• Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Write for Australian Women Online
  • Advertise With Us
  • Horoscopes
  • Style
  • Shoe Boutique
  • eFashion
  • Weight Watchers Australia

Australian Women Online

Business, career, health and lifestyle content for women

  • Home
  • BLOG
  • BOOKS
  • BUSINESS
  • CAREER
  • COOKING
  • HEALTH
  • LIFESTYLE
    • Automotive
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Pets
    • Relationships
    • Your Home
    • Your Money
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • TRAVEL
    • Discount Holidays
You are here: Home / BOOKS / Book Reviews / Book Review: The Shelly Beach Writers’ Group by June Loves

Book Review: The Shelly Beach Writers’ Group by June Loves

28 September 2011 by Nicola Robinson

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Print
  • WhatsApp

Rating: ★★★★☆

This lovely book crept up on me. I was initially worried it would be what US publishers call a ‘cosy’ — a warm and fuzzy story without much real tension. And, in fact, it has many ‘cosy’ elements: a feel-good cast of characters, a romance or two, a variety of happy outcomes. But it is also whip-smart, very funny, and unpredictable — altogether a blend of elements that kept me up late, reading just one more chapter.

Fifty-something, one-time career woman Gina has no partner, no job, no home, no money and no prospects. Freshly dumped by her rat-husband, she is in shock from the collapse of their business and the cancellation of her soon-to-be-published novel. In other words, she is in a hole. And she has no idea how to dig her way out.

Offered a chance to house- and dog-sit in the tiny seaside town of Shelly Beach, she jumps at the chance, anticipating months of solitude in a crumbling, view-free shack. Instead, she is immediately drawn into a community rich in activity and quirky folk — none of whom will take no for an answer. There is baby-sitting and wedding planning and baking and weeding and seal-watching and even the occasional drinking of parsnip wine, not to mention retrieving amorous dogs and finding foster homes for unwanted cats.

And there are potential (and occasionally actual) lovers: gorgeous-but-too-young Lee, smarmy Digby, pushy Adrian (her landlord, capable of being pushy even by email).

Much of the back-story — and much of the humour — plays out through Gina’s long talks with the Dog (as she calls him), who I quickly realised had become her alter-ego:

Time was running out. After the wedding, I had to focus on getting a job in the new year and somewhere to live.
The Dog said it’s not the hole I have to conquer but myself.
I ignored the dog.

The book’s title promises readers a ‘book about books’. Pushy Adrian has foisted the task of coordinating writers’ group meetings onto Gina. She’s a most reluctant participant, but her comments on the group’s regular writing assignments reflected neatly on the novel I was actually reading. (Clever without toppling into too-clever post-modernism!)

At the story’s end, there’s a sense of ‘more to come’. Some questions resolved, some not. So very intriguing. So very indicative that a sequel could be waiting in the wings. Hope so.

You May Also Like:

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Uncategorized

Ads by Google
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

New Content

  • Anorexia Nervosa: Can You Recognize These 10 Warning Signs?
  • 5 Common Issues that Women Face While Pregnant
  • 5 Ways Distance Learning Can Empower Women
  • Timeshares: 4 Myths Exposed
  • Unleashing Fun and Adventure at Camden’s Premier Mini Golf Destinations
  • The Most Luxurious Yachts’ Designs
  • Packing for Health: Must-Have Items to Include in Your Travel Kit
  • Estate Planning and Beyond: Crafting a Secure Future with Legal Expertise
  • Empowering Independence – Unveiling the Benefits of Live-In Care Services
  • Tips for Choosing the Right Home Builder for Your Project

Popular Content

  • Moore Weekly Stars
  • Sexy and Stylish Short Hairstyles for Women Over 60
  • Jamie Oliver Christmas Recipes using Aussie meat and produce
  • Aussie Mums open male escort agency catering exclusively to women
  • Top 9 Cars for Women in Australia
  • Escort Services: Do Escorts Ever Fall For Their Clients?
  • A History of Heels & How to Survive them in the 21st Century
  • Tigerlily Alamea Tiered Maxi Dress
  • Zimmermann Zinnia Floral Print Maxi Dress
  • Establish Good Study Habits with these 8 Study Tips by Nina Sunday

Australian Women Online © Copyright 2007 - 2023 Deborah Robinson ABN 38 119 171 979 · All Rights Reserved