AustLit

'A vineyard, a family in pain, and the healing magic of cupcakes...

'Amy Jenkins, a talented and ambitious chef, is left humiliated and debt-ridden, after her city restaurant fails. When her best friend calls asking for help in her small town cupcake shop, Amy jumps at the chance to hide out in the small town of Alpine Ridge while her shattered ego mends.

'The youngest Mathews brother, Tom feels over-looked and under-appreciated. His brothers remember every mistake, but never give him the responsibility or opportunity to take his place in the family business. So, he spends three weeks out of every month working at a mine in the back-end of nowhere. But then Amy moves to town to help run his pregnant sister-in-law’s bakery, and suddenly home seems to be where his heart is.

'Amy’s move was only ever meant to be temporary, but when tragedy strikes the Mathews family, Amy finds herself unable to move on. As she and Tom get closer, Amy finds every excuse to stay: first, she claims it’s for the family, then she claims it’s for the shop. But maybe, it’s for her own heart...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Ellie always falls for the wrong man. After her latest disastrous relationship, she needs a new start, a clean slate, and some time to figure out who she is and what she actually wants. So the opportunity to open her own florist shop in the small town of Alpine Ridge couldn't be more timely – or more perfect.

'Sam Mathews understands bad relationships – he's only ever had one, and that was enough. Now he keeps to himself, throwing his efforts into the family vineyard and his greenhouse hobby, where it's quiet and calm and he can nurture beauty with his own two hands.

'When Ellie arrives in town and discovers Sam's backyard nursery, a shared professional interest soon blossoms into something that feels very personal. But Ellie needs time to rediscover herself, and Sam has never regained his confidence. When they are both tied so strongly to the past, could there be a chance for a future?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Matilda James never thought she'd ever return to Alpine Ridge, the small town she grew up in and couldn't wait to leave. But when her desire to have children proves too great a strain on her childless marriage, she heads back home for a tree–change, determined to find a partner with the same life goals. Good luck and good timing lands her a dream marketing role on a breathtaking vineyard. The only hitch is her boss – her old high school flame. But Matilda is a professional, and that relationship is old news.

'Mitch nearly lost everything when he lost his wife, and he's worked hard ever since to support and protect the most important people in his life – his two brothers and his beautiful, miraculous daughter. When his high school sweetheart, Matilda, starts working on the vineyard, he still feels the attraction, but the pain of his past is too close and too constant to ever consider acting on it.

'But soon the sparks between Matilda and Mitch grow so bright they can't be ignored. Matilda is forced to question what she truly wants in life and how far she is willing to push to get what she deserves. And Mitch must learn that moving on is not a betrayal and find the courage to fight for a future he could never have imagined.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.