Title: Spring Clean for the Peach Queen
Author: Sasha Wasley
Published: March 30th 2021
Publisher: Pantera Press
Pages: 364
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
RRP: $29.99
Rating: 4.5 stars
Twelve years had passed since the last Harvest Ball.
I was just eighteen when my hometown crowned me their Peach Queen with a blossom coronet. And I was eighteen when I left.
One tanked career, one badly timed glamour shoot and one dead boyfriend later, thirty-year-old Lottie Bentz is finally going home.
Back in the orchard town of Bonnievale, Lottie embarks on a radical declutter of her life, Marie Kondo-style. She casts out everything that got her into trouble: her phone, socials, make-up and a tendency to tell little white lies – to herself and others. But home has its own issues, not least Lottie’s staunchly feminist mother, who is furious with her.
When Lottie lands herself a place to stay in exchange for helping kindly Mrs Brooker try out the Kondo method, it seems like the perfect farm escape. That’s until Angus, Lottie’s former Peach King and heir to the Brooker orchards, makes it clear she’s not welcome – especially when Lottie’s declutter begins to stir up long buried memories and half-truths.
As Lottie finds her way back to herself, can she use her talents to coax Bonnievale and the Brookers out of the past? After all, everyone deserves to feel love, hope and the occasional spark of joy.
Review:
‘My name was not Charlize. It was Charlotte. It was note Beste, either. It was Lottie Bentz, Bonnievale’s reigning Peach Queen, making an inglorious return.’
Sparking plenty of glee, harmony, comfort, understanding and release, Spring Clean for the Peach Queen is the latest contemporary life literature title from West Australian author Sasha Wasley. A story of self growth, detoxing from our excesses, homecoming, connections, belonging and meaning, Sasha Wasley’s new title is a tale that sings to your soul.
It is time for Bonnievale’s most famous Peach Queen to return home after over a decade away. The death of her boyfriend, a controversial photo shoot and a career that has taken a nose dive sees celebrity star Lottie retreat back home to Bonnievale. This dramatic fall from grace sees Lottie remove all the toxic influences in her life – from her social media accounts, to her personal grooming efforts and her fake friends. This total cleanup, which is directly inspired by the well-known Marie Kondo effect, sees Lottie embrace a different way of living. The wholesome and embracing community of Bonnievale are waiting to help Lottie on her journey. But there is one person who remains clear in her opinion of Lottie – and that is Lottie’s mother. She is still very angry and disappointed at her daughter’s actions. When Lottie encounters a face from the past, emotions run high and old memories resurface. Can Lottie help herself and the local community in their time of need?
It is fabulous to see Sasha Wasley venture into new territory with her latest release Spring Clean for the Peach Queen. With a highly successful rural romance series under her belt, Wasley has branched further afield with her new novel, Spring Clean for the Peach Queen. This latest triumph displays Wasley’s talents in the category of contemporary fiction. I would also consider Spring Clean for the Peach Queen to be an uplit title, a sub-genre that seems to be flourishing, especially in these uncertain times.
In Spring Clean for the Peach Queen, we are presented with a main character who is a kind of washed-out celebrity. Lottie is an Australian who desperately wanted to be the next Island Fisher. Sadly, things didn’t quite work out for Lottie in the celebrity world. With a strong line of ill-fated choices behind her and a dead boyfriend, Lottie knows she must come home to Bonnievale. This is a tough realisation for such a determined and talented star, but Lottie’s big fall from grace urges her to take a step back, assess her life and in this process, return home. Wasley does a great job of portraying Lottie – warts and all! I did feel sorry for Lottie, despite her mistakes and flaws. I wanted Lottie to regain control over her life and rediscover what truly matters to her. I can only imagine how hard this would be to go from a world of indulgence and adoration to the simple life. Wasley illustrates this divide well within the pages of her engaging title.
There are some great support cast members in Spring Clean for the Peach Queen and these characters work to extend Lottie’s journey. From local community members such as the town gossip, to giving figures such as the kindly Mrs Brooker, to Lottie’s opposing mother, there are plenty of colourful faces in this appealing life affirming tale. I really loved the character of Angus, Bonnievale’s Peach King. The soft love story between Lottie and Angus was a pleasure to follow. This gentle romance thread warmed by heart.
What I loved the most about Spring Clean for the Peach Queen was the setting. As a West Australian, just like the author, I could easily picture the fictional town of Bonnievale. There are shades of this town in places I have visited such as the real-life location of Donnybrook, a local spot well-known for specialising in apples. Wasley has captured the very essence of these close-knit townships, the community spirit feel and the dramas that come with small town living arrangements. It was great to see this once struggling community thrive and overcome the setbacks that occurred a few years ago. The sense that everyone is in this together and the bonds of community, makes the spirit of the Bonneville community come alive. I definitely felt inspired. I was less inspired to take on the Marie Kondo style of life decluttering through, I think I will leave that up to Lottie! However, I’m sure this angle of the novel will inspire others to have a go!
Within the pages of this noble novel, we have plenty of themes that will unite readers. From personal pride, embracing change, resilience, support, forgiveness, empowerment, choice, control, conflict, resolution and fellowship, Sasha Wasley covers plenty of terrain. Spring Clean for the Peach Queen is an invigorating tale that will bolster your confidence and ease your worries away.
Spring Clean for the Peach Queen by Sasha Wasley was published on 30th March 2021 by Pantera Press. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of Spring Clean for the Peach Queen, Sasha Wasley, visit here.
*I wish to thank Pantera Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Spring Clean for the Peach Queen is book #44 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
