New Release Book Review: Wish You Were Here by Karly Lane

Title: Wish You Were Here

Author: Karly Lane

Published: November 29th 2022

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Pages: 384

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Rural

RRP: $29.99

Rating: 4 stars

A stunning new rural romance from the bestselling author with over 500,000 books sold.

Sometimes the end of the road is just the beginning

As a kid brought up on a cattle property in the New England Tablelands, Reggie Macleod vows she is going to swap the country for city life as soon as she can. And she’s followed her dream. Everything is going to plan. 

Until one phone call rocks her world entirely.

Reggie’s parents have been badly injured in a car accident and they need her help to run the farm while her brother builds up their recently launched farmstay business. It was only going to be for a couple of months … but that was almost three years ago.

When Tim Warbois checks in to one of their cabins and extends his booking several times, all he seems to want is peace and quiet. But what is really going on under the surface? Is this new hope and purpose he’s discovered going to last? 

Will Reggie and Tim manage to overcome the wounds of their pasts and build a new future?

Review:

A comely rural romance, that encapsulates the heart and emotions of Australian country life, Wish You Were Here is the latest contemporary fiction delight from Karly Lane. A story of dreams, hopes, plans, setbacks, accidents, solitude and future plans, I really enjoyed this new Karly Lane release.

Introducing lead protagonist Reggie Macleod, Wish You Were Here takes the reader into the depths of the cattle country region of New England. Reggie has dreams of breaking away from her rural existence and moving to the city. In a terrible twist, these carefully laid plans are destroyed by a phone call. Unfortunately, Reggie’s parents are involved in a horrific car accident just as she is on the cusp of moving away. Reggie knows she cannot leave her family in their time of need, especially as her brother has just started his own business. So Reggie puts her carefully laid plans on hold for now, but a short delay turns into months and then years, completely derailing Reggie’s move. Then a man named Tim Warbois comes to stay in a cabin owned by Reggie’s family. Tim is a man on a mission, hoping to find a sense of peace and solace in New England. But Tim is holding a secret or two close to his chest. The question is, will the cattle country give Tim the fresh start he needs?

Reggie and Tim have a possible future together, if they are both willing to release their past regrets.

The perfect book to enjoy this summer season, I’m so glad I added Wish You Were Here to my summer holiday reading list.

You can’t go wrong with a Karly Lane novel and this latest one was no exception. A gentle and touching story with some wonderful rural themes, I highly endorse Wish You Were Here.

Main characters Reggie and Tim are beautifully integrated into Karly Lane’s new rural treat, Wish You Were Here. It is always a pleasure to be acquainted with Lane’s cast members and this particular couple managed to occupy a space in my heart very quickly. I appreciated the authentic interplay between Reggie and Tim, especially as the plot progressed. This budding relationship style romance is handled with expert care thanks to the passionate storytelling skills of Karly Lane. I think readers will fall in love with Reggie and Tim very easily.

In addition to the gentle romance, Lane ensures that we are fully immersed in her country town setting. Wish You Were Here has plenty of rural vibes and a rich community base. I loved the sense of belonging and high spirit that went along with this latest Karly Lane composition. The New England setting is rendered well by Lane and it was wonderful to just sit back, relax and take a great big breath of country air. I could easily see myself booking an extended stay in one of cabins featured in Wish You Were Here. What a great place to escape to when life orders you to slow down!

Lane’s central plot does contain a good dollop of mystery that kept me engaged throughout. Wish You Were Here also deals with some heavier themes around loss, grief, tragedy and healing. Karly’s writing shines in these pockets as she takes us through the shifting emotions and mixed feelings of her characters. With a sense of respect and understanding following these strong issues, Karly Lane has crafted a tender country tale. On the lighter side, we have some fantastic animal folk who bring a number of memorable moments to this narrative. In addition, we gain a valuable insight into the interesting world of cattle farming, which is carefully brought to life thanks to Karly Lane’s rural fiction expertise.

A country reading delight, Wish You Were Here is another splendid rural fiction tale from Karly Lane.

Wish You Were Here by Karly Lane was published on 29th November 2022 by Allen & Unwin. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.

To learn more about the author of Wish You Were Here Karly Lane, visit here.

*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.