Title: One More Song
Author: Nicki Edwards
Published: November 28th 2017
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 400
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Rural
RRP: $29.99
Rating: 4.5 stars
Harry Baxter and Edwina Campbell lead completely different lives.
A lot has changed for Harry since he escaped his home town of Yallambah ten years ago, headed for the bright lights of the big city. Now he’s the star of Melbourne’s hottest musical, and home is wherever the next standing ovation is – why bother going home to visit his parents when his dad couldn’t care less about his success?
Meanwhile, nothing much has changed for Edwina in the last decade, which is exactly how she likes it. Eddie adores her nursing job and Yallambah community – she can’t imagine living anywhere else. And even if she wanted to, she could never leave her beloved grandparents, who raised her and love her like their very own daughter. She’s not going to abandon them in their old age. Not for anything.
So when Harry and Eddie bump into each other on one of Harry’s flying visits home, their instant mutual attraction seems as pointless as it is intense. There’s no way they could ever work it out… Is there?
My review:
Fall in love this holiday season with the latest rural romance novel from Australian author Nicki Edwards. One More Song is the passionate story of Harry and Eddie, two young souls who have very different pathways in life, but find love in the small town of Yallambah. One More Song is a novel filled with plenty of heart, music, romantic complications, family issues and small town country life.
Ten years ago, Harrison ‘Harry’ Baxter traded life on his family’s farm, for a career in musical theatre in the big smoke. Harry has reached the pinnacle of his career, he is the lead in the Melbourne production of the revered musical, Les Misérables. When Harry makes a quick visit home to Yallambah to see his family between shows, he crosses paths with local girl, Edwina ‘Eddie’ Campbell. Eddie is a nurse and local SES volunteer. She loves her career as much as she loves the town of Yallambah. She is part of the fabric of the community, devoted to the small town and caring for her elderly grandparents. The thought of making a life for herself outside Yallambah has never crossed Eddie’s mind. However, when the enigmatic Harry Baxter enters her life, Eddie begins to wonder if she could leave Yallambah for a chance at a happily ever after with Harry. One More Song is the emotional story of Harry and Eddie’s pathway to love and happiness – with a few heartbreaking obstacles thrown into the mix.
Last year I read and reviewed my first Nicki Edwards novel, The Peppercorn Project, a book I adored. When the opportunity came through to review One More Song, I leapt at the chance to read another book by an author I have enjoyed previously. I wasn’t disappointed, this is another excellent novel from Edwards. One More Song demonstrates the true skill Edwards has for gifting her readers with an unforgettable rural romance novel.
The pairing of nurse and tireless SES worker Eddie, with musical theatre extraordinaire Harry, was a great move by Edwards. I loved how these two strong leads, from such differing backgrounds, managed to find one another. Through spending some valued time with these appealing leads, I gleaned a lot about their lives, hopes and fears. Through Harry, we learn about the fascinating musical theatre world. When it is Eddie’s chance to shine, we gain an appreciation for the hard work that goes into being a nurse and a vital SES volunteer. On the whole, the ensuing love story between Eddie and Harry was ideal for me. I enjoyed reading the complications, emotional issues and of course the romance factor in this novel. I thought Edwards presented a love story that was believable and had plenty of drama to keep me turning the pages of this novel at a rapid rate.
There are plenty of issues at hand to keep the narrative of One More Song running. With the complications in love for the leads Harry and Eddie, there are also a host of family secrets, unspoken grievances and health issues for this couple to contend with. Edwards demonstrates her knowledge in the health field by bringing motor neurone disease to the floor through a side narrative thread in the novel. In tacking this aspect of the narrative, Edwards provides a fine balance between raising our awareness of this disease and providing a sensitive portrayal of a family bravely fighting this disease together.
At the heart of One More Song is the sensational rural backdrop to this novel. The township of Yallambah is the place where our leads meet. It is also the setting where the leading lady of the novel, Eddie, feels a deep sense of place. This attachment Eddie feels transfers to the page extremely well. I really felt the stir of emotions Eddie experienced in considering a move away from the only place she has known, for a chance at everything she has dreamed of, a shot a true love. Edwards also gives the reader a great picture of life in a small town. Although there is the overwhelming feeling of living in each other’s hip pockets, Edwards shows us how the sense of community spirit is unbreakable in tiny towns such as Yallambah. This is highlighted by a major incident that rocks the Yallambah community in the second half of the novel. The incident brings heartache and grief, but also much change to the main characters and whole community of Yallambah. It is a pivotal force, influencing the direction of the final direction of the novel. It was a shift that I found satisfying as One More Song drew to a fine close.
It was a delight to embark on a jaunt to the charming community of Yallambah, through One More Song. The medley of inviting characters, a stunning country backdrop and a remarkable love story, makes One More Song a book that will resonate, long after the final page has come to a rest.
One More Song by Nicki Edwards was published on November 28th 2017 by Pan Macmillan. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of One More Song, Nicki Edwards, visit here.
*I wish to thank Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
