Maggie's Run is the first book in a new multi author series from Tule Publishing and so far I am really enjoying what I've read. The series is set in the Australian Outback and this author's writing style brought the setting to life for me. The story had a nice easy flow, that along with some great characters made it a wonderful relaxing read. I enjoyed the banter between Maggie and Max and their nice slow build romance. Max really challenges Maggie and the time they spend together has her learning to love the crazy little town of Wirra Station as well as Max.

I would definitely recommend this one.

Great start to the Outback Brides Series and I for sure don’t want to miss any of them.
Maggie’s and Max’s love story has a vary hard time finding its way to their hearts, mostly because Max saved Maggie from a car wreak when she was a young girl, but he could not save her parents and this haunts them both and Maggie is left with nightmares and survivors guilt that is like throwing ice water on their budding love.
Loved the story, the so real characters, and oh the secrets from the past, glad I didn’t miss this one.

A really sweet rural romance about finding your own strength, believing in yourself and giving love a chance. This wasn't a long story, but it packed a fair bit into it. Maggie has come home due to her aunt dying and has many issues of her own to deal with, one of those is her relationship with long time friend and neighbour Max. Maggie and Max must work through these many issues if they want to make a life together. Trust in self and others is a big hurdle Maggie must overcome. This is the first in a new rural romance series Outback Brides by various Australian Women Authors and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.

OMG!!! I love Kelly Hunter’s stories more and more and her latest, Maggie’s Run, is an absolute corker. Set in country Victoria, a part of Australia I love more than any other since I happen to live there, this is the first story in the multi-author Outback Brides series. It works so well by itself, but I suspect it will also tie in nicely with the other three stories.
Maggie and Max have history. He pulled her from the wreck of her parents’ car when they were children and he still lives next door to Wirra Station, the property where she grew up and which she has just inherited from her aunt Carmel. When they come together as adults it’s easy to see that they are perfect together.
These are two strong, capable characters, perfectly matched in terms of drive, ambition and ability and they complement each other beautifully. Max has already made his mark on the world while Maggie is just discovering what she can do as the story opens. As it develops and her self confidence grows, ably assisted by new friends in Wirralong, the town she grows to love, Maggie learns to trust others, to lean on them when she needs to and to know what it feels like to belong.
I adore Maggie. One minute she’s a basket of self-doubt and the next she’s organising a banquet for over a hundred people. She’s complex and rounded and so real. Max is also a wonderful character. He’s a lovely blend of successful Aussie farmer, suave businessman and genuinely decent guy. These two and the other characters in this book are so well drawn that I could easily imagine any one of them wandering through town.
This story is sweet and sexy and warm-hearted and so, so romantic. I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved it from the very first page to the last.

Perspective is everything, which Maggie's Run by Kelly Hunter clearly show. Maggie Walker is an amiable especially as she is paired with childhood friend Max O’Connor. His good-humored nature makes this story a pleasure to read even as the difficult past comes up or Maggie’s strong perspective take over.

Not a long novella, easily read in an afternoon, the story is flowing if quick. It is a jump right into the story kind of beginning with the character’s actions giving a clear indication of their personalities. I enjoyed it but also feel as if I would like to have known the characters better, along with the late Aunt Carmel. When Max and Maggie work together they really sizzled. I like seeing the change and growth in Maggie too. A well-done start to the Outback Brides Series.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A great book and a great start to a new series. Book one in the Outback Brides series, Maggie's Run by Kelly Hunter. A fast paced story with likable characters, great character development and dialogue. A sure win. I look forward to read the next book Belle's Secret by Victoria Purman soon and read more books by Kelly Hunter.

3.5 - "I'm ready..." Stars!

Maggie’s Run brings us the first book in Tule Publishing’s new multi-author Outback Brides series. I am a big fan of Kelly Hunter, so was eager to get my hands on Maggie and Max’s story.

She was still looking at him as is she’d never seen him before and he’d had enough of it. He’d been bound to her in tragedy and death since he was twelve years old…

This isn’t really a second-chance romance more of a first love getting a chance romance, Maggie has not been home in years and it’s only the death of her last remaining family member that brings her back to Wirra Station to deal with being the sole heir to the ranch and land and everything else it entails.

"You’re being friendly. This is not normal. You’re up to something…"

Max saved Maggie’s life when they were kids, by rescuing her from the car wreck that took her parents from her. He has always believed that she blamed him for not saving them as well, but that never stopped him having feelings for her. Her return to town and him wanting to buy Wirra Station gives him the perfect chance to see if the attraction is mutual.

"Even when she’s not around she’s still here… she always has been."

I pretty much read this book in one sitting, as it’s not a long story. I liked both characters well enough, and the plot progressed at a steady clip. I have read a few books by Kelly now, and she always manages to inject a little heart and humor into them books no matter what the subject matter. Max’s dry wit was definitely the humor, but I did find the emotional aspect of the story a little dry in regards to the heart. I don’t know if it was due to the shorter length of the book but it felt like the characters were never given quite enough scope or space to really expand their feelings fully in relation to dealing with their shared past. I loved the ending though and the author set up the rest of the series well.

Maggie Walker returned to Wirra Station, after inheriting it from her aunt. She has no idea what to do with the land or the house until she runs into her childhood friend Max O’Connor, who is her neighbor. Max doesn’t want Maggie to sell the property, has another idea, he will stay on as farm manager while she sorts through the homestead. If Maggie still wants to sell after three months, Max will buy it from her. If Maggie decides to stay, Max suggests she sell her Melbourne house and pay him back what he has put into the land. But then, Maggie comes up with the brilliant idea of turning it into an events and wedding venue. It doesn’t take long for Maggie and Max to give in to the growing attraction they have for each other. But will Maggie’s fears and secrets ruin their new relationship?

There was so much more to this book than just the romance. I enjoyed the discoveries Maggie makes as she goes through the house, especially what was in the hidden room. There were a lot of secrets that Maggie’s aunt kept from everyone and it was fun to see that part of the story unfold. The fact that Maggie suffered PTSD and why she has it gave the story an emotional feel. It was an interesting and entertaining book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Maggie's Run is another great book in the Outback Brides series. Maggie moved back to Wirra Station to decide if she should sell it. One of the first people she sees is an old friend, Max. The attraction is still there from all those years ago. Raised by an uncaring aunt after her parents die, she doesn't feel much of a connection to the station. She does feel a connection to Max. See sees that Wirra Station has great beauty and potential for a wedding venue. Secrets and misunderstandings come out of hiding. They affect and change everything she thought she knew. Will this keep Max and Maggie apart? It has a great ending that I didn't see coming. I love this series. Can't wait until the next one. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.