The characters are interesting and written with depth and I especially liked how the writer sprinkles the pages with Rose’s honest thoughts as she try to make sense of the new situations she finds herself in (and the new country) and the people she meets. The settings speak of family owned primary producers/communities almost anywhere in the world– the hard work, the long hours, the camaraderie with others producers in your regions, the local gossip, secrets and how a community comes together to celebrate when success is achieved or to help when the call out is made. I had visions of the Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Barossa districts or even the Margret River wine region where I live (maybe because they are all wine regions I have visited/know). I love the settings – Australian wineries and small country towns juxtaposed against fast paced city living. For me a conspiracy of all the above elements meant I really needed a read that would energise not drain my emotions and make me smile. This is the prefect pick me up read when you have had a hard day, a hard week or just finished a few emotionally draining works of crime fiction. Just the sort of read I needed tonight! One to make me smile. And if it’s a little too sweet in some ways, what is wrong with that anyway? A great fun read and I will be interested to read more by this author. Maybe this story is not one that provokes deep thought, but it is enjoyable to read. As well as The Shingle Valley, the book contains some glimpses of Bondi. The story flows easily, and the reader gets a good sense of the setting and the community. I liked Rose and many of the other characters. This was just the sort of light, fun read I needed after my previous book. Readers will no doubt dislike her as she has the capacity to destroy all Rose’s dreams. But it is Isabella, Marks’ estranged wife who returns at one point that Rose finds hardest to deal with. Luisa and Leo are sweeties and then there is the enigmatic Mark. Violet and Vera, two elderly residents, were a delight. She finds herself falling in love with the valley and its people. Rose learns a bit about the problems of vineyards and the process of winemaking. The two young women end up becoming friends. As well there is the children’s nanny Astrid from Germany. So she agrees and ends up as an au pair to Mark Cameron and his two young children, Leo and Luisa. Rose is not thrilled with the prospect but she needs to get away. Her brother Henry wants her to spy out the winery in the Shingle Valley known as Kalkari Wines. After her breakup with Giles, heartbroken Rose Bennett leaves London for Australia.
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