Review of 'Sunrise at Sunny Cross Farm' by Maya Linnell
Release date: June 2, 2026
Pubisher: Allen & Unwin
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REVIEW
What a heart-warming story! Maya Linnell’s passion, care and reverence for rural living shines through her novels and Sunrise and Sunny Cross Farm beams with these fundamental ethical values and virtues. Family, friendship, nature and community are always important elements in her stories and true to form we see both the blessing and struggles that surround these necessities of life. So many aspects of country living I can appreciate, having grown up in a small settlement in Canada where potential isolation is a reality. The need for support is great and sometimes hard to access but members of small country communities can offer wonderful help to each other. As we have seen in this novel and others by Maya.
The story is set in South Australia in what is known as the Limestone Coast. I have never been there but Maya once again paints such a stunning picture that I want to visit it. I particularly loved all the gorgeous flower descriptions and the delicious food references. The author’s own skill in cooking and gardening shines through (I have seen her posts in the past of her homegrown and homemade handiwork!) and adds an exquisite glow to the story’s core.
The opening scene at Clem’s café with scones steaming and butter melting over them, certainly set off my taste buds! Pure therapy as one character said. From page one you can feel the warmth and charm of the community. Their usual activity is not deterred by a little cool weather as they still meet up for their brunch. As Maya perfectly puts it ‘friends fiercely protected this tradition, scheduling an hour each week in between farms, kids and careers to talk about books and life, health and heartache.’ Such a cosy, inviting and warm response from the opening page shows the closeness, familiarity and comfortableness they share. The rest of the delicious food conversation made me want to go and bake a carrot cake or taste the other scrumptious foods described. And there are plenty of mouth-watering treats that Clem serves up in her cordial café where everyone loves to meet.
Besides having the café business at Sunny Gate Farm, Clem is a single mom with two daughters. She has a lot on her plate to juggle but when offered a catering job for Love on the Land she accepts. Little does she know how much this opportunity is going to change her life. For here she meets widower Spencer Hawkins, who is a contestant on the show. Although Spencer is not a farmer (as is often the case with these sorts of programs), he is an English teacher and keeps bees. But now he has five women trying to win his heart on this reality show with everyone watching. Is this something he is comfortable with? Not really and things don’t go so well. Except he meets Clem here and she affects him in ways he never expected. These two navigate their way through various issues including fears and worries about communication, commitment and potential heartbreak. But it is a gentle romance that manages to survive the traumas and losses they each have experienced in the past.
Differences of opinions on sensitive topics are displayed in Sunrise and Sunny Cross Farm. We learn not to judge too quickly decisions others make—even when it affects those around them. Nobody could ever truly know how the other feels and what each of us would do in life and death situations. VAD (Voluntary Assisted Dying) is one of those controversial topics played out in a couple of characters’ lives who had a terminal illness. I feel that Maya handles it with great tact and tenderness. Clem is not as forgiving initially with Spencer who played a role in his wife’s passing—until she must face it in a closer, more personal context.
Another difficult condition explored in the novel is postpartum psychosis, a severe psychiatric condition that causes delusions, confusion and hallucinations. Basically a patient loses touch with reality. We see the fear and havoc it can cause through main character Clem Crossley. It is easy to imagine how frightening this would be to lose control of your faculties. But Maya once again tastefully and respectfully addresses another sensitive topic and puts us not only in the observer’s seat but also inside the character’s heart and mind to feel what she is experiencing.
The novel has a great cast of characters, main and supporting and I enjoyed the relationship building and positive developments and growth seen in each. We all have ‘grey zones’ in our history that Clem speaks about and we all need second chances or even third or fourth sometimes! And we need people to have compassion and understanding when we stumble or when we are trying to work out our thoughts on big topics.
There is no doubt that Maya Linnell has made a mark on the rural fiction landscape. Her stories are warm, tender and truthful. It is also obvious her own compassion and empathy for others is seen in her characters. She is a passionate writer who can draw out the beauty of a land or seascape while showing us her deep understanding of human nature: and everyone’s need for love, family, home and acceptance. And in this case added to these is her talent for cooking and gardening that provide delightful and uplifting bonuses to Sunrise and Sunny Cross Farm. Without question, this is a beautiful, bold and triumphant story that draws upon the raw, unfiltered, unlovely bits of human frailty but then delivers up a positive message that love can transform a wounded heart. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Allen & Unwin for a review copy.
