Secrets of Riverside. Mandy Magro

Published: Harlequin Australia
Date:  1st May 2024
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

After losing her family in a tragic fire when she was a child, Amelia Price has battled to put the shattered pieces of her life back together. Even so, she’s never felt like she belongs anywhere, and she longs for stability and love. When a mysterious letter turns up at her apartment with hints that she’ll uncover the truth behind what happened all those years ago if she goes to the sleepy, picturesque town of Riverside, she sets off on a journey to tropical Far North Queensland.

Jarrah King owns and runs the Riverside Roadhouse. He loves the simpleness of country living, and the fact it gives him complete anonymity. Over the years he’s made a life for himself under a new name, however his past has never stopped haunting him.

When a sassy blonde takes up the new cook position, he can’t help but be drawn to her vivacious personality. But he can tell there’s also pain hiding underneath her bubbly facade and he longs to erase those shadows. However, lowering his defences to let her in may risk his new identity, as well as everything he holds dear.

Set in Queensland, Australia, Secrets of Riverside is a nice romantic read that moves along well.

I really liked the two main characters – Amelia (Millie) and Jarrah. They both have had a lot to deal with in their past lives, yet they are upright good living people. They deserved to find each other. As well as the two main characters we have a really fun dog in the story.

I liked the premise of the story, yet at times I felt it was a little forced. Tommy – Jarrah’s nephew, didn’t quite work for me. He seemed to just turn so easily one way or the other.

There is a lot of time given to the surroundings or setting or to characters interior thoughts. I found these large chunks of prose, a little off putting. I like to see plenty of dialogue in a book, there was some of course, I just felt I would have liked more.

If you like outback romance set in Australia I think you’ll enjoy this book.