I have had this one sitting on my TBR pile for a while and I am very sorry I didn’t get to it sooner, it is a fabulous read, so well written with emotion and care, we get to know the King family and what life can throw at them on their busy sheep farm in country South Australia, I had a hard time putting this one down.

Natalie King is a farmer’s wife to Milt, a mother of three adult daughters, Kate, Bree and Laura, a primary school teacher and a daughter in law to Olive, she has always led a very busy life keeping the old farm house going cooking the meals helping on the farm, and teaching but when she gets a phone call one afternoon Natalie has a big re-think on her life, she re-discovers an old book that her mother in law Olive gave her when she married Milt, The Model Wife this books sets out what a wife should and shouldn’t do in her live, written in the 1930’s this brings back lots of memories good and bad and Natalie decides she needs to get away she needs a holiday and to think about her future.

Natalie finds herself in Broome Western Australia, her three girls are home and she is not, that is hard for her because she has always been there for them but her emotions are all over the place she knows she is a good wife and mother and that maybe they need her at home, but this is Natalie’s time, time to re-think and adjust her life. Will her holiday be what she needs? The rest and time out has her thinking about many things and when she talks about her life things fall into place and it might be time to go home.

Tricia Stringer brings a lot of heart and soul into her stories with fabulous characters who are real and honest, there are discussions about everyday life and how people cope in different circumstances and I though Natalie was so good, this is one that I would highly recommend, I loved it, the King family will stay with me for a long time to come.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

Fabulous story by Tricia Stringer! Would highly recommend to others, just love each and everyone of her books!

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Australia and Tricia Stringer for my copy of The Model Wife.
Natalie King has three grown up daughters Kate, Bree and Laura and she and her husband Milt run the family farm. Like all families they have had their ups and downs but a past mistake made by Milt has been kept a secret from his daughters. Nat has a health scare; this makes her look back at the past, her relationship with her husband and her life in general.

Natalie King's life is busy; she’s a wife, mother, a teacher, she does the farms book work and calls in to see her mother in law Olive on the way home from work. She’s juggling so many things, from the outside she seems cool, calm, collected and has everything under control. Milt is like most Aussie blokes, he’s wrapped up in his farm and it’s never entered his thick head that his wife might want to go on a holiday or have a conversation that doesn’t involve what needs to be done around the farm and she's sick of it.

The Kings family has an old fashioned book called The Model Wife it’s been passed down to all new brides in the family for generations; when Natalie received it from Olive, it made her feel inadequate and thirty five years later it still makes her feel the same.
Natalie is fed up, she asked her boss Paul for some time off, catches a plane to Broome and her family has no idea why she’s left? While Nat is enjoying the sun, Milt and the girls start to reflect on how they have treated her, the family discovers they have all been rather selfish and is it too late for them to make it up to Natalie?

I loved The Model Wife, it’s a perfect book to read if you live in Australia or have an interest in what's it's like to live in rural Australia and especially in Adelaide! Many of the topics and situations included in the story made me laugh out loud, and it’s very relevant to me.

I almost DNF’d this book because it was boring, meandering and I had no connection with the protagonist. In the end I toughed it out for the other characters story arcs - the grumpy husband, the lonely mother-in-law, the three lost daughters. Just not enough actual action for my taste, everyone grew into a better person and was happier in the end which made it very predictable.

Natalie is everything to everybody, teacher, wife, daughter in law, mother. After a health scare she starts questioning her life and Natalie realises she wants more and sometimes you have to take a stand to become someone you like.

A great family drama set in Australia. I have never read any Trisha Stringer novels before. But I will certainly be hunting them down.

I totally got this book. As a partner and mum of 3, I fully feel how Natalie is feeling. I’m sure any wife and mother will be able to sympathize. I’m not usually one to read books that are set in Australia, (really bad I know!!!) and this one was even set in my state!!!! But I actually really enjoyed it. Wether that was because it was set in Australia, or because I have felt how Natalie has felt I’m not sure. But overall a great story!!

Sometimes you need to lose yourself to find your way.
A relatable story set in Australia about Natalie, a mother and wife, who dutyfully looks after her husband and 3 children until she finds out about a health issue and things unfold from there.
This was an enjoyable read and I'll be sure to keep an eye on this author.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

The Model Wife is my first Tricia Stringer book and if her others are as good as this one then it definitely won’t be my last. This story centres around Natalie, a teacher, farmer’s wife and mother of three adult daughters. I identified with Natalie right away. She has always done everything for everybody else and as the story opens her personal world is starting to shatter. Natalie’s daughters Kate, Bree and Laura also have issues they need to address.
At the centre of this story is a nineteenth century book, The Model Wife, which offers tips on how a wife should behave in order to have a happy and productive home, a retreat for her husband and a haven for her children. I loved Natalie’s love hate relationship with the book. It provided lots of interest throughout this story, which is ultimately about learning to trust, support and communicate with those you love.

A family story with misunderstandings! A mother of three grown daughters who has a health scare which causes her to question her life. This is a well written story with meaning!

Tricia Stringer books always strike a chord with her faithful audience. On this occasion, it involves how we all at some stage of life (without a doubt), dreamt of running away. When it all gets too much for this ‘model wife’, that’s exactly what she does! This is a truthful story of family life and the daily struggles that all members face, however, a special focus on Mum, Natalie. It’s a journey of her soul searching and eventual evolution into who she is and her role with the people she loves.

You know how it is ... looking after those in your life, putting everyone’s needs ahead of your own. Just once you’d like someone to listen and care for you. The realism of this situation brings a real authenticity to this tale. In fact, there are messages that are sure to ring true for the variety of multigenerational characters portrayed - from the grandmother, to Natalie, to her daughters struggling with their own issues and finding their place in the world. There is surely something to appeal to everybody in this story. Bring into this mixture a spotlight on the plight of farmers - issues of land ownership and entitlements - and the story delves much deeper than just a character analysis.

A long read at the 500 page mark, it does however, provide an in depth look at how varying people deal with the stresses in their lives. Tricia sets everything up for you get a feel for each member of the family and what they are facing. This is realistic reading at its best as many have faced feelings or situations similar and familiar to you or those close to you. Undoubtedly there have been conversations about some of the issues raised (for any of the family members) that you have surely discussed over a cup of tea at the kitchen table with regards to how they were to be handled.

I definitely recommend this book as a deep and true exploration of families and all the baggage that they come with and how this particular family deals with it.

‘Outside the landscape was familiar and yet alien. Like the pieces of her life she thought she knew so well but that were shifting around her again.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Tricia Stringer has written another wonderful book. . It is a story that will hold you captivated throughout.. I am sure most women will be able to relate to this story. What an emotional roller coaster you will be taken on, you will laugh, you will cry but this story is going to make you think long and hard. The characters are well written and they will find a place in your heart.
I enjoyed A Model Wife, and I am happy to recommend it.

@harlequinaus

The Model Wife is a wise, warm, and wonderful story of a woman in search of herself from Australian author, Tricia Stringer.

“The model wife spends her time taking care of her family and putting them before her own needs.” - The Model Wife by Mrs Gladys Norman, London, 1928

When Natalie King is confronted with a potentially life threatening health crisis, the busy 58 year old wife, mother and teacher, is left reeling. Reflecting on her past, and contemplating the direction of her future, she finds she desperately needs a break and, ignoring the century old wisdom of ‘The Model Wife’, flees north to Broome, leaving her family to fend for themselves.

“Everyone had a piece of Natalie and somehow she’d lost herself in the process. She’d never done anything outside anyone else’s expectations of her.”

Stringer’s portrayal of Natalie’s ‘paradigm shift’ is thoughtful and realistic, and likely one every wife and mother can relate to. After years of tirelessly working to ensure the needs of her family and community are met, Natalie realises that she has largely ignored her own. Away from the constant demands on her time and energy she has the space to consider what she wants moving forward.

“Don’t let anyone should you.”

Natalie’s timing couldn’t be worse though, it’s tailing season on the farm keeping her husband, Milt and middle daughter, Bree, busy; both her youngest and eldest daughter’s, Laura and Kate who seem to have something on their mind, are visiting; and her sister-in-law is demanding an increased share of the farm’s income. Stringer thoughtfully explores the individual issues at hand, as well as the change Natalie’s absence makes to the family dynamics. I appreciated the authenticity with which the author both portrayed and developed the multi-generational characters. I also liked the way in which issues specific to a farming lifestyle, like property succession, are explored.

“Natalie had simply had to lose herself to find her way home.”

A well written, engaging story of the everyday challenges of life and love, I enjoyed A Model Wife, and am happy to recommend it.

The Model Wife is the latest offering of bestselling author Tricia Stringer and it’s one that I am sure all women will be able to relate to on some level. I am thrilled to be able to bring you this review on it’s release day. How very exciting! Congratulations Tricia on another tale that resonates.

Natalie King is a farmer’s wife, mother, daughter-in-law and teacher whose life is full, sometimes a little too full. So full that she never sits back to wonder if she’s actually happy and satisfied with her life. She’s also the one everyone depends on, taking for granted the fact that she will always be there when she needs them.
In the whirlwind of every day life Natalie always has a to-do list a mile long, and it seems that no-one notices what she does; only those things that she forgets. This is something that really resonated with me with the juggle of young children, work, housework, errands, reviews and then the guilt if there was something that I just couldn’t fit in. It is something I’m sure we all relate to at some stage.

Natalie’s children are grown and two of them live away from home, Bree lives in attached quarters and helps her father run the farm. All mothers know though, that your job as a mother is never done. Just because the children are grown and living far away doesn’t make them need their mother less, maybe a little less often but you always need your mum.

In a week that everything seems to be getting on top of her Natalie then finds she needs to make an urgent trip to Adelaide for life changing tests. She forgets the impending arrival of her youngest daughter and other commitments she had in the rush.

The appointment was certainly life-changing, but not in the way she was expecting. It was enough to make her sit back and look at her life, study her life satisfaction and look at what she wished was different.
A farmer and his wife are very much tied to their farm so travel has always been something that ended up in the too hard basket, but it is something that Natalie has always wanted to do. On the spur of the moment, which is completely out of character, Natalie decides to take some time out and visit her best friend, who has moved from the neighbouring farm to Queensland. The problem with spur of the moment decisions and surprise visits is that people can’t cater for your plans if they don’t know about them, which is why Natalie finds herself at the airport on her way to visit a friend who is actually on her way to Thailand. Faced with the choice of returning home or changing her plans Natalie opts to take herself on a holiday to somewhere completely new.

The Model Wife is a story about family, relationships, betrayals, friendship and community that warmed my heart but also wasn’t short of a laugh.

As a young bride Natalie was gifted a book by her mother-in-law, an outdated tome of advice on how to become a model wife. Surely a gag gift, designed to give a laugh, because in this day and age who still subscribes to the ideals that a woman’s place is in the kitchen, ensuring the happiness of her husband. She laughed it off at the time but over the years has made the book into a scrapbook of sorts which I think was explored just beautifully. Stringer expertly weaves snippets of The Model Wife into the narrative to show how Natalie has inadvertently followed the advice in her own way.

I actually adored the characters in this story. I could relate to Natalie but I also watched the growth in her family and grew to love them for it. Milt knew why Natalie needed a break and he made sure the girls allowed her to enjoy that break even though they would have loved to talk to her about what was on their minds. But what I loved the most about Milt was that he recognised some things in himself that maybe needed some analysis and set to ticking things off the to-do list around the house that had needed doing long term but never quite made it to top priority.

Natalie’s break created a new independence in those who relied on her the heaviest and it was the best thing for all of them. It’s lovely to be needed, and it’s lovely to be there for those you love but it’s amazing to watch those you love go on to find their own vibe.

The Model Wife explores relationships both familial and romantic but I think the one I loved watching the most was Natalie and her mother-in-law. It is very easy to make assumptions about where you think things are coming from but open lines of communication can make you see things in a completely different light.
There is so much to love in The Model Wife and I think it will appeal to a wide range of readers. I have only touched briefly on all of the things going on but I think I’ve rambled enough, definitely check it out for yourself.

It’s kind of funny, I sit here trying to think of a concise and witty close to this review and it makes me think of the one line I had planned right from the beginning and haven’t written…

As a busy wife and mother I’m sure most of you have, at one time or another, wanted to run away from home, I know that I certainly have. Well, Natalie King did it and it turned out to be one of the best decisions she could have made, for herself and her family.

Tricia Stringer you have done it again, an in-depth and sensitive exploration of all things family; the good, the bad and the hard to handle. I loved it and I can’t wait to read what you have in store for us next.

The Model Wife was read as part of #AWW2019 but I still haven’t gone back to find out what number.

Natalie King received the phone call that changed everything at the end of a school day. Her thoughts immediately scrambled; all she knew was she and Milt – her husband – would need to head to Adelaide the following day. Natalie was a busy fifty something year old woman. The running of their farm, her three daughters, Kate, Bree and Laura who still needed her although two of them had left home; her mother in law was quite demanding, and her teaching position at the local school kept her busy as well. She had always known this was her lot in life – but with the phone call, and what happened later, Natalie’s confusion about who she really was, hit her. But what could she do about it?

When Natalie unexpectedly unearthed the small but outdated book that her mother in law had given her many years prior, called The Model Wife, she read short passages. It brought different events of her married life back to her. But it also increased her uncertainty. Everyone relied on her – but wasn’t there more to life? Natalie wanted to talk to her good friend; the heart to heart would surely help…

The Model Wife by Aussie author Tricia Stringer was an enjoyable story of family; being taken for granted; love in its many forms and second chances. A long book at almost 500 pages, they flew by as events and discussions took place, dramas occurred both on the farm and elsewhere, and the sisters matured, were nurtured and gained the confidence they were lacking. Another well written novel by this author, The Model Wife is one I recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Australian-based tale of one woman's quest to juggle all the balls in her life.

Natalie has her hands full, over-full actually. She runs the house, does the paperwork associated with running a farm, helps out on committees and helps her mother-in-law. She is also a teacher, has three grown-up daughters who look to her for advice and is trying to forget something that happened years ago, even though it keeps on popping up and destroying her hard-won peace, something like a stone in your shoe.

I loved the character of Natalie and could relate to her in so many ways. I am a similar age and have two adult children who keep me on my toes with the various issues in their lives. I am also wondering what I have done with my life and wondering if it is too late to figure out what I am about? It isn't easy being the sandwich generation - have grown-up children and yet also have responsibility for ever more frail parents as well.

This author does a fantastic job of describing what it is like to live on the land, with the associated issues and of course she also gets inside the mind of the older woman who is trying to do it all. As a fellow Aussie, I appreciate how hard it is for farmers these days, how tough and resilient they need to be but also how complex farming has become in recent decades.

Thoroughly recommend this book.

5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia.

‘The model wife loves her husband truly and does not highlight his faults.’

Natalie King leads a very busy life. In addition to helping her husband Milt on the family farm, she teaches, meets the demands of her mother-in-law Olive, and looks out for her three adult daughters: Kate, Bree and Laura. Her husband Milt is always going to get around to fixing things in the farmhouse (like the missing stopper on the door, the window runners in the bedroom and the warped kitchen door) one day. Everyone, it seems, relies on Natalie.

But one day, when she’s searching through a kitchen drawer, she finds an old book which was gifted to her by her mother-in-law. The book, published in 1928, is called ‘The Model Wife’ and is full of advice as to how a woman should run a home and keep her husband happy. The book has been gifted through a few generations of King women. When they were first married, Natalie and Milt had a few laughs about the contents of the book but somehow it seems to have become a blueprint for Natalie’s life.

‘And there it was again, The Model Wife, controlling her. She couldn’t do anything unless the house was clean. Or could she?’

A medical event and an issue from the past cause Natalie to take stock of her life, and she decides to take some time out to work out just who she is and what she wants. And while Natalie is exploring possibilities, her family come to realise just how much they have taken her for granted.

‘Don’t let anyone should you.’

I enjoyed this novel. The characters and their various family dramas felt real to me, and I kept wondering what choices different individuals would make and how the family would adapt. While Natalie is the central character in this novel, she is not the only character being challenged by life and circumstance.

‘Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself.’

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Wow-what a fantastic story this book was, it had me to the very end. This family will find a place in your heart and also make you think about your own life as you read their current journey of there life on the land. Three generations of woman all at very different stages in their lives tell their story as we explore the family dynamics of the Kings.

Natalie; a wife, teacher, mother and woman who always places her family first.
Milt: husband, father and a man of the land.
Olive; mother-in-law, grandmother and demanding matriarch of the family.
Kate; wife, daughter, sister, lives away from family and works with in-laws business.
Laura; daughter, sister, unemployed, unhappy, searching for more.
Bree; daughter, sister, girlfriend, slave labour to her father on the farm.

Natalie comes across an old book her mother-in-law gave her when she first married many years ago.
The Model Wife.
"A Husband is Master"
"A Model Wife Loves her Husband truly"
"Nothing destroys the happiness of married life more than a lazy, slovenly wife"
"It is the model wife's responsibility to provide her husband a happy home."
"The model wife respects and cares for her husband's parents and should put their needs before those of her own parents and herself."
"The model wife bears children and cares for them diligently."
"A frigid or indifferent wife could be supplanted by an ardent mistress."

The book brings back many memories from her life, at an age when we all take stock of the past and the future we travel along with Natalie on the road of finding herself again. She is not the only one in the family taking stock of their future and relationships, each member will have to find their place in this ever-changing world we live in.

This book is a wonderful portray of family and love. I would highly recommend this book as it is one of the best books I have read and enjoyed this year. I am around the some age has the main character and I felt her pain, guilt, dought, grief, commitment, responsibilities, sorrow, hope, fear, sadness, loss but most of all her love for her family and friends.

I do have another book by this author that I have not had the chance to read and I am going to go looking for this book as I really look forward to reading more from Tricia Stringer.

Hell’s teeth! If you read The Model Wife by Tricia Stringer you will quickly get used to this utterance.

This is a story about three generations of one family from rural South Australia. Natalie and Milt have three daughters:- Kate, Bree and Laura. Kate and her husband have decided they are not the parenting type. They live a few hours away from the family farm. Bree works the farm with Milt, and no one has really asked if she wants to do anything else so it surprises everyone that she is thinking of moving to Marla with her boyfriend Owen, some 9 hours away. Laura (unbeknownst to anyone) is moving back home. Things aren’t working out for her in the big smoke and she is looking to reset at home.

Natalie has always done exactly what has been expected of her as a mother, daughter-in-law and wife. She has the family heirloom given to her by her mother-in-law Olive as a reference! The Model Wife - outdated perhaps, but it gives Natalie pause at this stage of her life.

When Natalie receives some news in relation to a breast cancer diagnosis she gives herself permission to stop and take stock of her life. She questions whether she’s an active participant in her life or merely an observer. She takes a trip on her own to find some solace and thinks about what she wants and what she needs in order for her to be happy. She decides there is more to life than existing for others and fulfilling their needs and living up to their expectations. Natalie begins to claim a little of herself back and so begins a journey of self discovery..

The Model Wife is a charming story. The ups and downs of family life, relationships, daily struggles and victories, love and loss. It’s a reasonably long read of over 500 pages. It’s a story with a relaxed pace that is reflective of the Natalie's soul searching and the evolution of her character in this transitional phase..

Thank you to Tricia Stringer, Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Lovers of contemporary Australian romance are sure to love this book.

This book is for publication on 23 September 2019.

This review will also be posted to my instagram page @aplace_inthesun.

The Model Wife is a lovely and enjoyable read, it’s heart-warming and realistic.

Natalie King is a wife and mother of three adult daughters, she lives on the family farming property and works as a school teacher. Natalie stumbles across an old forgotten about book in the back of the kitchen drawer. The book was a gift to her a long time ago from her mother in law Olive and titled The Model Wife, it was full of outdated advice for young wives.

This book and a health scare causes Natalie to reflect on her purpose in life and digs up reminders of past issues in her marriage she can’t move forward from. She feels the need to find herself and has what you could call a midlife crisis.

The family setting is a farm in South Australia which is demanding work and there are intense family dramas throughout the plot. The story is very engaging and relatable to everyday issues and problems that many people have gone through. The characters in the book were very likeable.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC