Lilly Merrin’s Waratah Inn is divided into sections that take place in Brisbane, Australia in the middle 1990s and WW2. Finding the diary of a beloved grandparent is the device used to connect the flipping from present to the past. Merrin is an excellent writer and the novel is lushly comforting. Be forewarned this is the first book in a series so don't expect a satisfying ending. ( )

2.5 Stars

1995. Cabarita Beach, Australia.

A grandmother’s fatal heart attack returning to her bed and breakfast brings about the reunion of 3 estranged sisters, Reeda, Kate, and Bindi. The Waratah Inn, once a charming beach oasis, has continued to welcome guests with Nan’s dear longtime friends, Mima primarily in the kitchen, Jack the handyman, and relative newcomer Alex in the past months to care for the horses.

As the grandmother took her last walk on the beach, her thoughts revealed it might be time to tell her granddaughters a part of her past she had kept as a hidden secret. It was intriguing to realize the grandmother’s journals would begin at a young age and reveal a secret that would encompass the years of WWII. Sadly, the journals were not presented as diary entries which I’ve found to give a deeper reflection of the character’s life history.

The surprise, however, was a severe disconnect in the storyline in the character portrayal of Kate. Kate informs her younger sister Bindi,

"But so you know, I’m not comfortable keeping things from her (older sister Reeda).

However, Kate had no trouble reading her grandmother’s journals and keeping them a secret from her sisters for months. There was an explosion when the lesser of the 2 secrets was discovered, yet the longer secret finally divulged was merely a blip on the emotional radar screen.

One should also be prepared for the story of Kate to end abruptly with a notification that

"This book is complete.

If one is interested in a scene of interest to Kate’s story, it is necessary to download a "Bonus Epilogue" from BookFunnel with instructions to

"Make sure you have some tissues handy."

The Epilogue that is provided begins the focus on the older sister Reeda as an

"introduction to Book 2 in this series, which continues Reeda’s story."

I need no tissues, as satisfaction is not warranted by having to download a Bonus when the momentum ended abruptly. No additional time will be given to this series.

A Glossary of (Australian) Terms, Discussion Guide, and Recipes are available at the end of the book. ( )

A wonderful read and I loved getting to know more about the Australia land and seascape along with a great cast of characters. I moved right onto the next book in the series. ( )