Books

From the Scottish Highlands to the South Island of New Zealand, life was harsh for the early pioneers who ventured into a new land far across the seas where opportunity beckoned for those who could endure the hardships.

On Boxing Day, 1848 Sophia steps ashore with her new husband, George, and begins her perilous journey inland to seek a place to...

Following on from the success of The Wideawake Hat, Shepherd’s Delight is the second book in the spellbinding Applecross Saga by Amanda Giorgis.

A fictional tale, set against the stunning scenery of New Zealand’s Mackenzie Basin, using true historical events surrounding the European settlers in South Canterbury in the late 1800s.

Someone is...

Eligible, handsome, witty and charming, Guy Pender is looking for a purpose in life, maybe even a wife to join him in his desire to return to New Zealand, where he hopes to be reunited with his friends at Applecross Station. His experience of romantic love, so far, has been one of misunderstood passion from an unexpected quarter.

It is 1867, and...

What happens to the trees happens to the boys....

Three cedar trees grow beside the Applecross homestead in New Zealand’s South Island. Precious trees, carried from Scotland across the world as seedlings. A poignant reminder of home. As they mature, so too do Freddie, the eldest son of Sophia Mackenzie, and Ben and Ed, twin sons of Nancy Lawton.

...

The girls are growing up. Not for them the daily grind of family life. Not yet anyway. After all, it is 1873. Women have more opportunities than ever before, especially in New Zealand in an era of great prosperity and progress.

Five years have passed since we last visited the Mackenzies. Applecross sheep station is thriving, more people than ever...

In the sheep country of Canterbury and Otago the native tussock lands had reached the end of their useful life by the 1870s and were sown with European grasses - mainly ryegrass, timothy, cocksfoot and clover.

Rural New Zealand in 1876. A time of prosperity for Applecross sheep station. However, dark clouds are gathering over the settlers of...

The year is 1880 and cousins John James Mackenzie and Sam Morling set out to make a new life for themselves in Scotland.

Having never ventured beyond the shores of New Zealand, they seek adventure and excitement on their journey before settling at the Scottish estate owned by the Mackenzies, where, with John James’ farming experience and Sam’s...

Bound together by the threads of friends and family, the Mackenzies, Morlings and Lawtons continue their saga, weaving a tapestry of life’s 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...

Driven by hope, bound by expectation.

Applecross Sheep Station, New Zealand, 1901. A new century dawns, carrying with it the dreams of five young men.

Giles and Wiremu Mackenzie seek glory in the African war. Ralph Pender finds a like-minded soulmate as he pursues his vocation as a doctor. Herbert Latham is blind to the impact on his family as he...

Even a family with strong roots must weather the winds of change.

Sophia knows that trees bend with the wind. Branches may break, and yet the tree endures, growing in unexpected directions. As she prepares her family for a future without her guidance, she quietly plants the seeds she hopes will help them flourish.

After Sophia's death, the...