I am always so excited when there is a new Maya Linnell book coming because I know I am going to love it and this one did not disappoint, we are back in Penwarra to catch up with old friends and get to know Lauren Bickford even more and meet the new cop Jack Crossley and it is the 100th Penwarra show, come along for some fun, romance and a fabulous story.

Lauren is loving her job as producer of the Rural AM radio show each morning, but her wish is to be the presenter, but there have been a few problems getting there for Lauren and now that the announcers job is up for grabs and the 100th Penwarra show is coming up Lauren is sure to have a chance with the fabulous ideas she has if only she can get her nerves under control.

Jack spent a lot of time in his youth living in the small wine growing community on The Limestone Coast and now he is back this time as the constable in town, he and his sister and niece have moved into his grandparent’s old sunflower farm and are looking towards the future he is happy to have left the city behind him.
Soon Lauren and Jack are becoming close friends, with Jack House sitting and minding her pet galah, Gary and Jack is under some pressure from the mayor to curb what looks to be teenager angst in the form of graffiti and small annoyances, this sort of behaviour reminds Jack of a past he would much prefer to forget and jumps him to do everything he can do.

Lauren has thrown herself into doing everything she can for the show, with guest interviews regarding the special cookbook that is to be launched and talking to the locals about the entries they have for the show, there is so much cooking going on and Lauren is getting closer to Jack and his family but the pressure is coming from Lauren’s family will she be able to stand strong?

I loved this one from start to finish, Maya opens an emotional journey with Jack and Lauren, both having issues from their past that really need to talked about, add to that the excitement in the small town and the fabulous characters that we have met before in Kookaburra Cottage and the new ones introduced in this awesome story and you have a heart-warming story that will have you turning the pages, shedding some tears, smiling and cheering them on.

Maya Linnell has such a fabulous voice for rural romance, she brings out the true small town settings and makes the reader feel like they have been transported into the heart of the town and characters, I do highly recommend this one it is a must read.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.

Lauren Bickford loved her job working on radio, always aiming higher. But she battled Patrice who loved to put Lauren down, as well as her own demons. She was determined though, to always do her best and with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Penwarra Show, the interviews Lauren was doing with the locals, the stories she was uncovering, and the cookbook which was being made - one hundred recipes from one hundred contributors for the 100th anniversary - was gaining momentum and was hugely popular; Lauren was on a high.

Jack Crossley was back in Penwarra as the local cop and loving his return to the home town he'd grown up in. He'd returned when his sister Clem, with daughter Harriet, had come home to their family house; Jack and Clem's pop having gone into a nursing home. Jack had first encountered Lauren in the laundromat and when she went to Victoria for a three month stint with a different radio station, Jack housesat for her as his police residence wasn't finished. Lauren's galah, Gary, was loud, potty-mouthed and loveable - and it wasn't long before Jack had him wrapped around his little finger. As Jack and Lauren's relationship slowly evolved, Jack wondered if the past he refused to talk about would get in their way...

Wallaby Lane is another exceptional read by Aussie author Maya Linnell. Set in fictional Penwarra, South Australia - a mix of the famous Coonawarra and nearby Penola - and not far from Mount Gambier (where I lived through my school years and into adulthood - and met my husband) so much was familiar. Excellent characters, both human and animal, an enticing plot line and the excitement of the rural show kept me reading into the night. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest from Maya Linnell and look forward to next year's book. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not much of a romance reader but sometimes I see something that sounds interesting and this is that sort of book. I love that it is set in Australia, love the title and love the rural setting. And I must say that 6 year old Harriet does at times steal the show. So cute. But what I enjoyed most is the fact that it doesn't just concentrate on romance but on so many other things that happen to all of us in real life. It is a sensitive, emotional and wonderful read.

Well written with great characters, I must say I do like the way this author writes and will continue to read her books.

Thank you NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

Wallaby Lane is a fabulous small town rural romance. Based in a community full of colourful characters it is the perfect holiday read.

It’s a slow burn, closed door romance centered around Lauren, an aspiring radio presenter, and Jack, the new cop in the small town of Penwarra. Told from dual perspectives we are given a great insight into their thoughts and feelings as their relationship develops.

The community is working towards celebrating the towns 100th show with a community cookbook and baking challenge, but there are troublemakers afoot and lots of drama as it draws near, which impacts on their relationship and has them questioning what they truly want in life and if they deserve going after it.

There is also a little hero in this book in the form of the most adorable 6 year old Harriet. You can’t help but smile and laugh at her antics and how she wraps everyone around her fingers! There is also one very cheeky galah!

This book has a lot of mental health representation as we are introduced to more community members, but it’s not heavy or overbearing to the storyline.
Covering topics like anxiety, panic attacks, post natal depression, hoarding and trying to control surroundings, it’s weaved beautifully throughout as part of everyday life with respect and sensitivity.

This was my first @maya.linnell.writes book and I am now off to read her full back catalogue. She has a writing style that completely captures the essence of small towns and rural communities in Australia that really resonates.

I highly recommend Wallaby Lane as your next rural romance read.

This charming novel is all about small town Australian country life. There’s a budding romance between Lauren, a producer at the local radio station and Senior Constable Jack Crossley who is the new police officer in town. There’s lots of characters to get to know, family on both sides, plus Lauren’s workmates, their neighbours and local identities. You’ll recognise some of them if you’ve read Maya’s other books. It’s rich and textured with events in the town circling back to Jack and Lauren. They both have demons and personal stories that don’t always serve them well and part of the joy is watching them challenge the beliefs that they hold very tightly. The town of Penwarra is lovely, but it’s not all super sweet as some tricky things are touched on - post natal depression, anxiety, grief, guilt, loneliness, hoarding, and troubled teens all happen, but it’s not a trauma dump, more like real lives working themselves out. I loved Jack's niece Harriet, and the shenanigans around the annual country show.

It’s a slow burn, closed door romance, but as it’s dual point of view we have lots of insight into how Jack and Lauren begin to fall for each other. So good!

Thank you NetGalley, Allen & Unwin and Maya Linnell for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Lauren Bickford likes her job at the radio station in Mount Gambier, and she wants to be a presenter and even though the thought of being live on air makes her feel nervous. Her mother and sister are both very ambitious and they can’t understand why Lauren lives in a small country town, content being the assistant to the morning shows producer and she could do better. Loz adores her little pink cottage on Petticoat Lane, in Penwarra and her pet galah Gary and his colourful language.

Constable Jack Crossley has just been transferred to Penwarra and he's a former local, his pop Arthur owns Sunny Cross Farm, Jack’s sister Clem and six year old niece Harriet are living there. Jack knows bored teenagers get up to all kinds of trouble and it’s his job to pull them into line. Jack and Lauren meet, they are attracted to each other, but both work shifts and have been unlucky in love in the past and are they willing to take the risk?

Set during the year leading up to the towns 100th show, a huge event and milestone, it will have side shows and pony rides, competitions for baked goods and condiments, flower displays and it’s very competitive and who wouldn't want to win a blue ribbon. The town is buzzing with anticipation, residents want the place to look tidy, well presented and junk and graffiti free.

I received a copy of Wallaby Lane by Maya Linnell from Allen & Unwin and NetGalley in exchange for a review. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Linnell, I’m kicking myself for not discovering her wonderful and down to earth Aussie novel’s sooner and she’s one of Australia’s best rural romance writers and I can understand why. The narrative has interesting and relatable characters like Lauren and Jack, Arthur and Jean, Clem and Harriet, Sebastian, Cohen and Victor, April and Connor, and Gary the naughty galah, and it's set in my home state of South Australia.

The author is known for including social topics in her books and we need to show compassion and empathy towards people suffering from issues such as, hoarding, mental health and anxiety, post-natal depression and post-natal psychosis and in complicated and diverse families. Rescuing and caring for injured and sick and native animals and what to do and who to call.

The story showcases the Aussie way of life, community spirit, summing up living in a small country town to a tee, I live in one and it made me laugh out loud, five stars from me and I have already bought a copy of Kookaburra Cottage to read and enjoy with a cuppa.

Maya Linnell quickly became one of my favourite rural fiction writers, having absolutely loved the McIntyre Sisters series.

I have just finished reading the NetGalley arc and it’s battling with Magpie’s Bend for my all time favourite Maya Linnell novel.

Set in Penwarra, we reconnect with the locals that we were introduced to in Kookaburra Cottage, Lauren is a local, and has strong ambitions to be a radio presenter. Jack is new to town as he takes up his position at the local police station. It’s inevitable that their paths will cross in both a professional and potentially romantic way…

I love how Maya weaves some of her real life passions into her stories, such as baking and rural shows. Her stories are always written with such heart and humour I couldn’t help but have a big smile on my face while reading this one and I may have preformed a little jig when I finished as I just know readers are going to love this one just as much as I have.

It is the pitch-perfect rural romance that everyone will be falling in love with this autumn.

I recently finished reading the book "Wallaby Lane" by Maya Linnel. The book is a rural romance set in Penwarra, South Australia. It revolves around the life of Lauren Bickford, who works at the local radio station, and Senior Sergeant Jack Crossley, who is new to the town's police station. The story focuses on a small country town community and family with the ups and downs of life in a small town. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the love story spans over 12 months, making it more realistic.

Jack has recently moved to Penwarra to offer support to his sister, Clem, who is a single mother to her daughter, Harriet, and to their grandfather, Art. Spending many summers with their grandparents in the countryside, Jack is delighted to be back in town and the farm he remembers.

Lauren Bickford leads a content life in Penwarra, living in her charming pink cottage on Petticoat Lane and working as the producer of the local radio station's morning show. However, her mother doesn't think of the town as a good place for her daughter to showcase her talent and feels that Lauren is wasting her time there.

This book is full of inspirational stories that will captivate you. It's set in a small country town, full of drama, good-doers, troublemakers, kindness, and most importantly, community spirit and the Aussie way of life. And let's not forget the delicious food that will make you want to bake your heart out!

Lauren Bickford has settled into her cottage in the South Australian Limestone Coast town of Penwarra. Sharing her home is Gary, a Galah with a salty and colourful repetoire. Lauren's position with the local radio station is both a dream come true and a nightmare as stuff-ups plague her and threaten her career and ambition.

Senior Sergeant Jack Crossley, new cop in town, is no stranger to Penwarra. Jack has opted for the quieter life of a country cop in a single cop station but finds his time is cut out with mischief from the local teens and the vigilantes who decide to take matters into their own hands. The town is building up to the 100th Penwarra Show and emotions run deep for the residents of the town. Jack has moved back to Penwarra to support his sister, single mum to Harriet and his grandfather Art who now lives in an aged care home. Jack, Clem and Harriet have taken over Art's country property which was previously a sunflower farm. While he is waiting for his Police house to be completed, Jack meets Lauren and for a time takes up residence in her cottage when she is seconded through her job to another town for a period of time.

This a story of family; it is a story of a country town where everyone knows everyone and whatever happens in the town impacts on all the residents. There is the local coffee supplier who is also the town matchmaker. Along with Gary the Galah, we have a one-eyed goat and numerous wildlife creatures who are supported by carers.

Maya Linnell's stories contain a warmth of love and caring and this one does not disappoint. This is also a story that contains mental health issues as some of the characters deal with their demons. Maya's treatment of these issues is caring and sensitive.

I was delighted to connect once again with April and Connor from Kookaburra Cottage and a small cameo from Maya's previous collection of stories. Always a treat to catch up with characters we have previously met.

Thank you Maya Linnell, your story made me laugh and cry and thoroughly enjoy the view of country life with all its elements. Something I am very familiar with as I grew up in a small country town.

Thank you Netgalley for the privilege of an early reading of a story that has delighted me and one I highly recommend to other readers who will love it as I do.