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A Secret Set In Stone
Howard stood for a while in the doorway, as all the pieces of the jigsaw began to fall neatly into place. "I have no choice." He mumbled to himself. "There is only one way to get the treasure back."
230 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
7 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
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John Powell
203 books21 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 13, 2015
"Lou was being brought home, finally, to face the music"
Louise Samuels swore she would never to return to Stone Mountain, but twenty years later she's tossing back Tequila, dancing to Acca Dacca, and kissing the one man she hoped to avoid, Gage Westin, at her high school reunion. And despite her plan to return to the city with her best friend Sharni within twenty four hours, Lou is nursing a hangover when she learns her estranged mother is in the midst of a crisis and she feels compelled to stay.
Ros Baxter's newest novel, Set in Stone combines romance with a touch of suspense in a rural setting.
The suspense is derived from two plotlines. The first involves a mining company which seems determined to exploit Stone Mountain vulnerable because of drought, perhaps by any means. It's a topical issue of interest in regional areas that Baxter integrates well.
The second is the painful secret that has haunted Louise for twenty years, which continues to affect her relationship with her mother, Skye, and Gage. The eventual reveal is a surprise, but explains Lou's wariness with both of them well.
Louise's romance with Gage has been simmering for twenty years and their reunion is passionate, but complicated in a believable way. Baxter develops their relationship nicely and I enjoyed the tension between them.
"Because it was the kind of kiss that you get lost in - not just lost in time and place, but lost in another person. It was a kiss that took all the pieces of your identity and common sense, and scattered them like petals on the breeze, right at the same time that it anchored you in the brutal, beautiful moment."
The writing is accomplished, with genuine dialogue and good pacing. I loved that Baxter headed each chapter with a song title, though I was stuck with the resulting earworms for a while.
I really enjoyed Set in Stone, the characterisation is genuine, the plot, and subplots, well thought out and the distinctly Australian setting is appealing. A great read, recommended for fans of contemporary and rural romance.
May 26, 2015
Book #28 for #AWW2015
I have read quite a bit of Ros Baxter over the last few years and this is the first Rural Romance, she writes over a range of genres and I have enjoyed all of them. I went into Set In Stone anticipating enjoyment but also trying to stay away from expectations, more than anything I was curious how Baxter would tackle a novel set so firmly in the here and now – no fantasy, no science fiction. It’s safe to say she hooked me quick and reeled me right in, I haven’t wanted to put the book down as I desperately wait for answers.
The entire story hinges on an event twenty years in the past, one night that changed everything, and I was itching to find out what it was. Of course, Baxter kept me guessing until well past the halfway mark and though I came up with a few theories not one of them came close. I got a serious case of one-more-chapteritis and an amazing set of blinkers that rendered the state of my house invisible so I could claim oblivion to get to the bottom of the disastrous event, luckily this did not hide the box of tissues from me.
Louise Samuels is a successful lawyer in Sydney, far away from her home town of Stone Mountain. Louise has allowed her best friend Sharni to convince her to return for their school reunion but first they struck a deal. A deal that was supposed to be watertight and was put in place to protect them both – One hour: get in, shake your booty, get out. Of course that didn’t quite happen. The ground rules set at the door before they entered the reunion were no drinking, no meat, no fighting and no men….. they didn’t last very long either and before you know it the two were at the Welcome Inn washing down pills that would help them sleep off the hangover so they could fly out that evening.
Sharni is still very much in love with their home town and being back has freed her to return to her country girl roots and inspired her to pick up her paintbrush, she only left because her high school sweetheart transplanted her to Sydney after they finished school. Theirs is a story closely tied into the main storyline.
There is so much running through Set In Stone that I really loved but it is all tied into that one event and we all know I don’t like to write a review with spoilers, so yet again I’m stuck.
The remainder of my review will be live at Beauty and Lace.
I have read quite a bit of Ros Baxter over the last few years and this is the first Rural Romance, she writes over a range of genres and I have enjoyed all of them. I went into Set In Stone anticipating enjoyment but also trying to stay away from expectations, more than anything I was curious how Baxter would tackle a novel set so firmly in the here and now – no fantasy, no science fiction. It’s safe to say she hooked me quick and reeled me right in, I haven’t wanted to put the book down as I desperately wait for answers.
The entire story hinges on an event twenty years in the past, one night that changed everything, and I was itching to find out what it was. Of course, Baxter kept me guessing until well past the halfway mark and though I came up with a few theories not one of them came close. I got a serious case of one-more-chapteritis and an amazing set of blinkers that rendered the state of my house invisible so I could claim oblivion to get to the bottom of the disastrous event, luckily this did not hide the box of tissues from me.
Louise Samuels is a successful lawyer in Sydney, far away from her home town of Stone Mountain. Louise has allowed her best friend Sharni to convince her to return for their school reunion but first they struck a deal. A deal that was supposed to be watertight and was put in place to protect them both – One hour: get in, shake your booty, get out. Of course that didn’t quite happen. The ground rules set at the door before they entered the reunion were no drinking, no meat, no fighting and no men….. they didn’t last very long either and before you know it the two were at the Welcome Inn washing down pills that would help them sleep off the hangover so they could fly out that evening.
Sharni is still very much in love with their home town and being back has freed her to return to her country girl roots and inspired her to pick up her paintbrush, she only left because her high school sweetheart transplanted her to Sydney after they finished school. Theirs is a story closely tied into the main storyline.
There is so much running through Set In Stone that I really loved but it is all tied into that one event and we all know I don’t like to write a review with spoilers, so yet again I’m stuck.
The remainder of my review will be live at Beauty and Lace.
April 29, 2015
You wanted to know what I thought, Ros???
I loved this book. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED IT.
Full review soon.
ARC from publisher via NetGalley
I loved this book. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED IT.
Full review soon.
ARC from publisher via NetGalley
August 11, 2015
Ros Baxter has made a great contribution to the ever growing Australian rural romance genre in her latest release, Set in Stone. Baxter is an author who is new to me, but one that I will be putting on my watchlist, after devouring Set in Stone. Baxter’s heroine is Lou Samuels, who is facing the internal struggle of returning to her home town after being away for twenty years. Lou, in town to celebrate her high school reunion with best friend, decides she must make the trip home has brief as possible. However, she does not take into account a family health crisis, a former love interest who needs her and a town council requesting that she fight for them, all of which are drawing her back home.
Lately I have been enjoying rural romance books that go that one step further by introducing a suspense element. Set in Stone is a novel that does just that and gets it right. I really did enjoy reading Set in Stone, the writing was personable and the characters relatable. Lou, is a great choice of leading lady. I found myself sympathising with her completely and understanding the lure of the hometown versus her life in the city as a lawyer. The secondary set of characters compliment Lou and the novel to a tea. The plot was nicely paced, offering moments of suspense, mixed with laughter, heartbreak, friendship and love. Gage is perfectly cast as the love interest, the romance was set at the perfect temperature for this reader. What drew me the most into this story was the small town themes – such as finances, drought, mining opportunities and land ownership battles. Baxter does an excellent job of bringing the readers attention to these all important issues that are a reality for many small towns similar to Baxter’s fictional Stone Mountain.
I have no hesitation in recommending Set in Stone, a book that combines a superb Australian small town setting with real issues faced by these communities today.
Lately I have been enjoying rural romance books that go that one step further by introducing a suspense element. Set in Stone is a novel that does just that and gets it right. I really did enjoy reading Set in Stone, the writing was personable and the characters relatable. Lou, is a great choice of leading lady. I found myself sympathising with her completely and understanding the lure of the hometown versus her life in the city as a lawyer. The secondary set of characters compliment Lou and the novel to a tea. The plot was nicely paced, offering moments of suspense, mixed with laughter, heartbreak, friendship and love. Gage is perfectly cast as the love interest, the romance was set at the perfect temperature for this reader. What drew me the most into this story was the small town themes – such as finances, drought, mining opportunities and land ownership battles. Baxter does an excellent job of bringing the readers attention to these all important issues that are a reality for many small towns similar to Baxter’s fictional Stone Mountain.
I have no hesitation in recommending Set in Stone, a book that combines a superb Australian small town setting with real issues faced by these communities today.
October 15, 2015
A great Australian tale, with too much going on for it to be classified as just a 'romance' novel. At first it felt like there were too many Australianisms, but once the book got flowing, that stopped being an issue. It's great to read a book like this that is set in Australia, and it definitely should have international appeal as well. A strong story, good twists and secrets, and satisfying conclusions.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. This has not affected my review.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. This has not affected my review.
January 5, 2020
Set in Stone by Ros Baxter
This is a story of love, betrayal and a twenty year mystery that haunts Lou and keeps her from Gage, the love of her life.
What a great book! Initially, I thought it wasn’t for me - too young; I couldn’t identify with the characters’ dialogue during the school reunion in their home town. I’m glad I persevered. The interaction between Lou and Sharni set the context for the best friends return to Stone Mountain with all of the unfinished business they left behind; Sharni’s attraction to her cheating ex and Lou’ s conflicting emotions for the love of her life, Gage, somehow tied up in a twenty year mystery that had Lou out of the town for twenty years, with the star role in that going to her dysfunctional mother, Skye.
The book was set in rural NSW during drought years with all of the challenges to farmers and their supporting town infrastructure that go hand in hand. Gary, town mayor and Lou’s father needs Lou’s lawyer expertise to help him and the town people out of a monumental fix which seems to involve a gas company keen to have fracking rights to much of the land.
All the components of an explosive climax are there and Ros Baxter delivers with her strong and feisty female characters and their sometimes awkward interactions with the tough men in their lives to bring it to a very satisfying conclusion, mysteries resolved.
I enjoyed the earthy, to the point Australian vernacular employed by Ros Baxter and how her characters embraced the ethos of ordinary Australian people, sometimes doing it tough.
A great read. I gave it five stars.
This is a story of love, betrayal and a twenty year mystery that haunts Lou and keeps her from Gage, the love of her life.
What a great book! Initially, I thought it wasn’t for me - too young; I couldn’t identify with the characters’ dialogue during the school reunion in their home town. I’m glad I persevered. The interaction between Lou and Sharni set the context for the best friends return to Stone Mountain with all of the unfinished business they left behind; Sharni’s attraction to her cheating ex and Lou’ s conflicting emotions for the love of her life, Gage, somehow tied up in a twenty year mystery that had Lou out of the town for twenty years, with the star role in that going to her dysfunctional mother, Skye.
The book was set in rural NSW during drought years with all of the challenges to farmers and their supporting town infrastructure that go hand in hand. Gary, town mayor and Lou’s father needs Lou’s lawyer expertise to help him and the town people out of a monumental fix which seems to involve a gas company keen to have fracking rights to much of the land.
All the components of an explosive climax are there and Ros Baxter delivers with her strong and feisty female characters and their sometimes awkward interactions with the tough men in their lives to bring it to a very satisfying conclusion, mysteries resolved.
I enjoyed the earthy, to the point Australian vernacular employed by Ros Baxter and how her characters embraced the ethos of ordinary Australian people, sometimes doing it tough.
A great read. I gave it five stars.
October 21, 2021
This was a really interesting story about the return of the prodigal daughter, after twenty years away, to attend a school reunion. The plan is to go one night and leave again the next day.
She returns to a town in real trouble after a devastating drought to the area and a gas company wanting to move into the area. She finds out her mother is dying from cancer and her boyfriend from twenty years ago, whom she stood up is still around and has a teenage daughter.
What could possibly go wrong! The story was very well written with lots of action. Well worth the read for anyone who likes Country Romance.
She returns to a town in real trouble after a devastating drought to the area and a gas company wanting to move into the area. She finds out her mother is dying from cancer and her boyfriend from twenty years ago, whom she stood up is still around and has a teenage daughter.
What could possibly go wrong! The story was very well written with lots of action. Well worth the read for anyone who likes Country Romance.
October 4, 2017
'Set in Stone' by Ros Baxter was another story using the theme of girl-goes-back-to hometown-to-face-ghosts-of-past. The author painted the mother is such a crude and horrible way I hated it every time she appeared on the page. The daughter's relationship with a local farmer was so predictable: keep away from me even though I am wildly attracted to you. The story only got interesting when a coal gas company wanted to start fracking on properties, so some good comment on this controversial topic.
July 23, 2025
Australian Rural Romance
Single Dad
Small Town
Sibling Death
Lawyer Lou returns to Snow Mountain after 20 years for a school reunion with her best friend Sharni
Lou has to face her past.
Her mother has cancer
He ex Gage is looking hotter than ever
Her father, the mayor, has council going broke
And a gas mine wants to buy up the local farmland
Single Dad
Small Town
Sibling Death
Lawyer Lou returns to Snow Mountain after 20 years for a school reunion with her best friend Sharni
Lou has to face her past.
Her mother has cancer
He ex Gage is looking hotter than ever
Her father, the mayor, has council going broke
And a gas mine wants to buy up the local farmland
June 24, 2021
Lou returns after 20 years for a school reunion with her best friend she has a lot of issues as to why she has stayed away
August 28, 2021
Very descriptive.
June 29, 2015
Haven't read the author before but believe my fuddled report writing brain can handle quick and easy, slip away into the depths of Stone Mountain.
Leaves you wondering what those people I went to school with actually rated me?? Sadness crept in a points with the evolving characters, wanted to strangle Matt and shout at Sharni to get a grip and stop going back to the idiot. Piper shows maturity beyond her years and Gage is just always going to be the go to guy for Lou no matter what.
Appreciated escapism.
Leaves you wondering what those people I went to school with actually rated me?? Sadness crept in a points with the evolving characters, wanted to strangle Matt and shout at Sharni to get a grip and stop going back to the idiot. Piper shows maturity beyond her years and Gage is just always going to be the go to guy for Lou no matter what.
Appreciated escapism.
May 22, 2016
Not sure if I want to go to any school reunions after reading this book!!! Lou certainly gets more than she was bargaining on after returning home for one night.... didn't quite work out that way. Found the storyline both interesting and entertaining. Some characters were very likeable and others not quite so much, but each one of them had their rightful place in the story. Watching out for more by this author.
Read
November 13, 2015Looking at the cover of this book, it would be easy to dismiss this as a rural romance novel. However, this book is so much more than a romance, an unforgotten love that still burns after twenty years...it also a tense thriller, with the topic of coal seam gas (a very current and topical issue that Australians are facing) a strong thread in this story.
I adored this book and could not put it down!!
Five stars for this fabulous book by Ros Baxter.
I adored this book and could not put it down!!
Five stars for this fabulous book by Ros Baxter.
October 12, 2015
goodness, mills and boon in the country.....
I was looking forward to a great aussie read, but, alas, no
I am half way through and seariously struggling.
I will perservere, as your reviews give me hope.
also americanisms creep in along the way... 'flip flops' really.........
finished.... skipped soooo many pages
I was looking forward to a great aussie read, but, alas, no
I am half way through and seariously struggling.
I will perservere, as your reviews give me hope.
also americanisms creep in along the way... 'flip flops' really.........
finished.... skipped soooo many pages
May 19, 2015
3.5 stars
*ARC received from the publisher
*ARC received from the publisher
February 18, 2016
although i like her writing style, this was just your typical australian romance. got a bit sick of the 'i love him but we cant be together' some chapters wrre really long too
October 18, 2016
*indigenous- no actual indigenous characters, just mention of the local Koori people as traditional owners under native title have a voice in land sales.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews