Each time one of us releases a book (separately) we devote an episode of Dear Rach & Soph to discussing the book - Sophie will interview Rachael about hers, and vice versa.

This latest episode, which we’re releasing as a bonus episode, is about Sophie's new novel, Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon. There’s a short description below and you can hear Rach read the longer blurb in the episode.

We recorded this ep after we’d already recorded another episode so we were possibly a little tired and emotional - certainly Soph goes off on tangents - but, hey, that’s the way things go! You’re not getting our polished selves, you’re getting our real selves, and if you’re a regular ‘liewer’ (listen/viewer) you’ll be used to that. 

Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon is out now through Hachette Australia.

ABOUT LESSONS IN LOVE AT THE SEASIDE SALON

Four women. Four loves. Four life-changing stories. At a little salon by the sea - on the windblown coast of 1980s Australia - four different women with intertwined lives will find themselves through love, heartbreak and learning to love again.

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Romance Writers of Australia conference is taking place this weekend, we thought it was a good time to publish the episode we recorded with Amy Barry. Rachael is an expert romance writer; Amy is a romance writer and also an academic expert in romance fiction (her bio appears below).

Note from Sophie: I was passenger for most of this episode - to the point that my internet cut out, I dropped out of the Zoom and the conversation continued seamlessly! - but that wasn’t because I was being left out of the chat: it was because I was so fascinated listening to Rachael and Amy discuss romance writing that I felt lucky to be there. Being able to watch experts at work is a privilege, and whether you’re a romance writer or a romance reader - or both - you will, I’m sure, be as interested as I was in what they have to say.

NB: We recorded quite a few episodes in a short space of time a little while ago, so our intros are out of order and now out of date, but we are disinclined to not be genuine when we’re recording them, so all we can do is hope you don’t mind! 

***

ABOUT AMY BARRY

Amy Barry is the author of the romance series The McBrides of Montana. She is also Amy Matthews, an award-winning author and Associate Professor in Creative Writing at Flinders University. 

Amy’s novels have been published internationally and in translation and are available in print, audio and ebook. She has also written under the name Tess LeSue. As an academic, Amy publishes on genre fictions, specifically popular romance, historical fiction, and fictions of climate change. And she has a podcast, Amy &. 

Her latest novel is Seven Brides for Beau McBride.

ABOUT SEVEN BRIDES FOR BEAU MCBRIDE

From the beloved author of Kit McBride Gets a Wife and Marrying Off Morgan McBride comes a ‘sweet, hilarious and totally delicious’ love story (Hannah Grace). Beau McBride wants a wife, and his meddling little sister Junebug is itching to find him a mail-order bride. But why stop at just one?

Beau McBride reckons he’s ready for marriage. But his ego is bigger than his brain, and his little sister Junebug can’t trust him to find the right woman. So they make a bet, both placing ads in the Matrimonial News to find the perfect bride. Junebug is set on winning, but there’s a hitch: Beau has made his pick, and she’s beyond beautiful. Junebug knows looks ain’t everything, so to even the odds she invites six more women to meet her brother.

Ellie Neale doesn’t expect much from life. Which is good, since life hasn’t given her much, except a head full of daydreams and her beautiful best friend Diana. But after answering an ad to be a mail-order bride, Diana is leaving for Montana. Ellie is happy for her, really she is ... after all, she was the one who wrote Diana’s letters for her.

Ellie can’t bear the thought of losing Diana, so she answers an ad from a man in the same town her friend is headed for. But when they arrive, Ellie and Diana discover they’ve answered an ad for the same husband. Along with five other women.

With seven brides vying for Beau’s attention, he needs to make a decision – fast. The only problem is, his heart is pulled to the one woman who wants nothing to do with him.

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kayte Nunn’s previous books were mostly historical fiction, and there was often an element of intrigue, so the signs were there that she was heading for crime, and it’s a genre that she has taken to like the proverbial duck to water in her latest novel, THE PALAZZO.

We loved speaking to Kayte about her decision to switch to crime, and how she came to create the intricate web of story in THE PALAZZO, as well as choose the location. This is a novel that gives you a very satisfying crime story while also completely making you want to go to Italy - so you have been warned. And there’s more about Kayte and the novel below.

This episode was filmed a few weeks ago - we banked some episodes due to upcoming commitments - and you’ll hear us talking about Rachael’s serial MEANWHILE IN MOUNT MERRY-GLEN. She has that on pause for a little while but the existing episodes are there for paid subscribers to her Substack. And it’s something of a joint project in that Sophie was her copy editor from the second episode. 

***

ABOUT KAYTE NUNN

Kayte Nunn is the internationally bestselling author of seven novels, most recently 2022's The Only Child. They are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into eleven languages.

She was brought up in England, lived in the US for a number of years as a child and now calls the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia home.

ABOUT THE PALAZZO

They're all killers, but only one will resort to murder. The stunning new novel from international bestseller Kayte Nunn, for all fans of Lucy Foley and White Lotus.

Newly widowed beauty entrepreneur Vivi Savidge's fortieth birthday is fast approaching, and she plans to celebrate it at the Palazzo Stellina, a historic former convent in the foothills of the Italian Alps run by disgraced chef Marco Bianchi and his elderly grandmother.

Vivi's little sister, Alice, is flying from Brisbane with her sixteen-year-old twins in tow. Ex-colleague Pete and his new husband, Nick, are coming from Boston, and old friend Caroline is driving from Turin. Every one of them is hiding a shameful secret.

Vivi's hopes for a relaxing holiday surrounded by those closest to her are soon overshadowed by an anonymous blackmail threat, and she begins to wonder if someone she thought she could trust might just as easily betray her.

Amid a suffocating heatwave, the holiday ignites an explosive cocktail of obsession, jealousy and greed. Before the week is over, secrets will be exposed and the gathering will turn deadly, leaving one victim, a handful of suspects, and a murderer in their midst.

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These are the new fiction releases in Australia for August 2025 – that we know about! We’re relying on information from authors and publishers, but not all of them send it to us, so if you’re an author with an upcoming release, please let us know! 

HISTORICAL FICTION

Until the Red Leaves Fall by Alli Parker

Daughters of Batavia by Stefanie Koens

The Midnight Estate by Kelly Rimmer

GENERAL FICTION

The Life Experiment by Jess Kitching

Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon by Sophie Green

The Visitor by Rebecca Starford

CRIME

Stillwater by Tanya Scott

ROMANCE

In Spite of You by Patrick Lenton

Lights Camera Love by Natalie Murray

In the Long Run by Emma Mugglestone

YOUNG ADULT

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len

The Set-up Girl by Sasha Vey

Drift by Pip Harry 

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maya Linnell is a beloved author of seven novels, the latest of which is COCKATOO COVE (blurb below). Her writing life began with journalism, and she worked at a rural newspaper before moving into public relations then into writing fiction as well as blogging for Romance Writers Australia. Maya currently lives in rural Queensland with her husband and three children. 

We wanted to talk to Maya about her writing life and her fiction, of course, but she also participates in a number of other creative activities - indeed, she lives a rich, full creative life. If you need some creative inspiration, this is the episode for you! 

***

ABOUT COCKATOO COVE

Maggie West has worked tirelessly to prove herself, establishing a successful cattle stud instead of following her father into the crayfishing industry, though it's never enough to stop local speculation about her family's holdings. And with her teenage daughter veering off the rails, she knows all too well that money doesn't provide immunity against heartache or hardship.

Since landing in South Australia's picturesque Limestone Coast, Scottish winemaker Fergus Abernathy has gone from strength to strength. But it isn't just the awards that are keeping him in the district; if he can put down roots, perhaps he can persuade his family to join him Down Under.

Missing his family back in Scotland, Fergus looks a little enviously at the close-knit West family, until a shocking phone call changes everything.

Misunderstandings and long-withheld secrets create roadblocks for Maggie and Fergus, and with a community fundraiser hanging in the balance, it seems they're never destined to be in the right place at the right time.

Set in stunning wine country with border collies, rugged coastlines and generous community spirit, Cockatoo Cove is an exceptional tale showcasing the richness of life on the land.

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We never know where a conversation will go on this podcast, whether it’s us talking to each other or talking to a guest. While questions are prepared, a script is never followed to the letter - we both tend to let conversations go where they go. 

This conversation with Jess Kitching, author of new novel THE LIFE EXPERIMENT (published by Simon & Schuster - blurb below), went to several extraordinary places as Jess told us her story. At one point Sophie has to ask Rachael to take over because she's crying, so that will give you a sense of it. 

Jess started writing thrillers; THE LIFE EXPERIMENT is something quite different, a love story that is completely unconventional and thought-provoking. It was inspired by the death of a friend of Jess’s, and that same circumstance also inspired Jess to move to Australia from the United Kingdom, where she was born and lived. There is so much more to Jess’s story, though, and the story behind this novel. Suffice to say that in changing genres, Jess also changed her life, and as is the way of things she may very well change readers’ lives too. You’ll have to read her book to find out, and we hope this conversation will inspire you to do just that. 

Did you know? Dear Rach & Soph is on Substack! If you’d like to peruse the archive - on video and audio - go to dearrachandsoph.substack.com

For more about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

Rachael's latest book is Outback Reunion (2025) Preorder The Lucky Sisters

For more about Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Sophie's latest book is Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon (2025)

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here’s the latest instalment of our ‘writer therapy’ and this time our guest is Ky Garvey (bio below), who volunteered herself for some of the tough love we seem to dish out. Please note we are not therapists! But we are writers (who may need therapy) and as Sophie is also a publisher (who often gives advice to writers) we feel somewhat qualified to talk other writers through any issues they may be having.

This episode was recorded quite a while ago - on Mother’s Day, in fact. It’s taken this long to publish because we banked a lot of episodes knowing that we were both heading into writing new manuscripts and would need to concentrate on that. So you’ll hear Mother’s Day mentioned and there’s bonus mention of us talking about whether or not the moon influences tiredness levels, and we also talk about how we can schedule worrying as an activity. 

***

Ky Garvey is a writer and podcaster based in Brisbane. She is the host of Totally Lit, an award-winning interview style podcast celebrating reading, writing and creating literature. Ky writes shorts stories, is a children’s author and an advocate within the disability and carers space. Her debut picture book, Easy Peasy, was published in 2023 and other writing has been included in several anthologies and recognised in several writing competitions. In 2024, Ky launched the Inaugural Totally Lit Micro Fiction Prize.  

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a double episode today! That’s because we're late posting the July new releases. As it happens, Rachael recorded that one on her own, and as Sophie made the Emma Clancey episode (posted earlier) on her own, it has lined up nicely that we post both episodes today. So instead of one episode with us together, you have one from Soph and one from Rach. Lots of great new reading in this episode! Details of the books mentioned in this episode appear below.

Title: What Did I Miss?

Author: Holly Brunnbauer

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia 

Genre: Romantic comedy

Title: Second Chance Station

Author: Renae Black

Publisher: HQ/HarperCollins

Genre: Rural romance

Title: August Reunion

Author: Juliet Madison

Publisher: Bloodhound Books - available on Amazon

Genre: Women's fiction/romance

Title: The Peak

Author: Sam Guthrie

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Political thriller

Title: The Revisionists

Author: Michelle Johnston

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Thriller

Title: Moonlight and Dust

Author: Jasmin McGaughey

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: YA speculative fiction

Title: Fractured Pieces - The Nexus Series 2

Author: Mandi Kontos

Publisher: KDP

Genre: Fantasy

Title: Brooke Road

Author: Matthew Spencer

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: Crime

Title: Ruins

Author: Amy Taylor

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: Literary fiction

Title: Your Friend and Mine

Author: Jessica Dettmann

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Title: The Path Through the Coorong Trees

Author: Léonie Kelsall

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: Rural romance

Title: Love Overdue

Author: Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Genre: Romcom

Title: The Trauma-Informed Writer

Author: Dr Alicia Leigh

Publisher: Gininderra Press

Genre: Non-fiction

Title: The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson 

Author: Belinda Lyons-Lee

Publisher: Transit Lounge

Genre: Historical crime

Title: The Neighbours

Author: Emma Babbington

Publisher: HQ/HarperCollins

Genre: Part psych thriller, part family mystery

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Writing and healthcare aren’t that different. At their core it’s an interest in people and it’s an interest in telling and understanding stories.’

Sydney-based medical student and author Emma Clancey says this deep in Sophie's recent interview about her outstanding YA fantasy This Dream Will Devour Us (blurb below), which is out now from Allen & Unwin and which will be published in the USA next year. 

This is an interview Sophie did solo as while we have been pretty good at lining up times, we found ourself without a time in common for this chat. Emma was so interesting and inspiring to talk to – she is fitting in a vigorous writing schedule around her studies, and it is clear that she is passionate about both of these significant parts of her life. We talk about how she came to write the novel, the use of magic as a device in it, the importance of character development, and her overseas publication. 

***

ABOUT THIS DREAM WILL DEVOUR US

An intoxicating mix of magic and the machinations of the rich and powerful and a compulsive, bingeable read for readers who love Krystal Sutherland and Karen McManus.

Sometimes you've got to kill a dream to escape a nightmare.

Nora is the opposite of lucky. She's still wrangling her dead dad's debts when a mysterious illness lands her brother in hospital. But her fortunes take an unexpected turn when she wins the lottery to attend the Lamour family's exclusive magical Dream Gala. If Nora can win over the Lamour heirs, she'll get a coveted spot in their magical training program - and the money she needs to save her brother.

There's just one problem: Nora never bought a lottery ticket.

Determined to discover who wants her at the Gala - and why - Nora plunges headfirst into magical high society. Caught up in a decadent world of brutal billionaires and cutthroat celebrities, Nora is soon in over her head. When her search for answers uncovers a sinister conspiracy, will Nora stay silent or risk the wrath of a family powerful enough to get away with murder?

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people will make a change from a ‘conventional’ career path to a creative career; some will move from one form of creative practice to another. Melburnian Miranda Nation has done both.

After commencing studies in medicine at university, Miranda instead decided to pursue a creative life, training as an actor at at Jacques Lecoq in Paris from 2003 to 2005, then becoming a director and screenwriter, completing a Graduate Diploma in Directing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2010. 

That alone would have been reason enough for us to want to talk to her for Dear Rach & Soph, because the conventional path is often the easier one to take, due to there being less resistance along it – from family, friends and those around you – and there’s always a story attached to the decision to take a creative path instead. 

Miranda has taken it a step further, though. She’s had great success in screen - her short film, Perception, won the Dendy Award for Best Short Film at the 2014 Sydney Film Festival and her critically acclaimed debut feature as writer/director, Undertow, premiered at Melbourne International Film Festival and was released in cinemas in early 2020. The easier choice there would have been to stick to the artform she knew. Except she has taken on another: writing fiction. Her debut novel, New Skin, was released a few weeks ago by Allen & Unwin, and we speak quite a bit about that as well (blurb below). 

That’s not to say she has left screen behind! Miranda's original six-part series as creator/writer/EP, Playing Gracie Darling, will premiere on Paramount+ soon and stars Celia Pacquola, Anne Tenney and Harriet Walter.

So there was so much to ask her about, and Miranda gave great insight into the choices she’s made and what it’s taken to inhabit her creative being. We hope you enjoy meeting her as much as we did. 

In the intro we talk about Rach's Substack serial, Meanwhile in Mount Merry-Glen, which is being released one week at a time and it is fab! Want to find out more? Go to rachaeljohnsauthor.substack.com

ABOUT NEW SKIN

New Skin is Miranda’s powerful debut novel about first love and second chances. Alex and Leah meet at medical school and form an immediate and intense connection. Over the course of four years, they are caught in the push-pull of passion and betrayal, longing and reunion. Neither can quite give up the relationship, even as they question whether they are good for each other.

Years later, when Alex and Leah are drawn together once more, will they make the right choice?

New Skin evokes a coming of age in the 1990s and charts the course of first love and its power to shape who we become. Spare and compelling, this powerful debut introduces a dazzling new voice in Australian fiction.

For more information about Rachael Johns: https://www.rachaeljohns.com

For more informationabout Sophie Green: https://sophiegreenauthor.com

Subscribe on Spotify 

Subscribe on Apple

Subscribe on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.