Tallowood Bound in Aussie Readers

Jul 30, 2015 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: rural, 2015-release, romance, reviewing-by-request, aussie-authors, sent-by-publisher, own-read

Leaving Sydney and the husband she had thought she’d be with forever, Erin Macalister was emotional about returning to Tallowood – her beloved Gran had had a bad fall and was now in a nursing home; she had also been diagnosed with dementia and Erin was devastated at the thought of losing the one person who had been a constant in her life. Visiting Gran every day, she was saddened to see her once vibrant grandmother reduced to a frail and confused old lady. In trying to bring a smile to her face, Leaving Sydney and the husband she had thought she’d be with forever, Erin Macalister was emotional about returning to Tallowood – her beloved Gran had had a bad fall and was now in a nursing home; she had also been diagnosed with dementia and Erin was devastated at the thought of losing the one person who had been a constant in her life. Visiting Gran every day, she was saddened to see her once vibrant grandmother reduced to a frail and confused old lady. In trying to bring a smile to her face, Erin brought in old photo albums in the hope the memories would help – and Erin’s discovery that her Gran had loved another back in the long ago war years when she had lived in Townsville, Queensland kindled a curiosity about her beloved grandmother Evelyn’s past – a past she had never heard about…

Jamie McBride lived on the neighbouring property to Tallowood and he and his parents had always been a big help to her Gran. Now when she saw him again, Erin realised she still had feelings for this man; Jamie was no longer a headstrong teenager and she was no longer seventeen and madly in love with him…but she knew there were still sparks. The friction between the two was no different than it had been all those years ago though…

As Erin fell in love with Tallowood all over again she knew the coolness between her mother and Gran; her mother and herself as well, meant she had very little family left. She decided to try to discover what she could about Gran’s past – she would probably come up against a brick wall, but maybe she wouldn’t. Erin was desperate to try – she wanted to know more about her Gran; she wanted to understand. Maybe it would give her some peace of mind over her confusion about Jamie as well…

I thoroughly enjoyed Tallowood Bound by Aussie author Karly Lane – the alternating time frames between the war years in Townsville 1943 and current day in the early part of the book were poignant and moving. Based on the facts of American soldiers being stationed in Townsville; many of them falling in love with young Australian women – the vibrant and energetic dance nights; the gifts of stockings and chocolates from the “Yanks”… it all happened. Moving to current day and the turbulence of confusion, love and heartbreak – it was all wonderfully written. This author writes a beautiful blend of old and new – her research is meticulous and the results are authentic and entertaining. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Tallowood Bound to all.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.
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Nov 26, 2015 Janine rated it really liked it

Shelves: for-review

I had not read anything by Karly Lane before, this was a great book. Although it seems to be classed as Rural Romance, I felt it had a more contemporary feel about it.

Erin returns home to see her beloved Gran who is slowly fading away from her. Whilst visiting her she unearths a box of photos and other memorabilia with photos of a man she doesn’t know. She learns that Gran had a past that no one was aware of, and this sends Erin off on a journey of discovery.

Meanwhile she reconnects with a past ...more

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Dec 03, 2015 Nicola Marsh added it

Shelves: aussie-authors, rural-romance, read-in-2015

Sweet rural romance, enjoyed immensely.

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Apr 11, 2019 Tanya rated it really liked it

And with that I have now read all of Karly Lane's books! Completely out of order, but hey, given they're all standalone's it doesn't really matter.

Tallowood Bound is two stories in one. Erin in the present day, returns to her grandmother's home after she is admitted to a nursing home. Going back also means encountering her teenage boyfriend, Jamie, whilst she tries to get her head around her marriage breakdown.
Back during the time of WWII, it is also the story of Evelyn (Erin's grandmother), who ...more

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