With Eva Scott's trademark warmth and wit comes a rural rom-com about friendship, family, failure and finding the place you truly belong.
Sometimes, the road to happiness is marked by wrong turns.
It's been thirteen years since Lacey Kane escaped the small town of Whitton for the big city, and life couldn't be better. Or so she thought. When her seemingly perfect life is exposed in the worst way, on live television no less, she suddenly finds herself facing her worst nightmare: returning to her parents' home on Echidna Lane in the small Tasmanian town of her childhood.
It's a decision she's willing to make for the sake of her two young sons, but there's a reason she hasn't been back for the last decade. Except the longer she spends on Echidna Lane, the less clear those reasons are becoming. Is small town life really as bad as her teenage self thought? Or is she merely being swayed by the handsome owner of the neighbouring walnut farm and his gorgeous daughter?
Shane Morrisey has had a crush on Lacey Kane for as long as he can remember. After the death of his wife, it became a way of protecting his heart from ever getting hurt like that again. After all, who could be more unattainable than the beautiful, charismatic woman who hasn't stepped foot in Whitton since university? Except now she is back, as beautiful as ever, and suddenly not so out of reach. But Shane's place is on Echidna Lane, and he has no plans on uprooting himself or his daughter. And Lacey doesn't seem to have any plans to stay ...
Copy received from Harper Collins Australia for an honest review
Eva Scott knows how to get me, every single time. She has a wonderful knack of retelling my favourite 90's movies with a beautiful Aussie twist - this time we have the Sandra Bullock/Harry Connick Jr flick, Hope Floats.
I love a good homecoming tale, throw in some unrequited love and you have me - hook, line and sinker.
Lacey and Shane made my heart melt. I adored how his heart is still all aflutter over the girl who went away. I loved Lacey's realisation that she was only living a half-life, and there is so much more to what she thought was life.
I loved the imagery of small town Whitton. I could sort of see people from the small town where I live in the characters of Echidna Lane and Whitton. Small towns can feel quite smothering, however they are the best places to live if you ever need help (once the gossipping all stops!)
Ms Scott has written believable, relatable character with believable, relatable issues - as she always does.
Now, while I am waiting for whichever movie favourite of mine she retells, I am off to dust of my DVD of Hope Floats.
