Review: Stars Across the Ocean by Kimberley Freeman

The powerful new novel from Kimberley Freeman.

A rich and satisfying story of two women with indomitable spirits and the high costs they have to pay for being strong-minded, from the author of the bestselling LIGHTHOUSE BAY and EMBER ISLAND.

A story about love, motherhood, and learning whom you belong to in the world.

In 1874, wild and willful Agnes Resolute finally leaves the foundling home where she grew up on the bleak moors of northern England. On her departure, she discovers that she was abandoned with a small token of her mother: a unicorn button. Agnes had always believed her mother to be too poor to keep her, but Agnes has been working as a laundress at the foundling home and recognizes the button as belonging to the imperious and beautiful Genevieve Breakby, daughter of a local noble family. Agnes had only seen her once but has never forgotten her. She investigates and discovers Genevieve is now in London. Agnes follows, living hard in the poor end of London until she finds out Genevieve has moved to France.

This sets Agnes off on her own adventure: to Paris, Agnes follows her mother's trail, and starts to see it is also a trail of destruction. Finally, in Sydney she tracks Genevieve down. But is Genevieve capable of being the mother Agnes hopes she will be?

A powerful story about women with indomitable spirits, about love and motherhood, and about learning whom you belong to in the world.Praise for Kimberley Freeman's writing:

Paperback, 449 pages

Published May 1st, 2017

by Hachette Australia

4/5

Kimberley Freeman is one of my go-to authors, with a flair for dual time periods she reminds me of Kate Morton with intricate plots and great writing.

Agnes Resolute is a feisty character, and getting to know her and her traits are what makes this novel work. One coincidence after another works for her as it did for this reader.

This is another dual time period story revolving between current day and 1874, traveling to many locales. Most of the book centers in the past with its adventure, family drama and maybe a touch of romance. As Agnes tries to discover who she is this journey of self-discovery leads her where she least expects.

Present-day is shorter but equally interesting to read. Traveling clear across the globe Victoria makes some discoveries of her own which set in motion changes she never saw coming.

I love Freeman’s writing style, she knows how to grab this reader till I am absorbed in not just the story but the characters as well. I’ve yet to be disappointed in any of her books. If you haven’t read her I highly recommend both print and audio formats work great.

This book is part of my 2020 reading off my shelf challenge.

Audio Review: Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman

From the author of Wildflower Hill, this breathtaking novel travels more than a century between two love stories set in the Australian seaside town of Lighthouse Bay.

 In 1901, a ship sinks off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The only survivor is Isabella Winterbourne, who clutches a priceless gift meant for the Australian Parliament. This gift could be her ticket to a new life, free from the bonds of her husband and his overbearing family. But whom can she trust in Lighthouse Bay?

 Fast-forward to 2011: after losing her lover, Libby Slater leaves her life in Paris to return to her hometown of Lighthouse Bay, hoping to gain some perspective and grieve her recent loss. Libby also attempts to reconcile with her sister, Juliet, to whom she hasn’t spoken in twenty years. Libby did something so unforgivable, Juliet is unsure if she can ever trust her sister again.

 In these two adventurous love stories, both Isabella and Libby must learn that letting go of the past is the only way to move into the future. The answers they seek lie in Lighthouse Bay.

Audible Audio - Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins

Published January 1st 2017

by Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd (first published 2012)

***

Lighthouse Bay was original published in 2012 and follows two storylines set over 100 years apart. Dual time periods are a trademark of Kimberley Freeman that I love, usually, with a common factor she weaves together interesting tales of secrets, mysteries, and intrigue.

Lighthouse Bay has all the aspects that make a great read, an abandoned lighthouse, old photos, diaries with missing pages that adds to the mysterious factor.  Libby and Isabella have much in common, each having to navigate through changes and confront the past before they can move into the future.  Through different circumstances, Lighthouse Bay is a story of searching, relationships and discovering oneself.

Kimberley Freeman is a go-to for me (yes I have a lot of go-to authors). Though I have the print copy I did go the audio route here. The print copy had a number of pages of interview type questions which gave insight to motivation and writing process. While it isn’t one of my favorite Freeman books it is one I recommend.

This book is part of my 2019 reading off my shelf challenge

click on cover to see my thoughts

Audio Review: Duet by Kimberley Freeman

A story of passion, greed, secrets and lies.

Present day: A reclusive woman living in outback Australia receives a letter acknowledging a terrible secret from her past. Thirty years before, she stole another woman's life. From the moment the letter is opened two women are on a collision course with destiny.

From the London pop scene, to the opera stages of Europe; from a tiny Greek island, to a stifling manor house full of secrets and deceptions; from the sun-drenched Queensland coast, to the silent outback; Angela and Ellie are two women both looking for something. One in search of her identity and her memory; the other in search of the love that she had and lost; theirs is a duet whose last note will not be sung until the heart-stopping climax, when a shadow from the past returns to claim them both.

Trade Paperback 535 pages

Audiobook 19hours, 58 minutes

 Published January 1st 2007

 by Hachette Australia Trade Paperback

****

I have been a fan of Kimberley Freeman since reading Wildflower Hill and Evergreen Falls, an Australian author who reminds me of Kate Morton. Yes, that is right I said Kate Morton, those that know me know my feeling towards Kate Morton and it takes some mighty big shoes to come close to her.  But what can I say, if the shoe fits...

I think Duet might be one of Freeman's first books, there is a definite growth from this one to the 2 mentioned above.  Duet was an enjoyable read (listen - audiobook) with its mystery, suspense, and intrigue.  As you can read in the blurb there is a lot going on. Spanning many decades and reading from 3 different pov's I was trying to figure out the connections, guess at the outcome and walked my dog many miles waiting.  Seeing the different angles and getting to know these characters gave the plot more depth and added to the mystery. I did find it a little long in the middle and that did take some of the enjoyment away.  But already being familiar with the author kept me going and I was not disappointed.

Duet is a hard-to-find book in print but it is readily available at Audible

Review: Evergreen Falls by Kimberley Freeman

From internationally bestselling author Kimberley Freeman comes a captivating new novel about a scandalous attraction, a long-forgotten secret, and a place where two women’s lives are changed forever. 

It’s 1926 and Violet Armstrong is a waitress at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel, where Australia’s glitterati are spending a winter vacation. Among the guests who remain are Sam and Flora Honeychurch-Blacks, a wealthy brother and sister ensconced in the hotel for an extended stay. Violet and Sam have an attraction that is as passionate as it is forbidden as the hotel closes down for the winter season. When a snowstorm moves in, trapping them all, no one could have imagined what would unfold. The group must let their secrets be buried by the snow, but all snow melts, exposing the truth beneath…

Eighty-eight years later, Lauren Beck takes a job at a café in the Blue Mountains, built as the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel’s return to grandeur. There she meets Tomas, the Danish architect overseeing the project. As their budding relationship grows, Lauren discovers a series of passionate love letters dating back to 1926 that allude to a whirlwind affair—and a tragic secret. Lauren begins to unravel this long-forgotten mystery, but will discovering the truth finally make her brave enough to take a risk that could change her entire life?

Inspired by elements of her grandmother’s life, Kimberley Freeman has created a complex tale of mystery, heartbreak, and love that will keep you guessing with every twist until the very last page.

 Paperback, 416 pages 

Published August 4th 2015 

by Touchstone

**** 1/2

I discovered Kimberly Freeman on my search for Australian authors. Previously I have read her book Wildflower Hill in the audio format. The reader did a great job with that book and I was hoping that more of her works would be available in that format, sadly that is the only one. I took the plunge with Evergreen Falls hoping it would yield the same results.

I love books that have dual time periods, the ones that have a common denominator connecting the two time periods. With Evergreen Falls the connecting thread is the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel. Beginning in 1926, with a prologue that sucked me right in, to present day, as this once magnificent hotel is being returned to its former glory days. Usually with these type of books I find myself favoring one storyline over the other, but with Evergreen Falls I found myself immersed in both of them though more time seems to be focussed on the past.

While there was some predictability to this book it did not take away from my enjoyment as I found the authors writing style kept me reading. This was atmospheric in that I could get a real sense of this hotel, those it caters to and the staff, feeling the hostility, prejudice and natural elements that all played a strong role here.

I enjoyed watching the transformation of both Violet and Lauren, both growing up with overbearing parents, confused about their place in the world.  They make mistakes  and are forced to deal with what life throws at them, both realistic and believable.

Kimberly Freeman is definitely an author I will continue to read and recommend. My copy of this book is from my personal library and part of my '2017 read from my TPR pile' challenge.

Audio Review: Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

Wildflower Hill is s compelling and romantic novel spanning three generations and half the world, from modern day London to Australia in the 1930s.

Emma is a prima ballerina in London and at a crossroads after an injured knee ruins her career. When she learns of her grandmother Beattie’s death, and her own strange inheritance—an isolated sheep station in rural Australia—Emma is certain she has been saddled with an irritating burden. But when she returns to Australia, forced to rest her body and confront her life, she realizes that she had been using fame as a substitute for love and fulfillment.

Beattie also found herself at a crossroads as a young woman, but she was pregnant and unwed. She eventually found success—but only after following an unconventional path that was often dangerous and heartbreaking. Beattie knew the lessons she learned in life would be important to Emma one day, and she wanted to make sure Emma’s heart remained open to love, no matter what life brought. She knew the magic of the Australian wilderness would show Emma the way.

Kindle Edition, 546 pages

Published November 22nd 2012 by Quercus (first published 2010)

Audible - 16 hours 28 minutes

*****

I have discovered lately that there is a gold mind of Australian authors and have been on a quest the past few few years to find them. Thankfully with Kimberly Freeman her books are easily available worldwide.

Wildflower Hill was an audiobook for me and with dual narratives sometimes that is hard to pull off. The difficulty comes during the transition of time periods and whether the audio can handle the changes in a smooth manner not disrupting the narrative and flow of the story.  In this case there was no issues, with each chapter title paving the way.  As usual for me I am always drawn to the past story but the present day one was just as captivating.

Beattie Blaxland is introduced to us when she was only 19 years old, a young lady with a bright future ahead of her, but that future is dashed when she falls for a married man. Ending up clear across the globe she is forced to rebuild her future, which now includes a daughter. I loved her character I love the way she was portrayed, hard-working, smart and brave enough to take a stand as needed. There are many obstacles she is forced to deal with and it was a great process to watch.

In our present day story we have Emma who is Beattie's granddaughter returning to Australia from England after an injury sidelines her ballerina career. As she begins clearing out her grandmothers personal effects Emma not only discovers who her grandmother really was and the significance of Wildflower Hill but she also learned a lot more about herself and what really matters.

Kimberly Freeman is a wonderful author and I am so glad to have finally read one of her books, which, of course, has resulted in the rest being pushed to the top of my TBR our file. Her writing prose is such that I was drawn into the story right away and had me to caring about the characters and their plight. I was able to visualize so much of the Tasmania countryside and feel the emotional side of this wonderful story.

Definitely an author I highly recommend, especially fans of Kate Morton and Susanna Kearsley.