It’s always a delight to read and review Maggie Christensen’s lovely books – and today it’s the third in her latest series, A New Dawn in Pelican Crossing, published on 26th September and now available for kindle (free via Kindle Unlimited) and in paperback. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour and for her support, and to both Rachel and Maggie for my advance reading e-copy.
On its Amazon page, I see this book is described as “a perfect romance to make your heart soar with hope and happiness” – the mature romances in Maggie’s books are always perfect, often with a few difficulties along the way, and I don’t think that there has ever been one that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. I also love the Pelican Bay setting, and the new and established friendships between the individuals in its closely knit community. This latest series picks up the lives of a group of female friends, who meet up regularly for lunch, and have done for many years. In the first book in the series, The Restaurant in Pelican Crossing, we got to know Poppy – and Cam – in a lovely romance laced with family complications and more than a hint of real drama (you’ll find my full review here). And in the second book, Secrets in Pelican Crossing, it was Liz’s turn in the forefront – a very real and touching romance, more family issues, some emerging secrets and a little more drama to make the pages turn rather faster (my review of that one is here). And this time, we’ll be getting to know Gill rather better…
Divorce lawyer Gill Dickson thinks she has seen it all, until she finds herself in the midst of her own acrimonious divorce and estranged from her daughter. Her one certainty is that the last thing she wants in her life is another man.
Pelican Crossing mayor Joe Harris has buried himself in his work after his wife’s death, finding solace with the companionship of his faithful dog, Coco. But when Joe needs Gill’s legal expertise for a family matter, he is unexpectedly drawn to her.
Can Joe break through Gill’s emotional barriers and earn her trust? And can these two lonely souls find the happiness they deserve in each other?
Set in the small Queensland coastal town of Pelican Crossing, this heartwarming romance will keep you captivated until the very end.
Joe Harris, the mayor of Pelican Crossing, was a character I really liked in the last book in the series when his well-timed interventions helped secure the survival of their local newspaper. But, always accompanied by his faithful dog Coco, he cut a rather lonely figure – and the time he spends at home has been particularly difficult since the loss of his wife. He’s only too pleased to offer a home and sanctuary to his sister Erica, fleeing Perth to escape her husband – and she slowly shares her distressing experience of domestic violence. Ready for a fresh start – although finding the absence of contact with her adult son and family particularly difficult – Erica is ready to face up her past issues and see a divorce lawyer, and Gill Dickson is the obvious choice.
Ironically, although she’s the very best at what she does, Gill’s own divorce proceedings have been particularly difficult and protracted – complicated by her estrangement from daughter Freya, now working in California – and there’s nothing further from her thoughts than getting involved with another man. But as Gill and Erica become friends – at first through their daily wild swimming, which helps them both forget their problems for a while – Joe realises that he’s particularly attracted to the spiky lawyer who has become rather expert in shoring up her own defences. Family issues, as always, bring problems – along with difficult decisions and a fair bit of drama – but might the growing friendship between Joe and Gill have a chance of developing into something more that might bring them both some deserved happiness?
This was a beautifully told story – perhaps my favourite in the series so far – with two very real and likeable protagonists whose developing relationship I was entirely caught up in, so wanting them to find their happy ending together. The more difficult issues are very sensitively handled, and with an emotional touch that’s so well judged – and the more dramatic twists to the story exceptionally well written, and very real (although, I really must add, never too graphic or disturbing).
And the whole story plays out perfectly against the wonderfully drawn setting of Pelican Crossing, and the friends who were every bit as invested in the relationship between Joe and Gill as I soon became. If you’ve read the other books in the series, you’ll enjoy catching up with the lives of the ladies who lunch (and their partners and families) – but if this is your first visit, you’ll have no difficulty enjoying the times when you join their friendship group (and for anyone who fondly remembers their time spent at Bellbird Bay, there are a few particular treats in this one – again though, nothing that would cause any problems for a new reader).
This was a read I particularly enjoyed – the well-drawn and sympathetic characters, the mature romance, the supportive friendships, the family issues and complications, the moments of drama and uncertainty, but also the real warmth with which the story was told. And it’s a book I’d very much recommend – I loved it.
I was delighted to see that the next book in the series, Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing – due out on 3rd December, and available to preorder – will be telling Rachel’s story. Another of the ladies who lunch, she’s always there in the background with a shoulder to cry on and some sage advice – I’m looking forward to getting to know her rather better…
About the author
After a career in education, Maggie Christensen began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations, and historical fiction set in her native Scotland. Her travels inspire her writing, be it her trips to visit family in Scotland, in Oregon, USA or her home on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. Maggie writes of mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them. Maggie has been called the queen of mature age fiction and her writing has been described by one reviewer as like a nice warm cup of tea – warm, nourishing, comforting and embracing.
From the small town in Scotland where she grew up, Maggie was lured to Australia by the call ‘Come and teach in the sun’. Once there, she worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management. Now living with her husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, she loves walking on the deserted beach in the early mornings and having coffee by the river on weekends. Her days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – her idea of heaven!
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Thanks so much for such an awesone review, Anne. I”m delighted you enjoyed Gill nd Joe’s story so much.