Joanna Nell

The heartwarming and hilarious new novel by the author of cherished bestsellers, The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing HomeThe Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria has been serving refreshments and raising money at the hospital for over fifty years, long after anybody can remember who Marjorie Marshall actually was. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, the beloved cafeteria is known as much for offering a kind word and sympathetic ear (and often unsolicited life advice) as for its tea and buns.Stalwart Hilary has worked her way up through the ranks to Manageress; Joy has been late every day since she started as the cafeteria's newest recruit. She doesn't take her role as 'the intern' quite as seriously as Hilary would like but there's no doubt she brings a welcome pop of personality. Seventeen-year-old Chloe, the daughter of two successful surgeons, is volunteering during the school holidays because her mother thinks it will look good on her CV. Chloe is at first bewildered by the two older women but soon realises they have a lot in common, not least that each bears a secret pain. When they discover the cafeteria is under threat of closure, this unlikely trio must band together to save it.Praise for the novels of Joanna Nell:'Tender and funny' Woman's Weekly'Whip-smart dialogue, humour and sarcasm ... highly addictive' Sun Herald'Lively and whimsical' Sydney Morning Herald

Tea Ladies of St Jude's Hospital

"At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in Woodlands Nursing Home she struggles to cope with her loss of independence and privacy. However, when Hattie discovers The Night Owls, a clandestine social club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, she gets to know some of the other residents and before long she is torn between staying with her new friends and returning to her cottage."--Publisher.

Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home

A moving, funny, heartwarming tale of love and friendship, for anyone who loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Keeper of Lost Things and Three Things about Elsie. It's never too late to grow old disgracefully... The life of 79-year-old pensioner Peggy Smart is as beige as the décor in her retirement village. Her week revolves around aqua aerobics and appointments with her doctor. The highlight of Peggy's day is watching her neighbour Brian head out for his morning swim. Peggy dreams of inviting the handsome widower - treasurer of the Residents' Committee and one of the few eligible men in the village - to an intimate dinner. But why would an educated man like Brian, a chartered accountant no less, look twice at Peggy? As a woman of a certain age, she fears she has become invisible, even to men in their eighties. But a chance encounter with an old school friend she hasn't seen in five decades - the glamorous fashionista Angie Valentine - sets Peggy on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Can she channel her 'inner Helen Mirren' and find love and friendship in her twilight years?

an uplifting tale of love and friendship

The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village

A poignant ode to love and the memories that make a well-lived life, from the author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE As the wife of retired ship's doctor Dr Henry Parker, Evelyn is living out her twilight years aboard the Golden Sunset. Every night she dresses for dinner - gown, tiara, runners - and regales her fellow passengers with stories of a glamorous life travelling the world in luxury, as well as showing off her superior knowledge of everything from ships' customs to biographical details of her heroine, Florence Nightingale. The crew treat her with deference. And forbearance. But when Henry goes missing, Evelyn sets off to search every part of the grand ocean liner to find him, casino, nightclub and off-limits areas included. Misadventures are had, new friends are made, scandalous behaviour noted - all news to Evelyn. If only she could remember the events of the night before as clearly as she can recall the first time she met Henry on a passage from England to Australia in 1953 and fell in love, abandoning her dreams to become a midwife to be a wife instead - and the long-ago painful events that left Evelyn all at sea. Why is it so hard to forget some things and so hard to remember others? And where is Henry? Praise for THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE: 'Hugely entertaining . . . funny and heart-warming' - Woman & Home 'A gentle, warm-hearted book that had me rooting for all the characters and laughing out loud at points. A book that shows it is never too late to learn how to live, to make new friends and to fall in love' - Libby Page, author of The Lido 'A warm and touching story with a cast of characters who became my friends - I loved The Single Ladies of the Jacaranda Retirement Village with all its wit, wisdom and spirit' - Katie Marsh, author of The Rest of Me 'The perfect blend of funny and moving; Peggy Smart had me laughing and crying in this ultimately uplifting story' - Natasha Lester, author of The Paris Seamstress 'Funny, insightful and deliciously refreshing, it's the most heartwarming book we've read in a long time' - Woman's Weekly

An unforgettable love story from the author of Kindle bestseller THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE

The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker

Husband and wife GPs Alan and Heather Winterbottom have worked side by side in their idyllic rural practice for over forty years but now they've decided to hang up their stethoscopes and retire. Joy! Celebration! Or not . . . Heather dreams of exploring the Greek Islands, of escaping the shackles of her routine life and embracing an exciting new adventure. Alan dreams of growing his own vegetables. When things come to a head at a family lunch, Heather announces that she has decided to take a year off. From her old life, from her marriage - from Alan. Alone in beautiful Greece, Heather embarks on her very own odyssey - complete with unforgettable experiences, pitfalls and temptations. But could what's waiting for her back in Netherwood be Heather's biggest adventure yet? 'Takes the reader on a wholesome and hilarious journey from the organic garden beds of Dorset to the sun-kissed islands of Greece. Heartwarming, tender and oh-so-funny, this is a story that will leave you smiling' ALI LOWE 'I loved taking a gap week from my life with Mrs Winterbottom. Nell's writing is, as always, delightfully funny and as heart-warming as a cup of tea' MEGAN ALBANY 'Warm, insightful and funny . . . celebrates, so well, the treasures that life's later stages can hold' DIANNE YARWOOD 'Engaging, funny and resoundingly human' Books+Publishing Praise for Joanna Nell's bestselling novels including The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village: 'Takes readers on a sweet journey. A warm-hearted read from Nell, who tells engaging stories with older protagonists' The Australian 'Tender and funny' Woman's Weekly 'Whip-smart dialogue, humour and sarcasm ... highly addictive' Sun Herald 'The Tea Ladies is a delight. Warm characters and observations and great pace' AMANDA HAMPSON 'Another funny, warm-hearted read' Herald Sun

Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year

The heartwarming and hilarious new novel by the author of cherished bestsellers, The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria has been serving refreshments and raising money at the hospital for over fifty years, long after anybody can remember who Marjorie Marshall actually was. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, the beloved cafeteria is known as much for offering a kind word and sympathetic ear (and often unsolicited life advice) as for its tea and buns. Stalwart Hilary has worked her way up through the ranks to Manageress; Joy has been late every day since she started as the cafeteria's newest recruit. She doesn't take her role as 'the intern' quite as seriously as Hilary would like but there's no doubt she brings a welcome pop of personality. Seventeen-year-old Chloe, the daughter of two successful surgeons, is volunteering during the school holidays because her mother thinks it will look good on her CV. Chloe is at first bewildered by the two older women but soon realises they have a lot in common, not least that each bears a secret pain. When they discover the cafeteria is under threat of closure, this unlikely trio must band together to save it. 'The Tea Ladies is a delight. Warm characters and observations and great pace' AMANDA HAMPSON Praise for the novels of Joanna Nell: 'Tender and funny' Woman's Weekly 'Whip-smart dialogue, humour and sarcasm ... highly addictive' Sun Herald 'Lively and whimsical' Sydney Morning Herald

The Tea Ladies of St Jude's Hospital

Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village

Joanna Nell's life-affirming debut is a moving, funny, heartwarming tale of love and community in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Grace and Frankie The life of 79-year-old pensioner PEGGY SMART is as beige as the décor in her retirement village. Her week revolves around aqua aerobics and appointments with her doctor. Following a very minor traffic accident, things have turned frosty with her grown-up children and she is afraid they are trying to take away her independence. The highlight of Peggy's day is watching her neighbour Brian head out for his morning swim. She dreams of inviting the handsome widower - treasurer of the Residents' Committee and one of the few eligible men in the village - to an intimate dinner. But why would an educated man like Brian, a chartered accountant no less, look twice at Peggy? As a woman of a certain age, she fears she has become invisible, even to men in their eighties. But a chance encounter with an old school friend she hasn't seen in five decades - the glamorous fashionista ANGIE VALENTINE - sets Peggy on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. 'Lively and whimsical ... with some serious points to make about ageing, love, community and friendship' Sydney Morning Herald 'This heartwarming story about growing old gracefully - and disgracefully ... is a funny, witty and thoroughly enjoyable read for all ages' Daily Telegraph 'I haven't been this entranced by a character since Eleanor (Oliphant, of course). This book is a joy - it's a celebration of age instead of an apology for it, and a reminder that life is always an adventure if you let it be. I loved this uniquely endearing book' KELLY RIMMER 'I loved it! I want to be Peggy when I'm older. With many laugh-out-loud moments, this book is sure to make you see "getting old" in a different light. A refreshing, funny, realistic and warm read' FIONA PALMER 'The perfect blend of funny and moving: had me laughing and crying in this ultimately uplifting story' NATASHA LESTER **Contains bonus extract from Joanna's new novel THE LAST VOYAGE OF MRS HENRY PARKER**

Joanna Nell

About

Books

Join the club