The title of this book is perfect – it is all about an unusual abduction… two Grandmothers one Great Grandmother and a miniature schnauzer who go to great lengths to protect 4 year old Avery. When Shirley suspects her son is neglecting his daughter (Avery), she seeks the help of Avery’s other Grandmother Beth (who she doesn’t particularly like) to take Avery out of harms way. Where is Avery’s mother you might ask? Beth’s daughter Cleo is currently serving time in jail for contravening a family violence order.
The book takes the reader on an adventure with Shirley and Beth and Shirley’s mother Winesome… not to mention little Avery and the dog Harthacnut. The adventure brings the women together over a common goal – to protect their Granddaughter. While remaining hidden in a small town Air BNB, the three women learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and ultimately learn to to get along with each other. The time in hiding becomes quite the bonding exercise where many secrets are revealed. While they try to stick to a plan (albeit complicated) to stay hidden, will they slip up and be found by police?
While there are some heavy themes in the book there is plenty of light-hearted and funny moments and an exploration into relationships and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book – released 1 September 2021.

I loved this! The plot follows the actions of Shirley and Beth, who (despite hating each other) abduct their granddaughter Avery to save her from harm at home. The trio are also accompanied by Beth's dog Harthacnut and Shirley's supposedly senile mother Winnie... who might just play more of a part in their adventure than anyone expected.

I've genuinely never read anything like this novel, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Evans manages to take an outlandish idea to feel like a real story, and explores family tensions in a way that felt like true.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s full of heart and humanity, and manages the remarkable balancing act of being both very funny and taking the issue of domestic violence very seriously.

Avery Conifer is four years old and deeply loved by the diverse members of her family. Unfortunately, many of them don’t like each other all that much. Her mother is in jail for breaching an Intervention Order taken out by her father. Her father’s siblings loathe him. Her grandmothers loathe each other. Her great grandmother is rather eccentric and considered senile by the male members of the family.

And yet, when Shirley Conifer begins to suspect that her son Daniel – Avery’s father – is hurting Avery, she turns to Beth, Avery’s other grandmother, for help. This mismatched pair unite to protect the small girl they both love. Faced with limited choices, they decide the best solution is to abduct Avery.

Naturally, not many other people think that’s the best solution. Before long, a hunt for the fugitives is in full swing.

This is a novel about many things. Family, women’s perspectives, love, guilt, domestic abuse, and friendship, to name a few. There is a strong vein of humor running through the novel, but also a lot of sobriety. Whenever it touches on domestic abuse, the novel takes it very very seriously. It doesn’t explore the issues related to this in as much depth as some other novels, but nor does it shy away from them, or from the damage this kind of abuse does.

Although domestic abuse is what sets the plot moving, this novel was to me more strongly about women’s perspectives on life. Women who are overlooked and resent it; women who are overlooked and take advantage of it; the joys and struggles of motherhood; the rivalries and friendships between women. I loved this aspect of the novel. I loved the diverse characters, their different perspectives, and their ability to communicate them and ultimately come to understand each other (while not necessarily agreeing).

The writing style is lively but understated; it allows the characters to take the spotlight, and to switch between different perspectives smoothly. I found this easy to keep turning the pages because I wanted to spend more time with the characters and see what they would say next.

Evans treats some very sensitive subjects with delicacy and tact. She canvasses a lot in this novel, and some of it is hard. It is also very realistic.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel to read. Although difficult issues are covered, the novel feels more light than dark. Most readers will love the characters and care about the outcomes for them.

Despite the cosy looking cover and title of this book it covers some heavier topics. How lovely though to get another book set in Australia, in Victoria no less, the state that I grew up in.

Avery Conifer is a bubbly 4 year old whose mother, Cleo, is serving a four month jail sentence for repeated breaches of an AVO brought by her ex husband. Everyone was shocked at the sentence so the child is left in the care of her father who seems to be doing a less than stellar job of looking after her. Shirley Conifer, Avery’s paternal grandmother notices some bruises on the girl but her son Daniel, Avery’s father, has a plausible explanation. But when Shirley gets Avery dumped on her doorstep one afternoon so Daniel can go on a date and she notices a couple of nasty welts on her bottom and what looks like a cigarette burn she realises that something needs to be done.

Beth Patterson is Avery’s maternal grandmother and visits her daughter in jail every week. She is surprised to learn that Avery has not been brought to visit her mother for weeks. Very early one morning Beth is shocked to find Shirley on her doorstep (the two are not exactly friends) claiming she has kidnapped Avery and that Beth should come with them. Oh and Shirley’s mother - the 89 year old Winsome (Winnie) Cuthbertson is along for the adventure. The plan is to stay in hiding for the next 6 weeks and 6 days until Cleo is released from jail, all in the interests of protecting Avery. This is all at the start of the book so not spoilery.

The rest of the book tells the story of how the grannies manage to stay in hiding. But it is about so much more than that. The three older women have to learn to get along with each other and learn from each other. It turns into quite the bonding exercise. Along the way we hear some unpleasant truths about parenting and about all the different types of guilt that women tend to burden themselves with - consciously or unconsciously and we learn about the benefits of forgiveness.

Shirley and Beth and quite different people and got on each other’s nerves a lot to start with but as the angles got sanded away they started to rub along a lot better. A lot of this due, of course, to ensuring that Avery’s welfare came first. But for me, the star of the show was Winnie! Don’t write this 89 year old lady off yet. She is full of surprises, not least of which is her technological fluency which baffles the younger women. She is also brutally blunt at times when it is necessary. I’d love to be like Winnie if I ever get to that age.

Another serious aspect of the story was that, technically, the women had broken the law as Daniel had reported his daughter missing while he had legal custody of her. How does that get resolved? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The writing was brisk and witty and had quite a few laugh out loud moments. It was filled with pathos, humour, guilt and, most of all, love. A lovely heartwarming read. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the much appreciated ARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Oh, how I loved this book! The three women characters, Shirley, Winsome and Beth, were so believable - more so from their points of view as the story was carried from one character to another. In fact, the action was fast, funny and poignant seen through the eyes and hearts of the characters who mattered. I suppose, being a Melbourne girl, the sense of place was vivid for me, but I feel that even an overseas reader would appreciate the surroundings and why they mattered.
Thanks for the great read, Ilsa; I'll be looking for more of your books!

I think this is going to be mde into a Netflix mini series. It's got the perfect amount of every.
First time I've read this author but will definitely be checking more books out on kindle

What a ride!
Right from the beginning this book grabbed my interest. Shirley and and Beth - both very different grandmothers who come together for the sake of their granddaughter... not to mention Shirley's mother Winnie, who comes along for the ride. It makes you wonder what you would do in the same situation these women face.

There's so much heart in this story, along with laughs a plenty. A few twists and turns as well.

However, I wasn't entirely satisfied when I turned the last page. I almost feel like I would have preferred it to end before the epilogue, yet on the other hand, I felt like I wanted more. More closure perhaps?

I'm still thinking about it though - and maybe I'll even go back and read that epilogue again to see if I feel differently a second time.

Thank you Netgalley & Ilsa Evans for this advance copy to review.

I feel like this is ripe for a tv adaptation. Nicole Kidman will probably play a mother role of some sort (perhaps not the grandmothers though)....

Anyways, the premise of the story is that there is a child in the middle of a nasty separation - her mother is in prison and her father is struggling. The family doesn't know how to broach the state of Avery, how she's got bruises, and their questions about where they come from.

When Daniel restricts access to Avery due to their concern, the family tread carefully not to set him off. But when things go too far, his mother has no other option but to take matters into her own hands... and the hands of the other grandmothers....

The conflict between the grandmothers is perfectly balanced, gentle ribbing and conflict are played out humorously, and it is thoroughly enjoyable.

The father, Daniel, is a character that lacks the balance of the relationship of the grandmothers. There is no light and shade. It's all grim. And I guess that makes sense reading the author's history and area of interest, but it is a thoroughly unlikeable character and I would have thought a few redeeming qualities would have gone a long way.

There was a great momentum in the book and good pace, but to a point where it was like ' what now?' it ended with a bit of a whisper, and I think it could have been stronger at the end.

Overall it was enjoyable !

A must read! Follow along the story of Avery Conifer taken by her 2 grandmothers and great grandmother to keep her safe. Travelling and moving secretly from town to town, finally hiding out in a little town many miles from anyone trying to pass the time getting to know each other in many different ways! Each character has their own story to tell. Wonderfully written. A great read!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Ok so I absolutely loved this book!! Even with the elements of abuse (not too much mentioned) I found it a heartwarming story of three older women finding friendship where they didn't believe it was possible.

This story showed that the love of a grandchild shows no bounds and that they will do anything to protect their precious grandbabies. All three main characters were different and all were lovable in their own ways.

I would definitely recommend this book to ANYBODY!!

I wondered what I’d find when I started reading this book, would it be terribly upsetting? NO, this book is written with such understanding, compassion and sincerity, an amazing gem that should be shared and enjoyed!
Shirley is concerned for her granddaughter Avery, there are signs that her son Daniel is mistreating his little girl! Shirley is a caring, kind soul who is not ‘listened’ to by her family, she decides to take Avery away until she’s heard!
Beth is Avery’s other grandmother, her daughter Cleo is in jail due to Daniel’s treatment of her.
Beth likes structure but agrees with Shirley, they head off to try and right wrongs, taking Shirley’s elderly mother Winnie!
The characters are adorable, quirky and totally relatable, what an adventure! An amazing book with all the family emotions, the translation is spot on! Sit back and enjoy this superb book that is hard to put down!

Thanks so much Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review of this well written, outstanding novel! Huge congratulations to Ilsa Evans, absolutely brilliant!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two very different grandmothers who share a grandchild have concerns about the welfare of their grandchild Avery. Avery’s mother is in prison as a result of contravening an intervention order and Daniel appears selfish and lackadaisical about Avery’s care. Daniel’s mother, Shirley kidnaps Avery and enlists the help of Cleo’s mother, Beth to keep away Avery away from her father until Cleo is released from prison. The friction between the two women is amusing. But there are some quandaries in this book. Shirley is devastated at taking this action but sees no other way forward. She is filled with guilt that her raising of Daniel has led to the situation. For further light relief throw in Shirley’s 89 year old mother who is surprising tech savvy and chat show hosts who are loving the whole situation. It is a fun read but every now and then a situation develops that gives you pause, thinking what would I do if?

The Unusual Abduction of Avery Conifer is a stand-alone novel by Australian author, Ilsa Evans. To say that Elizabeth Patterson is surprised when Shirley Conifer turns up on her doorstep at 5.40am on a Sunday morning with their granddaughter, Avery, would be an understatement. And when she learns why they are there, she is incandescent with anger.

That Shirley has come to her at all is unexpected: rather than not getting on, they actively despise each other. But her motivation is concern for four-year-old Avery, and Shirley knows that Beth’s feeling in that regard is as strong as her own. Later it is pointed out to Beth just how difficult it must be for Shirley to concede that her own son represents a danger to his daughter.

With an eye on the long term, Shirley manages to talk Beth out of her initial impulse to call the police, and within hours, they have headed to a beachside AirBnB and sent Avery’s father, Daniel an ultimatum: seek counselling and live with Avery under the watchful eye of his parents. Beth is fairly confident that the man who put her daughter, Avery’s mother, into prison, will not agree, so makes contingency plans with military precision.

Soon they are on the run, with Beth’s salt-and-pepper miniature schnauzer and Shirley’s eighty-nine-year-old mother, Winnie, along for the ride, an Amber Alert on Facebook, and the cops, specifically DS Elsa Kaltenbrunner and her partner, DC Rebecca Flanagan, on their tail. Elsa is convinced that the matter will be quickly and efficiently sorted out, but she has perhaps underestimated the strength of feeling this trio of grandmothers has for young Avery.

In the process of reaching their hideaway, the grannies learn that anonymity cannot be found in an international airport, or on a city street, especially given how prolific mobile phones are. Then, confined together with a four-year-old, these three women discover a great deal about each other and themselves, about motherhood and the myriad of feelings and emotions it entails.

Evans gives the reader a tale that has elements of slapstick, but also addresses several topical issues, including ageism, the influence of breakfast TV, and trial by social media. Multiple narrators each contribute: snippets, or larger parts of the story. The dialogue, especially anything uttered by Winnie and Avery, is often entertaining. Her characters have depth and appeal, and all are very humanly flawed, giving this tale the seal of authenticity. Funny and thought-provoking, a delightful read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Australia

I had mixed views on this one. For me it started slow and took a bit for me to be interested in the characters. But eventually I was hooked and wanted to know what happened next. I usually like alternating voice, but felt there were a few too many voices in this one. Although I would have liked to have heard from Daniel's point of view. I felt the ending was a bit of an anti-climax.
On the plus side I really enjoyed the relationship building of Beth, Shirley and Winnie (the abductors) and how their characters grew over their time together. Winnie added in wit and humour. I liked how family dynamics and relationships were explored.
Overall I enjoyed the story.

A mixture of comedy and drama around a family where the grandmothers steal their four-year old granddaughter Avery. This novel brings forth the topic of domestic violence that is treated with sensitivity, drawing out the complexities, but acknowledging that whatever they may appear to be, action to prevent such violence is non-negotiable. At a time where domestic violence is an ongoing topic in the media and society,

I liked this book, not my usual type of fiction but it was still a good enjoyable read. I found all the different characters interesting and the mix of generations set it apart from other books. There was humour throughout the book but this did not take away from the subject of suspected child abuse that was also a theme in this story.
This was a good look at families and the dynamics within them.

This was a very good book to read, excellently written.
I could find no fault.
Interesting storyline about what a grandmother will do for her grandchild, even if that is engaging the help of the other grandmother, whom she despises and going against her own son. This must be one of the hardest things Shirley has done.
I laughed a lot throughout the book and smiled many times.
Highly recommended for a fun and relaxing read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for this eARC in exchange for a voluntary review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinaus for sending through the eARC of #theunusualabductionofaveryconifer.
Shirley and Beth abduct their 4 year old granddaughter Avery, after Shirley suspects her son Daniel (Avery’s father) is physically abusing Avery. They are on the run together with Beth’s miniature schnauzer and Shirley’s 89 year old mother across country Victoria while a police investigation is underway to find them. Shirley and Beth don’t really like each other which in itself makes for a humorous read as they get to know each other better.
Each chapter is written from a characters point of view over a specific time frame which I thoroughly enjoyed. I must say Shirley’s mum Winnie was my favourite character, I love when I literally laugh out loud while reading a book and her character did this for me.
I really enjoyed this read.
My favourite quote from this book📚
‘It might take a village to raise a child but perhaps it only took a couple of older women to protect one’
Due out 1st September 2021.

I judged this book very much by the cover and title, and started in without even reading the blurb. Avery’s grandmothers love her very much, but they can’t stand each other. When they believe she might be at risk, they will try to work together despite their differences.

This is a heartwarming story about family and friendship. There are some difficult themes relating to child neglect or abuse, but the focus is more on the Grandmothers and their attempt to help, rather than the issue itself, and therefore it is not too uncomfortable a read. Thoroughly recommended.

A magic novel for all Contemporary readers. Well crafted with an exiting storyline. Caring grandmothers who take charge of their granddaughters life when they suspect she is being harmed at home. There are plenty of mixed emotions as you read this wisely written novel - laughter, tears and surprise . And you especially enjoy the incorporation of the wise and funny Great Grandmother. Well done Avery Conifer on a compassionate read.