Burrabinda Dawn (Book 1 - eBook)

The start of a new series from one of my favourite authors and it didn’t disappoint, come along for a trip to outback Queensland and meet some wonderful characters.

Burrabinda is a large farm with cattle and sheep and has been home to the Westman family for generations but sadly farming is not an easy business and with drought, floods and the cost of fuel and fertilizer running Burrabinda is getting harder and Charlotte has come up with a plan to bring tourism onto the farm and keep it going by giving people the chance to experience farming for themselves, the doors have opened to this sprawling and beautiful land and the very welcoming Westman family, Anthony, Charlotte theirs sons Oliver and Nathan and Roy and Sylvia, Anthony’s parents and Charlotte’s cousin Heath.

Their first visitors are Stella Lewis and her eighteen year old daughter Evie, Stella is a single mum and a hairdresser but while house-sitting her parents home a terrible incident brings back past memories for Stella and shatters her confidence, her parents suggest a holiday and young Evie is very keen for this to happen.

Evie has also had a re-think about her future after a weekend away with her girlfriends goes wrong, so they decide on a trip to the outback they find themselves driving to Winton and Evie is stoked at the dinosaur’s museum and she is sure she has found what she wants her future to be and then they arrive at Burrabinda for a two week stay.

Staying at Burrabinda is what will change their lives, they really open up with the help of the Westman family and discover secrets that had been kept for many years and now the future is theirs to own and the happiness they have both found is what they needed and deserved.

I loved this one from start to finish and cannot highly recommend it enough, a beautifully told story of friendship, and of finding yourself, I loved all of the characters in this one and of course my trip to the outback was amazing, and I am really looking forward to more in this series and another visit to Burrabinda and the Westman family.

My thanks to the author for my digital copy to read and review.

Burrabinda Farm had been in the Westman family for generations but now they needed a change of direction for it. With finances not giving them the confidence they needed, Charlotte & Anthony, current owners; Ray & Sylvie (Anthony's parents nearby) and Oliver & Nate, Charlotte & Anthony's two sons, put their heads together and began work on turning Burrabinda into a farm stay. With their sheep and cattle stock needing a lot of their time, everyone was busy. But the change went ahead and before long people were heading to the new farm stay in Queensland, only an hour from Winton.

Stella & Evie Lewis had had a traumatic time back at their home on the Gold Coast, and when Stella's parents encouraged them to take a holiday, everyone was supportive. Driving through the vast Queensland bush, with dust, flies and much more to contend with, they both loved it. Arriving at Winton and the dinosaur museum that Evie had loved so much as a child, she was in her element as they wandered the museum. Needing somewhere to stay, Burrabinda was recommended. And so the bulk of their holiday commenced. Both Evie and Stella loved it on the farm, Evie on the horses with Nate as her guide; Stella helping with the sheep, a job she didn't expect to enjoy but did. Gradually, the trauma eased...

Burrabinda Dawn is the 1st in the Burrabinda series by Aussie author Heather Reyburn and in her usual inimitable style, it's perfect. Wonderful characters, excellent word pictures of Burrabinda and the surrounds, of the bush, wildlife and nature - I love Ms Reyburn's work. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read and review.