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Janet Gover
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The Library at Wagtail Ridge: the new small-town romance and 2023's Ruby award winner. A heartwarming novel about family, belonging and love, perfect for readers of Karly Lane. Kindle Edition

by Janet Gover (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 232 ratings

An unexpected and unusual inheritance sets a young woman on the road to discover her mother's deepest secret. A charming and heartfelt rural romance perfect for readers of Rachael Johns and Karly Lane.


When Lou Taylor inherits a quaint country cottage and a mobile library full of books from her birth mother, she heads to the small town of Wagtail Ridge to learn more about the woman she never knew. Curiously, the last piece of the bequest is a handwritten letter, the first of many Luca left scattered along the library's route in hopes of finally sharing her secrets with the daughter she had to give up.

The townspeople of Wagtail Ridge flock around Lou, wanting to share the stories of Luca's life, but she knows she must learn about her birth mother in the way Luca intended. Jake Barnes, her new neighbour, offers to help her follow the trail, but weighing on his conscience is a promise he made to Luca - a secret that now stands between him and the woman who's slowly capturing his heart...

As the kilometres fly by, Lou gradually untangles who her mother was and what lay behind the choices she made. At the same time, she finds herself drawing ever closer to kind, handsome Jake. But will it all be enough to keep her in Wagtail Ridge when she has another happy life waiting for her in the city?

A captivating story of love, family and belonging from award-winning romance author Janet Gover.

WINNER: Romantic Elements RuBY 2023, Romance Writers of Australia

PRAISE FOR JANET GOVER:

'Tender, caring and wise, Close to Home is a book to embrace with all your heart.' - Mrs B's Book Reviews

'Like the warmth of a cup of tea and the atmosphere of smells from the cake baking this story will fuse all the senses and bring a smile to the face ... a new dimension to a heartwarming outback tale.' - HappyValley BooksReads

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  1. Print length
    335 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Mira
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    December 1, 2022
  6. File size
    2.8 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B2Y289CD
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mira
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 335 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781867230076
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1867230076
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 232 ratings

About the author

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Janet Gover

Janet Gover

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I have always been a writer. When I was still at school, I used any excuse to turn my English homework into a short book, for which I made covers and illustrations. When my parents gave me an old manual typewriter for my birthday – there was no stopping me.

My first novel, written when I was about 11 years old, was a total disaster. The novels got better as I got older, and my first ‘proper’ novel, The Farmer Needs A Wife, was released in January 2009 and I have just kept on going.

Since then, my novels have been shortlisted for, or won, awards in the US, UK and Australia. My Coorah Creek Series has won the RoNA Award for an Epic Romantic Novel, two Book Buyers Best Awards and the Aspen Gold Readers’ Choice award. I am thrilled that the series has received such honours.

As Janet Gover I write stories with strong heroines. Stories that are also filled with romance and adventure. I also write as Juliet Bell - or rather, I write as half of Juliet Bell with my friend Alison May. Juliet is obsessed with misunderstood classic fiction, and heroes who aren't very heroic. So if you like a darker read, Juliet is your go-to writer.

Feel free to get in touch - you'll find me on Twitter @janet_gover or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/janetgoverbooks/ . My website is www.janetgover.com

And thank you - not just for reading my books - but for reading and supporting books and authors everywhere.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
232 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Mrs. Helen Sibbritt
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous story
    Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2023
    Format: Kindle
    This is such a beautiful story, wonderful characters, fabulous setting and filled with emotion, I did shed a few tears reading this one as I got to know Lou, Jake and the lovely people from Wagtail Ridge and the surrounding communities. What can I say who doesn’t love a library?

    Lou Taylor has grown up very happy in the suburbs of Sydney with her adoptive parents, she has just finished her degree and has been working at the university till she finds that special job, arriving home one day there is a letter from the solicitor who handled her adoption all those years ago and Lou is not sure whether she wants to open it or not.

    Lou visits the solicitor and finds out that she has been left a small cottage in the small town of Wagtail Ridge from her birth mother, the woman who never wanted to be in her life, she packs up and goes to see the cottage, what she finds is not only the cottage but a mobile library and a handwritten letter from Luca, her mother, this starts a journey to find out all about her mother.

    She meets Jake, who has been caring for the house since Luca’s death and some of the lovely townsfolk who are all pressing for her to keep the mobile library going and with a task to find more letters Jake agrees to drive the truck and show Lou around and the more Lou learns that harder it is for her to turn her back on Wagtail Ridge and perhaps Jake as well.

    So many emotions flow from the pages in this truly beautiful story, come along and meet the wonderful characters and Ollie the Labrador who plays a big part in the story, will Lou sell up and move back to the city or will she make her home in Wagtail Ridge and keep the mobile library going?

    I do highly recommend this one, Janet Gover never disappoints.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • P. C. Fenton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully emotional!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a wonderfully emotional story set mostly in the Australian outback. The heroine, Lou, has always known she’s adopted and has never felt the need to find out anything about her birth mother. However, when she receives a letter from the woman’s solicitors and a bequest, she sets off on a voyage of discovery. It leads her to the tiny town of Wagtail Ridge and a trail of letters left by her birth mother explaining the circumstances of her having to give Lou up. Despite her initial reluctance to have anything to do with the woman who she feels didn’t want her enough to keep her, she is slowly reeled in and finds that not all is as she imagined. I was enchanted by this story and the wonderful community spirit and camaraderie that exists in little outback towns like Wagtail Ridge. The descriptions are evocative and the reader feels as though they are there, following the heroine on her journey. It doesn’t hurt that she has the help of a man who isn’t just handsome and kind, but has an adorable puppy who is being trained to be a guide dog. This story stays with you long after the final page and I highly recommend it!
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely beautiful!
    Reviewed in Australia on December 4, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have really enjoyed this lovely story. Mobile libraries have featured in my own life due to rural living & this story emphasises the importance of them in such a heart-warming way. The added history & heart-breaking journey Lou endures in seeking her mother's story is gripping - a real page turner. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
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  • Marilyn McKay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book and author
    Reviewed in Australia on December 7, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book was both moving, emotional and beautiful. Once again Janet has excelled in her writing, having previously read her first two Coorah Creek books and look forward to reading the final two books when completed. Her writing style is simple and entertaining, but this Library at Wagtail Ridge book was exceptional. Well done.
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  • Bec177
    5.0 out of 5 stars heartfelt and wonderful story
    Reviewed in Australia on February 13, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. I finished it and was holding it tight and in love with the general story. So well written that your taken along for the journey with the main characters feeling everything that she would be feeling. I hope that there is another book that follows this and shows us whats next for the characters and the town
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  • BecP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous
    Reviewed in Australia on May 27, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Lou comes to wagtail Ridge and finds out about her biological mother.

    Gorgeous, sweet,emotional read stunnig , small town it will keep you on the edge beautiful read
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