In Home Before Sundown, Barbara Hannay returns to the Fairburn’s cattle station, Mullinjim, in Northern Queensland. Peter Fairburn, whom we met in Zoe’s Muster has suffered a heart attack he may not survive, prompting their daughter’s, return from Europe where she has been traveling for the last two years. Accompanied by her Aunt Liz, who has been avoiding Mullinjim for almost thirty years, Bella Fairburn arrives home and takes over the running of the family farm while her father recovers. Though it is hard work, Bella is happy to be home except for the presence of her neighbour, Gabe Mitchell, the man who broke her heart.

I was delighted to return with Hannay to the characters I grew familiar with in Zoe’s Muster. Zoe, the daughter of Peter Fairburn and half sibling to Bella and Luke, is now happily settled with Mac McKinnon. Home Before Sundown features Bella and her Aunt Liz, Peter’s sister, both of whom fled Mullinjim after experiencing heartbreak.

Bella was crushed when Gabe rejected her in the wake of his father’s death and took off to Europe but he was never far from her thoughts and now she has returned she has to face him. Gabe had his reasons for pushing Bella away but now that she is back he doesn’t want to see her leave again. It’s a sweet romance with evident chemistry simmering between the pair. Naturally their reunion is complicated by not only their past but by the cute, French, ski instructor boyfriend Bella left behind and the Bella’s indecision regarding what she truly wants.

Liz’s story arc gives added depth to this novel about family, love and loss. A renowned concert pianist, Liz also fled Mullinjim nursing heartache and a secret she has never shared but that has haunted her for thirty years. Being home forces Liz to confront her past and re-consider her future.

Home Before Sundown is an engaging story of joy, tragedy, romance and heartache set within the dusty landscape of the Australian outback. I am already looking forward to Hannay’s next book which promises to feature Bella and Zoe’s brother, Luke Fairburn. ( )