Three extraordinary women on a journey to find love and rediscover family.
Featured book this week is The Maxwell Sisters by Loretta Hill
There’s a note from Loretta and an excerpt too!
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Phoebe and Christopher…
All families have their problems. No more so than the Maxwells of Tawny Brooks Winery. Situated in the heart of the Margaret River wine region, this world-renowned winery was the childhood home to three sisters, Natasha, Eve and Phoebe.
Today all three women are enmeshed in their city lives and eager to forget their past – and their fractured sibling relationships. Until Phoebe decides to get married at home…
Now the sisters must all return to face a host of family obligations, vintage in full swing and interfering in-laws who just can’t take a hint. As one romance blossoms and others fall apart, it seems they are all in need of some sisterly advice.
But old wounds cut deep. Somehow, the Maxwell sisters must find a way back to one another – or risk losing each other forever.
The Maxwell Sisters is a heartwarming romantic comedy about three extraordinary women on a journey to find love and rediscover family.
Excerpt from The Maxwell Sisters by Loretta Hill
Dear Readers,
In this chapter the Maxwell sisters, Phoebe, Natasha and Eve have returned to their childhood home in Yallingup. They are sitting down to their first dinner with their family, Phoebe’s fiancé and his family and the Maxwell’s winemaker, Adam. (Please note, in this extract Eve sometimes calls Adam, “Adonis” because he’s just too good looking.) I chose this particular piece to share because I really think it showcases Adam’s personality. I get a lot of feedback from readers about Adam and how much they love his cheeky, “tell it like it is” attitude. He’s definitely a stirrer and a larrikin. I hope you have fun seeing him tease Eve in this scene.
Happy Reading,
Loretta Hill
Extract From Chapter 10 of The Maxwell Sisters
Phoebe sat down again as the gathering finally settled into neutral small talk. Graeme questioned John about the process of vintage and how it was all done. Her father explained how harvest was conducted in short intense bursts where they fully picked one grape variety and processed it immediately.
Phoebe and Tash both contributed and she would have thought Adonis would as well, being the winemaker and all, but he steered completely clear of it. Focusing, unfortunately, all his attention on her.
‘So, do you think Spider really never sleeps?’
‘Well, of course he sleeps,’ she said rather impatiently, taking another sip of her wine and not meeting his eyes.
‘How would you know?’
She felt her cheeks warm irrationally. ‘What do you mean, how would I know?’
‘Have you actually seen him sleeping?’
Chagrin gripped her. Only once. They’d been poring over recipe books for ideas for their restaurant till the wee hours of the morning. He’d fallen asleep on the couch and she’d covered him with a blanket. And . . .
‘Are you all right?’
She looked up into those deep blue eyes and nearly had to slap herself to disconnect their gazes.
‘I’m fine.’ She took another gulp of shiraz and said abruptly, ‘And no, I’ve never seen him sleeping. Maybe you should ask Phoebe, she can clarify.’
‘I’d rather talk to you.’
She gritted her teeth and for once conveyed her annoyance, hoping he would get the message. ‘About what?’
He picked up his glass, sipping it and considering her as though he was trying to figure his way around a puzzling problem. ‘I’m concerned that you might have the hots for me.’
She choked on her wine, spraying some out from her mouth. ‘What?’ She grabbed a napkin to dab at her lips.
‘Don’t get me wrong.’ He lifted his hands to reassure her. ‘I’m flattered, really.’
‘How nice for you.’ She glared at him, folding her arms to allow him time to hang himself.
‘No, seriously.’ He seemed to be at pains to spare her feelings. ‘I think you’re great. Interesting, quirky, maybe a little weird.’
‘Weird?’ she protested.
‘In a good way. I mean, you’re not like your sisters.’
Her arms tightened and her eyes narrowed. ‘In what way?’
He was silent for a moment, watching her steadily until he seemed to miraculously hit upon the answer. ‘You seem to be incredibly easy to annoy.’
She gasped, dropping her arms. ‘That’s how you’re going to differentiate me from my sisters?’ What happened to quieter, shyer, even ‘more retiring’. That, she could have accepted because it was the truth. ‘I am not easy to annoy.’
A soft laugh vibrated in his chest. ‘You’re annoyed right now.’
‘No, I’m not.’ Her brow wrinkled in irritation.
He shook his head, grinning at her. ‘What did you want me to say? That you’re prettier than they are?’
Her breath hitched. ‘You think I’m pretty?’
‘I think you’re beautiful.’
She blinked, slightly taken aback.
‘But,’ he sighed as one passing on a cream puff, ‘you’re not on my radar. Nor is any other girl in the neighbourhood. I’m here to work. So whatever you were thinking before,’ he stabbed a cherry tomato with his fork and popped it in his mouth, ‘it’s not going to happen. I just thought you should know, before you got your hopes up.’
Wow. This has gone on long enough.
‘O-kay.’ She pronounced her words slowly, to give them time to sink into his thick conceited skull: ‘I-do-not-have-the-hots-for-you. Not even slightly. In fact, right now, I think you’re a narcissitic, arrogant pig.’
‘Really?’ He seemed genuinely surprised. ‘So then why have you been sending me signals all evening?’
She was horrified. ‘I have not been sending you any signals.’
‘You were staring at me before.’
‘In your dreams,’ she hissed.
‘And you did try to sit in my lap.’
‘That,’ she put her glass down heavily, ‘was an accident!’
‘And you did that whole weird thing when we first met, where you tried to bump into me on purpose.’
‘You know,’ she coughed as she felt blood rushing to her face, ‘you have some imagination.’
‘Do I?’ He seemed genuinely contrite. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions.’
‘Good,’ she said shortly, determined to end the subject. ‘Apology accepted.’
The Maxwell Sisters is available in eBook and paperback from all good retailers.
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Read more about Loretta and her books on MEET LORETTA HILL
Haven’t read any of Loretta’s books. They are still on my to be read list .Sounds like an interesting read.Thanks for sharing.
Hope you enjoy when you get your hands on one of Loretta’s books Jessy 🙂
This book is on my next to read list…I picked up my copy from our local Salvation Army store. I was shocked to see it there as it has only recently been released, but I’m glad it was there because now that copy is mine! It sounds like a really fun read.