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The Sunnyvale Girls
Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.
Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.
When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.
Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.
When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.
358 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2014
10 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Palmer
26 books313 followersBestselling rural author of books set in outback Western Australia. Small communities, farming, great aussie characters and mother nature. Also writes YA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
January 12, 2015
This is a delightful story that follows three generations of women growing up in Sunnyvale a farming property in Western Australia. Maggie Stewart the matriarch of the household misses running the farm, but she is in her glee pottering around in her beloved veggie garden which she tends to daily. And then there was daughter Antonia (Toni) and her granddaughter Felicity (Flick) who also kept her on her toes. Toni and Flick helped out around the farm and of course there was Jimmy who worked as a farm worker, but he had become more like a family member.
In 1944 when Maggie was in her teens her mother and father had two young Italian men come and stay with them who were prisoners of war. These men Rocco and Giulio were to work around the farm. In all the time the men spent at the farm it was, Maggie's mother, Phillis, who could never take a liking to them. As for Maggie's father John and her brother Charlie they enjoyed having the men there. In time Maggie and Rocco would become closer which would bring heartache when it was time for him to leave.
Whilst repairing the old family cottage on the property Flick and Jimmy finds a hidden box under a loose floorboard. The box contains unopened letters addressed to Maggie. As soon as Flick shows Maggie, what she has found her eyes fill with tears. Memories and secrets from her past come flooding back to like it was yesterday. With Toni and Flick by her side Maggie will go in search to try and discover the answers that have been buried deep within her for too many years. But will Maggie find what she is looking for or will she just end up with more unanswered questions?
What a truly beautiful story and one that I thoroughly loved. A heartwarming tale about family, love and history. I was so caught up in this story that before I knew it, I was on the last page. I have no hesitation in recommending The Sunnyvale Girls to anyone who relishes a good read.
In 1944 when Maggie was in her teens her mother and father had two young Italian men come and stay with them who were prisoners of war. These men Rocco and Giulio were to work around the farm. In all the time the men spent at the farm it was, Maggie's mother, Phillis, who could never take a liking to them. As for Maggie's father John and her brother Charlie they enjoyed having the men there. In time Maggie and Rocco would become closer which would bring heartache when it was time for him to leave.
Whilst repairing the old family cottage on the property Flick and Jimmy finds a hidden box under a loose floorboard. The box contains unopened letters addressed to Maggie. As soon as Flick shows Maggie, what she has found her eyes fill with tears. Memories and secrets from her past come flooding back to like it was yesterday. With Toni and Flick by her side Maggie will go in search to try and discover the answers that have been buried deep within her for too many years. But will Maggie find what she is looking for or will she just end up with more unanswered questions?
What a truly beautiful story and one that I thoroughly loved. A heartwarming tale about family, love and history. I was so caught up in this story that before I knew it, I was on the last page. I have no hesitation in recommending The Sunnyvale Girls to anyone who relishes a good read.
October 29, 2014
The Sunnyvale Girls by Fiona Palmer.
Thanks to The Reading Room and Penguin Australia for this ARC.
I read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I must admit to being guilty at first, of judging this book by its cover, which...in hindsight...I am convinced does not do credit to the story within.
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but lets face it, we are drawn to the covers first, and first impressions gave me to think, erroneously, that this was going to be just another country farm romance type book....not that I have anything against those, just that they are not my first choice.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although the story did flow around a romantic theme, it was a most compelling and detailed one with convincing characters and script which flowed along at a nice pace.
The story revolves around three generations of women, Grandmother Maggie, her widowed daughter Antonia/Toni, her 20 year old daughter Felicity/Flick, and the resident farmhand Jimmy, who are living and working on the large and remote family property in rural Western Australia.
As a 20 year old in a steady relationship, Flick had decided to renovate and restore the old freestanding original family cottage on the farm, which is set apart from the main newer homestead, with her mind being set on living there afterwards.
Family history tells them that the cottage was built by Italian Prisoners of war who had been assigned to the family farm as internees during WW2, Flick's grandmother Maggie can attest to this as she can recall that time in her young life.
It was during the sanding renovation of the old floor that Flick and Jimmy discovered a loose floorboard which, upon closer inspection, revealed a concealed tin in the space beneath the floor.
The contents of this tin will prove to be a shocking revelation to Flick's grandmother, Maggie, and her daughter Toni, and propel the family into a mystery solving campaign that has the potential to alter the course of their collective lives.
Great story telling of an intriguing family saga.
I liked the pace of the story and how it seamlessly flowed between generations and time, revealing just enough clues at each turn to keep the reader on a dedicated page turning journey to discover answers.
Full of intrigue and a good measure of suspense...not to mention romance, this story is sure to hold its audience captive.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sunnyvale Girls by Fiona Palmer and will certainly look forward to visiting more of her books.
4★s
April 15, 2017
From an ARC kindly provided by TheReadingRoom and Penguin
The Sunnyvale Girls is the sixth novel by Australian author, Fiona Palmer. Felicity (Flick), Antonia (Toni) and Margaret (Maggie) Stewart live on Sunnyvale, a property in rural Western Australia. Maggie, now four years widowed, enjoys her garden and loves to cook for her family. Her daughter Toni, inclined to be prickly at times, runs their sheep and wheat farm with the able assistance of James Painter (Jimmy). Young Flick, Toni’s daughter, loves being on the farm and is renovating the old abandoned homestead, a house built from hand-made bricks, with beautiful jarrah floor boards that conceal an explosive secret.
Each of the girls has her own issues to deal with (a boyfriend whose fidelity is in doubt, an attraction to a younger man, a previous lover never forgotten), but an old letter from an Italian prisoner of war throws all their lives into disarray. Revelations cause anger, doubt and guilt, but eventually, curiosity wins out and some research has Toni and Flick travelling to Italy. The story switches between the contemporary (2000) and Maggie’s memories of the mid-1940s.
Palmer’s characters are familiar and easy to love. Her descriptions are highly evocative and skilfully render the atmosphere, be it a dusty West Australian paddock or a cobble-stoned Italian village; her attachment to rural Australia is apparent in every paragraph. Palmer’s plot is original, has a twist or two, and incorporates sons lost to war, Italian lovers, missing fathers, small town prejudices and strong family ties.
Fans of Fiona Palmer will not be disappointed and newcomers to her work will be eager to seek out her previous books. This one has plenty of emotion, love and laughter, tears and sadness, and a wonderfully heart-warming ending. A very entertaining read.
The Sunnyvale Girls is the sixth novel by Australian author, Fiona Palmer. Felicity (Flick), Antonia (Toni) and Margaret (Maggie) Stewart live on Sunnyvale, a property in rural Western Australia. Maggie, now four years widowed, enjoys her garden and loves to cook for her family. Her daughter Toni, inclined to be prickly at times, runs their sheep and wheat farm with the able assistance of James Painter (Jimmy). Young Flick, Toni’s daughter, loves being on the farm and is renovating the old abandoned homestead, a house built from hand-made bricks, with beautiful jarrah floor boards that conceal an explosive secret.
Each of the girls has her own issues to deal with (a boyfriend whose fidelity is in doubt, an attraction to a younger man, a previous lover never forgotten), but an old letter from an Italian prisoner of war throws all their lives into disarray. Revelations cause anger, doubt and guilt, but eventually, curiosity wins out and some research has Toni and Flick travelling to Italy. The story switches between the contemporary (2000) and Maggie’s memories of the mid-1940s.
Palmer’s characters are familiar and easy to love. Her descriptions are highly evocative and skilfully render the atmosphere, be it a dusty West Australian paddock or a cobble-stoned Italian village; her attachment to rural Australia is apparent in every paragraph. Palmer’s plot is original, has a twist or two, and incorporates sons lost to war, Italian lovers, missing fathers, small town prejudices and strong family ties.
Fans of Fiona Palmer will not be disappointed and newcomers to her work will be eager to seek out her previous books. This one has plenty of emotion, love and laughter, tears and sadness, and a wonderfully heart-warming ending. A very entertaining read.
September 17, 2014
As Flick (Felicity) Stewart watched the sunrise in the company of her dog Fella and horse Contractor, a sight she never got sick of, her Nan, Maggie Stewart was pottering in her garden. Maggie’s garden was her haven, though her kitchen where she cooked for her daughter Toni (Antonia), Flick and farmhand but definite member of the family Jimmy came a close second – Maggie’s cooking was legendary; while the others worked the farm, Maggie kept them fed and healthy. It was a perfect arrangement and with Maggie having lived on Sunnyvale Farm in Western Australia all her life, then her daughter and granddaughter as well, it was a connection the three women felt deeply.
Back in the war years when Maggie was a young woman, their farm became home to two Italian prisoners of war. Rocco and Giulio came to work on Sunnyvale Farm; they were hardworking young men and settled in well. But Maggie’s mother Phyllis was unimpressed with them – in the two years they were there she didn’t warm to them at all. But Maggie’s brother Charlie and father John appreciated and liked the young men, while Maggie felt her heart speed up just a little when she was in their company…
When Flick and Jimmy were renovating the inside of the old farmhouse on Sunnyvale, Flick was excited to find a tightly closed box of hidden keepsakes – but the discovery of what was inside created shockwaves right through the Stewart women. Suddenly there were secrets from a long ago past which threatened to tear apart not just their lives but the lives of others across the world. In an attempt to discover the truth, would they find peace and happiness or would their lives be shattered forever?
I absolutely loved The Sunnyvale Girls! Aussie author Fiona Palmer paints beautiful word pictures of the land, the vastness of the Australian outback and the bush. This story is heartwarming, sad and uplifting all at the same time. The differing strengths of the three women in this story is wonderfully portrayed and I have no hesitation in recommending The Sunnyvale Girls highly.
With thanks to TRR, NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
Back in the war years when Maggie was a young woman, their farm became home to two Italian prisoners of war. Rocco and Giulio came to work on Sunnyvale Farm; they were hardworking young men and settled in well. But Maggie’s mother Phyllis was unimpressed with them – in the two years they were there she didn’t warm to them at all. But Maggie’s brother Charlie and father John appreciated and liked the young men, while Maggie felt her heart speed up just a little when she was in their company…
When Flick and Jimmy were renovating the inside of the old farmhouse on Sunnyvale, Flick was excited to find a tightly closed box of hidden keepsakes – but the discovery of what was inside created shockwaves right through the Stewart women. Suddenly there were secrets from a long ago past which threatened to tear apart not just their lives but the lives of others across the world. In an attempt to discover the truth, would they find peace and happiness or would their lives be shattered forever?
I absolutely loved The Sunnyvale Girls! Aussie author Fiona Palmer paints beautiful word pictures of the land, the vastness of the Australian outback and the bush. This story is heartwarming, sad and uplifting all at the same time. The differing strengths of the three women in this story is wonderfully portrayed and I have no hesitation in recommending The Sunnyvale Girls highly.
With thanks to TRR, NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
January 1, 2015
I first met author Fiona Palmer back in March 2014 when I read her short story THE EMPTY NEST, it was fabulous. So I was chuffed to receive an advanced copy of her latest release THE SUNNYVALE GIRLS, a delightful and absorbing story about relationships, cover-ups and self-discovery. Back in WWII, when the family matriarch, Maggie, was in her teens, her father took on two Italian prisoners of war to help out on Sunnyvale farm – a sheep and wheat property located in Western Australia. Despite Maggie’s mother hating the men and doing everything in her power to keep Maggie away from them – Maggie fell in love with Rocco, and he with her. He was deported when the war ended but he promised to return so they can marry. She never hears from him and now almost 70 years Maggie works the farm with her daughter Toni and granddaughter Flick. It is Flick who finds a stash of letters hidden under the floorboards of the old cottage that she is renovating and Maggie now has to tell her daughter the truth about the past.
Maggie, Toni and Flick are all very strong characters. All three of them have spent all their life on the farm; Maggie and her husband taking over from her father when her brother moved to the city. Maggie’s husband has now died, but before his death Toni took on the responsibility of the farm when her father became ill. Toni is a single mother and her life is the farm as she doesn’t have time for men. She regrets not travelling; not seeing what is out there in the big world. Toni wants her daughter Flick to travel even though Flick wants nothing more than to work the farm. So three ladies all disappointed, all looking for change – whether they realised it or not. The discovery of the letters brings change and adventure into the lives and Toni and Flick very quickly find themselves in Italy looking for answers. They do find what they are looking for, but they also make important self-discoveries about what they really want from life.
I had no idea that Australia brought Italian POWs back here from Europe to be held while war raged. I did know that Australian Italians were interned in camps here, so while some of the POWs joined them in camps – others were sent out to properties as cheap labour, helping local farmers, whose boys were fighting over in Europe, work the land. I loved reading about Toni and Flick’s travels through Italy Fiona Palmer’s descriptions were so evocative as too her descriptions of outback WA. I really got a strong sense of place. The three women took turns in telling the story – Maggie’s telling about life back in the 1940s while Flick and Toni brought the story to the present day. And I know you shouldn’t have favourites but I really did relate to Toni – she has had it tough and she had to the greatest adjustment to reach her happy ever after moment.
Maggie, Toni and Flick are all very strong characters. All three of them have spent all their life on the farm; Maggie and her husband taking over from her father when her brother moved to the city. Maggie’s husband has now died, but before his death Toni took on the responsibility of the farm when her father became ill. Toni is a single mother and her life is the farm as she doesn’t have time for men. She regrets not travelling; not seeing what is out there in the big world. Toni wants her daughter Flick to travel even though Flick wants nothing more than to work the farm. So three ladies all disappointed, all looking for change – whether they realised it or not. The discovery of the letters brings change and adventure into the lives and Toni and Flick very quickly find themselves in Italy looking for answers. They do find what they are looking for, but they also make important self-discoveries about what they really want from life.
I had no idea that Australia brought Italian POWs back here from Europe to be held while war raged. I did know that Australian Italians were interned in camps here, so while some of the POWs joined them in camps – others were sent out to properties as cheap labour, helping local farmers, whose boys were fighting over in Europe, work the land. I loved reading about Toni and Flick’s travels through Italy Fiona Palmer’s descriptions were so evocative as too her descriptions of outback WA. I really got a strong sense of place. The three women took turns in telling the story – Maggie’s telling about life back in the 1940s while Flick and Toni brought the story to the present day. And I know you shouldn’t have favourites but I really did relate to Toni – she has had it tough and she had to the greatest adjustment to reach her happy ever after moment.
September 15, 2014
The Sunnyvale Girls is an Australian 'rural romance' featuring three generations of women. The grandmother, Maggie, drops a bombshell on the family when she unwittingly reveals a secret. (It isn't much of a secret though. As in, it was pretty obvious.) Her daughter, Toni, a 53 year old single mum and farm manager with some self esteem issues, is devastated but Toni's daughter, Flick (short for Felicity), is young and forgiving and enthusiastic, and soon Toni and Flick are travelling to investigate further. This gives Palmer the chance to set the book in regional Italy as well as Western Australia, so there's enough charming descriptions of both areas (and their respective scrumptious food!) to keep readers entertained. Each 'girl' gets to have her moment of romance in the novel. I found Toni's romantic plot much more satisfying than the other two. (I really need to get on my soapbox about publishers and their mindset that everyone wants a young 20-something heroine. It simply isn't the case.) I felt that Palmer fleshed out the 'older' character Toni's romance with more care than the others. In fact, I would maintain that she merely ticked the publisher's boxes with Flick's romance especially. I found myself often skimming over its details and failed to become emotionally involved. Maggie's too became a bit predictable and humdrum after a while. I should explain that even though Maggie is obviously an older woman, her romance is told via flashbacks from when she is a teenager. Personally, I would have cut out the flashbacks completely and simply used alternatives to explaining Maggie's plot. I did enjoy the historical details though and must admit to shedding a tiny tear at her plot's resolution. Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I'm yet to be completely sold on the Australian rural romance genre (or, as it's now being referred to, much to my amusement, 'chook lit'). If you do like the genre, I would highly recommend it though. Palmer's style is easy to read and I can't fault her research or authenticity. 4/5
September 17, 2014
Four and a half stars. This is a story of three generations of women. Maggie, matriarch of the family, still holds memories of the time Italian prisoners of war came to work on her father’s farm and left her with a legacy she never expected. Toni, her daughter and a single mum longed to travel and yet has, due to circumstances, remained at Sunnyvale Farm. Felicity or Flick as she is more commonly known loves the farm and all associated with it. She resents her mother’s suggestions that she should travel.
A stack of letters unearthed in a cottage on the property leads all three women to look at their lives and choices as well as the choices made by others which have affected them. I was thoroughly involved in the story of three strong women, although I did like Toni the best out of the three women.The story has mystery and romance. It is one of those stories the gets you in and doesn't let go till the final page. Even then you end up thinking about the characters and their lives beyond the pages of the book. It is a story that will make you laugh, make you angry and make you cry, or it did me.
I was privileged to have an uncorrected proof copy of this novel from the Reading Room and the publisher Penguin Books. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as an enjoyable way to spend a few hours with the Stewart women and it will have me keeping an eye out for other books by Fiona Palmer. The descriptions of the Australian landscape were very well done.
A stack of letters unearthed in a cottage on the property leads all three women to look at their lives and choices as well as the choices made by others which have affected them. I was thoroughly involved in the story of three strong women, although I did like Toni the best out of the three women.The story has mystery and romance. It is one of those stories the gets you in and doesn't let go till the final page. Even then you end up thinking about the characters and their lives beyond the pages of the book. It is a story that will make you laugh, make you angry and make you cry, or it did me.
I was privileged to have an uncorrected proof copy of this novel from the Reading Room and the publisher Penguin Books. I have no hesitation in recommending this book as an enjoyable way to spend a few hours with the Stewart women and it will have me keeping an eye out for other books by Fiona Palmer. The descriptions of the Australian landscape were very well done.
September 25, 2014
The Sunnyvale Girls, Fiona Palmer's sixth novel, is an engaging story about family, self discovery, and romance.
'Sunnyvale', a sheep and wheat farm in regional Western Australia, is home to three generations of women, matriarch Maggie, her daughter Antonia (Toni) and granddaughter, twenty year old Felicity (Flick).
A dual narrative featuring a contemporary and historical timeline has become a popular element in recent rural romance novels. In The Sunnyvale Girls, Felicity discovers a hidden cache of unopened letters addressed to Maggie, and unearths a secret Maggie has kept for over 50 years. Through Maggie's memories, we learn the origins of that secret - a forbidden wartime romance between Maggie and a young, handsome Italian POW billeted to Sunnyvale during the last years of World War Two. Toni is shocked by Maggie's revelation, but Felicity reacts to the news with excitement and convinces Toni to accompany her to Italy to try and find Maggie's lost love.
Both timelines feature family drama, romance and a hint of mystery. Palmer explores the individual journey's of the three women with a deft hand by challenging her characters emotionally.
Maggie's story reveals a bittersweet tale of first love, thwarted by prejudice and circumstance. Her secret is easily guessed, but the storyline is sweet, the historical details are interesting and I was eager to find out why Rocco never returned for Maggie as promised.
Toni, already simmering with long held resentments and low self esteem, is furious with her mother when Maggie's secret is revealed. It makes her question the choices she has made in the past and forces her to confront the decisions she needs to make about her future, especially where Jimmy, Sunnyvale's farm hand, is concerned.
Felicity is simply curious about Maggie's past and excited at the prospect of reuniting her grandmother with her lost love. Having fought her mother's attempts to get Felicity to explore the world beyond the boundaries of Sunnyvale, Italy is a revelation for Felicity, especially when she meets a handsome Italian waiter.
Palmer has always had success with creating a strong sense of place in her novels, drawing on her familiarity with the Australian rural landscape. The author's descriptions of Italy, particularly of the village of Montone in which Maggie and Flick stay, are similarly evocative. (Check out Fiona's guest post at Book'd Out to learn about her research trip to Italy.)
A lovely rural romance, with appealing characters, a strong storyline, and a historical twist, The Sunnyvale Girls is another enjoyable novel from Fiona Palmer.
July 4, 2023
It was a joy to spend time with the three generations of the Stewart family out on their Western Australian property, Sunnyvale. (Now doesn't that evoke brightness and happiness straight away?)
Maggie, Toni and Felicity are so passionate about and busy on their beloved land that any notion of expanding their wings is put aside for another day. However, when a 53 year old love letter addressed to Maggie is unearthed, all three women's lives are changed in an instant.
The mystery of a forbidden love affair in the 1930's is the catalyst of our tale. In the search of finding a long lost beau, dreams are achieved, soul searching takes place and the opportunity for second chances arises for all the Sunnyvale Girls.
Toni and Felicity's brief trip to Italy was such a delightful experience! All that iconic food and sights were a treat for my eyes and tastebuds!
There's something so attractive and romantic about Italian men! Just wait until you meet Rocco and Stefano. They're just... perfect. Even though he's a True Blue Aussie, farmhand Jimmy also displays that same attentiveness and desire for Toni.
Happy endings make me happy. Fiona always manages to leave me with so many feels!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
Maggie, Toni and Felicity are so passionate about and busy on their beloved land that any notion of expanding their wings is put aside for another day. However, when a 53 year old love letter addressed to Maggie is unearthed, all three women's lives are changed in an instant.
The mystery of a forbidden love affair in the 1930's is the catalyst of our tale. In the search of finding a long lost beau, dreams are achieved, soul searching takes place and the opportunity for second chances arises for all the Sunnyvale Girls.
Toni and Felicity's brief trip to Italy was such a delightful experience! All that iconic food and sights were a treat for my eyes and tastebuds!
There's something so attractive and romantic about Italian men! Just wait until you meet Rocco and Stefano. They're just... perfect. Even though he's a True Blue Aussie, farmhand Jimmy also displays that same attentiveness and desire for Toni.
Happy endings make me happy. Fiona always manages to leave me with so many feels!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
September 20, 2014
Set in Western Australia and Italy, the heart warming story of three women tied together by family, love and their land - Sunnyvale. Authentic details made this story, the Australian outback comes to life and the Italian flavour gave it an added sparkle.
October 12, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.
Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.
When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.
I think the blurb tells you everything you need to know about the plot so I won't go over that - but let me tell you why I thought this book was a 4 star story...
First of all, let's just clear the air a little - the cover of this book does the story absolutely no justice. Here in Oz, there was (and, to some degree still is) a penchant for having pretty girls with hats on the cover of any book that might somehow be called a "rural romance" novel. And that would be the impression one gets from this cover too.
But it is so much more than that. It is a generational story; a story of three families over 70 years, a story that takes us from the heart of a rural property in Western Australia all the way to Italy, It is a story of hope and resilience. It is also a story of the mystery of a letter found under a loose floorboard, a letter that sets in motion all of these storylines that aren't just romance...
Don't get me wrong - there is still romance in this book. But there is just so much more to it than that! Recommended!
Paul
ARH
Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.
Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a young girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.
When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey deep into their own hearts and all the way across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.
I think the blurb tells you everything you need to know about the plot so I won't go over that - but let me tell you why I thought this book was a 4 star story...
First of all, let's just clear the air a little - the cover of this book does the story absolutely no justice. Here in Oz, there was (and, to some degree still is) a penchant for having pretty girls with hats on the cover of any book that might somehow be called a "rural romance" novel. And that would be the impression one gets from this cover too.
But it is so much more than that. It is a generational story; a story of three families over 70 years, a story that takes us from the heart of a rural property in Western Australia all the way to Italy, It is a story of hope and resilience. It is also a story of the mystery of a letter found under a loose floorboard, a letter that sets in motion all of these storylines that aren't just romance...
Don't get me wrong - there is still romance in this book. But there is just so much more to it than that! Recommended!
Paul
ARH
September 20, 2014
A heart-wrenching tale of three generations of women, each with their own story and all of them part of life on Sunnyvale Farm.
Maggie - The matriarch of Sunnyvale has a secret. A secret that could tear the very foundation of her family and one that could change not only her life but that of three generations of Stewart women.
Toni (Antonia) - A mother looking out for her daughter and her mother while farming her land, her other pride and joy that is Sunnyvale. Toni receives some life changing news that not only alters her life as she knows it but the lives of three generations which sets her on a journey of self discovery in more ways than one.
Flick (Felicity) - The youngest of the Stewart women of Sunnyvale Farm. Strong willed Flick. Farm life is all she loves and knows. Her life is her family and the farm. While renovating her soon to be house, she stumbles across a family secret that sets about a chain of events, putting her on a course that challenges her emotionally and breaks down barriers from previous heartbreaks.
A wonderful, heartfelt story that was a passionate, soul-stirring, tearful and joyful read all at once. The journey that Maggie, Toni and Flick are set on is profound and thoroughly emotional and will have you completely immersed in the book. An unmissable read and one that is an absolute delight of a story.
*ARC Received from the Publisher for an honest review
Maggie - The matriarch of Sunnyvale has a secret. A secret that could tear the very foundation of her family and one that could change not only her life but that of three generations of Stewart women.
Toni (Antonia) - A mother looking out for her daughter and her mother while farming her land, her other pride and joy that is Sunnyvale. Toni receives some life changing news that not only alters her life as she knows it but the lives of three generations which sets her on a journey of self discovery in more ways than one.
Flick (Felicity) - The youngest of the Stewart women of Sunnyvale Farm. Strong willed Flick. Farm life is all she loves and knows. Her life is her family and the farm. While renovating her soon to be house, she stumbles across a family secret that sets about a chain of events, putting her on a course that challenges her emotionally and breaks down barriers from previous heartbreaks.
A wonderful, heartfelt story that was a passionate, soul-stirring, tearful and joyful read all at once. The journey that Maggie, Toni and Flick are set on is profound and thoroughly emotional and will have you completely immersed in the book. An unmissable read and one that is an absolute delight of a story.
*ARC Received from the Publisher for an honest review
March 4, 2019
I usually love Fiona Palmer but this was a very ho hum storyline
Two people (Toni and Jimmy) have worked together for four years. All of a sudden Toni notices he's strong and good looking and awesome and becomes all weird around him. Why now I have to ask?
Flick (aarrrrgh) is strong and beautiful and all together good. But you don't really see much of a reason why. Besides she's called Flick (aarrrrgh)!!
A love at first sight holiday romance and a number of unanswered questions at the end just added to the mediocracy of this book.
I'm sad as I usually love this author
Two people (Toni and Jimmy) have worked together for four years. All of a sudden Toni notices he's strong and good looking and awesome and becomes all weird around him. Why now I have to ask?
Flick (aarrrrgh) is strong and beautiful and all together good. But you don't really see much of a reason why. Besides she's called Flick (aarrrrgh)!!
A love at first sight holiday romance and a number of unanswered questions at the end just added to the mediocracy of this book.
I'm sad as I usually love this author
November 12, 2014
Heartfelt, gentle and romantic, The Sunnyvale Girls makes it crystal clear why Fiona Palmer is so popular among rural romance lovers. It’s thoroughly enjoyable and just right for some well-earned “me” time.
Full review: http://writenotereviews.com/2014/11/1...
Full review: http://writenotereviews.com/2014/11/1...
February 23, 2015
Another great book by Fiona Palmer. I loved Maggie and Rocco's love story, so touching and sad at the same time. I also loved the historical aspects of this book with regards to the Italian prisoners during the war.
December 30, 2014
* 4.5 stars
Loved this beautiful combination of West Australian history, combined with a generational saga, with hint of Italy too.
Loved this beautiful combination of West Australian history, combined with a generational saga, with hint of Italy too.
October 27, 2014
Completely addictive, once I started this I couldn't put it down!!!! I absolutely loved this story, I can't rate it high enough. A must read!!
Read
April 23, 2015very good
August 28, 2021
Sunnyvale Farm has been owned by the same family for years. It is currently run by females from three generations starting with grandmother Maggie, daughter Toni, and granddaughter Flick. They also have live-in help from Jimmy their farm hand.
On the property is a mud brick cottage which was built by two Italian prisoners-of-war, Guilio and Rocco, fifty years earlier. They had been sent to help on the farm whilst being held in Australia. When Flick starts renovating the cottage, she discovers some letters under a loose floorboard addressed to Maggie. She takes the letters to Maggie which in turn leads to Toni and Flick taking a trip to Italy to track down Rocco after some family turmoil and shocks.
A must read if you like country romance and to find out what happens to the wonderful characters in the book!
On the property is a mud brick cottage which was built by two Italian prisoners-of-war, Guilio and Rocco, fifty years earlier. They had been sent to help on the farm whilst being held in Australia. When Flick starts renovating the cottage, she discovers some letters under a loose floorboard addressed to Maggie. She takes the letters to Maggie which in turn leads to Toni and Flick taking a trip to Italy to track down Rocco after some family turmoil and shocks.
A must read if you like country romance and to find out what happens to the wonderful characters in the book!
February 23, 2019
I'm not really sure why I persisted with this book. I found it slow and predictable. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it just didn't. There was a quote from Rachael Johns on the cover about it being tear-jerking, but I there was nothing tear-jerking about it at all. I was really quite disappointed. About a 1/3 of the way through I was thinking about giving up on it, but I hung in there hoping it would improve - it didn't. It took me 16 days to read - and that's a long time for me..... it just shows that it didn't grab me, and I found other things to do other than reading. I will give Fiona Palmer another try, and I hope the next book of hers that I read is better.
Read
August 20, 2023I liked it. At the start, I thought this would be a bit too cheesy and we-all-live-happily-ever-after-y. But I was pleasantly surprised by some unexpected plot twists and scenery changes. A great book to read before a trip to Italy or outback Australia. An easy read with enough storyline and character development to be intriguing. Recommend.
September 25, 2014
Flick is part of a three generation farming team, living and working on the land with her mother Toni and her grandmother Maggie. For Flick, the farm is everything – she’s never really wanted to leave and do anything else. However Toni wants her to take the money her grandfather left her and travel, have the opportunity to see the world, something Toni never was able to do. But Flick would rather stay on the farm and do up the old homestead. While she’s doing the floors she discovers a secret compartment and unearths a pile of letters from just after the Second World War.
When Maggie was a teenager during WWII, the family farm received some Italian prisoners of war to work. One of them, a handsome man named Rocco caught her eye and over the years Rocco lived and worked on the farm, he and Maggie fell in love. Their moments together were snatched and fleeting as Maggie’s mother would never have approved of them even speaking and socialising, let alone anything else. When Flick discovers the letters it opens up memories and secrets that Maggie has long kept hidden and it isn’t long before they all come spilling out, changing lives and causing rifts.
Toni and Flick journey to Italy on a quest to find some more answers, not just about the long-kept secret but also about themselves and what they really want.
The Sunnyvale Girls is rural queen Fiona Palmer’s latest offering and blends the contemporary with the historical, taking the reader back to the time of the Second World War and the Italian prisoners who were brought to Australia and held for the duration of the war. Some were in camps, others farmed out to properties as cheap labour, helping local farmers work the land. In the 1940s, Maggie is a teenager living on her family’s farm, fulfilling a traditional female role helping her mother cook and tend the gardens. Her mother seems dissatisfied with farming life and the house the family has to live in and she’s deeply disapproving of the two Italian POW’s delivered to the farm resenting their presence at her dinner table despite the fact that they are using their expertise learned before the war to build a new homestead on the farm, all their own idea. Maggie is much more like her father and her brother who are both welcoming and accepting of the two prisoners, getting to know them as best they can and coming to consider them almost a part of the family. Maggie always hoped that Rocco would come back for her after he was able to go home when the war ended but until Flick unearthed the hidden letters, she’d never heard a word from him.
Maggie, Toni and Flick are all strong characters in very different ways. Maggie has lived her life on the land, taking over her father’s farm rather than her brother, who had little interest in it and moved to the city. She’s seen her husband injured and endured his loss. Toni is a single mother, has always been a single mother and her life is the farm, sometimes to her private resentment. She regrets not travelling, leaving to see what else is out there. She passionately wants more for Flick, even though Flick says she doesn’t have any other ambitions other than to work the farm. Toni has closed herself off from love, even though there are options, including one that’s always been right in front of her eyes. The journey to Italy shows her what she’s been missing and what she could have if only she were brave enough to say the word and reach out for what she wants. For Flick, Italy shows her what is out there beyond the farm. Despite thinking that she never wanted to leave, the opportunity to solve the quest makes her realise that there’s much more out there and she can see and do things without having to give up the farm. It also presents opportunities in her personal life that just aren’t available at home.
The Sunnyvale Girls is a really enjoyable tale that showcases the wonderful settings of rural WA, both 70 years ago and today as well as the beauty and excitement of Italy. I’ve never been overseas so I really loved reading about Toni and Flick visiting Italy and the things that they got to see and do. My parents went a couple of years ago and I’ve seen their pictures so I was able to really visualise their adventures. Italy is one place that I’d really love to go, because it forms a big part of my boy’s heritage. I thought the mystery was very engaging and I absolutely loved the way it played out. It was something that I could actually see happening because sometimes, life just works like that. I could have read a whole book about Maggie, from her life starting when Rocco arrived on the farm onwards. I felt like there was so much more to that story that I could’ve learned and it would’ve made fascinating reading. I liked Toni and Flick as characters and I appreciated that Toni wanted more for her daughter, even if it seemed like she was being overly pushy at times. Flick came to realise that she wouldn’t know this stuff didn’t interest her unless she actually tried it out. Both Toni and Flick discover a lot of things about themselves and I think through learning Maggie’s story it encourages both of them to take those opportunities in front of them and not be left wondering what might have been.
When Maggie was a teenager during WWII, the family farm received some Italian prisoners of war to work. One of them, a handsome man named Rocco caught her eye and over the years Rocco lived and worked on the farm, he and Maggie fell in love. Their moments together were snatched and fleeting as Maggie’s mother would never have approved of them even speaking and socialising, let alone anything else. When Flick discovers the letters it opens up memories and secrets that Maggie has long kept hidden and it isn’t long before they all come spilling out, changing lives and causing rifts.
Toni and Flick journey to Italy on a quest to find some more answers, not just about the long-kept secret but also about themselves and what they really want.
The Sunnyvale Girls is rural queen Fiona Palmer’s latest offering and blends the contemporary with the historical, taking the reader back to the time of the Second World War and the Italian prisoners who were brought to Australia and held for the duration of the war. Some were in camps, others farmed out to properties as cheap labour, helping local farmers work the land. In the 1940s, Maggie is a teenager living on her family’s farm, fulfilling a traditional female role helping her mother cook and tend the gardens. Her mother seems dissatisfied with farming life and the house the family has to live in and she’s deeply disapproving of the two Italian POW’s delivered to the farm resenting their presence at her dinner table despite the fact that they are using their expertise learned before the war to build a new homestead on the farm, all their own idea. Maggie is much more like her father and her brother who are both welcoming and accepting of the two prisoners, getting to know them as best they can and coming to consider them almost a part of the family. Maggie always hoped that Rocco would come back for her after he was able to go home when the war ended but until Flick unearthed the hidden letters, she’d never heard a word from him.
Maggie, Toni and Flick are all strong characters in very different ways. Maggie has lived her life on the land, taking over her father’s farm rather than her brother, who had little interest in it and moved to the city. She’s seen her husband injured and endured his loss. Toni is a single mother, has always been a single mother and her life is the farm, sometimes to her private resentment. She regrets not travelling, leaving to see what else is out there. She passionately wants more for Flick, even though Flick says she doesn’t have any other ambitions other than to work the farm. Toni has closed herself off from love, even though there are options, including one that’s always been right in front of her eyes. The journey to Italy shows her what she’s been missing and what she could have if only she were brave enough to say the word and reach out for what she wants. For Flick, Italy shows her what is out there beyond the farm. Despite thinking that she never wanted to leave, the opportunity to solve the quest makes her realise that there’s much more out there and she can see and do things without having to give up the farm. It also presents opportunities in her personal life that just aren’t available at home.
The Sunnyvale Girls is a really enjoyable tale that showcases the wonderful settings of rural WA, both 70 years ago and today as well as the beauty and excitement of Italy. I’ve never been overseas so I really loved reading about Toni and Flick visiting Italy and the things that they got to see and do. My parents went a couple of years ago and I’ve seen their pictures so I was able to really visualise their adventures. Italy is one place that I’d really love to go, because it forms a big part of my boy’s heritage. I thought the mystery was very engaging and I absolutely loved the way it played out. It was something that I could actually see happening because sometimes, life just works like that. I could have read a whole book about Maggie, from her life starting when Rocco arrived on the farm onwards. I felt like there was so much more to that story that I could’ve learned and it would’ve made fascinating reading. I liked Toni and Flick as characters and I appreciated that Toni wanted more for her daughter, even if it seemed like she was being overly pushy at times. Flick came to realise that she wouldn’t know this stuff didn’t interest her unless she actually tried it out. Both Toni and Flick discover a lot of things about themselves and I think through learning Maggie’s story it encourages both of them to take those opportunities in front of them and not be left wondering what might have been.
Want to read
November 1, 2018Great story, I love reading books set in WA as I know the places, I've also been to Italy and enjoyed reading the characters experiences. A great story about keeping secrets and the effect they can have on those involved. About family and love and exploring who we are.
October 1, 2018
Fiona Palmer delivered yet another great read. I love the way she develops her characters and her insight into human nature is faultless! Bellissimo!!
January 29, 2020
Loved this book of Fiona’s ! It was my 1st Fiona Palmer book & I loved it ! Wished there was a sequel too it ! Read lots more of her books since then !
Read
June 28, 2020Compelling story weaving together three generations of women and their journey of love and search for their fathers.
April 23, 2022
Loved the Sunnyvale girls, was sad to say goodbye to these characters
August 14, 2022
Another good read from Fiona Palmer. Love all her books. The stories are emotional at times and they have great storylines.
December 13, 2022
3.5 stars
October 23, 2025
Very enjoyable read!
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