Heart of the River by Cheryl Adnams. (2024).
**4.5 out of 5 stars**
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 3 January 2024**
Mildura, Northern Victoria, 1956. Isabel has ambitions to be a great chef, but cooking for locals in a country pub doesn’t really let her experiment with haute cuisine. When she meets Italian farmer Matteo, they have an intense connection – to the displeasure of Ross who is keen on Isabel. Isabel and Matteo’s blossoming relationship has challenges to overcome: their cultural differences, prejudice, Ross’s jealousy, and the worst flood in Australia’s history. As the river rises threatening the local area, secrets are revealed that show Matteo, Isabel and Ross are linked by their fathers’ wartime experiences…
Having previously read a couple books from this author, I was expecting this to be a good read and I was not disappointed. The event of the 1956 Murray River flooding was not one I’d heard of before and I thought the author did a wonderful job of depicting the average person’s fear about it and the terrible property losses some people suffered. On the romance side of the storyline, I thought Isabel and Matteo were a sweet well-suited match with both being genuinely kind and likeable characters. The storyline delves a bit into the Australian WWII prisoner of war camps where residents were forced into; I find this a topic that not many people are aware of so it was good to see it included.
Overall: happily recommend for those that enjoy well-written Australian historical fiction.
One Woman's Brief Book Reviews 