The Limestone Road by Nicole Alexander – In the summer of 1944 returning soldiers, Canning Christie, and his father, Michael, return home to South Australia, having fought in the desert sands of North Africa.
Canning is suffering from severe trauma caused by war and the painful memory of an horrific event, while the charismatic Michael resumes his womanising ways, purposefully hiding his own secret wound.
Inexplicably drawn to a vineyard on their land, Canning has dreams of producing his own wine. Then, a chance meeting with Grace Huntley, daughter of the local landowner, offers him hope for that future.
Dormant memories, however, haunt him, such as his childhood with his mother and those years of crossing the interior with his father. But, most traumatically, his time at the front!
Soon, viticulture becomes his obsession! It is one that he suspects lies in a blurred recollection of one night while in battle. Canning realises that he must reconcile the past, even if that means working with Italian POWs and accepting help from an immigrant German.
Also, he needs to take a stand against his own father, whose increasingly foolhardy behaviour is threatening to ruin their new life.
An historically interesting novel that highlights the trauma of war, and its repercussions for years afterwards for those who were involved. Such as the problems of reconciliation with former enemies, who had immigrated to your own country, and the discovery that they had suffered also.
A novel of a war that led to hatred, but eventually, through like-mindedness, became respect, and even friendship. A testament to those who fought and were fortunate to return home or transmigrate to the “Lucky Country”.
An interesting and informative read for 2025!
ISBN: 9781760898250
The Limestone Road is available in paperback, e-book and audiobook.
About Nicole Alexander
Nicole Alexander has a Master of Letters in Creative Writing and her novels, poetry, travel, writing and genealogy articles have been published in Australia, America, Singapore, New Zealand, Germany, Ukraine and Canada. She is the author of twelve novels – The Bark Cutters, A Changing Land, Absolution Creek, Sunset Ridge, The Great Plains, Wild Lands, River Run, An Uncommon Woman, Stone Country, The Cedar Tree, The Last Station and The Limestone Road. Nicole lives in north-west NSW.
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