Back in Calingarry Crossing to sell the family pub, Maggie Lindeman has no idea a perfect storm is heading her way until her past and present collide with the unexpected. Maggie once had a crush on Dan Ireland, now a work-weary police crash investigator, still hell-bent on punishing himself for his misspent youth. Dan has ample reason for not going home to Calingarry Crossing for the school reunion, but one very good reason why he should. Maggie is dealing with a restless seventeen-year-old son, a father with dementia, a fame-obsessed musician husband, a dwindling bank account and a country pub that just won’t sell.
What a Great read . Great story line, and once hooked I hung out for the next bit of "me time" to continue reading . I loved the way Jenn J McLeod wrote this novel as it really made me feel connected to the characters and the events that unfolded throughout. I would definitely recommend Simmering Season to others and have actually started passing it around to my Book Club Mums - and it has also prompted me read more from this author .
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from the moment I picked it up it had me hooked. I thought it was a great story admittedly it was a bit slow to start but it got there in the end, a great novel about second chances in my opinion. After googling the author have just purchased House For All Seasons. So thanks so much MoMs for giving me the pleasure of reviewing this book. Have passed onto my Mum also, hope she and everyone else that does read Simmering Season enjoys it as much as me. :)
FINAL REVIEW FOR SIMMERING SEASON BY JENN J MCLEOD
The plot keeps you on your toes the whole way through. With so many secrets popping up from chapter to chapter. Maggie enduring many up and downs with finding out about her son’s sexuality. The death of her father, the break up of her marriage and her new rekindled relationship with Dan.
You will be on the edge of your seat, not been able to put the book down.
Enjoy the late night reading you won’t be disappointed.
Half way through the book and I am really loving the country setting and characters. Having to return to the hotel was good for Maggie allowing her spend time reflecting and finding herself again. I am from a small country town and can relate to the busyness of the local hotel, and it being a great place for socialising.... can't wait to finish this book!
Maggie has her hands full with trying to sell her fathers pub in her childhood town of Carlingarry Crossing which isn’t doing well at all, a teenage son who wants to go back to Sydney and a husband who is still in Sydney and she just realising her marriage may be in trouble and a father with dementia.
Fiona has moved in with Maggie and Noah causing some rift between mother and son. I’m sure there is a lot more hiding in the past with Fiona’s mother, grandmother,
Maggie and Dan which I’m hoping to find out with the school reunion coming up.
Starting to get to the stage where I don’t want to put the book down (intriguing).
This is one of those books that just sucks you right in and you can't put down. While reading this book I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters. The relationships and situations written about are believe able and a true reflection on how life really is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and high recommend it.
After receiving this book I started reading immediately - and from the start was drawn in. Jenn writes with such honesty and this heart wrenching story could feel close at home to many. Her magnificent character portrayals tug at your heart strings and take you on an emotional roller coaster. I have not yet finished reading - but will be sure to post another review once I have completed this wonderful piece of Australian literature.
SIMMERING SEASON by Jenn J McLeod is a fabulous book. It is like reading about people you know, that's how realistic the characters and settings are. Jenn J McLeod is a great author and I love reading her books. Her novels have a flavour that is uniquely Australian and she has a flare of making the reader feel as though they are there, part of the story.
I am a fan of Jenn McLeod books and Simmering Season was a great read. I love that its set in a small rural community and the characters are believable and intriguing. I found it hard to put down the book once I started and felt that as a reader I could relate / connect with the characters created in the novel. I think reading previous books of her make it easier to place the characters.
After reading the review’s this was on the to buy list,I have finished this book now and I really loved Jenn McLeods style of writing it was a great easy to read Australian story. This story sucked me and I could not get out. Thankful we were on holidays worth reading to laugh along with the characters. Great story line and I am looking forward to reading more
This is one of those books that just sucks you right in and you can't put down. While reading this book I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters. The relationships and situations written about are believe able and a true reflection on how life really is. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and high recommend it.
I have finished this book now and I really loved Jenn McLeods style of writing it was a great easy to read Australian story. Would I read other novels by this author? Yes most certainly! A really great book to read while relaxing on holidays.
What a Great read . Great story line, and once hooked I hung out for the next bit of "me time" to continue reading . I loved the way Jenn J McLeod wrote this novel as it really made me feel connected to the characters and the events that unfolded throughout. I would definitely recommend Simmering Season to others and have actually started passing it around to my Book Club Mums - and it has also prompted me read more from this author .
Interesting, compelling read that I really enjoyed.
Despite being a lover of reading, being a busy mum of 2 had meant it had been a long time since I read a book. Simmering Season captured my imagination and really allowed me to get hooked on the story and I found it hard to put down. Instead of watching TV once my girls were in bed I found myself reaching for Simmering Season. I was a heartwarming story with a nice think, intertwining plot and it has left me wanting to read more from Jenn J McLeod. I highly recommend this book.
Finally finished this book! enjoyed it more and more as i continued and found it too be an interesting break from studies. A story about the trials and tribulations of women's lives and the events that occur which leave us in awe and confusion :) A book that many would be able to relate too. :)
Enjoyable read with some really likeable characters.
Heart-warming tale that examines the complex relationships we all experience through the course of our lives, and the ups and downs of life in small country town. Throw in an impending storm (figuratively and literally), death, second chances, misplaced loyalty, a bit of romance and a few life lessons, and you have a solid and enjoyable read.
This reads like a prime time soap opera the characters are fleshed well enough but without reading the previous book there seem to be a bit of history missing . Some characters seem to fit the setting well enough . Over all it was a decent read ,not the normal sort of book I would read but saying that I enjoyed it for that reason .i would recommend it to a friend ,it is already on its way for my daughter to read.
A sweet dramatic tale which is good for the ladies :)
I received this book to review and found it had a bit of a slow start and a bit sporadic but once you get to know the first person character better the story gets more and more interesting, the drama that unfolds in a small town community and Maggie's life are a ''cant put this book down'' fashion accessory. I do enjoy a variety of genres and this one was good for girly time out in the bath or on the verandah for me :)
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from the moment I picked it up it had me hooked. I thought it was a great story admittedly it was a bit slow to start but it got there in the end, a great novel about second chances in my opinion. After googling the author have just purchased House For All Seasons. So thanks so much MoMs for giving me the pleasure of reviewing this book. Have passed onto my Mum also, hope she and everyone else that does read Simmering Season enjoys it as much as me. :)
I enjoyed this book and would recomend it to anyone who would like a easy, interesting and relatable read. It was a bit slow at first but after the characters developed I found it thoroughly enjoyable
Another wonderful book by Jenn J McLeod. Took me three days to finish, once I had started it was not easy to stop. Simmering Seasons feels very familiar and close to home. It's a heartfelt and poweful story about lifes struggles, our ups and downs. It's very easy to relate to and many of the familiar moments had me in tears quite a few times. I would highly recommend this book to my family and friends. It's may not be as good as her previous book, but it's still quite wonderful. Jenn is one brilliant Australian author and I can't wait for the next book from her.
FINAL REVIEW FOR SIMMERING SEASON BY JENN J MCLEOD
The plot keeps you on your toes the whole way through. With so many secrets popping up from chapter to chapter. Maggie enduring many up and downs with finding out about her son’s sexuality. The death of her father, the break up of her marriage and her new rekindled relationship with Dan.
You will be on the edge of your seat, not been able to put the book down.
Enjoy the late night reading you won’t be disappointed.
I found it hard at first to understand who was who & what was going on but after a couple more chapters I really started to get into it. I'm half way through it as finding the time has been difficult but I do have a bit more now that I'm home more. Magpie is a great character, we all need alone time. I'm.interested to see what eventuates.:)
I don't mind a good read, I'm half way through it but I'm finding the book a bit slow. I don't mind the story line. It's written beautifully but I feel that it needs to pick up a lot earlier in the book for it to attract the reader. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Its been awhile since I've actually read a physical book, as these days I read books on my iPad its been a nice change. I've only recently been able to sit down and really sink my teeth into it, I must say thought I'm loving it so far its really got me hooked. Can't wait till tonight and I can pick it up again.
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Article
‘I Grabbed My Car Keys And RAN!’ The New Supermarket Bread Everyone’s Talking About
Mum-of-two Rebecca McCracken has spent the last four years reading ingredient lists on pretty much everything she buys at the supermarket.
Like many parents raising kids with food allergies, a quick trip to the supermarket often means checking labels, comparing products and hoping to find something the whole family can eat.
Bec’s four-year-old son and 17-month-old daughter were both born with cow’s milk protein allergy. While her son has since outgrown his allergies, her toddler still reacts to dairy, making even everyday staples like bread a challenge.
“Unless we buy expensive sourdough for seven or eight dollars, we don’t really have a choice.”
Even then, it’s not ideal.
“A kid doesn’t want to eat a sourdough sandwich,” Bec laughs. “And fairy bread on sourdough is not great.”
A New Loaf On The Block
Bec runs an online community for allergy families, so she spends plenty of time sharing recipes, product finds and supermarket discoveries with other parents.
It was one of those parents who first told her about new JUST bread.
“A follower messaged me and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this bread is coming soon.’ I was like, ‘Where? When? I need to know. I’m getting my car keys and running!'”
Made with baker’s flour, water, yeast, vinegar, oil and salt, JUST bread contains no artificial preservatives, flavours or colours.
For Bec, it sounded almost too good to be true. “When we saw JUST bread, I was like, ‘You’re joking.’ A bread that’s fresh baked but in the bread aisle? That’s unheard of for us.”
“It was really exciting for our family and for the allergy community.”
The Family’s Toughest Critic Approved
Of course, there was one person whose opinion mattered more than anyone else’s.
“My toughest critic is my daughter. She is so fussy. We know something is really good if she approves it, and she approves it. She loves it. She’ll eat it plain, toasted, as French toast … whatever. She loves it.”
Bec says she was impressed too.
“I like it. I like that it’s only got minimal ingredients and doesn’t have the additives and preservatives that are in a lot of other brands.”
A Simpler Option For Everyday Families
Bec tried out JUST bread because of her family’s allergies, but she says it has a broader appeal.
“I think everyone is becoming more conscious of additives and preservatives in their food.”
It’s a feeling many of us can probably relate to. We don’t all want to overhaul the way we eat, but plenty of us are paying a little more attention to ingredient lists and looking for products that keep things simple.
Bread is one of those foods that’s always around. It ends up in lunchboxes, on the breakfast table, alongside soup on a cold night and covered in hundreds and thousands at birthday parties. When we eat something that often, it’s only natural to wonder what’s in it.
JUST bread keeps things simple with a handful of pantry ingredients and no artificial preservatives, flavours or colours. It’s the sort of loaf that fits easily into busy family life without asking us to compromise on taste or convenience.
Little Changes, Big Difference
For Bec, finding a loaf of bread her whole family can enjoy is about more than ticking another item off the shopping list.
“It seems like such a little thing to the normal community, but for us this is a massive win.”
Being able to make sandwiches without worrying about ingredients. Packing lunchboxes a little more easily. Bringing back fairy bread for birthdays. Sometimes it’s the little things that make family life feel a whole lot simpler.
And while Bec found JUST bread because she needed another allergy-friendly option, its simple ingredient list is likely to appeal to plenty of other families too. After all, when we can choose everyday foods made with ingredients we recognise, that’s a pretty good place to start.
JUST Bread is made on a line that also processes soy and sesame.
Mouths of Mums is proudly working with JUST. to bring you this article. JUST bread is made with just a handful of pantry ingredients. JUST. The Good Stuff.
I am so glad to hear about this and will definitely be on a look out for this in the supermarket. I have noticed that there are starting to be more ‘cleaner’ products in the supermarket, meaning consumers are being heard. We are going full circle back to how foods use to be produced before companies got greedy and started taking shortcuts to producing food items. I hope we continue seeing more preservative and additive free options that are affordable come back in the supermarkets.
I am so glad to hear about this and will definitely be on a look out for this in the supermarket. I have noticed that there are starting to be more ‘cleaner’ products in the supermarket, meaning consumers are being heard. We are going full circle back to how foods use to be produced before companies got greedy and started taking shortcuts to producing food items. I hope we continue seeing more preservative and additive free options that are affordable come back in the supermarkets.
Grabbing your car keys and running for a bread ?? I can’t imagine doing so for a bread lol ! It’s nice to see that more and more allergy friendly products are being produced and put on the market.
I don’t agree with the statement that “A kid doesn’t want to eat a sourdough sandwich”. It depends on what type of bread you introduce to your kids. My kids grew up with 7 seeds, rustic bread and sourdough and they love it. It’s also quite easy and cheap to make sourdough bread yourself.
I haven’t seen this bread in the supermarket but will be looking for it now. I have been trying to avoid preservatives and additives for some time now and as highlighted in the article bread it difficult to find, or super expensive, without them so I don’t have it often.
This is fantastic, finally a bread that is not full of nasty stuff. I will be going straight out to buy this. My son has ARFID and will only eat white bread, but it’s not terribly healthy. With this bread, at least I know that it is much healthier than the alternatives. Woohoo
I cant wait to give this bread a go (so far its always been sold out at my local woolies so it must be good). So good its suitable for those with allergies too. I think nowadays were all looking for cleaner options of ingredients in our foods so this is a step in the right direction.
I am glad more and more allergy friendly products are being produced and offered. I don’t agree with Bec’s statement that kids don’t like sourdough bread. My kids were introduced to sourdough and the most rustic and seeded breads from the time they started to eat bread, and they love it
Oh I cannot wait to try this bread! We go through that much bread each week and I always feel so guilty with how much my kids have – not anymore! Would love to see them introduce other variants in the future – multigrain and gluten free would be superb!
This is such a great product that I’m looking forward to trying! I’ve only been buying bread from bakeries the last few years because grocery store bread texture was so dense and unpleasant. But the hassle with bakery bread is I can’t get it everywhere! I’ll be really keen to give this a go
7:21 pm
Simmering Season heated up this winters chill
11:54 pm
Thoroughly Enjoyed
2:13 pm
Loved it
9:30 pm
this book has some sad parts and some twists and turns i didnt expect.
the house guest certainly brings along some challenges and something else maggie wouldnt of expected.
I really liked the spark maggie has with dan and how much fun they have together.
great book i really enjoyed reading it ;) thanks so much :)
11:30 am
FINAL REVIEW FOR SIMMERING SEASON BY JENN J MCLEOD
You will be on the edge of your seat, not been able to put the book down.
Enjoy the late night reading you won’t be disappointed.
6:00 pm
first review for Simmering season
5:17 pm
REVIEW ON SIMMERING SEASON BY JENN J MCLEOD
Maggie has her hands full with trying to sell her fathers pub in her childhood town of Carlingarry Crossing which isn’t doing well at all, a teenage son who wants to go back to Sydney and a husband who is still in Sydney and she just realising her marriage may be in trouble and a father with dementia.
Fiona has moved in with Maggie and Noah causing some rift between mother and son. I’m sure there is a lot more hiding in the past with Fiona’s mother, grandmother,
Maggie and Dan which I’m hoping to find out with the school reunion coming up.
Starting to get to the stage where I don’t want to put the book down (intriguing).
1:46 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
5:17 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
10:55 am
Magnificent read - Captivated from the start!
1:46 pm
sounds awesome and looks great
10:17 pm
Realistic characters and settings
8:45 am
Captivating
11:21 am
Great holiday read
5:17 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
11:13 pm
Simmering Season
7:21 pm
Simmering Season heated up this winters chill
1:38 pm
Interesting, compelling read that I really enjoyed.
11:48 am
Descriptive and Imaginative Writing :)
10:42 am
Enjoyable read with some really likeable characters.
5:27 pm
Simmering season lives up to its title
7:38 am
A sweet dramatic tale which is good for the ladies :)
11:54 pm
Thoroughly Enjoyed
5:36 pm
Enjoyable read.
11:58 am
Took me three days to finish this wonderful book.
2:13 pm
Loved it
11:30 am
FINAL REVIEW FOR SIMMERING SEASON BY JENN J MCLEOD
You will be on the edge of your seat, not been able to put the book down.
Enjoy the late night reading you won’t be disappointed.
10:36 pm
Great so far
11:12 am
It's ok
9:56 pm
I'm Hooked
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