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Reaching for the Stars
"I'm not the girl they thought I was" - that was Ann's first and strongest impression of her greeting in Australia by handsome Lang Franklin and his aunt. they seemed bewildered, questioning. Behind Ann's delight in the new land and her growing love for Lang, there was a constant uneasiness...
And when she learned the truth, anger and shame flooded her - for she stood branded as a cheat, with no way to explain!
And when she learned the truth, anger and shame flooded her - for she stood branded as a cheat, with no way to explain!
- GenresRomance
191 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
56 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Walker
103 books26 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Lucy Walker (1907–1987) was the most famous of a few pseudonyms used by Dorothy Lucie Sanders (née McClemans). She was born in Boulder, Western Australia, on 4 May 1907. Her father was of Irish stock, a minister of the Church of England. Her mother was from New Zealand. Dorothy began writing at an early age, despite her father’s scepticism about her ability.
A qualified teacher from Perth College (1928), she taught in state schools in Western Australia until 1936. She continued teaching later in London while her husband, a fellow school teacher whom she married in 1936, completed his doctorate in education.
They returned to Perth, Australia in 1938 but Dorothy Lucie Sanders only began her writing in 1945, producing articles, short stories, and later novels. In 1948 her first novel, Fairies on the Doorstep, was published.
As Lucy Walker, she wrote about 39 romance books:
Fairies On the Doorstep (1948)
Who Leaves the Crowd (1952)
The One Who Kisses (1954)
Sweet and Faraway (1955)
Come Home Dear (1956)
Heaven is Here (1957)
Master of Ransome (1958)
Kingdom of the heart (1959)
The Stranger from the North (1959)
Love in a Cloud (1960)
The Loving Heart (1960)
The Moonshiner (1961)
Wife to Order (1961)
The Distant Hills (1962)
Down in the Forest (1962)
The Call of the Pines (1963)
Follow Your Star (1963)
The Man from Outback (1964)
Reaching for the Stars (1964)
A Man Called Masters (1965)
The Other Girl (1965)
The Ranger in the Hills (1966)
The River Is Down (1967)
Home at Sundown (1968)
The Gone-Away Man (1969)
Shining River (1969)
Six for Heaven (1969)
Joyday for Jodi (1971)
The Bell Branch (1971)
The Mountain That Went to the Sea (1971)
Ribbons In Her Hair (1972)
Pepper Tree Bay (1972)
Pool of Dreams (1973)
Girl Alone (1973)
Monday in Summer (1973)
Runaway Girl (1975)
Gamma's Girl (1977)
So Much Love (1977)
These romance novels were very successful in Australia and overseas. The stories were meticulously researched; the writer travelled extensively in the Western Australian outback, recording details of scenery, personalities and social customs in her notebooks and diaries.
Other pseudonyms used by this author: Shelley Dean, Dorothy Lucie Sanders, and Lucy Walker.
Dorothy Lucie Sanders was widowed in 1986 and died the following year. Her daughter and two sons survived her.
Lucy Walker (1907–1987) was the most famous of a few pseudonyms used by Dorothy Lucie Sanders (née McClemans). She was born in Boulder, Western Australia, on 4 May 1907. Her father was of Irish stock, a minister of the Church of England. Her mother was from New Zealand. Dorothy began writing at an early age, despite her father’s scepticism about her ability.
A qualified teacher from Perth College (1928), she taught in state schools in Western Australia until 1936. She continued teaching later in London while her husband, a fellow school teacher whom she married in 1936, completed his doctorate in education.
They returned to Perth, Australia in 1938 but Dorothy Lucie Sanders only began her writing in 1945, producing articles, short stories, and later novels. In 1948 her first novel, Fairies on the Doorstep, was published.
As Lucy Walker, she wrote about 39 romance books:
Fairies On the Doorstep (1948)
Who Leaves the Crowd (1952)
The One Who Kisses (1954)
Sweet and Faraway (1955)
Come Home Dear (1956)
Heaven is Here (1957)
Master of Ransome (1958)
Kingdom of the heart (1959)
The Stranger from the North (1959)
Love in a Cloud (1960)
The Loving Heart (1960)
The Moonshiner (1961)
Wife to Order (1961)
The Distant Hills (1962)
Down in the Forest (1962)
The Call of the Pines (1963)
Follow Your Star (1963)
The Man from Outback (1964)
Reaching for the Stars (1964)
A Man Called Masters (1965)
The Other Girl (1965)
The Ranger in the Hills (1966)
The River Is Down (1967)
Home at Sundown (1968)
The Gone-Away Man (1969)
Shining River (1969)
Six for Heaven (1969)
Joyday for Jodi (1971)
The Bell Branch (1971)
The Mountain That Went to the Sea (1971)
Ribbons In Her Hair (1972)
Pepper Tree Bay (1972)
Pool of Dreams (1973)
Girl Alone (1973)
Monday in Summer (1973)
Runaway Girl (1975)
Gamma's Girl (1977)
So Much Love (1977)
These romance novels were very successful in Australia and overseas. The stories were meticulously researched; the writer travelled extensively in the Western Australian outback, recording details of scenery, personalities and social customs in her notebooks and diaries.
Other pseudonyms used by this author: Shelley Dean, Dorothy Lucie Sanders, and Lucy Walker.
Dorothy Lucie Sanders was widowed in 1986 and died the following year. Her daughter and two sons survived her.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 20, 2025
Vintage tale (1964!) of an English girl (19!) who accepts an invitation to visit an Outback station from a friend of her matchmaking great-aunt's. Once her long sea journey (with a nice OM) ends, she is disconcerted to discover that her golden, glamorous cousin is the one who was invited, not her.
But the hero's matchmaking aunt unbends once she hears cousin is jetting in with great-aunt in a month's time.
Heroine makes herself useful by helping the hero with the wool sales and giving the readers a full description of everything wool, the sights of Perth, Australia, and all of the characters who reside there.
It's a vintage travelogue and I loved it.
Trouble shows up when the glamorous cousin arrives on the scene. Heroine is resigned to hero falling in love with her like all men do - but he never does. He even proposes to the heroine in an abrupt - almost cruel manner - but heroine turns him down.
Glamorous cousin manages to get lost on the Outback - but it's the heroine who suffers a badly sprained ankle and time away from the hero.
No worries - great aunt has been around since the time of Edward V (her words) and she knows how to set everything to rights. She finds an even richer man to dangle in front of the cousin and sets up a party/ball at her hotel for the H/h to finally get together. It's such a cute scene.
If you don't mind a slow-roll plot, lots of descriptions and an abrupt ending, you'll like this one. A word of warning - hero is actually really nice, but isn't on the page all that much. This is really the heroine's story.
For vintage lovers of the Margaret Way ilk (without the homicidal OWs or crazy mothers).
But the hero's matchmaking aunt unbends once she hears cousin is jetting in with great-aunt in a month's time.
Heroine makes herself useful by helping the hero with the wool sales and giving the readers a full description of everything wool, the sights of Perth, Australia, and all of the characters who reside there.
It's a vintage travelogue and I loved it.
Trouble shows up when the glamorous cousin arrives on the scene. Heroine is resigned to hero falling in love with her like all men do - but he never does. He even proposes to the heroine in an abrupt - almost cruel manner - but heroine turns him down.
Glamorous cousin manages to get lost on the Outback - but it's the heroine who suffers a badly sprained ankle and time away from the hero.
No worries - great aunt has been around since the time of Edward V (her words) and she knows how to set everything to rights. She finds an even richer man to dangle in front of the cousin and sets up a party/ball at her hotel for the H/h to finally get together. It's such a cute scene.
If you don't mind a slow-roll plot, lots of descriptions and an abrupt ending, you'll like this one. A word of warning - hero is actually really nice, but isn't on the page all that much. This is really the heroine's story.
For vintage lovers of the Margaret Way ilk (without the homicidal OWs or crazy mothers).
September 21, 2021
"Reaching for the Star" is a lovely rural romance by Lucy Walker. Ann Boyd wanted to come to Australia when she had the opportunity to go and stay with the Franklins in Kalamunda. Ann was on the next plane out to Australia. On arrival in Kalamunda, Ann found out they were excepting her cousin Claire. The Franklins and Lang were soon under the spell of Ann Boyd's lovely sweet nature. However, things changed when Claire decided to visit Australia. The readers of "Reaching for the Stars" will continue to follow Ann Boyd to discover what happens.
"Reaching for the Stars" is well written and researched by Lucy Walker. I love Lucy Walker portrayal of the characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. I like Lucy Walker's description of "Reaching for the Stars" settings, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of "Reaching for the Stars" will learn about jealousy and rivalry between family members. Also, the readers will learn about the beautiful Jarrah tree part of the eucalypts family.
I recommend this book.
"Reaching for the Stars" is well written and researched by Lucy Walker. I love Lucy Walker portrayal of the characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. I like Lucy Walker's description of "Reaching for the Stars" settings, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of "Reaching for the Stars" will learn about jealousy and rivalry between family members. Also, the readers will learn about the beautiful Jarrah tree part of the eucalypts family.
I recommend this book.
January 21, 2022
I liked this h a lot and the story surrounding it was entertaining. Lucy Walker did a great job of writing fleshed-out secondary characters.
May 12, 2012
This was such a fun guilty pleasure. Essentially Mills & Boon from the 60s with a good dose of romanticising the Aussie landscape and wool industry. The plot in a nutshell: girl from the mother country comes to Kalamunda and makes good with, wait for it, her awesome typing skills. The hero is of course a man who every girl wants, thus increasing his appeal. There is another fella, who a friend typecast as Bill Shorten. Makes me laugh. I remember reading Lucy Walker as a teenager and loving it. Can't find them anymore except on ebay. But, if the sexism doesn't put you off, I say worth tracking down.
March 2, 2021
The girl and her glam cousin are both living with an elderly aunt. The aunt loves the good girl more. However, she does shower some material gifts over the glam one just to keep her happy.
The aunt gets talking to one of her ladies club friends , a lady from the Australian outback. They decide on a pact, that one of her nieces will go over to Australia. Both ladies have a secret love match in mind. The Aussie lady is also an aunt you see, aunt to the hero.
As part of the aunties pact, the docile heroine reaches the outback ranch. But everybody looks disappointed with her. Why is that she wonders !? That's because the aussie auntie has already seen the glam cousin in London and she was hoping that one will turn up and dazzle her nephew. But alas the good mousy heroine turns up.
But our good girl has her virtues too. She is a fantastic typist secretary. So she realizes very quickly that the best way into the workaholic hero's heart is through mounds of office work. And it works too, the guy is impressed. Though he never acts hero like, always bosses around in a strictly bossy way.
Apart from the glam cousin, there are a couple of local outback OWs. Just to cause confusion in the heroine's mind. The hero doesn't act flirty with any of the girls actually. Not even the glam cousin when she also turns up.
Some bush adventures and accidents follow as in all Lucy Walker tales. Plenty of visual poetry about the silent, ruthless but beautiful outback.
And in true Lucy Walker style, the docile mousy heroine manages some pretty heroic stuff towards the end. Leaving everybody super impressed. The hero too.
So at the celebratory party in the end, he climbs off his mighty high horse for long enough to ask the girl for a dance. Then the author decides its high time they did something romantic. So he kisses the girl in the party in full public view. And carries her off for more luvvving in the garden. And our mouse gladly takes off with him, leaving the scheming aunties grinning from ear to ear :))
One bizarre scene in the story that sticks out like a sore thumb is when the hero asks the heroine to marry him. Just like that, even before getting to know her well, late in the night at his office, after a gruelling work day. That too after spouting nonsense about her switching identities and turning up instead of the glam cousin. She obviously says no to the crazy proposal. And the scene is just dropped off !
The aunt gets talking to one of her ladies club friends , a lady from the Australian outback. They decide on a pact, that one of her nieces will go over to Australia. Both ladies have a secret love match in mind. The Aussie lady is also an aunt you see, aunt to the hero.
As part of the aunties pact, the docile heroine reaches the outback ranch. But everybody looks disappointed with her. Why is that she wonders !? That's because the aussie auntie has already seen the glam cousin in London and she was hoping that one will turn up and dazzle her nephew. But alas the good mousy heroine turns up.
But our good girl has her virtues too. She is a fantastic typist secretary. So she realizes very quickly that the best way into the workaholic hero's heart is through mounds of office work. And it works too, the guy is impressed. Though he never acts hero like, always bosses around in a strictly bossy way.
Apart from the glam cousin, there are a couple of local outback OWs. Just to cause confusion in the heroine's mind. The hero doesn't act flirty with any of the girls actually. Not even the glam cousin when she also turns up.
Some bush adventures and accidents follow as in all Lucy Walker tales. Plenty of visual poetry about the silent, ruthless but beautiful outback.
And in true Lucy Walker style, the docile mousy heroine manages some pretty heroic stuff towards the end. Leaving everybody super impressed. The hero too.
So at the celebratory party in the end, he climbs off his mighty high horse for long enough to ask the girl for a dance. Then the author decides its high time they did something romantic. So he kisses the girl in the party in full public view. And carries her off for more luvvving in the garden. And our mouse gladly takes off with him, leaving the scheming aunties grinning from ear to ear :))
One bizarre scene in the story that sticks out like a sore thumb is when the hero asks the heroine to marry him. Just like that, even before getting to know her well, late in the night at his office, after a gruelling work day. That too after spouting nonsense about her switching identities and turning up instead of the glam cousin. She obviously says no to the crazy proposal. And the scene is just dropped off !
June 24, 2022
What a sweet and quaint story this was. Set in 1969, this little romance gives you an insight into the Australian way of life back then.
Interesting story with a few little funny episodes, several turns, and just good old fashioned romance. No wham, bam, thank you ma'am in this! Yes, the female interest is very young, 19 years of age, but that was the norm for the era to be married young. If you were still single at 24 you were seen as an old maid! Once married women could then not work. Pfft to that! We do not know if Ann goes on to working after she marries. Well, we KNOW she will marry, that is an unsaid throughout the book.
Lang's character grated on me at times, though learning more of his character as pages went by I started liking this man. He reminds me of someone i know in real life; always watching like a hawk even though you think he has no idea what is going on around him. (That sounds rather creepy, but it is not!)
In general I loved Aunt Cassie, did not like Heather, Claire I wanted to smack upside the head, Ann, too at times. Yet all in all these different characters certainly shaped a story I found rather enjoyable. Not something a lot of younger readers might like yet I think a glimpse into their grandmother's era may be a good thing.
Interesting story with a few little funny episodes, several turns, and just good old fashioned romance. No wham, bam, thank you ma'am in this! Yes, the female interest is very young, 19 years of age, but that was the norm for the era to be married young. If you were still single at 24 you were seen as an old maid! Once married women could then not work. Pfft to that! We do not know if Ann goes on to working after she marries. Well, we KNOW she will marry, that is an unsaid throughout the book.
Lang's character grated on me at times, though learning more of his character as pages went by I started liking this man. He reminds me of someone i know in real life; always watching like a hawk even though you think he has no idea what is going on around him. (That sounds rather creepy, but it is not!)
In general I loved Aunt Cassie, did not like Heather, Claire I wanted to smack upside the head, Ann, too at times. Yet all in all these different characters certainly shaped a story I found rather enjoyable. Not something a lot of younger readers might like yet I think a glimpse into their grandmother's era may be a good thing.
November 4, 2020
I enjoyed reading about Australia and the wool trade and the descriptions of the landscape. The main romantic relationship was not that interesting, mostly because the hero never actually communicated with the heroine until the last two pages of the book. I guess he's supposed to be the strong, silent type. I'd definitely be interested in reading a few more books by this author because of the interesting settings, but probably only on KU. I can't see myself rereading them.
August 13, 2020
I absolutely loved this book, the descriptive writing, the personalities and all the countryside of
Australia mentioned made it feel very personal. A lovely romantic tale.
Australia mentioned made it feel very personal. A lovely romantic tale.
December 25, 2020
2.75 stars
July 9, 2024
A very entertaimimg read from Lucy Walker. This story took me back to the £10 ticket days, when girls went to Australia for the men.
September 6, 2014
Reread this so many times it's falling apart, thank goodness for trusty old rubber bands. ;)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews