Half Moon Bay in Aussie Readers

Feb 19, 2013 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley, romantic-suspense, aussie-authors, read-on-kindle, own-read, 2013-release, arc

I have been really excited to read this book. I love Helene Young’s work, and this one most definitely didn’t disappoint!

When the plane that photo-journalist Ellie Wilding was a passenger in landed in war-torn Kandahar with a fellow journalist, little did she know her life was about to be completely shattered. Her sister Nina, herself a journalist, didn’t meet Ellie on landing as was pre-arranged, and she felt a fission of worry. But when she was picked up by Australian soldiers and rushed to th I have been really excited to read this book. I love Helene Young’s work, and this one most definitely didn’t disappoint!

When the plane that photo-journalist Ellie Wilding was a passenger in landed in war-torn Kandahar with a fellow journalist, little did she know her life was about to be completely shattered. Her sister Nina, herself a journalist, didn’t meet Ellie on landing as was pre-arranged, and she felt a fission of worry. But when she was picked up by Australian soldiers and rushed to the nearby hospital to find Nina in emergency surgery after an abduction and subsequent gunfight, the terror hit Ellie like a punch to the stomach.

Two years later, Ellie was home again, after trying to run from her intense grief. But her dear friends Ron and Mavis had emailed her, begging her for help in her home town of Half Moon Bay in NSW. Evidence of corruption, drug running and shady dealings throughout the local council were rife, with the lord mayor seeming to be the main instigator…but with no proof, they needed Ellie’s help.

With Ellie’s dad, Tom, away, Shadow was Ellie’s only companion….oh how she had missed him while she had been away on her travels! But now they would work together to save Half Moon Bay…when devastatingly handsome Nicholas Lawson appeared on her doorstep, Shadow (normally not a dog to make friends easily) went straight to Nick with tail wagging. But Nick was the opposition, wasn’t he?

As tensions accelerated, suddenly the danger seemed to be everywhere. Stretching from an old friend in Sydney up to her home town, Ellie wasn’t sure who she could trust. It seemed the links from Afghanistan were stretching across the world, and the horror and violence was suddenly on their doorstep.

Would Ellie be able to save her beautiful town from destruction? Would she be able to save herself? And whose side was Nick really on?

The incredible pace of this novel, the tensions both in Afghanistan and Australia, the twists throughout, made for a brilliant read. Helene Young has a great talent for storytelling, and her best is only getting better!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
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Mar 14, 2013 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it it was amazing

Shelves: provided-by-publisher, aussie-author, arc-are

With the wonderful balance of action, intrigue and romance which Helene Young always gets exactly right, Half Moon Bay is an exciting and engaging novel.

When the small community of Half Moon Bay is threatened by a corrupt Lord Mayor, international photojournalist Ellie Wilding returns to her home town determined to stop him. It doesn't take long for Ellie to uncover evidence of kick backs and blackmail but she is shocked to discover that O'Sullivan may also be complicit in a drug ring involving
With the wonderful balance of action, intrigue and romance which Helene Young always gets exactly right, Half Moon Bay is an exciting and engaging novel.

When the small community of Half Moon Bay is threatened by a corrupt Lord Mayor, international photojournalist Ellie Wilding returns to her home town determined to stop him. It doesn't take long for Ellie to uncover evidence of kick backs and blackmail but she is shocked to discover that O'Sullivan may also be complicit in a drug ring involving Asian casino operators, Afghani warlords, Australian ex-soldiers and the death of her older sister Nina, a journalist, three years before and half a world away.
Nick Lawson is stunned to find Ellie in the midst of the protests against the land development in Half Moon Bay. Working undercover, the ICAC operation he is managing could be compromised if Ellie recognises him as the soldier who was present in Afghanistan when her older sister Nina, a journalist, was shot and killed.
As Ellie continues to investigate the links between her sister, an old friend and the corruption in her home town, she has no idea of the danger she is in and Nick, desperate to keep her safe from harm, will have to tell her everything, except the truth.

Moving between war torn Afghanistan, a small Australian coastal town and the 'big smoke, Half Moon Bay is a fast paced, tension filled adventure. With consummate skill the author has developed a plot that is believable but not entirely predictable. I really enjoyed the way in which the story begins as if a fairly transparent case of greed but deepens into a complex web of crime involving corruption, drug running, kidnapping and murder.

Ellie is a capable, independent and strong protagonist. She is willing to fight for what she believes in and ignores attempts at threats and intimidation, but not to the point of fool hardiness. I love that Young's heroines don't take TSTL (too stupid to live) chances, and when the situation deteriorates, Ellie acts sensibly to minimise the risks to herself and others.

The romance between Ellie and Nick is complicated by a shared past that Ellie doesn't even remember. Nick however has never been able to forget the bravery and resourcefulness Ellie showed while trying desperately to save her sister's life. After failing to protect Nina in Afghanistan, Nick will do anything to ensure Ellie's safety but given his status as the 'enemy' with regards to the land deal, her general suspicion of him and his inability to share the truth of his connection to the whole mess, earning her trust could be an impossible task.

Once I began Half Moon Bay I was reluctant to put it down, caught up in it's exhilarating tale of romance and suspense. It was no less than I expected though from award winning author Helene Young. Half Moon Bay is a fantastic page turner and one I recommend you add to your must read shelf.
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Feb 20, 2013 Bree T rated it it was amazing

Shelves: australian, arc, romance, suspense, mystery, aww2013

Ellie Wilding has spent the last two years running from the pain and guilt of losing her older sister Nina in Afghanistan. A photographer, Ellie has worked around the world, avoiding home. But it seems that she can’t run any longer – some neighbours have asked her for some help in fighting a corrupt mayor who wants to ignore a former resident’s wishes and sell off the land she left to the town to highest bidder. More than that, there’s some suspicious funds transfers going on and even more suspi Ellie Wilding has spent the last two years running from the pain and guilt of losing her older sister Nina in Afghanistan. A photographer, Ellie has worked around the world, avoiding home. But it seems that she can’t run any longer – some neighbours have asked her for some help in fighting a corrupt mayor who wants to ignore a former resident’s wishes and sell off the land she left to the town to highest bidder. More than that, there’s some suspicious funds transfers going on and even more suspicious activities in the fishing trawlers who don’t seem to mind going out when there isn’t anything to catch.

Nicholas Lawson walked away from the Army after the incident that killed Nina Wilding. He knows that Ellie doesn’t remember him from that day she organised a medivac to get her sister out of the hellhole of Afghanistan so when they cross paths again, there are no happy reunions. Ellie wants to get to the bottom of exactly what Nicholas is doing in her home town and why his employers won’t take no for an answer about building their resort on a patch of land deemed for a community center. Nicholas wants her to butt out, lest she find herself embroiled in something far more dangerous than she can even imagine.

As Ellie gets deeper involved in this fight to save her small town from being taken over by a huge resort and who knows what else, she finds her life in danger – and her heart. She can’t trust Nicholas Lawson because his character inconsistencies and thinly veiled threats tell he that he’s up to no good. But she can’t deny the attraction she feels towards him either and Ellie has felt precious little in the recent years. And the more she digs, the more she feels like there’s something Nick isn’t telling her about her sister.

Half Moon Bay is Helene Young’s fourth novel and the first one in which she strays away from far north Queensland and the border security organisations. Instead we are introduced to Ellie Wilding, a photographer who was working in Afghanistan with her sister Nina, a journalist. Ellie left briefly to undertake another assignment and when she returned it was to find Nina in a coma from which she was not expected to survive. In the two years since, Ellie has been travelling the globe, running away from the memories and trying to avoid the grief and pain. Only a threat to Half Moon Bay, her beloved home town on the north coast of NSW, calls her home.

Ellie’s grief is so heartbreakingly palpable – she’s not just devastated at losing her sister, she blames herself for leaving her to take the other assignment. Saving Half Moon Bay is just another way to distract Ellie from the guilt and grief that has plagued her, even though being back here brings up so many memories of Nina. When she crosses paths with Nicholas Lawson, she has no recollection of him being there on the tarmac with her in Afghanistan as she prepared to get her sister out. But she has other reasons to distrust him – he’s attached to the new project designated for land that should’ve been used to benefit the community. The Mayor is lining his own pockets and the town isn’t happy but they need someone with connections, someone who can blow the whistle – Ellie.

Unfortunately for Ellie, the only man that’s interested her in years, she feels she can’t trust. Nicholas Lawson is up to his neck in this development – cosy chats with the mayor about funds and a schmoozing ability to cut a swathe through the opposition with his dark good looks and smile. When a journalist friend of Ellie’s tells her that Nicholas was in Afghanistan at the time Nina was killed, Ellie has even more reason to distrust him. After all, he hasn’t mentioned anything about knowing her sister. It further fuels her suspicions and further makes her reluctant to become involved with him. But that proves to be easier said than done as she continues to get closer to him, despite her best intentions not to.

The chemistry between Ellie and Nick is fraught with unresolved tension, both sexual and otherwise. Ellie wants to find out what secrets he’s keeping and Nick wants her to stay the heck away from all of this. His attempts to dissuade her make his actions seem all the more suspicious, especially as he attempts to threaten her in order to attempt to keep her safe. As far as threats go, they aren’t really Nick’s strong point and Ellie pays about as much attention to them as she does to a fly. But when it seems that her safety (and possibly even her life) might be in danger she has to wonder just how dangerous Nick might be. Is he what she thinks he is? Or is he in this for an entirely different reason?

I really connected with the setting in this novel – I grew up a couple of hours south of where Helene Young has mostly based this book (and the rest of my family still live there and I visit that area as often as I can) and the local small towns and communities are very familiar to me, as are the sights and scenery. I can understand the locals desire to protect their small haven as well as implement services they believe that the community will need and I can also understand how the temptation to succumb to boosting the economy can war with this. I don’t want to give too much away about the plot and what the link between Afghanistan and Half Moon Bay is but I enjoyed the way in which it all came together when it looked as if it might be drawing a long bow at the beginning at the novel.

It’s hard to top the love I have for Burning Lies, Young’s third novel but Half Moon Bay does come quite close. It’s a tightly knit story with some fantastically drawn characters. There’s a lot to uncover and it’s done with great timing. My only (tiny) criticism – I’d have liked Ellie to throw caution to the wind a little earlier. I know why she didn’t, because the story had to unfold. But I’m impatient that way. ...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Lauredhel rated it really liked it

Shelves: australian-women-writers-challenge, rural-setting, australian, netgalley, romantic-suspense, aww2013

This book was, in large part, enjoyable. I think Young hits her stride really well when writing about flying, and I could feel that unique spark returning toward the end of the book when Ellie got into the pilot's seat. More flying, please!

My big disappointment was my intense dislike for the romantic lead. This made it difficult for me to be swept up in the story. [weak spoilers ahead] (view spoiler) ...more

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May 01, 2013 Sheree rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviews, own, romance, aussie-author, read-in-2013

I'm a little embarrassed to admit I've actually purchased not one but three of Helene Young's previous novels (Border Watch series) after seeing rave reviews from Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out. I even had said books signed by Helene at ARRC but still hadn't got around to reading them. Then Half Moon Bay came up on NetGalley and the gorgeous cover said "read me" so I did and I can finally say ... I've been missing out.

It's been a while since I read romantic suspense, I'd forgotten how good it could be ...more

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Feb 18, 2014 Marg rated it really liked it

Shelves: aww2014

I have owned Helene Young's first book for several years now. I bought it after hearing the author speak at ARRC and instantly bought it on the back of that. Of course, buying a book is lot different to actually reading the book and even more different to reviewing it. Alas, it therefore sits on my bookshelf still unread.

Fast forward to Valentine's Day and I once again was lucky enough to hear Helene Young speak as part of a romantic suspense panel at our local Sisters in Crime chapter. I was f I have owned Helene Young's first book for several years now. I bought it after hearing the author speak at ARRC and instantly bought it on the back of that. Of course, buying a book is lot different to actually reading the book and even more different to reviewing it. Alas, it therefore sits on my bookshelf still unread.

Fast forward to Valentine's Day and I once again was lucky enough to hear Helene Young speak as part of a romantic suspense panel at our local Sisters in Crime chapter. I was fortunate enough to win one of the raffle prizes which included a book from each of the panellists (the other two being Cheryl Tucker and Bronwyn Parry) and a true crime book. This time though, I was determined to read the book, especially seeing as this was a standalone novel.

Having now read one of Young's books, I do kind of wish I had read her earlier books and it is something that I intend to rectify as soon as I have some space in my reading schedule!

Half Moon Bay opens with Ellie Wilding heading back to war torn Afghanistan where she works as a photojournalist alongside her journalist sister Nina. When Nina isn't there to meet her at the airport Ellie becomes concerned, with good reason as it turns out.

Fast forward two years, and Ellie is asked to do a favour for friends who believe that their local city council mayor is corrupt and they want Ellie's help to prove it. In the two years since Afghanistan, Ellie has been wandering around the world somewhat aimlessly, running from her grief, but now she is back in her home town and she is a woman on a mission. The mayor has sold off a parcel of land to a property developer that was specifically left to the town to build a community centre. It turns out though that there is much more than shonky property deals going on here. There are international drug dealers with ties in Asia but also leading back to Afghanistan, and to the story that Nina was working on when she was killed.

To read more of my thoughts head to

http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2014... ...more

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Jan 01, 2014 Kate Forsyth rated it liked it

Shelves: aww2013, australian, contemporary, romance, suspense

I enjoyed this contemporary romance suspense novel set in the north coast of New South Wales. The heroine Ellie is a photo-journalist still struggling with grief over the death of her sister Nina in Afghanistan two years earlier, while the hero is an undercover government agent and ex-military officer who feels responsible for Nina’s death. They are on opposite sides of a small town’s struggle with corruption and drugs, yet neither can deny that sparks fly whenever they meet.

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Aug 19, 2013 Bronwyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, romantic-thriller, romantic-suspense

Another gripping read from Helene Young. The action travels from Afghanistan to the mid-north coast of NSW and the heart of Sydney, and the emotion delves ever deeper.

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May 23, 2013 Helen rated it it was amazing

This is such a great story I loved it from start to finish so much going on you just have to keep turning the pages, I fell for Nick the hero instantly and Ellie is such a wounded heroine as is Nick and together their journey to a HEA is awesome Loved this one :)

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