Hi everyone ♥
Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.
♥ ENJOY ♥
Today’s Hook
After clearing passport control, Mallory collected her luggage, and half an hour later, she was outside, loading her bags into the rental car’s boot. She set her destination on the GPS. But a short distance into the drive, she stopped, captivated by the breathtaking scenery. Snow still covered the mountain peaks, leaving her in awe, wondering if this wintry spectacle lasted all year. The beauty surpassed even her fond memories of childhood trips to the Victorian Alps with her mother.
As she continued her drive along the highway on the eastern shore of the lake, she stopped again at the Devils Staircase Lookout Point, capturing even more images of the stunning lake views. Her travels took her through Kingston and Lumsden until she finally arrived in Gore in the late afternoon. Tiredness spread through her body, and she decided to stay the night in a hotel, to finish the drive the next day. A quick scroll through social media and a brief message to friends informing them of her safe arrival was all she did before heading to bed. She even messaged Jacob, her mother’s partner. Their relationship had gradually drifted apart after her mother’s passing, and the goodbye hadn’t been positive. Neither of them had truly coped with the loss of Mallory’s mother and they’d had different ideas about how to move forward. Jacob struggled to accept her decision to leave. It hurt, and eventually, the contact had stopped completely.
Blurb
Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.
As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.
When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.
I got a little geography lesson with this excerpt. I didn’t know mountains in NZ were called Victorian Alps. Cool writing with smooth transitions.
Hi Kayelle … just a little re-lesson, LOL. The mountains around Queenstown, NZ, are called the Remarkables, the Victorian Alps are in Australia, north of Melbourne 🙂
Sorry for the confusion! 🙂
Lovely description to highlight the beginning of Mallory’s journey. Then, a hint of some regret as she reaches back, not quite ready to go forward? Or having regrets? I’ll be curious to find out.
Thank you, Lisa. I think stepping into something new, there are always moments of regrets, probably because of the familiar.