Meredith Appleyard knows how to write a book about family, friends and the emotions of dealing with the challenges of later life. This book is a fabulous story of coping with loneliness and loss. The storyline leaves the reader questioning the depth and strength of relationships and connections to each other.
The main characters are two strong women who have travelled very different paths, they both have strengths and weaknesses that are ready to be explored.
There is an element of mystery as Daisy and Kate’s stories are revealed, they share a connection and a history.
I really enjoyed this heartwarming story with a relatable message, to live a meaningful life with consideration given to whatever life throws at you.

Congratulations and thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the wonderful Meredith Appleyard for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Daisy and Kate by Meredith Appleyard is a heartwarming and beautifully written story. The importance of friendship shines through in this book. We all have friends at some time during our lives, but there is always one friend who stands out from the others. That one friend who will be for you through the good times and the bad times and in this story, we see how true that is with Daisy and Kate.

I loved everything about this story including the cover, the storyline and the characters. Highly recommended. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.

I am just so impressed with how Meredith’s tales just go from strength to strength with each new book. I thought ‘All About Ella’ was so very good but her latest release, ‘Daisy and Kate’ was outstanding and cements Meredith in her genre of writing about women in the latter stages of their life. She nails it and it's so refreshing to see this age bracket getting the attention it deserves.

‘I did my best to ignore the grey hairs and I’d just about given up on losing the extra two or three kilos. I’d been trying to shift them ever since the boys were born and Gareth, the eldest, would be forty-three this year.’

Daisy and Kate is a brilliant book … gosh I enjoyed it! Meredith is part of a group of authors writing tales that involve our aging population and I salute her for shining the spotlight on this undervalued age group. It’s not overly dramatic but packs a punch where it counts with real events and reactions that highlight the vulnerability of the aging and the greed of some families.

‘After living in blissful solitude in a three-bedroom house for a decade, I discovered I wasn’t as amenable to change as I’d thought I would be. Or wanted to be.’

Told from the points of view of Daisy and Kate, Meredith covers all thoughts and angles seamlessly. You cannot help but admire Daisy’s strength of character yet still her need of support and encouragement to stand strong in the face of adversity. Kate may appear brusque and entitled but as she slowly unravels and then mends herself, the reader’s sympathy for her strengthens. Meredith captures these two leads and, with a strong supporting cast, delivers a story that highlights the many differing challenges that can be faced later in life.

‘My whole life had been about making ends meet, and too many times they hadn’t.’

I just love how this book makes you think, forces you to examine the value we place on our aging population - giving them the support to make their own choices with family to support and not be dominated. It really is about acknowledging the pursuit of purpose and living a meaningful life at any age. Meredith places Seniors at the forefront of this novel and mixes in grief, family greed, independent living, homelessness, friendships, forgiveness for past grievances and the often simple daily life moments. She really highlights these issues and the challenges that face many of our older population.

‘One thing I knew for sure, I didn’t like feeling the way I did: old, and ashamed that I hadn’t provided better for myself.’

Only recently I read an article about older divorced/single women and the plight of finding themselves homeless at a time of their life when such things should not ideally be an issue. Meredith has written a truly wonderful tale full of lovely characters who speak to the reader as their issues are real and relatable. The reflections on life, relationships and friendship are something I highly recommend people to read about.

‘… did a person ever get too old to make decisions about their care and what happened to them? A decade ago I would have answered with a resounding yes, they did, and at that point families needed to step up and take on the responsibility. At seventy-two, I wasn’t as certain. Ask me again at eighty-two. I had a feeling I might give an entirely different answer.’










This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

A really enjoyable story of old friends Daisy and Kate whose relationship fell apart when life got in the way. Now many years later, they are back living in the same town both facing challenges again. Will they rekindle their friendship or will old grievances keep them apart? A great read

First I must say I do love this author and her books so was very excited to get the chance to read and review this one. A story of friendship and jealousy, life and aging and putting the pat behind you.

I loved the characters as both Daisy and Kate are the sort of people you can warm, they could be you and me. The story flows well and really does touch on the perils of life from young to old. This is such a heartwarming and lovely book to read, the setting was lovely and having spent much time in SA I could picture it and relate to the descriptions.

I laughed, I cried, I smiled and I thoroughly enjoyed this great read. I thought it might be a long read but I just whizzed though it and enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this wonderful novel by Meredith. Its a story of friendship, lost and found between two former nurses who drifted apart because of factors that were significant at that time.

It was refreshing to read a story about mature aged characters and the challenges one finds as you reach a certain age and life throws a curve ball at you. I could relate to much of this book and it will definitely appeal to readers of Womens Fiction.

This is the second book of Meredith's that I have read and will definitely be seeking out her backlist in the future.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin/Harper Collins for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.

I loved this story, it is heartwarming and such a feel good story , I loved meeting Daisy Miller and Kate Hannaford both of these woman are around the age of seventy and both retired nurses, and both have had some tough times throughout their lives, it should be time to relax and enjoy but sadly that does not always happen.

Daisy is married to Charlie although they are estranged and it is a long time since she has seen him and she has three sons, finds herself living with her granddaughter supposedly for a short time back in the smallish country town where she used to work at the local hospital, there are lots of memories here for her but it is also a worrying time for Daisy and her dog Jess.

Kate has just lost her husband Dennis, they never had any children, they sold the farm a couple of years ago and she now lives in the big house in town and she is struggling with life at the moment, she has no close family and living alone in this house is not easy.

Daisy and Kate were once the best of friends working together and both attended each other’s weddings their friendship ended thirty years ago did they ever really know why it did both had things the other wanted, who knows, but all of these years later they are back living in the same town can they re-kindle the friendship they had once especially now when both are in need of friendship?

This is a beautiful story about friendship showing how special and precious it can be, MS Appleyard has bought issues that are very prevalent in today’s society and worked these into the story so well, my heart broke for both of these woman and then I was cheering them on as they came together and an rekindled their friendship not easily at first they had a few truths to discuss.

I loved this story there were tears and smiles and it is one that I would highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

A beautiful story about friendship, the highs the lows and the trials a friendship endures over decades. Daisy and Kate reunite after 30 years apart, the story is slow paced but enjoyable.

Reading a Meredith Appleyard book is like sitting down and having a chat over a cuppa.
Daisy and Kate used to nurse together in a small country town many years ago but due to circumstances their friendship came undone.
Now Daisy has been forced to moved back to the town, Kate is floundering in widowhood, a big house and not liking herself. Can their friendship be rekindled and adversity overcome?
This book is a gentle read while covering many topical subjects. It mainly delves into the aging population, loss of identity, reassessing of life, choices and self worth, family anda situation of elder abuse in a subtle way.
All this sounds a little overwhelming and depressive when written down that way but the author writes the characters so well that I can certainly imagine everyone as described.
Loved it and uplifting. highly recommended, a great holiday read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

EXCERPT: Kate - There she was again with that unattractive bitzer of a dog in tow. Every morning for the past week, they'd trotted by at around the same time as if they didn't have a care in the world. Some things never changed. Like her dress sense. Women over a certain age should never wear lycra. But Daisy Miller had never been bothered about what she should or shouldn't do. Or what people thought about any of it.

ABOUT 'DAISY AND KATE': Friendship lost and found again.

Jealousy destroyed their friendship decades ago, but now they need each other more than ever ...

Once upon a time Daisy Miller and Kate Hannaford were the best of friends, sharing the woes of shift work and nursing, the delights of days off together in their small country town, and the joys of blossoming romances. They couldn't imagine not being the best of friends. Until they weren't.

Now bearing down on their 70s, life hasn't gone the way either woman expected. Daisy is back in town, homeless and reduced to couch-surfing at her granddaughter's place. Meanwhile, a recently widowed Kate is facing the harsh reality that the home and lifestyle she worked so hard for is hollow comfort when there's no one to share it with.

More than three decades have passed since the demise of their friendship. Although neither will admit it, they are lonely and in desperate need of a friend. But they can't agree on anything, most of all what it was that brought about the unravelling of their friendship all those years ago.

Will Daisy and Kate find it in themselves to finally face the past, rediscover what drew them together in the first place, and forgive each other for how it all went wrong for the sake of a new and lasting friendship?

MY THOUGHTS: Friends blow in and out of our lives. We have different friends at different times of our lives. But there's always that one friend who is special, that no one can replace. S/he pops into your mind at odd moments, and you'll wonder what they're doing, where they are. But you never forget them.

And so it is with Daisy and Kate. They were the best of friends once, until circumstances and distance parted them. Now different circumstances have brought them back together, but can they put the past behind them and be friends again?

Daisy and Kate are two very different people. Neither has had it easy, but in different ways, and each thinks the other has everything. Daisy has family - children, grandchildren, cousins. Kate has none. Kate is wealthy and lives in a nice home, drives a nice car, has a place in society. Daisy is couch-surfing on her granddaughter's sofa. Daisy is one of those what-you-see-is-what-you-get people. Kate is more restrained, buttoned-up, worried about what others think. Kate is a respectable widow. Daisy hasn't seen her ne'er-do-well husband Charlie for a couple of decades. He never even made it to their youngest son's wedding. Yes, they are still married.

Female friendship is important and a constant source of fascination to me. I read a lot of books built around that theme. Daisy and Kate comes in amongst the top of them. With realistic and engaging characters facing common problems, it drew me in until I felt I was living there amongst all the goings on. And goings on there are!

Kate is grieving her husband's unexpected death twelve months earlier. She is slowly unravelling, dropping out of her regular activities and finding solace in the bottoms of wine bottles. Daisy is almost broke. While she loves her granddaughter Georgia, she's not loving living with her while she is waiting for her eldest son to build the promised home unit. But, a bit like his father, he's not the most reliable of people. Then there's Glenys, Daisy's husband's cousin, who wants to take Daisy under her wing, nuture and feed her. And Daisy's grandaughter, who loves her gran, but having her living with her is a whole different matter. And who is Tom? And where does he fit into the picture?

Meredith Appleyard is an expert at giving my emotions a good workout, and she certainly does so with Daisy and Kate. Daisy is stubborn and Kate proud. They are my favorite characters so far this year!

I loved the way this book didn't end as I expected it to. The ending is far more poignant than anything I could have dreamed up, and I'm still smiling just thinking about it.

My favorite line: (Charlie) was about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I: #meredithappleyard @harlequinaus

X: #MeredithAppleyard @HarlequinAUS

#australianfiction #contemporaryfiction #familydrama #friendship #mystery #sliceoflife #smalltownfiction #womensfiction

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I was born and raised in a farming community in the Murray Mallee region of rural South Australia, and my heart will always be in the country, and when I’m not physically there, I yearn to return. These days home is the Clare Valley wine-growing region in South Australia.

Before following my dream to become a writer, a career as a registered nurse gave me the opportunity to experience many country health practice settings – lots of ideas and inspiration!

My ongoing fascination with the complexities of small country communities, the characters I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had, are all reflected in the novels I’ve written, and the ones I’m planning.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Australia, HQ and MIRA via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Daisy and Kate by Meredith Appleyard for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

“Daisy and Kate” is a sensitive portrayal of two older women who find that their lives have diverged dramatically since they were young nurses together. Both are vivid, and aspects of their lives will be recognizable to many readers.

Daisy and Kate were close friends when they first started nursing at a country hospital. However, as their lives diverged they became almost estranged, and then eventually lost track of each other as Daisy moved away. So Kate is considerably surprised one morning to see Daisy walking her dog right past Kate’s house.

Daisy is not best pleased to be there either. Her son has a grand plan to knock down her home, and replace it with two neat little townhouses, one of which will be for Daisy. That bit is good; but during the knock down rebuild, Daisy finds herself homeless and more or less dumped on her grand-daughter’s doorstep. Georgia is also a nurse, in the country town where Daisy began her career.

A lot has happened since then. It wasn’t exactly what Daisy had planned for herself, and now she’s in a more precarious position than she’d like.

Meanwhile Kate Hannaford is safe with her modern home and comfortable income. She’s not happy though – her husband’s recent death has left her mulling over the many ways in which her life didn’t go to plan either.
The two women tentatively reconnect and explore their pasts and their possible futures.

This is a sensitive exploration of both friendship and aging. Both women are aware that they’re closer to the end of their lives than the beginning, and both are assessing the choices they made along the way. Neither is necessarily happy with every choice, or with the things that happened to them without their choosing.

This felt particularly realistic, and a genuine reflection of how women in similar circumstances might feel. Although they are to some extent shaped by being young at a time when the options for women were quite circumscribed, most lives in most eras are shaped by a combination of choices and accidents of fate. The novel is an interesting exploration of how different personalities might deal with this.

Friendship is the other main theme of this novel: what prompts it, what limits it, what severs friendships. Again, I found this a thoughtful exploration of how both individual choices and fate influence friendships.

The characters are strongly drawn, and so are the relationships – not just the friendships, but also the family relationships, romantic relationships, neighbourly relationships… the full spectrum is touched on here, providing an effective background to the plot.

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s a sensitive exploration of issues that aren’t always highlighted in fiction (notably, aging women). It’s also a well written, entertaining read.

It was the cover that first drew me to this book, it is so pretty and when I saw it was by Meredith Appleyard I knew I wanted to read it. Meredith Appleyard is so good at giving us characters we grow to love, people, places and circumstances we can relate to and showing how complicated relationships can be. And in Daisy and Kate, she has done this again.

Daisy and Kate, both nearing 70 find themselves reconnecting after over 30 years apart. This was a slow-moving story as they both look back on their lives and their friendship and relationships, wondering how life turned out the way it did, dwelling on choices made and opportunities missed and a friendship that faded away. In the present day, they try to navigate their way through their reconnection and assess what they want from their lives now. There were so many emotions involved in Daisy and Kate's reconnection and conversations to be had if they wanted a true friendship going forward.

Both are in quite different circumstances, Daisy is essentially homeless and estranged from her husband, sleeping on her granddaughter Georgia's couch with no idea how she is going to afford to live, but still willing to give everything she can to those around her who need help. Kate is widowed, lonely, closed off from those around her, has a big house and no need to worry about money and cares far too much about what other people will think.

I really liked Daisy, though down on her luck and worried, she still tries to live life the best she can. Her granddaughter has a lot of learning to do about many things, but the way she treated Daisy at times showed just how self-absorbed she was. Sharing a house is never easy, sharing a space as small as theirs would have been even harder and while Daisy went out of her way to be considerate, to the point I wanted her to be more selfish, Georgia had no consideration for Daisy whatsoever. I was really pleased with Daisy when she eventually puts Georgia in her place and speaks her mind.

Kate is a very lonely person, I think she was lonely even before her husband died but it isn't until Daisy returns to town that she starts to look at everything she thought she knew about her life and relationships. Daisy's return is a bit of a catalyst for the many changes that Kate eventually makes in her life. Kate uncovers a secret her husband had been keeping from her and it turns her whole world upside down. I think that in the end, it was exactly what she needed to give her life some meaning and to enable her to learn to open up and let people in.

I enjoyed the look at family, the connections and expectations and the bonds that can be formed between people that at the time you may not even be aware of. Family and friendship can be very complicated and sometimes it is when you least expect it that they are there for you, it can also go the other way and they can let you down. Some connections are worth the effort to maintain, whilst others are better set free. People and circumstances change and we often have no idea what people are going through, even those we think we do know. For Daisy and Kate, these are all things they learn and look at during the course of this story.

As well as family and friendship the book touches on other important topics such as the cost of living and homelessness in older people.

The only part of this I didn't enjoy and really didn't feel was necessary to include were the brief mentions of Covid. I didn't feel they added anything to the story other than to pull me from my enjoyment of what I was reading.

I really loved how the story ended for both Daisy and Kate and hope their journeys continue to be happy ones.

When Daisy Miller moved from her home in Adelaide to stay with her granddaughter, she expected it would only be for a short while. Gareth, her son and Georgia's father, was demolishing Daisy's old home and building apartments, one of which was to be hers. She looked forward to having her own home, much smaller than the old home than had been her parents'. But life has a way of throwing curveballs, and it wasn't long before Daisy knew there were problems.

Georgia was a nurse, just as Daisy had been all those years ago. And when Daisy was walking Jess, she ran into a very old friend - Kate Hannaford - who had been Daisy's best friend three decades ago. They fell out and drifted apart so meeting again felt awkward - until it didn't. Gradually their old friendship rekindled and now, both around 70, they had regrets but knew nothing would change the past. It was time to look forward. But what would that be? Kate was a widow of only twelve months; Daisy's husband had disappeared two decades ago...

Daisy and Kate is another wonderfully heartwarming and poignant read by Aussie author Meredith Appleyard which I thoroughly enjoyed. The subtle mention of Covid is there in the background (at one stage I burst out laughing at a reference), the issues that are with us now of rental prices, and the inability to find a rental. Of homelessness, family, new friends and old. All together made for an exceptional read which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

In a small country town setting, we first meet Daisy who has recently been forced out of her house, due to her son and his plans to demolish and build apartments on the land. Daisy is sharing accommodation with her twenty something granddaughter, sleeping on a sofa, in a derelict, cramped old miners cottage because they can share the rent. This situation quickly becomes less than ideal. Daisy a retired nurse, therefore finds herself back in her old town, three decades after she left. We discover, she raised her three boys mostly alone, after her husband goes looking for work 20 years prior and doesn’t return. To get out of the house, due to her granddaughter being a nurse and shift worker, and trying not to make any noise in their cramped, shared space, Daisy goes on daily walks with her dog. During these walks we are then introduced to recently widowed Kate, also a retired nurse, who spots Daisy from her front window and recognises her old friend, whom she had a friendship fallout with many years prior.

After running into each other a couple of times, the former pair begin to rebuild their friendship. It turns out they were both jealous of what each other had. Whilst Daisy had children and a family that Kate so desperately craved but was unable to fulfil, Daisy struggled as a single mum. To her, Kate appeared to have the perfect life, husband, home and plenty of money, all things Daisy was deficient in.

The two women have a rocky start to their new friendship, but after they air their grievances that they had toward each other that resulted in the demise of their previous friendship breakdown, we see them forge a new path, and begin a journey of personal growth, learning a lot about themselves on the way after many realisations and self-reflections, not all good. This is particularly the case for Kate who discovers she may not have behaved or acted in a way that was very nice and may not be who she thought she was. The ladies begin to become each others ‘saviours’ on a path of redemption, which they find themselves in their current particular stage of life and circumstances. We begin to have much optimism for their futures as they let go of their regrets and insecurities.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a heartfelt read, much like a comforting cup of hot tea on a cold day that warms the soul. Overarching themes of the book include; the power of female friendships (new and old), as well as new beginnings and getting a second chance at life. Other themes threaded into the story include, marriage and family struggles, infidelity, infertility, depression and loneliness, financial insecurity and homelessness. This particular issue has become more prevalent in todays world, especially for women in later stages of life who can find themselves in positions of financial insecurity after the death of a partner or after a relationship breakdown.

Thank you to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for an early digital copy to read and review.

Daisy and Kate were the best of friends but different life situations and issues tore there friendship apart. Now years later they meet again in their 70s and Daisy is essentially homeless and staying with her granddaughter and Kate is now widowed. Although Daisy is no where near as well off as Kate it was Kate I felt sorry for as she is wealthy but has no one who really cares for her. I adored Daisy's dog Jess who I instantly fell in love with! Daisy is a sprightly character who even when at her lowest never once said why me and I really admire that. It touches a few different difficult issues such as infidelity and homelessness due to the rising costs of rent. It's a subject that alot of us are facing at the moment with the rising costs of living. I loved every minute of this book and enjoyed the friendships.

‘The only way to go was forward. One day at a time.’

As young women, Daisy Miller and Kate Hannaford were close friends. They nursed together in a small country town, shared their hopes for the future, found romance. And then their friendship shattered. Thirty years later, Daisy has returned to this country town. Daisy is waiting for her son to build her new home but in the meantime she’s couch-surfing at her granddaughter Georgia’s small one-bedroom rental property. Daisy has very little money and no other choices. She and her dog Jess spend a lot of time walking. Georgia is a nurse, and shiftwork means needing peace and quiet to try to sleep during the daytime. Daisy has a husband, Charlie Toogood, but he headed north in search of work twenty-three years ago and never came back.

Kate Hannaford, recently widowed, faces different challenges. She and her husband worked hard, and Kate is materially comfortable but lonely. She has no children, and no close friends either. Kate can be difficult and prickly.

‘Appearances can be deceiving.’

As is inevitable in a small town, Kate and Daisy encounter each other. While Daisy seems more flexible than Kate, they both have grievances from the past. And then Kate discovers a secret which has her questioning much of what she valued. Can Daisy and Kate rediscover their friendship?

Another wonderful novel from Ms Appleyard which looks at both some of the challenges that older women can face, and the benefits and complications of friendship. Yes, I am in the same age group as these women and while I have several enduring friendships extending over fifty years, I also have regrets as some friendships fell away when interests changed and other aspects of life intervened. I felt sorry for both Kate and Daisy: life doesn’t always work out the way we dream or expect, but that doesn’t mean that change is impossible.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Daisy Miller never thought she would end up couch surfing at her age, and staying with her granddaughter and in the town where she met her estranged husband Charlie Toogood. Daisy takes her dog Jess for a walk every morning and she has this odd feeling she’s being watched and she has no idea it’s her ex-best friend from her nursing days Kate Hannaford is peeking out of her curtains and she can’t believe Daisy's back.

Kate lost her husband Dennis suddenly a year ago, they sold their farm and had just finished building a lovely house in town. Kate is facing the reality of spending her retirement years alone, she and Dennis were unable to have children. Kate keeps busy by joining the local book club, but her hearts not into it and she's miserable.

Daisy and Kate were the best of friends, they worked together at the local hospital over thirty years ago and when Daisy married Charlie their friendship started to go down hill. Both Daisy and Kate are lonely and it’s very awkward when they first see each other. Daisy and Kate have to face the past, work out why their friendship ended, it’s painful for them both and especially for Kate.

I received a digital copy of Daisy and Kate by Meredith Appleyard from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. In her latest novel Ms. Appleyard looks at how women do need a best friend, someone who they can confide in, be there for them know matter what life throws at them and during the good times and the bad.

A story about the power of friendship, it brings up some very important and relevant topics as well. Such as homelessness amongst older women, infertility and the impact it has on marriages and it's never too late to reconnect with a long lost friend and it might change your mindset if you do. A beautifully written book and it has a stunning cover, Ms. Appleyard's stories always make me feel emotional, I can relate to the issues the characters faced and five stars from me.

Daisy and Kate - I was sad to say goodbye to them at the end of the book and would’ve loved a ‘5 years later’
Friendship, love, family, jealousy, hardship and loss and how they all intertwine in life - a beautiful story of topics that are so familiar to so many of us.
I enjoyed picking this book up each night and finished it in no time.
Congratulations Meredith on another lovely read