town of Blinman, one day she visits a ruined homestead in the area and becomes fascinated by the people who lived there during the 19th century. But just as she begins to unlock the secrets of her own past, Dominic arrives in town, determined to punish her....

From Australia's master storyteller comes an uplifting story of new and old friendships, letting go of the past and looking to the future.... Does one simple act of kindness have the power to completely turn someone's life around? It's been a year since Hannah Ainsley lost her husband and parents - her whole family - in a car crash on Christmas morning. Despite her overwhelming loss, she's worked hard to pull the pieces of her life together with the help of a group of dear, loyal friends.