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Koomera Crossing #1
Sarah's Baby : Koomera Crossing
The McQueens are the town's founding family, and Ruth McQueen is their matriarch. She's a dangerous woman to cross, as Sarah Dempsey found out sixteen years ago. Pregnant and desperately in love with Ruth's adored grandson Kyall, Sarah stood up to Ruth—and was banished from the town.
Now, all these years later, Sarah is a doctor, successful and highly regarded, but she's never forgotten Kyall or their baby. A baby Kyall didn't even know about. A baby girl who died shortly after birth…or did she? When Sarah returns to Koomera Crossing, when she and Kyall fall in love again, Ruth begins to feel threatened because her secrets are suddenly in jeopardy. And a threatened Ruth McQueen could cost Sarah not only the love of her life…but her life itself.
Now, all these years later, Sarah is a doctor, successful and highly regarded, but she's never forgotten Kyall or their baby. A baby Kyall didn't even know about. A baby girl who died shortly after birth…or did she? When Sarah returns to Koomera Crossing, when she and Kyall fall in love again, Ruth begins to feel threatened because her secrets are suddenly in jeopardy. And a threatened Ruth McQueen could cost Sarah not only the love of her life…but her life itself.
- GenresRomance
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
8 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Way
614 books163 followersMargaret Way was born and educated in the river city of Brisbane, Australia. Before her marriage she was a well-known pianist, teacher, vocal coach and accompanist, but her hectic musical career came to a halt when her son was born and the demands of motherhood dictated a change of pace.
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 5, 2019
Margaret Way finally uses the phrase "personality disorder" and "narcissist" to describe the matriarch of the hero's family. Now that MW has named her pain, she turns this first story in a series about an Outback town over to Granny's antics.
Since "personality disorder" and "narcissist" is a thing, MW doesn't have to dwell on the whys of Granny's actions. She is able to show Granny's evil actions in real time (including murder by using aboriginal poisons) without any pesky backstory/psychoanalysis to clutter up the pages.
What do Granny's actions have to do with the H/h?
Hero is her heir apparent and she does not approve of the heroine as wife material. When H/h were 16 and 15, the heroine got pregnant. Granny broke them up and bundled heroine off to a private maternity hospital. After the baby dies while heroine is sleeping, Granny coolly offers her a boarding school/university education if she will never see the H again. Heroine agrees since her heart is broken after bonding with her seemingly healthy infant and finding she died while she slept.
Fast forward 15 years. Heroine is a doctor. Her mother dies suddenly and heroine returns to her hometown. Hero pursues her and asks again why she broke up with him. Heroine wants to spare him the trauma so she doesn't tell him *again* that she was pregnant at 15.
Granny is disturbed that the heroine is back and might tell tales. She already murdered the mid-wife who delivered the baby and she is prepared to kill anyone who gets in her way.
The truth wins out - predictably. With the hero - predictably - angry that the heroine didn't tell him at anytime in all of these years and he lost out on? - grief? I don't know. It makes no sense. But this hero is just a cardboard cut out anyway. We know he'll come around as the heroine's prize when Granny is finally foiled.
Granny does get a comeuppance - just not in a court of law. She is banished from the station and commits suicide by drowning herself in the swamp.
The most disturbing part of the story was how the H/h's baby was handled.
There are a lot of interesting characters introduced that will probably show up again in the series. Even though this wasn't much of a romance, I enjoyed the Outback soap opera.
Since "personality disorder" and "narcissist" is a thing, MW doesn't have to dwell on the whys of Granny's actions. She is able to show Granny's evil actions in real time (including murder by using aboriginal poisons) without any pesky backstory/psychoanalysis to clutter up the pages.
What do Granny's actions have to do with the H/h?
Hero is her heir apparent and she does not approve of the heroine as wife material. When H/h were 16 and 15, the heroine got pregnant. Granny broke them up and bundled heroine off to a private maternity hospital. After the baby dies while heroine is sleeping, Granny coolly offers her a boarding school/university education if she will never see the H again. Heroine agrees since her heart is broken after bonding with her seemingly healthy infant and finding she died while she slept.
Fast forward 15 years. Heroine is a doctor. Her mother dies suddenly and heroine returns to her hometown. Hero pursues her and asks again why she broke up with him. Heroine wants to spare him the trauma so she doesn't tell him *again* that she was pregnant at 15.
Granny is disturbed that the heroine is back and might tell tales. She already murdered the mid-wife who delivered the baby and she is prepared to kill anyone who gets in her way.
The truth wins out - predictably. With the hero - predictably - angry that the heroine didn't tell him at anytime in all of these years and he lost out on? - grief? I don't know. It makes no sense. But this hero is just a cardboard cut out anyway. We know he'll come around as the heroine's prize when Granny is finally foiled.
Granny does get a comeuppance - just not in a court of law. She is banished from the station and commits suicide by drowning herself in the swamp.
The most disturbing part of the story was how the H/h's baby was handled.
There are a lot of interesting characters introduced that will probably show up again in the series. Even though this wasn't much of a romance, I enjoyed the Outback soap opera.
September 15, 2018
The H makes the h's pregnancy trauma all about him in an unforgivable way. Otherwise, this book was 80's nighttime soap opera dramatic and not to be taken seriously, but I just can't warm up to an H who has so little compassion and awareness. Ring Theory 101, dude -- you don't complain to the victim about how her tragedy also hurt you.
January 14, 2024
I'm rating this low because it's marketed and sold as a romance.
A romance...
Not really. It's wretchedly miserable, bleak, depressing, fucked-up, and sad. The themes are seriously heavy. I hope you enjoy a heaping dose of teenage pregnancy, still birth, child rape, cancer, murder, grief, the loss of children, and seething resentment with your 'romance'. It's not really a romance at all, this is mix of depressing character drama and 'mystery' as our heroine unfolds the secrets of the various abuses perpetrated against her when she was fifteen.
I ended up skimming much of it because it was so relentlessly miserable.
A romance...
Not really. It's wretchedly miserable, bleak, depressing, fucked-up, and sad. The themes are seriously heavy. I hope you enjoy a heaping dose of teenage pregnancy, still birth, child rape, cancer, murder, grief, the loss of children, and seething resentment with your 'romance'. It's not really a romance at all, this is mix of depressing character drama and 'mystery' as our heroine unfolds the secrets of the various abuses perpetrated against her when she was fifteen.
I ended up skimming much of it because it was so relentlessly miserable.
September 28, 2017
A bit too much detail about things at times. I, personally, wasn't interested in the history of things. The story was a bit long winded but I thought the ending was brilliant. Horrible old hag thought she was going to win by drowning herself but the powers that be soon sorted that out. I don't think she will be joining her husband and son up stairs.
May 17, 2021
This book was pretty good. Only instead of having an evil stepmother, try a really wicked grandmother. I was so glad to know that the man in Sarah’s life came and stood up for her against a really ugly person.
February 12, 2018
Stile di scrittura vecchiotto ma carino, mi è sembrato di tornare quindicenne a quando leggevo gli harmony di nascosto in camera mia.
P.S. Che gran stronza la nonna!!
P.S. Che gran stronza la nonna!!
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July 1, 2018The McQueens are the town's founding family, and Ruth McQueen is their matriarch. She's a dangerous woman to cross, as Sarah Dempsey found out sixteen years ago. Pregnant and desperately in love with Ruth's adored grandson Kyall, Sarah stood up to Ruth—and was banished from the town.
Now, all these years later, Sarah is a doctor, successful and highly regarded, but she's never forgotten Kyall or their baby. A baby Kyall didn't even know about. A baby girl who died shortly after birth...or did she?
When Sarah returns to Koomera Crossing, when she and Kyall fall in love again, Ruth begins to feel threatened because her secrets are suddenly in jeopardy. And a threatened Ruth McQueen could cost Sarah not only the love of her life...but her life itself.
Now, all these years later, Sarah is a doctor, successful and highly regarded, but she's never forgotten Kyall or their baby. A baby Kyall didn't even know about. A baby girl who died shortly after birth...or did she?
When Sarah returns to Koomera Crossing, when she and Kyall fall in love again, Ruth begins to feel threatened because her secrets are suddenly in jeopardy. And a threatened Ruth McQueen could cost Sarah not only the love of her life...but her life itself.
October 16, 2016
While I still love Kyall and Sarah's story, this one didn't quite hold up to what I loved about it in the past. Yes, the book still gave me the feels, but I didn't love it as much as I have in the past.
I still loved how Kyall and Sarah still loved each other after 15 years apart. I still loved how Kyall still pursued her when she came back to town.
However, the part that bothered me most, was how quick Kyall was to believe his evil grandmother when she spun the story in her favor. He conveniently forgot how horrible she was, and was quick to blame Sarah for everything, believing his grandmother. That just bother me beyond belief.
Overall, this is still one that's a favorite.
I still loved how Kyall and Sarah still loved each other after 15 years apart. I still loved how Kyall still pursued her when she came back to town.
However, the part that bothered me most, was how quick Kyall was to believe his evil grandmother when she spun the story in her favor. He conveniently forgot how horrible she was, and was quick to blame Sarah for everything, believing his grandmother. That just bother me beyond belief.
Overall, this is still one that's a favorite.
October 27, 2016
I can't lie this book was a bit everywhere, but the anticipation waiting for the wicked grandmother to die or be exposed was great, I can't lie I was disappointed she died, I wanted punishment not death, Kyall was annoying believing what his grandmother said but I guess it's family so you can't blame him!
Sarah being scared of Ruth at 30 would be ridiculous but with her previous sins, believable! But honestly though the Ruth got away with her sins which was soo annoying to me, I also didn't like how she tried to work in all the other characters into the book!
Sarah being scared of Ruth at 30 would be ridiculous but with her previous sins, believable! But honestly though the Ruth got away with her sins which was soo annoying to me, I also didn't like how she tried to work in all the other characters into the book!
April 13, 2012
A truly gripping saga.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews