Echoes of Change
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Bound together by the threads of friends and family, the Mackenzies, Morlings and Lawtons continue their saga, weaving a tapestry of lifeâs challenges and victories from the sweeping landscapes of New Zealand's South Island to the rolling hills of the Scottish Borders.
In the 8th and final book of the Applecross Saga, the year is 1886. Crawdon Estate in Scotland is thriving and prosperous in the care of Sam and Bella Morling and Moira and Hector Brown, their trusty housekeeper and estate manager. However, Applecross sheep station is barely holding its own in the face of a rabbit infestation which is responsible for a downturn in the fortunes of farmers all over New Zealand.
Vicky Mackenzie, the youngest daughter of Sophia and James, is struggling to find her place in a changing world. After an unfortunate incident in Christchurch she vows never to have anything to do with men again. When she receives a proposal of marriage from an old friend she comes to see it as her only route to happiness in a male dominated world. That is, until an old secret is revealed and she has no choice but to turn him down.
Meanwhile, news arrives of a dreadful and cowardly crime in Scotland which changes the course of events for everyone at Crawdon and Applecross.
A visitor brings happier times to Applecross. Love blossoms between Vicky Mackenzie and Ezra Lawton, youngest son of Nancy and Edmund, born in the Basin, but brought up in Australia. Sophia is thrilled that the two families can be joined together at last, bringing her good friend, Nancy, to sit once more at the Applecross kitchen table.
The joining of the Mackenzie and Lawton families heralds a fresh era of harmony at Applecross, while in Scotland, the folk of Crawdon and neighbouring Braeside settle comfortably into a new way of life. The stage is set for the next generation of our families to take on the challenges of a new century.
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Amanda was born in Somerset, England. She emigrated to New Zealand far too late in life and now writes while looking out across the flat Canterbury plains with snow-capped mountains beyond. It is a place where it is easy to find inspiration for stories of the early settlers who made this unique place their home. She shares her home with her long-suffering husband, Terry and two rescued huntaway dogs, Ted and Hunter. Their ten acres of wild garden are home to an assortment of chickens, more ornamental than productive, and a small flock of self-shedding sheep. At night, the big skies, unpolluted by light, provide glorious views of the milky way, and an occasional glimpse of the Southern Lights. When not writing, Amanda rings church bells and enjoys photography, gardening and finding out about her family history. On lazy days, when not reading or listening to a book, she gets the knitting needles out.
