Title: The Jam Queens
Author: Josephine Moon
Published: April 13th 2021
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Pages: 400
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 4.5 stars
The heartwarming new family drama from the bestselling author of The Cake Maker’s Wish
Award-winning jam maker Aggie is determined to take her Barossa Valley cafe to new heights. She has put the pain of unsuccessful IVF treatments and a broken relationship behind her, and is focused on the many wonderful possibilities life still holds in store.
When an invitation to travel across Australia on the Ghan for her mother’s seventieth birthday comes her way, she is at first apprehensive. But the trip offers a precious opportunity to spend some quality time with both her disgruntled mother, Valeria, and her distant daughter, Holly, as well as her meddling great-aunt, Myrtle. The four generations of the family, all single women, will be reunited at last.
As the iconic train chugs its way beneath majestic desert skies, Aggie’s difficult past resurfaces, her business comes under threat, and long-held family rifts reignite. To complicate things further, she’s distracted by the attentions of a handsome younger man on his own search for meaning in some of the country’s most remote and magical places.
By the bestselling author of The Cake Maker’s Wish, this is a sweet and soulful story about women being there for each other through the stickiest situations. It celebrates the joys and sorrows of life, and reveals the essential ingredients of the true recipe for happiness.
Review:
‘They should teach this at school,’ she said, absent-mindedly.
‘What?’
‘How to make jam,’ Valeria said, returning to her notes. ‘There are so many life lessons in jam making.’
Australia’s most loved food fiction queen returns with another delightful tale that readers can revel in. The Jam Queens heralds another delectable reading experience for fans old and new of Josephine Moon’s work. A generational tale that entails adventure, relationships, secrets and the past, The Jam Queens is a expressive story that is easy to embrace.
Moving on from cakes to jam, Josephine Moon’s new novel takes a close look at the work of a jam maker. We meet Aggie, a woman who has had a number of upsetting setbacks in her life, yet she is still passionately committed to her Barossa Valley café. To mark Aggie’s mother Valeria’s milestone seventieth birthday, Valeria is taking a trip on the Ghan, travelling overland by train to see some of Australia’s most spectacular sites. Aggie accompanies her mother on this trip with some hesitation and doubts. Joining mother and daughter on this journey are Holly and Myrtle, two other relatives, who hope that the experience will work as a bonding experience. But no sooner has the train left the station when problems bubble quickly to the surface. From past hurts, upsetting memories, business issues and unresolved family issues, this will be one difficult journey. Aggie then finds this trip further compromised by her attraction to a stranger she encounters on her life changing adventure. Will this man help Aggie to overcome her setbacks? A story of unconditional support, communication, working through problems and celebrating the small things in life, The Jam Queens is a tribute to the challenges of modern living.
Once again Josephine Moon treats her readers to a story that will warm your heart as you are welcomed into the fold of the female foursome featured in The Jam Queens. A novel with its own unique blend, that should be relished slowly and with care, The Jam Queens is a generous read from a perceptive writer.
Firstly, I loved the overarching theme of jam making that runs through this new novel from Josephine Moon. I’ve been following the author’s jam making adventures on social media and I have to say, I have been anticipating this book for some time. Moon’s implicit and passionate understanding of the jam making trade is expressed with complete ease on the pages of this novel. I really enjoyed this deep insight into a form of business and amazing craft that I had little knowledge of prior to beginning my journey with The Jam Queens. Foodie fiction lovers will adore this element of the story.
Moon’s characters are a great bunch. There are some big personalities and vibrant souls that populate the pages of The Jam Queens. While some figures are very likeable and easy to connect to, others were less appealing! However, Moon uses her wide-ranging cast and their differences to her full advantage. We have some very emotive interactions that take place during the course of the story, which helps to keep the reader fully engaged in the tale at hand.
Moon doesn’t shy away from including some serious topic points in her novel. From gut wrenching secrets and past hurts, to relationship breakdowns, Moon has it covered. There were definitely some upsetting issues in The Jam Queens, but I think Moon did a good job of presenting these topic areas with an air of sensitivity, compassion and understanding. The IVF story thread helps us to see that Moon is a storyteller who feels and is able to expresses the right emotions in regards to this difficult to approach subject areas. The Jam Queens is quite a universal tale and Moon has the ability to reach out to her readers with genuine ease.
My final word and nod to Josephine Moon’s writing is the fantastic travel log that The Jam Queens presents. I know many of us would dream of taking an overland train adventure on the Ghan. It is a journey I hope to take one day in the future, when finances and time allow me to take on this amazing experience. In the meantime, it was nice to indulge in a page-based holiday, trekking through some wonderful Australian sites around our top end and red centre. I was quite jealous of the characters in Moon’s novel, the cast got to experience some breathtaking spots. I would happily to do way with the squabbles and emotional issues though!
Pack your suitcase for an unforgettable trip, but don’t forget the jam! Be prepared to embark on an eventful journey with Aggie and her family on a life changing adventure. The Jam Queens is a tale that any kind of reader can clinch.
The Jam Queens by Josephine Moon was published on 13th April 2021 by Penguin Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Jam Queens, Josephine Moon, visit here.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Jam Queens is book #46 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
