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Return to Roseglen
At times like these families should be coming together, not tearing each other apart.
On her remote North Queensland cattle station, Ivy Dunmore is facing the end of her days. Increasingly frail, all she holds dear is threatened not just by crippling drought, but by jealousy and greed – and that’s from within her own family.
Can Felicity, who's battling her own crisis as her fiftieth birthday approaches, protect her mother and reunite her family under the homestead's faded iron roof? Or will sibling rivalries erupt and long-held secrets from the past break a family in crisis?
On her remote North Queensland cattle station, Ivy Dunmore is facing the end of her days. Increasingly frail, all she holds dear is threatened not just by crippling drought, but by jealousy and greed – and that’s from within her own family.
Can Felicity, who's battling her own crisis as her fiftieth birthday approaches, protect her mother and reunite her family under the homestead's faded iron roof? Or will sibling rivalries erupt and long-held secrets from the past break a family in crisis?
- GenresContemporaryFiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published July 2, 2018
7 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Helene Young
10 books215 followersHello! I’m Helene Young and welcome to my author page on Goodreads.
Seven years ago, after a rewarding career as an airline captain and senior manager with the Qantas Airline Group in Australia, I swapped the sky for the sea to go in search of adventure with my husband aboard our sailing catamaran. While that should have given me more time to write it seems the lure of exploring was too strong. But there is good news! My next book is in the safe hands of my publisher and I look forward to sharing title and cover details soon.
And you can be sure that all the adventures we’re having in our floating home will lead to many more books! The rural and remote places we visit, along with the fascinating people we meet, provide boundless inspiration.
I love exploring themes of social justice and delving into the complexity of human nature. Small towns and tight-knit communities are perfect settings for those, along with the messy ties that bind families together. I’d also like to think my varied career from waitress, to gardener, to rock climbing and sailing instructor, to cook, to pilot all help to add a little something to my stories.
I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since my first book, Wings of Fear, (Book 1 in the Border Watch Trilogy) released. I always be grateful for the support of readers so thank you to those who’ve already read my books and welcome if you’re browsing here.
If you’d like to keep up to date on my book news then please click follow button at the top of the page.
You can also find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeleneYoungA...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleneyoung...
Webpage : heleneyoung.com
I love sharing photos of our travels so come join in the conversations and be part of a wonderful world-wide community of book lovers.
Happy reading
Much love
Helene
Seven years ago, after a rewarding career as an airline captain and senior manager with the Qantas Airline Group in Australia, I swapped the sky for the sea to go in search of adventure with my husband aboard our sailing catamaran. While that should have given me more time to write it seems the lure of exploring was too strong. But there is good news! My next book is in the safe hands of my publisher and I look forward to sharing title and cover details soon.
And you can be sure that all the adventures we’re having in our floating home will lead to many more books! The rural and remote places we visit, along with the fascinating people we meet, provide boundless inspiration.
I love exploring themes of social justice and delving into the complexity of human nature. Small towns and tight-knit communities are perfect settings for those, along with the messy ties that bind families together. I’d also like to think my varied career from waitress, to gardener, to rock climbing and sailing instructor, to cook, to pilot all help to add a little something to my stories.
I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since my first book, Wings of Fear, (Book 1 in the Border Watch Trilogy) released. I always be grateful for the support of readers so thank you to those who’ve already read my books and welcome if you’re browsing here.
If you’d like to keep up to date on my book news then please click follow button at the top of the page.
You can also find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeleneYoungA...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleneyoung...
Webpage : heleneyoung.com
I love sharing photos of our travels so come join in the conversations and be part of a wonderful world-wide community of book lovers.
Happy reading
Much love
Helene
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 26, 2018
Wow! From one of the masters of the romantic suspense genre, Aussie author Helene Young has changed direction, producing an outstanding family/contemporary fiction novel which I devoured!
Ninety-three-year-old Ivy Dunmore was frail and needing her walker more each day. Living on her own on Roseglen since her husband Charlie had died, she had her son Ken nearby and friend Mitch close; but her daughters were further away. Georgina was a pilot and in various parts of the world while Felicity was in Brisbane, working at one of the hospitals. Ivy was looking forward to Felicity’s return home for a few days – she and Lissie were close. Lissie’s adult children, Ella and Sean were also a joy to her.
Georgie had decided to head home to Roseglen; she thought she might even retire. She hadn’t been home in three years and felt a need to see Lissie and the children again. She was looking forward to seeing her mother as well, even though they were like chalk and cheese and seemed to battle whenever they saw one another.
But there was trouble on the horizon – Ivy had kept things close to her heart and hadn’t felt she could tell the family the secrets which had laid hidden for years. Thank goodness for Mitch’s friendship – but perhaps it was time to tell all…
Return to Roseglen is a poignant look at life in drought-stricken country Queensland; the effects on farmers from that years’ long drought, as well as a family riven by bitterness and greed, guilt and grief. The characters are well defined; there was only one I wanted to hit – hard! And I must admit to needing the tissues! I hope author Helene Young writes many more in this vein – Return to Roseglen is her best yet in my opinion. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
Ninety-three-year-old Ivy Dunmore was frail and needing her walker more each day. Living on her own on Roseglen since her husband Charlie had died, she had her son Ken nearby and friend Mitch close; but her daughters were further away. Georgina was a pilot and in various parts of the world while Felicity was in Brisbane, working at one of the hospitals. Ivy was looking forward to Felicity’s return home for a few days – she and Lissie were close. Lissie’s adult children, Ella and Sean were also a joy to her.
Georgie had decided to head home to Roseglen; she thought she might even retire. She hadn’t been home in three years and felt a need to see Lissie and the children again. She was looking forward to seeing her mother as well, even though they were like chalk and cheese and seemed to battle whenever they saw one another.
But there was trouble on the horizon – Ivy had kept things close to her heart and hadn’t felt she could tell the family the secrets which had laid hidden for years. Thank goodness for Mitch’s friendship – but perhaps it was time to tell all…
Return to Roseglen is a poignant look at life in drought-stricken country Queensland; the effects on farmers from that years’ long drought, as well as a family riven by bitterness and greed, guilt and grief. The characters are well defined; there was only one I wanted to hit – hard! And I must admit to needing the tissues! I hope author Helene Young writes many more in this vein – Return to Roseglen is her best yet in my opinion. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House for my ARC to read and review.
October 6, 2018
This book was given to me by a friend who admires Helene Young's work very much so I thought I should give it a try. I am very glad I did.
Set in Australia the story moves between Brisbane and the outback cattle station of Roseglen. The author writes very convincingly about drought and the hardship it causes to these outback farmers. Our main character, Ivy, is 93 years old and still living on her own in the main house a situation which cannot last for much longer.
The book is about families and the emotions which run hot between the various family members, some of whom I wanted to give a good kick. The author writes a good story and very readable dialogue. I actually read the entire book in one day, my excuse being it was raining and what else do you do on a rainy day but read? It must have been a good book though to hold my attention like that from beginning to end.
Set in Australia the story moves between Brisbane and the outback cattle station of Roseglen. The author writes very convincingly about drought and the hardship it causes to these outback farmers. Our main character, Ivy, is 93 years old and still living on her own in the main house a situation which cannot last for much longer.
The book is about families and the emotions which run hot between the various family members, some of whom I wanted to give a good kick. The author writes a good story and very readable dialogue. I actually read the entire book in one day, my excuse being it was raining and what else do you do on a rainy day but read? It must have been a good book though to hold my attention like that from beginning to end.
October 23, 2018
LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!
Ninety three year old Ivy Dunmore lives on her own at Roseglen a cattle station in North Queensland. Her husband passed away many years ago, but she has her son, Ken and her close friend Mitch, who pop in regularly to find out how she is going and lend a helping hand if she needs it. Her two daughters Georgina and Felicity live further away and live busy lives, but they keep in contact when they can.
Feeling every bit of her age, Ivy knows her life is coming to an end and now is the time she must get everything in order, but will that include revealing her hidden secrets that she's kept buried for years?
I absolutely LOVED this book from the start all the way to the very last page. I have enjoyed all of Helene Young's books, but this book would be my favourite one by far. A heartfelt story which will remain with me for a long time to come. An amazing story that touches on issues such as greed, ageing and family. It also gives us an insight of the impact that drought stricken times has on families. I loved everything about this book from the characters (except one), Ivy was my very favourite, the writing, the setting and I especially enjoyed the ending. Highly recommended.
Ninety three year old Ivy Dunmore lives on her own at Roseglen a cattle station in North Queensland. Her husband passed away many years ago, but she has her son, Ken and her close friend Mitch, who pop in regularly to find out how she is going and lend a helping hand if she needs it. Her two daughters Georgina and Felicity live further away and live busy lives, but they keep in contact when they can.
Feeling every bit of her age, Ivy knows her life is coming to an end and now is the time she must get everything in order, but will that include revealing her hidden secrets that she's kept buried for years?
I absolutely LOVED this book from the start all the way to the very last page. I have enjoyed all of Helene Young's books, but this book would be my favourite one by far. A heartfelt story which will remain with me for a long time to come. An amazing story that touches on issues such as greed, ageing and family. It also gives us an insight of the impact that drought stricken times has on families. I loved everything about this book from the characters (except one), Ivy was my very favourite, the writing, the setting and I especially enjoyed the ending. Highly recommended.
July 12, 2018
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4.5 stars
Helene Young is a multi award winning author for the Australian romantic suspense genre. I know I am one of a huge crowd of followers who have been eagerly awaiting her new novel, Return to Roseglen. The wait is now over and Young has blessed her readers with a wonderful new novel. Return to Roseglen is a contemporary family drama crossed with life lit novel, based in rural Australia that takes Helene Young’s writing to new heights.
Return to Roseglen sees elderly protagonist, Ivy Dunmore at the centre of the action in the latest novel penned by Helene Young. Based around a North Queensland cattle station, this moving story details the sense of entitlement, greed, jealously and underhanded actions of a farming family dealing with the impact of drought. Ivy, the family’s matriarch, knows her time is limited. But before she leaves she is compelled to settle the state of affairs that currently define her beloved home. As the problems of the family unfold, we discover how each of Ivy’s children and grandchildren are battling their own personal issues. What ensues is a family unit defined by entrenched secrets, rivalries, bitterness and estrangement. Can this fractured family put aside their differences and support one another when the time comes?
In her acknowledgements section, the author of Return to Roseglen, Helene Young, starts off by thanking her audience for reading her new book. She also takes the time to stress that her latest book has had a long birthing period and thanks us for our patience. It seems like a significant period of time has passed since we last had a Helene Young book, but boy it was worth the wait! So I am going to extend my thanks to Helene Young for weathering the tough times, for her perseverance and for a job well done. It is a joy to watch an author grow and take flight in a different direction.
Recently I have read at least two new release books that places an older female protagonist at the head of the book’s proceedings. It is pleasing to see mature women put in the spotlight and this extends to Helene Young’s new novel. By placing Ivy Dunmore, the main elderly protagonist at the front and centre of Return to Roseglen, we are able to see life from the eyes of a wise and mature woman who has truly lived life. Young does a very good job of getting inside both the heart and mind of her primary protagonist, Ivy Dunmore. Young successfully embodies Ivy’s spirit, as well as her central concerns. Young’s well shaped characterisation can also be witnessed in the representation of her secondary cast. I soon had a firm handle on Ivy’s offspring. Young also creates a good balance between her heroes and villains in Return to Roseglen.
By placing an elderly figure at the core of the book’s proceedings, Young has been able to explore a plethora of themes related to mature aged personalities. Young illuminates issues of elderly mistreatment, the feelings associated with a loss of independence, captures the powerlessness, and she illuminates the struggle of succession/wills, estranged relationships, second chance romances and finally, she touches on menopause. Young also uses the central concept of this novel to explore issues such as family conflicts, the bonds of family, loyalty, respect and the inner strength, particularly of women, to make things right. This is a full narrative and the issues of contention ensured that my eyes never strayed from the pages of this novel, until I was satisfied that I had reached the end.
Followers of Helene’s Young previous work will know that she is incredibly adept in expressing the natural beauty of Far North Queensland to her audience. Return to Roseglen is no exception to the rule. I consumed Young’s descriptions of the family cattle station featured in Return to Roseglen and the surrounds. I also lapped up the descriptions of the tablelands region, the mountains, caves and hidden lakes that define this sacred region. I just hope one day I can experience the beauty of this region in person, after reading Young’s lavish setting descriptions.
Return to Roseglen stepped up a notch for me in the latter moments of the novel. After needing a few tissues in some sad scenes, my attentions were quickly diverted to a letter, written in 1960. This letter plays an integral part in the novel, shifting the events to come and the moving the characters in a different direction. It also shines a light on the past, particularly the impact of war and PTSD, which ultimately informs the present. I loved this late addition!
I am issued now with quite the dilemma. While I absolutely love Helene Young’s romantic suspense novels (I have read all of them) I rate her new novel, Return to Roseglen, and the direction it took, very highly indeed. I do hope we see more novels penned by Helene Young of this life lit flavour and just maybe, we will continue to see the romantic suspense novels alternated with this new family focussed style. Bravo Helene!
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Return to Roseglen, is book #75 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
Helene Young is a multi award winning author for the Australian romantic suspense genre. I know I am one of a huge crowd of followers who have been eagerly awaiting her new novel, Return to Roseglen. The wait is now over and Young has blessed her readers with a wonderful new novel. Return to Roseglen is a contemporary family drama crossed with life lit novel, based in rural Australia that takes Helene Young’s writing to new heights.
Return to Roseglen sees elderly protagonist, Ivy Dunmore at the centre of the action in the latest novel penned by Helene Young. Based around a North Queensland cattle station, this moving story details the sense of entitlement, greed, jealously and underhanded actions of a farming family dealing with the impact of drought. Ivy, the family’s matriarch, knows her time is limited. But before she leaves she is compelled to settle the state of affairs that currently define her beloved home. As the problems of the family unfold, we discover how each of Ivy’s children and grandchildren are battling their own personal issues. What ensues is a family unit defined by entrenched secrets, rivalries, bitterness and estrangement. Can this fractured family put aside their differences and support one another when the time comes?
In her acknowledgements section, the author of Return to Roseglen, Helene Young, starts off by thanking her audience for reading her new book. She also takes the time to stress that her latest book has had a long birthing period and thanks us for our patience. It seems like a significant period of time has passed since we last had a Helene Young book, but boy it was worth the wait! So I am going to extend my thanks to Helene Young for weathering the tough times, for her perseverance and for a job well done. It is a joy to watch an author grow and take flight in a different direction.
Recently I have read at least two new release books that places an older female protagonist at the head of the book’s proceedings. It is pleasing to see mature women put in the spotlight and this extends to Helene Young’s new novel. By placing Ivy Dunmore, the main elderly protagonist at the front and centre of Return to Roseglen, we are able to see life from the eyes of a wise and mature woman who has truly lived life. Young does a very good job of getting inside both the heart and mind of her primary protagonist, Ivy Dunmore. Young successfully embodies Ivy’s spirit, as well as her central concerns. Young’s well shaped characterisation can also be witnessed in the representation of her secondary cast. I soon had a firm handle on Ivy’s offspring. Young also creates a good balance between her heroes and villains in Return to Roseglen.
By placing an elderly figure at the core of the book’s proceedings, Young has been able to explore a plethora of themes related to mature aged personalities. Young illuminates issues of elderly mistreatment, the feelings associated with a loss of independence, captures the powerlessness, and she illuminates the struggle of succession/wills, estranged relationships, second chance romances and finally, she touches on menopause. Young also uses the central concept of this novel to explore issues such as family conflicts, the bonds of family, loyalty, respect and the inner strength, particularly of women, to make things right. This is a full narrative and the issues of contention ensured that my eyes never strayed from the pages of this novel, until I was satisfied that I had reached the end.
Followers of Helene’s Young previous work will know that she is incredibly adept in expressing the natural beauty of Far North Queensland to her audience. Return to Roseglen is no exception to the rule. I consumed Young’s descriptions of the family cattle station featured in Return to Roseglen and the surrounds. I also lapped up the descriptions of the tablelands region, the mountains, caves and hidden lakes that define this sacred region. I just hope one day I can experience the beauty of this region in person, after reading Young’s lavish setting descriptions.
Return to Roseglen stepped up a notch for me in the latter moments of the novel. After needing a few tissues in some sad scenes, my attentions were quickly diverted to a letter, written in 1960. This letter plays an integral part in the novel, shifting the events to come and the moving the characters in a different direction. It also shines a light on the past, particularly the impact of war and PTSD, which ultimately informs the present. I loved this late addition!
I am issued now with quite the dilemma. While I absolutely love Helene Young’s romantic suspense novels (I have read all of them) I rate her new novel, Return to Roseglen, and the direction it took, very highly indeed. I do hope we see more novels penned by Helene Young of this life lit flavour and just maybe, we will continue to see the romantic suspense novels alternated with this new family focussed style. Bravo Helene!
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Return to Roseglen, is book #75 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
February 24, 2021
93 year old Ivy Dunmore is facing more than a few problems on her North Queensland cattle station. Prolonged drought is only one of the issues confronting her. Ivy's health and independence are others. And then there is the conflict within her own family. Ken, her eldest is always trying to take advantage of Ivy’s love for him, Georgina and her mother have always been at loggerheads though Georgina never understood why and then there is Felicity, Ivy and Charlie’s late in life surprise baby, now nearly fifty. Sibling rivalries cause friction and abuse also rears its head as do long held secrets.
The characters in this book come across particularly real. Although I struggled with some of the family dynamics at times, it makes for engaging reading. There is one man who is entirely despicable. He is balanced by two other more amenable male characters. All the women are strong, even if sometimes they are unaware of it.
Emotions definitely were engaged as I read, anger, dismay, outrage,understanding , moments of happiness, sorrow and more than a few tears. Once I started this book I just wanted to keep reading. I was glad too towards the end that the author elected not to go with what could have been an all too easy and obvious solution to some issues. A great read about family, love and secrets and the setting is wonderfully conveyed. A highly recommended Aussie read that got me out of a slump of some just so-so books.
The characters in this book come across particularly real. Although I struggled with some of the family dynamics at times, it makes for engaging reading. There is one man who is entirely despicable. He is balanced by two other more amenable male characters. All the women are strong, even if sometimes they are unaware of it.
Emotions definitely were engaged as I read, anger, dismay, outrage,understanding , moments of happiness, sorrow and more than a few tears. Once I started this book I just wanted to keep reading. I was glad too towards the end that the author elected not to go with what could have been an all too easy and obvious solution to some issues. A great read about family, love and secrets and the setting is wonderfully conveyed. A highly recommended Aussie read that got me out of a slump of some just so-so books.
August 7, 2018
Return to Roseglen is about abuse, greed, divorce, and families. Felicity found out a couple of weeks before her fiftieth birthday that her husband was having an affair with their neighbor's daughter. Felicity decided to move back home and look after her mother, Ivy. However, on returning saw things that she was not happy with and asked her sister Georgia to come home. The readers of Return to Roseglen will continue to follow Felicity, Georgina and Ivy to see what happens.
Return to Roseglen is another fantastic book from Helene Young. The way the characters are portrayed and interact with each other was done wonderfully by Helene Young. Return to Roseglen was well written and researched by Helen Young. I could relate to the plot of Return to Roseglen which help me to engage with the story and was unable to put the book down until I turned the last page. I like the way, Helene Young describes her settings.
The readers of Return to Roseglen will learn about the importance of water for rural properties. Also, the readers of Return to Roseglen we start to understand that rural properties need to diversify to help support the farm during bad times. Return to Roseglen highlights the viability of the elderly to suffer emotional and physical abuse from family and friends.
I recommend this book.
Return to Roseglen is another fantastic book from Helene Young. The way the characters are portrayed and interact with each other was done wonderfully by Helene Young. Return to Roseglen was well written and researched by Helen Young. I could relate to the plot of Return to Roseglen which help me to engage with the story and was unable to put the book down until I turned the last page. I like the way, Helene Young describes her settings.
The readers of Return to Roseglen will learn about the importance of water for rural properties. Also, the readers of Return to Roseglen we start to understand that rural properties need to diversify to help support the farm during bad times. Return to Roseglen highlights the viability of the elderly to suffer emotional and physical abuse from family and friends.
I recommend this book.
August 5, 2018
Return to Roseglen is a poignant story of family and ageing, sibling rivalry and entitlement, long held secrets and second chances.
I fell in love with Ivy Dunmore by page 2 and that feeling didn’t waiver throughout the book. Helene Young has written a heartfelt story filled with strong women and the most wonderful supportive men I’ve read about in a long time.
No one is perfect and Young shows through her characters that we all make mistakes but we should not let our mistakes define us.
Return to Roseglen will have you contemplating your own life, especially if you have ageing parents.
Young is the master of emotion as the story had my tears welling, my anger rising and at other times I was happily celebrating the triumphs along with the characters.
I would recommend Return to Roseglen to anyone who enjoys a compelling family drama.
This review is part of the Beauty & Lace bookclub
See the original bookclub review here
I fell in love with Ivy Dunmore by page 2 and that feeling didn’t waiver throughout the book. Helene Young has written a heartfelt story filled with strong women and the most wonderful supportive men I’ve read about in a long time.
No one is perfect and Young shows through her characters that we all make mistakes but we should not let our mistakes define us.
Return to Roseglen will have you contemplating your own life, especially if you have ageing parents.
Young is the master of emotion as the story had my tears welling, my anger rising and at other times I was happily celebrating the triumphs along with the characters.
I would recommend Return to Roseglen to anyone who enjoys a compelling family drama.
This review is part of the Beauty & Lace bookclub
See the original bookclub review here
October 15, 2018
I was super impressed with this story, the second I've read by Helene Young, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Australian fiction, especially those family saga-type novels with secrets handed down over generations.
I thought the characters were brilliantly drawn - I was instantly invested in Ivy, Felicity and Georgina, and the description of settings were gorgeous, but not drawn out. I felt the author had a way of summing up a setting or a person with few words, yet painting the perfect picture.
Character growth within the story was believable and moving, with Felicity's storyline particularly striking home for me - probably because we're the same age. It can be confronting to read about characters getting older, because I look ahead and think about ageing, and health, and family, and it's not always a thought filled with sunshine and lollipops!
The other book of Helene Young's that I've read is Half Moon Bay. I enjoyed that too, but for me, Return To Roseglen was at another level.
Super effort!
I thought the characters were brilliantly drawn - I was instantly invested in Ivy, Felicity and Georgina, and the description of settings were gorgeous, but not drawn out. I felt the author had a way of summing up a setting or a person with few words, yet painting the perfect picture.
Character growth within the story was believable and moving, with Felicity's storyline particularly striking home for me - probably because we're the same age. It can be confronting to read about characters getting older, because I look ahead and think about ageing, and health, and family, and it's not always a thought filled with sunshine and lollipops!
The other book of Helene Young's that I've read is Half Moon Bay. I enjoyed that too, but for me, Return To Roseglen was at another level.
Super effort!
October 7, 2018
For any fans wondering if Helene's as good a storyteller in the general women's fiction as she is in her romantic suspense genre, rest assured. Return to Roseglen is the perfect combination of romance and page-turning plot one has come to expect and love about Helene's novels. The addition of fraught family relationships is a bonus for me. (I LOVE them!) Helene has put her heart into this story and it shows.
November 6, 2018
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**3.5 stars**
Return to Roseglen by Helene Young. (2018).
93 year old Ivy lives alone on her remote cattle station in North Queensland. She is coming to the end of her life and everything she holds dear is threatened by drought, jealousy and greed. Can her daughter Felicity, who is about to turn 50, protect her mum and reunite the family? Or will sibling rivalries erupt and long kept secrets from the past break a family in crisis?
I can't really put my finger on why but I just couldn't get into this book much - I didn't mind reading it but I did look forward to finishing it. It was perfectly pleasant and easy to read, I think I just couldn't relate to any of the characters very well. I did however think the focus on the issue of when family (or other people) take advantage of elderly relatives was poignant and relevant to today's society; it certainly made me ponder on the future.
At the time of writing this review there is only a few people who have reviewed this book as less than 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads which makes me conclude that most people really enjoyed this book and found it great; maybe I'm just not in the right life circumstances to really appreciate it.
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**3.5 stars**
Return to Roseglen by Helene Young. (2018).
93 year old Ivy lives alone on her remote cattle station in North Queensland. She is coming to the end of her life and everything she holds dear is threatened by drought, jealousy and greed. Can her daughter Felicity, who is about to turn 50, protect her mum and reunite the family? Or will sibling rivalries erupt and long kept secrets from the past break a family in crisis?
I can't really put my finger on why but I just couldn't get into this book much - I didn't mind reading it but I did look forward to finishing it. It was perfectly pleasant and easy to read, I think I just couldn't relate to any of the characters very well. I did however think the focus on the issue of when family (or other people) take advantage of elderly relatives was poignant and relevant to today's society; it certainly made me ponder on the future.
At the time of writing this review there is only a few people who have reviewed this book as less than 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads which makes me conclude that most people really enjoyed this book and found it great; maybe I'm just not in the right life circumstances to really appreciate it.
July 27, 2018
Where do I start with this amazing story, its wow, it’s fabulous and one thing I can say is, it is a must read this truly is a book not to be missed, MS Young has dug deep into the emotions and secrets of an old family from outback Queensland one that is steeped in history through the years and now the time has come for Ivy the matriarch the oldest member left from the Dunmore’s to somehow make things right, so sit back, make sure you have a box of tissues and a drink and get lost in this poignant, heart-rending story.
Ivy Dunmore is ninety three years old and she wants God to take her back to her beloved husband Charlie, she has been running the cattle station Roseglen now for years living on her own, yes she has three children a son Ken and two daughters Georgina and Felicity, the drought has hit hard but with her neighbour and best friend Mitch Trethowan doing what he can to help Ivy is coping, she is getting pressured from her son Ken who owns the neighbouring station Arran Downs to do things that Ivy doesn’t want to do.
Felicity is just about to turn fifty and she is probably closest to her mother so when she is trying to cope with a crisis herself she goes home to help her mother, Georgina Ivy’s eldest daughter has never been close to her mother she is in her sixty’s now and a pilot she has travelled the world and has decided that it might be time to mend bridges with her mother, time for her to go home to Roseglen just when she is needed.
There is so much happening in this book, so many emotions people hurting each other jealousy, greed but there is strength and caring as well, there are secrets that really need to be out in the open after all of these years and there is love to be found, oh I cried am still teary, I don’t want to give too much away, only that this is such a well written story it takes into account the a problem that happens more than we would like to think. I loved the characters all except one and I could have thumped him these people came to life they became friends I felt their pain, their love and their hope for the future as surely Roseglen will prosper. MS Young this is a story that I am not going to forget (still teary) thank you, this is one that I highly recommend.
Ivy Dunmore is ninety three years old and she wants God to take her back to her beloved husband Charlie, she has been running the cattle station Roseglen now for years living on her own, yes she has three children a son Ken and two daughters Georgina and Felicity, the drought has hit hard but with her neighbour and best friend Mitch Trethowan doing what he can to help Ivy is coping, she is getting pressured from her son Ken who owns the neighbouring station Arran Downs to do things that Ivy doesn’t want to do.
Felicity is just about to turn fifty and she is probably closest to her mother so when she is trying to cope with a crisis herself she goes home to help her mother, Georgina Ivy’s eldest daughter has never been close to her mother she is in her sixty’s now and a pilot she has travelled the world and has decided that it might be time to mend bridges with her mother, time for her to go home to Roseglen just when she is needed.
There is so much happening in this book, so many emotions people hurting each other jealousy, greed but there is strength and caring as well, there are secrets that really need to be out in the open after all of these years and there is love to be found, oh I cried am still teary, I don’t want to give too much away, only that this is such a well written story it takes into account the a problem that happens more than we would like to think. I loved the characters all except one and I could have thumped him these people came to life they became friends I felt their pain, their love and their hope for the future as surely Roseglen will prosper. MS Young this is a story that I am not going to forget (still teary) thank you, this is one that I highly recommend.
August 12, 2018
Return to Roseglen by Helene Young touches on the subject of elder abuse which is a subject most people want to stay away from and keep hidden but it does exist in our aging community which Helene describes very well with great understanding.
I enjoyed hearing about the homestead of Roseglen and being taken high up in the skies by aeroplane to see the Queensland cattlestation and home from up above and seeing things from a completely different perspective.
There's darkness and mystery inside the underground caves giving a different light to the story where it changes significantly.
It's full of many different and interesting characters which make up the story.
It is a bit of a puzzle which will keep you guessing as you put the pieces together until you have the final picture at the end.
Thank you to Helene Young for a great story.
I enjoyed hearing about the homestead of Roseglen and being taken high up in the skies by aeroplane to see the Queensland cattlestation and home from up above and seeing things from a completely different perspective.
There's darkness and mystery inside the underground caves giving a different light to the story where it changes significantly.
It's full of many different and interesting characters which make up the story.
It is a bit of a puzzle which will keep you guessing as you put the pieces together until you have the final picture at the end.
Thank you to Helene Young for a great story.
July 15, 2018
I feel incredibly lucky right now, our Australian women writers are producing so many excellent novels that I really am spoiled for choice. Return to Roseglen, the latest release by Helene Young, is no exception to this. It’s quite rare for me to read a nearly 400 page novel over the course of one afternoon and evening, but with Return to Roseglen, not only could I not put this novel down, there was no way I was going to bed without knowing how the story was going to pan out. It’s a brilliant novel, one of the best contemporary stories I have read in a long time.
Helene explores several issues relevant to older women within Return to Roseglen, the most pertinent of these being elder abuse. Right from the first page, my heart was being squeezed over Ivy’s predicament with her son Ken. As the novel progressed, and Ken’s liberties stretched into obvious abuse, I was so angry and overcome with sadness for Ivy.
“The thought that had been growing, building like a thunderhead, reared up again. She had become powerless. It was a terrifying feeling. It wasn’t just about leaving a home she loved, or losing her independence or any of the other things she complained about. It was far more elemental. She was terrified of no longer making decisions for herself, no longer controlling her world.”
Helene has a special way of giving an authentic voice to each of her characters. With Georgina and Felicity, I felt very much a part of their stories just as I did with Ivy. In particular, I found myself completely invested in Felicity’s challenges as an older woman facing divorce and the prospect of having to start over so late in life. I also really felt such a well of sympathy for Georgina with regards to her strained relationship with Ivy. Helene portrays the history between Ivy and Georgina with truth and understanding, with neither woman blameless nor completely at fault. Ella, Felicity’s daughter, completed the picture of the women in this family to perfection. The dynamics between each of the women were fresh and realistic, giving a true bird’s eye view of a regular family struggling to deal with major changes.
In the background of this story is a family secret that has the power to unleash a whole lot of pain, not only for the members of this family but also for the community they are a part of. The foreshadowing of this was woven neatly into the plot with precise reveals throughout. Helene deftly demonstrates with this storyline the devastating repercussions family obligation can have on not only those immediately affected, but on subsequent generations as well. I also appreciated the way Helene broached the issue of the roles of women on the land, challenging age old perceptions about women inheriting the land and the notion that women are farmer’s wives, not the farmers themselves. I’m seeing this issue crop up in rural fiction more and more and it’s a valid issue that deserves as much attention as it can get.
All in all, you would be hard pressed to find a better contemporary Australian story than Return to Roseglen. It’s an engaging family drama that taps into some serious and highly relevant social issues that so many people would be able to relate to. Be warned though, once you start reading, you’ll find it a challenge to stop!
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of Return to Roseglen for review.
Helene explores several issues relevant to older women within Return to Roseglen, the most pertinent of these being elder abuse. Right from the first page, my heart was being squeezed over Ivy’s predicament with her son Ken. As the novel progressed, and Ken’s liberties stretched into obvious abuse, I was so angry and overcome with sadness for Ivy.
“The thought that had been growing, building like a thunderhead, reared up again. She had become powerless. It was a terrifying feeling. It wasn’t just about leaving a home she loved, or losing her independence or any of the other things she complained about. It was far more elemental. She was terrified of no longer making decisions for herself, no longer controlling her world.”
Helene has a special way of giving an authentic voice to each of her characters. With Georgina and Felicity, I felt very much a part of their stories just as I did with Ivy. In particular, I found myself completely invested in Felicity’s challenges as an older woman facing divorce and the prospect of having to start over so late in life. I also really felt such a well of sympathy for Georgina with regards to her strained relationship with Ivy. Helene portrays the history between Ivy and Georgina with truth and understanding, with neither woman blameless nor completely at fault. Ella, Felicity’s daughter, completed the picture of the women in this family to perfection. The dynamics between each of the women were fresh and realistic, giving a true bird’s eye view of a regular family struggling to deal with major changes.
In the background of this story is a family secret that has the power to unleash a whole lot of pain, not only for the members of this family but also for the community they are a part of. The foreshadowing of this was woven neatly into the plot with precise reveals throughout. Helene deftly demonstrates with this storyline the devastating repercussions family obligation can have on not only those immediately affected, but on subsequent generations as well. I also appreciated the way Helene broached the issue of the roles of women on the land, challenging age old perceptions about women inheriting the land and the notion that women are farmer’s wives, not the farmers themselves. I’m seeing this issue crop up in rural fiction more and more and it’s a valid issue that deserves as much attention as it can get.
All in all, you would be hard pressed to find a better contemporary Australian story than Return to Roseglen. It’s an engaging family drama that taps into some serious and highly relevant social issues that so many people would be able to relate to. Be warned though, once you start reading, you’ll find it a challenge to stop!
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of Return to Roseglen for review.
July 27, 2018
4.5****Helene Young has always been a author whose books I've enjoyed and when I heard that she had a new one coming out I was very excited and when I heard that it was a different genre to her previous books, I was still excited as she's such a good author that I was sure it would be a great book. Thanks to Beauty and Lace Book Club I was able to prove my theory correct, she has done a great job of dealing with a difficult and emotional issue of family members who abuse their elderly parents and grandparents. After 8 pages I had to put the book down as Ken, Ivy's son made me so angry I didn't want to read any further. Alas I picked it back up and had to hope that by the end of the book Ken would get what he deserved. I did have to put the book down several times to process what I'd read and deal with the emotions it invoked in me. Ivy also has two daughters, Felicity and Georgina and a granddaughter Ella who are there to support her while they are also working through their own issues. I loved meeting these characters who had some growing and re-evaluating to do if they wanted to get on with their lives and be happy. I loved Ivy's neighbour Mitch who was a great friend to both Ivy and Felicity and Dan, Georgina's ex husband was a lovely guy too, and I hoped so much they would work through their baggage and be happy. Throughout the story there is an underlying mystery that is hinted at which if it is discovered, could change everything. The characters in this story are older than most books seem to focus on these days, and it made a nice change to be dealing with an older age group, who have got lives and baggage that they need to work through. I hope Helen continues to write more in this genre as it was a fabulous read.
August 13, 2018
This book was a long time in the making. A huge change of direction for Helene and wow it was so worth it. From start to finish this book was brilliant. Helene just has a wonderful way with words and they just flow right off the page. Loved this story so much and its so relevant and its everything that is happening out there in this murky world right now. Helene's research has always been spot on and this book is no exception.
I really loved reading Return to Roseglen, the characters, the setting, the story was brilliant. I could almost hear Helene's voice reading it to me. I think her best book to date, and I have loved this author right from the start of her career. Hope you all enjoy it as well.
I really loved reading Return to Roseglen, the characters, the setting, the story was brilliant. I could almost hear Helene's voice reading it to me. I think her best book to date, and I have loved this author right from the start of her career. Hope you all enjoy it as well.
August 9, 2018
Return To Roseglen is a bit of a departure for Helene Young, who has long enjoyed the title of Queen of Australian Romantic Suspense. This book revolves around the Dunmore family, championed by matriarch Ivy who still lives on the family property of Roseglen despite her advancing age. Lately Ivy has been getting a bit confused here and there which unfortunately makes her ripe for the picking by her eldest son Kenneth. He lives nearby on another property but daughters Felicity and Georgina are further afield, Felicity in Brisbane and Georgina wherever her work as a pilot takes her. When Felicity discovers her husband in a compromising position, she decides that she will head home to Roseglen. That will allow her to assess Ivy and see if she needs any assistance and if so, determine what that might be too. Georgina decides to return as well, which sets the three siblings on a collision course as the tensions erupt.
Recently I have read several books where the main characters are women who are slightly older than what I would consider the ‘norm’ for what I read. Not old – just older. Felicity is about to turn 50, Georgina is probably close to 60 and I think Ivy is getting on towards 90. And so there’s a whole bunch of issues and problems that can be explored that women in these age ranges face. For example, Felicity faces starting over, having worked her whole life towards paying off a mortgage and enjoying a comfortable retirement. That’s likely not her future after she discovers her husband’s lack of fidelity and that not only has their mortgage not really decreased all that much but also property prices are falling. Instead of heading into her later working years ‘winding down’ so to speak, she may need to work harder than ever to secure her future after divorce. It can be difficult to start over at any age but there are added stresses when you are coming towards the end of your working life and know that your capacity to earn and secure a comfortable future is limited.
And then there’s Ivy herself…..having lost her husband years ago, Ivy knows she’s coming to that end stage of life. Her worries are different, more about worries for the future of the family property, for her children. I have to admit, I did find the character of Ivy slightly inconsistent at times because everyone kept saying how forward she was, bit of a battle-axe. But she shows significant weakness around her only son and real reluctance to confide in her daughters about what had been going on in recent times and I wasn’t really sure why she kept putting off telling them. I know Ivy had her own plans going on and she was willing to take steps to secure the family property but it just seemed so odd that she kept thinking to herself ‘oh I have to tell them’ and then never actually doing it. I understand the challenge and the responsibility of an ailing parent. My father has recently had to assume full legal and financial responsibility for his mother, who is getting to the stage where her mind is becoming confused and forgetful and she will not be able to live independently any longer. She frequently forgets to eat at meal times, or thinks she has when she hasn’t. It’s a huge deal and it leaves people ripe to be taken for a ride, if the trustee is not 100% vigilant and responsible with the task. There are many who see opportunity and will take what they can get (what they believe is ‘owed’ to them) no matter if there are other siblings, or even if it inconveniences or disadvantages the actual person they are supposed to be caring for. Ken is definitely one such person, a self-entitled, odious man who thought only of himself and how he could use others to fix his own mistakes.
I enjoyed the complicated family relationships in this story – especially the sister dynamic between Georgina and Felicity. They haven’t been particularly close (there’s a significant age gap I think) but when they both come home to Roseglen they definitely find themselves being able to find some common ground, especially considering the fact that the two of them seem to have similar ideas about the property and against the rein of terror of Ken. I also liked Felicity’s friendship with Mitch, the farmer ‘next door’ which dates back to their years as children. Mitch is the one that ‘got away’ but now they are both single and even though Felicity isn’t looking for anything and she’s still dealing with the ending of her marriage, Mitch is there and they fall back into an easy friendship. Mitch also has a very special relationship with Ivy and has always done his best to make sure she was okay through the hard years of drought. I loved the relationship between Mitch and Ivy, it was so sweet and benefited them both so much emotionally.
There’s a mystery here as well, buried deep in the pages. I guessed a small part of it but much of it was an unexpected twist and I thought that played out very well. I’d have liked to have seen a little bit more devoted to Ivy and Georgina though, just to really attack the meat of that relationship. I feel as though it could’ve carried a little bit more of the story. But apart from that, I definitely enjoyed Helene Young’s foray into new territory. I hope she doesn’t completely leave behind romantic suspense but I’ll happily read anything she writes.
Recently I have read several books where the main characters are women who are slightly older than what I would consider the ‘norm’ for what I read. Not old – just older. Felicity is about to turn 50, Georgina is probably close to 60 and I think Ivy is getting on towards 90. And so there’s a whole bunch of issues and problems that can be explored that women in these age ranges face. For example, Felicity faces starting over, having worked her whole life towards paying off a mortgage and enjoying a comfortable retirement. That’s likely not her future after she discovers her husband’s lack of fidelity and that not only has their mortgage not really decreased all that much but also property prices are falling. Instead of heading into her later working years ‘winding down’ so to speak, she may need to work harder than ever to secure her future after divorce. It can be difficult to start over at any age but there are added stresses when you are coming towards the end of your working life and know that your capacity to earn and secure a comfortable future is limited.
And then there’s Ivy herself…..having lost her husband years ago, Ivy knows she’s coming to that end stage of life. Her worries are different, more about worries for the future of the family property, for her children. I have to admit, I did find the character of Ivy slightly inconsistent at times because everyone kept saying how forward she was, bit of a battle-axe. But she shows significant weakness around her only son and real reluctance to confide in her daughters about what had been going on in recent times and I wasn’t really sure why she kept putting off telling them. I know Ivy had her own plans going on and she was willing to take steps to secure the family property but it just seemed so odd that she kept thinking to herself ‘oh I have to tell them’ and then never actually doing it. I understand the challenge and the responsibility of an ailing parent. My father has recently had to assume full legal and financial responsibility for his mother, who is getting to the stage where her mind is becoming confused and forgetful and she will not be able to live independently any longer. She frequently forgets to eat at meal times, or thinks she has when she hasn’t. It’s a huge deal and it leaves people ripe to be taken for a ride, if the trustee is not 100% vigilant and responsible with the task. There are many who see opportunity and will take what they can get (what they believe is ‘owed’ to them) no matter if there are other siblings, or even if it inconveniences or disadvantages the actual person they are supposed to be caring for. Ken is definitely one such person, a self-entitled, odious man who thought only of himself and how he could use others to fix his own mistakes.
I enjoyed the complicated family relationships in this story – especially the sister dynamic between Georgina and Felicity. They haven’t been particularly close (there’s a significant age gap I think) but when they both come home to Roseglen they definitely find themselves being able to find some common ground, especially considering the fact that the two of them seem to have similar ideas about the property and against the rein of terror of Ken. I also liked Felicity’s friendship with Mitch, the farmer ‘next door’ which dates back to their years as children. Mitch is the one that ‘got away’ but now they are both single and even though Felicity isn’t looking for anything and she’s still dealing with the ending of her marriage, Mitch is there and they fall back into an easy friendship. Mitch also has a very special relationship with Ivy and has always done his best to make sure she was okay through the hard years of drought. I loved the relationship between Mitch and Ivy, it was so sweet and benefited them both so much emotionally.
There’s a mystery here as well, buried deep in the pages. I guessed a small part of it but much of it was an unexpected twist and I thought that played out very well. I’d have liked to have seen a little bit more devoted to Ivy and Georgina though, just to really attack the meat of that relationship. I feel as though it could’ve carried a little bit more of the story. But apart from that, I definitely enjoyed Helene Young’s foray into new territory. I hope she doesn’t completely leave behind romantic suspense but I’ll happily read anything she writes.
September 20, 2018
What a great, thought provoking book touching on the topic of elder abuse.
October 3, 2018
Another great read from Helene Young. In ‘Return to Roseglen’ she deviates from her former Romantic Suspense books to give us a story of a family undergoing challenges. Roseglen is an outback station in far north Queensland. It is a time of drought, and 93 year old Ivy Dunmore has been running the property by herself since the death of her husband
Charlie. She has a son, Ken, who lives nearby, and two daughters, Felicity a nurse in Brisbane and Georgina, a pilot who is on the other side of the world.
Ivy is worried. After she came off her quad bike three years ago she has needed a walker, she is not as strong as previously, and she fears she is no longer in control, as she has always been. Ken tells her she has become forgetful, and she worries she may be becoming confused. She also has a secret that she has kept for many years. What to do about it now?
Felicity decides to leave Brisbane and return to Roseglen to live, in order to help and support Ivy, and soon after Georgina joins them. Ken, as the only son, believes it is his right to inherit the property when Ivy passes on. But the girls do not agree that it should be his by right.
As well as being a compelling story, this book examines many social issues – infidelity, the problems confronting middleaged children when an aged parent needs care, and sibling rivalry.
Charlie. She has a son, Ken, who lives nearby, and two daughters, Felicity a nurse in Brisbane and Georgina, a pilot who is on the other side of the world.
Ivy is worried. After she came off her quad bike three years ago she has needed a walker, she is not as strong as previously, and she fears she is no longer in control, as she has always been. Ken tells her she has become forgetful, and she worries she may be becoming confused. She also has a secret that she has kept for many years. What to do about it now?
Felicity decides to leave Brisbane and return to Roseglen to live, in order to help and support Ivy, and soon after Georgina joins them. Ken, as the only son, believes it is his right to inherit the property when Ivy passes on. But the girls do not agree that it should be his by right.
As well as being a compelling story, this book examines many social issues – infidelity, the problems confronting middleaged children when an aged parent needs care, and sibling rivalry.
October 4, 2018
What a gorgeous book. I loved every page and shed a tear or two while reading.
August 5, 2018
‘Ivy’s hand trembled as she drew the brush over her lips, in danger of smudging the bright colour.’
Ivy Dunmore lives at Roseglen, a remote North Queensland cattle station, currently drought-stricken. Ivy, aged in her nineties, has lived alone since her husband Charlie died. Ivy has three children: Ken who is close by, Georgina who is an international pilot and Felicity who nurses in Brisbane. Ivy is increasingly frail and concerned for the future. Not only is she concerned about the consequences of drought, there are family secrets as well. And Ken, Georgina and Felicity are not close to each other. Ivy is right to be concerned about the future for Roseglen: her neighbour Mitch has helped, but she knows that Ken can’t stand him.
Through Ivy, we are introduced to her children, each with their own challenges, and Mitch. Mitch seems like a great neighbour, so why does Ken dislike him so? I kept reading, enjoying the way the story unfolded with Ivy at the centre, worrying about her frailty, concerned about how her son was treating her. Ms Young’s characters are well developed, facing issues that at least some readers will be able to relate to. But beyond the more common, more everyday issues of frail old age, of relationship breakdowns, of choices made and regretted, there’s a secret at the core of this story. Can Ken, Georgina and Felicity move beyond their differences to work together? And what about Mitch?
I picked up this novel and found it very difficult to put down. I wanted to know how it would end, wanted certain outcomes and dreaded others (no spoilers here!). This is the first of Ms Young’s novels that I have read: I’ll certainly be looking to read others.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ivy Dunmore lives at Roseglen, a remote North Queensland cattle station, currently drought-stricken. Ivy, aged in her nineties, has lived alone since her husband Charlie died. Ivy has three children: Ken who is close by, Georgina who is an international pilot and Felicity who nurses in Brisbane. Ivy is increasingly frail and concerned for the future. Not only is she concerned about the consequences of drought, there are family secrets as well. And Ken, Georgina and Felicity are not close to each other. Ivy is right to be concerned about the future for Roseglen: her neighbour Mitch has helped, but she knows that Ken can’t stand him.
Through Ivy, we are introduced to her children, each with their own challenges, and Mitch. Mitch seems like a great neighbour, so why does Ken dislike him so? I kept reading, enjoying the way the story unfolded with Ivy at the centre, worrying about her frailty, concerned about how her son was treating her. Ms Young’s characters are well developed, facing issues that at least some readers will be able to relate to. But beyond the more common, more everyday issues of frail old age, of relationship breakdowns, of choices made and regretted, there’s a secret at the core of this story. Can Ken, Georgina and Felicity move beyond their differences to work together? And what about Mitch?
I picked up this novel and found it very difficult to put down. I wanted to know how it would end, wanted certain outcomes and dreaded others (no spoilers here!). This is the first of Ms Young’s novels that I have read: I’ll certainly be looking to read others.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 26, 2018
Return to Roseglen is the first novel I've read by Helene. I thoroughly enjoyed this story which covers some very serious subjects within - Elder abuse, friendship, divorce, menopause, sibling rivalry to name a few.
Ivy is in her 90's and knows her time is coming to leave this earth and join her beloved Charlie. She has three children Ken, Georgina & Felicity who are coping with their own issues. Her property hasn't seen a drop of rain for ages and if it wasn't for her neighbour Mitch who she refers to as her best friend, she would just give up.
Only son Ken is a failed politician and has issues, including trying to take what he believes is rightfully his, with no consideration for his family. Georgina ran away from a marriage because of one mistake and Felicity discovers her husband in a very compromising position with the 24 yo neighbour next door. The girls are worried about their mother and return home to see whats happening. What they discover is not pretty and set about to right some of these wrongs there.
This book kept me captivated from the beginning and I look forward to reading more of Helene's prior books in the future. If you love rural fiction and family stories you will love this book.
Ivy is in her 90's and knows her time is coming to leave this earth and join her beloved Charlie. She has three children Ken, Georgina & Felicity who are coping with their own issues. Her property hasn't seen a drop of rain for ages and if it wasn't for her neighbour Mitch who she refers to as her best friend, she would just give up.
Only son Ken is a failed politician and has issues, including trying to take what he believes is rightfully his, with no consideration for his family. Georgina ran away from a marriage because of one mistake and Felicity discovers her husband in a very compromising position with the 24 yo neighbour next door. The girls are worried about their mother and return home to see whats happening. What they discover is not pretty and set about to right some of these wrongs there.
This book kept me captivated from the beginning and I look forward to reading more of Helene's prior books in the future. If you love rural fiction and family stories you will love this book.
August 7, 2018
What I love about the Beauty and Lace Book Club is that I keep discovering brilliant Australian authors and my to read list grows. Return to Roseglen is a stand alone novel written by Helene Young, an author I will now look forward to reading more of. I am so lucky I now have an autographed copy to add to my ever growing collection of favourite books.
I was immediately held captive by the engaging characters - The Dunmore women, Ivy, Felicity and Georgina, Whilst we get to the know the family you are immediately falling in love with Roseglen the family property a key feature in this well written story.
Ivy is the family matriarch who has been running the property in the far north solo until she was injured coming off a quad bike, not bad for a woman in her nineties. She felt so real to me and I could easily relate to her get it done attitude that many who live on the land have. It did not take long for me to dislike her son Ken as I started to question his motives and care of Ivy. Felicity and Georgina are her daughters who live away from the property. Felicity a nurse lives in Brisbane with her husband Todd and has two older children Sean and Ella while Georgina is a pilot flying humanitarian missions overseas who is separated from her husband Dan.
Through the alternating chapters of each of the women, Helene Young weaves a storyline that is real and so relatable as each of the women deal with their past and present decisions. Return to Roseglen touched on many social issues and I think that is why it is so relatable. Surrounding these women are other endearing characters and you can't put the book down until you know whether they will all be ok.
I did not want to put this book down and wanted my train trips home from work to last longer so I could keep reading. Highly recommend it and thank Helene for the beautiful wrapped copy that arrived, Beauty and Lace and Penguin Australia for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful story. I could write so much more but I want you to experience the joy of reading this book without to many spoilers.
I was immediately held captive by the engaging characters - The Dunmore women, Ivy, Felicity and Georgina, Whilst we get to the know the family you are immediately falling in love with Roseglen the family property a key feature in this well written story.
Ivy is the family matriarch who has been running the property in the far north solo until she was injured coming off a quad bike, not bad for a woman in her nineties. She felt so real to me and I could easily relate to her get it done attitude that many who live on the land have. It did not take long for me to dislike her son Ken as I started to question his motives and care of Ivy. Felicity and Georgina are her daughters who live away from the property. Felicity a nurse lives in Brisbane with her husband Todd and has two older children Sean and Ella while Georgina is a pilot flying humanitarian missions overseas who is separated from her husband Dan.
Through the alternating chapters of each of the women, Helene Young weaves a storyline that is real and so relatable as each of the women deal with their past and present decisions. Return to Roseglen touched on many social issues and I think that is why it is so relatable. Surrounding these women are other endearing characters and you can't put the book down until you know whether they will all be ok.
I did not want to put this book down and wanted my train trips home from work to last longer so I could keep reading. Highly recommend it and thank Helene for the beautiful wrapped copy that arrived, Beauty and Lace and Penguin Australia for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful story. I could write so much more but I want you to experience the joy of reading this book without to many spoilers.
July 2, 2018
What a wonderful relevant narrative - this resonated in so many way!
My View:
This is probably the best contemporary read of the year! It resonated in some many places. Intelligent. Brilliant.
Families… (Do you hear me sigh?) We may wish for the shiny, happy, well-adjusted family circle that we see on television or in the movies but it’s often not what we get. Families are made up of individuals – with flaws and traits that are unique to themselves, with their own struggles, aspirations, weaknesses and strengths. Create a situation where all those unique individuals come together to address a family crisis or two and what do you have? Return to Roseglen.
This intelligent novel has glorious remote Australian settings, well developed characters – some you will immediately love, some you will grow to love and some you would cross the road to avoid. Sound like a family to you? It does to me
This novel has so much to offer; Helene Young has incorporated many contemporary social issues in this read without the narrative shouting “Lessons here for all.” This is life. The narrative is honest. I am sure this journey will resonate with so many readers, it certainly did for me.
My only problem with this read – it finished far too quickly, I was invested in this family and wanted more.
My View:
This is probably the best contemporary read of the year! It resonated in some many places. Intelligent. Brilliant.
Families… (Do you hear me sigh?) We may wish for the shiny, happy, well-adjusted family circle that we see on television or in the movies but it’s often not what we get. Families are made up of individuals – with flaws and traits that are unique to themselves, with their own struggles, aspirations, weaknesses and strengths. Create a situation where all those unique individuals come together to address a family crisis or two and what do you have? Return to Roseglen.
This intelligent novel has glorious remote Australian settings, well developed characters – some you will immediately love, some you will grow to love and some you would cross the road to avoid. Sound like a family to you? It does to me
This novel has so much to offer; Helene Young has incorporated many contemporary social issues in this read without the narrative shouting “Lessons here for all.” This is life. The narrative is honest. I am sure this journey will resonate with so many readers, it certainly did for me.
My only problem with this read – it finished far too quickly, I was invested in this family and wanted more.
July 24, 2018
I loved this book so much I didn't want it to finish. Thank you, Helene Young, for transporting me to Roseglen and introducing me to Ivy and her family.
April 3, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Return to Roseglen by Helene Young. Ninety-three-year-old Ivy Dunmore is under pressure from her oldest son Ken to mortgage Roseglen a family cattle run on the drier side of the Atherton Tablelands, to fund his possibly nefarious endeavours. Her youngest daughter, Felicia misses the flight from Brisbane to visit her mum and walks in on her husband with the much younger neighbour next door. Her marriage in tatters, she begins to suspect that Ken is cheating their mother, while the other estranged daughter Georgina decides its finally time to return home to help her sister and sort things out. The long-standing hostilities between Ken and Georgina and Ken's combative reactions seek to ignite hostilities while Ivy holds a tragic secret from the past which she struggles to reveal to her children along with her plans to put things right. And in middle of all the chaos, both Felicia and Georgina get a second chance at love.
Return to Roseglen has a tangled ball of plot threads that intertwine to produce an explosive conclusion. It is a story full of drama, secrets and emotion and beloved Aussie icons (the CWA, Flying doctors, Akubras, scrabble, and mysterious caves). I loved that the story was set in north Queensland and spans over ninety years of history in memory and action, from the Second World War the most recent drought. There was much to love in the characters - the indomitable but now frail Ivy, caring peacemaking Felicity, no-nonsense Georgina, exuberant Ella, helpful and kind neighbour Mitch and down-to-earth Dan. Ken very soon became the villain in the piece, clearly struggling but also with serious character flaws, though as his past history unfolded, I could not help feel some sympathy for him as well as for the others, though not sufficiently to excuse his narcissism and actions.
Overall, while there was one statement that jarred , the story was well researched without becoming didactic and carried me along in Ivy's wake, invested in the characters and wanting to know how it all ended.
Return to Roseglen has a tangled ball of plot threads that intertwine to produce an explosive conclusion. It is a story full of drama, secrets and emotion and beloved Aussie icons (the CWA, Flying doctors, Akubras, scrabble, and mysterious caves). I loved that the story was set in north Queensland and spans over ninety years of history in memory and action, from the Second World War the most recent drought. There was much to love in the characters - the indomitable but now frail Ivy, caring peacemaking Felicity, no-nonsense Georgina, exuberant Ella, helpful and kind neighbour Mitch and down-to-earth Dan. Ken very soon became the villain in the piece, clearly struggling but also with serious character flaws, though as his past history unfolded, I could not help feel some sympathy for him as well as for the others, though not sufficiently to excuse his narcissism and actions.
Overall, while there was one statement that jarred , the story was well researched without becoming didactic and carried me along in Ivy's wake, invested in the characters and wanting to know how it all ended.
July 26, 2018
I received Return to Roseglen from Beauty and Lace Book Club to read and do an honest review.
Return to Roseglen by Helene Young is one of the most realistic books I have read for a long time.
All of the character are real people with many faults that Helene Young doesn't sugarcoat.
The topics that are explored will have you laughing along with them but spend more time with tears in your eyes as you follow the frustration of Ivy Dunmore, the main character, starting to realise her 93 year old body is getting frail and not as healthy as she once was.
Ivy is thinking she is getting very forgettful until is is uncovered her son is the cause of this.
He is a nasty person who has had everything handed to him,
and expects himself to be the centre of the world.
His two sisters Georgina (Georgie) and Felicity (Lissie) are strong women in their own ways, and Ella, Lissie's daughter, is another strong Dunmore woman.
There are love interests, Dan, Georgie's ex husband, and Mitch.
Mitch was Lissie's crush as a young girl and has become Ivy's best friend and confidant.
The setting is Roseglen, a North Queensland Cattle Station that is suffering in drought.
We learn of the harsh life on a cattle station and the lengths that are taken to keep it running.
The sibling rivalry may be the catlyst that destroys the family home.
A wonderful book, rich with the love of families and the hearbreak of losing someone dear to them.
I will definately recommend Return to Roseglen,
and have classed it as one of my best reads for the year.
Return to Roseglen by Helene Young is one of the most realistic books I have read for a long time.
All of the character are real people with many faults that Helene Young doesn't sugarcoat.
The topics that are explored will have you laughing along with them but spend more time with tears in your eyes as you follow the frustration of Ivy Dunmore, the main character, starting to realise her 93 year old body is getting frail and not as healthy as she once was.
Ivy is thinking she is getting very forgettful until is is uncovered her son is the cause of this.
He is a nasty person who has had everything handed to him,
and expects himself to be the centre of the world.
His two sisters Georgina (Georgie) and Felicity (Lissie) are strong women in their own ways, and Ella, Lissie's daughter, is another strong Dunmore woman.
There are love interests, Dan, Georgie's ex husband, and Mitch.
Mitch was Lissie's crush as a young girl and has become Ivy's best friend and confidant.
The setting is Roseglen, a North Queensland Cattle Station that is suffering in drought.
We learn of the harsh life on a cattle station and the lengths that are taken to keep it running.
The sibling rivalry may be the catlyst that destroys the family home.
A wonderful book, rich with the love of families and the hearbreak of losing someone dear to them.
I will definately recommend Return to Roseglen,
and have classed it as one of my best reads for the year.
July 16, 2018
Return To Roseglen is without doubt, one of the best books I've read, and I've read many. My copy came from Beauty and Lace with the beautiful, personal touch from the author, Helene Young, wrapping the book in lovely paper and signing it personally. The special touch is so much appreciated. Rarely have I read controversial issues like ageing, bullying and harassment in most awful terms and family relationships, good and bad, woven into the story line so well that you have no choice but to confront the issues, without it sounding as though the writer was preaching at you. Helene deals with these subjects as part of the story while managing to get incredibly powerful messages across. The beautifully woven characters, good and downright awful, become real and stay with the reader long after the book is closed. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other, the well drawn countryside of Far North Queensland and the way nothing was forced. Everything flowed beautifully from the first word to the last.
This won't be the last book of Helene Young's I read - the book will stay with me as one of the most wonderful books I've had the privilege to read. I honestly can't praise the writing enough.
This won't be the last book of Helene Young's I read - the book will stay with me as one of the most wonderful books I've had the privilege to read. I honestly can't praise the writing enough.
July 10, 2018
An excellent inter-generational story about an elderly woman who suffers abuse from her family. Her daughters need to get past their own problems to solve the problem, and save the farm.
I really enjoyed this story.
I really enjoyed this story.
June 26, 2019
I loved this book. It reminded me of The Thorn Birds, with the aging mom and greedy son drama. However, it was set in the Australian outback, and I was there this spring! I recognized the plants, animals, and verbiage and it was like traveling back there to visit. I like the way Helene kept certain things from us, with just hints of what was to come. That way the end was not what I expected!
July 27, 2018
I have loved every one of Helene Young’s books, and Return to Roseglen was just as fantastic as the others!! Always hard books to put down!!
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