What do you think?
Rate this book
Home to Turtle Bay
A warm and witty multi-generational romantic comedy, set in a coastal Australian farming community, from international bestselling romance author Marion Lennox.
Dr Jennifer Kelly has reached the pinnacle of her career as a successful Manhattan obstetrician, complete with ambitious, blue-blooded fiance. After a desolate childhood with a distant grandmother, life seems everything she's ever wanted.
When a grandfather she's never heard of leaves her a dairy farm on an isolated Australian island - plus one depressed dog, thirty geriatric cows and a bunch of ancient surfboards - she plans a quick trip to put the farm up for sale. Her aloof, socialite grandmother Muriel is appalled, yet insists on accompanying her.
Once there, Jenny finds herself caught, by cows, by turtles - and by Jack McLachlan, the overworked island doctor who desperately needs her help. Muriel's caught too, with ghosts of her wartime past threatening to crack the shell she's built with such dedication and care.
But isn't Manhattan their home? How can two women give up the perfect world they've worked so hard for by taking a chance on...life?
'Joyous and breathtaking, a story to touch your heart, make you smile and see the world as a better place.' - Barbara Hannay
Dr Jennifer Kelly has reached the pinnacle of her career as a successful Manhattan obstetrician, complete with ambitious, blue-blooded fiance. After a desolate childhood with a distant grandmother, life seems everything she's ever wanted.
When a grandfather she's never heard of leaves her a dairy farm on an isolated Australian island - plus one depressed dog, thirty geriatric cows and a bunch of ancient surfboards - she plans a quick trip to put the farm up for sale. Her aloof, socialite grandmother Muriel is appalled, yet insists on accompanying her.
Once there, Jenny finds herself caught, by cows, by turtles - and by Jack McLachlan, the overworked island doctor who desperately needs her help. Muriel's caught too, with ghosts of her wartime past threatening to crack the shell she's built with such dedication and care.
But isn't Manhattan their home? How can two women give up the perfect world they've worked so hard for by taking a chance on...life?
'Joyous and breathtaking, a story to touch your heart, make you smile and see the world as a better place.' - Barbara Hannay
406 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2018
28 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Marion Lennox
796 books137 followersWriting romance sounds fascinating. Huh?
I'm a writer. I'm boring. Day after day I sit behind a word processor making up people in my head. Why do I do it? I love it. My husband, Dave, gets up in the morning, puts on a suit and heads out into the ice and cold of Ballarat's winter. (Sadly I live in one of the tiny parts of Australia that qualifies as cold.) I make myself another cup of coffee, head up to my study, choose what music I want and sit and daydream. And I get paid for doing it. Hooray!
My first attempt at writing romance, 'Dare To Love Again', a Medical Romance, was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in 1990. It still stands today as a monument to my family's ability to survive on cheese sandwiches and spaghetti.
Since then I've written over 80 Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, with more on the drawing board. (I used a pseudonym - Trisha David - for the first few Romances but suffered with a split personality and have since reverted to being Marion Lennox all the time.) In between romances, I've co-authored a non-fiction history, (I love local history) done the odd (very odd) spot of housework and done a heap of travelling - research :-)
I come from a farming community. You can probably tell this from my books. There's not a skyscraper in sight. I'm very much a pets person. Chloe and Harry were my constant canine companions for many years as I wrote, demanding walks and air freshener at frequent intervals. Sadly I lost them, and for a while I vowed not to get another. My heart was broken and my study smelled so clean! But.. The cat and I missed them so badly we weakened and bought Mitzi. Mitzi's a black and silver mini-schnauzer who makes me and the cat laugh. Expect to find her in future stories.
If you're interested in formalities, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a teaching diploma. I have a couple of kids and a huge extended family who look on me with affectionate tolerance. Marion? The crazy one who talks to people in her head... I've had nine nominations for the Rita, winning twice, and fourteen for the Australian Book of the Year. After years of thinking of my writing as a hobby I guess I finally now qualify as a `real' writer.
Thank your for taking the trouble to check out my web page. Now try my books. We might even end up having fun together. And write to me. I show my family - `See? Real people do like the things that go in in my head.'
I'm a writer. I'm boring. Day after day I sit behind a word processor making up people in my head. Why do I do it? I love it. My husband, Dave, gets up in the morning, puts on a suit and heads out into the ice and cold of Ballarat's winter. (Sadly I live in one of the tiny parts of Australia that qualifies as cold.) I make myself another cup of coffee, head up to my study, choose what music I want and sit and daydream. And I get paid for doing it. Hooray!
My first attempt at writing romance, 'Dare To Love Again', a Medical Romance, was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in 1990. It still stands today as a monument to my family's ability to survive on cheese sandwiches and spaghetti.
Since then I've written over 80 Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, with more on the drawing board. (I used a pseudonym - Trisha David - for the first few Romances but suffered with a split personality and have since reverted to being Marion Lennox all the time.) In between romances, I've co-authored a non-fiction history, (I love local history) done the odd (very odd) spot of housework and done a heap of travelling - research :-)
I come from a farming community. You can probably tell this from my books. There's not a skyscraper in sight. I'm very much a pets person. Chloe and Harry were my constant canine companions for many years as I wrote, demanding walks and air freshener at frequent intervals. Sadly I lost them, and for a while I vowed not to get another. My heart was broken and my study smelled so clean! But.. The cat and I missed them so badly we weakened and bought Mitzi. Mitzi's a black and silver mini-schnauzer who makes me and the cat laugh. Expect to find her in future stories.
If you're interested in formalities, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a teaching diploma. I have a couple of kids and a huge extended family who look on me with affectionate tolerance. Marion? The crazy one who talks to people in her head... I've had nine nominations for the Rita, winning twice, and fourteen for the Australian Book of the Year. After years of thinking of my writing as a hobby I guess I finally now qualify as a `real' writer.
Thank your for taking the trouble to check out my web page. Now try my books. We might even end up having fun together. And write to me. I show my family - `See? Real people do like the things that go in in my head.'
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 4, 2019
When highly respected Manhattan obstetrician Dr Jennifer Kelly learned that she had inherited property on a small Australian island called Nautilus she was stunned. She’d never heard of the grandfather who’d left her a dairy farm, among other things. She decided to take two weeks leave, fly to the island and put everything up for sale. Her fiancé Richard couldn’t accompany her, but the woman who’d raised her, grandmother Muriel, decided she would go with Jennifer.
Dr Jack McLachlan was the sole doctor on the island; was desperately overworked and struggling to overcome demons from his past. When he saw the new inhabitants of the cottage at Turtle Bay he knew immediately they would be selling the property. The islanders were a tight group of people they each called family – they didn’t want the land sold and strangers moving in. But Jack also knew that with old Henry gone, there was nothing to hold his granddaughter to the island.
With Muriel caught in the past, and Jennifer trying to learn all she could of the grandfather she had never known, the magnificent view from the cottage was a balm for the women. The nearby ocean beckoned while an early morning surfer caught Jennifer’s gaze…
Home to Turtle Bay by Aussie author Marion Lennox is a heartwarming, poignant and wonderful story which had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions, then feeling a lump in my throat at other times. Beautifully written, the characters have a depth to them that made me feel I knew them. A story I absolutely loved, Home to Turtle Bay is one I highly recommend. I love the cover as well – so true of our Australian coastline.
With thanks to the publisher for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Dr Jack McLachlan was the sole doctor on the island; was desperately overworked and struggling to overcome demons from his past. When he saw the new inhabitants of the cottage at Turtle Bay he knew immediately they would be selling the property. The islanders were a tight group of people they each called family – they didn’t want the land sold and strangers moving in. But Jack also knew that with old Henry gone, there was nothing to hold his granddaughter to the island.
With Muriel caught in the past, and Jennifer trying to learn all she could of the grandfather she had never known, the magnificent view from the cottage was a balm for the women. The nearby ocean beckoned while an early morning surfer caught Jennifer’s gaze…
Home to Turtle Bay by Aussie author Marion Lennox is a heartwarming, poignant and wonderful story which had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions, then feeling a lump in my throat at other times. Beautifully written, the characters have a depth to them that made me feel I knew them. A story I absolutely loved, Home to Turtle Bay is one I highly recommend. I love the cover as well – so true of our Australian coastline.
With thanks to the publisher for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2020
Four and a half stars.
Dr Jennifer Kelly is a successful Manhattan obstetrician, engaged to Richard, an ambitious, wealthy and prestigious surgeon. Jennifer has been raised by her socialite grandmother Muriel since her mother Sonia died when she was seven, but there is little love between them. Then Jennifer receives a letter that stuns her. She has been left a dairy farm, Drifter, an elderly dog and a number of surfboards on Nautilus, an Australian island by a grandfather she didn’t even know existed. With Australia’s strict quarantine laws regarding animals I’m not sure the situation with Drifter the do could have happened quite as it did in the book. The plan is for a quick visit to get some idea of what she has inherited and then put it up for sale. Jennifer has also promised to return in plenty of time to deliver socialite Isabella Clayburgh’s baby. For reasons of her own Muriel insists on accompanying Jennifer to the island. On Nautilus Jennifer is confronted by Jack McLachlan, the overworked doctor on the island who is also caring for his niece Bridget, who is in a wheelchair after the accident that killed her parents. When Muriel ends up with serious health issues that prevent her flying back to America, Jennifer is forced to stay and look after her grandmother for a few weeks till she is able to travel. While on the island Jennifer finds a collection of unsent letters from Henry, the grandfather she never knew and encounters some very judgemental attitudes from the island people with regard to her grandmother who left the island and Henry fifty years earlier. Jennifer is determined to find out more about the grandfather she never knew. Jennifer learns a lot more about her grandfather, the island, its inhabitants and its attitudes.
It took me a little to get into this. Jennifer initially is not the most sympathetic character as she is aloof and obsessed with expensive tastes. As for Muriel, she is one of those opinionated, rude and yet elegant characters that work in books but not one you’d want to meet in real life. And when we meet Jack, he is judgemental and abrupt. But the reader senses there is perhaps more than meet the eyes.
The blurb on the cover says, ’joyous and breathtaking, a story to touch your heart,’ This quote from Barbara Hannay, who is a favourite author, plus reviews I’d seen a while back were enough to convince me this would be a good read. I was not disappointed. The setting is beautiful. Even this non surfer could appreciate the descriptions of the water and the joy of surfing. The characters are complex, with chequered histories that have shaped their attitudes. Over the course of the story attitudes and perceptions change. There is more than one romance in this book but romance does not always work out the way one might hope. Love is not always enough to conquer every problem. Several emergency crisis situations made me hold my breath and there are moments of humour and fun. Once the story got going a little I was absolutely engrossed and wanted to pick this book up every chance I got. Last night it was a case of telling my darling husband, ’I can’t go to bed till I finish my book.’ Okay, some of the end with its misunderstandings and turtle conversation was a bit over the top, but by then I didn’t care a whit even if a tad predictable at times. These were only a couple of minor quibbles in what is a great book. I loved the story, and the characters. It left me feeling satisfied at the end and so glad I read this book. And what about the gorgeous cover, so indicative of Australia’s coast! This is a highly recommended, as an uplifting, involving read. A joy to read and lose myself in for a time!
Dr Jennifer Kelly is a successful Manhattan obstetrician, engaged to Richard, an ambitious, wealthy and prestigious surgeon. Jennifer has been raised by her socialite grandmother Muriel since her mother Sonia died when she was seven, but there is little love between them. Then Jennifer receives a letter that stuns her. She has been left a dairy farm, Drifter, an elderly dog and a number of surfboards on Nautilus, an Australian island by a grandfather she didn’t even know existed. With Australia’s strict quarantine laws regarding animals I’m not sure the situation with Drifter the do could have happened quite as it did in the book. The plan is for a quick visit to get some idea of what she has inherited and then put it up for sale. Jennifer has also promised to return in plenty of time to deliver socialite Isabella Clayburgh’s baby. For reasons of her own Muriel insists on accompanying Jennifer to the island. On Nautilus Jennifer is confronted by Jack McLachlan, the overworked doctor on the island who is also caring for his niece Bridget, who is in a wheelchair after the accident that killed her parents. When Muriel ends up with serious health issues that prevent her flying back to America, Jennifer is forced to stay and look after her grandmother for a few weeks till she is able to travel. While on the island Jennifer finds a collection of unsent letters from Henry, the grandfather she never knew and encounters some very judgemental attitudes from the island people with regard to her grandmother who left the island and Henry fifty years earlier. Jennifer is determined to find out more about the grandfather she never knew. Jennifer learns a lot more about her grandfather, the island, its inhabitants and its attitudes.
It took me a little to get into this. Jennifer initially is not the most sympathetic character as she is aloof and obsessed with expensive tastes. As for Muriel, she is one of those opinionated, rude and yet elegant characters that work in books but not one you’d want to meet in real life. And when we meet Jack, he is judgemental and abrupt. But the reader senses there is perhaps more than meet the eyes.
The blurb on the cover says, ’joyous and breathtaking, a story to touch your heart,’ This quote from Barbara Hannay, who is a favourite author, plus reviews I’d seen a while back were enough to convince me this would be a good read. I was not disappointed. The setting is beautiful. Even this non surfer could appreciate the descriptions of the water and the joy of surfing. The characters are complex, with chequered histories that have shaped their attitudes. Over the course of the story attitudes and perceptions change. There is more than one romance in this book but romance does not always work out the way one might hope. Love is not always enough to conquer every problem. Several emergency crisis situations made me hold my breath and there are moments of humour and fun. Once the story got going a little I was absolutely engrossed and wanted to pick this book up every chance I got. Last night it was a case of telling my darling husband, ’I can’t go to bed till I finish my book.’ Okay, some of the end with its misunderstandings and turtle conversation was a bit over the top, but by then I didn’t care a whit even if a tad predictable at times. These were only a couple of minor quibbles in what is a great book. I loved the story, and the characters. It left me feeling satisfied at the end and so glad I read this book. And what about the gorgeous cover, so indicative of Australia’s coast! This is a highly recommended, as an uplifting, involving read. A joy to read and lose myself in for a time!
January 1, 2019
Home to Turtle Bay is a lovely book. It made me laugh and it made me cry! This is the first book by author Marion Lennox that I have read and I really enjoyed it. I spent new years eve and new years day in Turtle Bay along with Jenny, Jack and all the wonderful characters. Although I guessed how this book would end it did not stop me from loving this story.
Dr Jennifer Kelly is a well respected Manhattan obstetrician living the perfect life - high profile patients, engaged to marry Richard who is also a high powered doctor. That is until one day she received the news that the grandfather that she never knew has died and left his farm and surf school on a remote Australian island. She heads out there with the grandmother who raised her to check the place out with a view to sell it and get back to Manhattan.
She gets a lot more than she bargains for when she arrives. The farm is being looked after by local doctor Jack who lives on the next farm with his disabled niece Bridget. She starts to get involved in island life and its residents who start to become friends. She learns of her past through the locals and her priorities start to change when she is forced to stay longer than expected.
This is a funny and honest story and I felt like I was in Turtle Bay. The descriptions of the island and its characters made it all so real. I will look out for this writer again. A big thank you to Harlequin Books for sending me a copy of this book to read and enjoy. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Dr Jennifer Kelly is a well respected Manhattan obstetrician living the perfect life - high profile patients, engaged to marry Richard who is also a high powered doctor. That is until one day she received the news that the grandfather that she never knew has died and left his farm and surf school on a remote Australian island. She heads out there with the grandmother who raised her to check the place out with a view to sell it and get back to Manhattan.
She gets a lot more than she bargains for when she arrives. The farm is being looked after by local doctor Jack who lives on the next farm with his disabled niece Bridget. She starts to get involved in island life and its residents who start to become friends. She learns of her past through the locals and her priorities start to change when she is forced to stay longer than expected.
This is a funny and honest story and I felt like I was in Turtle Bay. The descriptions of the island and its characters made it all so real. I will look out for this writer again. A big thank you to Harlequin Books for sending me a copy of this book to read and enjoy. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
November 9, 2020
Having just read a few violent and graphic novels this book was the perfect antidote.
Jenny is a successful obstetrician in Manhattan, but her happy yet somewhat predictable life is turned upside down when she finds out she has inherited a dairy farm and surf school on an island off the coast of Northern New South Wales.
Jenny is a bit of a loner having been raised by her wealthy, socialite grandmother when her mother died while Jenny was very young. Her grandmother keeps her well at arms length and will not discuss anything to do with the past nor family with Jenny.
Intent on making a quick trip to organise the sale of the property, Jenny finds herself in an unfamiliar setting where everyone knows more about her past than she thought possible.
This is a story of heart break told with warmth and humour.
Jenny is a successful obstetrician in Manhattan, but her happy yet somewhat predictable life is turned upside down when she finds out she has inherited a dairy farm and surf school on an island off the coast of Northern New South Wales.
Jenny is a bit of a loner having been raised by her wealthy, socialite grandmother when her mother died while Jenny was very young. Her grandmother keeps her well at arms length and will not discuss anything to do with the past nor family with Jenny.
Intent on making a quick trip to organise the sale of the property, Jenny finds herself in an unfamiliar setting where everyone knows more about her past than she thought possible.
This is a story of heart break told with warmth and humour.
January 14, 2020
This book grew on me!
My first impressions were less than totally enthusiastic, I hated the character of Muriel and I could see the plot arc so clearly; crusty unlikable Grandmother becomes lovable once you know her backstory. Well, that proved to be correct but while at the start I kept thinking that nothing would excuse her neglect the book scored points in that it never tried to make them excusable, only explicable.
I didn't like Jack-the-love-interest. Obviously Jen was going to ditch the Manhattan fiance and end up with Jack on the island. But I didn't like him and I felt sorry for Jen who was going to exchange one arrogant, uncaring, stuck up doctor fiance for another model of the same. Sure, she was indubitably better off with Jack, because that way she gets beaches with turtles laying on them, surfing and an island lifestyle rather than a sterile, money grubbing lifestyle. Still, I liked Jen and wanted better for her. In fact, I never actually took to Jack that much, I tried to excuse his behaviors by telling myself that it is just an example of Australian anti-tall-poppy syndrome, but no, he was a boor. Still he was well written, fitted with Jen and was superbly suited to the story, so really I didn't have to like him.
Also right at the beginning. The theme of shipping the dog to USA, then turning around and sending him straight back.... My mind boggled. This author is Australian, has she no idea of the fact we have among the strongest, harshest incoming quarantine laws in the world? This plot line took ludicrous to a whole new level.
Despite all these (and more) annoyances and aggravations this book charmed me, while it is classed as a romance, and there is a romance element to it, there is so much more to this book than just Jack and Jen going up the hill to fill a bucket of water.... I loved the descriptions of Muriel and Jen coming to the island, Nautilus Island itself charmed me entirely and while I am pretty sure it is entirely fictitious, the pictures of it that this book painted in my mind are stronger than of some actually places I have really visited.
While Jack stayed an Ahole, Jen's growing connection with him based on her unknown grandfather and the medical situations that arose on the island during her stay made for a very believable buildup of association and experience between them. Also, it made the population of the island rich, varied and interesting to the reader; I really, really enjoyed the large number of characters in this book. They felt so very real!
I also loved the descriptions of the beach and surfing, the little surfing dictionary that started each chapter and the way the story was never that far from the ocean.
These things that I enjoyed made it possible for me to ignore the ludicrous (that word again) preamble to the ending, with Jen babbling idiocies like she was a stoned moron, Jack carrying on like an idiot and that cringeworthy "turtle giving birth"... thingie.... I don't even know what that was meant to be.... *cringe and skim read till it is mercifully over* However that the end was kind of adequate (and on a beach) did make it possible to overlook that and other regrettable portions of the book. Overall I was very happy with it, I might even re-read one day.
My first impressions were less than totally enthusiastic, I hated the character of Muriel and I could see the plot arc so clearly; crusty unlikable Grandmother becomes lovable once you know her backstory. Well, that proved to be correct but while at the start I kept thinking that nothing would excuse her neglect the book scored points in that it never tried to make them excusable, only explicable.
I didn't like Jack-the-love-interest. Obviously Jen was going to ditch the Manhattan fiance and end up with Jack on the island. But I didn't like him and I felt sorry for Jen who was going to exchange one arrogant, uncaring, stuck up doctor fiance for another model of the same. Sure, she was indubitably better off with Jack, because that way she gets beaches with turtles laying on them, surfing and an island lifestyle rather than a sterile, money grubbing lifestyle. Still, I liked Jen and wanted better for her. In fact, I never actually took to Jack that much, I tried to excuse his behaviors by telling myself that it is just an example of Australian anti-tall-poppy syndrome, but no, he was a boor. Still he was well written, fitted with Jen and was superbly suited to the story, so really I didn't have to like him.
Also right at the beginning. The theme of shipping the dog to USA, then turning around and sending him straight back.... My mind boggled. This author is Australian, has she no idea of the fact we have among the strongest, harshest incoming quarantine laws in the world? This plot line took ludicrous to a whole new level.
Despite all these (and more) annoyances and aggravations this book charmed me, while it is classed as a romance, and there is a romance element to it, there is so much more to this book than just Jack and Jen going up the hill to fill a bucket of water.... I loved the descriptions of Muriel and Jen coming to the island, Nautilus Island itself charmed me entirely and while I am pretty sure it is entirely fictitious, the pictures of it that this book painted in my mind are stronger than of some actually places I have really visited.
While Jack stayed an Ahole, Jen's growing connection with him based on her unknown grandfather and the medical situations that arose on the island during her stay made for a very believable buildup of association and experience between them. Also, it made the population of the island rich, varied and interesting to the reader; I really, really enjoyed the large number of characters in this book. They felt so very real!
I also loved the descriptions of the beach and surfing, the little surfing dictionary that started each chapter and the way the story was never that far from the ocean.
These things that I enjoyed made it possible for me to ignore the ludicrous (that word again) preamble to the ending, with Jen babbling idiocies like she was a stoned moron, Jack carrying on like an idiot and that cringeworthy "turtle giving birth"... thingie.... I don't even know what that was meant to be.... *cringe and skim read till it is mercifully over* However that the end was kind of adequate (and on a beach) did make it possible to overlook that and other regrettable portions of the book. Overall I was very happy with it, I might even re-read one day.
November 14, 2020
Purely romantic novel, little substance based around the character of Dr Jennifer Kelly obstetrician who has inherited a property on Turtle Bay along with a surf school. Against all the odds of living with a recalcitrant grandmother and brought up by carers, Dr Kelly has climbed the pinnacle of her career along with her financée who is equally ambitious.
Heading off to Turtle Bay with grandma in tow, she is hopeful of a quick look to put the property on the market and turn around back home to her practice. However with the best laid plans it all goes off course. Along with the surf god, farmer, doctor! (and the sapphire blue sea!) and his niece these plans are upset. The island is a small community of people mostly related to each other and where they all help each other out. The experience is an eye opener for Dr Jennifer who finally succumbs to the fabulous Dr Jack McLachlan and island life.
Heading off to Turtle Bay with grandma in tow, she is hopeful of a quick look to put the property on the market and turn around back home to her practice. However with the best laid plans it all goes off course. Along with the surf god, farmer, doctor! (and the sapphire blue sea!) and his niece these plans are upset. The island is a small community of people mostly related to each other and where they all help each other out. The experience is an eye opener for Dr Jennifer who finally succumbs to the fabulous Dr Jack McLachlan and island life.
November 27, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘Home To Turtle Bay has been a long time in gestation. Like a turtle hatchling, it lay under the surface, slowly developing until it finally emerged to the light’.
Marion Lennox, author of Home To Turtle Bay.
Marion Lennox has achieved the pinnacle in terms of romance writing in Australia. She has received twenty three nominations for the Romance Writers of Australia’s romantic book of the year, winning three times. She was also inducted in the Romance Writers hall of fame in 2017, one of only three writers to achieve this title. With over 100 romance titles to her name, published across the world and selling in the millions, Home To Turtle Bay is a very special novel for Marion Lennox. Known for her short romance stories, Home To Turtle Bay is her biggest achievement yet, as it is a novel told with depth. In this brand new story, an idyllic island, a touch of surfing, cows, turtles and an American obstetrician make up this unputdownable tale.
Home To Turtle Bay introduces the central character of Doctor Jennifer (Jenny) Kelly. When the book opens, we learn that Jenny is a highly regarded obstetrician based in Manhattan, with a loving fiancé, Richard. Cared for by her Grandmother, Jenny’s childhood was not so conventional. Her entire life, Jenny’s Grandfather has been a distant figure, now following his death, he decides to leave Jenny with his lasting legacy, a dairy farm and some old surfboards. The problem is for US based Jenny, the farm is on the other side of the world, on a tiny island named Nautilus, off the coast of NSW. Jenny plans to sell the place as quickly as she can, but that’s not before checking it out for herself first, tagging her Grandmother along for the ride. Once they set foot on Nautilus, Jenny is overwhelmed by what she is confronted with. When local man Jack makes his presence known it causes a few ripples. The return to Turtle Bay brings back memories of the war. Home To Turtle Bay is about that constant search for a sense of belonging and taking that all important leap of faith.
If you are lucky to be on an extended summer holiday break, or you are in need of the ultimate beach bag accessory, do put Home To Turtle Bay on your list. This is a really great romance and an uplifting read. As soon as I started reading it, I literally couldn’t stop! Turtle Bay became my anchor point and I didn’t want to leave the shallows of this magical book.
The appeal of Home To Turtle Bay, initially came from the premise. I loved the scenario presented by Marion Lennox, it was a fish out of water tale, with a twist! I enjoyed watching on as Doctor Jenny Kelly and her grandmother Muriel made the transition from their perfect city life in Manhattan, to Nautilus island. When this twosome set foot on Nautilus the fun, drama, adventure and life experiences begin. It really was a true pleasure to tag along and follow the journey partaken by both Jenny and Muriel.
Nautilus Island is a cracking locale to set a book. I actually had to look up Nautilus to see if it did exist, but to my dismay it was a fictional locale only. Anyhow, despite my disappointment in not being able to visit the real Nautilus, I lapped up Lennox’s sense of place. I’m sure she secretly booked my imaginary airline ticket and ferried me over there, her descriptions of this fictional and idyllic locale were absolutely amazing.
‘And what an island! It came into view, sunlit and stunning, mountainous inland, with undulating farmland near the coast and sea stretching on forever’.
I’m sure you agree from this quote I have pulled from the early moments of the novel that this is a very special book, about a very unique location.
Lennox has a great approach to characterisation, I was very impressed. Doctor Jenny was a character that I felt an immediate and friendly connection towards. I enjoyed her interactions with her family (Muriel) her friends (Isabella) and her love interest (Jack). Meanwhile, Jenny’s Grandmother Muriel was initially quite the enigma, but as the book reveals it secrets, I came to appreciate the full worth of Muriel. Lennox has cast a great unsung hero in Jack McLachlan. He was incredibly well drawn and such a likable man. I admired just how many different hats he wore, he was almost superhuman! There is a fabulous supporting line up in Home To Turtle Bay, from the local supportive community of Nautilus, through to Jenny’s fiancé Richard, Fraser and dear Bridget. Then there are the non human characters that transform this story. The majestic turtle population, to Drifter and the cows. Each has a story to tell and makes a valuable contribution the unfolding story.
Lennox places much emphasis on surfing as a theme of her book. Each new chapter is introduced with a common surfing term, which gives the reader a good idea of where this book is headed direction wise. There are plenty of subsequent surfing references filtered through the book, from Muriel’s penchant for the sport, along with Jenny’s Grandfather’s legacy and young Bridget teaching Jenny to surf. We also learn about the history of surfing and the techniques of this water sport. It really makes for an enlightening and very different read.
In the premise, Lennox promises a story about a wartime secrets and the revelation of ghosts from the past. This makes up a nice side focus for the novel, which is centrally focussed on Dr Jenny’s character journey. I did appreciate the war story very much and it gave me a better appreciation for burns victims and those impacted by the experience of war. In Home To Turtle Bay, it is the Vietnam War experience that holds our focus, covered sensitively by Marion Lennox.
Romance is in the air for much of this novel. Jenny must decide where her heart truly lies. She criss crosses between her comfortable life in Manhattan with the ambitious Richard and her encounter at Nautilus with Jack, which leaves her a changed woman. Romance is clearly Lennox’s forte and there was a strong ring of truth in her leading lady’s romance woes! Likewise, there is a lot of action in the love stakes for Muriel, which offset Jenny’s story just perfectly.
I could go on and on about Home To Turtle Bay. This is one of those novels that will have you reading compulsively way into the night or like me, you will find a way to skip the housework or cooking, just to sneak some more of this story into your day. Home To Turtle Bay proved to be life affirming, upbeat and an absolutely enchanting read.
*I wish to thank Harlequin – Mira AU for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Home To Turtle Bay is book #4 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘Home To Turtle Bay has been a long time in gestation. Like a turtle hatchling, it lay under the surface, slowly developing until it finally emerged to the light’.
Marion Lennox, author of Home To Turtle Bay.
Marion Lennox has achieved the pinnacle in terms of romance writing in Australia. She has received twenty three nominations for the Romance Writers of Australia’s romantic book of the year, winning three times. She was also inducted in the Romance Writers hall of fame in 2017, one of only three writers to achieve this title. With over 100 romance titles to her name, published across the world and selling in the millions, Home To Turtle Bay is a very special novel for Marion Lennox. Known for her short romance stories, Home To Turtle Bay is her biggest achievement yet, as it is a novel told with depth. In this brand new story, an idyllic island, a touch of surfing, cows, turtles and an American obstetrician make up this unputdownable tale.
Home To Turtle Bay introduces the central character of Doctor Jennifer (Jenny) Kelly. When the book opens, we learn that Jenny is a highly regarded obstetrician based in Manhattan, with a loving fiancé, Richard. Cared for by her Grandmother, Jenny’s childhood was not so conventional. Her entire life, Jenny’s Grandfather has been a distant figure, now following his death, he decides to leave Jenny with his lasting legacy, a dairy farm and some old surfboards. The problem is for US based Jenny, the farm is on the other side of the world, on a tiny island named Nautilus, off the coast of NSW. Jenny plans to sell the place as quickly as she can, but that’s not before checking it out for herself first, tagging her Grandmother along for the ride. Once they set foot on Nautilus, Jenny is overwhelmed by what she is confronted with. When local man Jack makes his presence known it causes a few ripples. The return to Turtle Bay brings back memories of the war. Home To Turtle Bay is about that constant search for a sense of belonging and taking that all important leap of faith.
If you are lucky to be on an extended summer holiday break, or you are in need of the ultimate beach bag accessory, do put Home To Turtle Bay on your list. This is a really great romance and an uplifting read. As soon as I started reading it, I literally couldn’t stop! Turtle Bay became my anchor point and I didn’t want to leave the shallows of this magical book.
The appeal of Home To Turtle Bay, initially came from the premise. I loved the scenario presented by Marion Lennox, it was a fish out of water tale, with a twist! I enjoyed watching on as Doctor Jenny Kelly and her grandmother Muriel made the transition from their perfect city life in Manhattan, to Nautilus island. When this twosome set foot on Nautilus the fun, drama, adventure and life experiences begin. It really was a true pleasure to tag along and follow the journey partaken by both Jenny and Muriel.
Nautilus Island is a cracking locale to set a book. I actually had to look up Nautilus to see if it did exist, but to my dismay it was a fictional locale only. Anyhow, despite my disappointment in not being able to visit the real Nautilus, I lapped up Lennox’s sense of place. I’m sure she secretly booked my imaginary airline ticket and ferried me over there, her descriptions of this fictional and idyllic locale were absolutely amazing.
‘And what an island! It came into view, sunlit and stunning, mountainous inland, with undulating farmland near the coast and sea stretching on forever’.
I’m sure you agree from this quote I have pulled from the early moments of the novel that this is a very special book, about a very unique location.
Lennox has a great approach to characterisation, I was very impressed. Doctor Jenny was a character that I felt an immediate and friendly connection towards. I enjoyed her interactions with her family (Muriel) her friends (Isabella) and her love interest (Jack). Meanwhile, Jenny’s Grandmother Muriel was initially quite the enigma, but as the book reveals it secrets, I came to appreciate the full worth of Muriel. Lennox has cast a great unsung hero in Jack McLachlan. He was incredibly well drawn and such a likable man. I admired just how many different hats he wore, he was almost superhuman! There is a fabulous supporting line up in Home To Turtle Bay, from the local supportive community of Nautilus, through to Jenny’s fiancé Richard, Fraser and dear Bridget. Then there are the non human characters that transform this story. The majestic turtle population, to Drifter and the cows. Each has a story to tell and makes a valuable contribution the unfolding story.
Lennox places much emphasis on surfing as a theme of her book. Each new chapter is introduced with a common surfing term, which gives the reader a good idea of where this book is headed direction wise. There are plenty of subsequent surfing references filtered through the book, from Muriel’s penchant for the sport, along with Jenny’s Grandfather’s legacy and young Bridget teaching Jenny to surf. We also learn about the history of surfing and the techniques of this water sport. It really makes for an enlightening and very different read.
In the premise, Lennox promises a story about a wartime secrets and the revelation of ghosts from the past. This makes up a nice side focus for the novel, which is centrally focussed on Dr Jenny’s character journey. I did appreciate the war story very much and it gave me a better appreciation for burns victims and those impacted by the experience of war. In Home To Turtle Bay, it is the Vietnam War experience that holds our focus, covered sensitively by Marion Lennox.
Romance is in the air for much of this novel. Jenny must decide where her heart truly lies. She criss crosses between her comfortable life in Manhattan with the ambitious Richard and her encounter at Nautilus with Jack, which leaves her a changed woman. Romance is clearly Lennox’s forte and there was a strong ring of truth in her leading lady’s romance woes! Likewise, there is a lot of action in the love stakes for Muriel, which offset Jenny’s story just perfectly.
I could go on and on about Home To Turtle Bay. This is one of those novels that will have you reading compulsively way into the night or like me, you will find a way to skip the housework or cooking, just to sneak some more of this story into your day. Home To Turtle Bay proved to be life affirming, upbeat and an absolutely enchanting read.
*I wish to thank Harlequin – Mira AU for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Home To Turtle Bay is book #4 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
January 18, 2019
This was a book that I didn’t want to put down, but life got in the way so many times, but then it was easy to pick back up and fall into the lives of the people living at Turtle Bay on Nautilus Island, there were so many laugh out loud moments, but there were moments when emotions were making Dr Jennifer Kelly re-think her life, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am sure anyone who picks it up will as well, come and join everyone at Turtle Bay.
Dr Jennifer Kelly is an obstetrician in Manhattan, she is engaged to Richard a neurosurgeon, and life is good, yes. She has been bought up by her grandmother Muriel since being orphaned in Nepal at the age of seven, but life with Muriel means no love and not really getting emotionally involved, she is heading to be top of her field and Richard has their life all planned. Then Jennifer is left a dairy farm on an island in Australia by a grandfather she has never heard of, she and Muriel make the trip with plans to sell up but things might change when she meets the local Doctor as well as the cows and dog she now owns and the surf school.
Jack McLachlan has been back on the island since tragedy took his brother and his wife away, he did grow up there and loved it then but being a top Doctor in Sydney had its bonus’s and he is struggling with all that is happening especially since his friend Henry Kelly passed away, then when his granddaughter Jennifer arrives and hr meets her, he sets out to convince the staid and serious Jenny that she is an Islander and that doctoring, running a dairy farm and a surf school is just what she should be doing.
This is a fabulous book MS Lennox has dug deep into Jack and Jenny’s emotions and bought them to the surface, made them both see things that needed to be seen, I loved Jack from the start, really what a fabulous hero and Jenny wow what she had been through with Muriel and seeing her come to life and learn to love just had me cheering and smiling and then there is Muriel what a lady and all of the other amazing characters that make up the Islanders, this is a story that I highly recommend, it has all the feels and so much laughter and love. Thank you MS Lennox.
Dr Jennifer Kelly is an obstetrician in Manhattan, she is engaged to Richard a neurosurgeon, and life is good, yes. She has been bought up by her grandmother Muriel since being orphaned in Nepal at the age of seven, but life with Muriel means no love and not really getting emotionally involved, she is heading to be top of her field and Richard has their life all planned. Then Jennifer is left a dairy farm on an island in Australia by a grandfather she has never heard of, she and Muriel make the trip with plans to sell up but things might change when she meets the local Doctor as well as the cows and dog she now owns and the surf school.
Jack McLachlan has been back on the island since tragedy took his brother and his wife away, he did grow up there and loved it then but being a top Doctor in Sydney had its bonus’s and he is struggling with all that is happening especially since his friend Henry Kelly passed away, then when his granddaughter Jennifer arrives and hr meets her, he sets out to convince the staid and serious Jenny that she is an Islander and that doctoring, running a dairy farm and a surf school is just what she should be doing.
This is a fabulous book MS Lennox has dug deep into Jack and Jenny’s emotions and bought them to the surface, made them both see things that needed to be seen, I loved Jack from the start, really what a fabulous hero and Jenny wow what she had been through with Muriel and seeing her come to life and learn to love just had me cheering and smiling and then there is Muriel what a lady and all of the other amazing characters that make up the Islanders, this is a story that I highly recommend, it has all the feels and so much laughter and love. Thank you MS Lennox.
December 16, 2018
‘Joy was a strange concept—something I’d barely considered. Life until now had been about survival and ambition. Joy came somewhere far down the list.’
I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book - such a great read. Everything just came together - the writing, the characters, the plot - every opportunity I could, I sat down to escape to Turtle Bay.
Firstly, the characters were fabulous and such a range of stories to tell. Jenny and Jack were, of course, front and centre. However, there were other, just as pertinent stories to be regaled - from Muriel, to Bridget, right down to Drifter the dog. Then there is the island, almost a character in itself, from the aptly named cows to the glorious surf and undulating hills.
Interwoven throughout is a range of engaging tales from both past and present. You will second guess Muriel’s frostiness, your heart will break for Bridget and Jack, with Jenny you will be cheering her right along to be brave and true to herself. There will be everything from babies born, to cows queuing, to yachts cruising to medical dramas that will have you on the edge of your seat.
All of this comes together so seamlessly because of the captivating writing Marion delivers. You too will be wishing for a sea change to Nautilus island, to be part of an amazing community and experience a different kind of life.
‘For part of me was being abandoned right there. It was my disciplined self. It was the part of me that had held me in control for all these years, and it was dissolving into the night air as if it had never existed.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book - such a great read. Everything just came together - the writing, the characters, the plot - every opportunity I could, I sat down to escape to Turtle Bay.
Firstly, the characters were fabulous and such a range of stories to tell. Jenny and Jack were, of course, front and centre. However, there were other, just as pertinent stories to be regaled - from Muriel, to Bridget, right down to Drifter the dog. Then there is the island, almost a character in itself, from the aptly named cows to the glorious surf and undulating hills.
Interwoven throughout is a range of engaging tales from both past and present. You will second guess Muriel’s frostiness, your heart will break for Bridget and Jack, with Jenny you will be cheering her right along to be brave and true to herself. There will be everything from babies born, to cows queuing, to yachts cruising to medical dramas that will have you on the edge of your seat.
All of this comes together so seamlessly because of the captivating writing Marion delivers. You too will be wishing for a sea change to Nautilus island, to be part of an amazing community and experience a different kind of life.
‘For part of me was being abandoned right there. It was my disciplined self. It was the part of me that had held me in control for all these years, and it was dissolving into the night air as if it had never existed.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
December 11, 2018
What a fabulous read, I couldn't put it down and unbelievably read this in the one day. I loved every minute of Jennifer's journey to Turtle Bay, discovering where she came from and who she really was. Jack was such a wonderful leading man, I was on his side the whole time, hoping Jennifer would see what truly mattered before it was too late. Muriel, Jennifer's grandma was definitely a one of a kind character who, as the past was slowly revealed became a much more likeable character. Bridget was such a gorgeous child with so much potential. I could go on, all the characters were wonderful, except for Richard, I didn't warm to him at all. And the island Nautilus, that was a character as well, I'd love to live on such a place, I wonder if such a place exists, if so I'd love to find it. An uplifting and feel good novel about finding out who you are and claiming it no matter what.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia & MIRA for a copy in return for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia & MIRA for a copy in return for an honest review.
December 4, 2018
4.5 stars.
Firstly - this was a thoroughly good read. How do I know? Because every chance I had I returned to the story and the people of the island and Turtle Bay.
I loved the island setting, the farm and the cows, the sea and the surf (and surfing), the medical drama and the characters who populated the Australian island - with special mention to Drifter.
I liked how Dr Jennifer arrives on the island just to check out and sell up the legacy inherited from her grandfather. But her values and ideas are about to be turned upside down. With special thanks to Jack and Bridget and the rest of the gang.
Jennifer's grandmother is a rather crotchety remote kind of person, but the more we learn about Muriel the more we appreciate her.
A book I am very happy to highly recommend.
Firstly - this was a thoroughly good read. How do I know? Because every chance I had I returned to the story and the people of the island and Turtle Bay.
I loved the island setting, the farm and the cows, the sea and the surf (and surfing), the medical drama and the characters who populated the Australian island - with special mention to Drifter.
I liked how Dr Jennifer arrives on the island just to check out and sell up the legacy inherited from her grandfather. But her values and ideas are about to be turned upside down. With special thanks to Jack and Bridget and the rest of the gang.
Jennifer's grandmother is a rather crotchety remote kind of person, but the more we learn about Muriel the more we appreciate her.
A book I am very happy to highly recommend.
December 8, 2018
I took a little while to warm to Jennifer and Muriel but by the end, even I didn’t want to leave Turtle Bay.
Great characters and a lovely story to get lost (and found in)
Great characters and a lovely story to get lost (and found in)
February 7, 2019
Just the right amount of romance, humor, and drama. Turtle Bay was a fantastic story of finding a new place to call home.
March 9, 2019
Improbable but delightful chick-lit. Worth a read for the fast paced, descriptive sense of place and realistic characters.
January 16, 2019
I found this book to be fairly predictable. I enjoyed it as a simple read. Would I recommend it to someone to read probably not.
December 6, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ a lovely romantic story.
January 20, 2019
I’ve read several of Marion Lennox’s category romances and have always enjoyed their combination of fun, exotic locations, unfortunate events and romance. So, you can imagine that I was delighted to hear that she had a longer fiction novel being released. Home to Turtle Bay takes all those trademark Marion touches and puts them into a novel that’s never boring. It’s a combination of laugh out loud moments, tearjerker scenes and a finale that is both humorous and sweet. All the elements you need for an enjoyable story.
The novel opens in an obstetrician’s office in New York City. Dr Jennifer Kelly is almost to the top of her game and in her office is society darling Isabella. Jennifer is ticking off all the things she needs to be Someone – neurosurgeon with old money fiancé, go to for famous mums-to-be and a shoe wardrobe that makes everyone envious. It’s a regimented life, but that’s what is required.
But then her grandmother enters the office. With a dog. If that wasn’t bad enough, her grandmother chooses to inform Jennifer that she’s inherited said dog and a farm on a remote island off the Australian east coast from a grandfather she’s never heard of. Oh, and don’t forget the surfing school. Jennifer and grandmother Muriel leave New York for Nautilus Island for a short trip to sell the property. But nothing turns out like either of them had planned. The cows are sad about being turned into salami and the other islanders don’t like the idea of the property turning into a resort. Then there’s a medical emergency and Jenny can see the strain that the local doctor Jack is under. Stranded on the island, Jenny reluctantly offers to help – but only for as long as she must. But then she meets Bridget, attempts to learn to surf and begins to think that weeding in the moonlight with Jack isn’t such a terrible idea. Nor is throwing out that carefully made plan and living.
The finale of the novel is sensational. It reads just like a rom-com finale (and would make an excellent movie or TV series) with many plot threads coming to a head and trying to force Jenny and Muriel into a decision. It’s a smile inducer, and there’s just enough doubt to make you wonder which path Muriel and Jenny will choose. Overall, it’s a delightful novel. The interactions between Jenny and Jack are witty and fun, with more than a hint of sexual tension. Having the story told in the first person from Jenny’s point of view also gives the reader a greater insight into the war in her mind – a safe and stable life or living on the edge of a wave? What will she lose if she chooses the latter? What is she really chasing? Jenny’s growth as a character and the realisation of what has driven her life to date is done very well – clearly and in tune with her character. Jack’s growth is revealed more slowly, but never at the detriment of his character. We learn just a little more at the right time, either through a throwaway comment or Bridget, his niece. Speaking of Bridget, I defy anyone not to like her. She’s a cute kid, hiding behind tragedy and a life that’s been upturned irreversibly. She and Jenny seem to see something in the other that pushes them on to bring out the best. Overall, all the characters are nuanced and easy to remember for all their quirks. Marion Lennox has created a community that I’m rather reluctant to leave behind.
Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The novel opens in an obstetrician’s office in New York City. Dr Jennifer Kelly is almost to the top of her game and in her office is society darling Isabella. Jennifer is ticking off all the things she needs to be Someone – neurosurgeon with old money fiancé, go to for famous mums-to-be and a shoe wardrobe that makes everyone envious. It’s a regimented life, but that’s what is required.
But then her grandmother enters the office. With a dog. If that wasn’t bad enough, her grandmother chooses to inform Jennifer that she’s inherited said dog and a farm on a remote island off the Australian east coast from a grandfather she’s never heard of. Oh, and don’t forget the surfing school. Jennifer and grandmother Muriel leave New York for Nautilus Island for a short trip to sell the property. But nothing turns out like either of them had planned. The cows are sad about being turned into salami and the other islanders don’t like the idea of the property turning into a resort. Then there’s a medical emergency and Jenny can see the strain that the local doctor Jack is under. Stranded on the island, Jenny reluctantly offers to help – but only for as long as she must. But then she meets Bridget, attempts to learn to surf and begins to think that weeding in the moonlight with Jack isn’t such a terrible idea. Nor is throwing out that carefully made plan and living.
The finale of the novel is sensational. It reads just like a rom-com finale (and would make an excellent movie or TV series) with many plot threads coming to a head and trying to force Jenny and Muriel into a decision. It’s a smile inducer, and there’s just enough doubt to make you wonder which path Muriel and Jenny will choose. Overall, it’s a delightful novel. The interactions between Jenny and Jack are witty and fun, with more than a hint of sexual tension. Having the story told in the first person from Jenny’s point of view also gives the reader a greater insight into the war in her mind – a safe and stable life or living on the edge of a wave? What will she lose if she chooses the latter? What is she really chasing? Jenny’s growth as a character and the realisation of what has driven her life to date is done very well – clearly and in tune with her character. Jack’s growth is revealed more slowly, but never at the detriment of his character. We learn just a little more at the right time, either through a throwaway comment or Bridget, his niece. Speaking of Bridget, I defy anyone not to like her. She’s a cute kid, hiding behind tragedy and a life that’s been upturned irreversibly. She and Jenny seem to see something in the other that pushes them on to bring out the best. Overall, all the characters are nuanced and easy to remember for all their quirks. Marion Lennox has created a community that I’m rather reluctant to leave behind.
Thank you to Harlequin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
January 31, 2019
Home to Turtle Bay was my introduction to the author, Marion Lennox, and what an introduction!
Home to Turtle Bay had a genuine depth to it and touched upon some tough topics such as conservation, PTSD and the effects it has on the family and friends as well as individuals, small town mindedness and gossip and the harm it can cause as well as ‘community spirit’ and the desperate need that rural and isolated areas have for those in the medical profession. All of this was tackled in a manner that didn’t come across as preachy - which is a tough call.
You could really feel the main character’s inner turmoil and struggle between what she ‘should’ do and what she discovered that she really wanted to do.
Thank you Beauty & Lace Bookclub and Harlequin for allowing me to read and review this book and for introducing me to another wonderful author.
Home to Turtle Bay had a genuine depth to it and touched upon some tough topics such as conservation, PTSD and the effects it has on the family and friends as well as individuals, small town mindedness and gossip and the harm it can cause as well as ‘community spirit’ and the desperate need that rural and isolated areas have for those in the medical profession. All of this was tackled in a manner that didn’t come across as preachy - which is a tough call.
You could really feel the main character’s inner turmoil and struggle between what she ‘should’ do and what she discovered that she really wanted to do.
Thank you Beauty & Lace Bookclub and Harlequin for allowing me to read and review this book and for introducing me to another wonderful author.
January 2, 2019
Books like this one are why I read so many Australian Writers. What a great book Home to Turtle Bay was. Had everything I love about reading. Moving on from the ghosts of our past to becoming the person we really should be. Great Characters to you would be great friends with. The strength of a community. Books like this make me feel, feel emotions, to feel like I am there with them. I highly recommend Home to Turtle Bay and it definitely won’t be the last of Marion Lennox’s books I read. Loved it. 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅
February 1, 2019
Jennifer, and her difficult grandmother, Muriel, arrive on a remote island. A grandfather she never knew existed had left her his farm, and a lot more besides. The characters are engaging, the descriptive writing pulled me in like I was there. I enjoyed Jennifer’s new experiences of island life. A stunning, funny, and emotional homecoming to Turtle Bay. It was the first book in a long while that I thoroughly enjoyed and longed to get back to any spare moment I had.
March 11, 2019
A refreshing book to read. It was obvious how it would turn out but there was still lots to be surprised at and enjoy. The arrival of Al and Richard for example. I felt this book had a message, but it may just have been me. I felt it showed the reader that a supposed wonderful life in America wasn’t necessarily better in any way than a purposeful life on Nautilus Island.
It was so easy to picture the beach, the cliff walk and the house from the author’s descriptions.
It was so easy to picture the beach, the cliff walk and the house from the author’s descriptions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2019
This was a bit of a chick lit read, but I confess to really enjoying it and finding it hard to put down. Hate admitting that!
February 7, 2019
Such a wonderful read!!!!! Beautiful..... really just beautiful!!!! Loved every part of it. Thank you for the journey Marion😘
Read
July 12, 2019Lovely story, makes you stop asess what really matters.
April 26, 2025
A well-written and enjoyable book about family, change, love and loss.
The main character, Dr Jennifer Kelly, gets word to say she is the benefactor of her grandfather's estate. The grandfather she never knew she had! The catch is she is in Manhattan in the United States and the properties are on island off the coast from Sydney, Australia.
So Dr Kelly is off to put the properties up for sale and be back for the birth of a baby to a very influential family which will be the making of her career. Tagging along with her is her grandmother, Muriel, who has a medical issue whilst on Nautilus Island which changes EVERYTHING!
An emotional rollercoaster ride with many surprising twists and turns, with a fantastic ending. A must read for anyone who likes a good romance story.
The main character, Dr Jennifer Kelly, gets word to say she is the benefactor of her grandfather's estate. The grandfather she never knew she had! The catch is she is in Manhattan in the United States and the properties are on island off the coast from Sydney, Australia.
So Dr Kelly is off to put the properties up for sale and be back for the birth of a baby to a very influential family which will be the making of her career. Tagging along with her is her grandmother, Muriel, who has a medical issue whilst on Nautilus Island which changes EVERYTHING!
An emotional rollercoaster ride with many surprising twists and turns, with a fantastic ending. A must read for anyone who likes a good romance story.
April 8, 2020
Set on Nautilus Island, off the Sydney coast, this is an engrossing story exploring three generations of an American and Australian family affected by the Vietnam War and its continuing aftermath. More than just a romance, although love does feature predominantly, it covers island isolation, lack of medical care, far-reaching consequences of accidents, depression and the psychological effects on the characters involved. Highly recommended.
March 26, 2019
Love the characters and very different themes and love the Doctors and medical aspect.
This book was honestly a breath of fresh air, and it had its faults (somewhat slow, insta-love), it was still memorable and light-hearted.
This book was honestly a breath of fresh air, and it had its faults (somewhat slow, insta-love), it was still memorable and light-hearted.
May 17, 2020
I didn’t mean to read this book in one sitting, but that’s what happened. Although it was obvious Jenny was going to end up on the island, the story of how it all works out is just lovely. I enjoyed the characters and the back stories, there was so much more than just a cheesy romance.
February 8, 2019
Loved this wonderful story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews