The Last of the Apple Blossom
by Mary-Lou Stephens
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Pub Date Jul 28 2021 | Archive Date Jul 27 2021
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Description
The fire took everything - except two women's fighting spirits. A sweeping, big-hearted Australian family saga for readers of Judy Nunn and Victoria Purman.
7 February, 1967. Walls of flame reduce much of Tasmania to ash.
Young schoolteacher Catherine Turner rushes to the Huon Valley to find her family's apple orchard destroyed, her childhood home in ruins and her brother dead. Despite her father's declaration that a woman will never run the orchard, Catherine resolves to rebuild the family business.
After five sons, Catherine's friend and neighbour, Annie Pearson, is overjoyed by the birth of a much longed for daughter. As Annie and her husband Dave work to repair the damage to their orchard, Dave's friend Mark pitches in, despite the fact that Annie wants him gone. Mark has moved his family to the valley to escape his life in Melbourne, but his wife has disappeared leaving chaos in her wake and their young son Charlie in Mark's care.
Catherine becomes fond of Charlie, whose strange upbringing has left him shy and withdrawn. However, the growing friendship between Mark and Catherine not only scandalises the small community but threatens a secret Annie is desperate to keep hidden.
Through natural disasters, personal calamities and the devastating collapse of the apple industry, Catherine, Annie and those they love battle to save their livelihoods, their families and their secrets.
A Note From the Publisher
She received rave reviews for her memoir Sex, Drugs and Meditation (2013), the true story of how meditation changed her life, saved her job and helped her find a husband.
Mary-Lou has worked and played all over Australia and now lives on the Sunshine Coast with her husband and a hive of killer native bees.
Advance Praise
“A beautiful story of family and orchards, of secrets and love and forgiveness. As warming as a winter blanket.” Victoria Purman, author of The Women’s Pages and The Land Girls
“Mary-Lou Stephens has crafted a taught family drama set against a backdrop of environmental and political upheaval. The crisp prose sparkles and the characters stay with you long after the story ends. A wonderful debut.” Lauren Chater, author of The Lace Weaver and Gulliver’s Wife
“I have long been a fan of Mary-Lou’s writing, which is always evocative and compelling. What a won-derful story this is, set at such a poignant moment in Tasmania’s history. I loved it.” Josephine Moon, author of The Tea Chest and The Jam Queens
“Timeless yet also telling an achingly familiar story to us here and now, this is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, triumph and tragedy, featuring flawed, resilient and courageous characters who will linger in your heart and mind long after the last page.” Karen Brooks, author of The Brewer’s Tale and The Chocolate Maker’s Wife
“The Last of the Apple Blossom is a love letter to Tasmania’s Huon Valley and a testament to the resil-ience of the human spirit. Mary-Lou Stephens writes evocatively about family secrets, love, sacrifice, and finding the courage to rise again after devastating loss. An engrossing and poignant story, beautifully told.” Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance
“An epic story of love, friendship, secrets and betrayal, and the woman who fought sexist tradition to retain the family orchard. Set in the aftermath of the disastrous 1967 Black Tuesday fires that devastated Tasmania and the thriving apple industry, The Last of the Apple Blossom will uplift, and keep you guessing, until the very last page." Jodie Miller, author of What Does it Feel Like Being Born
“This fascinating saga opens with the devastating Tasmanian bushfires of 1967 and never once lets up the pace. Love and loss and hope mix effortlessly in an engaging story of women fighting the traditions and challenges of a dying apple industry.” Sue Goldstiver, Queensland Literary Awards finalist and author of Empty Rooms
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781867226437 |
| PRICE | A$29.99 (AUD) |
Available on NetGalley
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General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
