by Lilly Mirren
She chuckled at the memory and wiped a hand over her face with a groan. She missed it all. Why had she come home?
The Refidex book of maps sat on the bottom bookshelf beside the desk. She pulled it free and set it on the empty surface in front of her. With one hand she wiped the dust from its plastic jacket, then opened it up to the index. Her red-painted fingertip ran down the listings until she found the word she was looking for.
Bathurst.
She flipped the book open to the right page and stared at the town’s outline. Then, she flicked to another page and measured the distance within the lines of the grid to see how far it was from Sydney. Not far, less than three hours’ drive. That was doable; definitely doable.
She’d read almost all of the first of Nan’s diaries since she arrived back in Sydney. So far, there wasn’t anything to shed light on whether Nan found out more about Charlie Jackson’s fate. He’d been shot down, that much she knew, missing in action, still, surely there was more to it than that? Perhaps he still had family in Bathurst.
From what she remembered, Nan didn’t have anyone left. Her parents had died years earlier, and her brother was killed in the war. That much she knew. But perhaps there was still someone in Bathurst who knew something about Charlie Jackson. She’d tried calling Mima to pump her for information, but the cook was being particularly evasive on the subject, and Reeda couldn’t tell if she was avoiding the subject intentionally or she really didn’t know anything more.
She shook her head and stared at the map. Then, she took a Post-It note and stuck it on the page, marking her place, before slapping the book shut.
A day to drive out there, a few days to try and locate anyone left alive from Charlie’s family tree, and a day back. That meant missing another entire week of work, but she doubted Karen would mind. She was in her element, ordering staff around, meeting with clients, and generally acting as though she were the top dog at the design firm. Let her relish it a while longer, Reeda had other things on her mind.
Charlie was her biological grandfather. Surely, she’d be able to discover something to give her insight into her family heritage. It was too tragic that he could disappear, never to be seen or heard of again. No wonder Nan hadn’t ever told Dad about him — it would only have saddened him. And besides, Pop was a great father to Dad and a wonderful grandfather to the three of them.
Still, Dad and Pop were gone now, and so was Nan. It was just her, Kate, and Bindi left, and they deserved to know the truth about where they came from and what had happened to their grandfather, the man Nan had loved so passionately and waited for so patiently all those years ago.
A car door slammed, and she startled, then stood to her feet, wiping her damp palms down the front of her jeans.
In the kitchen, she found Duncan drinking milk from the bottle, the fridge door hanging open. He returned the milk to the fridge door and faced her with a surprised expression.
“Oh, hi, I didn’t realise you were home.”
“I parked on the street,” she replied.
“Oh, okay.”
She pushed a smile onto her face and linked her arms around him, kissing his cheek with soft lips. “It’s good to see you,” she said.
He tugged free of her embrace. “You too. I’m exhausted. I’m going to grab a shower.”
She watched him go, her heart aching. He smelled of antiseptic and Old Spice. He’d withdrawn further and further from her over the past year. She didn’t know how to bridge the gap between them, it had drifted too wide. She felt so alone.
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Keep reading…
ONE SUMMER IN ITALY (BOOK 2)
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Also by Lilly Mirren
The Waratah Inn Series
The Waratah Inn
Wrested back to Cabarita Beach by her grandmother's sudden death, Kate Summer discovers a mystery buried in the past that changes everything.
* * *
One Summer in Italy
Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She's lost sight of what she wants in life and can't recognise the person she's become.
* * *
The Summer Sisters
Set against the golden sands and crystal clear waters of Cabarita Beach three sisters inherit an inn and discover a mystery about their grandmother's past that changes everything they thought they knew about their family...
* * *
Christmas at The Waratah Inn
Liz Cranwell is divorced and alone at Christmas. When her friends convince her to holiday at The Waratah Inn, she’s dreading her first Christmas on her own. Instead she discovers that strangers can be the balm to heal the wounds of a lonely heart in this heartwarming Christmas story.
Emerald Cove Series
Cottage on Oceanview Lane
When a renowned book editor returns to her roots, she rediscovers her strength & her passion in this heartwarming novel.
Vivi Holt’s Titles
(Lilly Mirren’s sweet romance pen name available on Amazon only)
The Billionaire’s Email-Order Date
He needs a date for Christmas. She needs the money.
A heartwarming, feel-good Christmas romance. You’ll laugh, cry, and fall in love with this touching, emotional and MAGICAL holiday story…
* * *
Make-Believe Fiancé
A billionaire cowboy, a divorced teacher with nowhere left to turn, and a fake engagement they thought would solve all their problems. They never meant to fall in love.
* * *
The Cotton Tree Ranch
Three cowboys, three city girls, and a ranch in need of saving. Find out what happens when city girls fall for country boys in these three sweet and inspirational western romance stories.
Author’s Note to the Reader
Dear Reader,
Phew! This book and the two that follow it in the Waratah Inn series have been so satisfying to write.
The settings are important to me. I was born in Bathurst, where my father’s family is from, and I grew up near Cabarita Beach. I remember a time when it was a tiny hamlet no one had ever heard of, and tourism hadn’t discovered it’s long, white beaches or azure waters. Not so today, although it’s still sleepy compared to most tourist spots.
I loved writing these three strong women, and the other characters in the cast who give the Waratah Inn such a warm, inviting atmosphere. My goal was to write female characters we can all relate to in some way, characters with flaws, struggles and insecurities, who are able to overcome some of those things to find a full and happy life.
There are two more books to come in the series. Stories that will answer some of the questions asked in this first book. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
Next up, it’s Reeda’s story. The epilogue from this book gives you insight into what’s going on in her life, and her story will take her on a journey to Italy. A journey that will be life changing in so many ways for our uptight, city professional.
The last book in the series follows Bindi’s journey from failing to flourishing. Will she find love along the way?
If you loved Kate, Alex, Reeda, Bindi, Mima, Cocoa and Jack, please consider leaving a review. That would be so helpful!
If you enjoyed the boo
k, let’s stay in touch.
Sign up for my new release newsletter (and get a FREE & exclusive BONUS epilogue for The Waratah Inn).
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Got the blues from having finished the book and want more?
Buy the next book in the series, One Summer in Italy!
And, check out the first book in my sweet romance series, Email Order Romance, under my bestselling romance pen name, Vivi Holt.
Xoxo,
Lilly Mirren
Glossary of Terms
Dear reader,
Since this book is set in Australia there may be some terms you’re not familiar with. I’ve included them below to help you out! I hope they didn’t trip you up too much.
Cheers, Lilly xo
Terms
Bex - strong compound analgesic
Bloody - mild swear word with similar meaning to damn
Boot - car trunk
Chemist - another word for pharmacy or pharmacist
Chook - another term for chicken (the bird, not the food)
Echidna - a small spiny anteater
Eisteddfod - competition or festival of literature, music and performance
Pavlova - a meringue based dessert piled high with whipped cream and slices of fresh fruit.
Lift - elevator
“Love” - a word used affectionately for friends and lovers alike
Old fogey - elderly invalid
Righty-oh - Slang that means similar to ‘alrighty-then’
Ringtail possum - adorable, furry marsupial with a curling tail, grey-brown coat, big eyes and small pink nose.
Tea - used to describe either a hot beverage made from leaves, or the evening meal
Tim Tams - chocolate covered cookies with frosting in the middle
Ute - A utility vehicle: a pickup truck with a cargo tray.
Unit - apartment or condo
Wagging - skipping school
Wowser - an insult, meaning puritanical or teetotaller
Discussion Guide
Book Club Questions
1. Kate left Cabarita as soon as she was able to after graduating from high school. Do you think that her decision had more to do with her parents’ death and the pain associated with that time in her life or because she was excited to begin a new chapter? A combination of both?
2. Was Charlie was the love of Edie’s life, or was Paul?
3. Was the tension between the three sisters justified by the tragic events of their lives or had did they let a lack of communication make it into more than it was?
4. In what ways was Alex better suited to Kate than Davis?
5. In what ways did Kate grow and change from the first chapter to the end of the book?
6. Was Kate reading Nan’s diaries an intrusion into her privacy, or would she have wanted her granddaughters to know about her life?
7. What did each of the sisters have in common? How were they each different to one another?
8. In what ways did the sisters hide from the pain of their past?
9. Why would you like to visit the Waratah Inn?
10. Which character did you most relate to?
Recipes
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the delicious food Kate made in this book. It caused my mouth to water imagining the soft scones with jam and cream, warm lamb shanks, sweet apple crumble, tart lemon meringue pie and more. I’ve included two of these recipes for you to try! The recipes below are beloved in Australia, I think you’ll love them too. Maybe you can enjoy them with your book club as you follow along with the discussion guide.
Cheers, Lilly xo.
Scones
Ingredients
Plain flour, for dusting
3 cups self-raising flour
80g butter, chilled and cubed
1 cup milk
Jam and whipped cream to serve
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. Sift self-raising flour into a bowl.
3. Rub butter into flour mixture with fingertips.
4. Make a well in the centre, add a cup of milk. Mix until it forms a soft dough, adding more milk if required.
5. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
6. Lightly dust a baking tray with plain flour.
7. Pat dough down until 2 cm thick.
8. Use a 5cm round cutter, cut out 12 scones.
9. Press scones onto prepared baking tray, sides touching.
10. Sprinkle tops with flour.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
12. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold with jam and cream.
Rosemary Lamb shanks
Ingredients
1 tbsp plain flour
8 small lamb shanks
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
2. Place flour and shanks in a bowl, toss to coat.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large, flame-proof, casserole dish over high heat.
4. Cook shanks, turning in batches, for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium-high. Heat remaining oil in dish. Add onion, rosemary and thyme. Cook 3-4 minutes, add wine. Simmer 1 minute.
6. Stir in stock and sauce. Season with pepper.
7. Add shanks, bring to boil, cover dish.
8. Transfer to oven, bake 1 hour.
9. Remove lid and baste shanks. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes or until meat is tender.
10. Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
About the Author
Lilly Mirren lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three children.
Lilly always dreamed of being a writer and is now living that dream. She is a graduate of both the University of Queensland, where she studied International Relations and Griffith University, where she completed a degree in Information Technology.
When she's not writing, she's chasing her children, doing housework or spending time with friends.
Lilly is also a bestselling romance author under the pen name Vivi Holt.
Sign up for her newsletter and stay up on all the latest Lilly book news.
And follow her on:
Website: lillymirren.com
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Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping bring this book and the series into existence!
In no particular order:
Jennifer for beta reading the book for me and not being afraid to tell me what isn’t working.
Julia and Graham for doing an amazing editing job and being so easy to work with.
Tracy for always proofing my work so meticulously and within the nutty deadlines I set, when I’m running late!
Evelyne for the beautiful cover, and for being patient with me as you transformed my imaginings into art.
My fans and readers, for believing in me and encouraging me along the way on this crazy journey.
My family for putting up with the long hours of work, and the conversations had over a laptop.
Copyright © 2019 by Lilly Mirren
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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