The Other Side of the Season

by Jenn J. McLeod

Everything has a reflection...And there's another side to every story

When offering to drive her brother to Byron Bay to escape the bitter Blue Mountain's winter, Sidney neglects to mention her planned detour to the small seaside town of Watercolour Cove.

Thirty-five years earlier, Watercolour Cove is a very different place. Two brothers are working the steep, snake-infested slopes of a Coffs Coast banana plantation. Seventeen-year-old David does his share, but the budding artist spends too much time daydreaming about becoming the next Pro Hart and skiving off with the teasing and tantalisingly pretty Tilly from the neighbouring property. His older brother, Matthew, has no time for such infatuations. His future is on the land and he plans to take over the Greenhill plantation from his father.

Life is simple on top of the mountain for David, Matthew and Tilly until the winter of 1979 when tragedy strikes, starting a chain reaction that will ruin lives for years to come. Those who can, escape the Greenhill plantation. One stays - trapped on the mountain and haunted by memories and lost dreams. That is, until the arrival of a curious young woman, named Sidney, whose love of family shows everyone the truth can heal, what's wrong can be righted, the lost can be found, and ...

there's another side to every story.

Get it as an ebook now https://books2read.com/ap/RWKlqv/Jenn... Also avail in print at https://www.jennjmcleod.com

Genres: Fiction

391 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2016

About the author

Jenn J McLeod loves ticking things off her bucket list. So far she’s made that sea change, run that country B&B, and written that bestseller. In 2014, Jenn downsized her life and home is now a 3-tonne, 25-foot caravan named Myrtle the Turtle.

With her Seasons Collection of four novels already adored by readers, Australia’s nomadic novelist is finding inspiration for more heart-warming small town tales of friendship, family, and contemporary country life.

Book #6 - House of Wishes is going back to Calingarry Crossing. Join me.

Other titles: House for all Seasons (#5 Top Selling Debut Novel), Simmering Season, Season of Shadow and Light, and The Other Side of the Season. Her fifth novel is A Place to Remember.

Small town stories from the country to the coast: www.jennjmcleod.com
Twitter: @jennjmcleod
Facebook author page: Jenn J McLeod.Books (or 'friend' me)

Reviews

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love your writing Jenn

My View:
Jenn J McLeod’s writing is just going from strength to strength. Her latest book is complex with sensitively written contemporary issues regarding identity, family, truth and abuse of children in care gently woven into the multi layered narrative. Jenn’s gentle approach lets readers enjoy the narrative and mysteries absorbing the issues without schoolmarmish lessons being given.

The settings are exquisitely Australian, I love the area around Coffs Harbour/Sapphire beach with its majestic coastline, sub-tropical climate, banana plantations and forest.

Jenn’s characters are interesting and individual- some you will love, some you will need time to warm to.

The ending…at first I was a little disappointed with one aspect of the ending but upon reflection realised it was because I was invested in this particular characters life and wanted a “happy every after” (which I was denied). At some point I realised the ending needed to be this way – or risk putting a saccharine spin on the overall narrative - which would have just spoilt this engaging contemporary story.

This is another great read from Jenn J Mcleod!

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book telling stories in two time frames and you know that in time they will connect somehow. One is present day with Sidney and her brother Jake, who are on route to Byron Bay. What Jake does not know till later is that Sidney has a plan to stop off and find out more about their family since their mother will never talk about the past. Sidney, who has just broken up with Damien after seven years together, is desperate for any information about her family she can find. Sidney and Jake end up staying in Watercolour Cove. I loved the name of that place.
The other story starts thirty five years earlier, in 1979. It concerns David Greenhill and his brother Matthew, and neighbours Tilly and Albie. Albie and Tilly have both had a hard start to life before being adopted by a couple who live on the property next door to the wealthy Greenhills with their banana plantation.
Characters were well drawn and the Australian seeing is portrayed beautifully. My favourite character was Pearl, the young woman Jake meets in Watercolour Cove. I also liked Jake and Sidney. I found Tilly annoying and manipulative. I never warmed to her, even though the author does her best to help the reader realise why she behaves as she does. And there is an event on page 358 that got me really annoyed. Despite that, this is a good read about choices, mistakes and decisions that can alter the shape of more than one life. It is also a book about who to trust as Tilly is not the only manipulative person in this story.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season is how love and family can heal two people and allow them to find each other again. Sydney Hill and her brother Jake decided to go to Byron Bay for work. However, Sydney had another idea in mind to find their grandfather at Watercolour Cove. Sydney did not realise that this detour would affect so many lives. The readers of The Other Side of the Season will continue to follow Sydney and Jake to see what happens.

The Other Side of the Season is the first book I have read of Jenn J. McLeod, and it will not be my last. I enjoyed reading The Other Side of the Season especially the way Jenn J. Mcleod intertwined the two plots and then combined than at the end of the book. I do like Jenn J. McLeod writing style and the way she portrays and intertwined her characters throughout Other Side of the Season. I did cry while reading The Other Side of the Season. However, the book did have a happy ending.

The readers of Other Side of the Season will see what it takes to run an art gallery and a Bed and Breakfast. Other Side of The Season highlights the problems and consequences of jealousy have on the suffer and everyone who is involved.

I recommend this book.

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published at: http://bookmusterdownunder.blogspot.c...

“As I peer through the window, Of lost time, Looking over my yesterdays, Through the mirror of my mind, Time after time, I see reflections of you and me …Reflections of the way life used to be” – Diana Ross and The Supremes

The Other Side of the Season is Jenn J. McLeod’s fourth novel in her Seasons Collection (which are all stand-alone novels) but this, perhaps, could be her best yet. As usual, Jenn’s capabilities managed to sweep me away with her unique storytelling ability – an ability that is strengthened by a fabulous mix of emotional depth, real life and family secrets.

With her mother’s refusal to discuss the past still fresh in her mind, along with the breakup of her seven year relationship with her partner, Sidney and her brother head off on a road trip but, unbeknownst to Jake, Sidney’s heading straight to Watercolour Cove, hoping that she’ll be able to discover exactly what it is that her mother has been hiding all these years.

“My life began when I met and married your father.” - Natalie

In the parallel timeline of 1979 on a banana plantation on top of the mountain in Watercolour Cove, we are introduced to David Hill, an aspiring artist who has every intention of leaving the family farm to pursue his dream of painting and owning his own art gallery and Matthew, his brother, who would be only too happy to take over the running of the family plantation.

“There are winners and losers in life, Tilly. You and me are losers. We’re not handed the same chances. We have to find our own opportunities” - Matthew

In this timeline, we are also introduced to the kids from the wrong side of the tracks, Tilly and Albie Markht, the adopted children of the farmers on the neighbouring plantation, who share a somewhat discordant relationship with one another.

“I understand. I do. You’re just like everyone else. No one’s ever wanted me for real.” - Albie

It is Sidney’s “detour” and subsequent search for her imprisoned grandfather, as well as an accident that brings Natalie to Watercolour Cove and gradually, the veil begins to lift and the links between her characters start to emerge and advance towards a point of convergence in which perhaps nobody will come out unscathed as they try to reconcile the past while moving to the future.

“One day I’m going to choose the biggest rock on the wall and I’m going to paint you a message that will last forever … and I won’t care if everyone sees it” – David

I eagerly anticipate each new release by Jenn J McLeod and it’s really not hard to see why as she continues to demonstrate a masterful gift for storytelling, writing realistic and three-dimensional characters who the reader intuitively understands and empathises with.

Told from the viewpoints of Sidney, Tilly, Natalie and David, broken up into four parts and shifting decades between 1975 and present day, it’s a book that reflects on the paths our lives take, the people who influence those paths, the choices we make and the repercussions those choices can have.

The intricately woven plot that combines secrets, lies, betrayal, mother/daughter relationships, lost chances, sibling rivalry, choices, broken families, love and redemption, all of which lead us into territory touching on albinism, mental illness, alcoholism, drug addiction as well as the institutional abuse of children, reinforces the balance between hope and reality and the world in which we live.

Just as in life, there are not always happy endings so be prepared for the shocking twist – one I didn’t see coming – that had me hauling out the Kleenex while I sobbed my heart out! Yes, Jenn, I have a bone to pick with you!!

Well-paced and, with its fictional seaside setting of Watercolour Cove creating more than just mere ripples in the water and distorted reflections for everyone involved, this novel is ideal for those blustery wintry days when you want to curl up in a quiet sunny corner and let the queen of small-town stories leave her own memorable imprint on you.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story, Jenn J. McLeod has a way of writing that draws you in and engages you with the characters lives. A story about family, searching for family and adventure I definitely recommend reading it

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Other Side of the Season' by Australian author Jenn J McLeod is another story in the family secrets/dual time genre. It moved along nicely between the present and the 1970s, the tropical northern NSW setting pulled you in, and most of the characters were believable, apart from the excruciating Tilly. The ending disappointed me as a specific climaxing incident that occurred did not really have to happen and seemed too manipulative on the part of the author.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another masterpiece by Jenn J McLeod. I really enjoyed this book which focussed on first love and the importance of family. It is a complex tale set in a delightful part of Australia. The skill of the author is evident in the strong emotions she aroused in me regarding the characters and in the unexpected conclusion. Highly recommended.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★ I enjoyed this, however it was fairly obvious from almost the beginning where it was going. But it was still an enjoyable read to get there. One of the characters was especially manipulative, and I know we weren’t meant to like the things done by that character, but I didn’t quite “buy” the turnaround later on.

I was also irritated by the fact that one of the character’s kept insisting that “family is forever” and yet didn’t act with any commitment toward anyone they seemed to consider family. I understand the reason for it, but the lack of consistency between what they kept harping on about and how they treated people irked me.

I loved the name of the main location where the action took place - Watercolour Cove! One of the old locals grumps about the name change to that from “a perfectly sensible town name” of Dinghy Bay…! I have to say I do feel that Watercolour Bay is a better option!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read, full of sweet moments, some sad and pensive ones, and a welcoming underlying humor.
Undeniably there is another side to each story. So far my Jenn McLeod’s favorite book.

[Sonia Bellhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find dual timeline stories intriguing and in reading this one I felt as though I had hit the jackpot. Both the times chosen were interesting, the 1970s and the present day.For me, the characters were real, flawed and complex. Some were instantly relatable while others were harder to appreciate. This book played with my emotions( in a good way) as I cared about the characters. It was one of those books that I both wanted to finish and equally one that I didn't want to end. The landscape is a part the appeal but the book is never bogged down by description. Its Jenn J McLeod's best book yet.

[Cai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season is the first book of Jenn’s I have read. I won it through a Facebook competition held by another author and am incredibly happy that I have. I love a good Aussie book by a good Aussie author and strive to try and support Aussie talent where I can.

This book was incredibly hard to put down. I found myself constantly cursing anything that made me put the book down. Makes me miss the days where I could sit around all-day and read. It was so easy to read and even though the book would go between the past and the present, it flowed so well. I felt that it created more eagerness to read it through switching between the two.

There was just something about the characters that just made you love them all. No matter how badly some of them acted (and boy there were some really questionable things), you loved them for all their flaws. It was great to see such character growth, in particular with Natalie. I wish it hadn’t ended the way that it had but it made sense for how the characters developed.

This book was filled with wow factor. You think you knew where it was going and then Jenn would throw you for a loop. The setting was amazing but I am biased as I am an Aussie and I would love to live on the NSW coast. I fell so in love with this book and Jenn’s writing that I immediately borrowed another of her books from the library.

My only negative was that I didn’t want the book to end the way it did. I get why Jenn did it the way she did. I totally understand. But I wish it hadn’t ended that way.

My recommendation: Get your tissue and block out a day coz this is well worth it.

[Lily Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely end to the Seasons Collection, and I'm so glad to have read every one.
For me, I'm going to pick Simmering Season as the book I liked best, so while this one isn't going to be my favourite, it has been a great hit with reviewers here and on Amazon.
Jenn has a great way of putting words on the page that make for easy reading, and enjoyable characters. In this book I particularly liked Sidney's brother Jake, and his love interest Pearl... but my favourite scene involved Sidney with a fisherman on the beach. For me, that scene was pure gold.
Thanks Jenn for writing the Seasons books. I'm so glad to hear there is a new follow-up to House For All Seasons in the works...

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always great when an author you really enjoy produces a book a year - it means you never have to wait too long for their next instalment. As for the past few years, Jenn's latest book was on my "must read" list for the year and, like the last three, The Other Side Of The Season did not disappoint. Given the "Season" in the title I thought it might tie in with Jenn's previous three books, but it is actually a complete stand alone with no connection to her other books. I didn't mind that, in fact I was intrigued in which direction Jenn's new book would take me. It turned out to be the Coff's Harbour region, a bit of a sea change after the more inland country town settings of Jenn's previous novels.

The dual timeline of The Other Side Of The Season switches between siblings Sidney and Jake - who are travelling to Byron Bay in Northern New South Wales - and brothers David and Matthew and their neighbours Tilly and Albie. Unbeknownst to Jake, their unscheduled stop in the small hamlet of Watercolour Cove has been engineered by Sidney in a effort to find out more about their family history - as their mother refuses to discuss the subject. The other storyline then merges in, with the same setting thirty five years before. Back then the Greenhill's family banana plantation was the biggest concern in what was then known as Dinghy Bay and brothers David and Matthew are making their way in the world with very different plans for their futures.

I won't say any more about what transpires within the storyline for fear of revealing too much, but suffice to say there is much suspense and intrigue as Sidney does her best to trace their mother's somewhat troubled past and we follow the journey of David and Matthew and Tilly, the troubled adoptee, who is determined to escape her small town confines and make her mark on the outside world.

As always Jenn delivers a wonderfully told Australian tale, full of warm and masterfully drawn characters as well as the beauty and diversity of the Australian landscape. Jenn's passion for small town Australia once again shines through in her writing and forms an important part of the storyline. Underlying all this is the theme of family in all it's forms and the way it can uplift and hold us back as each of us navigates our way through life.

Although a relative newcomer to the Australian literary landscape, Jenn J McLeod has cemented her niche as one of our favourite small town storytellers and I look forward to reviewing her next book in the coming year.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sidney Hill and her brother Jake arrived at Watercolour Cove with Jake unaware his sister had decided on the detour before Byron Bay. They had left the Blue Mountains and their mother for a holiday after Sidney’s heartbreaking split from her boyfriend of seven years, Damien. In leaving, she had also lost her job and her home – she felt now was a good time to do some research into her family’s past as her mother refused to discuss it.

In 1979, thirty five years prior to Sidney and Jake’s arrival in Watercolour Cove, it was a ramshackle seaside town with a different name. Seventeen year old David and his older brother Matthew lived high on the hillside of a banana plantation which had been in their family for generations. David wanted to be an artist – his dreams didn’t include remaining on his family property, while Matthew was happy to take over the reins when necessary. On the property next door, young Tilly and Albie had been adopted by the couple owning it – their young lives were spent working on the farm and being friends with David and Matthew next door.

But with unexpected suddenness, the winter of 1979 brought tragedy and loss to the families on the top of the hill. Lives would never be the same; heartbreak and grief would cascade on and on through the years. When Sidney and Jake made their way to Watercolour Cove in 2015 was it coincidence? Or was it fate?

The Other Side of the Season is Aussie author Jenn J. McLeod’s fourth novel, and in my humble opinion it is her best yet! I absolutely loved it. Emotional and heartbreaking, the author’s talent for making me dislike one of the characters intensely and then to feel sympathy and caring for her as I read on in the story was incredibly well done. The author also reduced me to tears a couple of times when the unexpected happened…

The Other Side of the Season is predominantly a story of love – with the love of family first and foremost. It is set mainly in the banana plantations on the Coffs Coast of New South Wales with the fictional town one I’ve been to and loved to visit many times. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this novel to all.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my uncorrected proof copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two threads of this novel unfold almost in parallel: as siblings Sid and Jake arrive in Watercolour Cove in the present time; we simultaneously meet the wealthy Greenhill family and their neighbours on banana plantations in 1979.

I inhaled much of this book – wanting to know more about Sidney and the unfolding family drama around her. But then things changed… *cue dramatic music*

As it happens my main qualm with the book isn’t really anything to do with the writing or characters… but rather that I just wasn’t happy with the direction the book took. It’s a very subjective thing of course but I just couldn’t believe how forgiving everyone was of one of the characters in particular. And yes, perhaps I am a grudge-holder?!

In fact I got to page 358 and wanted to throw the book across the room. As it seemed wrong. And yes… I know bad things do sometimes happen. Pffft!

You can assume then that the book was well written and characters so beautifully developed I loved some and despised others – enough to want to throw the book across the room.

I’ve also already forgiven McLeod and am keen to see what she offers up next.

Read the full review on my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...

[Monique Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenn J McLeod draws past and present into a heart-wrenching climax in The Other Side of the Season, leaving readers with a bittersweet mix of sadness and hope. While some of the storyline fell into place early on, Jenn saved one big shock for last. Part of me knew it was coming, and I felt this sense of dread as I read the final chapters, not wanting to be right, but sensing it was how it had to be.

As always, Jenn shows her love for this country through her setting, but this time the strength of her characters stood out the most. They make mistakes, they fall down, but they get back up and take on another day. As a reader, you love some of them, dislike others; Jenn brings her characters’ motivations alive, keeping readers invested in the story no matter what, and drawing out a deeper, more compassionate understanding of why they are the way they are. Here, the idea of seasons, refers more to the seasons in a person’s life, and how new life seasons can bring different choices, attitudes and opportunities.

Emotive and multi-layered, this is a novel to curl up with (but make sure the tissues are close at hand).

[Anne Peachey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season by Jenn J McLeod is a wonderfully written book.
This book follows a timeline from 1979 and 2016 and flows effortlessly backwards and forwards and shows how the main characters are intertwined.
There is laughter, love, loss and tragedy.
McLeod has written beautifully, not only the light and happiness, she describes the dark parts of her book with understanding that is very believable.
Descriptions of the scenery and artwork shows her passion for beautiful things.
Jenn J McLeod has certainly cemented herself as an Australian Fiction Author and I highly recommend her books.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season is a mysterious, Australian novel set near Byron Bay. It’s the fourth book by Australian author, Jenn J McLeod and it’s basically like an onion. As you read the prose it’s like another layer is slowly stripped away to reveal something more and slightly different. The Other Side of the Season is a heart-warming tale that proves that there are often multiple sides to a story and that each perspective is often as valid and as important as the other.

To read the rest of this review please visit: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lives of one generation shape the next, but there may be more than one side to the story, in this novel by Australian author Jenn J McLeod.

A longer review will be published on my blog, Kathryn's Inbox, in late April 2016.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for providing me with an ARC.

[Kay Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a slow start i really enjoyed this book. Sad and real. Loved the main characters

[Abby Nancarrow grimshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great read not to keen on the mother but she redeemed herself by the end of the book.

[Sandy Vaile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sidney is on a mission to uncover a family mystery, but afraid of what she will find in the tiny town of Watercolor Cove.

I enjoyed watching Sidney uncover the truth about where her mother came from, at the same time she discovered what she really wanted in life. But a tragedy that divided the local community many years ago threatens to unravel her dreams.

There were some great characters in this story, all with very different personalities and life outlooks, and I particularly enjoyed seeing life on a banana plantation. Sidney's passion for art is a theme that runs throughout the story, and ties the multi-generational story together.

[Elise McCune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenn J McLeod writes about small towns and in ‘The Other Side of the Season’ she writes about the lovely Blue Mountains and a place called Watercolour Cove. For a start I love the title and the cover is compelling and it didn’t take me long to feel I knew siblings Sidney and Jack who travel to Watercolour Cove from their mountain home. I always enjoy books where the past impacts on the present and that is what I found in The Other Side of the Season. Jenn McLeod paints a picture of the beautiful surroundings, the characters are well-drawn and believable and story is one that made me keep turning the pages. Highly recommended.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story, the characters and especially the name of the town Water Colour Cove.
Make sure you have a box of tissues there is a sad part towards the end.
Made me cry.
Next to read the House of Wishes.

[Tanya Boulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. was not expecting what happened towards the end.

[Kirsty-ann Gurney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book to read. I loved seeing relationships change and grow throughout this book. Jenn J McLeod is a talented author. I will be reading more of her books.

[Cindy Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aussie Author

Jenn J McLeod is a first time author to me. I enjoyed the book very much. I cried towards the end.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the Seasons collection though they aren’t really a series. The books stand just as well on their own, and I am still yet to read the first two but I do really want to.

The Other Side of the Season is set in a different location to the first books as well, this time we are off to the Blue Mountains and a little town close to Byron Bay called Watercolour Cove.

McLeod has again woven two timelines into a suspenseful and intriguing story that kept me captivated, it also kept my mind off the pain of my new tattoo and that is saying something this time round. Some of the elements of the story were a little predictable and I could see what was going to happen quite early but there were some pretty major twists that threw me for six.

Being as how this story has two distinct timelines that slowly converge to a point where all is revealed I need to be very careful what I say here because I don’t want to spoil any of the mystery.

Beginning in the blue Mountains in 2015 we have a prologue, an interesting snapshot of time that doesn’t really relate to anything yet but you just know that at some point it’s going to become very important.

Still in 2015 we head to Watercolour Cove where we meet brother and sister roadtripping duo Sid and Jake on their way to Byron Bay, well that’s where Jake thinks they are heading anyway. Sid has other ideas, she has planned a detour to Watercolour Cove to chase up some information about a grandfather she never knew she had.

Back we head to Greenhills Banana Plantation in 1979, located at the top of the tallest hill in the small seaside town of Dinghy Bay. In 1979 we meet the Hill brothers, David and Matthew, who live and work on the plantation and will one day inherit it. Next door to the Hill plantation is the much smaller Markht property where foster siblings Albie and Tilly live. These kids have had it tough, their lives til now have been very different to the Hill brothers. Tilly has had it pretty tough and she learned early that sometimes to get where you want to be in life you have to play the game, no matter what the cost. David and Tilly are madly in love and talking about escaping their hilltop home for an exciting future as artists in the big city.

The bulk of the story is told in 2015 where we get to know Jake and Sid better as they settle into their respective roles as caretakers of the hilltop gallery in Watercolour Cove and Sid tries to work out how she’s going to get the information they need about the grandfather they didn’t know they had. We learn a lot about Sid, her childhood, her strained relationship with her mother, her current relationship issues and the reason she’s running away from life to chase a newly discovered grandfather.

Sid is a strong and capable woman who lacks faith in herself at the moment. The relationship she shares with her mother has never been that close but with the challenges Sid is facing it seems their relationship has taken a turn for the worse, their arguments are more regular and more brutal.

The picture painted of Natalie is not flattering. She is not a likeable character and on more than one occasion I would have liked to slap her. Say what you want about her though; she was driven, determined and she thought she was doing what she had to do.

I was completely dragged in by this book, the twists were fantastic and though there were some that you could see coming from very early on there were others that suckerpunched you out of the blue.

Jenn’s writing is evocative, gorgeously descriptive and transports you to the places she writes about. Unfortunately I don’t think that Watercolour Cove actually exists, but if it did I would definitely want to visit.

The Other Side of the Season is a touching story of love, first love, new love, enduring love, love of convenience, family, truth and the importance of learning the other side of the story; because there is always at least two sides to a story.

One of our characters has had quite the hand dealt to him in life and things have been far from easy but he teaches us a valuable lesson, that if I hadn’t been under the gun at the time I may have marked the passage, about forgiveness and moving on.

All of the characters in this novel have had their share of heartache and things going wrong and all of them deal with that differently. Jenn has made it interesting to watch how the different characters deal with their challenges.

Stunning writing, spellbinding storytelling, art in all its glory and the message that it’s never too late to make things right. You may not be able to fix all the mistakes you made in the past but you can still make amends and change your future.

An amazing read that I am glad I allowed to jump to the top of the pile and just cemented my resolve to read the first two of the seasons collection.

[Ann-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season to me is Jenn’s best work so far. It almost seems that the other three novels have been just a teaser of Jenn’s talent.

To me this book is more drama and intrigue with a touch of a love story compared to her other books.

There is a single page at the front which seems to not fit anywhere when you first read it but as you go along there comes a time when all becomes clear and shows there is another side to every story.

It’s 2015 Sidney and Jake are two siblings looking to start a new adventure in their lives. Jake thinks they are heading to Byron Bay but Sid has a different agenda that she just hasn’t told her brother about yet.
Sid has found out about family that are living only 7 hours from Sydney. Why had they not known about this family, Sid was ready to find out beginning with staying in Watercolour Cove for a little while.

Tilly and David are young in love and full of dreams and promises.
David is soon heading to university where he will get an Arts Degree and marry Tilly the girl of his dreams. Matthew his older brother does not agree with him spending all his time with Tilly.
Tilly and Albie are the adopted children of the Markht’s. Although they are not blood related they are just like siblings, well most of the time.

One day in 1979 an event happens that will change the lives of all involved for many years to come.

Jenn’s novel has two timelines which are delicately woven together that flow smoothly from one to the other. When reading you are never confused of the time lines are how they relate to each other.

We’ve all made mistakes and we’ve all had ‘what if’ moments, this is a story of mistakes, what if’s and more.
It’s a story of letting go, holding on, love and loss, old mistakes and new beginnings and how love does with stand the test of time.

It is a beautiful story about family and realising that one wrong choice can last a lifetime.

I won’t write about them but there are many elements that Jenn has brought to this novel that could have made it too heavy and yet Jenn has brought them in and given them the understanding and dignity they deserve.

There was a part when reading it that I knew how part of the story would end. Just a simple few lines that jumped out and let you know we were heading that way but even though I knew it was still a slap in the face when it happened.

I hate when I finish a book that Jenn has written because I know that I have a long wait til the next one.

Jenn has a way of creating characters with a touch of mystery about them then during the story she peels away layers until she reveals all of that character allowing you to get to know and fall in love with and discover something you didn’t know.

I want to go to Watercolour Cove and write my own message on a rock to let the world guess my story.

Thanks Jenn for another amazing read.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of the Season is Australian author Jenn J McLeod’s fourth novel. I firmly believe that after having the pleasure of reading Jenn’s previous works, this release is easily her best work yet. The Other Side of the Season is a novel that places McLeod as Australia’s premier contemporary fiction novelists.
Following on from her ‘seasons’ theme, which McLeod has covered in her previous three novels, McLeod’s latest novel hints at how the shift in seasons can imprint on our life experiences. McLeod introduces the reader to siblings Sidney and Jake, travelling to the warmth of Byron Bay from the chill of their Blue Mountains home. In search of a new life, Jack and Sidney feel compelled to settle in a town they run into through a detour, a picturesque coastal town named Watercolour Cove. Watercolour Cove is a place that has altered over the years as a curious Sidney soon discovers. Running alongside Sidney and Jake’s present day story, is a thread set in 1979, involving a family from Watercolour Cove who own a banana plantation and their surrounding community. It becomes apparent that these storylines will converge, as choices, secrets and lies from the past have life altering consequences for those living in the present day.
Small town fiction is Jenn J Mcleod’s speciality and again this aspect of her novel receives her expert treatment. The Other Side of the Season exudes a strong sense of place. From the majestic Blue Mountains, to the tropical banana plantations and tranquil coastal beauty of Watercolour Cove, McLeod’s setting descriptions have the power to transfix any reader.
The Other Side of the Season contains an intricately crafted plot that deftly combines high family drama, secrets, love and abandonment. Woven into these main themes are issues explored with great care and attention to detail, such as the Australian art industry, imprisonment, albinism, mental illness and the impact of institutionalised child abuse.
The obvious highlight in this book is the characters. Each character featured in The Other Side of the Season is expertly drawn. McLeod’s characters manage to stir a mix of emotions from deep care and sympathy to dislike and pure frustration. Either way, it is impossible not to get drawn into the intricate lives of these characters.
As an avid and fast reader it is rare that a book compels me to savour rather than quickly devour it. This is a testament to the fine writing style of the talented Jenn J Mcleod. An excellent piece of Australian life literature, The Other Side of the Season is a highly affective read. It easily ranks as one of my best reads of 2016.