So, I missed October, hence, we’ve gone from August/September straight to November/December. I was conscious of this all through October, but time still got away from me. For November and December, we have another five terrific titles to choose from. Read one, two or all! Head over to Page by Page Bookclub with Theresa Smith Writes on Facebook to join in with the discussion.

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The Invitation by Belinda Alexandra

In Gilded Age New York, money buys everything. What is your price?
Sometimes the ties that bind are the most dangerous of all …
Paris, 1899. Emma Lacasse has been estranged from her older sister for nearly twenty years, since Caroline married a wealthy American and left France. So when Emma receives a request from Caroline to meet her, she is intrigued. Caroline invites Emma to visit her in New York, on one condition: Emma must tutor her shy, young niece, Isadora, and help her prepare for her society debut.
Caroline lives a life of unimaginable excess and opulence as one of New York’s Gilded Age millionaires and Emma is soon immersed in a world of luxury beyond her wildest dreams – a far cry from her bohemian lifestyle as a harpist and writer with her lover, Claude, in Montmartre.
Emma hopes for an emotional reunion with her only family, but instead she finds herself in the vice-like grip of her charismatic and manipulative sister, who revels in the machinations of the ultra rich. As Emma begins to question her sister’s true motives, a disaster strikes, and New York society is stripped bare – beneath the glittering exterior lies a seething nest of deceit, betrayal, moral corruption … and perhaps even murder.
From the bestselling author of Tuscan Rose comes a mesmerising tale of two sisters and the dangers and seductions of excess.

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Lost Without You by Rachael Johns

A fresh and poignant novel of family, journeys, past decisions … and dresses … from the ABIA award-winning, bestselling author Rachael Johns.
Four women, one dress, and the secret that binds them all…
On a special night that is supposed to be a celebration of new beginnings, Paige MacRitchie’s joy quickly falls away when her mother collapses during the speeches at her book launch. In the aftermath, and terrified of losing her, Paige decides she wants to make the ultimate tribute to her parents’ perfect marriage: she will wear her other’s wedding dress for her own big day.
There’s just one problem – her mum, Rebecca, no longer has the dress.
As Paige tries to track down the elusive gown, she discovers that Rebecca has a long-hidden secret that, if revealed, could blow her whole family apart. Her new friend Josie is at a crossroads too. She met her husband Nik when she was singing in an eighties-themed bar, but now she’s lonely, yearning for a family and wondering if Nik understands her at all.
And then there’s nurse Clara. When she married Rob Jones, an up-and-coming rock star, she thought she was in it forever. But now Clara needs to make a new life for herself and Rob can’t seem to understand that it’s over.
When the fates of these four women intertwine in an unexpected and powerful way, none of their lives will ever be the same again.

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The Lost Man by Jane Harper

The man lay still in the centre of a dusty grave under a monstrous sky.
Two brothers meet at the border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of outback Queensland.
They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old, no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last chance for their middle brother, Cameron.
The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish. Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he lose hope and walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…
For readers who loved The Dry and Force of Nature, Jane Harper has once again created a powerful story of suspense, set against a dazzling landscape.

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Arcadia by Di Morrissey

A breathtaking Tasmanian tale of ancient forests; of art and science; of love and, above all, of friendship.
In the 1930s, in an isolated and beautiful corner of southern Tasmania, a new young wife arrives at her husband’s secluded property – Arcadia. Stella, an artist, falls in love with Arcadia’s wild, ancient forest. And when an unknown predator strikes, she is saved by an unusual protector…
Two generations later, Stella’s granddaughter, Sally, and her best friend, Jessica, stumble over Stella’s secret life in the forest and find themselves threatened in turn.
What starts as a girls’ adventurous road trip becomes a hunt for the story of the past, to solve the present, and save their future…
A modern mystery born in a timeless Tasmanian forest, from Australia’s favourite storyteller.

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Where the River Runs by Fleur McDonald

Ten years ago, thirty-year-old Chelsea Taylor left the small country town of Barker and her family’s property to rise to the top as a concert pianist. With talent, ambition and a determination to show them all at home, Chelsea thought she had it made.
Yet here she was, back in Barker, with her four-year-old daughter, Aria, readying herself to face her father, Tom. The father who’d shouted down the phone ten years ago never to come home again.
With an uneasy truce developing, Chelsea and Aria settle into the rhythm of life on the land with Tom and Cal, the farmhand, who seems already to have judged Chelsea badly. Until a shocking discovery is made on the riverbed and Detective Dave Burrows, the local copper, has to tear back generations of family stories to reveal the secrets of the past.
Chelsea just wants a relationship with her dad but will he ever want that too? Or will his memory lapses mean they’ll never get that opportunity?

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The Page by Page Bookclub with Theresa Smith Writes is an online bookclub with an emphasis on books written by Australian Women, chatting in a setting that is above all else, friendly and inclusive. Flexible reading timelines and multiple titles to pick from each reading period. And lots of chatter…

Every two months (or thereabouts!), books will be posted here on the blog, and if you’re not on Facebook but would still like to read along, please feel free to let me know in the comments on this book post. The chatter will be in the group but I’d still love to hear your thoughts on the titles read.

To join the Page by Page Bookclub with Theresa Smith Writes, head over to the Facebook group and request to join. Look forward to seeing you over there!