Congratulations Jennie Jones
on the release of
A Heart Stuck on Hope
There’s a giveaway too!
GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
An eBook copy of the book and a paperback copy of all three stories in the series. Plus a mug!
(Giveaway open until midnight AEST Mon 29 February.Giveaway open to Australian postal addressees only.)
Move to the country for $1 a week
There’s nothing left for Adele Devereux in Sydney: no job, no relationship, no hope, and no diagnosis for her shy, uncommunicative daughter Ali. So she packs her bags, takes her meagre savings, and moves her small family to the country. She never expects to meet Tom Wade, a man facing his own hopeless situation, but whose kindness reaches her daughter in an unexpected friendship. As the small town of Dulili attempts to regenerate itself, Adele finds herself drawn further in to the community – and into her attraction to Tom.
Tom is not back in Dulili to build a relationship. He’s there to heal wounds, help his grandmother, and make new plans. Plans that don’t come with his grandmother’s new tenant who is part of the Dulili dollar scheme.
But as Adele and Ali effortlessly work their way into his thoughts and his heart, Tom realises that there are two crucial elements that he left out of his long-term plans – the chance for love and renewed hope for the future.
Hi, Australian Rural Romance readers, it’s wonderful to share my new release with you!
When fellow author Catherine Evans contacted me about the possibility of a new rural story set in a fictional town in NSW, and then told me both she and author Lisa Ireland were in on the idea – I jumped at the chance to join them.
While email flew across Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria about our town Dulili (which means Together) at a terrific rate, with each email full of ideas and fuelled by our enthusiasm for this project, I worked on an idea for my own story.
A rough map of Dulili, drawn on a sheet of paper in Lisa’s hotel room at the Romance Writers of Australia conference in Sydney August 2014 where Jennie, Lisa and Catherine finally caught up in person to further plan the A Dollar for a Dream series.
I did have the beginnings of a story outlined for something else, and I wondered if I could pull it off for this. But all I had for that story outline was: young single mother takes eight-year-old daughter to the country due to something (possibly bullying of some kind?) creating a shyness and uncommunicative nature in the child. Mother and child meet a group of elderly residents in the hotel, and the enigmatic grandson of one of them.
That’s it – that’s all I had! But I ran with it, and of course it expanded from there. I took the woman and her child, and the grandson and I also created a group of elderly Dulili residents who are eager to help their town get back on its feet. All they can offer is their memories and photographs. My heroine, Adele, takes on the volunteer role of creating a family history society (I put this into the story because of my own love of family history).
After months of emailing and with our stories finished, we finally got together again in person!
Catherine Evans, Jennie Jones and Lisa Ireland, Australian Romance Readers Convention,
Canberra, March 2015
Once my storyline came to me, and I’d penned a few chapters, I looked for pictorial inspiration for Tom and Adele and found Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep.
I thought Mr Neeson had the necessary qualities for Tom. That face of Mr Neeson’s is full of compassion, a no-nonsense attitude and a suggestion of gritty determination should it be needed.
And Meryl Streep? It was the naturalness of her demeanour that struck me as being so similar to Adele’s. Tom calls Adele fine, trustworthy, and the sort of woman for whom you watch your mouth. It’s Adele who changes Tom as much as young Ali does. In Adele’s company, he begins to see that not everything big and bold is best.
As I wrote A Heart Stuck on Hope it became increasingly clear to me that it would be Tom (coping with his own difficult situations with his gruff, give-the-world-the-finger attitude) who would help Adele’s child, Ali, to heal. A lot of my heart went to Tom in this story. He had many barriers he needed to break down, and what better way to have that happen than a sudden, unexpected friendship with a child who only – for some unknown reason to Tom – communicates with him.
I really hope you enjoy Tom and Adele and Ali’s love story.
Jennie x
Excerpt from A Heart Stuck on Hope by Jennie Jones
In this excerpt, from Chapter Three, Tom has gone over to newcomer Adele’s house at the request of his grandmother who owns the house, to check on Adele and to see if she needs anything. He reluctantly does so, already too keenly aware of his interest in Adele. Adele is in the bathroom fixing shower curtains above the bath, and Ali is making a dollhouse out of cardboard boxes. Ali has just spoken to Tom, asking him if he’d make the roof for her. He knows she doesn’t talk to anyone, so he’s taking it as it happens.
Tom folded the art card for the roof in half and ran a thumb over the crease. ‘It’s got to hang over the edge of the house,’ he told Ali. ‘Otherwise you’ll have problems with your guttering.’
She turned her head slightly and stared at him. ‘I don’t have pipes.’
‘Cheapskate,’ he told her. ‘I know your type. Cutting corners on the build so you can get yourself a walk-in robe and a fridge that makes toast over the internet.’
She smiled at the toast remark but otherwise looked nonplussed. ‘Can it stick so I don’t see the tape?’ she asked.
‘Sure.’ Tom laid the cardboard roof over the top box, which Ali had already taped together in a haphazard manner. ‘I’m no cowboy. You’ve got yourself a master builder, kid.’ He picked up the packing tape. ‘First though, we’ve got to repoint your brickwork or your house is going to fall down.’ He pulled a long stretch of tape and bit off the end. ‘Hold the boxes, would you?’
Ali put her hands onto the bottom box and shuffled the house around on the floor so that the back faced Tom. He bound the two boxes with the tape, finishing the ends neatly. It didn’t take him long to secure the roof, packing tape out of sight beneath the ‘eaves’.
‘I don’t have rollerblades,’ she told him.
‘What do you need those for?’
‘Because you said I’m a chipskate.’
Tom grinned, which turned into an actual laugh—the first non-sardonic laugh in nearly five weeks. Without thinking he looked up at Adele, who had stopped fiddling with the plastic shower curtain she’d hung.
She glowed. She was all lit up, and Tom’s heart did some weirdo flip.
‘Thank you.’ She mouthed the words silently, the gratefulness obvious from the shine in her eyes and the bloom on her skin. The haunted look had gone. Totally disappeared.
Tom’s smile faded. He raised his chin in acknowledgement, and brought himself back into line as he looked away, fighting the emotional response happening in his chest.
He gave Ali a quick glance. Her head was bowed, concentration visible by the pucker of her lips as she drew windows and a door on the cardboard house.
Imelda had told him the kid didn’t talk and yet, for some reason, she’d responded to him. It was a responsibility he didn’t want and didn’t have time for.
Something inside him told him to stop being an arse and accept the child’s and the mother’s responses to him, but that would be his heart talking. His head—if he ever got his brain to function again—should be telling him to get over the pull of attraction to the mother and the reward of having done something right for the kid. Especially when the only attribute he currently had to his name was ‘inability to safeguard’.
He’d better get out of here before he was persuaded to cut out the windows. Her mother could do that.
‘I’ve got something I need to do. I’ll leave you to it.’ He stood and without looking at either of them, made his way to the door. ‘See ya, kid.’
A Heart Stuck on Hope is available in eBook from all good retailers. And will be available in paperback in bookshops and department stores around 21 March 2016.
BUY NOW
Booktopia
Amazon Australia
Amazon.com
iBooks
Kobo
A Heart Stuck on Hope by Jennie Jones - out now
Honey Hill House by Lisa Ireland - pre-order now
The Healing Season by Catherine Evans - pre-order now
All stories in the A Dollar for a Dream series will be available together in one paperback and in the all the usual shops and bookstores at the end of March 2016 in an anthology titled Last Chance Country.
BUY the paperback now on pre-order
Booktopia
Read more about Jennie and her books on MEET JENNIE JONES
Visit Jennie on her website JennieJonesRomance.com
Visit Jennie Jones, Romance Author on Facebook
Follow Jennie on Twitter @JennieJRomance
Giveaway!
Just leave a comment for Jennie and you’re in the draw.
GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
Jennie is offering an eBook copy of A Heart Stuck on Hope for Kindle (Amazon) or iBooks.
Plus a paperback copy of Last Chance Country – the anthology with all three stories.
She’s also throwing in a mug.
(Giveaway open until midnight AEST Mon 29 February. Giveaway open to Australian postal addressees only.
Please note: paperback copy of Last Chance Country will not be available for winner until mid-March.)
Good Luck!
I have always been an avid reader snce i was 10 yrs old i adore reading australian rural romance and with tongue hanging out i troll through the shop shelved hoping i find the new book thats just been released ,way to go !!
Spotting a new book in a bookstore is the most exciting thing ever, Dot!
Welcome aboard Australian Rural Romance Vicky! Thanks for popping in to leave a comment too.
I just subscribed. I love Australian rural romance and would love the opportunity to find another author in the genre to get into.
Welcome aboard Australian Rural Romance Vicki! Thanks for popping in to leave a comment.
Congrats on another release! Can’t wait to read it and add it to my collection! Would be stoked if I won a paperback copy, then my hubby can’t complain about me “buying” another book!!
Haha. Some husbands just don’t understand how important buying another book is Jenny
The heart always leads the way. Love is patient, Love is kind. A cup of tea and a good book to start the day makes anyone smile. Xo
A cup of tea and a good book. Couldn’t agree more Michelle. Makes me think of a quiet afternoon in a big comfy armchair.
Congratulations on the new release, Jennie. I’m in love with it just from the excerpt. Definitely on my TBR list! 😍
So glad you enjoyed the excerpt Kylie! Thanks for popping in
Love the idea of this! Looking forward to reading them all
Thank you Gemma. We had such fun writing this series.
Love your writing. Look forward to many more booke
Aw, thank you Pamela!
Congratulations Jennie! Can’t believe your latest is already out and cannot wait for it to get to the top of my TBR. As you know I’m a huge fan of your writing and I have no doubt that this is yet another that’s not going to disappoint. I can just imagine myself drinking out of that mug whilst reading A Heart Stuck on Hope - and lovingly lending the series out to my reading friends ☺
Thank you Marcia! The mug looks good, doesn’t it? (You see the set of 3 😉 )
Love the way your books set in rural Australia have all the city girls clamouring for your next book when it comes out. Gives us country girls a sense of contentment in our own lifestyle. Thanks for that.
Isn’t it wonderful Janet? I’m close enough to the CBD to say I live in a big sprawling city but I too long for the books set in the country (probably why I write them!).
Congrats Jennie! LOVED the book!
Wow - thank you Melissa!!
Love Jennie Jones Stories
Love the Swallow Falls books
Very excited about reading a new story from you
Love a good rural papaerback.
Thank you so much Craig!!
Love reading, especially Australian Romance and our female authors…. way to go girls…. another one to add to my list and another reason to go hunting for more books….. thank god my partner is so understanding when i head to the book section….he helps me find books or just goes off elsewhere and says “I’ll meet you over there when you’re finished”. 😀😀
It’s wonderful that your partner lets you browse and browse and browse and doesn’t say ‘can we go now?’
Thanks for leaving your comment Debbie.
Looking forward to reading your new release, congratulations
Many thanks Anne-Marie!
Jennie, being an avid reader I really only discovered rural romance last year and am trying to read one of each of you lovely ladies books, there are so many of you Aussie authors out there!!! I am amazed by the talent we have in this country, and the fact that rural romance is about real people with a good storyline behind it. Would love to read these books, I’ve read one of Lisa’s but none of yours or Catherine’s. Thank you for the chance and keep up the great work 😊
Thank you Janine - and keep reading! There are a lot of books out there and it’s wonderful to be part of so many who write rural stories. Thanks for popping in.
Another great story to read and a series including two more writers! Looking forward to this. Ali and Tom’s connection sounds wonderful. Well done Jennie.
Many thanks Dee!
Congrats on your new book looking forward to reading it.
Thanks Cheree - and thanks for popping in!
I absolutely love reading, I would love to win these, have been looking for something different and to have the Australian rural romances is wonderful as I live rural myself, close to the heart 😊💕
Hi Tracey - so glad you enjoy a good rural story! (So do we
) Thanks for popping over.
Congratulations on your new book Jennie. You are one of my favourite authors and I can’t wait to read your new book.
I’m totally thrilled Nicola! Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy this new one
Looking forward to reading this!!!
I loved writing this story Stacy. Hope you enjoy it
Congratulations on your new release from another wonderful Australian author. Well done Jennie, can’t wait to read the new book. I have been reading since I was very young and I am now in my sixties, so have read many good books. Several years ago I discovered the wonderful Australian rural authors and I have not stopped reading them since. Thank you for being one of those authors.
Thank you Alison! There are quite a few of us rural authors now - so hopefully we’ll keep you all going in reading material for a while longer
cant wait to read this book from three wobderful authors
Thanks Marjo - we really hope you enjoy each of the stories.
I love books set in rural Australia that capture the awesome beauty and vastness of our great country. Add a believable, romantic and well penned love story and you’ve got the perfect fusion. Congrats on your new book
That is exactly why I read these books too Theresa! Thanks for popping in to say so.
Congratulations on your new release Jenni. Australian stories are my favourite and rural romance is fast becoming my favourite genre to read. I’ve discovered so many new Aussie authors in the past year or so, the stories have so much background, drama, romance, fun and real characters you can relate to in them they make you want to not stop reading them. I’m looking forward to reading more about Ali and Tom as well as the other books in the series. 😊
I’m so glad you enjoy reading this genre Aileen because we love writing it! Thanks so much for popping in.
Hi Jennie. Love the dollar for a dream concept. I live rurally, and often look at sad empty houses, just waiting for a loving touch, some warmth and some water….!
It’s about communities and individuals, and what a great recipe for an enthralling series.
It must be such fun to collaborate with your fellow writers. It’s hard to shut us up when we get together at the best of times, but to have a common goal…. it must be exhaustingly good! Best wishes to you all.
Jay
Hi Jay - I will take one of those sad lonely houses please!!! (And yes it’s fabulous working with Catherine and Lisa and on the few occasions we manage to get together in person, the allotted time is nowhere near long enough!) Hope you enjoy each story.
What a great idea for a story. A must read for me.
Hope you enjoy each of these stories Mary! Thanks for popping in
I can’t wait to read the story of Adele and Tom. Congrats.
Thank you Melissa - hope you enjoy it
Congratulations on the release, can’t wait to get my hand on it, & enjoy another Australian rural romance book.
Thank you Maria, it’s been a really fun couple of ‘new release’ days
Just finished A Heart Stuck on Hope, really enjoyed how you portray how grief/dark pasts are handled differently by people, in the end they all need true love with no regrets
Finished already! So glad you liked the story Julia
Love that saying - “true love and no regrets”.
Congratulations Jennie. This book sounds like it will be amazing with lots of emotion and romance. I love the way you gave Tom the unexpected relationship with Ali. Children are so trusting and can be quite perceptive when it comes to adults. I will definitely be looking out for these books and more of yours. Well done!
Hi Wendy - you’re right about that perception of a child’s. And with Tom being so gruff too (but Ali sees beneath that). Thanks for popping in.
Congratulations Jennie on your new book, would love to read this new one have read a couple of your books and thoroughly enjoyed reading them, keep up the good work Jennie.
Hi Robyn! Thanks for popping in to say such nice things:) Will do my best to keep the good work going.
Thank you Jennie for your new books! Congratulations! Your other books I have read can either stand alone or continue on a story line. Great style of writing. I look forward to reading these new books.
Thanks so much Miriam! I hope you enjoy this new book and the 2 other stories in the series
CONGRATULATIONS MIRIAM, YOU WON! Jennie will be in touch shortly. Thank you everyone who left a comment, from ARR and from Jennie. Your support is amazing.
Congratulations & I’ll be looking out for your ebook to get shortly.
Great to see more releases of novels in the australian outback. I just can’t get enough of them! 😃
Hi Nic - they are wonderful all these rural romances, aren’t they? So lovely to have so much choice too!
I love your books Jennie! Always such a great read. I’m really looking forward this one
Aw, Kerry - thank you! Hope you enjoy this new book
I am so looking forward to this book. The characters are worth putting aside the housework until I have absorbed the main scenery and then into the night I will continue. Well done! I see your books in the window of the Port Fairy bookstore. I am a bit obsessive in regards to reading stories with an Australian content.
Hi Margaret! Oh how lovely that you too a break from housework
(So pleased to hear that my books are still around in the Port Fairy bookstore - that’s awesome.)
Congratulations ! Jennie on your new release. Looking forward to read your book. Thanks for including an excerpt. A cup of coffee and your book is the perfect combination. It’s exciting that lots of Rural Romance’s are being released and thankyou for creating such lovely and heart warming stories .
Hi Jessy! Thanks for your lovely comment - and yes it’s wonderful to have so many rural books out and about. They will keep us occupied that’s for sure.
You have made your mark on the world with these books. I love the way you write and the personalities that come to life with the main characters in your books. i’d love to read more.
Tanya, I’m choking up here! Thank you for those wonderful words. x
Wow another book by an Australian author, I love Aussie romance and would love to win a copy of your new book to join all the other Aussie books I have and have loved reading….. Keep up the great stories we all love reading.. Thank you for an opportunity to win a copy.
There is such a wonderful choice now isn’t there Jenny? Thanks so much for popping in to leave a comment.
Congratulations, Jenny on your new release, I love reading the Rural Romance stories in Real Books!! The Cup looks great too!!
Thanks so much Pam! Nothing like reading a rural romance is there?
oh my drinking tea from a jennie jones mug how wonderfully relaxed that would make me feel and to be totally ingrossed in one of your books as well …oh i think all my christmases would be here at once
Aw, Karen that’s lovely! Thanks for popping in. Good luck in the draw
Hi Jennie, I have your book on my Kindle app but I love reading printed books so I’ll wait for the anthology and that way I can read them one after the other. I don’t know what it is but I’m absolutely dying to read these stories, can’t wait for March 21. I’m just finishing Nicki’s Emergency Response then onto Outback Ghost and finally, finally by the end of next week I’ll be reading my first book of yours. I’m so excited you have no idea!
Once again another awesome giveaway, Jennie!
I LOVE your enthusiasm Sue! Gosh, hope I pass muster when 21 March comes around!!! 😉 Thanks for your lovely words.
Been waiting with baited breath for this book to arrive ,love reading your books, hope its not to far away, !! Dorothy
I’m so pleased you like my books Dorothy! Really hope you enjoy this one. Thanks so much.
Looking forward to a relaxing arvo with your latest book , a cuppa and chocolate. Love rural romance <3
Hi Kylie. A book, a cuppa and chocolate - heaven!
Congrats on your new book Jennie, cant wait to read it and what a bonus i broke my coffee cup only the other day so another bonus lol……so fingers and legs crossed and hoping maybe i might get lucky, have a wonderful weekend xoxox
Sorry about your coffee mug Kim - hope it wasn’t your favourite! Good look in the draw
Only recent to reading Australian rural romance, I didn’t realise how many Australian authors there are writing such great reads! Looking forward to reading this one too.
Hi Karyn - so good to hear that you’ve ‘discovered’ rural romance
Thanks so much for your comment.
I loved your previous books and I am looking forward to this one. I like it when writers team up to write a series like this, it introduces me to new writers.
HI TilpaGal - thanks for your lovely words about my other books. Really hope you enjoy this new story! And yes, it’s wonderful to find new writers isn’t it?
congratulations on the new release i can’t wait to read it.. have loved all your books and hope you continue to create fantatsic characters for us to enjoy
Oh thank you for these lovely words, Renee!
Congratulations Jennie!! Look forward to reading another one of your wonderful stories. Thanks you 📚 Jane
Thank you Jane! Really hope you enjoy this one too
I would love to win your book A Heart Stuck On Hope love reading Australian Rural Romance books as i always feel like i’m actually there where the stories take place. Love being in the country but don’t get there very often these days
Jane, this is why I love reading rural or small town country stories too - because I love to get immersed in that type of community. Hope you get to the country again real soon!
I love Rural Romance but what is even better is when it is in a series, ie Swallow Falls, Bunyip Bay, Bindarra Creek and now the A Dollar for a Dream series. Loved Tom, Adele’s and Ali’s story. Thanks Jennie.
Thank you Len! I love writing a series best of all and agree with you - reading a series is awesome.
I love Australian rural romances. Im super excited about your new book. The excerpt was such a tease. Cant wait to read the rest. ☺
Hi Simone, thanks for popping in. Glad you enjoyed that little teaser
Hope you like the whole story too.
Sounds a wonderful book to escape to the country with! What a wonderful excerpt - thank you for sharing it!
Hi Kathy - thanks for popping in to comment
My pleasure to share the excerpt!
Reading is such a fabulous escape and being able to relate well to a rural setting is something I love. Looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of A Heart Stuck On Hope
Hi Sarah. Couldn’t agree more about loving a fabulous escape via reading a book (especially when it’s a country setting, of course!)
Hope you enjoy the book.