His condition?’ Kate arched an eyebrow. ‘Do you mean the fact that he was an alcoholic? I didn’t realise alcoholism was considered a condition nowadays.’ Kate didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but being a violent drunkard could hardly be pt in the same category as diabetes or heart disease.
‘Y-ye, well … um,’ stammered the solicitor, shuffling through the papers on his desk. After a moment he seemed to collect himself and pointed out the places she had to sign.
When he was alive, Kate Thurston’s grandfather was a mean, violent drunkard. But he’s dead now – and he’s bequeathed his property to her. Kate and her children need a new start, so it seems that her grandfather has, at last, done her a favour. But when Kate is confronted by the bad state of the house and the property, and memories from her past emerge, she wonders whether coming back was such a good thing.
As she rebuilds the property, Kate must also navigate the dramas of raising a rebellious teenage daughter and a timid son and the difficulties of starting a new relationship. When her ex-husband turns up it seems there might be no escaping the past.
North Star is an absorbing novel from new author Karly Lane. Set in rural Australia, the tale blends drama with romance for a pleasing whole.
North Star, by Karly Lane
Allen & Unwin, 2011
ISBN 9781742374826
This book can be purchased in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond.