The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club

(Paperback)

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LONGLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR DEBUT FICTION 2018

In 1978 the Northern Territory has begun to self-govern. Cyclone Tracy is a recent memory and telephones not yet a fixture on the cattle stations dominating the rugged outback. Life is hard and people are isolated. But they find ways to connect.

Sybil is the matriarch of Fairvale Station, run by her husband, Joe. Their eldest son, Lachlan, was Joe's designated successor but he has left the Territory - for good. It is up to their second son, Ben, to take his brother's place. But that doesn't stop Sybil grieving the absence of her child.

With her oldest friend, Rita, now living in Alice Springs and working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Ben's English wife, Kate, finding it difficult to adjust to life at Fairvale, Sybil comes up with a way to give them all companionship and purpose: they all love to read, and she forms a book club.

Mother-of-three Sallyanne is invited to join them. Sallyanne dreams of a life far removed from the dusty town of Katherine where she lives with her difficult husband, Mick.

Completing the group is Della, who left Texas for Australia looking for adventure and work on the land.

If you loved THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL and THE THORN BIRDS you will devour this story of five different women united by one need: to overcome the vast distances of Australia's Top End with friendship, tears, laughter, books and love.

'The story of these resilient women is tender and intimate. Sophie Green has created a world that's as heartwarming, fulfilling and Australian as a lamb roast and full-bodied shiraz' AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

'This close-knit Australian saga has rightly earned comparisons to THE THORN BIRDS.' iBOOKS EDITOR

'An absolute gem of a novel, with the most evocative sense of place . . . A definite treat for any book club.' BETTER READING

'I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful novel... Sophie Green's beautiful mingling of the book club members' lives down through the years is a testament to her clever storytelling... She provides vivid descriptions of both the triumphs and hardships of life in the outback so readers can empathise with all the joys and heartaches experienced by each one' STARTS AT SIXTY

Reviews

This close-knit Australian saga has rightly earned comparisons to THE THORN BIRDS. Green draws out a robust range of emotions as each character struggles with her own set of frustrations and her personal relationship with a tough landscape that's still being tamed. - iBOOKS EDITOR

The book club's reading list will remind readers of the power that contemporary fiction can have in people's lives. - Books+Publishing

Sophie Green has created a world that's as heartwarming, fulfilling and Australian as a lamb roast and full-bodied shiraz. - Australian Women's Weekly

an absolute gem of a novel, with the most evocative sense of place . . . A definite treat for any book club. - BETTER READING

A plucky group of women gather together to help each other through the tough times . . . This touching tale set in a familiar landscape is an ode to [the author's] love of the place and its people. - Sunday Territorian

provides vivid descriptions of both the triumphs and hardships of life in the outback so readers can empathise with all the joys and heartaches experienced by each one. - Starts at Sixty

Author Bio

Sophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. She has written several fiction and non-fiction books, some under other names. In her spare time she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music. She has been practising yoga since 1993 and teaching since 2002. Sophie's debut novel, THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FAIRVALE LADIES BOOK CLUB, was a Top Ten bestseller and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year 2018, and longlisted for both the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year 2018 and the Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction 2018. Sophie Green is internationally published and THE SHELLY BAY LADIES SWIMMING CIRCLE, THURSDAYS AT ORANGE BLOSSOM HOUSE and THE BELLBIRD RIVER COUNTRY CHOIR were also Top Ten bestsellers.