A fascinating story of remote sheep stations in Australia, as seen through the eyes of a bunch of ladies. The book club is what binds the story together, but is not the main part of the novel, which is about loneliness and how to cope. Well, it was for me, anyway.
I thought the book was well written and interesting, with believable characters. A lot of work must have been done about the historical aspects, which seemed to me to be well done.

Such a good book and Sophie has become one of my favourite writers since reading this a few years ago. Five big stars for this one!

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Once upon a time I wouldn't have picked up a book like The Inaugural Meeting Of The Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green. Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, or because I feel homesick, or because the world is a hard place and sometimes you need something gentle. Whatever the reason, this book was soothing.

"In 1978 the Northern Territory has begun to self-govern. Cyclone Tracy is a recent memory and telephones not yet a fixture on the cattle stations dominating the rugged outback. Life is hard and people are isolated. But they find ways to connect."

A book club brings together Sybil, Kate, Rita, Sallyann & Della. Together, they support each other through the challenges of living in a remote cattle station and show that family is more than just blood.

The Fairvale Ladies Book Club is feminine in a hard world and if that's not a reflection of life...

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people and our teaching staff too to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

I guess the title intrigued me as I like to read about book clubs having been in them myself - and know about some of what happens within..
And this is the Northern Territory of Australia which I have never seen but is really really large and the home of the Flying Doctor. The romance of the Flying Doctor and Uluru gets to most people. And then they start reading :
My favourite quote was from Kate:
“Books give us the benefit of a lot of people’s experiences. They give us more options to choose from - more ways to live - than we could ever find on our own”.
And then they read The Thorn Bird as the first book. Well that got me hooked. I did read it but I much preferred the TV series. How could anyone not fall in love with Richard Chamberlain as the priest? He was beyond dishy.. then.
And I loved the settings too.
So I read on and found the book excellent. The writing style, the content, the characters, the story, the whole of it.
I couldn’t stop reading and think this is one of the best of its type I’ve read for a very long time.

A nice surprise. Gorgeous. wholesome relationships between women that felt so true to life. Plus I've really enjoyed learning more about Australia.

This book was not quite what I expected. I was expecting it to be a book about books, and yes, even though there was a book club that brought women together going through troubled times and loneliness, that is what the story mainly consists off. Loneliness and troubled waters.
I enjoyed this story but was not overwhelmed by it. Each person has her own story and though it was definitely sad at times , I also felt like I was watching a soap opera.
It becomes very dramatic and so unrealistic (yes I know this is a work of fiction) to the point I got a little fed up.
However, I still recommend picking it up because there are some lovely moments in there amongst the drama.
I would like to thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I agree with the majority of the reviews put on by other people. It was interesting to see how book groups, in Australia, started as a way of helping alleviate boredom, isolation, and help the women characters in the book connect better with their families, their husbands, and society in 1978.

Delightful book, hugely enjoyable. Strong female characters, perhaps a little predictable in places but a great sense of life in the Northern Territories.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.The setting is unusual,in the remote Northern Territory of Australia ,and the book highlights the isolation that can be felt in these communities,and the importance of friendship for the women living there.All in all, this is a feel good novel about the power of reading and the vital support of friendship,and I would recommend it.Good holiday reading at this time of year too!

The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green is a story that grew on me the more I read. In fact I didn’t realise the powerful effect it had on me …

When our five ladies are first introduced to us I have to admit I was more interested in how it was possible to live within the confines and limitations of the ‘seasons’ – never being able to control the environment but adapting to life in the harsh and raw landscape and the isolation the Northern Territory brings. I was interested in the displacement of the Aborigine tribes and what that meant for them. However, page after page I came to love Sybil, Rita, Sally-Anne, Della and Kate which of course meant that I was totally invested in them and felt their every emotion alongside them. There were times when I was crying and I didn’t even realise I was …

I really enjoyed being a part of their everyday lives. Sybil’s relationship with her eldest son had me messaging my eldest one morning (his response, “why are you thinking like this?” – ummm, it’s the book I’m reading and the effect it has on me …). All five ladies experience life changing circumstances and the bond that’s grown is a lifeline to ride that change. Sybil and Rita guide the younger Sally-Anne, Della and Kate on a subtle level but find it difficult to accept help when they need it. I loved the bond between Sybil and Rita, friends since they were 17 they accept each other for who they are and know exactly what each other needs.

Sophie Green has written an awesome story that is relatable for any age group. I didn’t want this story to end and would happily spend time in this world each day. However, our character’s stories don’t end. There are no loose ends all nicely tied up (just as in real life!) and for me it echoes Fairvale itself – never staying still, always in motion. One not to miss!

A lovely book about the lives of 5 very different women living in the Australian outback. An easy & enjoyable read.
I found that the characters were likable and I enjoyed learning more about how they each deal with living in such a harsh environment.

This is so good. If you liked the Outback sections of A Town Like Alice - then this is set in a similar sort of community, but about 25 years later and in the Northern Territory in Australia rather than Queensland. It follows a group of women who form a book club to help a new young woman - who's moved to Fairvale after marrying the son of the household. All the women face trials and tribulations over the course of the book, but get support and help from the rest of the gang. I loved the descriptions of the wild countryside and I had a tear in my eye more than once. A great beach read - and a great book club pick. I'll definitely be looking out for more from Sophie Green.

After reading this, I became a member of the Fairvale Book Club! I don't usually go for the 'empowered housewife baking with new purpose' genre but this actually credited the reader with some intelligence (Optimistically in my case). Nevertheless, I read the book list the group devised and was opened up to a few Australian gems including Franklin's; 'My brilliant career'. Unexpectedly inspiring.

When Sybil's son Ben marries an English girl Kate and brings her out to live with them in the Australian Northern Territories she realises that such a remote harsh area musty be a real cultural shock for the young girl and so decides to set up a book club to introduce her to some other people living there. The women can only meet infrequently but it becomes almost a lifeline to them and builds strong friendships.

I really enjoyed this book, although slow going to start, as I have visited the Northern Territories and can appreciate how isolated you could feel especially in the 70s when it was set as you wouldn't have had the social media and communications that you would have today

A lovely and absorbing novel introducing a new landscape to many of us, and celebrating women's mutual support and community. Read a full review on my blog, linked below.

Could not download it, so i could not read it. Very sad about that as it sounded interesting.

Upon starting to read The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club, I was surprised at how hard going I found it, and how slow the book was. If I’m being completely honest, three chapters in and I was all set for giving up. I put the book down and walked away from it. However, only a few days later I had the urge to pick it up again.

This is a book that gets better the longer you read on. Not only did the plot progress into something so touching and meaningful, but the characters all develop and evolved as the pages turned and I found myself really getting involved in their lives.

There is so much depth to this book. So many hard-hitting issues that the women have had to live through that they shared. This is a book that touched me, emotionally.

This isn’t a story that you can whizz through. This is one that must be savoured and taken slowly. It took me out of my comfort zone, and I am so happy that I returned to it, otherwise I’d of missed out on an outstanding book.

Since I was actually living in Sydney iin 1978 , I was delighted to read this book. It is a wonderfully evocative book of the period and the settings are outstanding.

I loved the ladies in the book and their trials and tribulations. Such warmth and friendships developed, despite some problems, and I felt very satisfied when I'd finished it.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't quite sure what this story was going to be like and initially thought it was in the vein of a Monica McInerney novel. but actually there is more depth to this, ( I do enjoy Monica McInerney books!)
The story is a real mix of family, love and the 1970s setting adds another element to the story. It also shows how isolated Australia was - not just from the rest of the world but also from parts of itself. The setting of the Northern Territory is as much a character as the female characters.
Sibyl sets up the book group- which due to weather conditions in the state and the isolated nature of the country can only meet 2 times a year - to help her daughter in law settle into Australia and make friends. The group of women and the 6 books they read over the 3 year setting of the novel, act as a means to help them understand and in some circumstances change their lives..
The novel shows the empowering nature of books, reading and friendship to help. I like the fact that the author discussed the reasons for her choice of books - from the Thorn Birds to My Brilliant Career and a few stops in between.
The author explores subjects such as an inter-racial love affair - very challenging in 1970s Australia, grief, the role of women in a male dominated world and divorce. It is easy to forget how different life was as recently as the 70s looking at the role of women- both as wives and workers.
A good read!