He’s got a history of bad decisions—is he finally about to make the right one?
Jesse Hargreaves can’t outrun his notorious bad boy reputation. Betrayed by a woman he trusted, he retreats to his hometown, Wirralong, to serve as his brother’s best man and rebuild his life. But change isn’t easy, and it’s even harder when Jesse has to fight his fierce attraction to the maid of honour—a woman well … honour—a woman well aware of the darkness in his past.
Beautician Serenity Strachan’s flippant one-liners and vibrant hair colours are armour to protect her fragile heart. She’s always crushed on Jesse, but she’s determined to keep him and his sordid past at an arm’s length. That’s easier said than done when Jesse asks Serenity to help renovate an old property. And when they’re trapped underground in a tunnel cave-in, their emotional barriers fall faster than the tunnel walls.
When rescue arrives, they question their new emotional intimacy. Can Serenity trust this new Jesse with her heart? And can Jesse trust that Serenity will ignore the lure of a fortune to keep his secrets safe?
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I love Cathryn Hein’s story telling she has such a special voice that brings out fun and emotion throughout her stories and this one is a beauty of a story one that I have been looking forward to for a while, Serenity had to have her own story she is beautiful inside and out and now she has found the best hero or has she.
Serenity is Wirralong’s beautician working in the hairdressing salon with Elsa she is vibrant out going, as well as being a tiny bit vulnerable she has the best hair colours and has the very best play list on her phone and picks the best songs to go with what is going on. She has felt a pull towards Jesse, Elsa’s brother in law to be but he is a bad boy, very bad boy but Serenity wants to steer clear of him but is certain she can help him change his ways when he helps out in the hairdressers one day and then leads them in the tunnels and there is a cave-in, they both open up a lot in their time down there.
Jesse is a bad boy, caught up in so many incidents in the city and when he trusted the wrong woman things got turned upside down. He has come back to the town he grew up in to be best man for his brother Jack and one thing that he wants to do is change his reputation but that is not easy and with him feeling a pull towards maid of honour Serenity life gets harder for him, but maybe Serenity is the best person for him and time in the tunnels makes him see what life should be like especially if he can convince Serenity that he is changed.
Trust plays a big part in any relationship and it is one thing that Jesse finds hard but Serenity makes him feel safe and she helps him open up about things that have happened, even if she keeps playing You’re so Vain, and Serenity deserves love so much and Jesse is the one who can give it to her. This is a fabulous fun and moving story there were lots of laughs and smiles in this one that had me turning the pages, I loved it from start to finish, truly this is one that you should not miss, thank you Cathryn Hein for a fantastic story.
I thank Tule for my copy to read.
Jesse Hargraves is Jack’s brother. I met him in another book so I already knew he was a smartie and everyone thought he was a trouble maker. So it’s not surprising that he ends up getting into trouble as well. Then we have Serenity. She has been in several of the Wirralong outpost books and I am so happy she has one that she is one of the main characters. I enjoyed this book a lot for the most part it just dragged a little for me in the middle. This book has a great deal of mystery to it and it has me wanting to figure out a way to head from the states to the Outback as soon as we are able to travel again.
I enjoyed revisiting Wirralong.
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Jesse
Part of a series: The Outback Brides Return to Wirralong.
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
‘Serenity’s Song‘ is the third title in the multi-author series, ‘Outback Brides Return to Wirralong‘, and this one will pull at your heart and your emotions from start to finish.
It took me a bit to warm up to Jesse, he has an attitude that can be annoying, yet… from what’s happened to him in his life perhaps he can own that attitude with some really hard knocks along the way. Eventually, as he and Serenity got closer, secrets were revealed, and the connection between these two becomes apparent (beyond a youthful crush) I was rooting for Jessie to win his lady. I can’t say that I loved the man, but I liked him plus he is perfect for the vibrant Serenity.
Serenity may have crushed on Jesse once upon a time, but he’s a real danger right now with his questionable decisions and his bad-boy reputation. She’s agreed to help him with a project, one that will result in an accidental close encounter for them that will bring out the emotions both have tried to keep under wraps. I adored Serenity, and her friendship with Elsa is something everyone needs in their lives.
Saying much more would result in spoilers, so I’m going to close with the fact that I enjoyed ‘Serenity’s Song‘ very much, liked the characters, loved the involvement of the small town (even the gossips), and had a good time back in this world once again.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I really have enjoyed the Outback Brides books. I like the small town of Wirralong as well as the characters. All are so likable or they become so over the course of the book. This story was one of the more exciting books, lots of suspense and angst.
We’ve met Serenity in several prior books and I was happy to see she got her own story and a happy ending. Serenity has her business, Serene Beauty in a shared building with her friend Elsa’s, Hair Affair. She is known for her different hair colors and her love of music. At the shop she selects music to mirror what’s going or how she feels. Serenity has met Jesse, the brother of Elsa’s fiancé Jack but ar first she isn’t impressed by him. She knows of him from school before he moved away. He has a history of getting into trouble, including a recent arrest for drugs prior to his return to Wirralong. The reader is aware of what really happened but Serenity and the rest of the of the characters aren’t aware.
Jesse is the best man and Serenity is the bridesmaid for Elsa and Jack’s wedding and the two get thrown together. He has decided to turn one of his inherited properties into an Airbnb. He wants to do all the work himself and asks Serenity for opinions on tiles and other items. As winter came in, Serenity and Elsa had more free time. Jesse came to the shop as Elsa had gotten him to come and help out. He convinced Serenity after much discussion to go into the tunnels below the salon. They went further than anyone had done and they got stuck after a cave in. The experience provided Serenity and Jesse lots of time together with each other to bond and talk.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were wonderful, the storyline romantic, suspenseful and full of angst. The time spent down in the cave was very well written. In addition, I especially enjoyed the dIscussion on the old band REO Speedwagon. It has been one of my favorite groups beginning in my college days. Actually though I have seen them in concert a couple times in recent years and still enjoy them. I give the book 5 stars and look forward to reading more by Ms. Hein.
Once again we have returned to Wirralong and I can’t tell you how much i enjoy a book set in my own country with quirks that are all Australian We have met Serenity before she is bet friends with Elsa and it is her marriage to Jesse’s brother that brings these two together
Jesse has a reputation as a bad boy and his latest indiscretion involves drugs but is it all that it seems or has he been used either way the entire town is judging him. Serenity crushed on Jesse when they where in school together but now she is determined to protect her heart and stay away from this bad boy. that becomes even harder when he asks her help to renovate an old property When a tunnel collapse traps them thereto They will each lower their walls and reveal secrets Now can Jesse trust her or will she sell his secrets to a journalist You will have to read to see if these two will end up with a HEA
A wonderful addition to the Outback Brides Return to Wirralong. Jesse, known as the bad boy has returned to town for his brother’s wedding and wants to make changes in his life. Serenity , the town beautician has always had a secret crush on Jesse but has always stayed away from Jesse. While trapped in an underground tunnel, Jesse’s true colors come out and she will no longer be able to fight her feelings.
This is a story full of emotions, great chemistry and family. It kept me turning the pages late into the night. Loved all the song titles through out the story.
Serenity’s Song is the third Outback Brides Return to Wirralong book which has does not Serenity returning to Wirralong but Jesse. Serenity never leaves the area or her business. When Cathryn Hein wrote Elsa’s Stand I had so hoped that Serenity would get her story soon. It has taken two years for that her to get her story but it is a humdinger. I never saw what happened to Jesse and Serenity ever happening so it was a total nail biting read in the middle. It was one of those freak unbelievable but happens anyway things you see on the news.
Jesse is Jack’s brother who is in love with Elsa, Serenity co-owner and best friends. So naturally Jack and Elsa have a big role in this story too. Serenity lives life positively outrageously though responsibly. Jesse not so much so this is his growing up to be a man story. It is time for him to do that very thing. The romance is slow burn which is what I would expect from these two. Unconditional love is important in their relationship but is not given lightly. That’s real, anything else would have seemed rushed and unbelievable. Instead it is just right with a conclusion that fit these two to a T.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This author is new to me so I did not read the first book in the series but I really like Elsa she was an amazing character with a huge heart and ready to help anyone not matter what. Jack was the strong and silent type but he also seem to have a huge heart of gold as well. Serenity was a spit fire and she seem to speak her mind she seemed very fierce for those she loved. I felt like she put up with way too much from Jessie. Jessie was not my favorite I found him a rich snotty I can do no wrong type. At first I felt bad and hoped things would get better with him. When the author through in a twist in the story I thought ok here is the changing point. Lets just say what I thought was going to happen it didn’t. In the end I still was a fan of Jack, Elsa and Serenity. The friendship between Elsa and Serenity was perfect and fun and so what many want from friends. This book does have adult situations and conversations. There is cursing in this book so this may not be suitable for all. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
Serenity’s Song by Cathryn Hein
He’s got a history of bad decisions—is he finally about to make the right one?
Jesse Hargraves can’t outrun his notorious bad boy reputation. Betrayed by a woman he trusted, he retreats to his hometown, Wirralong, to serve as his brother’s best man and rebuild his life. But change isn’t easy, and it’s even harder when Jesse has to fight his fierce attraction to the maid of honour—a woman well aware of the darkness in his past.
Beautician Serenity Strachan’s flippant one-liners and vibrant hair colours are armour to protect her fragile heart. She’s always crushed on Jesse, but she’s determined to keep him and his sordid past at an arm’s length. That’s easier said than done when Jesse asks Serenity to help renovate an old property. And when they’re trapped underground in a tunnel cave-in, their emotional barriers fall faster than the tunnel walls.
When rescue arrives, they question their new emotional intimacy. Can Serenity trust this new Jesse with her heart? And can Jesse trust that Serenity will ignore the lure of a fortune to keep his secrets safe?
This is Serenity Strachan and Jesse Hargraves’s story.
‘You’re kidding me!’ said Serenity Strachan, leaning on her broom and staring at her best friend and Hair Affair’s owner, Elsa O’Donoghue. It was Wednesday, pension day for many Wirralong locals, and with the autumn weather being kind for once, the salon had experienced an influx of customers that morning. They’d cleared out now, bustling off to the lawn bowls club where Marnie Duffy was celebrating her seventy-fifth birthday with a buffet lunch and karaoke.
‘Unfortunately, I’m not.’ Elsa sank onto Hair Affair’s red upholstered barber’s chair and stared at herself in the mirror. Her blue eyes were round with worry, her skin dull and dry. Serenity had noticed Elsa’s fatigue when she arrived for work, but this was the first chance they’d had to chat properly.
‘I’m not surprised.’ Serenity leaned the broom against a basin and took a normal salon chair alongside. She swivelled it to face her friend. She hated seeing Elsa like this. Jack’s family had put her through enough worry this past year.
Now Jesse had gone and got himself arrested on drug charges. Again. ‘What’s he going to do?’ ‘What can he do? Fraser says his lawyer will sort it out. The drugs clearly weren’t Jesse’s. They’re holding him like they always do, as a warning.’ ‘I thought Fraser was out of the game?’ ‘He is but …’ Elsa lifted her hands, despair etching lines around her mouth. And no wonder. She’d nearly lost Jack because of his father’s activities. ‘Hey,’ said Serenity, leaning forward to grip Elsa’s knee and give it a shake. ‘It’ll be okay.’ Her friend forced a smile. ‘Of course it— Oh.’ Elsa dragged her phone from the front pocket of her cute pink pinafore. Her smile dropped the moment she read the screen. ‘Jack, what’s up?’
She listened, nodding. ‘Good idea. At least here he’ll be out of temptation’s way.’ They chatted for a moment longer. Elsa’s giant-sized boyfriend was a man of very few words. That Elsa had managed to penetrate his taciturn shell was a source of great amusement to her friends. But Elsa was a force to be reckoned with when she set her sights on something, and she’d wanted Jack from the moment he stalked into her salon like a Wild West cowboy on the day of his mother’s funeral and helped himself to her clippers.
Serenity’s Song by Cathryn Hein is a 3 star book.
“I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.”
Cathryn’s Books with Tule:
Elsa’s Stand
Outback Brides
Serenity’s Song
Outback Brides Return to Wirralong
Outback Brides Return to Wirralong
Book 1
Matilda Next Door by Kelly Hunter
Book 2
Maeve’s Baby by Fiona McArthur
Book 3
Serenity’s Song by Cathryn Hein
Book 4
A Nanny Called Alice by Barbara Hannay
Serenity and Jesse’ s story in Serenity’s Song by Cathryn Hein, book three in the Outback Brides Return series is a tale filled with emotions, insecurities, family, the need for acceptance, and love. Bad boy Jesse Hargreaves can’t seem to get away from his notorious reputation. After being betrayed by a woman he trusted and loved, he returns to his hometown of Wirralong to serve as his brother’s best man and turn his life around. Change can be difficult no matter who you. Jesse makes it harder as finds himself falling for the maid of honor; a woman who knows all about his past. Beautician Serenity Strachan’s sarcastic comments and bright hair colors are her armor; protecting her fragile heart. She also has a talent to play a song that fits a person or situation perfectly. Since a school girl, Serenity has crushed on Jesse but is now determined to keep him from getting too close. That doesn’t work so well when Jesse asks her to help with renovating an old property. When these two are trapped underground in a tunnel cave-in, they share their anguish, fears, and feelings as they wait to be rescue; bringing them closer than either expected. In order for this closeness to grow both of them must learn to trust each other. After all the hurts and betrayals from his past, Jesse wonders if he can trust Serenity to keep his secrets safe from the press and refuse the temptation of a fortune that might be offered. All Serenity needs is for Jesse to trust her, believe in her, and love her.
Ms Hein wrote a wonderful and emotional story that is definitely not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, adventures, sarcasm, and charming characters giving Serenity and Jesse a chance to discover they are perfect for each other. I highly recommend Serenity’s Song to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Pinpoint music and accurate song selections create a melodic thread to the Australian outback story. It is a delightful and charming story of love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.