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mistymoon24's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I really wanted to like this, but I was constantly zoning out.
caity_c's review
5.0
If you are looking for a sweet but meaningful country romance, this is the book for you!
It had so many elements that I just loved, the whole enemies to lovers romance, lost city girl moving to the country to find herself, people misjudging others at first and then peeling back the layers to reveal so much more and restoration of a beautiful historical pub.
Ah just loved this. I want to move to the country side and have this happen to me.
It had so many elements that I just loved, the whole enemies to lovers romance, lost city girl moving to the country to find herself, people misjudging others at first and then peeling back the layers to reveal so much more and restoration of a beautiful historical pub.
Ah just loved this. I want to move to the country side and have this happen to me.
shelleyrae's review
4.0
To prove a point to her ex-fiancé, whom is also her business partner, Gabrielle Moreau decides that transforming the pub they bought as an investment in the tiny community of Wurruldi into an upmarket B&B would be an ideal project. She plans to be hands on but the building is in worse shape than she expected, and Gabby has no real idea where to start.
Hayden Paech dismisses Gabby as a stuck-up city girl from the moment she walks into the pub at Settlers Bridge, not that it matters given he believes he is no longer has anything to offer to any woman. But the more time he spends in Gabby’s company, particularly as he begins work on the Wurruldi Hotel, the more he wonders if the future he thought he had lost is possible after all.
The Wattle Seed Inn is the second heartwarming contemporary rural fiction novel from Leonie Kelsall set in the Murray River region of South Australia.
Kelsall explores familiar themes such as love, friendship, forgiveness and loss in The Wattle Seed Inn, and also issues such as self acceptance, trust and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Romance is still the key element of the story though, and I enjoyed the way in which the author developed the relationship between Gabby and Hayden.
Gabby and Hayden are drawn together in part because they have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one for which they have held themselves responsible, and recognise that wound in each other, even without knowing the details. The pain is much fresher for Hayden, who also carries physical scars as a daily reminder, and experiences panic attacks. I thought Kelsall’s portrayal of his PTSD was sympathetic and believable, and the inclusion of Hayden’s service dog, Trigger, and his role in supporting him was illuminating. Gabby seems to have it all -wealth, privilege and beauty- but she too carries emotional scars, and harbours hidden insecurities that make her wary of relationships.
The addition of a third perspective in the novel was somewhat of a surprise. Ilse can’t clearly recall how the Wurruldi Hotel, that has been owned by her family for generations, came to be so run down, but she is happy that her home is finally getting the attention it needs, and is eager to offer Gabby advice on how to restore it to its former glory. She drifts around the hotel recalling happier times when her husband was alive, but is also haunted by a sense of something being badly wrong.
I enjoyed the connections Kelsall makes to her debut novel, The Farm at Peppertree Crossing, with the main characters playing a small role in this story. Matt and Roni are two of Hayden’s group of friends which also includes Sharni, who is the first to welcome Gabby to the area, secretly hoping that Gabby could be her ticket off the dairy farm.
Written with warmth, humour and sincerity, offering appealing characters and an engaging story, The Wattle Seed Inn is a lovely read, sure to satisfy fans of the genre.
Hayden Paech dismisses Gabby as a stuck-up city girl from the moment she walks into the pub at Settlers Bridge, not that it matters given he believes he is no longer has anything to offer to any woman. But the more time he spends in Gabby’s company, particularly as he begins work on the Wurruldi Hotel, the more he wonders if the future he thought he had lost is possible after all.
The Wattle Seed Inn is the second heartwarming contemporary rural fiction novel from Leonie Kelsall set in the Murray River region of South Australia.
Kelsall explores familiar themes such as love, friendship, forgiveness and loss in The Wattle Seed Inn, and also issues such as self acceptance, trust and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Romance is still the key element of the story though, and I enjoyed the way in which the author developed the relationship between Gabby and Hayden.
Gabby and Hayden are drawn together in part because they have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one for which they have held themselves responsible, and recognise that wound in each other, even without knowing the details. The pain is much fresher for Hayden, who also carries physical scars as a daily reminder, and experiences panic attacks. I thought Kelsall’s portrayal of his PTSD was sympathetic and believable, and the inclusion of Hayden’s service dog, Trigger, and his role in supporting him was illuminating. Gabby seems to have it all -wealth, privilege and beauty- but she too carries emotional scars, and harbours hidden insecurities that make her wary of relationships.
The addition of a third perspective in the novel was somewhat of a surprise. Ilse can’t clearly recall how the Wurruldi Hotel, that has been owned by her family for generations, came to be so run down, but she is happy that her home is finally getting the attention it needs, and is eager to offer Gabby advice on how to restore it to its former glory. She drifts around the hotel recalling happier times when her husband was alive, but is also haunted by a sense of something being badly wrong.
I enjoyed the connections Kelsall makes to her debut novel, The Farm at Peppertree Crossing, with the main characters playing a small role in this story. Matt and Roni are two of Hayden’s group of friends which also includes Sharni, who is the first to welcome Gabby to the area, secretly hoping that Gabby could be her ticket off the dairy farm.
Written with warmth, humour and sincerity, offering appealing characters and an engaging story, The Wattle Seed Inn is a lovely read, sure to satisfy fans of the genre.
robinwalter's review against another edition
My last attempt at an Australian rural romance. A cringe worthy collection of caricatures and stereotypes, half was more than enough
aplace_inthesun's review
5.0
I didn’t expect to be so enamoured with this book which is saying something for me.
Told from alternating perspectives of Gabrielle, Hayden and Ilse The Wattle Seed Inn is a delightful story set in South Australia. Gabrielle is a PR exec who has separated from her fiancé and she’s taken on a derelict homestead/pub with the hopes of turning it into a bed and breakfast. The minute she sets foot in the property after some time away she wondered whether she has taken in too much. Hayden is a dour, local with a history of PTSD. He’s anti-Gabrielle from the outset, but finds himself drawn into her plans and positive attitude. Ilse’s narrative provides a historical perspective, and links with both Gabrielle and Hayden’s narrative giving an old world charming feel to the story, and a sense of nostalgia.
This book is about holding onto memories, but also letting go in the interest of making new ones. It’s rich in friendships, a sense of country values and community, being genuine and true to oneself. I loved the vulnerabilities of Danielle and Hayden, and Ilse’s perspective, ever present in the background.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. These opinions are all my own.
Told from alternating perspectives of Gabrielle, Hayden and Ilse The Wattle Seed Inn is a delightful story set in South Australia. Gabrielle is a PR exec who has separated from her fiancé and she’s taken on a derelict homestead/pub with the hopes of turning it into a bed and breakfast. The minute she sets foot in the property after some time away she wondered whether she has taken in too much. Hayden is a dour, local with a history of PTSD. He’s anti-Gabrielle from the outset, but finds himself drawn into her plans and positive attitude. Ilse’s narrative provides a historical perspective, and links with both Gabrielle and Hayden’s narrative giving an old world charming feel to the story, and a sense of nostalgia.
This book is about holding onto memories, but also letting go in the interest of making new ones. It’s rich in friendships, a sense of country values and community, being genuine and true to oneself. I loved the vulnerabilities of Danielle and Hayden, and Ilse’s perspective, ever present in the background.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. These opinions are all my own.
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