Title: Snowy Mountains Daughter
Author: Alissa Callen
Published: February 3rd 2021
Publisher: Mira – AU
Pages: 352
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
RRP: $29.99
Rating: 4 stars
Welcome to Bundilla. A new close-knit community where romance can blossom. A compelling story of homecoming and family secrets from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen.
The road home isn’t for the faint-hearted…
Peony flower farmer Clancy Parker was born and bred in the Australian high country. Small-town Bundilla is the only place she will ever truly belong, even if staying means remaining alone. The man she’d loved is long gone and single men are as rare as a summer snowfall.
As soon as he could, street artist Heath MacBride escaped his complicated family and traded mountain peaks for city concrete. Now a commission to paint a mural on Bundilla’s water tower brings him home. It doesn’t matter how long he’s been away, the animosity of his cattleman father hasn’t waned. As soon as the water tower is painted, he will be gone.
But between steadfast Clancy, who’d once been his muse, a free-spirited kelpie who becomes his shadow and a corrosive family secret, his best laid plans disintegrate. When life again backs him into a corner, will he have no choice but to leave or will he and Clancy have the second chance they’d each thought would forever remain out of reach?
Review:
‘Clancy Parker didn’t need to leave the rugged embrace of the high country to know who she was and where she belonged.’
The warm and welcoming embrace of the close knit community of Bundilla in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales awaits the reader in Alissa Callen’s new release. Snowy Mountains Daughter, which is penned by one of our leading novelists in the field of rural romance, is a tale filled with hope, new beginnings, love, family and togetherness. This latest offering from Alissa Callen certainly warms the heart from start to finish.
Snowy Mountains Daughter heralds the beginning of a new series for established Australian rural romance author Alissa Callen. In this first issue we meet Clancy Parker, a hardworking flower farmer, who hails from the high country region of Bundilla. This small township is the only place that Clancy has ever known and although she lives a solitary existence, Clancy is happy to remain in Bundilla. Interlaced with Clancy’s story is the complicated existence of Heath, a man who returns to Bundilla on a contract only basis to help paint a mural for the town. Heath is determined to shoot through as soon as the painting is complete. With issues and tensions coming from his father, Heath knows he cannot remain in Bundilla. But Heath finds his resolve to leave the town compromised. With an old love, a canine companion and the revelation of a family secret to contend with, Heath is at odds. Will love find a way to bring Heath and Clancy together?
A wholesome read from cover to cover, Snowy Mountains Daughter represents a wonderful new addition to the Australian rural romance collection from a specialist author in this popular genre, Alissa Callen. I always make it a priority to read a new Alissa Callen novel and Snowy Mountains Daughter was no exception. I was thrilled to see that Alissa Callen has created a whole new fictional community for her readers to meet. It really was a genuine pleasure to make the page trek to Bundilla, in the picturesque high mountains region of New South Wales.
With travel still off the cards, it is down to books such as Snowy Mountains Daughter to fill in the gaps. I appreciated being taken on a page-based adventure to an unfamiliar part of our country thanks to Alissa Callen’s new novel. I felt extremely invigored by the scenery presented in this story. I got a real sense for the fresh mountains air, the rugged surrounds, the open space and the beautiful flower farm that the lead lovingly tends to. In addition to the stunning flora depicted in Snowy Mountains Daughter, we also meet some rather personable animal companions. A special mention to Bundy the Kelpie, who is a real pillar of the Bundilla community.
Alissa Callen always presents her readers with rich, engaging and interesting characters. Callen’s leads are well matched and their shared history helped to move this story along. I took a immediate liking to Clancy. I admired Clancy’s line of work and I found great joy in following her journey. Likewise, the male lead of this story was equally endearing. Heath’s character allows Alissa Callen to explore the art world, health issues, family tensions and secrets, which was touched with plenty of intrigue. The path this couple takes to their final happy ever after is plagued by plenty of problems in regards to trust, betrayal, loyalty, heartbreak and personal pain. Despite the high emotion attached to this love story, it is well worth the investment.
Alissa Callen’s series opener is not to be missed. Snowy Mountains Daughter delivers a heartfelt tale of second chance love, rising family tensions, past issues, belonging and fortitude. I would direct Alissa Callen’s new novel to fans of small-town fiction and contemporary romance.
Snowy Mountains Daughter by Alissa Callen was published on 3rd February 2021 by Mira –AU. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of Snowy Mountains Daughter, Alissa Callen, visit here.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Snowy Mountains Daughter is book #28 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
